- The great seal, adopted on June 15, 1867, bears the date of Nebraska's statehood and the state …
The state of Nebraska probably got its name from an Oto Indian word meaning “shallow [or spreading] water.” This refers to the Platte River, which runs across the middle of the state. Corn is the state's main crop, and Nebraska's nickname is the Cornhusker State. Nebraska also is sometimes called the Tree Planters State. In 1872 settlers in Nebraska held the nation's first Arbor Day celebration and planted about a million trees on the barren plains. The capital of Nebraska is Lincoln. GeographyNebraska is located in the central United States in an area known as the Great Plains. The state is bordered on the north by South Dakota, on the west by Colorado and Wyoming, and on the south by Kansas. On the east the Missouri River separates Nebraska from Iowa and Missouri. The area of Nebraska is 77,355 square miles (200,349 square kilometers). The land consists mainly of a rolling plain that rises gradually from east to west. The hills and plains of eastern and southern Nebraska are fertile cropland. The vast Sand Hills country of the north-central and northwestern parts of the state is a treeless, grass-covered region suitable for grazing cattle and sheep. The Niobrara, Platte, and Republican rivers flow eastward across the state. The climate is dry, with cold winters and hot summers. Plants and animalsA variety of prairie grasses once covered much of Nebraska, but early farmers plowed up the grasses to plant crops. Bison roamed widely over the Nebraska plains until they were almost wiped out by white settlers. Some of these animals remain in their natural habitat on the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, near Valentine. Antelope and deer are also native to the state, as are prairie dogs, coyotes, jackrabbits, skunks, and squirrels. People and cultureThe Native American tribes of early Nebraska included the Pawnee, Oto, Missouri, Omaha, Ponca, Winnebago, Sioux, Arapaho, and Cheyenne. Nearly 15,000 Native Americans lived in the state in the early 21st century. In addition to Americans from other states, many European immigrants settled in Nebraska during the late 19th century. The Burlington and Union Pacific railroads encouraged people to move to the state. The first large groups of settlers in Nebraska were Germans. Later came Czechs, Swedes, Danes, and Russians. In 2000 about 90 percent of the state's population was white. The largest minority groups were African Americans and Mexicans, each of whom made up about 4 percent of the population. CitiesNebraska's largest city is Omaha, located on the west bank of the Missouri River. It is an important railroad hub and a busy industrial center. West of Omaha is Boys Town, a famous community for homeless boys founded in 1917 by Father Edward J. Flanagan. Girls were first admitted to Boys Town in 1979. The state capital and second-largest city is Lincoln, 60 miles (100 kilometers) southwest of Omaha. Recreation - Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska.
Nebraska's state parks feature historic and scenic points, including Scotts Bluff National Monument. Another notable feature is the Nebraska National Forest. One of Nebraska's most popular events is the annual state fair held at Lincoln. Also popular are rodeos and the shows at Omaha sponsored by an organization called the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben (Nebraska spelled backwards). EducationFree public grade schools began in Nebraska in 1855. High schools were included in the public school system in 1875. The largest state-supported university in Nebraska is the University of Nebraska, with its main campus in Lincoln. Nebraskans are particularly attached to this institution because of its history of outstanding football teams. EconomyAgricultureNebraska ranks among the top states in agricultural production. Corn, the most valuable crop, is raised in the central and southern counties. Other important crops are soybeans, wheat, hay, sorghum, oats, sugar beets, and potatoes. Livestock is raised on the rough grasses of central Nebraska and in the west. The state is a leader in the sale of cattle and calves. Pigs, sheep, turkeys, and chickens are also raised. IndustryThe leading manufacturing industry in Nebraska is food processing, mainly of farm products. Factories also produce industrial machinery, chemicals, metals, and electrical, electronic, and transportation equipment. Petroleum is the state's main mineral resource. Nebraska's economy also depends heavily on service industries. Business services such as telemarketing grew quickly in the state during the 1990s. Nebraska, and Omaha in particular, is a major center of the nation's insurance industry. Tourism is an important part of the state's economy as well. HistoryPrehistoric peoples inhabited the region that eventually became Nebraska as early as 8000 BC. Several Native American tribes were living in the area when Spanish and French explorers visited during the 16th to 18th centuries. The Spanish and French did little to develop the territory. Nebraska was acquired by the United States as part of an 1803 land deal with France known as the Louisiana Purchase. The first organized exploration of the Nebraska area was by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804. Fur traders began creating posts in the area around 1810. StatehoodNebraska was part of a large area reserved for Native Americans between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains. Some white settlers ignored the law, however, and established farms in the area. Nebraska and Kansas were made into territories by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. When the Dakota, Colorado, and Idaho territories were created between 1861 and 1863, Nebraska was reduced in size to about its present limits. In 1867 Nebraska entered the Union as the 37th state. The completion of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1869 led to rapid settlement of the new state. Nebraska in the 20th and 21st centuriesA terrible drought during much of the 1930s caused many farmers in Nebraska to give up their land. It also led to an increase in irrigation projects and improved farming practices. World War II turned the economy around in the early 1940s, and Nebraska enjoyed steady economic growth for several decades. In the mid-1980s the state was hit hard by the nationwide decline in the value of farmland. Many farmers were forced to sell their farms to pay off their bills. At the beginning of the 21st century Nebraska was seeking to reduce its dependence on farming and to attract new industry. Population (2000 census), 1,711,263. |