Iowa. The Hawkeye State. CultureGrams. 29th State. Climate. Geography. States Edition. Established 1846

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1 States Edition 2017 The Hawkeye State Established th State is named for the y Native American tribe. leads the nation in the production of corn, soybeans, and hogs. In there are about five times more hogs than people. Fred Maytag from Newton introduced the first commercial (for sale) washing machine in One of the world s smallest churches is located near Festina and seats just eight people. In the Scandinavian town of Stanton,, the world s largest coffeepot holds 40,000 gallons of coffee. Strawberry Point is home to the world s largest statue of a strawberry. The statue is 15 feet (4.6 m) high! Urbandale s Living History Farms displays several functioning farms from different eras of history. is the only state that has both its eastern and western borders formed by rivers. The Mississippi River forms the eastern border, and the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River form the western border. The first official step in nominating a president begins when neighbors get together in their local caucus to pick which candidates the political parties will support. Climate is home to dangerous and powerful weather, including tornadoes. Heavy thunderstorms strike in June, the month with the most rain. These storms cause damaging floods when the Mississippi and other rivers overflow. Summers bring heavy humidity and warm temperatures. The frosts of winter have come as late as early May and as early as late September, though frosts on those dates are rare. The average temperature during July is 74 F (23 C). Winters are cold and snowy, with an average January temperature of 14 F (-10 C) in the north and 22 F (-6 C) in the south. Average Seasonal High and Low Temperatures Spring: 59/38 F Summer: 83/61 F Fall: 61/40 F Winter: 31/13 F Geography 1

2 is famous for rolling hills and some of the richest and deepest topsoil in the United States. contains a quarter of the world s top farmland. Millions of years ago, the region was covered by warm seas. During the ice age, glaciers pushed down from the north, flattening the landscape and grinding up rock and gravel. As the climate warmed, lakes formed from the melted ice. These lakes later drained away, and the empty lakebeds are now the gentle hills covering almost all of today. Evergreen forests gave way to grasslands that built up the deep, black topsoil for which the state is famous. However, the landscape is different in the northeast. There, s rivers flow into the wide Mississippi River. The rivers wear away the riverbanks as they move closer to the Mississippi, creating bluffs between 300 and 400 feet ( meters) high. is the 26th largest state in the United States, with an area of 56,276 square miles (145,754 square kilometers). Resources and Economy s soil makes it a perfect place for farming. has more than 90,000 farms. Except for California, no state exports (sells to other countries) more farm products than. raises about one-fifth of the nation s corn and produces one-quarter of its pork. Oats, hay, soybeans, cattle, and dairy products are also important crops. Farm-related industries, like food processing and farm machinery production, are its largest enterprises. In the past, s economy was strong only if crop prices were high. Today, has created other industries so that crop prices won t have such a large effect on the state. These include computer and electrical equipment manufacturing, insurance, chemical production, and printing and publishing. Time Line 10,000 BC Wandering bands of Native Americans begin hunting big animals on prairies and woodlands AD 1000 AD 1000 Corn makes its first appearance in Native American gardens 1673 French explorers Marquette and Joliet meet natives along the Mississippi River Napoleon sells the Louisiana Territory to the United States 1804 The Lewis and Clark expedition passes along the Missouri River on s western border 2

3 The United States signs its first land treaties with Sauk and Meskwaki (Fox) tribes 1830 The United States begins buying Native American land, and the first white settlers arrive 1832 The Black Hawk War ends as the Sauk and Meskwaki tribes give up their land 1838 The Territory is established 1846 As a compromise between Northern and Southern states, is made a state free of slavery; Mormons fleeing from Nauvoo, Illinois, cross on the way to Utah 1851 The United States signs the final treaty for Native American land in 1855 The legislature (lawmaking body) prohibits (outlaws) the manufacture and sale of alcohol 1856 The first railroad reaches City 1857 A wandering Sioux band kills 34 settlers in the Spirit Lake Massacre 1860 s population reaches 675, sides with the Union in the Civil War 1868 voters (all men at the time) approve a constitutional amendment (change) to grant black men the right to vote 1880 has 5,000 miles of railroad track and 1,600,000 people 1884 passes the Civil Rights Act, outlawing discrimination (treating people differently) by race in public accommodations Automobiles transform the way of life in farmers greatly increase production to help the American World War I effort 1917 Merle Hay of Glidden,, becomes one of the first three American soldiers killed in World War I 1918 The John Deere Company begins manufacturing tractors in Waterloo 3

4 1928 n Herbert Hoover is elected U.S. president 1930 Grant Wood s painting American Gothic is shown at the Art Institute of Chicago 1940 Henry A. Wallace is elected vice president of the United States 1941 The United States enters World War II, and the economy recovers from the Great Depression as food production goes into high gear to support American troops and allies 1970s Manufacturing becomes more important to the economy born Norman Borlaug wins the Nobel Prize for increasing food supply in developing countries by introducing better farming practices and plant varieties 1993 Floods and frost destroy the crops, and is declared a disaster area 1999 Governor Terry Branstad completes his fourth term, having held the office for 16 years, the longest of any governor in the history of the state Blizzards blow through, dumping snow across the state and closing miles of highway born astronaut Peggy Whitson leads a mission to the International Space Station 2009 legalizes same-sex marriage 2010 Terry Branstad is reelected governor for a fifth term 2014 Joni Ernst becomes the first female veteran to serve in the U.S. Senate as well as the first female senator from PRESENT Ancient ns The earliest Native Americans lived in 11,000 years ago. These nomadic people were constantly moving around as they followed animals they could hunt. Native Americans later began living in permanent settlements and raising crops. Most of the tribes settled near the Mississippi River or the Missouri River or in the Des Moines River Valley. They fished and hunted deer and buffalo in surrounding areas. The Sauk, Meskwaki (Fox), Illinois, Dakota, Missouri, Omaha, and Osage tribes were all living in when the Europeans arrived. 4

5 The French Land Sale The French are responsible for s early exploration. Explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet reached in the late 17th century as they traveled in canoes down the Mississippi River. French place-names like Des Moines, which means the monks, are still used today. France owned the land, transferring the title to Spain in the 1760s but reclaiming it again in In 1803, French leader Napoleon Bonaparte sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States under President Thomas Jefferson. The Louisiana Purchase, reaching from the Mississippi River all the way to the Rocky Mountains, included. Native Americans on the Move By the 1830s, there were still no permanent white settlements in. Then the U.S. government began using treaties to force out local Native American tribes. The tribes resisted losing their land. In 1832, Chief Black Hawk led the Sauk and Meskwaki (Fox) tribes in battles against U.S. troops in neighboring states. These battles were known as the Black Hawk War. When the tribes lost the war in 1832, the government forced these tribes to give up their land in. During the next 20 years, many other tribes had to move out of. The United States signed the last treaty for s land with the Sioux in 1851, but the conflicts were not over. During the difficult winter of 1857, starving members of the Sioux tribe attacked settlers. More than 30 settlers died in what was called the Spirit Lake Massacre. From Many Nations As the Native Americans left, white settlers rushed in. During the first half of the 19th century, most settlers came from eastern states like Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and the New England states. In the second half of the century, immigrants from Europe began to arrive. Most were German, but many also came from Britain and Ireland. Scandinavians, Croatians, and Italians came later. By 1900, most of the available land had been taken. After the Civil War, some African Americans moved to s cities. Toward the end of the 20th century, Latinos began moving in, bringing a rich cultural heritage from Central and South America and the Caribbean. Today, ns hold cultural festivals to celebrate their immigrant past. Corn Country s history has been closely tied to its corn. During World War I, prices for corn were high because it was needed to feed troops. After the war, prices fell quickly. Many farmers struggled during the Great Depression of the 1930s. When U.S. soldiers went overseas in World War II, again provided much of the corn and pork to feed them. This helped farmers recover from the hard times. s industry then began to change. During the following decades, more people began working in factories instead of on farms. The high costs of farming in the 1980s forced many people to give up their farms. Both floods and frosts destroyed crops in Despite these challenges, remains one of the nation s most important grain producers. Population 5

6 Since is known for farming, you might think that most of the state s population lives in rural (countryside) areas. It used to be that way, but as machines were developed to do much of the work on farms, many farmers moved to cities to find better jobs. Now the majority of people live in cities. Still, is less urban (city) than most of its neighbor states, and s cities are relatively small. Des Moines, the state capital, is the largest city. Government Capital: Des Moines State Abbreviation: IA Governor: Terry E. Branstad (Republican) U.S. Senators: 2 Chuck Grassley (Republican) Joni Ernst (Republican) U.S. Representatives: 4 Republicans: 3 Democrats: 1 State Senators: 50 State Representatives: 100 Counties: 99 The state legislature (lawmaking body) is made up of 50 senators and 100 representatives. s caucus (where political parties decide which candidates they will support) is held at the beginning of the year, marking one of the first important steps for candidates running for president of the United States. Famous People Abigail Dear Abby Van Buren Newspaper columnist Johnny Carson Comedian and talk-show host Buffalo Bill (William) Cody Frontiersman and Wild West entertainer 6

7 Johnny Carson Bob Feller Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Susan Glaspell Author Black Hawk Native American chief Herbert Hoover 31st U.S. president Ann Landers Newspaper columnist Glenn Miller Big-band leader John Wayne Movie star of many Western films Meredith Willson Writer of the popular musical The Music Man Elijah Wood Actor Ann Landers John Wayne Elijah Wood Native America Before the 17th century, more than a dozen different tribes lived in what is now. Among the tribes were the Fox, Sauk, y, and Sioux peoples. The Fox called themselves the Meskwaki, meaning red earth people. French trappers gave them the name Fox when they entered the area. The tribes set up villages along the banks of the Mississippi River, where they grew squash, corn, and beans. In the winter, they hunted and fished. They believed all animals and every living thing have a spirit and that all forms of life deserve respect. The tribes traded with the French explorers. When the United States bought the land from Napoleon in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase, their lifestyle changed. The United States signed a series of treaties with the tribes in which the tribes gave up their land and moved to reservations in Kansas. The Meskwaki and Sauk tribes resisted removal, fighting the Black Hawk War. But by the mid-1800s, almost all natives had been removed from the area. The Sauk and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi is the only tribe left in today. The tribe is made up of descendants of s original inhabitants who left the state for reservations in Kansas and a few hundred other members of the tribe who managed to stay in in hiding. The tribe s surviving members purchased a portion of land from 7

8 the state government, gained federal recognition, and expanded their land holdings. Today they number a little over a thousand members, many of whom live in a settlement on an area of land covering about 7,000 acres (28 square kilometers) in central. There is also a large population of natives in Sioux City. The Sauk and Fox tribe holds an annual powwow celebrating their culture and history through traditional dance and musical performances. Many tribal members work at a profitable tribe-owned casino. American Gothic Grant Wood, a painter, worked at the University of. His paintings include The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and the famous American Gothic. Many of s artists such as Wood have painted the beautiful landscape or have shown what life was like on a typical farm. During the Great Depression, Wood formed a haven (safe place) for artists known as the Stone City Art Colony near his home along the Wapsipinicon River. At a time when money and food were hard to come by, Wood offered free food and lodging for any artist who wanted to come. Many artists came to the colony to live in the ice house wagons Wood set up for shelter, and the works of art they produced reflected the Great Depression era across the United States. Big Ride Bicycling has long been one of ns favorite sports. The best-known bicycling event in the state is the Register s Annual Great Bicycle Race Across, more commonly known as RAGBRAI. Since 1973, thousands of cyclists from all over the world come to in the last week of July for the week-long race from one side of the state to the other. RAGBRAI is a noncompetitive race, and cyclists often form teams to enjoy the ride together. The race averages around 450 miles (724 kilometers), and the more than 10,000 riders traditionally dip their rear wheels in the waters of the Missouri or Big Sioux Rivers (depending on the route) at the start of the race and then dip their front wheels in the Mississippi River at the end. RAGBRAI has become one of the most popular recreational sports events in the nation. State Symbols State Bird Eastern goldfinch This bird lives in grain fields and often stays through the winter. 8

9 State Tree Oak The oak is found in s eastern woodlands and serves as a shelter for many of s animals and birds. State Flower Wild rose s prairie rose, which blooms in late summer, can be found in many shades of pink. State Rock Geode The state is rich in this rare rock that sparkles with crystals when broken open. Other Symbols Song: Song of State Motto Our Liberties We Prize, and Our Rights We Will Maintain This motto was adopted to reflect ns' independent spirit. Major League Sports Teams There are currently no Major League sports teams in. For More Information See or contact the Department of Economic Development, Division of Tourism, 200 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309; phone (800) 345-IOWA; web site ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. It is against the law to copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by any means without strict written permission from ProQuest. 9 ProQuest 789 East Eisenhower Parkway Ann Arbor, Michigan USA Toll Free: Fax:

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