Missouri. "Salus populi suprema lex esto" The United States of America. (The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law)

Transcription

1 Missouri The United States of America "Salus populi suprema lex esto" (The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law) James F. Kaserman Sarah J. Kaserman Jefferson City I Save A Tree Electronic Books C 2003 I Save A Tree Inc. ISBN# X

2 Table of Contents Location 5 History before statehood 7 History since statehood 9 State government 11 State flag 13 Current facts 15 Industry today 17 State landmarks 19 Weather and land 21 Animals in Missouri 23 State bird 25 State tree 27 State flower 29 Famous people from Missouri 31 Things to do in Missouri 33 Popular sports in Missouri 35 Fast facts 37 Glossary 39 Web sites / books for information 41 Index 43 Credits 45

3 Location Missouri is a Midwestern state. The Mississippi River forms Missouri's eastern border. Beyond the river lie the states of Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee. To the south is Arkansas. Iowa is located north of Missouri. The Missouri River forms the northwestern The states to the west of Missouri are Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. Jefferson City is the capital. It is located near the center of the state. Jefferson City 6

4 History Before Statehood Mississippi River Valley Native Americans called moundbuilders lived in the region before the Europeans arrived. Their large earthen mounds can still be seen. Local tribes included the Osage, Fox, Sauk and Missouri Indians. French explorers were the first Europeans to explore the area. They claimed the entire Mississippi River Valley in 1682, naming it Louisiana. French trappers, missionaries and prospectors followed. Then in 1803, the United States bought the land from France in what was called the Louisiana Purchase. Indian tepee 8

5 History Since Statehood Union infantry Missouri joined the Union as a slave state on August 10, 1821, but it was sharply divided over slavery. At the time, Missouri was the western frontier. The Santa Fe and Oregon trails both began at Independence and earned Missouri the name, "Gateway to the West." During the Civil War, Missouri was a battleground. Towns were looted and burned. Mining, manufacturing and agriculture expanded during World War I. After the Great Depression of the 1930s, new industries were developed for the military in World War II. Along the trail 10

6 Government State capitol building The state government of Missouri is divided into three branches. Governor Bob Holden is head of the executive branch. This branch is in charge of carrying out the laws. The legislature has two parts, the Senate and House of Representatives. The third branch is the judicial branch. This branch interprets the laws. Missouri has 114 counties. Each has a local government. Governor Bob Holden 12

7 State Flag The state flag of Missouri was adopted in It has bars of red, white and blue. In the center is the state seal. On the seal, the grizzly bears represent Missouri. The eagle on the shield stands for the United States: a moon for the new state, and a bear for courage. The helmet represents enterprise and ambition. The 24 stars above the helmet stand for the state becoming the 24th state. Around the shield is the motto: "United we stand, divided we fall." 14

8 Current Facts Gateway Arch, St. Louis Over 5,595,211 people live in Missouri. The state is ranked the 17th largest state for the number of people living in it. Missouri covers 68,898 square miles. It is ranked the 18th largest state in total area in the United States. Kansas City has more miles of boulevards than Paris, France, and more fountains than any other city except Rome, Italy. Kansas City fountain 16

9 Industry Today Agriculture and manufacturing are the state's main industries. Soybeans, corn, and wheat are the most important crops. Farmers throughout the state also raise cattle, hogs, turkeys and chickens. Farm tractor The state manufactures airplanes, automobiles, railroad cars and other transportation equipment, machinery, metal products, chemical products, shoes and clothing. Airplane manufacturing 18

10 Landmarks Gateway Arch The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, next to the Mississippi River, represents Missouri's nickname "Gateway to the West." The arch is a monument to the courage and spirit of the pioneers. It is 630 feet tall and is built to last through earthquakes and high winds. Meramac Caverns is thought to have been the hideout of outlaw Jesse James. It is a huge cave with one room large enough to hold 300 automobiles. The Madonna of the Trails statute in Lexington is a tribute to the many women pioneers. Caverns of Missouri 20

11 Weather & Land Thunderstorm Average temperatures range from 79 to 29 Fahrenheit in the north. Temperatures average higher in the south. The average yearly precipitation is 50 inches in the southeast and 30 inches in the northwest. Missouri holds the U.S. record for the worst tornado (1925) and most powerful earthquake (1811). Rolling hills, open and fertile plains and prairies lie north of the Missouri River. South of the river, the land becomes rough hills with lowland plains in the southeast. Missouri forest 22

12 Animals In Missouri Buck The mule was named the state animal in The mule is the offspring of a horse and a donkey. Missouri mules pulled pioneer wagons to the Wild West and moved troops and supplies in World Wars I and II. White-tail deer live in Missouri. Other common animals include beavers, rabbits, foxes, muskrats, opossums, raccoons, skunks and squirrels. Many varieties of birds are in the state. Bass, crappie, catfish, pike and perch are at home in the streams and lakes. Mule 24

13 State Bird Bluebird The bluebird (Sialia sialis) was named the state bird on March 30, The bluebird is considered a symbol of happiness. The male has blue plumage and a brick-red breast that turns rust-colored in the fall.the female is lighter blue with a buff-colored breast. Bluebirds are usually 6 to 7 inches long. The bluebird can be seen in farmland, rural yards and open woodlands from early spring until late November. Bluebird 26

14 State Tree Dogwood blossom Dogwood tree The dogwood (Cornus florida) was named the statetreeonjune 20, The flowering dogwood blooms early in the spring before its leaves appear. The flowers are small and white. The flower has four white leaves that look like petals. The flowering dogwood tree rarely grows more than 40 feet high. The dogwood trunk is hard and heavy. 28

15 State Flower White hawthorn The white hawthorn was named the state flower in The hawthorn tree (Crateagus) is a low, thick tree with thorns. The flower blooms in May. The flower is white, pink or red with a fragrance that attracts bees and birds. The fruit of the hawthorn tree is a small, red apple that provides food for wildlife. White hawthorn 30

16 Famous People Mark Twain Harry Truman was the United States' 33rd President. Other notable Missourians include: author Samuel Clemens, known as MarkTwain; General John J. Pershing, commander of United States forces in World War I; George Washington Carver, famous African- American scientist and Joseph Pulitzer, famous journalist. Thomas Hart and George Caleb, world famous painters, were Missourians. Famous baseball players Casey Stengel and Yogi Berra as well as basketball player Bill Bradley are from the "Show-Me" state. Harry Truman 32

17 Things to Do Banjo player In Missouri The countrymusic shows of Branson and the Gateway Arch at the Jefferson National Expansion in St. Louis are favorite visitor destinations. Popular museums and historic sites include the Pony Express and Jesse James museums in St. Joseph, the restored boyhood home of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) in Hannibal and the Harry S.Truman home and library in Independence. The scenic Ozark region has many springs and caves. Marvel Cave has an underground cable train. Ozark cavern 34

18 Sports NASCAR pit crew In Missouri Missouri features high-school, college and professional sports. Professional teams include the Kansas City Chiefs and the St. Louis Rams (football), the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals (baseball), the Kansas City Wizards (soccer) and the St. Louis Blues (hockey). St. Louis baseball 36

19 River bed Fast Facts Governor: Bob Holden Capital: Jefferson City Size: 68,898 square miles, 18th in the U.S. Population: 5,595,211 people, 17th in the U.S. Major cities: Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Independence, Columbia, Saint Joseph Nickname: "Show-Me State" State animal: mule State bird: bluebird State flower: hawthorn State tree: dogwood State song: "Missouri Waltz" State motto: "Salus populi suprema lex esto" (The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law) Historic ruins 38

20 Glossary arch, a doorway or gateway with a curved head. battleground, the place where opposing military forces fight. boulevard, a broad city street, often tree-lined and landscaped. earthquake, a sudden movement of the earth's crust.violent shaking and tremors are characteristic of earthquakes. military, members of armed forces. missionaries, persons who are sent to do religious or charitable work in a territory or another country. plumage, the feathery covering of a bird. scenic, having pleasing or beautiful scenery. rural, undeveloped, natural and away from the city. tornado, a rotating column of disturbed air usually accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud with destructive wind speeds of up to 500 miles per hour. 40

21 Link1 Link2 Link3 Link4 Links & Books For more information Title: The World Book Encyclopedia Publisher: World Book, Inc. Copyright: 2002 Title: The Kid's World Almanac of the United States Author: Dr.Thomas G. Aylesworth Publisher: World Almanac Copyright: 1990 Title: Exploring the 50 States Author: Marcie Anderson Publisher: Willowisp Press, Inc. Copyright: 1983 Visit our 42

22 Index bluebird, 25, 26 Clemens, Samuel, 31, 34 dogwood, 27, 28 Gateway Arch,19, 33 hawthorn, 29, 30 Holden, Bob, 11 Mississippi River, 5, 8 mule, 23 Oregon Trail, 9 Truman, Henry, 31, 34 Twain, Mark, 31, 34 44

23 Credits Written by James F. Kaserman Sarah J. Kaserman Edited by Linda Coyner Produced by Robert Rance Technologies Doug Meyers Design Dan Mader Photo credits Missouri Department of Natural Resources I Save A Tree Inc. reserves the right to remove or exchange any photo/illustration at any time without notice. 46