Nebraska (pronounced /nəˈbræskə/ ( listen)) is a state A U.S. state is any one of 50 subnational entities of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. However, state citizenship is very flexible, and no government approval is required to located on the Great Plains The Great Plains are the broad expanse of prairie and steppe which lie west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming, and the Canadian provinces of of the Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States is one of the four geographic regions within the United States of America that are officially recognized by the United States Census Bureau and Western United States The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time. Prior to about 1800, the crest of the Appalachian. The state's capital is Lincoln The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second most populous city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. The population was 225,581 at the 2000 census and its largest city is Omaha Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha is the anchor of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, with Council Bluffs, Iowa sitting adjacent to.

Nebraska probably gets its name from the archaic Otoe Chiwere is a Siouan language originally spoken by the Missouria, Otoe, and Iowa peoples, who originated in the Great Lakes region but later moved throughout the midwest and plains. The language is closely related to Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago words Ñí Brásge, pronounced [ˌɲĩˈbɾaskɛ] (contemporary Otoe Ñí Bráhge), or the Omaha Omaha-Ponca is a Siouan language spoken by the Ponca and Omaha people of Nebraska and the Ponca people of Oklahoma. There are today only 60 speakers of Omaha, and 25 fluent speakers, all over 60, and a handful of semi-fluent speakers of Ponca Ní Btháska, pronounced [ˌnĩˈbˡðaska],[dubious – discuss] meaning "flat water," after the Platte River The Platte River is an approximately 310 mi long river in the Western United States. It is a tributary to the Missouri River, which in turn is a tributary to the Mississippi River. Platte River being one of the most significant river systems in the watershed of the Missouri, it drains a large portion of the central Great Plains in Nebraska and the that flows through the state.[3] American Indian Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii. They comprise a large number of distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as intact political communities. There has tribes in Nebraska have included the Iowas, Omahas, Missourias, Poncas, Pawnees, Otoes, and various branches of the Sioux Assiniboine, Stoney , and other Siouan peoples.

Once considered part of the Great American Desert The Great American Desert is a term that was used in the 19th century to describe the High Plains east of the Rocky Mountain, it is now a leading farming Agriculture refers to the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and stratified societies. The study of agriculture is and ranching Agriculture refers to the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and stratified societies. The study of agriculture is state.

Contents

History

Main article: History of Nebraska The history of the U.S. state of Nebraska dates back to its formation as a territory by the Kansas-Nebraska Act, passed by the United States Congress on May 30, 1854. The Nebraska Territory was settled extensively under the Homestead Act during the 1860s, and in 1867 was admitted to the Union as the 37th U.S. state

On May 30, 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act In United States history, the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new lands, repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, and allowed settlers in those territories to determine if they would allow slavery within their boundaries. The initial purpose of the Kansas-Nebraska Act was to create opportunities created the Kansas Territory The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Kansas and the Nebraska Territory The Territory of Nebraska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until March 1, 1867, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Nebraska. The Nebraska Territory was created by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. The territorial capital was Omaha, divided by the Parallel 40° North The 40th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 40 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane.[4] The territorial capital of Nebraska was Omaha Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha is the anchor of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, with Council Bluffs, Iowa sitting adjacent to.

In the 1860s, the first great wave of homesteaders The Homestead Act was a United States Federal law that gave an applicant freehold title to 160 acres -640 acres (one section or about 260 hectares) of undeveloped land outside of the original 13 colonies. The new law required three steps: file an application, improve the land, and file for deed of title. Anyone who had never taken up arms against poured into Nebraska to claim free land granted by the federal government. Many of the first farm settlers built their homes out of sod The term sod may be used to mean turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns. However, in British English such material is more usually known as turf, and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricultural senses , or avoided altogether, due to the alternative offensive meaning of the word "sod" because they found so few trees on the grassy land.

Nebraska became the 37th state in 1867, shortly after the American Civil War The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the U.S. and formed the Confederate States of America (the Confederacy). Led by Jefferson Davis, they fought against the U.S. federal government (the. At that time, the capital was moved from Omaha Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha is the anchor of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, with Council Bluffs, Iowa sitting adjacent to to Lancaster, later renamed Lincoln The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second most populous city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. The population was 225,581 at the 2000 census after the recently assassinated President of the United States The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition. The President leads the executive branch of the federal government and is one of only two nationally-elected federal officers, Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. He successfully led the country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery. Before his election in 1860 as the first Republican president, Lincoln had been a country lawyer, an Illinois state legislator, a member of the United.

The Arbor Day Arbor Day is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees. Arbor Day originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States and is celebrated in a number of countries holiday began in Nebraska, and the National Arbor Day Foundation The Arbor Day Foundation is the world's oldest and largest tree-planting organization. Its million members plant millions of trees every year. New members receive 10 free trees. The foundation began September 3, 1971 with a mission "to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees". The Arbor Day Holiday began more than 120 years is still headquartered in Nebraska City with some offices also located in Lincoln.

Nebraska has a long history of civil rights activism, starting in 1912 with the foundation of Omaha's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People The NAACP bestows the annual Image Awards for achievement in the arts and entertainment, and the annual Spingarn Medals for outstanding positive achievement of any kind, on deserving African Americans chapter.

Geography

Further information: List of counties in Nebraska The following is a list of the 93 counties in the U.S. state of Nebraska, listed by name, FIPS code and license plate prefix, List of Nebraska rivers, and Geography of Omaha

The state is bordered by South Dakota South Dakota ( /ˌsaʊθ dəˈkoʊtə/ ) is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. The former territory was admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889. Centrally-located Pierre is the state capital and Sioux Falls is the state's largest city. As to the north; Iowa Iowa ( /ˈaɪəwə/ ) is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of to the east and Missouri Missouri (pronounced /mɨˈzʊəri/ , and infrequently locally /mɨˈzʊərə/) is a state in the Midwest region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 18th most populous state. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city. Missouri's capital is Jefferson to the southeast, across the Missouri River The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, and is the longest river in the United States of America. The Missouri likely originates at Brower's Spring at the upper reaches of the Jefferson, before joining the confluence of the Madison, Jefferson, and Gallatin rivers in Montana. From this point, it flows through its valley south; Kansas The State of Kansas ( /ˈkænzəs/ ) is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American "Heartland" or "America's Breadbasket" referring to the state's enormous wheat-growing agribusiness. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn to the south; Colorado The State of Colorado ( /kɒləˈrædoʊ/ or /kɒləˈrɑːdoʊ/ (help·info)) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. It may also be considered to be part of the Western and Southwestern regions of the United States. Colorado entered statehood in 1876 and was nicknamed the “Centennial State”. It is to the southwest; and Wyoming The State of Wyoming ( /waɪˈoʊmɪŋ/ ) is a state in the Western United States. The majority of the state is dominated by the mountain ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountain West, while the easternmost section of the state includes part of a high altitude prairie region known as the High Plains. While the tenth largest U.S. state by size, to the west. The state has 93 counties The following is a list of the 93 counties in the U.S. state of Nebraska, listed by name, FIPS code and license plate prefix; it occupies the central portion of the Frontier Strip. Nebraska is split into two time zones. The Central Time zone comprises the eastern half of the state, while the western half observes Mountain Time. Three rivers cross the state from west to east. The Platte River The Platte River is an approximately 310 mi long river in the Western United States. It is a tributary to the Missouri River, which in turn is a tributary to the Mississippi River. Platte River being one of the most significant river systems in the watershed of the Missouri, it drains a large portion of the central Great Plains in Nebraska and the runs through the heart, the Niobrara River The Niobrara River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 430 mi (692 km) long, running through the U.S. states of Wyoming and Nebraska. The river drains one of the most arid sections of the Great Plains, and has a low flow for a river of its length. The Niobrara's watershed includes a small south-central section of South Dakota as flows through the northern part of the state's region, and the Republican River traverses through the southern part of the state.

Nebraska is composed of two major land regions: the Dissected Till Plains The Dissected Till Plains are physiographic sections of the Central Lowlands province, which in turn is part of the Interior Plains physiographic division of the United States, located in southern and western Iowa, northeastern Kansas, the southwestern corner of Minnesota, northern Missouri, eastern Nebraska, and southeastern South Dakota and the Great Plains The Great Plains are the broad expanse of prairie and steppe which lie west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming, and the Canadian provinces of. The easternmost portion of the state was scoured by Ice Age The general term "ice age" or, more precisely, "glacial age" denotes a geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in an expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Within a long-term ice age, individual pulses of extra cold climate glaciers A glacier is a large mass of ice moving slowly over some land surface or down a valley, formed over long periods from the accumulation of snow in areas where the amount of snow that falls exceeds the amount that melts. The word glacier comes from French via the Vulgar Latin glacia, and ultimately from Latin glacies meaning ice; the Dissected Till Plains were left behind after the glaciers retreated. The Dissected Till Plains is a region of gently rolling hills; Omaha Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha is the anchor of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, with Council Bluffs, Iowa sitting adjacent to and Lincoln The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second most populous city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. The population was 225,581 at the 2000 census are located within this region. The Great Plains occupy the majority of western Nebraska. The Great Plains itself consists of several smaller, diverse land regions, including the Sandhills, the Pine Ridge The Pine Ridge is an escarpment between the Niobrara River and the White River in far northwestern Nebraska . The high tableland between the rivers has been eroded into a region of forested buttes, ridges and canyons, the Rainwater Basin The Rainwater Basin is a 4,200 mi.² region of shallow lakes, marshes and other wetlands located south of the Platte River in south-central Nebraska. In the spring and fall months, millions of migratory birds pass through the region to feed and rest. The Rainwater Basin, along with the Platte River, is a major component of the Central Flyway of, the High Plains The High Plains are a subregion of the Great Plains in the central United States, generally encompassing the western part of the Great Plains before the region reaches the Rocky Mountains. The High Plains are located in eastern Colorado, western Kansas, western Nebraska, central and eastern Montana, eastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma, and the Wildcat Hills. Panorama Point, at 5,424 feet (1,653 m), is the highest point in Nebraska; despite its name and elevation, it is merely a low rise near the Colorado and Wyoming borders.

Nebraska state welcome sign on Interstate 76 at the Colorado border

A past Nebraska tourism slogan was "Where the West Begins"; locations given for the beginning of the "West" include the Missouri River, the intersection of 13th and O Streets in Lincoln (where it is marked by a red brick star), the 100th meridian, and Chimney Rock. Nebraska is in fact a triply landlocked state, as it does not border the ocean, nor do any of the states it borders, nor any that they border on.[5] Nebraska also claims to have more miles of river than any other state.

Federal land management

Areas under the management of the National Park Service include:

Areas under the management of the National Forest Service include:

Climate

Two major climates are represented in Nebraska: the eastern half of the state has a humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification Dfa), and the western half of the state has a semi-arid continental steppe climate (Koppen BSk). The entire state experiences wide seasonal variations in temperature and precipitation. Average temperatures are fairly uniform across Nebraska with hot summers and generally cold winters, while average annual precipitation decreases east to west from about 31.5 inches (800 mm) in the southeast corner of the state to about 13.8 inches (350 mm) in the Panhandle. Humidity also decreases significantly from east to west. Snowfall across the state is fairly even, with most of Nebraska receiving between 25 and 35 inches (650 to 900 mm) of snow annually.[6]

Map of Nebraska

Nebraska is located in Tornado Alley; thunderstorms are common in the spring and summer months, and violent thunderstorms and tornadoes happen primarily during the spring and summer, though can also happen in the autumn. The chinook winds from the Rocky Mountains provide a temporary moderating effect on temperatures in western Nebraska during the winter months.[7][8]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1860 28,841 —
1870 122,993 326.5%
1880 452,402 267.8%
1890 1,062,656 134.9%
1900 1,066,300 0.3%
1910 1,192,214 11.8%
1920 1,296,372 8.7%
1930 1,377,963 6.3%
1940 1,315,834 −4.5%
1950 1,325,510 0.7%
1960 1,411,330 6.5%
1970 1,483,493 5.1%
1980 1,569,825 5.8%
1990 1,578,385 0.5%
2000 1,711,263 8.4%
Est. 2008[1] 1,783,432 4.2%

As of 2008, Nebraska has an estimated population of 1,783,432, which is an increase of 8,891, or 0.5%, from the prior year and an increase of 72,169, or 4.2%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 77,995 people (that is 187,564 births minus 109,569 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 9,319 people out of the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 27,398 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 36,717 people.[9]

The center of population of Nebraska is located in Polk County, in the city of Shelby.[10]

As of 2004, the population of Nebraska included about 84,000 foreign-born residents (4.8% of the population).

Demographics of Nebraska (csv)
By race White Black AIAN* Asian NHPI*
2000 (total population) 93.53% 4.48% 1.32% 1.58% 0.11%
2000 (Hispanic only) 5.24% 0.13% 0.17% 0.04% 0.02%
2005 (total population) 93.06% 4.82% 1.31% 1.85% 0.11%
2005 (Hispanic only) 6.74% 0.20% 0.18% 0.05% 0.03%
Growth 2000–05 (total population) 2.25% 10.52% 1.72% 20.76% 5.53%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only) 0.48% 9.02% 0.56% 20.73% 4.75%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only) 32.17% 61.17% 9.63% 22.13% 8.10%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

The five largest ancestry groups in Nebraska are German (38.6%), Irish (12.4%), English (9.6%), Swedish (4.9%), and Czech (4.9%).

Nebraska has the largest Czech-American and non-Mormon Danish-American population (as a percentage of the total population) in the nation. German-Americans are the largest ancestry group in most of the state, particularly in the eastern counties. Thurston County (made up entirely of the Omaha and Winnebago reservations) has an American Indian majority, and Butler County is one of only two counties in the nation with a Czech-American plurality.

Rural flight

Population density of Nebraska

Eighty-nine percent of the cities in Nebraska have fewer than 3,000 people. Nebraska shares this characteristic with five other Midwest and Southern states (Kansas, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota, and Iowa). Hundreds of towns have a population of fewer than 1,000.

Fifty-three of Nebraska's 93 counties reported declining populations between 1990 and 2000, ranging from a 0.06% loss (Frontier County) to a 17.04% loss (Hitchcock County). While many areas of the state continue to suffer, others have experienced substantial growth. In 2000, the city of Omaha had a population of 390,007; in 2005, the city's estimated population was 414,521,(427,872 including the recently annexed city of Elkhorn) a 6.3% increase over five years. The city of Lincoln had a 2000 population of 225,581 and a 2005 estimated population of 239,213, a 6.0% change.

This rural flight has also had an impact on schools with many schools needing to consolidate in order to survive.

Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of Nebraska are:

The largest single denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the Catholic Church (372,791), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (128,570), the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (117,419) and the United Methodist Church (117,277).[11]

Economy

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates of Nebraska's gross state product in 2004 was $68 billion. Per capita personal income in 2004 was $31,339, 25th in the nation. Nebraska has a large agriculture sector, and is an important producer of beef, pork, corn (maize), and soybeans.[12] Other important economic sectors include freight transport (by rail and truck), manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology, and insurance.

Nebraska has four personal income tax brackets, ranging from 2.6% to 6.8%. Nebraska has a state sales tax of 5.5%. In addition to the state tax, some Nebraska cities assess a city sales and use tax, up to a maximum of 1.5%. One county in Nebraska, Dakota County, levies a sales tax. All real property located within the state of Nebraska is taxable unless specifically exempted by statute. Since 1992, only depreciable personal property is subject to tax and all other personal property is exempt from tax. Inheritance tax is collected at the county level.

Industry

Kool-Aid was created in 1927 by Edwin Perkins in the city of Hastings, which celebrates the event the second weekend of every August with Kool-Aid Days. Kool-Aid is the official soft drink of Nebraska.[13] CliffsNotes were invented in Rising City, Nebraska by Clifton Hillegass. His pamphlets were based on the original Canadian idea, "Coles Notes."

Omaha is home to Berkshire Hathaway, whose CEO Warren Buffett was ranked in March 2009 by Forbes magazine as the 2nd richest person in the world. This city is also home to InfoUSA, TD Ameritrade, West Corporation, Valmont Industries, Woodmen of the World, Kiewit Corporation, and Union Pacific Railroad. UNIFI Companies, Sandhills Publishing Company and Duncan Aviation reside in Lincoln while The Buckle is based out of Kearney. Sidney is the national headquarters for Cabela's, a specialty retailer of outdoor goods.

The world's largest train yard, Union Pacific's Bailey Yard, is located in North Platte. The Vise-Grip was invented by William Petersen in 1924, and was manufactured in De Witt until the plant closed in late 2008.[14] Memorial Stadium on the University of Nebraska campus in Lincoln holds 85,157 people. During football games, it holds almost twice the population of Bellevue (47,954) the third-most populous city in the state. The largest Powerball payout was on February 18, 2006. It was $365 million and was split 8 ways by workers from a Lincoln food plant operated by ConAgra.

Transportation

Railroads

Further information: List of Nebraska railroads

Nebraska has a rich railroad history. The Union Pacific Railroad, headquartered in Omaha, was incorporated on July 1, 1862, in the wake of the Pacific Railway Act of 1862. Bailey Yard, located in North Platte, is the largest railroad classification yard in the world. The route of the original transcontinental railroad runs through the state. Other major railroads with operations in the state are: Amtrak; Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway; Canadian Pacific Railway; and Iowa Interstate Railroad.

Roads and highways

Further information: List of Nebraska numbered highways

Interstate Highways through the State of Nebraska The U.S. Routes in Nebraska

Law and government

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Nebraska Constitution

Nebraska's government operates under the framework of the Nebraska Constitution, adopted in 1875, and is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.

Further information: Governor of Nebraska

The head of the executive branch is the Governor Dave Heineman. Other elected officials in the executive branch are the Lieutenant Governor Rick Sheehy (elected on the same ticket as the Governor), Attorney General Jon Bruning, Secretary of State John A. Gale, State Treasurer Shane Osborn, and State Auditor Mike Foley. All elected officials in the executive branch serve four-year terms.

Further information: Nebraska Legislature and Nebraska State Capitol

Nebraska is the only state in the United States with a unicameral legislature; that is, a legislature with only one house. Although this house is officially known simply as the "Legislature", and more commonly called the "Unicameral", its members still call themselves "senators". Nebraska's Legislature is also the only state legislature in the United States that is nonpartisan. The senators are elected with no party affiliation next to their names on the ballot, and the speaker and committee chairs are chosen at large, so that members of any party can be chosen for these positions. The Nebraska Legislature can also override a governor's veto with a three-fifths majority, in contrast to the two-thirds majority required in some other states.

The Nebraska Legislature meets in the third Nebraska State Capitol building, built between 1922 and 1932. It was designed by Bertram G. Goodhue. Built from Indiana limestone, the Capitol's base in a cross within a square. A 400-foot domed tower rises from this base. The Golden Sower, a 19-foot bronze statue representing agriculture, crowns the Capitol. The state Capitol is considered an architectural achievement. It has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects.

Nebraska state insignia
Motto Equality Before the Law
Slogan Nebraska, possibilities...endless
Bird Western meadowlark
Animal White-tailed deer
Fish Channel catfish
Insect European honey bee
Flower Goldenrod
Tree Cottonwood
Song "Beautiful Nebraska"
Quarter Released April 7, 2006
Grass Little bluestem
Beverage Milk
Dance Square dance
Fossil Mammoth
Gemstone Blue agate
Soil Holdrege series

For years, United States Senator George Norris and other Nebraskans encouraged the idea of a unicameral legislature, and demanded the issue be decided in a referendum. Norris argued:

“ The constitutions of our various states are built upon the idea that there is but one class. If this be true, there is no sense or reason in having the same thing done twice, especially if it is to be done by two bodies of men elected in the same way and having the same jurisdiction. ”

Unicameral supporters also argued that a bicameral legislature had a significant undemocratic feature in the committees that reconciled Assembly and Senate legislation. Votes in these committees were secretive, and would sometimes add provisions to bills that neither house had approved. Nebraska's unicameral legislature today has rules that bills can contain only one subject, and must be given at least five days of consideration.

Finally, in 1934, due in part to the budgetary pressure of the Great Depression, Nebraska's unicameral legislature was put in place by a state initiative. In effect, the Assembly (the house) was abolished; as noted, today's Nebraska state legislators are commonly referred to as "Senators".

Further information: Nebraska Supreme Court

The judicial system in Nebraska is unified, with the Nebraska Supreme Court having administrative authority over all Nebraska courts. Nebraska uses the Missouri Plan for the selection of judges at all levels. The lowest courts in Nebraska are the county courts, above that are twelve district courts (containing one or more counties). The Court of Appeals hears appeals from the district courts, juvenile courts, and workers' compensation courts. The Nebraska Supreme Court is the final court of appeal.

From 2008 to 2009, from when the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the state's only method of execution, electrocution, was in conflict with the state's constitution, Nebraska had no active death-penalty law. (Prior to that ruling, Nebraska was the only place in the world that used electrocution as the sole method of execution.) In May 2009, the legislature passed and the governor signed a bill that changed the method of execution in Nebraska to lethal injection, enabling further capital punishment.[15] However, executions in Nebraska had been infrequent; none had been carried out in the 21st century, and in the last few decades the state had strongly flirted with the idea of a moratorium on, or complete abolition of, capital punishment.

Federal government representation

The Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska Further information: United States congressional delegations from Nebraska

Nebraska's U.S. senators are Mike Johanns (R), the junior senator, and Ben Nelson (D), the senior senator.

Nebraska has three representatives in the House of Representatives: Jeff Fortenberry (R) of the 1st district; Lee Terry (R) of the 2nd district; and Adrian M. Smith (R) of the 3rd district.

Nebraska is one of two states that allow for a split in the state's allocation of electoral votes in presidential elections. Since 1991, two of Nebraska's five are awarded based on the winner of the statewide election while the other three go to the highest vote-getter in each of the state's three congressional districts. The only time Nebraska's electoral votes have been split was in the 2008 presidential election, when four votes went to Republican John McCain and one electoral vote went to Barack Obama.

Nebraska politics

Further information: United States presidential election, 2004, in Nebraska, Nebraska gubernatorial election, 2006, Nebraska United States Senate election, 2006, United States presidential election, 2008, and Political party strength in Nebraska

For most of its history, Nebraska has been a solidly Republican state. Republicans have carried the state in all but one presidential election since 1940—the 1964 landslide election of Lyndon B. Johnson. In the 2004 presidential election, George W. Bush won the state's five electoral votes by a 33% margin (the fourth-most Republican vote among states) with 65.9% of the overall vote; only Thurston County, which includes two American Indian reservations, voted for John Kerry.

Despite the current Republican domination of Nebraska politics, the state has a long tradition of electing centrist members of both parties to state and federal office; examples include George Norris (who served few years in the Senate as an independent), J. James Exon, and Bob Kerrey. This tradition is illustrated by Nebraska's current senators: former Senator Chuck Hagel was considered a maverick within his party, while Ben Nelson is arguably one of the most conservative members of the Democratic Party in the Senate.

Important cities and towns

All population figures are 2006 Census Bureau estimates.

Largest cities

Downtown Omaha Downtown Lincoln
100,000+ population 10,000+ population

Urban areas

Metropolitan areas Micropolitan areas

Other areas

Education

Colleges and universities

University of Nebraska system

Nebraska State College System

Private colleges/universities

Nebraska Community College Association
Further information: Colleges and universities of Omaha, Nebraska

Culture

Arbor Day was founded by J. Sterling Morton. The National Arbor Day Foundation has its headquarters near his home in Nebraska City. The swing in the Hebron, Nebraska city park at 5th and Jefferson streets is claimed to be the world's largest porch swing, long enough to fit 18 adults or 24 children.

Nebraska Huskers football influences many of Nebraska's residents. On sell out Saturday football game days, Memorial Stadium, Lincoln with a capacity of 85,500 becomes Nebraska's 3rd Largest city.[16]

Job's Daughters was founded in Omaha in 1920 by Ethel T. Wead Mick. There are now bethels in Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Philippines.

Sports

Further information: Sports in Nebraska

United States Hockey League

See also

Cornhusker portal

References

  1. ^ a b "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008". United States Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2008-01.csv. Retrieved on 2009-01-26.
  2. ^ a b "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S Geological Survey. 29 April 2005. http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest. Retrieved on November 6 2006.
  3. ^ Koontz, John. "Etymology". Siouan Languages. http://spot.colorado.edu/~koontz/faq/etymology.htm. Retrieved on 2006-11-28.
  4. ^ NebraskaStudies.org. 2009. "1854: Kansas-Nebraska Act Signed." http://nebraskastudies.unl.edu/0500/frameset_reset.html?http://nebraskastudies.unl.edu/0500/stories/0502_0100.html . Retrieved February 3, 2009.
  5. ^ Note that Nebraska's designation as a "triply landlocked" state does not consider the fact that Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois have ports with access to the sea on the shores of the Great Lakes.
  6. ^ http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/products/atlas.html
  7. ^ http://www.nebraskaclimateoffice.unl.edu/weather.summary.Dec99
  8. ^ "Climate - Twin Cities Development Association, Inc. - Nebraska: Scottsbluff, Gering, TerryTown, Mitchell, Bayard". Tcdne.org. http://www.tcdne.org/climate.htm. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
  9. ^ "Cumulative Estimates of the Components of Population Change for the United States, Regions, and States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007 (NST-EST2007-04)" (CSV). United States Census Bureau. 2007-12-27. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2007-04.csv. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
  10. ^ "Population and Population Centers by State: 2000". United States Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt. Retrieved on 2008-12-05.
  11. ^ "State Membership Report". The Association of Religion Data Archives. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
  12. ^ "Nebraska State Agriculture Overview - 2006" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture. http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Ag_Overview/AgOverview_NE.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-10-17.
  13. ^ "History: Kool-Aid: Hastings Museum". Hastings Museum<!. http://www.hastingsmuseum.org/koolaid/kahistory.htm. Retrieved on 2009-02-24.
  14. ^ Jirovsky, Kristin. "Owner of Nail Jack Tools wants to share former Vise-Grip plant." Lincoln Journal-Star Online. Jan 8, 2009. http://journalstar.com/articles/2009/01/08/news/business/doc4966307080dcd635956810.txt
  15. ^ Volentine, Jason (2009-05-28). "Nebraska Changes Execution Method to Lethal Injection". KOLN. http://www.kolnkgin.com/political/headlines/46424547.html. Retrieved on 2009-05-30.
  16. ^ "Nebraska Lost, Nebraska Found". Sports Illustrated. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1128181/index.htm. Retrieved on 2008-05-01.
  17. ^ "NCAA Division II Home Page". National Collegiate Athletic Association. http://www.siue.edu/ATHLETIC/d2/alpha.html. Retrieved on 2007-08-30.

Bibliography

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Preceded by Nevada List of U.S. states by date of statehood Admitted on March 1, 1867 (37th) Succeeded by Colorado

Coordinates: 41°30′N 100°00′W / 41.5°N 100°W

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Babbitt Funeral Draws Adoring Crowd - KETV.com
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Babbitt Funeral Draws Adoring Crowd

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Attendees, including dignitaries from around Nebraska , packed into the Immanuel Lutheran Church to celebrate the life Babbitt devoted to helping others. ...

Funeral Services Held for Bellevue Mayor KPTM-TV



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Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:21:00 GM

Well, this weekend the hubby and I went to good ole southwest . Nebraska. to visit my family. After driving six hours through a torrential downpour, including ferocious looking green clouds with a little bit of hail, we made it! ...

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'Nebraska' Answers
How would one go about passing a law in Nebraska?
Q. I have been trying to read up on how to get a law on the desks of our legislature and I really have not come up with any thing. With out going into great detail on this particular law it is one that would save the lives of officers in the field. Many states have such a law but Nebraska does not. I have talked with law enforcment agencys around the state and this is a law that saves lives but they don't even want to hear it. So how would one go about making this happen. Is there a patition process or is it all up to our state leaders?
Asked by Mr. B - Thu Sep 20 23:16:27 2007 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. I suggest you make contact with the person in the state government that represents you and your specific area of the state...state senator or legislator...start with them...they may carry the bill for you or at least let you know what you need to do to start the process. Remember your local representative counts on you specifically to get them elected to their seat so they will be more than willing to help you out.
Answered by malter - Thu Sep 20 23:28:20 2007

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