Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, 5th Edition (4 Volumes Set)

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Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Table of Contents

Reader’s Guide vi Guide to State Articles x Alabama 1 Alaska 23 Arizona 41 Arkansas 61 California 81 Colorado 117 Connecticut 139 Delaware 161 Florida 177 Georgia 203 Hawaii 225 Idaho 241 Illinois 257 Glossary 281 Abbreviations & Acronyms 286

v

Reader’s Guide

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition, presents profiles of the 50 states of the nation, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US dependencies, arranged alphabetically in four volumes. Junior Worldmark is based on the seventh edition of the reference work, Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States. The Worldmark design organizes facts and data about every state in a common structure. Every profile contains a map, showing the state and its location in the nation. For this fifth edition of Junior Worldmark, facts were updated and many new photographs were added depicting the unique economic and social features of the individual states. In addition, the page design has been changed to improve aesthetics and usability of the set. Each state’s political history is documented in the updated table listing the governors who have served the state since the founding of the nation. The population profiles give users of Junior Worldmark access to the latest population data for the states. A subject index to all four volumes appears at the end of volume four. vi

Sources Due to the broad scope of this encyclopedia many sources were consulted in compiling the information and statistics presented in these volumes. Of primary importance were the publications of the US Bureau of the Census. The most recent agricultural statistics on crops and livestock were obtained from files posted by the US Department of Agriculture on its worldwide web site at http://www.econ.ag.gov. Finally, many fact sheets, booklets, and state statistical abstracts were used to update data not collected by the federal government.

Profile Features The Junior Worldmark structure—40 numbered headings—allows student researchers to compare two or more states in a variety of ways. Each state profile begins by listing the origin of the state name, its nickname, the capital, the date it entered the union, the state song and motto, and a description of the state coat of arms. The profile also presents a picture and textual description of both the state seal and the state flag (color versions of the flags and seals can be found on the endpages of each volume). Next, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Reader’s Guide

a listing of the official state animal, bird, fish, flower, tree, gem, etc. is given. The introductory information ends with the standard time given by time zone in relation to Greenwich mean time (GMT). The world is divided into 24 time zones, each one hour apart. The Greenwich meridian, which is 0 degrees, passes through Greenwich, England, a suburb of London. Greenwich is at the center of the initial time zone, known as Greenwich mean time (GMT). All times given are converted from noon in this zone. The time reported for the state is the official time zone. The body of each country’s profile is arranged in 40 numbered headings as follows:

1 Location and Size. The state is located on the North American continent. Statistics are given on area and boundary length. Size comparisons are made to the other 50 states of the United States.

2 Topography. Dominant geographic features including terrain and major rivers and lakes are described.

3

Climate. Temperature and rainfall are given for the various regions of the state in both English and metric units.

4 Plants and Animals. Described here are the plants and animals native to the state.

5 Environmental Protection. Destruction of natural resources—forests, water supply, air—is described here. Statistics on solid waste production, hazardous waste sites, and endangered and extinct species are also included. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

6 Population. Census statistics, including the seven categories identifying race introduced with the 2000 census of population, are provided. Population density and major urban populations are summarized.

7 Ethnic Groups. The major ethnic groups are ranked in percentages. Where appropriate, some description of the influence or history of ethnicity is provided.

8 Languages.

The regional dialects of the state are summarized as well as the number of people speaking languages other than English at home.

9 Religions. The population is broken down according to religion and/or denominations.

10 Transportation.

Statistics on roads, railways, waterways, and air traffic, along with a listing of key ports for trade and travel, are provided.

11

History. Includes a concise summary

of the state’s history from ancient times (where appropriate) to the present.

12 State Government. The form of government is described, and the process of governing is summarized. A table listing the state governors, updated to 2006, accompanies each entry.

13 Political Parties. Describes the significant political parties through history, where appropriate, and the influential parties as of 2006. vii

Reader’s Guide

14 Local Government. The system of local 23 Fishing. The relative significance of fishgovernment structure is summarized.

15 Judicial System. Structure of the court system and the jurisdiction of courts in each category is provided. Crime rates as reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are also included.

ing to the state is provided, with statistics on fish and seafood products.

24 Forestry. Land area classified as forest is given, along with a listing of key forest products and a description of government policy toward forest land.

Mining. Description of mineral depos16 Migration. Population shifts since the its25 and statistics on related mining activity and

end of World War II are summarized.

export are provided.

17 Economy. This section presents the key 26 Energy and Power. Description of the elements of the economy. Major industries and employment figures are also summarized.

18

Income. Personal income and the pov-

erty level are given as is the state’s ranking among the 50 states in per person income.

19 Industry. Key industries are listed, and important aspects of industrial development are described.

state’s power resources, including electricity produced and oil reserves and production, are provided.

27

Commerce. A summary of the amount of wholesale trade, retail trade, and receipts of service establishments is given.

28 Public Finance. Revenues, ex-penditures, and total and per person debt are provided.

Taxation. 20 Labor. Statistics are given on the civilian 29 explained.

labor force, including numbers of workers, leading areas of employment, and unemployment figures.

21 Agriculture.

Statistics on key agricultural crops, market share, and total farm income are provided.

22 Domesticated

Animals. Statistics on livestock—cattle, hogs, sheep, etc.—and the land area devoted to raising them are given.

viii

The state’s tax system is

30 Health. Statistics on and description of such public health factors as disease and suicide rates, principal causes of death, numbers of hospitals and medical facilities appear here. Information is also provided on the percentage of citizens without health insurance within each state.

31 Housing. Housing shortages and government programs to build housing are described. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Reader’s Guide

Statistics on numbers of dwellings and median home values are provided.

39 Famous People. In this section, some

32 Education.

When a person is noted in a state that is not the

Statistical data on educational achievement and primary and secondary schools is given. Per person state spending on primary and secondary education is also given. Major universities are listed, and government programs to foster education are described.

33 Arts. A summary of the state’s major cultural institutions is provided together with the amount of federal and state funds designated to the arts.

34 Libraries and Museums. The number of libraries, their holdings, and their yearly circulation is provided. Major museums are listed.

35 Communications. The state of telecommunications (television, radio, and telephone) is summarized. Activity related to the Internet is reported where available.

36 Press. Major daily and Sunday newspapers are listed together with data on their circulations.

37

Tourism, Travel, and Recreation. Under this heading, the student will find a summary of the importance of tourism to the state, and factors affecting the tourism industry. Key tourist attractions are listed.

38 Sports.

The major sports teams in the state, both professional and collegiate, are summarized.


of the best-known citizens of the state are listed. state of his of her birth, the birthplace is given.

40 Bibliography.

The bibliographic and

web site listings at the end of each profile are provided as a guide for further reading. Because many terms used in this encyclopedia will be new to students, each volume includes a glossary and a list of abbreviations and acronyms. A keyword index to all four volumes appears in Volume 4.

Acknowledgments Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition, draws on the seventh edition of the Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States. Readers are directed to that work for a complete list of contributors, too numerous to list here. Special acknowledgment goes to the government officials throughout the nation who gave their cooperation to this project.

Comments and Suggestions We welcome your comments on the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition, as well as your suggestions for features to be included in future editions. Please write to: Editors, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, U•X•L, 27500 Drake Road, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48331-3535; or call toll-free: 1-800-877-4253. ix

Guide to State Articles All information contained within a state article is uniformly keyed by means of a number to the left of the subject headings. A heading such as “Population,” for example, carries the same key numeral (6) in every article. Therefore, to find information about the population of Alabama, consult the table of contents for the page number where the Alabama article begins and look for section 6.

Introductory matter for each state includes: Origin of state name Nickname Capital Date and order of statehood Song Motto Flag Official seal Symbols (animal, tree, flower, etc.) Time zone Sections listed numerically 1 Location and Size 2 Topography 3 Climate 4 Plants and Animals 5 Environmental Protection 6 Population 7 Ethnic Groups 8 Languages 9 Religions 10 Transportation 11 History 12 State Government 13 Political Parties 14 Local Government 15 Judicial System 16 Migration 17 Economy 18 Income 19 Industry 20 Labor 21 Agriculture 22 Domesticated Animals x

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Fishing Forestry Mining Energy and Power Commerce Public Finance Taxation Health Housing Education Arts Libraries and Museums Communications Press Tourism, Travel, and Recreation Sports Famous Persons Bibliography

Alphabetical listing of sections Agriculture 21 Arts 33 Bibliography 40 Climate 3 Commerce 27 Communications 35 Domesticated Animals 22 Economy 17 Education 32 Energy and Power 26 Environmental Protection 5 Ethnic Groups 7 Famous Persons 39 Fishing 23 Forestry 24

Health 30 History 11 Housing 31 Income 18 Industry 19 Judicial System 15 Labor 20 Languages 8 Libraries and Museums 34 Local Government 14 Location and Size 1 Migration 16 Mining 25 Plants and Animals 4 Political Parties 13 Population 6 Press 36 Public Finance 28 Religions 9 Sports 38 State Government 12 Taxation 29 Topography 2 Tourism, Travel, and Recreation 37 Transportation 10 Explanation of symbols A fiscal split year is indicated by a stroke (e.g. 1999/00). Note that 1 billion = 1,000 million = 109. The use of a small dash (e.g., 1998–99) normally signifies the full period of calendar years covered (including the end year indicated).


Alabama State of Alabama

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Probably after the

Alabama Indian tribe. N I CKNAME : The Heart of Dixie. C AP ITAL: Montgomery. ENT ERED UNION: 14 December 1819 (22nd). O FFICIAL SEAL: The map of Alabama, including

names of major rivers and neighboring states, surrounded by the words “Alabama Great Seal.” FLAG: Crimson cross of St. Andrew on a square white field. C OAT OF ARMS: Two eagles, symbolizing courage, support a shield bearing the emblems of the five governments (France, England, Spain, Confederacy, United States) that have held sovereignty over Alabama. Above the shield is a sailing vessel modeled upon the ships of the first French settlers of Alabama; beneath the shield is the state motto. M OT TO: Aldemus jura nostra defendere (We dare defend our rights). SONG: “Alabama.” FLOWER: Camellia. TREE: Southern (longleaf) pine. B IRD: Yellowhammer. FISH: Tarpon. G E M: Star Blue Quartz. M INERAL: Hematite. R OCK OR STONE: Marble. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthdays of Robert E. Lee and Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; George Washington’s/ Thomas Jefferson’s Birthdays, 3rd Monday in February; Mardi Gras, February or March; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Confederate Memorial Day, 4th Monday in April; Jefferson Davis’s Birthday, 1st Monday in June; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day/American Indian Heritage Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the eastern south-central United States, Alabama ranks 29th in size among the 50 states, with a total area of 51,705 square miles (133,915 square kilometers), of which land constitutes 50,767 square miles (131,486 square kilometers) and inland water 938 square miles (2,429 square kilometers). Alabama extends roughly 200 miles (320 kilometers) east-west. The maximum north-south extension is 300 1

Alabama

miles (480 kilometers). Its total boundary length is 1,044 miles (1,680 kilometers). Dauphin Island, in the Gulf of Mexico, is the largest offshore island.

2

Topography

Alabama is divided into four major geographic regions: the Gulf coastal plain, the Piedmont Plateau, the ridge and valley section, and Appalachian (or Cumberland) Plateau. The coastal plain of the south includes the area that was historically known as the Black Belt region, the center of cotton production and plantation slavery in Alabama. The piedmont of east-central Alabama contains rolling hills and valleys. Alabama’s highest elevation, Cheaha Mountain, 2,405 feet (733 miles) above sea level, is located at the northern edge of this region. North and west of the piedmont is a series of parallel ridges and valleys running in a northeast-southwest direction. The Appalachian Plateau covers most of northwestern Alabama. The largest lake wholly within Alabama is Guntersville Lake, covering about 108 square miles (280 square kilometers). It was formed during the development of the Tennessee River region by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The longest rivers are the Alabama, 160 miles (260 kilometers); the Tennessee; and the Tombigbee. Archaeologists believe that Russell Cave, in northeastern Alabama, was the earliest site of human habitation in the southeastern United States. Other major caves in northern Alabama are Manitou, Sequoyah, and the DeSoto Caverns. Wheeler Dam on the Tennessee River is now a national historic monument. Other major 2

Alabama Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

4,599,030 3.4% 2.2% 98.9% 71.0% 25.8% 0.5% 0.9% 0.0% 0.8% 1.0%

Population by Age Group 65 and over (13%) Under 18 (24%)

45 to 64 (26%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Birmingham Montgomery Mobile Huntsville Tuscaloosa Hoover Dothan Decatur Auburn Gadsden

Population

% change 2000–05

231,483 200,127 191,544 166,313 81,358 67,469 62,713 54,909 49,928 37,405

-4.7 -0.7 -3.7 5.1 4.4 7.5 8.6 1.8 16.1 -4.0

Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).


Alabama

TENNESSEE

ALABAMA

LAUDERDALE

n Te n

Explanation

William B. Bankhead National Forest

Rock Bridge Canyon

Area of Interest

MORGAN

WINSTON

CHEROKEE

CULLMAN

N 25

Buckís Pocket Lake State Park Guntersville St. Park

MARSHALL

MARION

0

Desoto St. Park

FRANKLIN

U.S. Interstate Route

25

Cathedral

Caverns Huntsville State Park

Decatur

COLBERT

State Capital

0

JACKSON

Monte Sano St. Park

Wheeler Lake

Joe Wheeler St. Park LAWRENCE

City (more than 100,000 people)

65

Wilson Lake

eR .

se

City (25,000-100,000 people)

MADISON

Joe Wheeler St. Park

Florence

es

Point of Interest

LIMESTONE

Guntersville Lake BLOUNT

DE KALB

ETOWAH

65

Weiss Lake

Gadsden

LAMAR

50 miles

59

WALKER

CALHOUN

FAYETTE

50 kilometers

Rickwood Caverns State Park

GEORGIA

Fort McClellen ST. CLAIR

Anniston JEFFERSON

20

Birmingham PICKENS

TALLADEGA

CLEBURNE RANDOLPH

TUSCALOOSA SHELBY

Cheaha St. Park

Bessemer

Lake Lurleen State Park

Hoover

459

Talladega National Forest

Oak Mt. State Park

Tuscaloosa

CLAY

BIBB

CHAMBERS

TALLAPOOSA

COOSA CHILTON

GREENE

Talladega National Forest

HALE

SUMTER

20

Wind Creek St. Park

Lake Martin

59 PERRY ELMORE

85

LEE

MISSISSIPPI

Auburn

AUTAUGA

Paul M. Grist State Park MARENGO

Selma

DALLAS

Chickasaw State Park

CHOCTAW

Chewacla State Park

MACON

Phenix City

Montgomery

William B. Dannelly Reservoir

Tuskegee National Forest

RUSSELL

Fort Benning

MONTGOMERY

BULLOCK

LOWNDES

WILCOX

Roland Cooper State Park BUTLER

CLARKE

Bladon Springs State Park

PIKE

Lakepoint Resort State Park

MONROE

Blue Springs St. Park

m To

WASHINGTON

CONECUH

bi

g

be

COFFEE

HENRY

DALE

e

R.

COVINGTON

R. ma Claude D. ba la Kelley A St. Park BALDWIN

Fort Rucker

65 Frank Jackson State Park

HOUSTON

Dothan

ESCAMBIA GENEVA

MOBILE

Conecuh National Forest

Prichard

Chattahoochee State Park

FLORIDA

Mobile Mobile Bay

Dauphin Is.

BARBOUR CRENSHAW

Meaher 10 State Park

Bon Secour Bay Gulf St. Park

Gulf

of

Mexico


3

Alabama

Looking south, Spanish moss clings to bald cypress at Florala State Park along Lake Jackson. The 31st parallel, “Ellicott’s Line,” established in 1799 as the boundary between the United States and Spanish West Florida, passes through Lake Jackson. DAN BROTHERS, ALABAMA BUREAU OF TOURISM.

dams include Guntersville, Martin, Millers Ferry, Jordan, Mitchell, and Holt.

an average precipitation of 66.3 inches (168 centimeters) a year between 1971 and 2000.

3

4

Climate

Alabama’s three climatic divisions are the lower coastal plain, the northern plateau, and the Black Belt and upper coastal plain, lying between the two extremes. Birmingham’s temperature ranges from a normal January daily minimum of 34°f (1°c) to a normal July daily maximum of 90°f (32°c). In Mobile, the comparable minimum and maximum figures are 41°f (5°c) and 91°f (33°c). The record low temperature for the state is -27°f (-33°c), registered in 1966; the all-time high is 112°f (44°c), registered in 1925. Mobile, one of the rainiest cities in the United States, recorded 4

Plants and Animals

Alabama was once covered by vast forests of pine, which still form the largest proportion of the state’s forest growth. The state also has an abundance of poplar, cypress, hickory, oak, and various gum trees. Red cedar grows throughout the state; southern white cedar is found in the southwest; hemlock in the north. Other native trees include hackberry, ash, and holly, with species of palmetto and palm in the Gulf Coast region. Mammals include the white-tailed deer, Florida panthers, bobcats, beavers, muskrats, and weasels. Alabama’s birds include golden and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alabama

Alabama Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,447,100 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,402,921 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41,684 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,356 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,566 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,772 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,930 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,326 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,119 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,234 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 23 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 629 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,495

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 99.0 . . . . . . . 0.9 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.4 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

bald eagles, osprey, and yellowhammer (the state bird). Game birds include quail, duck, geese, and wild turkey. Freshwater fish such as bream, shad, and bass are common. Along the Gulf Coast there are seasonal runs of tarpon (the state fish), pompano, redfish, and bonito. In April 2006, a total of 79 animals, fish, and birds were listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These included the Alabama beach mouse, gray bat, Alabama red-belly turtle, finback and humpback whales, bald eagle, and wood stork. Seventeen plant species were also endangered.

5

Environmental Protection

The Alabama Environmental Management Commission and the Alabama Department Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

of Environmental Management (ADEM) were established in 1982. The Environmental Commission, whose seven members are appointed to six-year terms by the governor and approved by the Alabama Senate, is charged with managing the state’s land, air, and water resources. The ADEM administers all major federal environmental groups including the Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and solid and hazardous waste laws. The most active environmental groups in the state are the Alabama Environmental Council, Sierra Club, League of Women Voters, Alabama Audubon Council, and Alabama Rivers Alliance. Major concerns of environmentalists in the state are the improvement of land-use planning 5

Alabama

was expected to reach over 4.66 million by 2015, and 4.8 million by 2025. In 2004, the population density was 89.3 persons per square mile (34.5 persons per square kilometer). About two out of every three Alabamians live in urban areas. In 2005, persons under the age of 18 accounted for 24% of the population, while 13% were age 65 or older. In 2004, Birmingham was the largest city in the state with an estimated 231,483 residents, followed by Montgomery with 200,127 people, and Mobile with 191,544 people.

7 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., American civil rights leader, receives the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, December 10, 1964. King, age 35 at the time, was the youngest man ever to receive the prize, the twelfth American, and the third African American to be given the honor. AP IMAGES.

and the protection of groundwater. Another issue is the transportation, storage, and disposal of hazardous wastes. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 258 hazardous waste sites in Alabama, 13 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. One of the nation’s five largest commercial hazardous waste sites is in Emelle, in Sumter County. Alabama’s solid waste stream is about 4.500 million tons a year (1.10 tons per capita). There are 108 municipal land fills and 8 curbside recycling programs in the state. Air quality is generally satisfactory.

6

Population

In 2006, Alabama ranked 23rd in population among the 50 states, with an estimated total of 4,599,030 million people. Alabama’s population 6

Ethnic Groups

Alabama’s population is primarily divided between whites and blacks. According to the 2000 census, the black population of Alabama, primarily descendents of African slaves, was about 1,155,930 people, or about 26% of the population. Among whites reporting a single ancestry group, 343,254 were Irish and 344,735 were English. Also in 2000, there were about 22,430 Native Americans, mostly of Creek or Cherokee descent. Creek Indians are centered around the small community of Poarch in southern Alabama. Most of the Cherokee live in the northeastern part of the state. In 2000, the Asian population totaled 31,346 people, and Pacific Islanders numbered 1,409. About 6,900 were Asian Indians, 4,116 were Koreans, and 6,337 were Chinese. People of Hispanic or Latino descent totaled 75,830. In total, foreign-born residents in Alabama numbered 87,772 (2% of the state’s population) in 2000. Alabama is also home to about 10,000 Cajuns. This group is of uncertain racial origin but is thought to combine Anglo-Saxon, French, Spanish, Choctaw, Apache, and African ancestries. The Cajuns live primarily in the pine woods Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alabama

area of upper Mobile and lower Washington counties. They are ethnically unrelated to the Cajuns of Louisiana.

8

Languages

Alabama English is mostly a Southern dialect. Some regional terms include croker sack or tow sack (burlap bag), batter cakes (made of cornmeal), and harp (harmonica). A dragonfly might be called a mosquito hawk in some regions. In 2000, a total of 96.1% of all residents five years old or older spoke only English at home. The three principal languages other than English spoken at home were Spanish or Spanish Creole (with 89,729 speakers), French or French Patois (Cajun, 13,656), and German (14,905).

9

Religions

The residents of Alabama are predominantly Baptist. The first Baptist church in the state, the Flint River Church in Madison County, was organized in 1808. In 1809, the Old Zion Methodist Church was founded in the Tombigbee area. As of 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention, with 1,380,121 members was the fastest growing and largest denomination within the state, adding another 24,454 members in 2002. In 2003, the United Methodist Church had 306,289 members. In 2004, there were 140,365 Roman Catholics in Alabama. In 2000 there were 119,049 Church of Christ members, and an estimated 9,100 Jews. About 45.2% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

10

Transportation

The first rail line in the state was Tuscumbia Railroad, chartered in 1830. As of 2003, Alabama had 3,735 total rail miles (6,013 kilometers) of track. There were five Class I railroads operating in the state. As of 2006, Amtrak passenger service connected Birmingham, Anniston, and Tuscaloosa with Washington, DC, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Other passenger service included a route connecting Mobile with Jacksonville, Florida, and New Orleans. As of 2004, there were 95,483 miles (151,778 kilometers) of public streets, roads, and highways. In the same year, the state had 1.677 million registered automobiles, 2.778 million trucks, and about 3,000 buses. There were also 3.613 million licensed drivers in 2004. Most of the major interstate highways in Alabama intersect at Birmingham. The coming of the steamboat to Alabama waters, beginning in 1818, stimulated settlement in the Black Belt. However, the high price of shipping cotton by water contributed to the eventual displacement of the steamboat by the railroad. Thanks to the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Tennessee River has been transformed since the 1930s into a year-round navigable waterway, with three locks and dams in Alabama. The Alabama-Coosa and Black WarriorTombigbee systems also have been made navigable by locks and dams. River barges carry bulk cargoes. There are 1,270 miles (2,043 kilometers) of navigable inland water and 50 miles (80 kilometers) of Gulf coast. The only deepwater port is Mobile, with a large ocean-going trade. In 2005, Alabama had 277 public-use airports, which included 182 airports, 90 heliports, 7

Alabama

1 STOLport (Short Take-Off and Landing), and 4 seaplane bases. The largest and busiest facility is Birmingham International Airport. In 2004, the airport had 1,498,651 boardings.

11

History

Moundville (near Tuscaloosa) is one of the most important Native American Mound Builder sites in the southeastern United States. This site includes 20 “platform mounds” for Native American buildings, dating from 1200 to 1500. When the first Europeans arrived, half the inhabitants of present-day Alabama were members of either the Creek tribe or smaller groups living under Creek control. During the 16th century, five Spanish expeditions entered or explored the region now called Alabama. The most extensive was that of Hernando de Soto, whose army marched from the Tennessee Valley to the Mobile Delta in 1540. In 1702, two French naval officers established Ft. Louis de la Mobile, the first permanent European settlement in Alabama. Mobile remained in French hands until 1763, when it was turned over to the British under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. A British garrison held Mobile during the American Revolution until it was captured in 1780 by the forces of Spain, an ally of the rebellious American colonists. Spanish control of Mobile lasted until the city was again seized during the War of 1812, this time by American troops. West Florida, including Mobile, was the only territory added to the United States as a result of that war. At the start of the 19th century, Native Americans still held most of present-day Alabama. War broke out in 1813 between 8

American settlers and a Creek faction known as the Red Sticks, who were determined to resist the advancing whites. After General Andrew Jackson and his Tennessee militia crushed the Red Sticks in 1814 at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in central Alabama, he forced the Creek to sign a treaty ceding some 40,000 square miles (103,600 square kilometers) of land to the United States, thereby opening about three-fourths of the present state to white settlement. Statehood From 1814 onward, pioneers, caught

up by what was called “Alabama fever,” poured into the state. They came from the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky looking for opportunities in what Andrew Jackson called “the best unsettled country in America.” In 1817, Alabama became a territory; on 2 August 1819, a state constitution was adopted. On the following 14 December, Alabama was admitted to statehood. Alabama seceded from the Union in January 1861 and shortly thereafter joined the Confederacy. Montgomery served as capital of the Confederacy until May, when the seat of government was moved to Richmond, Virginia. During the Confederacy’s dying days in the spring of 1865, federal troops swept through Tuscaloosa, Selma, and Montgomery. Estimates of the number of Alabamians killed in the Civil War range from 25,000 upward. During Reconstruction, Alabama was under military rule until readmitted to the Union in 1868. Cotton remained the foundation of the Alabama economy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, with the abolition of slavery it was now raised by sharecroppers. Alabama also attempted to create a “New Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alabama

Birmingham’s most famous Civil Rights landmark, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, is just across the street from the Civil Rights Institute. On 15 September 1963, a fatal bomb explosion at the church horrified the city and the nation and became a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. DAN BROTHERS, ALABAMA BUREAU OF TOURISM.

South” in which agriculture would be balanced by industry. In the 1880s and 1890s, at least 20 Alabama towns were touted as ironworking centers. Birmingham, founded in 1871, became the New South’s leading industrial center.

reactions to them—such as the 1963 bombing of a church in Birmingham in which four young black girls were killed—helped influence the US Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Civil Rights During the 1950s and 1960s, national

The civil rights era brought other momentous changes to Alabama. New racial attitudes among most whites have contributed to a vast improvement in the climate of race relations since 1960. Hundreds of thousands of black voters are now an important force in state politics. Blacks attend school, colleges, and universities of their choice and enjoy equal access to all public facilities. In 1984 there were 314 black elected officials, including 25 mayors, 19 lawmakers in the Alabama state legislature, and an associ-

attention focused on civil rights demonstrations in Alabama, including the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955, the Birmingham and University of Alabama demonstrations of 1963, and the voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. The leading opponents were Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and Governor George C. Wallace, who was against racial integration. These black protests and the sometimes violent Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

9

Alabama

Alabama Governors: 1819–2007 1819–1820 1820–1821 1821–1825 1825–1829 1829–1831 1831 1831–1835 1835–1837 1837 1837–1841 1841–1845 1845–1847 1847–1849 1849–1853 1853–1857 1857–1861 1861–1863 1863–1865 1865 1865–1868 1868–1870 1870–1872 1872–1874 1874–1878 1878–1882 1882–1886 1886–1890 1890–1894 1894–1896 1896–1900 1900 1900–1901

William Wyatt Bibb Thomas Bibb Israel Pickens John Murphy Gabriel Moore Samuel B. Moore John Gayle Clement Comer Clay Hugh McVay Arthur Pendleton Bagby Benjamin Fitzpatrick Joshua Lanier Martin Reuben Chapman Henry Watkins Collier John Anthony Winston Andrew Barry Moore John Gill Shorter Thomas Hill Watts Lewis Eliphalet Parsons Robert Miller Patton William Hugh Smith Robert Burns Lindsay David Peter Lewis George Smith Houston Rufus Wills Cobb Edward Asbury O’Neal Thomas Seay Thomas Goode Jones William Calvin Oates Joseph Forney Johnston William Dorsey Jelks William James Samford

Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Whig Democrat Whig Whig Whig Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat

ate justice of the state supreme court. In 1990, a total of 704 blacks held elective office. By 2001, that number had increased to 756. In the last decades of the 20th century, Alabama sought to improve its educational system and the general health of its residents. However, widespread poverty worked against the state, and despite falling poverty rates, the state remained one of the nation’s poorer states. In 1969, some 25.4% of the population lived below federal poverty levels, By the end of the century, that level had fallen to 16%, but was 10

1901–1904 1904–1905 1905–1907 1907–1911 1911–1915 1915–1919 1919–1923 1923–1927 1924 1927–1931 1931–1935 1935–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947–1951 1951–1955 1955–1959 1959–1963 1963–1967 1967–1968 1968–1971 1971–1972 1972 1972–1979 1979–1983 1983–1987 1987–1993 1993–1995 1995–1999 1999–2002 2002–

William Dorsey Jelks Democrat Russell McWhortor Cunningham Democrat William Dorsey Jelks Democrat Braxton Bragg Comer Democrat Emmett O’Neal Democrat Charles Henderson Democrat Thomas Erby Kilby Democrat William Woodward Brandon Democrat Charles Samuel McDowell Democrat David Bibb Graves Democrat Benjamin Meek Miller Democrat David Bibb Graves Democrat Frank Murray Dixon Democrat George Chauncey Sparks Democrat James Elisha Folsom Democrat Seth Gordon Persons Democrat James Elisha Folsom Democrat John Malcolm Patterson Democrat George Corley Wallace Democrat Lurleen Burns Wallace Democrat Albert Preston Brewer Democrat George Corley Wallace Democrat Jere Locke Beasley Democrat George Corley Wallace Democrat Forrest Hood (Fob) James, Jr. Democrat George Corley Wallace Democrat Harold Guy Hunt Republican James Elisha Folsom, Jr. Democrat Forrest Hood (Fob) James, Jr. Republican Donald Siegelman Democrat Bob Riley Republican

still above the national average of 12.4% of the population. In 1986, Alabama elected a former Baptist minister, Guy Hunt, as its first Republican governor since the Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War. Hunt was reelected in 1990, but allegations of financial misdeeds, including the mismanagement of public funds, resulted in his indictment, and subsequent conviction on fraud and conspiracy charges. Hunt was forced to resign the governorship, making him only the fourth governor in the history of the United Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alabama

States to be convicted of criminal charges while in office. Governor Hunt was succeeded by Democrat Donald Siegelman, who also served one term. When he left office, the state budget surplus of $57 million was the second-largest in the state’s history. In 2002, Republican Rob Riley was elected the state’s 52nd governor. In August 2005 Alabama was severely affected by Hurricane Katrina, with several counties declared federal disaster areas.

12

State Government

Alabama’s legislature consists of a 35-seat senate and a 105-seat house of representatives, all of whose members are elected at the same time for four-year terms. Elected executive officials include the governor and lieutenant-governor (separately elected), secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, and auditor. The governor is limited to a maximum of two consecutive terms. A bill becomes a law when it is passed by a majority of both houses and is either signed by the governor or left unsigned for six days while the legislature is in session, or passed over the governor’s veto by a majority of the elected members of each house. The governor may “pocket veto” a measure submitted fewer than five days before adjournment by not signing it within ten days after adjournment. As of December 2004, Alabama’s governor earned a salary of $96,371. Legislators received living expenses in the amount of $2,280 per month plus $50 per day for each of the three days per week that the legislature is in session. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

13

Political Parties

During the 20th century, the Democratic Party has commanded practically every statewide office, major and minor. However, in recent years Republicans have made gains in national and statewide races. In the 2000 presidential elections, 57% of the vote went to Republican George W. Bush; 42% to Democrat Al Gore; and 1% to others. In 2004, President Bush carried the state with 62.5% of the vote, to John Kerry’s 36.8%. Alabama’s delegation of US Representatives following the 2006 election consisted of two Democrats and five Republicans. Both US Senators were Republicans. The state legislature following the 2006 elections consisted of 23 Democrats and 12 Republicans in the State Senate, and 62 Democrats and 43 Republicans in the State House. In 2002, Republican Bob Riley was elected governor, after serving six years in the US House of Representatives. In 2006, Riley was reelected governor with 58% of the vote. There were 16 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 11.4%.

14

Local Government

In 2005, Alabama had 67 counties, 451 municipalities, 128 public school districts, and 525 special districts. Counties are governed by county commissions, usually consisting of three to seven commissioners, elected by district. Until the late 1970s, the most common form of municipal government was the commission, whose members were elected either at-large or by district. Partly in response to court orders requiring district elections in order to permit the election of 11

Alabama

Alabama Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

ALABAMA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

1948 Thurmond (SRD) 1952 Stevenson (D) 1956 Stevenson (D) 1960 *Kennedy (D) 1964 Goldwater (R) 1968 Wallace (AI) 1972 *Nixon (R) 1976 *Carter (D) 1980 *Reagan (R) 1984 *Reagan (R) 1988 *Bush (R) 1992 Bush (R) 1996 Dole (R) 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) *Won US presidential election.

— 275,075 279,542 318,303 — 195,918 256,923 659,170 636,730 551,899 549,506 690,080 662,165 692,611 693,933

REPUBLICAN

40,930 149,231 195,694 236,110 479,085 146,591 728,701 504,070 654,192 872,849 815,576 804,283 769,044 941,173 1,176,394

more black officials, there has since been a trend toward the mayor-council form. Local government had around 188,349 fulltime employment positions, in 2005.

15

Judicial System

The high court of Alabama is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and eight associate justices, all elected for staggered six-year terms. It issues opinions on constitutional issues and hears cases appealed from the lower courts. The court of civil appeals has exclusive appeals jurisdiction in all suits involving sums up to $10,000. This court’s three judges are elected for six-year terms, and the one who has served the longest is the presiding judge. The five judges of the court of criminal appeals are also elected for six-year terms. Those judges choose the presiding judge by majority vote. 12

Circuit courts, which included 40 districts and 131 judgeships, have exclusive original jurisdiction over civil actions involving sums of more than $5,000, and over criminal prosecutions involving felony offenses. They also have original jurisdiction and appeals jurisdiction over most cases from district and municipal courts. A new system of district courts replaced county and juvenile courts as of January 1977, staffed by judges who serve six-year terms. Municipal court judges are appointed by the municipality. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Alabama in 2004 had a violent crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter; forcible rape; robbery; aggravated assault) of 426.6 crimes per 100,000 population. As of 31 December 2004, a total of 25,887 prisoners were held in state and federal prisons in Alabama. Alabama has a death penalty, and from 1976 through May 2006, had executed 34 prisoners.

16

Migration

Since the Civil War, migration to Alabama has been slight. Many blacks left Alabama from World War I (1914–18) through the 1960s to seek employment in the East and Midwest. Overall, Alabama may have lost as many as 944,000 residents through migration between 1940 and 1970, but enjoyed a net gain from migration of over 143,000 between 1970 and 1990, and an additional 114,000 in domestic and 13,000 in international migration between 1990 and 1998. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 25,936, while net domestic migration totaled 10,521, for a net gain of 36,457 people. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alabama

17

Economy

Cotton dominated Alabama’s economy from the mid-19th century to the 1870s, when large-scale industrialization began. The coal, iron, and steel industries were the first to develop, followed by other industries such as textiles, clothing, paper, and wood products. Although Alabama’s prosperity has increased, particularly in recent decades, the state still lags in wage rates and per capita income. One factor that has hindered the growth of the state’s economy is declining investment in resource industries owned by large corporations outside the state. Between 1974 and 1983, manufacturing grew at little more than half the rate of all state goods and services. The 1980 to 1982 recession hit the state harder than the nation as a whole. The state began to recover in the mid-1980s, and in the economic expansion of the 1990s. However, by the end of the decade, Alabama entered recession earlier the nation did in 2001. The state in 2002 suffered many job losses, especially in manufacturing and in the textile and apparel industries. Alabama’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $139.8 billion. In that same year, there were 86,651 businesses that had employees. Of that total, an estimated 97.3% were small businesses.

18

Income

Alabama’s per capita (per person) income in 2004 was $27,695, for a rank of 41st among the 50 states. For the period 2002–04, the median household income was $38,111, compared to the national average of $44,473. In the same period, an estimated 15.5% of all Alabamians Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

were living below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationally.

19

Industry

Alabama’s industrial boom began in the 1870s with the exploitation of the coal and iron fields in the north. An important stimulus to manufacturing in the north was the development of ports and power plants along the Tennessee River. Although Birmingham remains highly dependent on steel, the state’s industry has diversified considerably since World War II (1939–45). As of 2004, the principal employers among industry groups were food and kindred products, transportation equipment manufacturing, fabricated metal product manufacturing, wood product manufacturing , plastics and rubber products manufacturing, and primary metal manufacturing. A total of 259,058 people were employed in the state’s manufacturing sector in that same year.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Alabama numbered 2,173,500, with approximately 78,500 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.6%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. It was estimated that in April 2006, about 5.6% of the labor force was employed in construction, 19.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities, 4.9% in financial activities, 10.9% in professional and business services, 10.3% in education and health services, 8.5% in leisure and hospitality services, and 18.4% in government. Data for manufacturing in that month was not available. 13

Alabama

In 1871, James Thomas Rapier, a black Alabamian who would later serve a term as a US representative from the state, organized the first black labor union in the South, the shortlived Labor Union of Alabama. The Knights of Labor began organizing in the state in 1882. In 2005, a total of 195,000 of Alabama’s 1,909,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 10.2% of those so employed. The national average was 12%. Unions were especially strong in the northern industrial cities and in Mobile.

21

Agriculture

Alabama ranked 25th among the 50 states in agricultural income in 2005, with $3.89 billion. There was considerable diversity in Alabama’s earliest agriculture. By the mid-19th century, however, cotton had taken over. By 1860, cotton was grown in every county and one-crop agriculture had already worn out much of Alabama’s farmland. Diversification began early in the 20th century, a trend accelerated by the destructive effects of the boll weevil on cotton growing. As of 2004 there were some 44,000 farms in Alabama, occupying approximately 8.7 million acres (3.5 million hectares), or roughly 30% of the state’s land area. Soybeans and livestock are raised in the Black Belt; peanuts in the southeast; vegetables, livestock, and timber in the southwest; and cotton and soybeans in the Tennessee River Valley. In 2004, Alabama ranked 3rd in the United States in the production of peanuts, with 557.2 million pounds (253.27 million kilograms). Other crops included soybeans, 6.65 million bushels; wheat, 2.88 million bushels; sweet potatoes, 380,000 hundredweight (17.3 million kilo14

Sculpted in Italy and dedicated in 1919, the Boll Weevil Monument in Enterprise is thought to be the world’s only statue commemorating an insect pest. The “boll weevil” was not added to the top of the cast lead statue until 1948. DAN BROTHERS, ALABAMA BUREAU OF TOURISM.

grams); and pecans, 1 million pounds (450,000 kilograms). The 2004 cotton crop of 820,000 bales was valued at $205.06 million.

22

Domesticated Animals

The principal livestock-raising regions of Alabama are the far north, the southwest, and the Black Belt. In 2003 Alabama produced an estimated 522.2 million pounds (237.4 million kilograms) of cattle and calves, valued at $371 million, and an estimated 48.7 million pounds Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alabama

(22.1 million kilograms) of hogs, valued at $20 million. There were 1,360,000 cattle and an estimated 180,000 hogs and pigs on Alabama farms and ranches in 2004. Alabama is a leading producer of chickens, broilers, and eggs. In broiler production, the state was surpassed only by Georgia and Arkansas in 2003, with an estimated 5.4 billion pounds (2.5 billion kilograms), valued at $1.8 billion. That year, Alabama ranked fourth in chicken production, with over 76.34 million pounds (29.4 million kilograms), worth $5.2 million. Egg production totaled 2.19 billion, worth $295.6 million.

23

Fishing

In 2004, Alabama’s commercial fish catch was about 26.6 million pounds (12.1 million kilograms), worth $37 million. The principal fishing port is Bayou La Batre, which brought in about 19.1 million pounds (8.7 million kilograms), worth $28.4 million. Alabama ranked fifth in the Gulf region for volume of shrimp landings with a total of 16.1 million pounds (7.3 million kilograms). Catfish farming is of growing importance. As of January 2005, there were 230 catfish farms in the state. As of 2003, there were 69 processing and 26 wholesaling plants in the state, with a combined total of about 1,649 employees. The commercial fishing fleet had about 1,775 boats and vessels. There were 486,877 sport fishing licenses issued in Alabama in 2004.

24

Forestry

Forestland in Alabama, predominantly pine covering 22,981,000 acres (9,302,000 hectares), was Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

over 3% of the nation’s total in 2004. Nearly all of that was classified as commercial timberland and 21,757,000 acres (8,805,000 hectares) of it were privately owned. Four national forests covered a gross acreage of 1,288,000 acres (521,250 hectares) in 2003. Production of softwood and hardwood lumber totaled 2.72 billion board feet in 2004 (seventh in the United States). Alabama’s TREASURE Forest program was created to certify and sustain forestlands in the state. This program has already certified over 1.57 million acres (635,000 hectares).

25

Mining

In 2004, Alabama’s nonfuel mineral industry’s output was valued at $972 million, which consisted entirely of industrial minerals. In that year, the state produced 4.8 million metric tons of portland cement, 14.7 million metric tons of construction sand and gravel, 49.1 million metric tons of crushed stone, and 2.12 million metric tons of common clay. These four products accounted for nearly 93% of all nonfuel mineral output, with cement and crushed stone together accounting for 69% of production. The state ranked 18th nationally in total nonfuel mineral production and accounted for more than 2% of all nonfuel mineral production in the United States.

26

Energy and Power

Electrical generating plants in Alabama had a total net summer generating capacity (utility and nonutility) of 30.162 million kilowatts in 2003. The same year, total electrical production was 137.487 billion kilowatt hours. Of the total amount generated, 92.3% came from elec15

Alabama

tric utilities, with the remainder coming from independent producers, and combined heat and power service producers. Coal-fired plants accounted for 55.8% of the power generated, with nuclear plants accounting for 23%. In 2004 crude oil output averaged 20,000 barrels per day. Proven reserves in that same year totaled 53 million barrels. During 2004, marketed natural gas production was 316 billion cubic feet (8.9 billion cubic meters). Proven reserves of dry or consumer-grade natural gas, as of 31 December 2004, totaled 4,120 billion cubic feet (117 billion cubic meters). Coal production, which began in the 19th century, was 22,271,000 tons in 2004, of which 16,114,000 tons came from underground mines. Coal reserves in 2004 totaled 341 million tons.

27

Commerce

Alabama had $43.6 billion in wholesale trade sales in 2002. In that same year, the state’s retail trade sector had sales of $43.7 billion. Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest share of retail sales in 2002, at $11.9 billion, followed by general merchandise stores at $7.6 billion, and food and beverage stores at $6.08 billion. In 2002, there were 19,608 retail establishments in Alabama, of which gasoline stations were the most numerous at 2,978 outlets, followed by motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers at 2,643 outlets. Alabama exported $10.7 billion worth of goods in 2005. 16

28

Public Finance

The Division of the Budget within the Department of Finance prepares and administers the state budget, which the governor submits to the legislature for amendment and approval. The state’s fiscal year runs from 1 October through 30 September. Total revenues amounted to over $21.56 billion in 2004, while total expenditures amounted to $19.54 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($7.6 billion), public welfare ($4.56 billion), and highways ($1.19 billion). At the end of the 2004 fiscal year, the total debt of the Alabama state government was $6.36 billion, or $1,406.38 per person.

29

Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, the personal income tax ranged from 2% to 5%. The tax on corporate net income was 6.5%. The state also imposes a sales tax of 4%. However, localities may charge up to an additional 7%. Food purchased for consumption off-premises (such as at home) is taxable. Cigarettes are taxed at 42.5 cents per pack, while gasoline is taxed by the state at 18 cents per gallon. Alabama’s tax rates are according to those set in its 1901 state constitution. State tax collections in 2005 totaled $7.8 billion ($1,711 per person). Of that total, property taxes accounted for 3%, while general sales taxes accounted for 26.1% and selective sales taxes accounted for 25.1%. Individual income taxes that year accounted for 32.5%, while corporate income taxes accounted for 5.1%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alabama

30

Health

As of October 2005, Alabama’s infant death rate was estimated at 8.8 per 1,000 live births. The state’s overall death rate in 2003 was 10.4 deaths per 1,000 population. In 2002, the death rate (per 100,000 people) from heart disease was 294.1, while the death rate from cancer stood at 216.2, followed by 71.3 for cerebrovascular diseases, 33.1 for diabetes, and 51.9 from chronic lower respiratory diseases. In all of these categories, Alabama ranked above the national death rates for these illnesses. In 2004, about 24.8% of the state’s population were smokers. The mortality rate from HIV infection was 4.2 per 100,000 population, lower than the national average of 4.9 per 100,000 population for 2002. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was around 10.3 per 100,000 people. Alabama had 107 community hospitals in 2003 with about 15,600 beds. Alabama had 216 physicians per 100,000 population in 2004. The average cost per day for hospital care was $1,166. About 14% of Alabama’s adult population did not have health insurance in 2004.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 2,058,951 housing units in Alabama. In that same year, about 71.9% of all housing units were owneroccupied. About 67.3% of all housing units were detached, single-family homes, and 14.6% were mobile homes. It was estimated that about 96,954 households across the state lacked telephone service, 6,757 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 5,212 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

In 2004, approximately 27,400 new privately owned units were authorized. The median home value was $94,679. The median monthly housing cost for mortgage owners was $872 while the cost for renters was $519.

32

Education

In 2004, a total of 82.4% of all Alabamians age 25 and older were high school graduates. About 22.3% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment was estimated at 740,000 in fall 2002 and was expected to reach 709,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 73,105 students. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $5.4 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 246,414 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Alabama had 75 degree-granting institutions. The largest state universities are Auburn University and the three University of Alabama campuses, including Birmingham, Huntsville, and the main campus in Tuscaloosa. Tuskegee University, founded as a normal and industrial school in 1881 under the leadership of Booker T. Washington, has become one of the nation’s most famous black colleges.

33

Arts

The Alabama State Council on the Arts, established by the legislature in 1966, provides aid to local nonprofit arts organizations. There were 62 local arts councils in 2003. The Alabama Humanities Foundation was established in 1974. The Alabama Center for Traditional Culture, established in 1990, works in conjunction with 17

Alabama

Huntsville, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa have symphony orchestras. The Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention takes place in October at Athens State College. Every June, the annual Hank Williams Memorial Celebration is held near the country singer’s birthplace at the Olive West Community. There are opera groups in Huntsville and Mobile.

34

The W. C. Handy Music Festival is held every summer in Florence. The festival was named to honor the musical genius of W. C. Handy, the “Father of the Blues.” DAN BROTHERS, ALABAMA BUREAU OF TOURISM.

the State Council to promote and preserve local arts and culture. The Alabama Jazz and Blues Federation, also established in 1990, has been very active in offering monthly jam sessions for artists, an annual summer festival, and several concerts throughout the year. The Alabama Shakespeare Festival State Theater performs in Montgomery and as of 2006, was the sixth-largest Shakespeare festival in the world. The Birmingham Festival of Arts was founded in 1951 and the city’s Alabama School of Fine Arts has been state-supported since 1971.

18

Libraries and Museums

As of 30 September 2001, Alabama had 207 public library systems, with a total of 283 libraries, of which 77 were branches. Alabama public libraries had a combined total of 8.8 million volumes in 2001, when the total circulation was 15,988,000. The Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library of the University of Alabama had 1.89 million volumes, while the Birmingham Public Library had 19 branches and 973,936 volumes. The Alabama Department of Archives and History Library, at Montgomery, 260,000 volumes, and several special collections on Alabama history and government. Collections on aviation and space exploration in Alabama’s libraries, particularly its military libraries, may be the most extensive in the United States outside of Washington, DC. In 1997, the Alabama Public Library Service and its regional library for the blind and physically handicapped had over 480,000 books, videos, and audio tapes, including more than 25,000 books in Braille. Memorabilia of Werner von Braun are in the library at the Alabama Space and Rocket Center at Huntsville. Also, the Redstone Arsenal’s Scientific Information Center holds some 227,000 volumes and 1.8 million technical reports.


Alabama

Having made ports of call at Florence and Decatur, a day of steamboating aboard the Delta Queen draws to a close on the waters of Lake Guntersville. Steamboat transportation was extremely important to Alabama’s cotton merchants in the mid1800s. DAN BROTHERS, ALABAMA BUREAU OF TOURISM.

Alabama had 81 museums in 2000. The most important art museum is the Birmingham Museum of Art. Other museums include the George Washington Carver Museum at Tuskegee Institute, the Women’s Army Corps Museum and Military Police Corps Museum at Ft. McClellan, the US Army Aviation Museum at Ft. Rucker, and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Also in Montgomery are Old Alabama Town and the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald home. Russell Cave National Monument has an archaeological exhibit. In Florence is the W. C. Handy Home; at Tuscumbia, Helen Keller’s birthplace, Ivy Green.


35

Communications

In 2004, a total of 92.2% of Alabama’s occupied housing units had telephones. During 2005, Alabama had 93 major operating radio stations (19 AM, 74 FM) and 22 major television stations. In 2000, 69% of television households in the Birmingham area subscribed to cable television. A total of 44,371 Internet domain names had been registered in Alabama by 2000.

36

Press

The oldest Alabama newspaper still in existence in the state is the Mobile Register, founded in

19

Alabama

1813. As of 2005, Alabama had 21 morning dailies; 3 evening dailies; and 20 Sunday papers. The leading daily, the Birmingham News, had a 2005 daily circulation of 167,889. The Mobile Register had a daily circulation of 88,253.

37

Tourism, Travel & Recreation

In 2004, about 20 million people visited the State of Alabama. A top tourist attraction is the Alabama Space and Rocket Center at Huntsville, home of the US Space Camp. Other attractions include many antebellum houses and plantations such as Magnolia Grove (a state shrine) at Greensboro, and the first White House of the Confederacy at Montgomery. The celebration of Mardi Gras in Mobile, which began in 1704, predates that in New Orleans and now occupies several days before Ash Wednesday. Gulf beaches are a popular attraction and Point Clear, across the bay from Mobile, has been a fashionable resort, especially for southerners, since the 1840s. The state fair is held at Birmingham every October. Alabama has four national park sites, which include Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site and Russell Cave National Monument, an almost continuous archaeological record of human habitation from at least 7000 bc to about ad 1650. Tannehill Historical State Park features anteand postbellum dwellings, a restored iron furnace over a century old, and a museum of iron and steel. The Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo at Dauphin Island also attracts thousands of visitors. Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is a major tourist attraction, with seven championship courses located from Huntsville to Mobile. 20

38

Sports

Alabama is home to a number of professional teams in various sports. The Birmingham Power was a member of the National Women’s Basketball League (NWBL) until 2005, and the Birmingham Steeldogs are an Arena League football squad. There are minor league baseball and hockey clubs at Birmingham, Mobile, and Huntsville. Two major professional stock car races, the UAW-Ford 500 and Aaron’s 499, are held at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega. Dog racing was legalized in Mobile in 1971. Four of the major hunting-dog competitions in the United States are held annually in the state. College football is very popular. The University of Alabama is a perennial topten entry. Competing in the Southeastern Conference, Alabama’s Crimson Tide has won 12 national championships and 21 SEC titles. Auburn University, which also competes in the Southeastern Conference, has won a total of 14 bowl games, 6 SEC titles, and have produced two Heisman trophy winners (Pat Sullivan and Bo Jackson). The Blue-Gray game, an all-star contest, is held at Montgomery on Christmas Day and the Senior Bowl game is played in Mobile in January. Additionally, Alabama-Huntsville won NCAA Division II hockey championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Boat races include the annual Dauphin Island Race, the largest one-day sailing race in the United States. The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is located at Birmingham. There are several famous athletes who were born in Alabama. Among the most notable are Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alabama

Alabama native Condoleezza Rice was the first African American woman named Secretary of State. AP IMAGES.

Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Jesse Owens, and Bo Jackson.

39

Famous Alabamians

A widely known political figure was George Corley Wallace (1919–1998), who served as governor 1963–67 and 1971–79, and was elected to a fourth term in 1982. Wallace, an outspoken opponent of racial desegregation in the 1960s, was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1964 and 1972. While campaigning in Maryland’s Democratic presidential primary on 15 May 1972, Wallace was shot and paralyzed from the waist down by a would-be assassin. Birmingham native Condoleeza Rice (b.1954) was the first African American woman to be appointed National Security Advisor. President George W. Bush, who appointed her to the post in 2001, nominated her to serve as Secretary of State. She was confirmed by the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

US Senate in 2005, another first for an African American woman. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (b.Georgia, 1929–1968), winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, first came to national prominence as leader of the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955. He also led demonstrations at Birmingham in 1963 and at Selma in 1965. His widow, Coretta Scott King (1927–2006), is a native Alabamian. Another world figure, black educator Booker T. Washington (b.Virginia, 1856–1915), built Alabama’s Tuskegee Institute from a school where young blacks were taught building, farming, cooking, brickmaking, dressmaking, and other trades into an internationally known agricultural research center. Tuskegee’s most famous faculty member was George Washington Carver (b.Missouri, 1864–1943), who discovered some 300 different peanut products, 118 new ways to use sweet potatoes, and numerous other crop varieties and applications. Famous musicians from Alabama include Nat “King” Cole (1917–1965) and Hank Williams (1923–1953). Alabama’s prominent sports figures include Jesse Owens (James Cleveland Owens, 1913–1980), winner of four gold medals in track and field at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin; Vonetta Flowers (b.1973), winner (with teammate Jill Bakken) of the gold medal in bobsledding at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, becoming the first African American to win a gold medal in a winter olympics; Joe Louis (Joseph Louis Barrow, 1914–1981), world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949; and baseball stars Willie Mays (b.1931), and (Louis) Henry Aaron (b.1934), all-time US home-run leader. 21

Alabama

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Freedman, Russell. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. New York: Holiday House, 2006. Hart, Joyce. Alabama. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Heinrichs, Ann. Alabama. Chanhassen, MN: Child’s World, 2005. Johnston, Lissa Jones. Alabama. Milwaukee, WI:

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Gareth Stevens Pub., 2006. McAuliffe, Emily. Alabama Facts and Symbols. Mankato, MN: Hilltop Books, 2000. Murray, Julie. Alabama. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel. Alabama. www.touralabama.org (accessed March 1, 2007). Official Website of the State of Alabama. www. alabama.gov/portal/index.jsp (accessed March 1, 2007).


Alaska State of Alaska O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : From the Aleut word

“alyeska,” meaning “great land.” NICKNAME: Land of the Midnight Sun; The Last

Frontier. C AP ITAL: Juneau. ENT ERED UNION: 3 January 1959 (49th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the inner circle symbols of mining,

agriculture, and commerce are depicted against a background of mountains and the northern lights. In the outer circle are a fur seal, a salmon, and the words “The Seal of the State of Alaska.” FLAG: On a blue field, eight gold stars form the Big Dipper and the North Star. M OT TO: North to the Future. SONG: “Alaska’s Flag.” FLOWER: Wild forget-me-not. TREE: Sitka spruce. B IRD: Willow ptarmigan. FISH: King salmon. G E M: Jade. M INERAL: Gold. SP ORT: Dogteam racing (mushing). LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Seward’s Day, last Monday in March; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Alaska Day, 18 October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. TI ME: 3 AM Alaska Standard Time, 2 AM HawaiiAleutian Standard Time = noon GMT.


1

Location and Size

Situated at the northwest corner of the North American continent, Alaska is separated by Canadian territory from the conterminous 48 states. Alaska is the largest of the 50 states, with a total area of 591,004 square miles (1,530,699 square kilometers). Land takes up 570,833 square miles (1,478,456 square kilometers) and inland water 20,171 square miles (52,243 square kilometers). Alaska is more than twice the size of Texas, the next-largest state, and occupies 16% of the total US land area. The east-west extension is 2,261 miles (3,639 kilometers). The maximum north-south extension is 1,420 miles (2,285 kilometers). Alaska is bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean and Beaufort Sea; on the east by Canada’s Yukon Territory and province of British Columbia; on the south by the Gulf of Alaska, 23

Alaska

Pacific Ocean, and Bering Sea; and on the west by the Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Chukchi Sea, and Arctic Ocean. Alaska’s many offshore islands include St. Lawrence, St. Matthew, Nunivak, and the Pribilof group in the Bering Sea; Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska; and the Aleutian Islands in the Pacific. The total boundary length of Alaska is 8,187 miles (13,176 kilometers), including a general coastline of 6,640 miles (10,686 kilometers). The tidal shoreline extends 33,904 miles (54,563 kilometers). The northernmost point in the United States, Point Barrow, at 71°23′30″n, 156°28′30″w, lies within the state of Alaska, as does the westernmost point, Cape Wrangell on Attu Island in the Aleutians, at 52°55′30″n, 172°28′e. Little Diomede Island, belonging to Alaska, is less than 2 miles (3 kilometers) from Big Diomede Island, which belongs to Russia.

2

Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

670,053 6.9% 4.8% 93.1% 69.2% 3.4% 14.2% 4.5% 0.5% 1.3% 6.9%

Population by Age Group 65 and over (7%) Under 18 (29%) 45 to 64 (27%)

18 to 24 (10%) 25 to 44 (27%)

Topography

There are six distinct geographic regions of Alaska. In the southeast is a narrow coastal panhandle region cut off from the main Alaskan landmass by the St. Elias Range. This region features numerous mountain peaks of 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) in elevation. The south-central region includes the Kenai Peninsula and Cook Inlet, a great arm of the Pacific. The southwestern region includes the Alaska Peninsula, filled with lightly wooded, rugged peaks, and the Aleutian islands, which are barren lands of volcanic origin. Western Alaska extends from Bristol Bay to the Seward Peninsula. This region includes the Yukon River (1,900 miles/3,058 kilometers) and the Kuskokwim River (680 miles/1,094 kilometers), which are the longest in the state. The 24

Alaska Population Profile

Major Cities by Population City Anchorage Fairbanks Juneau Sitka Wasilla Kenai Ketchikan Palmer Kodiak Bethel

Population

% change 2000–05

275,043 31,324 30,987 8,986 8,471 7,464 7,410 6,920 6,273 6,262

5.7 3.6 0.9 1.7 54.9 7.5 -6.5 52.7 -1.0 14.5



Alaska

Beaufort Sea

Chukchi Sea

ALASKA

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge NORTH SLOPE

Explanation . eR

Point of Interest

l lvil Co

Noatak National Preserve

City (25,000-100,000 people) City (more than 100,000 people)

Gates of the Arctic National Park

NORTHWEST ARCTIC

State Capital

Kotzebue Sound

RUSSIA Bering Strait

Kanuti N.W.R.

Selawik N.W.R.

Bering Land Bridge Nat’l Pres.

Ko yu ku kR .

Area of Interest Kobuk Valley Natíl Park

N Yukon Flats Natíl Wildlife Ref.

0

Koyukuk N.W.R.

er iv R

Fairbanks

Nowitna N.W.R.

Norton Sound

100 100

200 miles

200

300 kilometers

Yukon Charley Rivers N. P.

. R

R.

MATANUSKA SUSITNA

Lake Clark Natíl Park

Anchorage

Kuskokwim Bay

Iliamna Lake

Togiak N.W.R.

ANCHORAGE

Chugach St. Park

WoodTikchik St. Park Inlet

Chugach National Forest

Kenai N.W.R

Tongass Natíl Forest

Katmai Natíl Park Chugach National Forest

Becharof N.W.R. Bristol Bay

CANADA

Wrangell St. Elias Natíl Park

Prince William Sound

Cook

KENAI PENINSULA

BRISTOL BAY

HAINES

Juneau

Glacier Bay Natíl Park

JUNEAU

SITKA

LAKE AND PENINSULA

Aniakchak Natíl Mon Izembek N.W.R.

na

0

Tetlin N.W.R.

Kuskokwim

Bering Sea

Tan a

Denali Natíl Park

Innoki N.W.R.

Yuk on

Yukon Delta Natíl W.R.

FAIRBANKS NORTH STAR

Alaska Peninsula N.W.R.

Kodiak N.W.R.

Gulf

of

Admiralty Natíl Mon.

Alaska KETCHIKAN GATEWAY

KODIAK ISLAND

ALEUTIANS EAST

Misty Fjords Natíl Mon.

PA C I F I C OCEAN

Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge

PACIFIC OCEAN


25

Alaska

Mt. McKinley (20,320 feet–6,194 meters) is the tallest mountain in North America. The mountain is also known as Denali, its Athabaskan name. ALASKA DIVISION OF TOURISM.

interior region of Alaska extends north of the Alaska Range and south of the Brooks Range. The Arctic region extends from Kotzebue, north of the Seward Peninsula, east to Canada. The 11 highest mountains in the United States are located in Alaska, including the highest in North America, Mt. McKinley at 20,320 feet (6,194 meters). (Mt. McKinley is also known as Denali.) The state also includes half the world’s glaciers, the largest of which, Malaspina, covers more area than the entire state of Rhode Island. Ice fields cover 4% of the state. Alaska has more than three million lakes. The largest lake is Iliamna, occupying about 1,000 square miles (2,600 square kilometers). 26

3

Climate

Americans who called Alaska “Seward’s icebox” when it was first purchased from the Russians were unaware of the variety of climatic conditions within the state’s six topographic regions. The minimum daily winter temperatures in the Arctic region of the state and in the Brooks Range average -20°f (-29°c) and the ground at Point Barrow is frozen permanently to 1,330 feet (405 meters). However, the summer maximum daily temperatures in the Alaskan lowlands average above 60°f (16°c) and have been known to exceed 90°f (32°c). The southeastern region is moderate, ranging from a daily average of 30°f (-1°c) in January to 56°f (13°c) in July. The south-central zone has a similar summer range, but winters are somewhat harsher. The Aleutian Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alaska

Alaska Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years.

Total population One race Two races White and Black or African American White and American Indian/Alaska Native White and Asian White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander White and some other race Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native Black or African American and Asian Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Black or African American and some other race American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Asian and some other race Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race Three or more races

Number

Percent

626,932 592,786 31,743 2,460 16,920 4,103 647 3,113 1,064 310 92 393 811 208 503 582 450 87 2,403

100.0 94.6 5.1 0.4 2.7 0.7 0.1 0.5 0.2 — — 0.1 0.1 — 0.1 0.1 0.1 — 0.4


Islands have chilly, damp winters and rainy, foggy weather for most of the year. Western Alaska is also rainy and cool. The all-time high for the state was 100°f (38°c), recorded at Ft. Yukon on 27 June 1915. The lowest temperature in the state was registered as -79.8°f (-62°c) at Prospect Creek Camp, in the northwestern part of the state, on 23 January 1971. This was also the lowest temperature ever officially recorded in the United States. Juneau receives an average of 55.2 inches (140 centimeters) of precipitation each year. The average annual snowfall in Juneau is 99 inches (251 centimeters). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

4

Plants and Animals

Life zones in Alaska range from grasslands, mountains, and tundra to thick forests, in which Sitka spruce (the state tree), western hemlock, tamarack, white birch, and western red cedar predominate. Mammals abound in the wilderness. Reindeer and elk inhabit coastal islands. Moose move within ranges they establish, but do not migrate seasonally or move in herds as do caribou. Kodiak, polar, black, and grizzly bears, Dall sheep, and an abundance of small mammals are also found. The sea otter and musk ox have been successfully reintroduced. Round Island, along the north shore of Bristol Bay, has the world’s 27

Alaska

Retreating Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay. © DANNY LEHMAN/CORBIS.

largest walrus rookery. North America’s largest population of bald eagles nests in Alaska, and whales migrate annually to the icy bays. Pristine lakes and streams are famous for trout and salmon fishing. In all, 386 species of birds, 430 fishes, 105 mammals, 7 amphibians, and 3 reptiles have been found in the state. As of April 2006, 12 species were listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, including the Eskimo curlew, short-tailed albatross, leatherback sea turtle, Steller sea-lion, and bowhead, finback, and humpback whales. Numerous species considered endangered in the conterminous United States remain common in Alaska. 28

5


Alaska’s number one environmental health problem is the unsafe water and sanitation facilities in over 135 of Alaska’s communities—mostly Alaskan Native villages. The people of these communities must carry their water from streams or watering points to their homes and people must use “honey buckets” or privies for disposal of human waste. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 86 hazardous waste sites, six of which were on the National Priorities List. Oil development on the North Slope and in Cook Inlet, mining throughout the state, and timber harvesting largely in the southern regions Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alaska

continue to be areas of focus for environmental protection, as do winter violations of air quality standards for carbon monoxide in Anchorage and Fairbanks.

6

Population

In 2006, Alaska ranked 47th in United States with an estimated total of 670,053 residents. Less than 1% of Alaska’s total land area has developed settlement areas. In 2000, the population density was 1.2 persons per square mile (0.46 persons per square kilometer), making Alaska the nation’s most sparsely settled state. The Census Bureau projects a population of 732,544 people in 2015 and 820,881 by 2025. In 2005, the median age was only 33.4 years (compared with the national median of 36.2). In 2005, about 29% of the population was under 18 years old and only 7% of all Alaskans were 65 years of age or older. Alaska is also one of the few states where men outnumber women; as of 2004, women accounted for 48.3% of Alaskan residents. About half of Alaska’s residents live in the city of Anchorage, which had an estimated population of 275,043 in 2005. Fairbanks had an estimated 2005 population of 31,324.

7

Ethnic Groups

The population of Alaska includes the highest percentage of Native Americans that any other state. In 2005, Alaska Natives accounted for 14.2% of Alaska’s population. The primary subgroups of Native Americans are Athabaskan and Tlingit-Haida. There are also small numbers of Tsimshian. In 2000, there were about 45,919 Eskimos in the state and 11,941 Aleuts. These Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alaska Governors: 1959–2004 1959–1966 1966–1969 1969–1970 1970–1974 1974–1982 1982–1986 1986–1990 1990–1994 1994–2002 2002–2006 2006–

William Allen Egan Democrat Walter Joseph Hickel Democrat Keith Harvey Miller Republican William Allen Egan Democrat Jay Sterner Hammond Republican William Jennings Sheffield Democrat Steve Camberling Cowper Democrat Walker Joseph Hickel Independent Tony Knowles Democrat Frank Murkowski Republican Sarah H. Palin Republican

two groups live mostly in scattered villages to the north and northwest. In 2000, the black population was 21,787. The Asian population, which totaled about 25,116, included 12,712 Filipinos, 1,414 Japanese, and 4,573 Koreans. Pacific Islanders numbered 3,309. About 25,852 residents were of Hispanic or Latino origin, with 13,334 of those claiming Mexican ancestry. Foreign-born persons numbered 37,170, or 5.9% of the population.

8

Languages

From the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian groups of lower Alaska, one of the only words to have influenced local language is hooch (from Tlingit hoochino). Other native words have escaped into general usage, notably the Inuit word mukluk and Aleut word parka. Native place-names abound: Skagway and Ketchikan (Tlingit), Kodiak and Katmai (Inuit), and Alaska and Akutan (Aleut). As of 2000, 85.7% of the population five years old and older speaks only English in the home. Other major languages spoken in the home, and the number of people speaking them, include various Native American, Alaskan, and 29

Alaska

Aleut languages, 30,121; Spanish, 16,674; and Tagalog, 8,934.

9

Religions

The largest religious organization in the state is the Roman Catholic Church, which had 52,892 adherents in 2004. Southern Baptists constituted the largest Protestant denomination, with 22,959 adherents in 2000. The Orthodox Church in America—Territorial Dioceses had 20,000 adherents. Many Aleuts are Russian Orthodox. The Latter-day Saints (Mormons) had 27,600 adherents in 2006. Other major groups (with 2000 data) include: Assemblies of God, 11,638; Independent, Non-Charismatic Churches, 7,600; and Episcopalians, 6,693. There were about 3,525 Jews and 1,381 Muslims. About 65.7% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

Regular passenger and freight railroad service began in 1923, when the Alaska Railroad began operation. The Alaska Railroad links communities between Whittier, Seward, Anchorage, and Fairbanks. As of 2003, this railroad of 466 route miles (750 kilometers) was not connected to any other North American line. The Alaska Highway, which extends 1,523 miles (2,451 kilometers) from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Fairbanks, is the only total road link with the rest of the United States. Instate roads are few and far between. In total, 14,107 miles (22,712 kilometers) of roads were in use in 2004, including more than 1,800 miles (2,896 kilometers) of roads in national parks and forests. During the same year, the state 30

Alaska Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1960–2004 YEAR

ALASKA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1960 Nixon (R) 29,809 30,953 1964 *Johnson (D) 44,329 22,930 1968 *Nixon (R) 35,411 37,600 1972 *Nixon (R) 32,967 55,349 1976 Ford (R) 44,058 71,555 1980 *Reagan (R) 41,842 186,112 1984 *Reagan (R) 62,007 138,377 1988 *Bush (R) 72,584 119,251 1992** Bush (R) 78,294 102,000 1996** Dole (R) 80,380 122,746 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 79,004 167,398 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 111,025 190,889 * Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 73,481 votes in 1992 and 26,333 votes in 1996.

had 669,000 registered vehicles and 482,532 licensed drivers. The largest public transit system is in Anchorage. The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) provides year-round scheduled ferry service to over 30 communities throughout southeast and southwest Alaska. This ferry system extends over 3,500 route miles (5,632 kilometers) and connects communities with each other, with regional centers, and with the continental road system. Water transport in Alaska is dominated by Valdez. Kenai/Nikishka is the state’s second-largest freight-handling port and also has petroleum as its principal commodity. Anchorage is the state’s largest general cargo port. Air travel is the primary means of intrastate transportation, with regional carriers serving remote communities. There were a total of 678 airports in the state in 2005, including three major international airports in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. Anchorage International Airport (AIA) is a major refueling stop for interJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alaska

national freight airplanes and is a freight hub for Federal Express and United Parcel Service.

11

History

At some time between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago, the ancestors of all of America’s aboriginal peoples trekked over a land bridge that connected northeastern Siberia with northwestern America. These early hunter-gatherers dispersed, eventually becoming three distinct groups: Aleut, Eskimo, and Indian. Ages passed before overseas voyagers rediscovered Alaska. Separate Russian parties led by Aleksei Chirikov and Vitas Bering (who had sailed in 1728 through the strait that now bears his name) landed in Alaska in 1741. In 1784, the first permanent Russian settlement was established on Kodiak Island: 15 years later, the Russian American Company was granted a monopoly over the region. Its manager, Aleksandr Baranov, established Sitka as the company’s headquarters. In 1802, the Tlingit Indians captured Sitka but two years later lost the town and the war with the Russian colonizers. Increasingly, the imperial Russian government viewed the colonies as a drain on the treasury. In 1867, as a result of the persistence of Secretary of State William H. Seward, a devoted American expansionist, Russia agreed to sell its American territories to the United States for $7,200,000. From 1867 until the first Organic Act of 1884, which provided for a federally appointed governor, Alaska was administered first by the US Army, then by the US Customs Service. The Gold Rush The pace of economic develop-

ment quickened after the discovery of gold in 1880 at Juneau. But it was the major strike in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Canada’s Klondike region in 1898 that sparked a mass stampede to the Yukon Valley and other regions of Alaska, including the Arctic. Subsequent development of the fishing and timber industries increased Alaska’s prosperity and prospects, although the region suffered from a lack of transportation facilities. A significant achievement came in 1914 when construction started on the Alaska Railroad connecting Seward, a new town with an ice-free port, with Anchorage and Fairbanks. Congress granted territorial status to the region in 1912, and the first statehood bill was introduced in Congress four years later. Mineral production declined sharply after 1914. Population declined too, and conditions remained depressed through the 1920s, although gold mining was helped by a rise in gold prices in 1934. World War II provided the next great economic impetus for Alaska; the Aleutian campaign following the Japanese invasion of the islands, though not as pivotal as the combat in other areas of the Pacific, did show American policymakers that Alaska’s geography was in itself an important resource. Statehood The US government built the Alaska Highway and many other facilities, including docks, airfields, and an extension of the Alaska Railroad. Population soared as thousands of civilian workers and military personnel moved to the territory. The Alaska Statehood Act was adopted by Congress in June 1958 and ratified by Alaska voters that August. On 3 January 1959, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the proclamation that made Alaska the 49th state.

In 1971, the Native Claims Settlement Act provided an extensive grant to the state’s natives 31

Alaska

but also precipitated a long federal-state controversy over land allocations. A major oil field was discovered in 1968, and in 1974, over the opposition of many environmentalists, construction began on the 789-mile (1,270-kilometer) TransAlaska Pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. The state’s dependence on oil—82% of its revenue came from oil industry taxes and royalties—became a disadvantage when overproduction in the Middle East drove the price of oil down from $36 a barrel at the peak of Alaska’s oil boom in 1980–81 to $13.50 a barrel in 1988. In 1986, the state’s revenues had declined by twothirds. Alaska lost 20,000 jobs between 1985 and 1989. On 24 March 1989, the Exxon Valdez, a 987-foot oil tanker, hit a reef and ran aground. The tanker spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil. The oil eventually contaminated 1,285 miles of shoreline, fouling Prince William Sound and its wildlife sanctuary, the Gulf of Alaska, and the Alaska Peninsula. In the settlement of the largest environmental suit in US history brought by the state and federal governments, Exxon was fined $1.025 billion in civil and criminal penalties. One issue of national debate has been whether or not to open the nearly 20-million acre (8.1 million hectare) Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to commercial development. Since the early 1990s, the US Senate had (until March 2006) continually voted to reject drilling in ANWR, but the US House of Representatives had voted in favor. With oil prices remaining high in the mid-2000s, the issue of opening the wildlife refuge to oil or gas drilling or other development remained hotly debated. 32

12

State Government

Under Alaska’s first and only constitution— adopted in 1956, effective since the time of statehood, and amended 29 times by January 2005—the house of representatives consists of 40 members elected for two-year terms; the senate has 20 members elected for staggered fouryear terms. The minimum age is 21 for a representative, 25 for a senator; legislators must have resided in the state for at least three years before election and in the district at least one year. Alaska’s executive branch, modeled after New Jersey’s, features a strong governor who appoints all cabinet officers (except the commissioner of education) and judges subject to legislative confirmation. The lieutenant governor is the only other elected executive. The governor must be at least 30 years of age and must have been a US citizen for seven years and an Alaska resident for seven years. The term of office is four years, and the governor is limited to two consecutive terms. The qualifications for the lieutenant governor are the same as for the governor. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $85,766. After a bill has been passed by the legislature, it becomes law if it is: signed by the governor; left unsigned for 15 days (Sundays excluded) while the legislature is in session or for 20 days after it has adjourned; or passed by a two-thirds vote of the combined houses over a gubernatorial veto (to override a veto of an appropriations bill requires a three-fourths vote). Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds vote of the legislature and ratification by the electorate. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alaska

13

Political Parties

As of 2004, of 472,000 registered voters, approximately 16% were Democrats, while 25% were Republican, and 59% were unaffiliated or members of other parties. In presidential elections since 1968, Alaskans have voted Republican 10 consecutive times. Alaskans reelected incumbent Republican George W. Bush with 61.8% of the vote in 2004 (an increase from 59% in 2000) to Democrat John Kerry’s 35.0%. Both US Senators and its sole US Representative are Republicans. Alaska’s state legislature consisted of 9 Democrats and 11 Republicans in the state senate, and 17 Democrats and 23 Republicans in the state house following the 2006 elections. Republican Sarah Palin won the 2006 Alaska governor’s race, with 49% of the vote. There were 11 women serving in Alaska’s legislature following the 2006 elections, or 18.3%.

14

Local Government

Alaska is divided into 149 cities, most of them governed by elected mayors and village councils. In 2005, there were 12 counties in the state, and 53 public school systems. Forty-four million acres of federal land have been returned to native Alaskan tribes, operated under The Bureau of Indian Affairs. Juneau, Sitka, and Anchorage, Alaska’s three unified municipalities, have consolidated city and borough functions.

15

Judicial System

The supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and four associate justices, hears appeals for civil matters from the 15 superior courts, whose 40 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

judges are organized among the four state judicial districts, and for criminal matters from the three-member court of appeals. The superior court has original jurisdiction in all civil and criminal matters, and it hears appeals from the district court. The lowest court is the district court, of which there are 56 in four districts. All judges are appointed by the governor from nominations made by the Judicial Council, but are thereafter subject to voter approval; supreme court justices serve terms of 10 years; court of appeals and superior court judges, eight years; and district judges, four years. In 2004, the violent crime rate was 634.5 crimes per 100,000 population; crimes against property in that same year totaled 3,382.8 incidents per 100,000 people. Alaska has no capital punishment statute. There were 4,554 inmates in state and federal prisons as of 31 December 2004.

16

Migration

The earliest immigrants to North America, more than 10,000 years ago, likely came to Alaska via a land bridge across what is now the Bering Strait. The Russian fur traders who arrived during the 1700s found Aleuts, Eskimos, and Indians already established there. Despite more than a century of Russian sovereignty over the area, however, few Russians came, and those that did returned to the mother country with the purchase of Alaska by the United States in 1867. Virtually all other migration to Alaska has been from the continental US—first during the gold rush of the late 19th century, and most recently during the oil boom of the 1970s. Between 2000 and 2006, the population increased 6.9%. 33

Alaska

17

Economy

When Alaska gained statehood in 1959, its economy was almost totally dependent on the US government. Fisheries, limited mining (mostly gold and gravel), and some lumber production made up the balance. That all changed with development of the petroleum industry during the 1970s. Construction of the Trans– Alaska Pipeline brought a massive infusion of money and people into the state. The collapse of oil prices in the mid-1980s hit Alaska hard. But by 1990, a recovery was underway. By 2000, oil revenues accounted for 85% of total state revenues. As of 2006, rising oil prices were expected to benefit the Alaskan economy. Commercial fishing is one of the foundations of the Alaska economy. Alaska’s fishery accounts for 50% of the total annual US catch. Alaska groundfish catches are especially important. The value of Alaska’s forest products grew substantially during the late 1980s and into the 1990s, but they began to drop after that, as the supply of timber shrank. Tourism, attracting 1.1 million visitors in 2000, is the second largest primary employer in the state. Tourism brings in more than $1 billion to the state each year. In 2005, Alaska had the lowest personal bankruptcy rate in the United States.

18

Income

In 2005, Alaska had a gross state product (GSP) of $40 billion. In 2004, Alaska has the 17th highest per capita (per person) income in the United States at $34,000. The median household income in 2004 was $54,627, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 34

2002–04, a total of 9.2% of all Alaskans were living below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Alaska’s small but growing manufacturing sector is centered on petroleum refining and the processing of lumber and food products, especially seafood. In 2004, a total of 10,262 people in Alaska were employed in the state’s manufacturing sector. Of that total, 8,696 were actual production workers. In the food manufacturing industry, there were 7,289 production workers, of which 6,486 were actually involved in the production process. In 2004, Alaska’s manufacturing sector paid $351.5 million in wages. Of that amount, the food-manufacturing sector accounted for $207.2 million.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Alaska numbered 342,300, with approximately 24,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 7%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. It was estimated that as of April 2006, 6.1% of the labor force was employed in construction; 20.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 4.7% in finance; 7.5% in professional and business services; 11.4% in education and health services; 9.9% in leisure and hospitality services; and 26% in government. Data for manufacturing was unavailable. In 2005, 63,000 of Alaska’s 275,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 22.8% of those Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alaska

so employed. The national average is 12%. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is especially strong in the state, covering a range of workers from truck drivers to school administrators.

21

Agriculture

A short but intense growing season provides good potential for the Alaskan commercial agriculture, although the expense of getting agricultural products to market is a limiting factor. International export opportunities are being developed. Alaska’s 620 farms covered 900,000 acres (364,000 hectares) in 2004. Hay, potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, beef, pork, dairy products, and greenhouse and nursery items are common commodities produced. In 2004, hay production was 28,000 tons, valued at$6.44 million. Other crops included potatoes, 177,000 hundredweight (8 million kilograms), and barley for grain, 145,000 tons. The leading farming regions of Alaska are the Matanuska Valley, northeast of Anchorage, and Delta Junction, north of Fairbanks.

22


Dairy and livestock products account for about 55% of Alaska’s agricultural receipts. In 2003, an estimated 16.7 million pounds (7.6 million kilograms) of milk were produced. Milk cows numbered 1,300 in 2003. Meat and poultry production is negligible by national standards.

23

Fishing

In 2005, Alaska was the leading commercial fishing state in terms of volume and value. The total catch was over 5.3 billion pounds (2.4 billion kilograms) valued at over $1.7 billion dollars. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Landings at the port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska had the highest volume of all US domestic ports (886.4 million pounds/402.9 million kilograms) and the second highest catch in terms of value ($155 million). The Kodiak port ranked fourth in the nation in volume (312.6 million pounds/142 million kilograms) and fourth in value ($91 million). According to 2004 figures, the salmon catch amounted to 697.8 million pounds (317.1 million kilograms), valued at $225.3 million and representing 94% of total US salmon landings. Landings of pollock and the pacific cod are also significant. The Alaskan catch of sea herring accounted for 94% of the Pacific coast catch. Alaska had the third largest catch of dungeness crab in the nation, a major export item for the state. As of 2003, Alaska had 306 processing and wholesale plants with an average of about 8,077 employees. In 2002, the commercial fishing fleet had 14,035 boats and vessels. Anglers are also attracted by Alaska’s abundant stocks of salmon and trout. There were about 468,735 sport anglers licensed in Alaska in 2004.

24

Forestry

In 2004, Alaska’s forested area was 127,380,000 acres (51,550,000 hectares), far more than any other state. However, the area of harvestable timberland was only 11,865,000 acres (4,801,000 hectares). Some 35,875,000 acres (14,519,000 hectares) of forestland were privately held in 2004. Alaska contains the nation’s largest national forests, Tongass in the southeast (17.4 million acres/7 million hectares) and Chugach 35

Alaska

along the Gulf Coast (6.9 million acres/2.8 million hectares). Timber companies harvest logs from the two national forests with the majority from the Tongass National Forest. The timber is made available for harvest through a competitive bidding process.

25

Mining

The US Geological Survey estimated the 2004 value for Alaska nonfuel mineral production at $1.32 billion. Metallic minerals accounted for 94% of Alaska’s total nonfuel mineral production in 2004, including zinc, lead, and silver produced at the Red Dog Mine in the northwestern part of the state and gold produced at Fort Knox Mine near Fairbanks. Red Dog is among the largest producers of zinc in the world. According to preliminary figures, in 2004 Alaska produced 2.8 million metric tons of crushed stone, and 10.2 million metric tons of sand and gravel. In 2002 (the latest year for which data was available) gold production totaled 37,258 pounds (16,900 kilograms) and silver production totaled 1,232,384 pounds (559,000 kilograms).

26

Energy and Power

As of 2004, the Alaskan production of crude oil was 17% of the nation’s total. At 908,000 barrels per day, the state was second only to Texas in the amount of crude oil produced. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline runs 789 miles (1,270 kilometers) from the North Slope oil fields to the port of Valdez on the southern coast. Most of Alaska’s energy products are produced and refined locally. The state’s six refineries had a combined crude distillation capacity of 374,000 barrels per day in 36

2005. Proven reserves as of 2004 totaled 4.33 billion barrels, or 20% of all US reserves. Marketed natural gas production in 2004 was 471.9 billion cubic feet (13.4 billion cubic meters). As of 31 December 2004, proven reserves were 8.4 trillion cubic feet (238.7 billion cubic meters). Total electric power production (utility and nonutility) was 6.39 billion kilowatt hours in 2003. The total installed capacity was 1.89 million kilowatts. Almost all generating facilities were government owned. Alaska has no nuclear power plants. Production of coal in 2004 was 1,512,000 tons, from a single mine at Healy. In 2000, Alaska ranked first among the states in per capita energy consumption, with a total of 944 million Btu (237.9 million kilocalories).

27

Commerce

Sales from wholesale trade in 2002 amounted to $3.6 billion and retail sales totaled $7.4 billion that year. Most retail sales were in the Anchorage metropolitan area. The leading types of retail businesses by number of establishments were: miscellaneous store retailers (458); food and beverage stores (384); motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers (302); clothing and clothing accessories stores (259); and sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores (247). In terms of sales, general-merchandise stores accounted for the largest share of retail sales at $1.8 billion, followed by motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers at $1.7 billion, and food and beverage stores at $1.2 billion. Exports of goods made in Alaska came to nearly $3.5 billion in 2005. One-third of Alaska’s manufactured goods are exported to other countries, the highest ratio of all the states, with paper and food products the leading items. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alaska

Alaska is the leading fish-exporting state and the largest exporter of salmon. By federal law, Alaskan petroleum cannot be exported to foreign countries.

28

Public Finance

Alaska’s annual budget is prepared by the Division of Budget and Management, within the Office of the Governor, and submitted by the governor to the legislature for amendment and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July through 30 June. In 2004, Alaska’s total revenues amounted to more than $8.8 billion, and total expenditures amounted to about $8.09 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($1.7 billion), public welfare ($1.47 billion), and highways ($828 million). As of 2004, the outstanding debt of Alaska was over $5.7 billion. At about $8,708 per capita (per person), Alaska’s ratio of state government debt per person was one of the highest in the nation.

29

Taxation

The huge sums generated by the sale of oil leases and by oil and gas royalties make Alaska’s tax structure highly unusual. There are no state sales or personal income taxes, but some localities impose a sales tax, as well as a property tax. The corporate tax rate in 2005 ranged from 1% to 9.4% depending on the tax bracket. Selective sales taxes (excises) are imposed on tobacco products, motor fuels, insurance premiums, alcoholic beverages, public utilities and amusements. Other taxes include various license and franchise fees, but there is no fee for vehicle operating licenses. Each Alaskan resident also Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

receives a dividend from the state’s oil earnings. In 1999, the dividend was $1,770. In 2004, Alaska citizens received $1.87 in federal spending, which ranked the state secondhighest nationally.

30

Health

In 2005, Alaska’s infant mortality rate was 5.8 per 1,000 live births. Alaska’s death rate was 4.9 deaths per 1,000 population in 2003. The death rate from accidents (53.7 per 100,000) was one of the highest in the United States. The suicide rate in Alaska is the second-highest in the country, after Wyoming, with 20.5 per 100,000 residents. The commercial fishing industry has one of the highest occupational fatality rates in Alaska. During the early 1990s the annual occupational fatality rate for the fishing industry was 200 per 100,000 workers. The fatality rate for the shellfish industry was 530 per 100,000 in that period. The other major causes of death in 2002 were heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and diabetes. The death rates for heart disease and diabetes represent the lowest in the nation. Among Alaskan adults age 18 and older, 24.7% were smokers in 2004. The reported AIDS case rate in 2004 was 8.4 per 100,000 people. In 2003, Alaska had 19 hospitals with about 1,500 beds. Alaska had 217 physicians per 100,000 population in 2004 and 761 nurses per 100,000 population in 2005. In 2004, there was a total of 490 dentists in the state. In 2004, 18% of the Alaskan adult population was uninsured. Alaska’s Pioneer Homes, operated by the state’s Department of Administration, are residential facilities for Alaskans over 65 (with at 37

Alaska

least one year of residency in the state) that offer five levels of care from independent living to full medical care, including Alzheimer’s units.

31

Housing

Despite the severe winters, housing designs in Alaska do not differ notably from those in other states. Builders do usually provide thicker insulation in walls and ceilings, but the high costs of construction have not encouraged more energyefficient adaptation to the environment. In native villages, traditional dwellings like the half-buried huts of the Aleuts have long since given way to conventional, low-standard housing. In point of fact, Alaska’s Eskimos never built snow houses, as did those of Canada. In the Eskimo language, the word igloo refers to any dwelling. In 2004, there were an estimated 271,533 housing units, of which 228,358 were owneroccupied. About 61% of all units were singlefamily, detached dwellings. It was estimated that about 5,542 units statewide lacked telephone service while 6,017 lacked complete plumbing facilities and 5,489 lacked complete kitchen facilities. In 2004, the state authorized 3,100 new privately owned housing units. The median home value was $179,304. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,421 while the median monthly rental cost was $808.

32

Education

As of 2004, 90.2% of the population over 25 years of age had completed high school. Some 25.5% had obtained a bachelor’s degree. Total enrollment in public schools was 134,000 in the fall of 2002. Private school enroll38

ment was 6,177 in fall 2003. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $1.6 billion, or $10,114 per student, the eighthhighest among the 50 states. As of 2005, Alaska had eight degree-granting institutions. The University of Alaska is the state’s leading higher-educational institution. The main campus, established in 1917, is at Fairbanks; satellite campuses are located in Anchorage and Juneau. Private institutions include Sheldon Jackson College, Alaska Bible College (a theological seminary), and Alaska Pacific University. The University of Alaska’s Rural Education Division has a network of education centers. As of fall 2002, there were 29,546 students enrolled in college or graduate school.

33

Arts

The Council on the Arts (founded in 1966) sponsors tours by performing artists, supports artists’ residencies in the schools, aids local arts projects, and purchases the works of living Alaskans for display in state buildings. In 2003, there were nearly 90,000 artists who contributed to Alaska’s art programs. Alaska is a member state of the regional Western States Arts Federation. Fairbanks, Juneau, and Anchorage have symphony orchestras and Anchorage has a civic opera. The Alaska Repertory Theater tours the state. The annual Alaska Folk Festival in Juneau (est. 1975) is one of the largest cultural/musical festivals in the state, drawing over 10,000 people each year.

34


Alaskan public libraries had an estimated combined book stock of 2,264,000 and a circulaJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Alaska

tion of 3,628,000 in 2001; facilities are located in seven boroughs and in most larger towns. Anchorage had the largest public library system, with five branches and 554,686 volumes in 1998. Also notable are the State Library in Juneau and the library of the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. Alaska had 44 museums in 2000. The Alaska State Museum in Juneau offers an impressive collection of native crafts and Alaskan artifacts. Sitka National Historical Park features Indian and Russian items and the nearby Museum of Sheldon Jackson College holds important native collections. Noteworthy historical and archaeological sites include the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan. Anchorage has the Anchorage Museum of History and Art and the Alaska Zoo.

35

Communications

Considering the vast distances traveled and the number of small, scattered communities, the US mail is a bargain for Alaskans. In 2004, 95.6% of the state’s residences had telephones. In addition, by June of that year, there were 307,323 mobile telephone subscribers. There were 41 major radio stations in 2005, along with 15 television stations. Prime Cable of Alaska is the state’s major cable carrier. A total of 13,558 Internet domain names had been registered in Alaska by the year 2000. In 2003, 72.7% of Alaska households had a computer and 67.6% had Internet access.

36

Press

As of 2005, Alaska had seven daily newspapers and five Sunday newspapers. The leading paper in 2005 was the Anchorage Daily News, with a Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

daily circulation of 76,231 and a Sunday circulation of 82,179. The Tundra Times, also published in Anchorage, is a statewide weekly devoted to native concerns. There are about 30 publishers in Alaska, including the University of Alaska Press, Denali Press, Alaska Geographic, Rainforest Publishers, and Inside Passage Press. Alaska Business Monthly, Alaska magazine, and Alaska Outdoors are popular statewide magazines.

37


With thousands of miles of unspoiled scenery and hundreds of mountains and lakes, Alaska has vast tourist potential. Alaska’s tourism industry is estimated at over $1 billion per year. In 2004, about 52,000 visitors came from overseas. Cruise travel along the Gulf of Alaska is one of the fastest growing sectors in the tourist trade. Sportfishing and outdoor adventure opportunities have also become popular. Millions of visitors travel to the state’s national parks, preserves, historical parks, and monuments, which totaled 52.9 million acres (21.7 million hectares) in 1999. Denali State Park is home to Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America. One of the most popular tourist destinations is Glacier Bay National Monument.

38

Sports

There are no major league professional sports teams in Alaska, but there is a minor league hockey team in Anchorage. In addition, college hockey teams, such as University of AlaskaFairbanks, are involved at the NCAA Division I level. Sports in Alaska generally revolve around the outdoors, including skiing, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and camping. Perhaps the biggest sporting event in the state is the Iditarod 39

Alaska

1741), a seaman in Russian service who commanded the discovery expedition in 1741, and Aleksandr Baranov (b.Russia, 1746–1819), the first governor of Russian America. Secretary of State William H. Seward (b.New York, 1801– 1872), who was instrumental in the 1867 purchase of Alaska, ranks as the state’s “founding father,” although he never visited the region. Sheldon Jackson (b.New York, 1834–1909), a Presbyterian missionary, introduced the reindeer to the region and founded Alaska’s first college in Sitka. Benny Benson (1913–1972), born at Chignik, designed the state flag at the age of 13.

Secretary of State William H. Seward was instrumental in the 1867 purchase of Alaska, and ranks as the state’s “founding father,” although he never visited the region. EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

Trail Sled Dog Race, covering 1,159 miles (1,865 kilometers) from Anchorage to Nome. The race is held in March and both men and women compete. With a $50,000 purse, it is the most lucrative sled dog race in the world. Other annual sporting events include the Great Alaska Shootout, in which college basketball teams from around the country compete in Anchorage in November, and the World EskimoIndian Olympics in Fairbanks in July.

39

Famous Alaskans

Alaskan’s best-known officeholder was Ernest Gruening (b.New York, 1887–1974), a territorial governor from 1939 to 1953 and US senator from 1959 to 1969. Outstanding historical figures include Vitus Bering (b.Denmark, 1680– 40

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Dubois, Muriel. Alaska Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Hilltop Books, 2003. McNamara, Katharine. Narrow Road to the Deep North: A Journey into the Interior of Alaska. San Francisco, CA: Mercury House, 2001. Murray, Julie. Alaska. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Stefoff, Rebecca. Alaska. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Strudwick, Leslie. Alaska. Mankato, MN: Weigl, 2001. Thomas, William. Alaska. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. WEB SITES Alaska Travel Industry Association. Alaska. www. travelalaska.com/homepage.html (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Alaska. Alaska Kids. www.state.ak.us/kids (accessed March 1, 2007). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arizona State of Arizona

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Probably from the Pima

or Papago Indian word arizonac, meaning “place of small springs.” N I CKNAME : The Grand Canyon State. C AP ITAL: Phoenix. ENT ERED UNION: 14 February 1912 (48th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Depicted on a shield are symbols of the state’s economy and natural resources, including mountains, a rising sun, and a dam and reservoir in the background; irrigated farms and orchards in the middle distance; a quartz mill, a miner, and cattle in the foreground; and the state motto. The words “Great Seal of the State of Arizona 1912” surround the shield. FLAG: A copper-colored five-pointed star symbolic of the state’s copper resources rises from a blue field; six yellow and seven red segments radiating from the star cover the upper half. M OT TO: Ditat Deus (God enriches). SONG: “Arizona;” “Arizona March Song.” FLOWER: Blossom of the saguaro cactus. TREE: Palo verde. B IRD: Cactus wren. N E CKWEAR: Bola tie. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Martin Luther King Jr./Civil Rights Day, 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln/Washington/Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 5 AM MST = noon GMT. Arizona does not

observe daylight savings time.

1

Location and Size

Located in the Rocky Mountains region of the southwestern United States, Arizona ranks sixth in size among the 50 states. The total area of Arizona is 114,000 square miles (295,260 square kilometers), of which land takes up 113,508 square miles (293,986 square kilometers) and inland water 492 square miles (1,274 square kilometers). Arizona extends about 340 miles (547 kilometers) east-west. The state’s maximum north-south extension is 395 miles (636 kilometers). Arizona’s total boundary length is 1,478 miles (2,379 kilometers). 41

Arizona

2

Topography

The Colorado Plateau, which covers two-fifths of the state in the north, is an arid upland region characterized by deep canyons, including the Grand Canyon, a vast gorge more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) long, up to 18 miles (29 kilometers) wide, and more than 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) deep. Also within this region are the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest, as well as Humphreys Peak, the highest point in the state, at 12,633 feet (3,853 meters). The Mogollon Rim separates the northern plateau from a central region of alternating basins and ranges. Ranges in the Mexican Highlands in the southeast include the Chiricahua, Dos Cabezas, and Pinaleno mountains. The Sonora Desert, in the southwest, contains the lowest point in the state, 70 feet (21 meters) above sea level, on the Colorado River near Yuma. The Colorado is the state’s major river. Tributaries of the Colorado include the Little Colorado and Gila rivers. Arizona has few natural lakes, but there are several large artificial lakes formed by dams for flood control, irrigation, and power development. These include Lake Mead, formed by Hoover Dam; Lake Mohave, formed by David Dam; Lake Havasu, formed by Parker Dam; Roosevelt Lake, formed by Theodore Roosevelt Dam; and the San Carlos Lake, created by Coolidge Dam.

3

Climate

Arizona has a dry climate. Average daily temperatures at Yuma, in the southwestern desert, range from 48°f to 69°f (8°c to 20°c) in January and from 81°f to 107°f (27°c to 41°c) in July. The maximum recorded temperature was 128°f 42

Arizona Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

6,166,318 20.2% 28.6% 97.6% 76.2% 3.1% 4.7% 2.2% 0.1% 11.3% 2.4%


45 to 64 (23%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City

Population

% change 2000–05

Phoenix Tucson Mesa Glendale Chandler Scottsdale Gilbert Tempe Peoria Yuma

1,461,575 515,526 442,780 239,435 234,939 226,013 173,989 161,143 138,200 84,688

10.6 5.9 11.7 9.4 33.0 11.5 58.6 1.6 27.5 9.3



Arizona

ARIZONA Explanation Point of Interest City (20,000-100,000 people) City (more than 100,000 people) State Capital

UTAH


40

Area of Interest

N

MOHAVE

50 kilometers

COCONINO

NAVAJO

Kaibab Indian Reservation Kaibab National Forest

NEVADA

APACHE

Navajo Indian Reservation

Navajo National Monument

Marble Canyon National Monument

Canyon De Chelly National Monument

Grand Canyon National Park

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Hopi Indian Reservation

Havasupai Ind. Res.

LA PAZ

Red Lake

Hualapai Ind. Res.

Lake Mohave

YAVAPAI

40

Sunset Crater Nat’l Mon. de

r Ve

Bullhead City

Flagstaff

R.

Fort Mohave Ind. Res.

Wupatki Natíl Mon.

Kaibab National Forest

Petrified For. National Park

40

Prescott National Forest

Coconino National Forest

Lake Havasu Lake Havasu City

Littl

e Co

lorad

o R.

Apache Sitgreaves National Forest

Prescott

Zuni Indian Reservation

NEW MEXICO

25

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

50 miles

ad o R .

0

25

Co lor

0

GILA

CALIFORNIA

Tonto National Forest

Alamo Lake St. Park

Buckskin Mountain St. Park Colorado River Indian Reservation

Fort Apache Indian Reservation MARICOPA

Sun City

Yuma Proving Ground

Kofa National Wildlife Ref.

17 GREENLEE

Peoria

Phoenix Tempe

Mesa Gilbert Chandler

Co ado R lor

Gila

PINAL

R. Apache National Forest

8 Sa

GRAHAM COCHISE

Picacho Peak St. Park

19

MEXICO

10

Tucson

San Xavier Ind. Res. Coronado National Forest

Coronado National Forest

.

Papago Ind. Res. Organ Pipe Cactus Nat’l Mon.

Saguaro National Monument

R ro

PIMA

Cabeza Prieta Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

10

. zR ru C

Luke-Williams Air Force Range

ed nP

a nt Sa

Yuma YUMA

San Carlos Indian Reservation

Scottsdale

Glendale 10



SANTA CRUZ

Sierra Vista

Coronado Nat’l Monument


43

Arizona

The Grand Canyon at dawn. GETTY IMAGES.

(53°c), registered at Lake Havasu City on 29 June 1994. The record minimum of -40°f (-40°c), was set at Hawley Lake on 7 January 1971. Annual precipitation ranges from 3 inches (8 centimeters) in the extreme southwest to between 25 and 30 inches (63 to 76 centimeters) at the highest elevations of the state. Snow falls on the highest peaks each winter, sometimes accumulating as much as 100 inches (254 centimeters). Snowfall is rare in the southern and western lowlands. 44

4

Plants and Animals

The desert is known for many varieties of cacti including the saguaro, whose blossom is the state flower; the cholla; and the widely utilized yucca. Desert flowers include the night-blooming cereus. The jojoba is a medicinal desert flower that is also harvested for its oil-bearing seeds. Trees include spruce, fir, juniper, ponderosa pine, oak, and piñon. Arizona’s native animals range from desert species of lizards and snakes to the deer, elk, and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arizona

Arizona Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,130,632 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,984,106 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138,655 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,732 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,009 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,624 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,044 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62,927 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,889 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,346 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,537 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 809 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . 249 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,430 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,556 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,537 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 766 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,871

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 97.1 . . . . . . . 2.7 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.4 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 1.2 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.2


antelope of the northern highlands. Mountain lion, jaguar, coyote, and black and brown bears are found in the state. Prairie dog “towns” dot the northern regions. Rattlesnakes are abundant, and the desert is filled with reptiles such as the collared lizard and chuckwalla. Native birds include the thick-billed parrot, white pelican, and cactus wren (the state bird). As of April 2006, there were 35 animal species and 18 plant species listed as endangered or threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These include the desert tortoise, the lesser long-nosed bat, the southern bald eagle, masked bobwhite (quail), Sonoran pronghorn, ocelot, jaguar, black-footed ferret, four species of chub, two species of gray Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

wolf, woundfin, Apache trout, Gila topminnow, Gila trout, and southwestern willow flycatcher.

5


Aside from Phoenix, whose air quality is poorer than that of most other US cities, Arizona has long been noted for its clear air, open lands, and beautiful forests. The main environmental concern of the state is to protect these resources in the face of growing population, tourism, and industry. State agencies with responsibility for the environment include the State Land Department, the Game and Fish Commission, the Department of Health Services, and the Department of Water Resources. 45

Arizona

Legislation enacted in 1980 attempts to apportion water use among cities, mining, and agriculture, the last of which, through irrigation, accounts for the largest share of the state’s annual water consumption. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 167 hazardous waste sites in Arizona, nine of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

Population

Arizona rose to 16th (from 17th) in population among the 50 states, with an estimated total population of 6,166,318 people in 2006. The population is projected to reach 9.5 million by 2025. In 2004, Arizona had a population density of only 50.6 persons per square mile (19.5 persons per square kilometer). In 2004, the median age was 34.1 years old. As of 2005, approximately 13% of Arizonans were 65 years of age or older and about 27% of all residents were 18 years old or younger. Three out of four Arizonans live in urban areas. Phoenix had a 2005 population of over 1.46 million people. The next largest cities in 2005 were Tucson, 515,526; Mesa, 442,780; Glendale, 239,435; and Chandler, 234,939. More than half of the population lives in Maricopa County, which includes every major city except Tucson.

7

Ethnic Groups

In 2000, Arizona had the third-highest population of Native Americans in the nation, with a total of 255,879 people, or 5% of the state total population. The largest single Native American nation, the Navaho, had a population of 104,565 in 2000. The Navaho reservation is located primarily in the northeastern part of the 46

state. Herders by tradition, the people are also famous for their crafts. There are at least 12 and perhaps 17 other tribes within the states. After the Navaho, the leading tribes are the Papago in the south, the Apache in the east, and the Hopi in the northeast. The Hopi reservation had a population of 6,946 in 2000. Also in 2000, the largest ethnic majority is the Hispanic and Latino population, estimated at 1,295,617. In 2006, about 28.6% of the total population reported Hispanic or Latino origins. There are some old, long-settled Spanish villages, but most Hispanics (about 1,065,578 people) are of Mexican origin. There were an estimated 158,873 black residents as of 2000. In 2006, about 3.1% of the population was black. Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese, and other Asians made up 2.2% of the population.

8

Languages

The linguistic influence of Arizona’s Papago, Pima, Apache, Navajo, and Hopi tribes is almost totally limited to some place-names, including Arizona, Tucson, and Yuma. Most borrowed Indian words are derived from the Nahuatl speech of the Mexican Aztecs—for example, coyote, chili, mesquite, and tamale. English in the state is a blend of North Midland and South Midland dialects without clear regional differences. As of 2000, 74.1% of all residents five years old and older speak only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of people speaking them, include Spanish, 927,395 (or 19.5%); Navaho, 89,951; various Native American languages, 30,109; and German, 25,103. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arizona

9

Religions

The first religions of Arizona were the sacred beliefs and practices of the Indians. Catholic missionaries began converting Arizona Indians (Franciscans among the Hopi, and Jesuits among the Pima) to the Christian faith in the late 17th century. In 2004, the state had 906,692 Catholics. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) was the second-largest Christian denomination with 346,677 adherents in 2006. Other major Christian denominations included the Southern Baptist Convention, 138,516 adherents; Assemblies of God reported 82,802 members in 2000 while the United Methodist Church had 53,232 members. Arizona’s estimated Jewish population in 2000 was 81,675. There were about 11,857 Muslims the same year. There were also about 25 Buddhist and 9 Hindu congregations. About 60% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

In 2003, there were 1,836 rail miles (2,956 kilometers), with 10 railroads operating in the state. The state has two Class I railroads, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific. Amtrak provides limited passenger service through Flagstaff, Kingman, and other cities in the north, and through Tucson, Phoenix, and Yuma on the southern route. The most famous early road was El Camino de Diablo (The Devil’s Highway), opened by the missionary Eusebio Kino in 1699. In 2004, the state had 58,112 miles (93,554 kilometers) of public streets and roads. In 2004, there were 3.9 million motor vehicles registered, includJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ing 2 million automobiles, 1.6 million trucks, and 1,000 buses. There were 3,783,927 licensed drivers in 2004. Arizona had 190 airports and 108 heliports in 2005. The leading air terminal was Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport; Tucson International Airport ranked second.

11

History

It is believed that by ad 500, early inhabitants of present-day Arizona had acquired a basic agriculture from what is now Mexico. They were divided into several cultures—the Anasazi, the Mogollon, and the Hohokam. For reasons unknown—a devastating drought is the most likely explanation—these cultures were in decay and the population much reduced by the 14th century. Two centuries later, when the first Europeans arrived, most of the natives were living in simple shelters in fertile river valleys, dependent on hunting, gathering, and small-scale farming for subsistence. The Hopi were the oldest group, their roots reaching back to the Anasazi. The Spanish presence in Arizona involved exploration, missionary work, and settlement. Between 1539 and 1605, four expeditions crossed the land, followed by Franciscan and Jesuit missionaries. The Spanish military outpost, or presidio, established at Tubac on the Santa Cruz River in 1752 was the first major European settlement in Arizona. The end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th were periods of relative peace on the frontier. When Mexico revolted against Spain in 1810, the Arizona settlements were not affected. However, with the outbreak of the Mexican War in 1846, two US armies marched across the region. The California gold rush of 1849 47

Arizona

Statehood The development of rich gold mines

along the lower Colorado River and in the interior mountains attracted both people and money to Arizona, as did the discovery of silver in Tombstone and other districts in the late 1870s. Phoenix, established in 1868, grew steadily as an agricultural center, eventually becoming the state capital in 1889. On 14 February 1912, Arizona entered the Union as the 48th State.

The San Xavier Mission at the San Xavier Indian Reservation south of Tucson. SCOTT S. WARREN/AURORA/ GETTY IMAGES.

saw thousands of Americans pass along the Gila River. In 1850, most of present-day Arizona became part of the new US Territory of New Mexico; the southern strip was added by the Gadsden Purchase in 1853. The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 saw the declaration of southern Arizona as Confederate territory. A small Confederate force entered Arizona in 1862 but was driven out by a volunteer Union army from California. On 24 February 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Organic Act of Arizona, a measure creating the new Territory of Arizona. 48

World War I spurred the expansion of the copper industry, intensive agriculture, and livestock production, but the 1920s brought depression: banks closed, mines shut down, and agricultural production declined. To revive the economy, local citizens pushed highway construction, tourism, and the resort business. Arizona also shared in the general distress caused by the Great Depression of the 1930s and received large amounts of federal aid for relief and recovery. Prosperity returned during World War II as camps for military training, prisoners of war, and displaced Japanese-Americans were built throughout the state. Arizona emerged from World War II a modern state. Wartime industries spawned an expanding peacetime manufacturing boom that soon provided the principal source of income, followed by tourism, agriculture, and mining. During the 1950s, the political scene changed. Arizona Republicans captured the governorship, gained votes in the legislature, won congressional seats, and brought a viable two-party system to the state. The rise of Barry Goldwater of Phoenix to national prominence further encouraged Republican influence. Meanwhile, air conditioning changed lifestyles, prompting a significant migration to the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arizona

Arizona politics in recent years have been rocked by the discovery of corruption in high places. In 1988, Governor Evan Mecham was impeached on two charges of official misconduct. In 1989, two senators, John McCain and Dennis DeConcini, were indicted for influencing federal bank regulators on behalf of Lincoln Savings and Loan Association. Lincoln’s president, Charles Keating Jr., had contributed large sums to the senators’ re-election campaigns. In 1990, Peter MacDonald, the leader of the Navajo Nation, was convicted in the Navajo Tribal Court of soliciting $400,000 in bribes and kickbacks. In 1996, Governor Fife Symnigton was indicted on 23 counts of fraud and extortion in connection with his business ventures before becoming governor in 1991. He was convicted in 1997 and replaced by Jane Hull. Hull was elected in her own right in the 1998 elections, but lost the 2002 election to Janet Napolitano. Napolitano was thus the first woman elected to succeed another woman as a governor of a US state.

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State Government

Legislative authority is vested in a 30-member senate and a 60-member house of representatives. All senators and representatives serve twoyear terms and are chosen at the general election in November of each even-numbered year. Chief executive officials elected statewide include the governor, secretary of state the designated successor to the governor, as there is no lieutenant governor), treasurer, attorney general, state mine inspector, and superintendent of public instruction, all of whom serve four-year terms. Bills may originate in either house of the legislature and must be passed by both houses and approved by the governor in order to become Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Important to the state’s history and development were Chiricahua Apache leaders Cochise (1812?–1874) and Geronimo (1829–1909), pictured above, who fought against the U.S. Army and avoided capture in the Southwest for over two decades. EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

law. A two-thirds vote in each house is necessary to override the governor’s veto. Under the initiative procedure, legislation and proposed constitutional amendments can be placed on the ballot by petition. In 2004, the governor’s salary was $95,000 and the legislative salary was $24,000.

13

Political Parties

Conservative Republican Senator Barry Goldwater, who was first elected in 1952 and 49

Arizona

Arizona Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1960–2004 YEAR

ELECTORAL VOTE

ARIZONA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

4 4 4 4 5

*Truman (D) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R) Goldwater (R)

95,251 108,528 112,880 176,781 237,753

77,597 152,042 176,990 221,241 242,535

3,310 — — — —

1968

5

*Nixon (R)

170,514

266,721

AMERICAN IND.

46,573 AMERICAN

1972 1976 1980 1984 1988

6 6 6 7 7

*Nixon (R) Ford (R) *Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)

198,540 295,602 246,843 333,854 454,029

402,812 418,642 529,688 681,416 702,541

Bush (R) *Clinton (D) *Bush, G. W. (R) *Bush, G. W. (R)

543,086 653,288 685,341 893,524

572,086 622,073 781,652 1,104,294

21,208 7,647 18,784 10,585 13,351 IND. (PEROT)

1992 8 1996 8 2000 8 2004 10 *Won US presidential election.

won the Republican presidential nomination in 1964, led the Republican party to dominance in Arizona politics in the post-World War II period. Arizonans gave the most votes to Republican presidential candidates in every election from 1952 through 1992. Several Arizona Republicans were appointed to high office during the Nixon years. Democrat and former governor Bruce Babbitt was named Secretary of the Interior for the Clinton administration in 1992. Although Democrat Bill Clinton carried the state in the 1992 presidential election, Republicans continue to dominate Arizona politics. Republican John McCain was reelected US senator in 2004. Arizona’s other senator as of 2006, Jon Kyl, is also a Republican. Following the 2006 midterm elections, the state’s US House delegation consists of four Republicans and four Democrats. Republican George W. Bush was the Arizona winner in the 2000 and 50

353,741 112,072 45,645 —

2004 presidential elections. Following the 2006 elections, the state house had 32 Republicans and 28 Democrats, while the state Senate consists of 18 Republicans and 12 Democrats. However, Arizonans elected a Democrat, Janet Napolitano, as governor in 2002, and reelected her in 2006. Following the 2006 elections, there were 30 women (representing 33% of the total) serving in the Arizona state legislature.

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Local Government

Arizona is divided into 15 counties. Local governmental units include towns, cities, and charter cities. Towns generally follow the councilmayor form of government. In 2005, there were 87 municipal governments and 305 special districts. The state also had 410 school districts. Each of the 21 Indian reservations in Arizona has Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arizona

a tribal council or board with members elected by the people.

15

Judicial System

The supreme court is the highest court in Arizona and has administrative responsibility over all other courts in the state. The court of appeals is organized in two geographical divisions which together have 22 judges. The superior court is the general trial court of the state; there must be at least one superior court judge in every Arizona county. Counties are divided into precincts, each of which has a justice court. Every incorporated city and town has a police court. According to the FBI Crime Index of 2004, Arizona had a violent crime rate of 504.1 reported incidents per 100,000 population. In December 2004, federal and state institutions held 32,515 prisoners. As of 2006, Arizona had executed 22 prisoners since 1976.

16

Migration

Arizona’s first migrants were the ancient peoples who came from Asia across the Bering Strait more than 12,000 years ago. Hispanic settlers began arriving in the late 17th century. Anglo migration, especially from the South, became significant as the United States developed westward to California, and increased at an even faster rate with the building of the railroads during the 1880s. Migration has accelerated since World War II (1939–45). Mexico is the main source of foreign immigrants. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 168,078 and net internal migration was 408,160 for a net gain of 576,238 people. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arizona Governors: 1913–2007 1913–1916 1917 1918 1919–1922 1923–1928 1929–1930 1931–1932 1933–1936 1937–1938 1939–1940 1941–1948 1948–1950 1951–1954 1955–1958 1959–1964 1965–1966 1967–1975 1975–1977 1977–1978 1978–1987 1987–1988 1988–1991 1991–1998 1998–2002 2002–

17

George Wylie Paul Hunt Democrat Thomas Edward Campbell Republican George Wylie Paul Hunt Democrat Thomas Edward Campbell Republican George Wylie Paul Hunt Democrat John C. Phillips Republican George Wylie Paul Hunt Democrat Benjamin Baker Moeur Democrat Rawghlie Clement Stanford Democrat Robert Taylor Jones Democrat Sidney Preston Osborn Democrat Dan E. Garvey Democrat John Howard Pyle Republican Ernest William McFarland Democrat Paul Jones Fannin Republican Samuel Pearson Goddard, Jr. Democrat John Richard Williams Republican Raul Hector Castro Democrat Wesley H. Bolin Democrat Bruce Edward Babbitt Democrat Evan Mecham Republican Rose Mofford Democrat Fife Symington (resigned) Republican Jane D. Hull Republican Janet Napolitano Democrat

Economy

Mining and cattle-raising were the main economic activities during the territorial period. With the introduction of irrigation in the early 1900s, farming became more important. Improvements in transportation later in the 20th century led to the development of manufacturing and tourism. Leading industries today include electronic components from the manufacturing sector, copper from the mining sector, and cattle and cotton from the farming sector. Tourism is also an important contributor to revenues. Between 1973 and 1983, the state population increased by 39% (4th in the nation), and 51

Arizona

total personal income rose by 218% (6th in the nation). The economic recession of 1991 caused a decrease in jobs, but economic recovery in the 1990s was rapid. The state’s economy slowed during the 2001 recession in the nation, with many job layoffs. In 2004, 12,421 new businesses were formed and business terminations totaled 17,553.

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Income

In 2005, the gross state product was $216 billion. In 2004, Arizona ranked 39th among the 50 states with a per capita (per person) income of $28,658. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04, was $42,590 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same, 13.8% of Arizonians lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $56,067 compared to the national average of $63,278.

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Industry

Manufacturing, which has grown rapidly since World War II, became the state’s leading economic activity in the 1970s. The major manufacturing centers are the Phoenix and Tucson areas. Principal industries include transportation equipment, computer and electronic equipment (semiconductors, communication equipment), fabricated metals, wood products, and food products. Major companies in the state include Motorola, Allied Signal Aerospace, and Honeywell. 52

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Arizona numbered 2,948,600, with approximately 127,600 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. It was estimated that in 2001, about 8.1% of the labor force was employed in construction; 7% in manufacturing; 19.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.8% in financial services; 15% in professional business services; 10.8% in education and health; 10.2% in leisure and hospitality services, and 15.5% in government. Organized labor has a long history in Arizona. A local of the Western Federation of Miners was founded in 1896. Nevertheless, the state’s work force is much less organized than that of the nation as a whole. In 2005, 145,000 of Arizona’s 2,366,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 6.1% of those so employed. The national average is 12%.

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Agriculture

Arizona’s agricultural output (including livestock products) was valued at $3.18 billion in 2005 (29th in the United States). In 2004, there were about 10,200 farms covering 24.7 million acres (10.7 million hectares), or about 39% of the state’s total area, but only 1.9 million acres (389,000 hectares), or 1.3% of the state, were actually farmed for crops. Arizona’s farmed cropland is intensely cultivated and highly productive. About 95% of all farmland is dependent on irrigation provided by dams and water projects. In 2004, the state produced a total of 680,000 bales of Upland cotton, with a total Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arizona

value of $163.2 million. Arizona also produced 6,000 bales of American-Pima cotton, valued at $2.8 million. Other crops are head lettuce, hay, wheat, sorghum, barley, grapes, and citrus fruits.

22


The total inventory of cattle and calves was an estimated 910,000 in 2005, with a value of $928.2 million. In 2005, the state had an estimated 100,000 sheep and lambs. In 2004, the state had 136,000 hogs and pigs valued at $14.9 million. A total of 3.5 billion pounds (1.6 billion kilograms) of milk was produced in 2003.

23

Fishing

Arizona has no commercial fishing. Sport fishing, however, is popular with residents and tourists. In 2004, the state had about 361,958 licensed sport fishermen. The Alchesay and the Williams Creek National Fish Hatcheries, located on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in east central Arizona, have played a leading role in the recovery of the threatened Apache trout. Rainbow, cutthroat, brown, and brook trout are raised for stocking primarily on Indian lands in Arizona, western New Mexico, and southern Colorado. The coldwater Willow Beach National Hatchery, located downriver from Hoover Dam on the Arizona side of the Colorado River, raises rainbow trout. Approximately 750,000 trout are stocked annually in the Colorado River. The Pinetop Fish Health Center is a federally sponsored research and technology center. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

24

Forestry

The lumber industry in Arizona began during the 19th century, when the building of the transcontinental railroad created a demand for railroad ties. Production of lumber from Arizona’s forests remained strong until the 1990s, during which the primary emphasis shifted to conservation and recreation. Lumber production in 2004 was 65 million board feet. The main forest regions stretch from the northwest to the southeast, through the center of the state. Altogether, in 2003 there were 19,427,000 acres (7,862,000 hectares) of forestland in Arizona, over 25% of the state’s area and 2.6% of the US total forestland. Commercial timberland accounted for only 3,527,000 acres (1,427,000 hectares). National forests covered 11,891,000 acres (4,812,000 hectares). Lumber production remains an important emphasis on the Kaibab, Coconino, and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, and on the Hualapai, Navajo, Ft. Apache, and San Carlos Apache Indian Reservations.

25

Mining

Arizona ranked third in the nation in nonfuel mineral production value in 2004. According to US Geological Survey estimates, nonfuel mineral production in Arizona during 2004 was valued at $3.3 billion. Copper represented 64% of the nonfuel mineral production value in 2004. Construction sand and gravel was the state’s second-leading nonfuel mineral, followed by molybdenum concentrates, portland cement, and crushed stone. In 2004, Arizona continued to lead the nation in copper and molybdenum production. 53

Arizona

The state accounted for over 62% of all copper mined and produced in the United States. Arizona also ranked second in production of gemstones; third in perlite and construction sand and gravel; seventh in silver; and tenth in gold. Population growth and freeway construction projects in metropolitan Phoenix have contributed to Arizona’s ranking as the nation’s thirdlargest producer of sand and gravel.

26

Energy and Power

In 2003, Arizona produced 94 billion kilowatt hours of electric power (utility and nonutility). The state had 45 electrical power service providers. as of 2006, the state had one nuclear power plant in operation—the Palo Verde nuclear plant in Maricopa County. In 2004, Arizona had six producing natural gas and gas condensate wells. In the same year, marketed gas production totaled about 331 million cubic feet (9.4 million cubic meters). Also in 2004, the state had two producing surface coal mines. Coal production that year was 12.7 million tons.

27

Commerce

In 2002, wholesale sales in Arizona totaled $60.9 billion. Most wholesale establishments are located in Maricopa and Pima counties. Retail sales in 2002 totaled $56.4 billion. In 2005, exports of goods produced in Arizona were worth $14.9 billion.

28

Public Finance

The governor’s budgets are prepared in the Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting (OSPB). 54

Government revenues for 2006 were $25.7 billion, while expenditures for the same period were $21.7 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($7.1 billion), public welfare ($5.1 billion), and highways ($1.8 billion). Arizona’s total outstanding debt was $6.7 billion, or about $1,180.13 per person.

29

Taxation

In 2005, 60.8% of state tax revenues were raised by the Arizona’s sales taxes (general and selective) and 25.9% by the state’s personal income tax. The state retail sales tax rate is 5.6% (with exemptions for food). Localities can impose up to 4.5% additional sales tax for a maximum 10.1%. The personal income tax has five brackets ranging from 2.87% to 5.04%. Selective sales taxes (excises) accounted for 13.5% of state tax collections in 2005. Such excises are imposed on motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, alcoholic beverages, public utilities, and amusements. Arizona’s corporate income tax is a flat 6.968% on net income. In 2005, corporate taxes accounted for 6.4% of state tax collections. In 2005, Arizona ranked 40th among the states in per capita tax burden at about $1,854 per person, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person.

30

Health

In 2005, Arizona’s infant mortality was 6.9 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 7.8 deaths per 1,000 population). As of 2002, death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 population) were heart disease, 198.9; cancer, 171.5; cerebrovascular diseases, 46.5; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arizona

chronic lower respiratory diseases, 47.2; and diabetes, 22.6. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) rate was at about 9.8 per 100,000. As of 2004, about 18.5% of state residents were smokers. In 2003, there were 61 community hospitals, with 10,800 beds. The state had 225 physicians per 100,000 people in 2004 and 522 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2003, the average cost per day for hospital care was $1,570. At least 17% of the state population was uninsured in 2004.

31

Housing

In 2004, an estimated 2,458,231 housing units were in Arizona, of which 2,131,534 were occupied. In the same year, 68.7% of all housing units were owner-occupied. About 59% of all units were single-family detached homes and about 13.2% were mobile homes. It was estimated that about 101,678 units statewide were without telephone service, 14,897 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 11,543 lacked complete kitchen facilities. During 2004, approximately 90,600 new units were authorized. Also in 2004, the median value of a home was $145,741. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,130 while the median cost monthly cost for renters was $691.

32

Education

In 2004, 84.4% of Arizonans 25 years old and over were high school graduates. Some 28% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. The first public school in the state opened in 1871 at Tucson, with 1 teacher and 138 students. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

at 938,000 in fall 2002. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 46,366. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $6.7 billion, or $6,036 per student. As of fall 2002, there were 401,605 students enrolled in college or graduate school. As of 2005, Arizona had 74 degree-granting institutions. The leading public higher educational institutions, the University of Arizona at Tucson and Arizona State University (originally named the Arizona Territorial Normal School) at Tempe, were both established in 1885. The American Graduate School of International Management, a private institution, is located in Glendale.

33

Arts

The Arizona Commission on the Arts was established as a permanent state agency in 1967. The Arizona Humanities Council was established in 1973. Many state arts programs are supported by the Arizona Arts Endowment Fund (also called Arizona ArtShare), which was established in 1996. Arizona is also a member state of the Western States Art Federation. In 2005, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded 18 grants totaling $977,400 to Arizona arts organizations. Arizona has traditionally been a center for Indian folk arts and crafts. Modern Arizona artists are featured at the Tucson Museum of Art and the Yuma Art Center. Musical and dramatic performances are presented in Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, and other major cities. There are two major orchestras, the Phoenix Symphony and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. The Arizona Opera Company and the Arizona Theatre Company perform in both Tucson and Phoenix. Ballet Arizona is based in Phoenix. The annual 55

Arizona

Grand Canyon Music Festival (est. 1984) features the finest in both classical and folk music.

34


In 2001, Arizona had 35 public library systems with a combined book stock of 8,760,000 volumes and total circulation of 33,066,000. There were a total of 176 public libraries in the state. Principal public libraries include the Phoenix Public Library, the State Library and Department of Archives, and the Arizona Historical Society Library. The largest university libraries are located at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. Arizona has more than 120 museums and historic sites. Attractions in Tucson include the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona Museum of Art, Arizona Historical Society, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Flandreau Planetarium, and Gene C. Reid Zoological Park. Phoenix has the Heard Museum (anthropology and primitive art), Arizona Mineral Resources Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Zoo, Pueblo Grande Museum, and the Desert Botanical Garden. The Museum of Northern Arizona and Lowell Observatory are in Flagstaff. Kitt Peak National Observatory is in Tucson. Archaeological and historical sites include the cliff dwellings at the Canyon de Chelly, Casa Grande Ruins, Montezuma Castle, Tonto, and Tuzigoot national monuments and the town of Tombstone, the site of the famous O. K. Corral gunfight in the early 1880s.

35

Communications

Over 91.8% of the households in Arizona had telephones in 2004. Also in 2004, there were 56

over 3 million mobile wireless phone subscribers. There were 70 major radio stations broadcasting in Arizona in 2005 (15 AM and 55 FM). The state also had 15 major television stations in 2005. In 2000, 59% of Phoenix’s 1,390,750 television households received cable. A total of 131,164 Internet domain names had been registered in Arizona by the year 2000. In 2003, 64.3% of households had a computer and 55.2% had Internet access.

36

Press

The Weekly Arizonian, started in 1859, was the first newspaper in the state. The Daily Arizona Miner, the state’s first daily, was founded at Prescott in 1866. As of 2005 there were 10 morning dailies, 6 evening dailies, and 11 Sunday editions of newspapers. Leading dailies (with 2005 daily circulation figures) include the Arizona Republic (413,268); the Arizona Daily Star (100,824); and The Citizen (30,090). Among the most notable magazines and periodicals published in Arizona are Arizona Highways, Phoenix Magazine, Phoenix Living, and Arizona Living, devoted to the local and regional lifestyle.

37


Tourism and travel is a leading industry in Arizona. In 2004, tourism and travel accounted for more than $13.76 billion in direct sales. There were about 27.8 million domestic visitors and 900,000 from overseas. There are 22 national parks and monuments located entirely within Arizona. There are also 14 state parks that regularly attract over 1 million visitors per year. By far the most popular is Grand Canyon National Park. Petrified Forest Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arizona

England’s London Bridge was shipped in pieces to Lake Havasu, where it was reconstructed in 1971. AP IMAGES.

National Park and Saguaro National Monument are also popular national parks. Popular for sightseeing and shopping are the state’s Indian reservations, particularly those of the Navajo and Hopi. The red rock country of Sedona is a popular destination. There are also a number of resorts and spas across the state. Biosphere 2 in Oracle is another popular tourist attraction.

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Sports

There are five major league professional teams in Arizona, all in Phoenix: the Cardinals of the National Football League, the Suns of the National Basketball Association, the Coyotes of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the National Hockey League, the Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the Diamondbacks of the National League in baseball. The Diamondbacks captured the World Series in 2001. There is a minor league hockey team, also in Phoenix. Several Major League Baseball teams hold spring training in Arizona, and there is a minor league team in Tucson, as well as several rookie league teams throughout the state. There is horse racing at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, and dog racing at Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma. Auto racing is held at Manzanita Raceway and International Raceway, in Phoenix. Phoenix International Raceway also hosts a NASCAR Winston Cup event in early November. Both 57

Arizona

A group of visitors rides a pontoon raft through rapids in Grand Canyon National Park. AP IMAGES.

Phoenix and Tucson have hosted tournaments on the Professional Golfers Association’s nationwide tour. The first organized rodeo that awarded prizes and charged admission was held in Prescott on 4 July 1988 and rodeos continue to be held throughout the state. Both Arizona State and the University of Arizona are members of the Pacific 10 Conference. The Sun Devils won the Rose Bowl in 1987 and played in the bowl in 1997. The Wildcats captured NCAA Division I baseball championships three times and the NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship in 1997. The Sun Devils won the championship in 1981. College football’s Fiesta Bowl is held annually at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, the home stadium for the Arizona State football team. 58

Other annual sporting events include the Thunderbird Balloon Classic in Scottsdale in November.

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Famous Arizonians

Although Arizona entered the Union relatively late, many of its citizens have achieved national prominence, especially since World War II. William H. Rehnquist (b.Wisconsin, 1924– 2005) was appointed associate justice of the US Supreme Court in 1971 and chief justice in 1986. In 1981 Sandra Day O’Connor (b.Texas, 1930) became the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Barry Goldwater (1909–1998), son of a pioneer family, was elected to the US Senate in 1952, won the Republican presidential nomination in 1964, and returned to the Senate in 1968. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arizona

Chiricahua Apache leaders Cochise (1812?– 1874) and Geronimo (1829–1909), who, resisting the forced resettlement of their people by the US government, launched a series of raids that occupied the Army in the Southwest for over two decades. Wyatt Earp (b.Illinois, 1848–1929) was a legendary lawman of Tombstone during the early 1880s. César Chávez (1927–1993) was a well-known activist for migrant workers and president of the United Farm Workers of America. A writer whose name has been associated with Arizona is Zane Grey (b.Ohio, 1875–1939), who wrote many of his western adventure stories in his summer home near Payson. Well-known performing artists from Arizona include singers Marty Robbins (1925–1970) and Linda Ronstadt (b.1946). Joan Ganz Cooney (b.1929), president of the Children’s Television Workshop, was one of the creators of the awardwinning children’s program, Sesame Street.


40

Bibliography

BOOKS Blashfield, Jean F. Arizona. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Arizona. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. McAuliffe, Emily. Arizona Facts and Symbols. New York: Bridgestone Books, 2003. McDaniel, Melissa. Arizona. Tarrytown, NY: Benchmark Books, 2000. Murray, Julie. Arizona. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Arizona Office of Tourism. Arizona: Grand Canyon State. www.arizonaguide.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Arizona. Arizona @ Your Service. www. az.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).

59

Arkansas State of Arkansas

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : French derivation of

Akansas or Arkansas, a name given to the Quapaw Indians by other tribes. N I CKNAME : The Natural State. C AP ITAL: Little Rock. ENT ERED UNION: 15 June 1836 (25th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Coat of arms surrounded by the words “Great Seal of the State of Arkansas.” FLAG: On a red field, 25 stars on a blue band border, a white diamond containing the word “Arkansas” and four blue stars. C OAT OF ARMS: In front of an American eagle is a shield displaying a steamboat, plow, beehive, and sheaf of wheat, symbols of Arkansas’s industrial and agricultural wealth. The angel of mercy, the goddess of liberty encircled by 13 stars, and the sword of justice surround the eagle, which holds in its talons an olive branch and three arrows, and in its beak a banner bearing the state motto. M OT TO: Regnat populus (The people rule). SONG: “Arkansas.” FLOWER: Apple blossom. TREE: Pine. B IRD: Mockingbird. IN S ECT: Honeybee. G E M: Diamond. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Robert E. Lee’s birthday, 19 January; Birthdays of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert E. Lee, 3rd Monday in January; George Washington’s Birthday and Daisy Gatson Bates Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Eve, 24 December; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the western south-central United States, Arkansas ranks 27th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Arkansas is 53,187 square miles (137,754 square kilometers), of which land takes up 52,078 square miles (134,882 square kilometers) and inland water, 1,109 square miles (2,872 square kilometers). Arkansas extends about 275 miles (443 kilometers) east-west and 240 miles (386 kilometers) north-south. The total boundary length of Arkansas is 1,168 miles (1,880 kilometers). 61

Arkansas

2

Topography

The Boston Mountains (sometimes called the Ozark Mountains) in the northwest and the Ouachita Mountains in the west-central region are Arkansas’s major uplands as well as the only mountain chains between the Appalachians and the Rockies. The wide valley of the Arkansas River separates the two chains. The Arkansas lowlands belong to two major regions: the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and the Gulf Coastal Plain. The highest elevation in Arkansas is Magazine Mountain, at 2,753 feet (840 meters), north of the Ouachitas in the Arkansas River Valley. The state’s lowest point, at 55 feet (17 meters), is on the Ouachita River in south-central Arkansas. Arkansas’s largest lake is the artificial Lake Ouachita, covering 63 square miles (163 square kilometers). Lake Chicot, in southeastern Arkansas is the state’s largest natural lake, with a length of 18 miles (29 kilometers). Principal rivers include the Mississippi, forming most of the eastern boundary; the Arkansas, which begins in Colorado and flows through Kansas and Oklahoma before passing through Arkansas to the Mississippi; and the Red, White, Ouachita, and St. Francis rivers, all of which drain south and southeast into the Mississippi. Numerous springs are found in Arkansas, of which the best known are Mammoth Springs and Hot Springs. Crowley’s Ridge, a unique strip of hills formed by sedimentary deposits and windblown sand, lies west of and parallel to the St. Francis River for about 180 miles (290 kilometers). The ridge is rich in fossils and has an unusual diversity of plant life. 62

Arkansas Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

2,810,872 5.1% 4.7% 98.6% 79.0% 15.4% 0.7% 0.9% 0.2% 2.4% 1.4%

Population by Age Group

Under 18 (25%)

65 and over (14%)

45 to 64 (25%)

18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City Little Rock Fort Smith Fayetteville Springdale Jonesboro North Little Rock Pine Bluff Conway Rogers Hot Springs

Population

% change 2000–05

184,564 82,481 66,655 60,096 59,358 58,803 52,693 51,999 48,353 37,847

0.8 2.8 14.8 31.2 6.9 -2.7 -4.3 20.5 24.5 5.9



Arkansas

MISSOURI

BENTON

Beaver Lake

CARROLL

BAXTER

BOONE

Bull Shoals Lake

Ozark National Forest

FULTON

Bull Shoals St. Park

MARION

MADISON

Dave Donaldson Black River Wildlife Mgmt. Area

SHARP

GREENE

IZARD

Withrow Springs Fayetteville State Park

WASHINGTON

NEWTON

Harold E. Alexander Wildlife Mgmt. Area


Buffalo National River

Springdale

SEARCY

LAWRENCE

Shirey BayRainey Brake W. M. A.

Buffalo National River STONE

Devil’s Den State Park


Lake Fort Smith State Park

Fort Smith

VAN BUREN

Earl Buss Bayou Deview W. M. A.

POPE CONWAY

FAULKNER

Lake Dardanelle

Henry Gray Hurrican Lake WOODRUFF W. M. A. Rex Hancock Black Swamp W. M. A.

WHITE

40

YELL

PRAIRIE

LONOKE

Jacksonville PULASKI SALINE

Lake Ouachita State Park

POLK

N. Little Rock

Little Rock

Wattensaw W. M. A.

440

HOT SPRING

CLARK

ARKANSAS

Lake Catherine State Park

Pine Bluff Arsenal

DeGray Lake State Park

DALLAS

Crater of Diamonds State Park

LITTLE RIVER

Millwood State Park Red R.

as R

.

pp

si

s si

is M

.

MISSISSIPPI

DESHA

NEVADA

Poison Springs Wildlife Mgmt. Area

30 Bois D’Arc Wildlife Mgmt. Area MILLER

ans

LINCOLN

Hope Wildlife Mgmt. Area

iR

White River National Wildlife Ref.

CLEVELAND

HEMPSTEAD

SEVIER

Ark

JEFFERSON

MONROE

Bayou Meto Wildlife Mgmt. Area

Pine Bluff

Howard Lake County Greeson Wildlife Mgmt. W. M. A. Area

St. Francis National Forest PHILLIPS

GRANT

Daisy State Park

LEE

Dagmar W. M. A.

40

Hot Springs

PIKE

40 W. Memphis

PERRY

GARLAND

TENNESSEE

Village Creek St. Park

ST. FRANCIS

SCOTT

Ouachita National Forest

CRITTENDEN

CROSS

Conway

Petit Jean State Park

HOWARD

55 MISSISSIPPI

Greers Ferry Lake

LOGAN

MONTGOMERY

Big Lake Wildlife Mgmt. Area

POINSETT

CLEBURNE

JOHNSON

SEBASTIAN

Big Lake National Wildlife Ref. St. Francis Sunken Lands W. M. A.

Jonesboro

JACKSON

FRANKLIN

Fort Chaffee

CRAIGHEAD

INDEPENDENCE

Ozark Folk Center


CRAWFORD

OKLAHOMA

CLAY

RANDOLPH

Mammoth Spring State Park

CALHOUN

DREW BRADLEY

OUACHITA

Cut-off Creek Wildlife Management Area

LAFAYETTE

COLUMBIA

Sulphur River Wildlife Mgmt. Area

ARKANSAS

ASHLEY

UNION

Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge

Overflow National Wildlife Refuge

Explanation CHICOT

Point of Interest City (25,000-100,000 people)

Lafayette Wildlife Management Area

City (more than 100,000 people) State Capital

TEXAS

40

U.S. Interstate Route Area of Interest

LOUISIANA

N 25

0 0


25

50 miles 50 kilometers

63

Arkansas

3

Climate

Arkansas has a temperate climate with warmer temperatures and more humidity in the southern lowlands than in the mountainous regions. At Little Rock, the normal daily temperature ranges from 40°f (4°c) in January to 82°f (27°c) in July. A record low temperature of -29°f (-34°c) was set on 13 February 1905 at the Pond weather station. A record high of 120°f (49°c) was set on 10 August 1936 at the Ozark station. Average yearly precipitation is approximately 45 inches (114 centimeters) in the mountainous areas and greater in the lowlands. Little Rock receives an annual average of 50.5 inches (128 centimeters). Snowfall in the capital averages 5.1 inches (12 centimeters) a year.

4

Plants and Animals

Arkansas has at least 2,600 native plants and there are many adopted exotic species. Cypresses, water oak, hickory, and ash grow in the Mississippi Valley, while Crowley’s Ridge is thick with tulip trees and beeches. The St. Francis Valley is home to the rare cork tree. A forest belt of oak, hickory, and pine stretches across south-central and southwestern Arkansas. The state has at least 26 native varieties of orchid and the passion flower is abundant. Arkansas’s native animals include 15 varieties of bat and 3 each of rabbit and squirrel. There are also mink, armadillo, white-tailed deer, and eastern chipmunks. Black bears roam the swamp and mountain regions. Arkansas has 20 frog and toad species, 23 varieties of salamander, and 36 kinds of snake. Among 300 native birds are such game birds as the eastern wild turkey, mourning dove, and bobwhite quail. Among local fish 64

are catfish, gar, and the unusual paddle fish. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission lists the leopard darter and fat pocketbook pearly mussel as threatened species. The peregrine falcon, Indiana and gray bats, and the eastern prairie fringed orchid are among those listed as endangered.

5


The Arkansas Pollution Control Commission was created in 1949 and the Arkansas Department of of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) was created in 1971. The Commission determines the environmental policies for the state and the Department employees are responsible for implementing those policies. In 2001, the ADEQ focused on recycling waste oil, resulting in a 91% increase in the amount of waste oil recycled. In 2002, the ADEQ turned its attention to recycling of wood waste. In 1987, the state adopted some of the first “ecoregion” water quality standards in the nation. These standards recognize the distinct physical, chemical, and biological properties of the six geographical regions of the state and establish separate water quality standards within each region. Citizens’ groups actively involved with environmental issues include: the Arkansas Native Plant Society, Arkansas Audubon Society, Arkansas Canoe Club, Arkansas Herpetological Society, Arkansas Wildlife Federation, Audubon Society of Central Arkansas, League of Women Voters, Ozark Society, Sierra Club— Arkansas Chapter, and National Water Center. The Arkansas Environmental Federation presents industry’s viewpoints on environmental issues. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arkansas

Arkansas Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,673,400 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,637,656 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,818 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,773 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,439 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,061 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,608 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,088 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 59 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,926

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.7 . . . . . . . 1.3 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.6 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1


The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission was established in 1975 for the preservation of rivers and natural areas and to serve as a source of information on plant and animal species of Arkansas. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 78 hazardous waste sites, 10 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006, in Arkansas.

6

Population

In 2006, Arkansas ranked 32nd in the United States in population with an estimated total of 2,810,872 residents. The average population density in 2004 was 52.9 persons per square mile (20.4 persons per square kilometer). The Census Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Bureau estimates that the population will be 2.96 million by 2015. As of 2005, about 14% of all residents were 65 years old or older. About 25% were 18 years old or younger. The median age in 2004 was 36.6. The largest city in Arkansas is Little Rock, which had a 2005 estimated population of 184,564. Other major cities (with estimated population figures from 2005) include Fort Smith, 82,481; Fayetteville, 66,655; Springdale, 60,096; Jonesboro, 59,358; and North Little Rock, 58,803.

7

Ethnic Groups

As of 2000, Arkansas’s population is predominantly white, composed mainly of descendants 65

Arkansas

of immigrants from the British Isles. The largest minority group consisted of about 418,950 black Americans. As of 2006, blacks accounted for 15.4% of the population. In 2006, 0.7% of the population was Native American. In the same year, 4.7% of the total population were of Hispanic or Latino origin. The Asian population was estimated at 0.9% and Pacific Islanders made up 0.2% of the population. The 2000 census listed 3,974 Vietnamese, 3,126 Chinese, 2,489 Filipinos, 3,104 Asian Indians, and 1,036 Japanese. The total foreign-born population numbered 73,690, or 2.8% of all Arkansas residents.

8

Languages

Arkansas English is essentially a blend of Southern and South Midland speech, with South Midland dominating the mountainous northwest and Southern the southeastern agricultural areas. A few place names, such as Arkansas itself, Choctaw, Caddo, and Ouachita, attest to the onetime presence of Native Americans, mostly members of the Caddoan tribes, in the Territory of Arkansas. Common in the east and south are the terms redworm (earthworm) and mosquito hawk (dragonfly). In the northwest the south Midland terms include whirlygig (merry-goround) and sallet (garden greens). As of 2000, about 2,368,450 Arkansans (95% ) who are five years old or older speak only English at home. The most common other languages spoken at home are Spanish (82,465 people), German (7,444), and French (7,312). 66

9

Religions

The largest denomination in Arkansas is the Southern Baptist Convention, which had 685,301 adherents in 2000. The first Baptist church was likely that of the Salem congregation, begun in 1818 near what is now Pochahontas. Other leading Protestant groups in 2000 were the United Methodist Church, with 179,383 adherents; the American Baptist Association, 115,916 adherents; the Baptist Missionary Association of America, 87,244 adherents; and the Churches of Christ, 86,342 adherents. In 2004, The Roman Catholic population of Arkansas was 106,051. The estimated Jewish population in 2000 was 1,600. About 42.9% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

The most important railroad—the St. Louis, Iron Mountain, and Southern line—reached Little Rock in 1872 and was subsequently acquired by financier Jay Gould, who added the Little Rock and Ft. Smith line to it in 1882. As of 2003, Arkansas had 3,484 rail miles (5,609 kilometers) of track. As of 2006, Amtrak passenger trains serviced Little Rock, Walnut Ridge, Malvern, Arkadelphia, and Texarkana en route from St. Louis to Dallas. By 2004, Arkansas had 98,606 miles (158,755 kilometers) of public roads, streets, and highways. During the same year, about 950,000 automobiles and 938,000 trucks were registered in Arkansas, and there were 1,862,430 licensed drivers. Beginning in the 1820s, steamboats replaced keelboats and flatboats on Arkansas rivers. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arkansas

Steamboat transportation reached its peak during 1870–90 until supplanted by the railroads that were opened during the same two decades. Development of the Arkansas River, completed during the early 1970s, made the waterway commercially navigable all the way to Tulsa. In 2005, Arkansas had 238 airports and 83 heliports. The principal airport in the state is Adams Field at Little Rock.

11

History

Foremost among the Native American tribes in Arkansas were the Quapaw, an agricultural people who had migrated to southern Arkansas in the early 16th century; the Caddo, fighters from Texas; the warlike Osage; and the Choctaw and Chickasaw of the northeast. Another prominent tribe, the Cherokee, arrived in the early 19th century, after federal and state authorities had driven them westward. Nearly all these tribes had been expelled to what is now Oklahoma by the time Arkansas became a state. The first Europeans to set foot in Arkansas were Spaniards, led by Hernando de Soto in 1541. More than 100 years later, in 1673, a small band of Frenchmen led by Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary, and Louis Jolliet, a fur trader and explorer, ended their voyage down the Mississippi at the mouth of the Arkansas River. Nine years later, the French explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, claimed all the Mississippi Valley for his king, Louis XIV. Statehood In 1762 France ceded the territory to

Spain. Restored to France in 1800, the territory was sold to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. After first becoming part of the Missouri Territory, Arkansas gained territoJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

rial status in its own right in 1819. The territorial capital was moved from Arkansas Post to Little Rock in 1821. By 1835, Arkansas Territory had a population of 52,240, including 9,838 slaves. It was admitted to the Union in 1836 as a slave state, paired with the free state of Michigan in accordance with the Missouri Compromise. Increasing numbers of slaves were brought into the largely agricultural state as the cultivation of cotton spread. Arkansas, like the rest of the South, was headed for secession, although it waited to commit itself until the Civil War had begun. There was considerable Union sentiment in the state, but pro-Union sympathies crumbled after Confederate guns fired on Fort Sumter, South Carolina. On 6 May 1861, at a convention held in Little Rock, Arkansans voted 69–1 to secede. By September 1863, the Union Army had taken Little Rock, and the Capital was moved to Washington, in Hempstead County, until the conclusion of hostilities in 1865. Like virtually all white southerners, Arkansas’s white majority hated the postwar Reconstruction government. In 1874 the white Democratic majority adopted a new state constitution, throwing out the carpetbagger constitution of 1868. Modernization Industrialization, urbanization,

and modernization did not come to Arkansas until after the depression of the 1930s. Following World War II, the state became the first in the South to racially integrate its public colleges and universities. Little Rock’s school board decided in 1954 to comply with the US Supreme Court’s racial desegregation decision. Nevertheless, in September 1957, Governor Orval E. Faubus called out the National Guard to block the inte67

Arkansas

The Old State House in Little Rock, the oldest standing state capitol building west of the Mississippi River, was built in the mid-1800s. It became a museum in 1947. LITTLE ROCK CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

gration of Central High School at Little Rock. US President Dwight D. Eisenhower enforced a federal court order to integrate the school by sending in federal troops. Faubus, then in his second term, was elected to a third term and then to three more. The contrast between Faubus and his successor could not have been greater. Winthrop Rockefeller, millionaire heir of a famous family, moved to Arkansas from New York in the early 1950s, establishing himself as a gentleman rancher and building a Republican Party organization in one of the most strongly Democratic states in the Union. In 1966, Rockefeller became the first Republican governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He helped bring a new image and spirit to the state. 68

Rockefeller’s successors have continued his progressive approach. Governor Bill Clinton, who became United States President in 1992, introduced investment tax credits to help corporations modernize their facilities and thereby to create jobs. Clinton also signed a “bare bones” health insurance law which dropped state requirements for some of the more costly coverages and thus made health insurance affordable for small businesses. Clinton increased spending for education and passed legislation requiring competency tests for teachers. But Clinton remained hampered in his efforts to increase government spending because the state constitution requires that any increase in the state income tax obtain approval of two-thirds of the Legislature. Bill Clinton was elected president of the United States in 1992. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arkansas

Arkansas Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

ARKANSAS WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

STATES’ RIGHTS DEMOCRAT

1948 1952

*Truman (D) Stevenson (D)

149,659 226,300

50,959 177,155

40,068 —

1956

Stevenson (D)

213,277

186,287

CONSTITUTION

7,008 NAT’L STATES’ RIGHTS

1960 1964

*Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)

215,049 314,197

184,508 243,264

1968

Wallace (AI)

188,228

190,759

28,952 2,965 AMERICAN IND.

240,982 AMERICAN

1972 1976

*Nixon (R) *Carter (D)

199,892 498,604

448,541 267,903

1980 1984 1988

*Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)

398,041 388,646 349,237

403,164 534,774 466,578

1992 1996

*Clinton (D) *Clinton (D)

505,823 475,171

337,324 325,416

2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election.

422,768 469,953

472,940 572,898

2,887 — LIBERTARIAN

8,970 2,221 3,297 IND. (PEROT)

99,132 69,884 PROGRESSIVE (NADER)

Two school shootings shocked the state in recent years. On 24 March 1998, two students (ages 11 and 13) went on a rampage in a Jonesboro school, killing four students and one teacher, and wounding ten others. Another shooting, in the small community of Prairie Grove on 11 May 2000, involved an angry seventh-grade student who exchanged gunfire with a police officer. Both were injured. Arkansas continues to rank among the poorest states in the nation, with a per capita personal income in 2004 of only $25,814 (49th among the states).

12

State Government

Arkansas’s fifth constitution, enacted in 1874, had been amended 91 times by January 2005. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

28,747 —

Arkansas’s legislature, the general assembly, consists of a 35-member senate and a 100-member house of representatives. Senators serve four-year terms; representatives serve for two years. A bill passed by both houses of the legislature becomes law if: it is signed by the governor; the governor’s veto is overridden by a majority of all elected members of each house; or the bill is neither signed nor returned by the governor within five days when the legislature is in session. The executive officers elected statewide are the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, and attorney general, all of whom serve four-year terms. The governor may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. The governor and lieutenant governor must be at least 30 years old, and must be Arkansas resi69

Arkansas

The state capitol building in Little Rock. LITTLE ROCK CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

dents for seven years. As of 2004, the governor’s salary was $75,296, and legislators’ salaries were $13,751 per biennial session.

13

Political Parties

Republicans ruled during Reconstruction, which ended in Arkansas after the election of 1872. During the 1890s, as in the rest of the South, Democrats succeeded in passing laws imposing segregation and disenfranchising blacks as well as poor whites. Although elected to the governorship as a progressive in 1954, Democrat Orval Faubus took a segregationist stand on racial matters in 1957. Faubus’s successor, progressive Republican Winthrop Rockefeller, was followed by three more progressives, all Democrats: Dale Bumpers, David Pryor, and Bill Clinton. In a major upset, 70

Clinton was defeated in 1980 by Republican Frank White, but Clinton recaptured the statehouse in 1982 and won reelection in 1984, 1986, and 1990. Clinton ran for and won the US presidency in 1992 and was reelected to a second term in 1996. In 1994, Democratic governor Jim Guy Tucker was one of the few of his party nationwide to resist a Republican landslide. Tucker was subsequently forced to resign due to scandal and was succeeded by his Lieutenant-Governor, Republican Mike Huckabee, who was elected to a full term in 1998 and reelected in 2002. In 2006, Democrat Mike Beebe was elected governor. In the 2004 presidential election, Arkansas made Republican George W. Bush its winner with 54% of the votes. Both US senators from Arkansas were Democrats following the 2006 midterm elecJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arkansas

Arkansas Governors: 1836–2007 1836–1840 1840–1844 1844 1844–1849 1849 1849 1849–1851 1851 1852–1860 1860–1862 1862 1862–1864 1864–1868 1868–1871 1871–1873 1873–1874 1874–1877 1877–1881 1881–1883 1883–1885 1885 1885–1889 1889–1893 1893–1895 1895–1897 1897–1901 1901–1907 1907 1907 1907–1909 1909

James Sevier Conway Archibald Yell Samuel Adams Thomas Stevenson Drew John Williamson Richard C. Byrd John Selden Roane John R. Hampton Elias Nelson Conway Henry Massey Rector Thomas Fletcher Harris Flanagin Isaac Murphy Powell Clayton Ozra A. Hadley Elisha Baxter Augustus Hill Garland William Read Miller Thomas James Churchill James Henderson Berry Ben T. Embry Simon P. Hughes James Philip Eagle William Meade Fishback James Paul Clarke Daniel Webster Jones Jeff Davis John Sebastian Little John I. Moore Xenophon Overton Pindall Jesse M. Martin

Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Indep-Dem Democrat Democrat Unionist Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat

1909–1913 1913 1913 1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925 1925–1927 1927–1928 1928–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1949 1949–1953 1953–1955 1955–1967 1967–1971 1971–1975 1975 1975–1979 1979 1979–1981 1981–1983 1983–1992 1992–1999 1999–2006 2006–

George W. Donaghey Joseph Taylor Robinson William Kavanaugh Oldham Junius Marion Futrell George Washington Hays Charles Hillman Brough Thomas Chipman McRae Tom Jefferson Terral John Ellis Martineau Harvey Parnell Junius Marion Futrell Carl Edward Bailey Homer Martin Adkins Benjamin Travis Laney Sidney Sanders McMath Francis Adams Cherry Orval Eugene Faubus Winthrop Rockefeller Dale Leon Bumpers Robert Cowley Riley David Hampton Pryor Joe Purcell William Jefferson Clinton Frank D. White William Jefferson Clinton James Guy Tucker Mike Huckabee Mike Beebe

Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat

Independent Democrat – Indep-Dem

tions. The state’s US representatives following those elections included one Republican and three Democrats. Also in 2006, the state legislature had 27 Democrats and 8 Republicans in the state senate, and 75 Democrats and 25 Republicans in the state house. There were 23 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 17%.

of the peace, elected for two-year terms. Elected county executives, who serve two-year terms, include the sheriff, assessor, coroner, treasurer, and county supervisor. Arkansas had 499 municipalities in 2005. There were 310 public school districts.

14

Arkansas’s highest court is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and six associate justices, elected for staggered eight-year terms. An appeals court of 12 judges, also elected for eight-year terms, was established in 1978. Other

Local Government

There are 75 counties in Arkansas, 10 of them with two county seats. Each county is governed by a quorum court, consisting of 9–15 justices Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

15

Judicial System

71

Arkansas

courts include the circuit courts (law) and the chancery courts (equity). Arkansas had an FBI Violent Crime Index rate of 499.1 per 100,000 population in 2001. In 2004 there were 13,807 prisoners in state and federal correctional institutions.

16

Migration

Near the end of the 18th century, Indians from east of the Mississippi, displaced by white settlement, entered the area now known as Arkansas. However, as the availability of cheap land in Louisiana Territory drew more and more white settlers, particularly veterans of the War of 1812 who had been promised land, the Indians were pressured to cross the border from Arkansas to present-day Oklahoma. After the end of the Mexican War, thousands of Arkansans immigrated to Texas and others were attracted to California in 1849 by the gold rush. Because of a law passed in 1859 requiring free blacks to leave the state by the end of the year or risk being enslaved, Arkansas’s population of free blacks dropped from 682 in 1858 to 144 in 1860. During Reconstruction, the state government encouraged immigration by both blacks and whites. Later immigrants included Italians and, in the early 1900s, Germans. During the Depression era (1930s) and thereafter, Arkansas lost a substantial proportion of its farm population and many blacks left the state for the industrial cities of the Midwest and the east and west coasts. Between 1990 and 1998, the state’s overall population increased by 8%. In the period 2000–06, the population increased by 5.1%. 72

17

Economy

Cotton dominated Arkansas’s agricultural economy until well into the 20th century, when rice, soybeans, poultry, and fish farming diversified the economy. Coal mining, bauxite mining, the extraction of oil, and lumbering all developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but industrialization was limited. Not until the 1950s did Arkansas enjoy significant success in attracting industry, thanks in large part to the efforts of Winthrop Rockefeller. By the mid-1990s, Arkansas’s principal industries had become manufacturing, dominated by lumber and wood products companies; agriculture; forestry; and tourism. Fifty-seven Fortune 500 firms are found in Arkansas, including Walmart Stores, Tyson Foods, Dillard Department Stores, Beverly Enterprises, and Alltel (all headquartered in the state). Arkansas’s gross state product in 2004 was $80.9 billion.

18

Income

In 2004, Arkansas had a per capita personal income of $25,814, which ranked 49th in the United States (including the District of Columbia). In 2004, the median household income was $33,948, compared to the national average of $44,473. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $47,838, compared to the national average of $63,278. For the period 2000–04, 17.6% of Arkansans lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% of the population nationwide. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arkansas

19

Industry

Manufacturing in Arkansas is diverse, ranging from blue jeans to bicycles, though resource industries such as rice processing and woodworking still play a major role. Earnings of persons employed in Arkansas totaled $6.4 billion in 2004. The largest industries in 2004 were food manufacturing, accounting for $1.3 billion of total wages; fabricated metal product manufacturing, $610.7 million wages; and plastics and rubber products manufacturing paying $537.290 million in wages.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Arkansas numbered 1,398,400, with approximately 71,800 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.1%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. It was estimated that in 2006 4.6% of the labor force was employed in construction; 16.5% in manufacturing; 20.8% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 4.4% in finance, insurance, and real estate; 30.1% in services; and 17.4% in government. Chartered in 1865, the Little Rock Typographical Union, consisting of Arkansas Gazette employees, was the first labor union in the state. The United Mine Workers was established in the Ft. Smith area by 1898. Six years later, the UMW led in the founding of the Arkansas Federation of Labor. Union strength waned after the war, however, and the labor movement is not a powerful force in the state today. In 2005, 54,000 of Arkansas’s 1,138,000 employed wage and salary workers were memJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

bers of unions. This represented 4.8% of those so employed. The national average is 12%.

21

Agriculture

Farm marketings in Arkansas were over $6 billion in 2005 (11th in the United States). The state is the nation’s leading producer of rice and is among the leaders in cotton, soybeans, and sorghum. Cotton was first grown in the state about 1800 along the river valleys and became widespread in the post-Civil War period. As elsewhere in the South, sharecropping by tenant farmers predominated well into the 20th century, until modernization gradually brought an end to the system. During 2004, Arkansas produced 124,425,000 bushels of soybeans, 32,860 bushels of wheat, 3,570,000 tons of hay, and 4,704,000 bushels of sorghum for grain. The rice harvest in 2004 was 96,600,000 hundredweight (4.39 million kilograms) and the cotton crop was 2,085,000 bales.

22


Poultry farms are found throughout Arkansas, but especially in the northern and western regions. Broiler production accounts for over 40% of the state’s agricultural receipts. Arkansas was the second-highest broiler-producing state in the United States in 2003 (after Georgia). About 5.4 billion pounds (2.5 billion kilograms) of broilers were valued at $2 billion. In 2004, it was estimated that Arkansas produced 3.5 billion eggs. Arkansas produced 477 million pounds (217 million kilograms) of turkey valued at $176.5 million in 2003. The same year Arkansas sold 125.9 million pounds (57 73

Arkansas

million kilograms) of chickens valued at $8.8 million. The dairy yield of the state’s 29,000 milk cows in 2003 was 352 million pounds (160 million kilograms) of milk. In 2005, Arkansas had an estimated 1.9 million cattle and calves valued at $1.5 billion. In 2004, Arkansas had an estimated 330,000 hogs and pigs valued at $32.3 million.

23

Fishing

As of 2005, the state ranked second only to Mississippi in catfish farming. The same year, there were 153 catfish operations covering 31,500 acres (14,300 hectares) of water surface, with 100.6 million stocker-size and 185 million fingerling/fry catfish. Some producers rotate fish crops with row crops, periodically draining their fish ponds and planting grains in the rich and well-fertilized soil. Most public fishing areas are frequently stocked with trout. Arkansas had 685,634 licensed anglers in 2004. There are three national fish hatcheries in Arkansas.

24

Forestry

In 2003, forestland comprised 18,771,000 acres (7,596,000 hectares), 56% of the state’s total land area. Of that total, 18,373,000 acres (7,435,000 hectares) were commercial timberland. The southwest and central plains, the state’s timber belt, constitute one of the most concentrated sources of yellow pine in the United States. Lumber production in 2004 totaled 2.9 billion board feet, third in the United States. Three national forests in Arkansas covered a total of 3,540,000 acres (1,432,638 hectares) in 2003. 74

25

Mining

In 2004, the US Geological Survey estimate of the value of mineral production in Arkansas was $518 million. 33 million metric tons of crushed stone were produced in 2004, as well as 9.37 million metric tons of construction sand and gravel. Arkansas continues to be the leading bromineproducing state, accounting for most US production. Bromine, crushed stone, cement (both portland and masonry), and construction sand and gravel, respectively, were the top four nonfuel minerals, accounting for 92% of all nonfuel mineral output by value.

26

Energy and Power

As of 2003, Arkansas power plants had a total production of 50.4 billion kilowatt hours, with 82.6% of the total production coming from electric utilities. As of 2006, the state had one nuclear power plant During 2004, 18,000 barrels per day of crude petroleum were produced and reserves were 51 million barrels. Production of natural gas was 169.6 billion cubic feet (4.8 billion cubic meters), with 1,853 billion cubic feet (52.1 billion cubic meters) of reserves remaining. About 7,000 short tons of coal were mined in 2004.

27

Commerce

Arkansas had wholesale sales totaling $34.4 billion in 2002. Retail sales that year totaled $25.6 billion. In 2005, exports of goods produced within Arkansas amounted to $3.8 billion, ranking the state 36th in the nation. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arkansas

28

Public Finance

Under the 1874 constitution, state expenditures may not exceed revenues. For 2006, however, revenues for the state were at about $14 billion and expenditures were $12.5 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($4.7 billion), public welfare ($2.3 billion), and highways ($1.1 billion). State government debt totaled $3.7 billion, or about $1,363 per person.

29

Taxation

In 2005, the state income tax ranged from 1% to 7%, which ranks the state 49th in the nation. The state sales tax is 6%. The state also imposes severance taxes on oil, natural gas, and other natural resources, along with levies on liquor, gasoline, and cigarettes. City and county property taxes in Arkansas are among the lowest in the nation. Total tax revenues for 2005 were at approximately $6.5 million, 28.6% of which came from individual income taxes and 39.3% from the sales tax.

30

Health

In 2005, the infant death rate was 7.6 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 10.2 per 1000 resident population. The incidence of death due to cerebrovascular disease was 82.4 per 100,000 population, the highest in the nation. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was 6.7 per 100,000 of the population. The HIV death rate in Arkansas was 3 per 100,000 population the same year. Of adults age 18 years and older, 25.5% were smokers in 2004. In Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

2003 state health care expenditures totaled $3 million. In 2003, Arkansas’s 88 hospitals had 9,900 beds. Hospital expenses were $1,130 per inpatient day. In 2004, the state had 205 physicians per 100,000 population and a total of 729 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. About 17% of the adult population was uninsured in 2002.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 1,233,203 housing units in Arkansas, of which 1,099,086 were occupied. In the same year, 65.5% of all housing units were owner-occupied. About 69% of all units were single-family, detached homes and 12.7% were mobile homes. The average household size was 2.43 people. It was estimated that about 98,716 units were without telephone service, 1,709 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 5,662 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Though most units relied on gas and electricity for heating fuels, about 40,890 households used wood for a primary heating source. About 15,900 new housing units were authorized in 2004. The median home value was $79,006. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $773 while the monthly cost for renters was at a median of $517.

32

Education

In 2004, 79.2% of all Arkansans 25 years of age and older were high school graduates. Only 18.8% had completed four or more years of college. In 1957, the Little Rock school system became the site for public controversy when the school board announced its voluntary com75

Arkansas

pliance with the Supreme Court’s desegregation decision. Though several public schools in the state had been peaceably integrated, on 5 September 1957, then Governor Faubus ordered the National Guard to seize Central High School to prevent the entry of nine black students. The National Guardsmen were withdrawn by a federal court order later that month and President Dwight Eisenhower dispatched federal troops to Little Rock to patrol the school grounds until the end of the 1958 spring semester. By 1980, Central High School had a nearly equal balance of black and white students and the state’s school system was one of the most integrated in the South. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 451,000 in fall 2002. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $3.5 billion. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 27,500. As of fall 2002, there were 127,372 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In the same year Arkansas had 47 degree-granting institutions. The largest institution of higher education in the state is the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (established in 1871). The state university system also has campuses at Fort Smith, Little Rock, Monticello, and Pine Bluff and a medical school.

33

Arts

The Arkansas Arts Council was established in 1971 as one of six agencies of the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Arkansas recieves a total of $616,200 in grants for state art organizations from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2005. Arkansas also received $1.7 million dollars from the National Endowment for 76

the Humanities and is affiliated with the MidAmerica Arts Alliance. Little Rock is the home of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Arkansas Festival Ballet, the Arkansas Repertory Theater, and the Arkansas Arts Center, which holds art exhibits and classes, and children’s theater performances. The Shakespeare Festival of Arkansas is staged at the Center Stage Theater in Little Rock. The best-known center for traditional arts and crafts is the Ozark Folk Center at Mountain View. The Arkansas Folk Festival is held there during two weekends in April and the Family Harvest Festival for three weeks in October. Lyon College at Batesville sponsors two-week summer workshops in Ozark crafts, music, and folklore in association with the center. The Grand Prairie Festival of Arts is held at Stuttgart in September.

34


During 2001, Arkansas had 35 library systems, with a total of 209 libraries, of which 169 were branches. That year, the state’s public libraries held a total circulation of 10.5 million. Important collections include those of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Arkansas State University at Jonesboro, the Central Arkansas Library System of Little Rock, and the News Library of the Arkansas Gazette, also in Little Rock. There were 78 museums in 2000 and a number of historic sites. Principal museums include the Arkansas Arts Center, the Museum of Science and History, and the University of Arkansas Museum at Fayetteville, specializing in archaeology, anthropology, and the sciences. Hampson Museum State Park, near Wilson, has one of the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arkansas

William J. Clinton Presidential Library. © ZACK SECKLER/CORBIS.

largest collections of Mound Builder artifacts in the United States. Civil War battle sites include the Pea Ridge National Military Park, the Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park, and the Arkansas Post National Memorial. The Ft. Smith National Historic Site includes buildings and museums from the days when the town was a military outpost on the border of Indian Territory.

35

Communications

In 2004, 88.6% of the state’s households had telephones, the lowest rate in the nation. There were 63 major radio stations (7 AM, 56 FM) and 17 major television stations in 2005. A total of 23,195 Internet domain names were registered as of 2000. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

36

Press

The first newspaper in Arkansas, the Arkansas Gazette (established in 1819), was the state’s most widely read and influential journal until 1991 when publication ceased. In 2005, there were 14 morning dailies, 14 evening papers, and 16 Sunday papers. The leading dailies (with 2005 circulations) were the Southwest Times Record (37,669) and the Arkansas Democrat Gazette (182,391).

37


In 2004, the state had about 218 million visitors with travel expenditures reaching over $3.9 billion dollars. The state has 14 tourist information centers. 77

Arkansas

38

Sports

Arkansas has no major league professional sports teams, but has a minor league baseball team, the Travelers. Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs has a 62day thoroughbred-racing season each spring and dog races are held in West Memphis from April through November. Several major rodeos take place in summer and fall, including the Rodeo of the Ozarks in Springdale in early July. The University of Arkansas has competed in the Southeastern Conference since 1990. The Razorback football team has won seven bowl games. The men’s basketball team won the NCAA Division I basketball championship in 1994 and won or shared the Southwest Conference championship five times. They won the Southeastern Conference in 1994 and 2000.

39 Canoe moving along the Buffalo National River. © WILLIAM A. BAKE/CORBIS.

Leading attractions are the mineral waters and recreational facilities at Hot Springs, Eureka Springs, Mammoth Spring, and Heber Springs. The Crater of Diamonds, near Murfreesboro, is the only known public source of natural diamonds in North America. For a fee, visitors may hunt for diamonds and keep any they find. More than 100,000 diamonds have been found in the area since 1906. The World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest is held at the beginning of the winter duck season in Stuttgart. The city of Hamburg hosts the Armadillo Festival.

78

Famous Arkansans

Arkansas has produced one president of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton (b. 1946). Clinton, a Democrat, defeated incumbent George H. W. Bush in the 1992 presidential election and was reelected in 1996. Clinton was elected governor of Arkansas in 1978, becoming the nation’s youngest governor. Hattie W. Caraway (b.Tennessee, 1878– 1950), was the first woman elected to the US Senate, serving from 1931 to 1945. Senator J. William Fulbright (b.Missouri, 1905–1995) was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. John H. Johnson (b.1918), publisher of the nation’s leading black-oriented magazines— Ebony, Jet, and others—is an Arkansan. John Gould Fletcher (1886–1950) was a Pulitzer Prize-


Arkansas

General Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964), born in Arkansas, was supreme commander of Allied forces in the Pacific during World War II and in Korea. In this famous WWII picture, MacArthur wades ashore at Leyte in the Philippine Islands after American troops had secured the area from the Japanese. EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

winning poet. Another prominent Arkansan resident poet and writer is Maya Angelou (b.Missouri, 1928). Perhaps the best-known country music performers from Arkansas are Johnny Cash (1932–2003) and Glen Campbell (b.1938). Notable Arkansas sports personalities include football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant (1913–1983); Brooks Robinson (b.1937), considered by some the best-fielding third baseman in baseball history; Lou Brock (b.1939), who was known for


his base-stealing ability; and star pass-catcher Lance Alworth (b.Mississippi, 1940).

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Altman, Linda Jacobs. Arkansas. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. New York: Bantam, 1971. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000.

79

Arkansas

Kule, Elaine A. Arkansas Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Lantier, Patricia. Arkansas. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. McNair, Sylvia. Arkansas. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. Murray, Julie. Arkansas. Edina, MN: Abdo

80

Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Arkansas: the Natural State. www.arkansas.com/ (accessed March 1, 2007). Official Website for the State of Arkansas. www.state. ar.us/ (accessed March 1, 2007).


California State of California

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Probably from the

mythical island California in a 16th-century romance by Garci Ordónez de Montalvo. N I CKNAME : The Golden State. C AP ITAL: Sacramento. ENT ERED UNION: 9 September 1850 (31st). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the foreground is the goddess Minerva; a grizzly bear stands in front of her shield. The scene also shows the Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay, a miner, a sheaf of wheat, and a cluster of grapes, all representing California’s resources. The state motto and 31 stars are displayed at the top. The words “The Great Seal of the State of California” surround the whole. FLAG: The flag consists of a white field with a red star at upper left and a red stripe and the words “California Republic” across the bottom; in the center, a brown grizzly bear walks on a patch of green grass. M OT TO: Eureka (I have found it). SONG: “I Love You, California.” FLOWER: Golden poppy. TREE: California redwood. A NIMAL: California grizzly bear (extinct), California gray whale (marine mammal). B IRD: California valley quail. FISH: South Fork golden trout. IN S ECT: California dog-face butterfly (flying pansy). R EPT ILE: California desert tortoise. G E M: Benitoite. FOSSIL: California saber-toothed cat. M INERAL: Native gold. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

R O C K O R S T O N E : Serpentine. C O L O R S : Blue and gold. L E G A L H O L I D AY S : New Year’s Day, 1 January;

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Cesar Chavez Day, 31 March; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 4 AM PST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated on the Pacific coast of the southwestern United States, California is the nation’s third-largest state (after Alaska and Texas). The total area of California is 158,706 square miles (411,048 square kilometers), of which land takes 81

California

up 156,299 square miles (404,814 square kilometers) and inland water 2,407 square miles (6,234 square kilometers). California extends about 350 miles (560 kilometers) east-west. Its maximum north-south extension is 780 miles (1,260 kilometers). The eight Santa Barbara islands lie from 20 to 60 miles (32–97 kilometers) off California’s southwestern coast. The small islands and islets of the Farallon group are about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of San Francisco Bay. The total boundary length of the state is 2,050 miles (3,299 kilometers), including a general coastline of 840 miles (1,352 kilometers).

2


36,457,549 7.6% 35.5% 96.9% 60.9% 6.1% 0.7% 12.4% 0.4% 16.4% 3.1%


Topography

California is the only state in the United States with an extensive seacoast, high mountains, and deserts. Mt. Whitney is the highest point in the contiguous United States, at 14,494 feet (4,419 meters). It is located no more than 80 miles (129 kilometers) from the lowest point in the entire country, Death Valley, which is 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level. California’s principal geographic regions are the Sierra Nevada in the east, the Coast Ranges in the west, the Central Valley between them, and the Mojave and Colorado deserts in the southeast. California has 41 mountains exceeding 10,000 feet (3,050 meters). After Mt. Whitney, the highest peaks in the state are Mt. Williamson, in the Sierra Nevada, at 14,375 feet (4,382 meters) and Mt. Shasta at 14,162 feet (4,317 meters), an extinct volcano in the Cascades. Lassen Peak (10,457 feet/3,187 meters), also in the Cascades, is a dormant volcano. 82

California Population Profile

45 to 64 (23%) 18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (29%)


Population

% change 2000–05

Los Angeles San Diego San Jose San Francisco Long Beach Fresno Sacramento Oakland Santa Ana Anaheim

3,844,829 1,255,540 912,332 739,426 474,014 461,116 456,441 395,274 340,368 331,804

4.1 2.6 1.9 -4.8 2.7 7.8 12.1 -1.1 0.7 1.2



California

OREGON

Lava Beds National Monument

DEL NORTE

Klamath Nat’l For. SISKIYOU

Modoc Nat’l For.

Klamath Nat’l For.

Marble Mt. Wilderness Area

MODOC

LASSEN

TRINITY

Modoc Nat’l For. HUMBOLDT

Salmon-Trinity Alps Wilderness Area

Lassen Volcanic Nat’l Park

SHASTA

Lassen National Forest

PLUMAS

TEHAMA

Trinity Nat’l For. MENDOCINO

5

Explanation

Plumas Nat’l For.

BUTTE

Mendocino Nat’l For.

CALIFORNIA Point of Interest City (100,000-500,000 people)

SIERRA

GLENN

Tahoe National Forest COLUSA

LAKE

SUTTER YUBA

NEVADA

Lake Tahoe

PLACER

80 NAPA

Sacramento Santa Rosa

0

Vallejo

25

50 miles

MONO

Concord Berkeley COSTA OaklandCONTRA

CALAVERAS

Stockton SAN JOAQUIN

Hayward Fremont

TUOLUMNE

0

Yosemite Nat’l Park

25

50 kilometers

Modesto

ALAMEDA

Sunnyvale

N

Toiyabe National Forest

ALPINE

AMADOR

SACRAMENTO

SOLANO

San Francisco

Area of Interest

EL DORADO

505

MARIN


5

Eldorado National Forest

YOLO

SONOMA


NEVADA

STANISLAUS

SANTA CLARA

SAN MATEO

SANTA CRUZ

MARIPOSA

MERCED

San Jose

INYO

Sierra Nat’l For.

Inyo Nat’l For.

MADERA SAN BENITO

Monterey Bay

Salinas

Fresno

FRESNO

TULARE

MONTEREY

5

Sequoia Nat’l Park

KINGS

Los Padres National Forest

Death Valley Nat’l Mon.

Sequoia Nat’l For. KERN

SAN LUIS OBISPO

15

PA

China Lake Naval Weapons Center

Los Padres Nat’l Forest

SANTA BARBARA

VENTURA

40

LOS ANGELES

CI

Santa Clarita

Angeles Nat’l For.

FI

Thousand Oaks Oxnard

C Santa Rosa Is.

Santa Cruz Is.

O

Channel Islands National Park

Los Angeles

Glendale Pasadena El Monte

San Bernardino

C

Ontario Riverside Fullerton Moreno Orange Valley Irvine

RIVERSIDE

Pomona

Inglewood Anaheim Torrance

E

A

Long Beach Garden Grove Huntington Beach Santa Ana Santa

ORANGE

15 5

Catalina Is.

N

San Nicolas Is.

Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base

Rancho Cucamonga

Simmi Valley

San Miguel Is.

ARIZONA

SAN BERNARDINO

Bakersfield

Oceanside Gulf of Santa Catalina

San Clemente Is.

San Diego

Joshua Tree Nat’l Monument

10 San Bernardino Nat’l For. SAN DIEGO

IMPERIAL

Cleveland Salton Sea Nat’l For. Escondido Salton Sea Nat’l Wildlife Refuge Chula Vista

Chocolate Mtn. Gunnery Range

8

MEXICO Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

83

California

California is famous for its beaches. © JAMES CORRIGAN/EPD PHOTOS.

Melted snow from the Sierra Nevada feeds the state’s principal rivers, the Sacramento and San Joaquin. In the south, most rivers are dry creek beds except during the spring flood season. They either dry up from evaporation in the hot summer sun or disappear beneath the surface, like Death Valley’s Amargosa River. The Salton Sea, in the Imperial Valley of the southeast, is the state’s largest lake, occupying 374 square miles (969 square kilometers). This saline sink was created accidentally in the early 1900s when Colorado River water, via an irrigation canal, flooded a natural depression. Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada covers 192 square miles (497 square kilometers). 84

The California coast is indented by two magnificent natural harbors, San Francisco Bay and San Diego Bay, and two smaller bays, Monterey and Humboldt. Two groups of islands lie off the California shore: the Santa Barbara Islands, situated west of Los Angeles and San Diego; and the rocky Farallon Islands, off San Francisco. The San Andreas Fault, extending from north of San Francisco Bay for more than 600 miles (970 kilometers) southeast to the Mojave Desert, is a major active earthquake zone and was responsible for the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Because water is scarce in the southern part of the state and because an adequate water supply is essential both for agriculture and for industry, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

California

California Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,871,648 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32,264,002 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,513,166 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101,705 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175,273 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247,396 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,920 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684,475 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . 25,204 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,203 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . 4,257 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47,923 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,560 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . 1,837 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,004 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36,050 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82,728 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,631 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94,480

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 95.3 . . . . . . . 4.5 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.5 . . . . . . . 0.7 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 2.0 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.3


more than 1,000 dams and reservoirs have been built in California. By 1993, there were 1,336 reservoirs in the state. Popular reservoirs for recreation are located along the tributaries of the Sacramento and San Joaquim rivers. Clair Lake Eagle, also known as Trinity Lake, is located on the Trinity River.

3

Climate

Generally there are two seasons—a long, dry summer, with low humidity and cool evenings, and a mild, rainy winter—except in the high mountains, where four seasons prevail and snow lasts from November to April. California has four main climatic regions. Mild summers and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

winters prevail in central coastal areas, where temperatures are steadier than anywhere else in the United States. In the area between San Francisco and Monterey, for example, the difference between average summer and winter temperatures is seldom more than 10°f (6°c). Mountainous regions are characterized by milder summers and colder winters, with markedly low temperatures at high elevations. The Central Valley has hot summers and cool winters, while the Imperial Valley is marked by very hot and dry summers, with temperatures frequently exceeding 100°f (38°c). Average annual temperatures for the state range from 47°f (8°c) in the Sierra Nevada to 85

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73°f (23°c) in the Imperial Valley. The highest temperature ever recorded in the United States was 134°f (57°c), which was registered in Death Valley on 10 July 1913. The state’s lowest temperature was -45°f (-43°c), recorded on 20 January 1937 at Boca, near the Nevada border. Los Angeles has an average January minimum temperature of 48°f (9°c) and an average July maximum of 73°f (27°c). San Francisco has a January average minimum of 46°f (7°c) and a July average maximum of 66°f (18°c). Sacramento’s January minimum average is 38°f (3°c), with a July maximum of 93°f (34°c). Annual precipitation varies from only 2 inches (5 centimeters) in the Imperial Valley to 68 inches (173 centimeters) at Blue Canyon, near Lake Tahoe. San Francisco has an average annual precipitation of 20 inches (51 centimeters), Sacramento has 17.4 inches (44 centimeters), and Los Angeles has 14 inches (35 centimeters). The largest one-month snowfall ever recorded in the United States—390 inches (991 centimeters)— fell in Alpine County in January 1911. There is an average of between 300 and 400 inches (760 to 1,020 centimeters) of snowfall annually in the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada, but snow is rare in the coastal lowlands. San Francisco is the windiest city in the state, with an average annual wind speed of 11 miles per hour (18 kilometers per hour). During the summer there are heavy fogs in San Francisco and all along the coast. Tropical rainstorms occur often in California during the winter.

4

Plants and Animals

The state’s six life zones are the lower Sonoran (desert); upper Sonoran (foothill regions and 86

some coastal lands); transition (coastal areas and moist northeastern counties); and the Canadian, Hudsonian, and Arctic zones, comprising California’s highest elevations. Plant life in the arid climate of the lower Sonoran zone features native cactus, mesquite, and paloverde. The Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) is found in the Mojave Desert. Flowering plants include the dwarf desert poppy and a variety of asters. Fremont cottonwood and valley oak grow in the Central Valley. The upper Sonoran zone includes the unique chaparral belt, with forests of small shrubs, stunted trees, and herbaceous plants. The golden poppy (Eschscholtzia californica)—the state flower—also flourishes in this zone. The transition zone includes most of the state’s forests, with such magnificent specimens as the redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and “big tree” or giant sequoia (Sequoia gigantea), among the oldest living things on earth (some are believed to be at least 4,000 years old). Characteristic wildflowers include varieties of mariposa, tulip, and tiger and leopard lilies. The high elevations of the Canadian zone contain abundant Jeffrey pine, red fir, and lodgepole pine. Just below the timberline, in the Hudsonian zone, grow the whitebark, foxtail, and silver pines. At approximately 10,500 feet (3,200 meters) begins the Arctic zone, a treeless region whose plant life includes a number of wildflowers, including Sierra primrose, yellow columbine, alpine buttercup, and alpine shooting star. Among the numerous plant species found in California that are federally classified as endangered are the Contra Costa wallflower, Antioch Dunes evening primrose, and San Clemente Island larkspur. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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The General Sherman tree in the Sequoia National Forest. © COREL CORPORATION.

Mammals found in the deserts of the lower Sonoran zone include the jackrabbit, kangaroo rat, squirrel, and opossum. The Texas night owl, roadrunner, and various species of hawk are common birds, and reptiles include the sidewinder and horned toad. The upper Sonoran zone is home to such mammals as the antelope, brown-footed woodrat, and ring-tailed cat. Birds of this zone include the California thrasher and California condor. Animal life is abundant amid the forests of the transition zone. Colombian black-tailed deer, black bear, gray fox, cougar, and bobcat are found. Garter snakes and rattlesnakes are common, and birds include the kingfisher, chickadee, towhee, and hummingbird. Mammals of the Canadian zone include the mountain weasel, snowshoe hare, and several speJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

cies of chipmunk. Birds include the blue-fronted jay and Sierra hermit thrush. Birds become scarcer as one ascends to the Hudsonian zone. Principal mammals of this region are also visitors from other zones, though the Sierra coney and white-tailed jackrabbit make their homes here. Aquatic life in California is abundant. Many trout species are found, among them rainbow, golden, and Tahoe. Migratory species of salmon are also common. Deep-sea life-forms include sea bass, yellowfin tuna, barracuda, and several types of whale. Native to the cliffs of northern California are seals, sea lions, and many types of shorebirds. Joint efforts by state and federal wildlife agencies have established an ambitious—if somewhat controversial—recovery program to revitalize the dwindling population of the majes87

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The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco. ROBERT HOLMES.

tic condor, the largest bird native to the United States. As of April 2006, there were 124 animal species and 179 plant species on the threatened and endangered species list. These include the Jan Joaquin kit fox, salt marsh harvest mouse, California least tern, California condor, San Francisco garter snake, and Owens River pupfish. Ten butterflies listed as endangered on the federal list are California species. Among threatened aquatic animals are the Paiute cutthroat trout, and Southern sea otter.

5


Efforts to preserve natural wilderness areas in California go back at least to 1890, when the 88

US Congress created three national parks in the Sierra Nevada: Sequoia, Grant (now part of Kings Canyon), and Yosemite. In 1892, naturalist John Muir and other wilderness lovers founded the Sierra Club. Over the next century, numerous other natural areas were designated national parklands. Among the most recent were Death Valley National Park (1994), Joshua Tree National Park (1994), and “Rosie the Riveter” World War II Home Front National Historical Park (2000). California has four Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance. California’s primary resource problem is water, particularly in the southern two-thirds of the state which accounts for about 75% of annual water consumption but only 30% of the supply. Water has been diverted from the Sierra Nevada snow runoff and from the Colorado River to the cities and dry areas largely by means of aqueducts, some 700 miles (1,100 kilometers) of which have been constructed in federal and state undertakings. In December 1994, the state and federal governments joined together to form the Bay Delta Accord, intended to restore the environmentally threatened San Francisco Bay area through a combination of better conservation efforts and public and private investment. Air pollution, particularly smog, has been a serious problem. Smog is caused by cold air that traps unburned hydrocarbons at ground level. Most smog particles are created by automobile exhaust emissions. In 1960, the state legislature passed the first automobile antismog law in the nation, requiring that all cars be equipped with antismog exhaust devices. In early 1995, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved a California ozone-reduction plan that ordered car manufacturers to design and proJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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duce cars that will be 50% to 84% cleaner than the ones sold in 1990. State land-reclamation programs have been important in providing new agricultural land and controlling flood damage. In the 1980s, the state legislature enacted stringent controls on toxic waste. California has since been a leader in recycling waste products. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 903 hazardous waste sites in the states, 93 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. The California Department of Water Resources is responsible for maintaining adequate groundwater levels, enforcing water-quality standards, and controlling floodwaters. The state Department of Conservation has overall responsibility for conservation and protection of the state’s soil, mineral, petroleum, geothermal, and marine resources. The California Coastal Commission, created in 1972, is designated by federal law to review projects that effect California’s coastline, including offshore oil leasing, which has become a source of concern in recent years.

6

Population

In 2006, California had an estimated population of 36,457,549 people, the highest population among the 50 states. The population density in 2004 was 230.2 persons per square mile (88.8 persons per square kilometer). The population is projected to reach 44.3 million by 2025. In 2004, the median age was 34.1 years old. As of 2005, about 27% of the population was 18 years of age or younger and 11% of the population was 65 or older. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Los Angeles is the second most populous city in the United States (behind New York City). In 2005, the major cities and their estimated populations were Los Angeles, 3,844,829; San Diego, 1,255,540; San Jose, 912,332; San Francisco, 739,426; Long Beach, 474,014; Fresno, 461,116; Sacramento, 456,441; Oakland, 395,274; Santa Ana, 340,368; and Anaheim, 331,804.

7

Ethnic Groups

Nearly one-third of all foreign-born persons in the United States live in California. In the 2000 census, about 26% of the population, or 8,864,255 people, were foreign born. About half of these residents were Latin Americans. Asians accounted for another third. As of 2002, nearly four-fifths of foreign-born Californians lived in the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco. In 2000, about 10,966,556 people were of Hispanic or Latino origin. Most of them were Mexican-Americans. There were 140,570 Puerto Ricans and 72,286 Cubans. In the census year, California had the largest Asian population of any state with about 3,697,513 people. There were also 116,961 Pacific Islanders, including more native Hawaiians than in any state except Hawaii. The Chinese were the largest group among California’s Asian population, numbering 980,642 people, or 2.9% of the population. The nation’s oldest and largest Chinatown is in San Francisco. Los Angeles also has a Chinese district. There were also about 288,854 Japanese, 918,678 Filipinos, 345,882 Koreans, 447,032 Vietnamese, 314,819 Asian Indians, 55,456 Laotians, 20,571 native Hawaiians, 37,498 Samoans, and 20,918 Guamanians. Native Americans and Alaskan natives num89

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bered around 333,346 in 2000. The city of Los Angeles has more Native Americans than any other US city. In 2000, California had the fifthlargest black population in the country, with 2,263,882 people. In 2006, estimates placed the Hispanic or Latino population ate about 35.5% of the population, Asians at 12.4%, Native Americans and Alaskan Natives at 0.7%, and black Americans at 6.1%.

8

Languages

As in much of the West, California English is a combination of the eastern dialects and subdialects brought by westward migration from the eastern states. The interior valley is Midland-oriented, but generally, in both northern and southern California, Northern speech is dominant. There are some regional differences terms. San Francisco, for instance has sody or soda water for a soft drink. A large sandwich in San Francisco is called a grinder, while in Sacramento it is either a poor Joe or a submarine. In the Bay region and from San Jose to Sacramento a sofa or davenport is often called a chesterfield, a term common in Canada but now found nowhere else in the United States. Boonville, a village about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of San Francisco, is notorious for “Boontling,” a local dialect contrived in the mid-19th century by Scotch-Irish settlers who wanted privacy and freedom from obscenities in their conversation. Now declining in use, Boontling has about 1,000 vocabulary replacements of usual English words, together with some unusual pronunciations. In 2000, 19,014,873 Californians (60.5% of the population) who were five years old or 90

over reported speaking only English at home. Other languages spoken at home include Spanish (8,105,505 people or 25.8%), Chinese (815,386 people or 2.6%), Tagalog (626,399 people or 2.0%), Vietnamese (407,119), and Korean (298,076). California’s large foreign-language populations have posed major problems for the public schools. In 1974, a landmark San Francisco case, Lau v. Nichols, brought a decision from the US Supreme Court that children who do not know English should be able to receive instruction in their native tongue while learning English. In 1998, however, California voters enacted Proposition 227, which called for students to be taught English by being placed in English language classrooms.

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Religions

The first Roman Catholics in California were Spanish friars, who established 21 Franciscan missions from San Diego to Sonoma between 1769 and 1823. Protestant ministers accompanied migrant miners during the gold rush, founding 32 churches in San Francisco by 1855. In the early 20th century, many dissident sects sprang up, including such organizations as Firebrands for Jesus, the Psychosomatic Institute, the Mystical Order of Melchizedek, the Infinite Science Church, and Nothing Impossible, and Foursquare Gospel. Since World War II, religions such as Zen Buddhism and Scientology have won enthusiastic followings, along with various cults devoted to self-discovery and self-improvement. Nevertheless, the majority of religious adherents in California continue to follow traditional faiths. In 2004, there were 10,496,697 Roman Catholics. The next largest religion was Judaism Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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with 994,000 adherents in 2000. In 2006, the Latter-day Saints had 761,763 adherents. The next largest Protestant churches (with 2000 data) included the Southern Baptist Convention, 471,119 adherents; Assemblies of God, 310,522 adherents; Presbyterian Church USA, 229,918; and the United Methodist Church, 228,844. In 2000, there were 489 Buddhist, 131 Hindu, and 163 Muslim congregations in the state. About 53.9% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization. The Church of Scientology in Los Angeles, established in 1954 by the religions founder L. Ron Hubbard, is the religions largest facility and also serves as a training center for leaders. The Crystal Cathedral opened in 1980 in Garden Grove, California, is the home base for the international Crystal Cathedral Ministries and the internationally televised Hour of Power. Dr. Robert H. Schuller, a minister of the Reformed Church in America presides there for a congregation of over 10,000 members.

10

Transportation

California has more motor vehicles than any other state and ranked second only to Texas in interstate highway mileage in 2004. An intricate 8,300-mile (13,400-kilometer) network of urban interstate highways, expressways, and freeways is one of the engineering wonders of the modern world, but the traffic congestion in the state’s major cities during rush hours may well be the worst in the country. The Central Pacific–Union Pacific transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. Railroad construction crews, mostly imported Chinese laborers, started from Sacramento and dug and blasted the route through the solid Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Cable car climbs Russian Hill in San Francisco, with Alcatraz in the background. © DAVE G. HOUSER/CORBIS.

granite of the Sierra Nevada and then across the Nevada desert, linking up with the Union Pacific at Promontory, Utah, on 10 May 1869. The Southern Pacific completed a line from Sacramento to Los Angeles in 1876 and another to Texas the following year. As of 2003, California had 7,283 rail miles (11,725 kilometers) of track. Class I railroads operating within the state included Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway and Union Pacific. Amtrak passenger trains connect the state’s major population centers with an average 91

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Former film actor Ronald Reagan served two terms as state governor (1967–75) before becoming president in 1981. He is shown here giving a speech at the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, in the Federal Republic of Germany on June 12, 1987. Reagan is given credit for helping to end the Cold War. EPD PHOTOS/REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY.

of 38 intercity trains and an additional 170 commuter trains every day. Urban transit began in San Francisco in 1861 with horse-drawn streetcars. Cable car service was introduced in 1873. A few cable cars are still in use, mainly for the tourist trade. The 71-mile (114-kilometer) Bay Area Rapid Transit System (BART) was completed in the 1970s. BART connects San Francisco with Oakland by high-speed, computerized subway trains via a 3.6-mile (5.892

kilometer) tunnel under San Francisco Bay and runs north-south along the San Francisco peninsula. By 1995, six Metrolink lines were serving the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura. California’s extensive highway system had its beginning in the mid-19th century, when stagecoaches began hauling freight to the mining camps from San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Jose. In the early 1850s, two stagecoach lines, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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Adams and Wells Fargo, expanded their routes and began to carry passengers. By 1860, some 250 stagecoach companies were operating in the state. The decline of stagecoach service corresponded with the rise of the railroads. The state’s first paved highway was constructed in 1912. The greatest inducement to automobile travel in and out of San Francisco was the completion in 1936 of the 8-mile (13kilometer) San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge. The following year saw the opening of the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge, which at 4,200 feet (1,280 meters) was the world’s longest suspension bridge until New York’s Verrazano– Narrows Bridge opened to traffic in 1964. The Pasadena Freeway, the first modern expressway in California, opened in 1941. In 2004, California had a total of 169,791 miles (273,363 kilometers) of public roads, streets, and highways. Also in 2004, the state registered 31.5 million motor vehicles, first in the nation—including 19 million automobiles, 11.7 million trucks, and 36,000 buses. California also leads the nation in private and commercial motorcycle registrations, at 611,000. There were 22,761,088 California drivers’ licenses in force in 2004. The large natural harbors of San Francisco and San Diego monopolized the state’s maritime trade until 1912 when Los Angeles began developing port facilities at San Pedro. Other main ports are Long Beach, Los Angeles, Richmond, and Oakland. In 2005, California had nearly 933 aircraft facilities, including 535 airports, 385 heliports, 11 seaplane bases, and 2 STOLports (Short Take-off and Landing). California’s most active air terminal is Los Angeles International Airport, which handled enplaned 28,925,341 passengers Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

in 2004. Also among the nation’s 20 busiest air traffic control towers were those at San Diego, Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento, Santa Ana, and San Francisco.

11

History

The region now known as California has been populated for at least 10,000 years, and possibly far longer. On the eve of European discovery, at least 300,000 Native Americans lived there. This large population was divided into no fewer than 105 separate tribes or nations speaking at least 100 different languages and dialects. In general, the California tribes depended for their survival on hunting, fishing, and gathering the abundant natural food resources. The basic unit of political organization was the village community, consisting of several small villages, or the family unit. European contact with California began in 1533 when Hernán Cortés, Spanish conqueror of the Aztecs, sent a naval expedition northward along the western coast of Mexico in search of new wealth. The expedition led to the discovery of Baja California (now part of Mexico). On 28 September, Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo landed at the bay now known as San Diego, thus becoming the first European discoverer of Alta (or Upper) California. European interest in the Californias declined in the succeeding decades, and California remained for generations on the fringe of European activity in the New World. Spanish interest in California revived during the late 18th century. Because rival colonial powers were becoming increasingly aggressive, Spain decided to establish permanent settlements in the north. Over the next half-century, the 21 missions established by Catholic Franciscans along the 93

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Pacific coast from San Diego to San Francisco formed the core of Hispanic California. The principal concern of the missionaries was to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. They were also taught to perform a wide variety of new tasks: making bricks, tiles, pottery, shoes, saddles, wine, candles, and soap; herding horses, cattle, sheep, and goats; and planting, irrigating, and harvesting. In addition to transforming the way of life of these native Californians, the missions also reduced their number by introducing new diseases. Spanish control of California ended with the successful conclusion of the Mexican Revolution in 1821. For the next quarter-century, California was a province of the independent nation of Mexico. During the Mexican period, California attracted a considerable minority of immigrants from within the United States. The first organized group to cross the continent for the purpose of settlement in California was the BidwellBartleson party of 1841. Subsequent groups of overland pioneers included the ill-fated Donner party of 1846, whose members, stranded by a snowstorm near the Sierra Nevada summit, resorted to cannibalism so that 47 of the 87 travelers could survive. Gold Rush Following the 1846–48 Mexican War, resulting from a dispute over the Texas border, Mexico ceded California and other territories to the United States. Mexico received $15 million and the settlement by the United States of some $3 million in claims by Mexican citizens. Just nine days before the treaty ending the war was signed, James Wilson Marshall discovered gold along the American River in California. The news of the gold discovery, on 24 January 1848, soon spread around the globe, and a massive 94

rush of people poured into the region. By the end of 1848, about 6,000 miners had obtained $10 million worth of gold. In 1852, the peak year of production, about $80 million in gold was mined in the state. California’s census population quadrupled during the 1850s, reaching nearly 380,000 by 1860, and continued to grow at a rate twice that of the nation as a whole in the 1860s and 1870s. One of the most serious problems facing California in the early years of the gold rush was the absence of government. The US Congress, deadlocked over the slavery controversy, failed to provide any form of legal government for California from the end of the Mexican War until its admission as a state in the fall of 1850. Taking matters into their own hands, 48 delegates gathered at a constitutional convention in Monterey in September 1849 to draft a fundamental law for California. To the surprise of many, the convention decided by unanimous vote to exclude slavery from the region. California soon petitioned Congress for admission as a state, having bypassed the preliminary territorial stage. On 9 September 1850, President Millard Fillmore signed the admission bill, and California became the 31st state to enter the union. Statehood The early years of statehood were

marked by racial discrimination and considerable ethnic conflict. The Native American population declined from an estimated 150,000 in 1845 to less than 30,000 by 1870. In 1850, the state legislature enacted a foreign miners’ license tax, aimed at eliminating competition from Mexican and other Latin American miners. The 25,000 Chinese who replaced the Mexicans as the state’s largest foreign minority—making Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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up about one-tenth of the state’s population by 1852—soon became the target of a new round of discrimination. The legislature enacted new taxes aimed at Chinese miners and passed an immigration tax on the Chinese as well. Controversy also centered on the status of the Mexican ranchos, those vast estates created by the Mexican government that totaled more than 13 million acres (5 million hectares) by 1850. In the early years of statehood, thousands of squatters took up residence on the rancho lands. By the time the legal title to the property was confirmed by federal commissions and courts—a process which often took as long as 17 years— the original occupants were often bankrupt and benefited little from the decision. Despite the population boom during the gold rush, California remained isolated from the rest of the country until completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. In the late 19th century, California’s economy became more diversified. The early dependence on gold and silver mining was overcome through the development of large-scale irrigation projects and the expansion of commercial agriculture. The population of southern California boomed in the 1880s, fueled by the success of the new citrus industry, an influx of invalids seeking a warmer climate, and a railroad rate war between the Southern Pacific and the newly completed Santa Fe. Early 20th Century During the early 20th century, California’s population growth became increasingly urban. Between 1900 and 1920, the population of the San Francisco Bay area doubled, while residents of metropolitan Los Angeles increased fivefold. On 18 April 1906, San Francisco’s progress was interrupted by Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the most devastating earthquake ever to strike California. The quake and the fires that raged for three days killed at least 452 people, razed the city’s business section, and destroyed some 28,000 buildings. The survivors immediately set to work to rebuild the city, and completed about 20,000 new buildings within three years. By 1920, the populations of the two urban areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco were roughly equal. During the first half of the 20th century, California’s population growth far outpaced that of the nation as a whole because of the new economic opportunities it offered. In the early 1920s, major discoveries of oil were made in the Los Angeles Basin, and for several years during the decade, California ranked first among the states in production of crude oil. During the 1930s hundreds of thousands of refugees streamed into the state from the dust bowl of the southern Great Plains. The film industry, which offered at least the illusion of prosperity to millions of Americans, continued to prosper during the nationwide economic depression. By 1940 there were more movie theaters in the United States than banks, and the films they showed were almost all California products. During World War II, the enormous expansion of military installations, shipyards, and aircraft plants attracted millions of new residents to California. The war years also saw an increase in the size and importance of ethnic minorities. By 1942, only Mexico City had a larger urban Mexican population than Los Angeles. During the war, more than 93,000 Japanese-Americans in California—most of whom were US citizens and American-born—were interned in “relocation centers” throughout the Far West. 95

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Post–World War II California continued to

grow rapidly during the postwar period, as agricultural, aerospace, and service industries provided new economic opportunities. Politics in the state were influenced by international tensions, and the California legislature expanded the activities of its Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities. Blacklisting became common in the film industry. The early 1950s saw the rise to the US vice presidency of Richard Nixon, whose early campaigns capitalized on fears of Communism. At the beginning of 1963, California (according to census estimates) became the nation’s most populous state. By 1970, however, California’s growth rate had slowed considerably. Economic opportunity gave way to recessions and high unemployment. Pollution of air and water called into question the quality of the California environment. The traditional romantic image of California was overshadowed by reports of mass murders, bizarre religious cults, extremist social and political movements, and racial and campus unrest. In 1968, Richard Nixon became the first native Californian to be elected a US president. Both Ronald Reagan, governor of the state from 1967 to 1975, and Edmund G. Brown Jr., elected governor in 1974 and reelected in 1978, were active candidates for the US presidency in 1980. Reagan was the Republican presidential winner that year and in 1984. 1980s–90s Assisted by the Reagan adminis-

tration’s military build-up, which invested billions of dollars in California’s defense industry, the state’s economy rebounded in the early and mid-1980s. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, 96

however, a recession and cuts in military spending combined to produce a dramatic economic decline. In 1992, the state’s unemployment rate climbed to 10.1%. Jobs in the California aerospace and manufacturing sector dropped by 24%. California’s economic woes were matched by civil disorders. In 1991, an onlooker released a seven-minute videotape which showed a group of Los Angeles police officers beating a black motorist, Rodney King, with nightsticks, at the conclusion of a high-speed freeway chase. The four officers who had been charged with unnecessary brutality were then acquitted (in a jury trial that took place in a mostly white suburb). The verdict set off riots in South Central Los Angeles that killed 60 people and caused an estimated $1 billion in property damage. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, California was also hit by two severe earthquakes. The first, which struck the San Francisco area in 1989, caused the collapse of buildings, bridges, and roadways. As many as 270 people were killed and 100,000 houses were damaged. In 1994, an earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale occurred 20 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, leaving 680,000 people without electricity and causing $13–20 million in property damage. In 1994, anger over illegal immigration led to passage of Proposition 187, which would bar illegal aliens from welfare, education, and nonemergency health services. Passage of the measure prompted immediate challenges in the courts by the opposition. Most of Proposition 187 was ruled unconstitutional in a US district court in 1999. The only part that survived was a provision strengthening the penalties for the manufacJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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ture and use of false documents to conceal illegal immigration status. In 1996, the California Civil Rights Initiative (Proposition 209) was passed, banning the use of racial and sex-based preferences in state-run affirmative action programs. Water and energy were among the major issues faced by the state in 2000. That year, California and six other states were on the verge of an historic agreement that would give Southern California a 15-year deadline to cut its use of the Colorado River in efforts for water conservation. Municipalities began discussing ways to turn wastewater into drinking water. Beginning in 2000, California also experience an energy crisis that saw electricity prices spike to their highest level in 2001. In 2001, California signed $40 billion in long-term power contracts, which were seen as assuring the state’s power supply at reasonable rates. However, after the crisis, when electricity rates fell, these proved to be costly. Gray Davis was reelected for governor in 2002, but by 2003, his popularity ratings had dropped dramatically, due in part to the state’s budget deficit of $38 billion and the handling of the 2000–01 energy crisis. In a 2003 recall election, the first in California history and the second in US history, the Hollywood movie star and political novice Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected to replace Davis. Once in office, Schwarzenegger tackled budget woes by urging the passage of a constitutional amendment to limit government spending. He also repealed an unpopular increase in vehicle license fees and signed a worker’s compensation reform bill into law. In 2006, Schwarzenegger was elected for a second term. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

12

State Government

The first state constitution, adopted in 1849, outlawed slavery and granted property rights to married women in their own name. A new constitution was ratified in 1879, which made lobbying a felony, provided for a more fair system of taxation, for stricter regulation of the railroads, and for an eight-hour workday. This constitution is the one in force today; it had been amended 513 times through 2005. The California legislature consists of a 40member senate and an 80-member assembly. Senators are elected to four-year terms, half of them every two years, and assembly members are elected to two-year terms. Bills, which may be introduced by either house, are referred to committees, and must be read before each house three times. Legislation must be approved by an absolute majority vote of each house, except for appropriations bills, certain urgent measures, and proposed constitutional amendments, which require a two-thirds vote for passage. A governor’s veto may be overridden by two-thirds majority votes in both houses. Constitutional amendments and proposed legislation may also be placed on the ballot through the initiative procedure. For a constitutional amendment, petitions must be signed by at least 8% of the number of voters who took part in the last gubernatorial election; for statutory measures, 5%. In each case, a simple majority vote at the next general election is required for passage. Officials elected statewide include the governor and lieutenant governor (who run separately), secretary of state, attorney general, controller, treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction. Each serves a four-year term. As 97

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Mexicans illegally crossing the United States border. © DAVID TURNLEY/CORBIS.

chief executive officer of the state, the governor is responsible for the state’s policies and programs, appoints department heads and members of state boards and commissions, serves as commander in chief of the California National Guard, may declare states of emergency, and may grant executive clemency to convicted criminals. The lieutenant governor acts as president of the senate and may assume the duties of the governor in case of the latter’s death, resignation, impeachment, inability to discharge the duties of the office, or absence from the state. As of 2004, the governor’s salary was $175,000 and legislative salaries were $99,000 per year. 98

13

Political Parties

As the state with the largest number of US representatives (53 in 2006) and electoral votes (55 in 2004) California plays a key role in national and presidential politics. As of 2004, California had 16,557,000 registered voters, including about 44% Democrat, 35% Republican, and 21% unaffiliated or members of other parties. Even with an advantage in voter registration, however, the Democrats managed to carry California in presidential elections only six times between 1948 and 2004. Also, during the same period only three Democratic governors—Edmund G. “Pat” Brown (in 1958 and 1962), his son, Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown Jr. (in 1974 and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

California

California Governors: 1849–2007 1849–1851 1851–1852 1852–1856 1856–1858 1858–1860 1860 1860–1862 1862–1863 1863–1867 1867–1871 1871–1875 1875 1875–1880 1880–1883 1883–1887 1887 1887–1891 1891–1895 1895–1899 1899–1903 1903–1907 1907–1911

Peter Hardeman Burnett Indep-Dem John McDougal Indep-Dem John Bigler Democrat James Neeley Johnson American John B. Weller Democrat Milton Slocum Latham Lecompton-Dem John Gately Downey Lecompton-Dem Leland Stanford Republican Frederick Ferdinand Low Union-Rep Henry Huntly Haight Democrat Newton Booth Republican Romualdo Pacheco Republican William Irwin Democrat George Clement Perkins Republican George Stoneman Democrat Washington Bartlett Democrat Robert Whitney Waterman Republican Henry Harrison Markham Republican James Herbert Budd Democrat Henry Tifft Gage Republican George Cooper Pardee Republican James Norris Gillett Republican

1978), and Gray Davis (in 1998 and 2002)— were elected. Three times Californians gave their presidential electoral votes to a California Republican, Richard Nixon, though they turned down his bid for governor in 1962. They elected one former film actor, Republican George Murphy, as US senator in 1964, and two others— Republican Ronald Reagan as governor in 1966 and 1970 and as president in 1980 and 1984, and Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor in 2003 and 2006. In the 2000 presidential election, Democrat Al Gore won 53% of the popular vote, while Republican challenger George W. Bush received 42%. Others received 4% of the votes. Political third parties have had remarkable success in California since the days of the secretive, anti-foreign, anti-Catholic, Native Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1911–1917 1917–1923 1923–1927 1927–1931 1931–1934 1934–1939 1939–1943 1943–1953 1953–1959 1959–1967 1967–1975 1975–1983 1983–1991 1991–1999 1999–2003 2003–

Hiram Warren Johnson William Dennison Stephens Friend William Richardson Clement Calhoun Young James Rolph, Jr. Frank Finley Merriam Culbert Levy Olson Earl Warren Goodwin Jess Knight Edmund Gerald Brown, Sr. Ronald Wilson Reagan Edmund Gerald Brown, Jr. George Deukmejian Peter Barton Wilson Gray Davis Arnold Schwarzenegger

Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican

Independent Democrat – Indep-Dem Lecompton Democrat – Lecompton-Dem Union Republican – Union-Rep

American Party. The latter was called the KnowNothing party because members were instructed to say they “knew nothing” when asked what they stood for. They elected one of their leaders, J. Neely Johnson, as governor in 1855. The most impressive third-party triumph came in 1912, when the Progressive Party’s presidential candidate, Theodore Roosevelt, and his vice-presidential nominee, Governor Hiram Johnson, defeated both the Republican and Democratic candidates among state voters. During the depression year of 1934, the Socialist Party leader and novelist Upton Sinclair won the Democratic nomination for governor on his “End Poverty In California” program. Sinclair received nearly one million votes while losing to Republican Frank Merriam. Both US senators in 2006 were women: Democrat Barbara Boxer, who won reelection in 99

California

2004; and Democrat Dianne Feinstein, elected in 1992 to replace Senator Pete Wilson when he was elected governor in 1990. Feinstein won re-election in 2006. In the 110th Congress, California’s delegation of US Representatives consisted of 34 Democrats and 19 Republicans. Democrat Nancy Pelosi was elected House Minority Leader in 2003. Following the 2006 midterm elections, Pelosi was elected the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives. After a 16-year gap, Democrats regained the governorship in 1998 with the election of Lieutenant-Governor Gray Davis. He won reelection in 2002, but was recalled in October 2003, the second governor to be recalled in US history. The actor and Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor, and reelected in 2006. After the 2006 elections, the Democrats held 24 state senate seats to the Republicans’ 16. The Democrats controlled the house with 48 seats to the Republicans’ 32. Minority groups of all types are represented in California politics. Following the 2006 elections, there were 37 women in the state legislature, or 30.8%. Two of the most prominent black elected officials include Los Angeles Mayor Thomas Bradley, who served from 1973–90, and San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr., who began his first term in 1996 and won reelection in 1999. In 2005, Antonio R. Villaraigosa was elected California’s first Latino mayor since 1872. Organized groups of homosexuals became involved in San Francisco politics during the 1970s. 100

14

Local Government

As of 2005, California had 58 counties, 475 municipal governments, 985 public school districts, and 2,830 special districts. County government is administered by an elected board of supervisors. Government operations are administered by several elected officials, the number varying according to the population of the county. Most counties have a district attorney, assessor, treasurer-tax collector, superintendent of schools, sheriff, and coroner. Municipalities are governed under the mayor-council, council-manager, or commission system. Most large cities are run by councils of from 5 to 15 members responsible for taxes, public improvements, and the budget. An elected mayor supervises city departments and appoints most city officials.

15

Judicial System

California has a complex judicial system and a very large correctional system. The state’s highest court is the supreme court, which may review appeals court decisions and superior court cases involving the death penalty. The high court has a chief justice and six associate justices, all of whom serve 12-year terms. Courts of appeal, organized in six districts, review decisions of superior courts and, in certain cases, of municipal and justice courts. There were 93 district appeals court judgeships as of 1999. Superior courts in each of the 58 county seats have original jurisdiction in felony, juvenile, probate, and domestic relations cases, as well as in civil cases involving more than $15,000. They also handle some tax and misdemeanor cases and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

California

California Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

CALIFORNIA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

PROHIBITION

1948

*Truman (D)

1,913,134

1,895,269

190,381

3,459

16,926

SOC. LABOR

1952 1956 1960 1964

*Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)

2,197,548 2,420,135 3,224,099 4,171,877

2,897,310 3,027,668 3,259,722 2,879,108

24,692 — — —

273 300 1,051 489

16,117 11,119 21,706 —

1968

*Nixon (R)

3,244,318

3,467,664

—

27,707

—

AMERICAN

PEOPLE’S

LIBERTARIAN

1972

*Nixon (R)

3,475,847

4,602,096

232,554

55,167

980

1976

Ford (R)

3,742,284

3,882,244

41,731

56,388

PEACE/FREEDOM

COMMUNIST

12,766

CITIZENS PEACE/FREEDOM

1980

*Reagan (R)

3,039,532

4,444,044

9,687

60,059

17,797

1984 1988

*Reagan (R) *Bush (R)

3,922,519 4,702,233

5,467,009 5,054,917

NEW ALLIANCE

26,297 —

49,951 70,105

18,597

48,139

31,181 IND. (PEROT)

1992

*Clinton (D)

5,121,325

3,630,574

2,296,006

GREEN (NADER)

1996

*Clinton (D)

5,119,835

3,828,380

697,847

237,016

73,600 LIBERTARIAN

2000 Gore (D) 2004 Kerry (D) * Won US presidential election.

5,861,203 6,745,485

4,567,429 5,509,826

appeals from lower courts. Municipal courts, located in judicial districts with populations of more than 40,000, hear misdemeanors (except those involving juveniles) and civil cases involving $15,000 or less. In districts with less than 40,000 population, justice courts have jurisdiction similar to that of municipal courts. All trial court judges are elected to six-year terms. As of December 2004 there were 166,556 prisoners in state and federal prisons in California, an increase of 1.3% from the previous year. The State Department of Corrections maintains 32 state prisons and 38 minimum custody facilities in wilderness areas where inmates are trained to Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

418,707 —

28 —

45,520 —

fight wildfires. According to the FBI, California’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 551.8 reported incidents per 100,000 population. In that year, crimes against property were reported at a rate of 3,419 per 100,000 people.

16

Migration

A majority of Californians today are migrants from other states. The first great wave of migration, beginning in 1848, brought at least 85,000 gold prospectors by 1850. Perhaps 20,000 of them were foreign-born, mostly from Europe, Canada, Mexico, and South America, as well as a few from the Hawaiian Islands and China. 101

California

Many thousands of Chinese were brought in during the latter half of the 19th century to work on farms and railroads. When Chinese immigration was banned by the US Congress in 1882, Japanese migration provided farm labor. These ambitious workers soon opened shops in the cities and bought land for small farms. By 1940, about 94,000 Japanese lived in California. During the depression of the 1930s, approximately 350,000 migrants came to California, most of them looking for work. Many thousands of people came there during World War II to take jobs in the burgeoning war industries. After the war, some 300,000 discharged servicemen settled in the state. The bulk of post-war foreign immigration has come from neighboring Mexico. At first, Mexicans were brought in legally to supply seasonal labor for California growers. Later, hundreds of thousands of illegal Mexican immigrants crossed the border in search of jobs. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 1,415,879 and net internal migration was -664,460, for a net gain of 751,419 people.

17

Economy

California leads the 50 states in economic output and total personal income. In the 1960s, when it became the nation’s most populous state, California surpassed Iowa in agricultural production and New York in manufacturing. The Gold Rush of the mid-19th century made mining the principal economic activity and gave impetus to agriculture and manufacturing. Many unsuccessful miners took up farming or went to work for the big cattle ranches and wheat growers. In the 1870s, California became 102

the most important cattle-raising state and the second-leading wheat producer. Manufacturing outstripped both mining and agriculture to produce goods valued at $258 million by 1900, and ten times that by 1925. Thanks to a rapidly growing work force, industrial output continued to expand during and after both world wars, while massive irrigation projects enabled farmers to make full use of the state’s rich soil and favorable climate. By the late 1970s, one of every four California workers was employed in high-technology industry. California has long ranked first among the states in defense-related manufacturing, and by the mid-1980s, contracts awarded to California firms surpassed the combined totals of New York and Texas. From its beginnings in the late 18th century, California’s wine industry has grown to encompass some 500 wineries. By the early 1980s, they accounted for about 90% of total US production. By the mid-1980s, California had surpassed Chicago to rank second in advertising among the states. Its highly diversified economy has made California less sensitive to national recessions than most other states. During the first half of the 1980s, the state generally outperformed the national economy. The boom was short-lived, however. Cuts in the military budget in the late 1980s, a decline in Japanese investment, and the national recession in the early 1990s had a devastating impact on the state, particularly on southern California. The aerospace and construction industries were especially hit hard with job losses. Stock market growth in high technology industries led economic activity in the late Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

California

1990s. By the time the national recession hit in 2001, the San Francisco Bay area experienced its worst economic recession in 50 years, due in part to the decline in high-technology manufacturing and software industries prevalent in the area. In 2003, California was facing a $38 billion budget deficit, which was a factor in Governor Gray Davis’s recall. In 2004, a total of 117,016 new businesses were formed and business termination totaled 143,115.

18

Income

In 2005, the gross state product (GSP) was estimated at $1.62 billion, ranking first in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, the per capita personal income was estimated at $35,219. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04, was $49,894 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 13.2% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

19

Industry

California is the nation’s leading industrial state, ranking first in almost every general manufacturing category: number of establishments, number of employees, total payroll, value of shipments, and new capital spending. California ranks among the leaders in machinery, fabricated metals, agricultural products, food processing, computers, aerospace technology, and many other industries. Computers and aerospace manufacturers stand out among California’s largest publicly owned corporations. Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, Tandem Computers, Varian Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Associates, and Silicon Graphics are leading names of the Silicon Valley (Santa Clara County) area just south of San Francisco. Southern California’s manufacturing leaders are Rockwell International, Lockheed, Northrop, and Computers Sciences. California’s motion-picture producing industry is based primarily in Los Angeles. A 1999 research report shows the film and TV production industry generating an annual payroll of 13.4 billion, paying $14.6 billion to suppliers, and providing jobs to 475,000 Californians. As of 2004, computers and electronics manufacturing was the most important manufacturing sector, followed by food manufacturing, transportation equipment, petroleum and coal products, and chemical products.

20

Labor

California has the largest work force in the nation and the greatest number of employed workers. In April 2006, the civilian labor force in California numbered 17,735,300, with approximately 870,400 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.9%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, 6.1% of the labor force was employed in construction; 10% in manufacturing; 18.9% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.2% in financial activities; 14.6% in professional and business services; 10.7% in education and health services; 10.1% in leisure and hospitality services, and 16.2% in government. The labor movement in California was discredited by acts of violence during its early years, including bombings initiated by labor organizers. Unionism revived during the depression of the 1930s. In Los Angeles, unions in such industries 103

California

as automobiles, aircraft, rubber, and oil refining obtained bargaining rights, higher wages, and fringe benefits during and after World War II. In 1958, the California Labor Federation was organized and labor unions have since increased both their membership and their benefits. In 2005, 2,424,000 of California’s 14,687,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 17.8% of those so employed. The national average is 12%. In 2006, the state mandated minimum wage was $6.75 per hour. San Francisco has its own mandated minimum wage of $8.50 per hour. Of all working groups, migrant farm workers have been the most difficult to organize because their work is seasonal and because they are largely members of minority groups, mostly Mexicans, with few skills and limited job opportunities. During the 1960s, a Mexican-American “stoop” laborer named Cesar Chavez established the National Farm Workers Association (later the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, now the United Farm Workers of America), which, after a long struggle, won bargaining rights from grape, lettuce, and berry growers in the San Joaquin Valley.

21

Agriculture

The Spanish missions and Mexican ranchos were farming centers until the mid-19th century, when large ranches and farms began to produce cattle, grain, and cotton for the national market. The citrus industry was established in the 1870s. European settlers planted vineyards on the slopes of the Sonoma and Napa valleys, beginning California’s wine industry, which today produces over 90% of US domestic wines. Around 1900, 104

intensive irrigation transformed the dry, sandy Imperial Valley in southeastern California into a garden of abundance for specialty crops. Since World War II, corporate farming, or agribusiness, has largely replaced small single-family farms. The state grows approximately 55% of all fruits and vegetables marketed in the United States. Famous for its specialty crops, California produces virtually all (99% or more) of the following crops grown commercially in the United States: almonds, artichokes, avocados, clovers, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, and English walnuts. California’s total cash farm receipts for 2005 amounted to $31.9 billion. In 2004, California devoted nearly one-third of its land area to agricultural production with 77,000 farms comprising 27.7 million acres (11.2 million hectares. Irrigation is essential for farming in California, with about 10% of all cropland using irrigation. The leading crops in 2004 included greenhouse and nursery products, grapes, and almonds. These three commodities accounted for 26% of the state’s crop receipts that year. Other important crops include cotton, lettuce, hay, tomatoes, flowers and foliage, strawberries, oranges, rice, broccoli, walnuts, carrots, celery, and cantaloupe.

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California is a leading producer of livestock and dairy products. In 2005 there were an estimated 5.4 million cattle and calves valued at $6.1 billion. There were 140,000 hogs and pigs on California farms and ranches in 2004, valued at $18.2 million. In 2003 California produced 49.7 million pounds (22.6 million kilograms) Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

California

Vineyards in the Carneros District, Napa Valley. ROBERT HOLMES.

of sheep and lambs for a gross income of $69.8 million. In 2003, California was the leading milk producer among the 50 states with 35.4 billion pounds (16.1 billion kilograms) of milk produced. Milk cows, raised mainly in the southern interior, totaled 1.69 million head in the same year. California ranked fourth among the 50 states in egg production in 2003, with an output of 5.38 billion eggs. In 2003, California produced 418.7 million pounds (190.3 million kilograms) of turkey, which was valued at $150.7 million.

23

Fishing

The Pacific whaling industry, with its chief port at San Francisco, was important to the California Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

economy in the 19th century and commercial fishing is still central to the food-processing industry. In 2004, California ranked fifth in the nation in commercial fishing volume, with a catch of 378.6 million pounds (172 million kilograms), valued at $139 million. Los Angeles ranked 17th in the nation among fishing ports (in terms of volume) with landings totaling 92.4 million pounds (42 million kilograms). In 2004, California catches accounted for 97% of US landings of chub mackerel. Salmon landings totaled 7 million pounds (3.2 million kilograms), the fourth largest volume in the nation. The state was also second in volume of Dungeness crab landings with 24.8 million pounds (11.3 million kilograms). California was the leading state in squid catches at 87.3 million pounds (40.6 million kilograms). In 2003, there 105

California

were 364 processing and wholesale plants in the state. In 2002, the California fishing fleet numbered 2,198 boats and vessels. Deep-sea fishing is a popular sport. World records for giant sea bass, California halibut, white catfish, and sturgeon have been set in California. There were 2,024,709 anglers licensed in the state in 2004.

24

Forestry

California has more forests than any other state except Alaska. Forested lands in 2003 covered 40,233,000 acres (16,282,000 hectares). Forests are concentrated in the northwestern part of the state and in the eastern Sierra Nevada. In 2003, commercial forestland in private hands was estimated at 17,781,000 acres (7,196,000 hectares). An additional 18,515,000 acres (7,493,000 hectares) were US Forest Service lands and 2,208,000 acres (893,600 hectares) were regulated by the Bureau of Land Management. In 2004, lumber production totaled 2.9 billion board feet (fifth in the United States), mostly such softwoods as fir, pine, cedar, and redwood. About half of the state’s forests are protected as national forests and state parks or recreational areas. Although stands of coast redwood trees have been preserved in national and state parks since the late 19th century, only about 46% of the original 2 million acres (800,000 hectares) of redwoods between Monterey Bay and southern Oregon remain. Reforestation of public lands is supervised by the National Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry. As of 2005, there were 21 national forests in California. The total area within their boundaries in California amounted 106

to 24,430,000 acres (9,886,821 hectares), of which 85% was National Forest System land.

25

Mining

In 2004, California ranked first in the nation in the value of nonfuel minerals produced with a total of $3.76 billion. Industrial minerals accounted for 99% of the nonfuel mineral production value, with the rest supplied by gold, silver, and iron ore. California was the only state to produce boron minerals and led the nation in production of construction sand and gravel. Construction sand and gravel was also California’s leading nonfuel mineral, accounting for more than 34% of the state nonfuel mineral production value. Cement (portland and masonry) was the second-leading nonfuel mineral followed by boron minerals, crushed stone, diatomite, and soda ash. Together these six commodities had the most influence on California’s nonfuel mineral industry. In 2004, the state produced 7,187 pounds (3,260 kilograms) of gold, valued at $43 million. Silver output that year was 1,765 pounds (801 kilograms). In 2004, California had about 1,156 mines actively producing nonfuel minerals, which employed about 11,000 people.

26

Energy and Power

In 2003, total electrical output was 192.7 billion kilowatt hours. About 47.4% of all electric power generated came from gas-fired plants, with hydroelectric plants in second place at 18.9% and nuclear plants at 18.5%. In 2003, retail sales of electric power in the state totaled 238.7 billion kilowatt hours. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

California

As of 2006, California had two operating nuclear power facilities: the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant near San Luis Obispo and the San Onofre facility near San Clemente. California’s proven oil reserves as of 2004 were estimated at more than 3.3 billion barrels, 16% of the US total, while output that same year averaged 656,000 barrels per day. Marketed gas production in 2004 totaled 319 billion cubic feet (9.08 billion cubic meters).

27

Commerce

The state’s retail sales exceeded $359.1 billion in 2002. Principal retail sectors were clothing and clothing accessories, food and beverage stores, miscellaneous store retailers, motor vehicle and automotive parts dealers, and health and personal care stores. Wholesale trade sales were $655.9 billion in 2002. Durable goods wholesalers were the most prominent, followed by nondurable goods, and electronic markets. Foreign trade is important to the California economy. Goods exported from California were valued at $116 billion in 2005. Leading exports include data-processing equipment, electrical tubes and transistors, scientific equipment, measuring instruments, optical equipment, aircraft parts, and spacecraft. California’s leading agricultural export is cotton. San Francisco and San Jose have been designated as federal foreign-trade zones, where imported goods may be stored duty-free for reshipment abroad, or customs duties avoided until the goods are actually marketed in the United States. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

28

Public Finance

The state budget is prepared by the Department of Finance and presented by the governor to the state legislature for approval. The constitution requires that the governor submit a balanced budget and it is a statutory requirement that the governor sign a balanced budget. The legislature is supposed to adopt a budget by June 15, but California law requires a two-thirds supermajority to pass the budget. The state’s fiscal year begins 1 July and ends 30 June. In 2004, California had the largest state budget in the nation with total revenues of over $229 billion and state expenditures of $203 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($59 billion), public welfare ($46 billion), and health ($9 billion). California’s total public debt exceeded $102 billion, or $2,868.50 per person.

29

Taxation

In 2005, California ranked ninth in the nation for per capita tax burden at $2,724, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person. The state’s six progressive income tax brackets range from 1% to 9.3%. The state corporate income tax on general corporations is 8.84%. The state sales tax is 6.25% on retail sales (with exceptions for food purchased for consumption offpremises). Local sales taxes can reach as much as 2.65%, for a potential total tax on retail sales of 8.9%. Selective sales taxes are added to cigarettes and gasoline. In 2005, state taxes collected totaled $98.4 billion, of which 43.7% was from income taxes, 30.4% from the general sales tax, 7.8% from selective sales taxes, 8.8% from corporate taxes, 107

California

2.2% from state property taxes, and 7% from other taxes.

30

Health

California’s infant death rate for 2005 was 5 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2002 was 6.7 per 1,000 population. In 2002, death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 195.9; cancer, 154.2; cerebrovascular diseases, 50.2; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 36.1; and diabetes, 19.4. In 2004, 14.8% of the population were smokers. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported at 4.1 per 100,000. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 13 per 100,000. In 2003, California had 370 community hospitals with 74,300 beds. There were 261 physicians for every 100,000 people in 2004 and 626 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were 26,692 dentists in the state. In 2003, the average expense per inpatient day for a hospital in the state amounted to $1,763. Medi-Cal is a statewide program that pays for the medical care of persons who otherwise could not afford it. California has also been a leader in developing new forms of health care, including the health maintenance organization (HMO), which provides preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment for which the patient pays a fixed annual premium. In 2004, 19% of the population in the state was uninsured.

31

Housing

The earliest homes in southern California were Spanish colonial structures renowned for their 108

simplicity and harmony with the landscape. Their thick adobe walls were covered with whitewashed mud plaster. Some adobe houses dating from the 1830s still stand in coastal cities and towns, particularly Monterey. During the 1850s, houses of wood, brick, and stone sprang up in the mining towns. About 1900, the California bungalow, with overhanging eaves and low windows, began to sweep the state and then the nation. The fusion of Spanish adobe structures and traditional American wooden construction appeared in the 1930s and “California style” houses gained great popularity throughout the West. In 2004, California ranked first in the country for the number of housing units, with 12,804,702 units. About 11,972,158 were occupied with about 58.6% being owner-occupied. About 57.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes and about 11% of dwellings were in buildings with 20 or more units. It was estimated that about 253,281 units were without telephone service, 54,412 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 91,851 lacked complete kitchen facilities. While most homes used gas or electricity as a heating fuel, about 261,527 households relied on wood and about 9,112 employed solar heating. California ranked first in the nation for highest home values in 2004 when the median value of a one-family home was $391,102. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was about $1,733 while the cost for renters was at a median of about $914.

32

Education

In 2004, 81.3% of Californians age 25 and older were high school graduates. Some 31.7% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

California

Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 6,356,000 in fall 2002. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 623,105. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $60 billion, or $7,748 per student. As of fall 2002, there were 2,474,024 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. As of 2005, California had 401 degreegranting institutions. The University of California has its main campus at Berkeley and branches at Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles (UCLA), Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. The Hastings College of Law is also part of the UC system. The California state college and university system is not be confused with the University of California. California’s state universities include those at Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose; locations of state colleges include Bakersfield, San Bernardino, and Stanislaus. Privately endowed institutions with the largest student enrollments are the University of Southern California (USC) and Stanford University. Other independent institutions are Occidental College in Los Angeles, Mills College at Oakland, Whittier College, the Claremont consortium of colleges (including Harvey Mudd College, Pomona College, and Claremont McKenna College), and the California Institute of Technology at Pasadena. California has several Roman Catholic colleges and universities, including Loyola Marymount University of Los Angeles.

33

Arts

The arts have always thrived in California. The San Francisco Institute of Arts was founded in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1874. The Monterey-Carmel artists’ colony sprang up in the early years of the 20th century. Other art colonies developed later in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Laguna Beach, San Diego, and La Jolla. The first theater building was opened in 1849 in Sacramento by the Eagle Theater Co. Today, California theater groups with national reputations include the American Conservatory Theater of San Francisco, Berkeley Repertory Theater, Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and Old Globe Theater of San Diego. The first commercial films were made in New York City and New Jersey in the 1890s, but within a few decades Hollywood had become synonymous with the new art form. In 1915, D. W. Griffith produced the classic silent film The Birth of a Nation, which was both a popular and an artistic success. Motion picture theaters sprang up all over the country and an avalanche of motion pictures was produced in Hollywood by such increasingly powerful studios as Warner Brothers, Fox, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In the 1960s, Hollywood replaced New York City as the main center for the production of television programs. Among the many composers who came to Hollywood to write film music were Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and John Williams. Symphonic music is well established. In addition to the renowned Los Angeles Philharmonic, whose permanent conductors have included Zubin Mehta and Carlo Maria Giulini, there are the San Francisco Symphony and other professional symphonic orchestras in Oakland and San Jose. Some 180 semiprofessional or amateur orchestras have been organized in other communities. Resident opera companies perform regularly in San Francisco and San Diego. Annual 109

California

musical events include the Sacramento and Monterey jazz festivals and summer concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. California has also played a major role in the evolution of popular music since the 1960s. The “surf sound” of the Beach Boys dominated California pop music in the mid-1960s. By 1967, the “acid rock” of bands like the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane (later Jefferson Starship), and the Doors had started to gain national recognition—and that year the heralded “summer of love” in San Francisco attracted young people from throughout the country. Los Angeles is a main center of the popular music industry, with numerous recording studios and branch offices of the leading record companies. California has nurtured generations of writers, many of whom moved there from other states. In 1864, Mark Twain, a Missourian, came to California as a newspaperman. The writer most strongly associated with California is Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck, a Salinas native. In the 1950s, San Francisco was the gathering place for a group later known as the Beats (or “Beat Generation”) that included Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. The California Arts Council using state and federal funds to promote state arts organizations. The California Council for the Humanities has offices in San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. California is also a member state of the regional Western States Arts Federation. In 2005, the National Endowment for the Arts issued 303 grants totaling $8,459,000 to California arts organizations. 110

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As of 2001, California had 179 public library systems with 1,063 libraries that held over 67.2 million volumes and had a circulation of over 172 million. California has three of the largest public library systems in the nation, along with some of the country’s finest private collections. The Los Angeles Public Library System had 5,811,492 volumes in 1998; the San Francisco Public Library, 2,137,618; and the San Diego Public Library, 2,670,375. Stanford’s Hoover Institution has a notable collection of research materials on the Russian Revolution, World War I, and worldwide relief efforts thereafter. The University of California library at Berkeley is an outstanding academic library. California has nearly 576 museums and over 50 public gardens. Outstanding museums include the California Museum of Science and Industry, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the San Diego Museum of Man, the California State Indian Museum in Sacramento, the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, and the J. Paul Getty Museum at Malibu. Among historic sites are Sutter’s Mill, northeast of Sacramento, where gold was discovered in 1848, and a restoration of the Mission of San Diego de Alcala, where in 1769 the first of California’s Franciscan missions was established. San Diego has an excellent zoo and San Francisco’s Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens has beautiful displays of Asian, Mediterranean, and California flora. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

California

35

Communications

Mail service in California, begun in 1851 by means of mule-drawn wagons, was soon taken over by stagecoach companies. The need for speedier delivery led to the founding of the Pony Express in April 1860, operating between San Francisco and Missouri. The Pony Express functioned for only 16 months, however, before competition from the first transcontinental telegraph line (between San Francisco and New York) put it out of business. California has more telephones than any other state. In 2004, 96% of all the households in the state had telephones. The same year, there were over 21.5 million wireless phone subscribers. When motion picture stars began doubling as radio performers in the 1930s, Hollywood emerged as a center of radio network broadcasting. California ranks second in the United States in the number of commercial television stations and radio stations (after Texas). In 2005 there were 241 FM and 81 AM major radio stations and 67 major television stations. In 1999, Los Angeles alone had 3,392,820 cable television households (65% of television-owning households). In 2003, 66.3% of all households had a computer and 59.6% had access to the Internet. A total of 1,511,571 Internet domain names had been registered in California by the year 2000, the most of any state.

36

Press

In 2005, California had 68 morning dailies and 23 evening dailies; 61 newspapers had Sunday editions. Los Angeles publishes one of the nation’s most influential dailies, the Los Angeles Times, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

which was the fourth-largest daily paper in the nation in 2004. San Francisco has long been the heart of the influential Hearst newspaper chain. Leading newspapers, with 2005 daily circulation figures, are the Los Angeles Times (902,164); the San Francisco Chronicle (506,022); the San Diego Union Tribune (366,740); and the Orange County Register (303,418). In 2005, there were about 305 weekly publications. California has more book publishers (about 225) than any state except New York. Among the many magazines published in the state are Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, Motor Trend, PC World, Runner’s World, and Sierra.

37


California’s scenic wonders attract millions of state residents, out-of-state visitors, and foreign tourists each year. In 2004, tourism was the state’s third-largest employer, with direct ravel spending in the state reaching $82.5 billion. In 2003, the state hosted about 4 million international visitors. There are 11 Official California Welcome Centers. There are also five international travel trade offices (in Brazil, Australia, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom). The San Francisco and Los Angeles metropolitan areas offer the most popular tourist attractions. San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, and Ghirardelli Square are popular for shopping and dining. Tourists also frequent the city’s unique cable cars, splendid museums, Opera House, and Golden Gate Bridge. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area comprises 68 square miles (176 square kilometers) on both sides of the entrance to San Francisco Bay and includes the National Maritime Museum with seven historic ships, and the Muir Woods, 111

California

Gateway to Chinatown Plaza, Los Angeles. JEFF HYMAN.

located 17 miles (27 kilometers) north of the city. The Los Angeles area has the state’s principal tourist attractions. These include the Disneyland amusement center at Anaheim, and Hollywood, which features visits to motion-picture and television studios and sight-seeing tours of film stars’ homes in Beverly Hills. One of Hollywood’s most popular spots is Mann’s (formerly Grauman’s) Chinese Theater, where the impressions of famous movie stars’ hands and feet (and sometimes paws or hooves) are embedded in concrete. Southwest of Hollywood, the Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area was created by Congress in 1978 as the country’s largest urban park, covering 150,000 acres (61,000 hectares). 112

The rest of the state offers numerous tourist attractions, including 21 national parks. These include Redwood, Yosemite, and Sequoia national parks—some of the largest and most beautiful parks in the United States—and Lake Tahoe, on the Nevada border.

38

Sports

There are more professional sports teams in California than in any other state. The state’s five baseball teams are the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres, the Oakland Athletics, and the Anaheim Angels. Football teams are the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers, and the San Diego Chargers. The Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Golden State Warriors, and the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

California

‘Olympiad 1984’ sculpture in front of Stuart Ketchum Hall in Los Angeles. JEFF HYMAN.

Sacramento Kings play in the National Basketball Association, while the Los Angeles Sparks and Sacramento Monarchs play in the Women’s National Basketball Association. Hockey teams include the Los Angeles Kings, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, and the San Jose Sharks. The Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes play in Major League Soccer. Another popular professional sport is horse racing at such well-known tracks as Santa Anita and Hollywood Park. Because of the moderate climate, there is racing practically year round. An auto racing track was built in Fontana and now hosts a NASCAR Winston Cup event in April. The track at Sears Point Raceway hosts a NASCAR Winston Cup event in June. California’s collegiate teams have been very successful. The University of Southern Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

California’s baseball team won five consecutive national championships between 1970 and 1974. Its football team has won the Rose Bowl over 20 times, most recently in 2004. The UCLA basketball team has won 10 titles in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

39

Famous Californians

Richard Milhous Nixon (1913–1994) is the only native-born Californian ever elected to the presidency. Elected to his first term in 1968, he scored a resounding reelection victory four years later, but within a year his administration was beset by the Watergate scandal. On 9 August 1974, after the House Judiciary Committee had voted articles of impeachment, Nixon became the first president ever to resign the office. 113

California

The nation’s 31st president, Herbert Hoover (b.Iowa, 1874–1964), moved to California as a young man. Former film actor Ronald Reagan (b.Illinois, 1911–2004) served two terms as state governor (1967–1975) before becoming president in 1981. He was elected to a second presidential term in 1984. In 1953, Earl Warren (1891–1974) became the first Californian to serve as chief justice of the US Supreme Court (1953–69). Warren, a native of Los Angeles, was elected three times to the California governorship and served in that office (1943–53) longer than any other person. Californians have won Nobel Prizes in several categories. Linus Pauling (b.Oregon, 1901– 1994) won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1954 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962. The leading figure among the state’s newspaper editors and publishers was William Randolph Hearst (1863–1951), whose publishing empire began with the San Francisco Examiner. Pioneers of the state’s electronics industry include David Packard (b.Colorado, 1912–1996) and William R. Hewlett (b.Michigan, 1913–2001). Stephen Wozniak (b.1950) and Steven Jobs (b.1955) were cofounders of Apple Computer. Other prominent business leaders include clothier Levi Strauss (b.Germany, 1830–1902) and cosmetics manufacturer Max Factor (b.Poland, 1877–1938). California has been home to a great many creative artists. John Steinbeck (1902–1968), the only native-born Californian to win the Nobel Prize for literature in 1962. Other native California writers include adventure writer Jack London (1876–1916), novelist and dramatist William Saroyan (1908–1981), and novelistessayist Joan Didion (b.1934). One California114

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. AP IMAGES.

born writer whose life and works were divorced from his place of birth was Robert Frost (1874– 1963), a native of San Francisco. Important composers who have lived and worked in California include native John Cage (1912–1992), and immigrants Arnold Schoenberg (b.Austria, 1874–1951) and Igor Stravinsky (b.Russia, 1882–1971). Among the many popular musicians who live and record in the state are California natives David Crosby (b.1941), Randy Newman (b.1943), and Beach Boys Brian (b.1942) and Carl (1946–1998) Wilson. Immigrant painters include landscape artist Albert Bierstadt (b.Germany, 1830–1902), Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

California

as well as abstract painter Hans Hofmann (b.Germany, 1880–1966). Native Californians on the screen include child actress Shirley Temple (later married to Charles Black, b.1928) and such greats as Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jean Baker, 1926–1962). Other longtime residents of the state include John Wayne (Marion Michael Morrison, b.Iowa, 1907–1979), Bette Davis (b.Massachusetts, 1908–1989), and Clark Gable (b.Ohio, 1901–1960). California-born athletes have excelled in every professional sport. A representative sampling includes Baseball Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio (1914–1999), along with Richard A. “Pancho” Gonzales (1928–1995) and Billie Jean (Moffitt) King (b.1943) in tennis, Frank Gifford (b.1930) in football, and Mark Spitz (b.1950) in swimming. Robert B. “Bob” Mathias (b.1930) won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Altman, Linda Jacobs. California. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006.


Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Green, Carl R. The California Trail to Gold in American History. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2000. Harder, Dan. A Child’s California. Portland, OR: WestWinds, 2000. Lommel, Cookie. James Oglethorpe. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. California Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. California. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Parker, Janice. California. Mankato, MN: Weigl, 2000. Stanley, Jerry. Hurry Freedom: African Americans in Gold Rush California. New York: Crown, 2000. WEB SITES California Travel and Tourism Commission. California: Find Yourself Here. www. visitcalifornia.com (accessed March 1.2007. State of California. CA.gov: Welcome to the State of California. www.ca.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).

115

Colorado State of Colorado

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : From the Spanish word

colorado, meaning red or reddish brown. The Colorado River often runs red during flood stages. N I CKNAME : The Centennial State. C AP ITAL: Denver. ENT ERED UNION: 1 August 1876 (38th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The coat of arms surrounded by the words “State of Colorado 1876.” FLAG: Superimposed on three equal horizontal bands of blue, white, and blue is a large red “C” encircling a golden disk. C OAT OF ARMS: The upper portion of a heraldic shield shows three snow-capped mountains surrounded by clouds; the lower portion has a miner’s pick and shovel crossed. Above the shield are an eye of God and a Roman fasces, symbolizing the republican form of government; the state motto is below. M OT TO: Nil sine numine (Nothing without providence). SONG: “Where the Columbines Grow.” FLOWER: Columbine. TREE: Blue spruce. A NIMAL: Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. B IRD: Lark bunting. FISH: Greenback cutthroat trout. G E M: Aquamarine. FOSSIL: Stegasaurus. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Cesar Chavez Day, 31 March; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Colorado Day, 1st Monday in August; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November in even-numbered years; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States, Colorado ranks eighth in size among the 50 states. The state’s total area is 104,091 square miles (269,596 square kilometers), of which 103,595 square miles (268,311 square kilometers) consist of land and 496 square miles (1,285 square kilometers) are inland waters. Shaped in an almost perfect rectangle, 117

Colorado

Colorado extends 387 miles (623 kilometers) east-west and 276 miles (444 kilometers) northsouth. The total length of Colorado’s boundaries is 1,307 miles (2,103 kilometers).

2

Topography

With a mean average elevation of 6,800 feet (2,074 meters), Colorado is the nation’s highest state. Dominating the state are the Rocky Mountains. Colorado has 54 peaks 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) or higher, including Elbert, the highest in the Rockies at 14,433 feet (4,402 meters), and Pikes Peak, at 14,110 feet (4,301 meters). The entire eastern third of the state is part of the western Great Plains, a high plateau that includes Colorado’s lowest point, 3,350 feet (1,022 meters), on the Arkansas River. Slightly west of the state’s geographic center, is the Continental Divide, which separates the Rockies into the Eastern and Western slopes. Several glaciers, including Arapahoe, St. Mary’s, Andrews, and Taylor, are located on peaks at or near the Continental Divide. Colorado’s western region is mostly mesa country—broad, flat plateaus accented by deep ravines and gorges, with many subterranean caves. The Yampa and Green gorges are located in the northwestern corner of the state. Blue Mesa Reservoir in Gunnison County is Colorado’s largest lake. Six major river systems originate in Colorado: the Colorado River, which runs southwest from the Rockies to Utah; the South Platte, northeast to Nebraska; the North Platte, north to Wyoming; the Rio Grande, south to New Mexico; and the Arkansas and Republican, east to Kansas. Dams on these rivers provide irrigation for the state’s farmland 118

Colorado Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

4,753,377 10.5% 19.5% 97.4% 83.5% 3.6% 0.9% 2.6% 0.1% 6.7% 2.6%


45 to 64 (24%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (31%)

Major Cities by Population City Denver Colorado Springs Aurora Lakewood Fort Collins Thornton Westminster Arvada Pueblo Centennial

Population

% change 2000–05

557,917 369,815 297,235 140,671 128,026 105,182 105,084 103,966 103,495 98,243

0.6 2.5 7.5 -2.4 7.9 27.7 4.1 1.8 1.3 NA



UTAH

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition pa R.

Ute Indian Museum

LA PLATA

SAN JUAN

OURAY

Uncompahgre National Forest

DELTA

PITKIN

ARCHULETA

San Juan National Forest

o

ALAMOSA

CONEJOS

as

San Isabel National Forest

COSTILLA

HUERFANO

CUSTER

San Isabel National Forest

Fort Carson R. Military Res.

Pikes Peak

TELLER

DOUGLAS

JEFFERSON

Englewood

ans

Ark

Great Sand Dunes Nat’l Monument

Rio Grande National Forest

Ri

Westminster Arvada Wheat Ridge

Lakewood CLEAR CREEK

FREMONT

25

Longmont Boulder

BOULDER

GILPIN

PARK

Pike Nat’l Forest

Rio Grande Nat’l For.

Fort Collins

Roosevelt Nat’l For.

LARIMAR

Loveland Rocky Mtn. National Park

.

NEW MEXICO

RIO GRANDE

CHAFFEE

LAKE

SUMMIT

Arapaho Nat’l For.

GRAND

JACKSON

Aspen Ski Area

White River Nat’l Forest

SAGUACHE

MINERAL

HINSDALE

Blue Mesa Reservoir

Gunnison National Forest

EAGLE

Routt Nat’l For.

GUNNISON

o R. Colorad

White River Nat’l For.

Routt National Forest

Ya m

ROUTT

eR nd ra G

Mesa Verde Nat’l Park

Ute Mountain Indian Reservation

MONTEZUMA

DELORES

San Juan National Forest

SAN MIGUEL

MONTROSE

.

Grand Mesa Nat’l Forest Gunnison R.

Grand Junction

hi

Colorado Nat’l Mon.

R

70

te

MESA

W

GARFIELD

RIO BLANCO

Dinosaur National Monument

MOFFAT

WYOMING

Greeley

DENVER

25

LAS ANIMAS

Pueblo

PUEBLO

Comanche National Grassland

Bent’s Old Fort Nat’l Hist. Site

OTERO

LOGAN

te

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BENT

BACA

KIOWA

CHEYENNE

KIT CARSON

WASHINGTON

lat

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Comanche National Grassland

70

LINCOLN

CROWLEY

ARAPAHOE

ADAMS

MORGAN

EL PASO

Colorado Springs

U.S.A.F. Acadamy

ELBERT

Littleton

Aurora

Denver

76

Pawnee National Grassland

Northglenn

WELD

Arkansas R.

PROWERS

Bonny Dam Reservoir St. Rec. Area

YUMA

PHILLIPS

SEDGWICK

NEBRASKA 70

0

0


KANSAS

25

OKLAHOMA

25

N

Area of Interest


State Capital


City (25,000-100,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

COLORADO

Colorado

119

Colorado

Slightly West of the state’s geographic center is the Continental Divide, which separates the Rockies into the Eastern and Western slopes. © JAMES CORRIGAN/EPD PHOTOS.

and water supplies for cities and towns. Eighteen hot springs are still active in Colorado; the largest is at Pagosa Springs.

3

Climate

Colorado has a highland continental climate with abundant sunshine and low humidity. Winters are generally cold and snowy. Summers are characterized by warm, dry days and cool nights. The average annual temperature statewide ranges from 54°f (12°c) at Lamar and at John Martin Dam to about 32°f (0°c) at the top of the Continental Divide. In Denver, normal temperatures range from 16° to 43°f (-9° to 6°c) in January and from 59° to 88°f (15° to 31°c) in July. The city of Bennett recorded the highest temperature in Colorado, 118°f (48°c), on 120

11 July 1888. The record low in the state was -61°f (-52 °c), in Moffat County on 1 February 1985. Annual precipitation ranges from a low of 7 inches (18 centimeters) in Alamosa to a high of 25 inches (64 centimeters) in Crested Butte. Denver receives about 15.8 inches (40 centimeters) of rain per year. Denver’s snowfall averages 60.3 inches (153.2 centimeters) yearly. The average snowfall at Cubres in the southern mountains is nearly 300 inches (762 centimeters). Less than 30 miles (48 kilometers) away at Manassa, snowfall is less than 25 inches (64 centimeters) per year. On 14–15 April 1921, Silver Lake had 76 inches (193 centimeters) of snowfall, the highest amount ever recorded in North America during a 24-hour period. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Colorado

Colorado Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,301,261 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,179,074 . . . . . . 97.2 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114,612 . . . . . . . 2.7 White and Black or African American. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,426 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,795 . . . . . . . 0.6 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,234 . . . . . . . 0.4 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,735 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42,383 . . . . . . . 1.0 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,486 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,518 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,876 . . . . . . . 0.1 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . 107 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,946 . . . . . . . 0.1 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,234 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,534 . . . . . . . 0.1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,575 . . . . . . . 0.2 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

4

Plants and Animals

Colorado has a variety of vegetation distributed among five zones: plains, foothills, montane, subalpine, and alpine. The plains teem with grasses and as many as 500 types of wildflowers. Arid regions contain two dozen varieties of cacti. Foothills are matted with berry shrubs, lichens, lilies, and orchids. Fragile wild flowers, shrubs, and conifers thrive in the montane zone. Aspen and Engelmann spruce are found up to the timberline. As of 2003, 13 plant species were listed as threatened or endangered, including three species of cacti, two species of milk-vetch, Penland beardtongue, and Colorado butterfly plant. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Colorado has 747 nongame wildlife species and 113 sport-game species. Principal biggame species include the elk, mountain lion, and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (the state animal). The lark bunting is the state bird. Blue grouse and mourning doves are numerous and 28 duck species have been sighted. Colorado has about 100 sport-fish species. In 2006, a total of 30 species were on the endangered or threatened species list of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The Mexican spotted owl and bald eagle are among threatened species. The razorback sucker, gray wolf, whooping crane, black-footed ferret, southwestern willow flycatcher, and bonytail chub are among endangered species. 121

Colorado

5


The Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Health share responsibility of state environmental programs. In 1978, Colorado became the first state in the United States to encourage taxpayers to allocate part of their state income tax refunds to wildlife conservation. In addition, a state lottery was approved in the late 1980s, with proceeds approved for Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to be used for parks improvement and wildlife and resource management. Air pollution, water supply problems, and hazardous wastes head the list of Colorado’s current environmental concerns. The Air Quality Control Commission, within the Department of Health, has primary responsibility for air pollution control. Because of high levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulates in metropolitan Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and other cities, a motor vehicle emissions inspection system is in effect. Cars must use oxygenated fuels, and pass tough vehicle emissions controls. About 98% of Colorado’s drinking water complies with federal and state standards. The Colorado Department of Health works with local officials to ensure federal standards for drinking water are met. The Department of Natural Resources’ Water Conservation Board and Division of Water Resources are responsible for addressing water-related problems. The Department of Health has primary responsibility for hazardous waste management. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) database listed 202 hazardous waste sites in Colorado, 17 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. As of 2005, the EPA 122

spent over $22.9 million through the Superfund program for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites in the state.

6

Population

In 2006, Colorado was the 22nd most populous state in the country. That year, the population was estimated at 4,753,377 people. The population density in 2004 was 44.4 persons per square mile (17.14 per square kilometer). The US Census Bureau projects that the population will reach 5.5 million by 2025. The estimated median age as of 2004 was 34.53 years. In 2005, about 10% of all residents were 65 years old or older and about 26% were 18 years old or younger. Denver is the state’s largest city. In 2005, it was the 25th largest city in the nation with a population of 557,917. Populations of other cities in 2005 were Colorado Springs, 369,815; Aurora, 297,235; Lakewood, 140,671; Fort Collins, 128,026; Thornton, 105,182; Westminster, 105,084; Arvada, 103,966; and Pueblo, 103,495.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, the number of Native Americans in Colorado numbered 44,241. The black population numbered about 165,063. There were 735,601 Hispanic and Latino residents and over 95,213 Asians. About 11,571 of the Asians were Japanese, 16,395 were Korean, 15,457 were Vietnamese, 15,658 were Chinese, and 8,941 were Filipino. The population of Pacific Islanders was estimated at 4,621 in 2000. In all, 369,903 residents, or 8.6% of the state population, were foreign born in 2000. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Colorado

8

Languages

Colorado English is a mixture of the Northern and Midland dialects. In the northeast spread, a resident might use the terms sick to the stomach, pail, and comforter (tied and filled bedcover) for things that those in the northwest and the southern half would call sick at the stomach, bucket, and comfort. In the southern half of the state, the large Hispanic population has introduced many Spanish words, such as arroyo (gulley), into the language. In 2000, 3,402,266 Coloradans, or 84.9% of the residents five years old and older, spoke only English at home. Other primary languages spoken, and the number of residents who speak them, are Spanish, 421,670 people; German, 30,824, and French 18,045.

9

Religions

The Spanish explorers who laid claim to (but did not settle in) Colorado were Roman Catholic, but the first American settlers were mostly Methodists, Lutherans, and Episcopalians. As of 2004, Roman Catholics comprise the single largest religious group in the state, with 627,753 adherents. The second-largest group is the Latter-day Saints with 126,118 adherents in 275 congregations as of 2006. The Southern Baptist Convention with 85,083 adherents and the United Methodist Church with 77,286 adherents in 2000 were the next largest groups There were about 72,000 adherents in the Jewish community in 2000. The same year, there were about 72 Buddhist, 7 Hindu, and 12 Muslim congregations in the state. About 60.5% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

10

Transportation

As the hub of the Rocky Mountain states, Colorado maintains extensive road and rail systems. As of 2003, there were 3,645 rail miles (5,868 kilometers) of track in the state, utilized by 14 railroads. As of 2006, two Amtrak trains, the California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief, provided service to nine cities in Colorado. Colorado has an extensive network of roads, including 29 mountain passes. As of 2004, there were 87,096 miles (140,225 kilometers) of roadway in Colorado. The major state roads are Interstate 70, US 40, and US 50, all crossing the state from east to west, and Interstate 25 running north–south along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains between Raton Pass and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Interstate 76 connects Denver with Nebraska’s I-80 to Omaha. Of the 1.99 million motor vehicles registered in 2004, 880,000 were automobiles, 1.096 million were trucks, and 2,000 were buses. There were 3,205,054 licensed drivers that year. In 2005, Colorado had a total of 437 public and private-use aviation-related facilities, including 259 airports, 172 heliports, and 6 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing). Denver International Airport (DIA) replaced the former Stapleton International Airport in 1994 as the state’s largest and busiest. In 2003, Centennial Airport ranked as the second-busiest general aviation airport in the nation.

11

History

By ad 800 there were tribes of Pueblos in present-day Colorado, who practiced advanced forms of agriculture and pottery making. From the 11th through the 13th centuries, the Pueblos 123

Colorado

constructed elaborate apartment-like dwellings in the cliffs of the Colorado canyons and planted their crops both on the mesa tops and in the surrounding valleys. The explorer Juan de Onate is believed to have traveled into the southeastern area in 1601. In 1706, Juan de Uribarri claimed southeastern Colorado for Spain, joining it with New Mexico. Meanwhile, the French had claimed most of the area east of the Rocky Mountains. In 1763, France formally ceded the Louisiana Territory to Spain, which returned it to the French in 1801. Two years later, as part of the Louisiana Purchase, Colorado east of the Rockies became US land; the rest of Colorado still belonged to Spain. Eastern Colorado remained a wilderness for the next few decades, although traders and scouts like Kit Carson did venture into the largely uncharted land, establishing friendly relations with the Indians. Between 1842 and 1853, John C. Frémont led five expeditions into the region, the first three for the US government. Western and southern Colorado came into US possession after the Mexican War (1846–48). The magnet that drew many Americans to Colorado was the greatly exaggerated report of a gold strike in Cherry Creek (present-day Denver) in July 1858. The subsequent boom led to the founding of such mining towns as Boulder, Colorado City, Central City, and Gold Hill. By 1860, the population exceeded 30,000. A bill to organize the Territory of Colorado was passed by the US Congress on 28 February 1861. Colorado sided with the Union during the Civil War, though some settlers fought for the Confederacy. The 1860s also saw the most serious conflict between Indians and white settlers in Colorado 124

history. After ceding most of their tribal holdings to the US government, the Cheyenne and Arapaho, unsuccessful at farming, resumed a nomadic lifestyle. They hunted buffalo, raided towns, and attacked travelers along the Overland and Sante Fe trails. On 29 November, US military forces under the command of Colonel John Chivington brutally massacred as many as 200 Native Americans near their reservation in the Arkansas Valley. Statehood Colorado entered the Union as the

38th state on 1 August 1876, during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. In the early years of statehood, silver strikes at Leadville and Aspen brought settlers and money into Colorado. Rail lines, smelters, and refineries were built, and large coalfields were opened up. The High Plains attracted new farmers, and another new industry—tourism—emerged. As early as the 1860s, resorts had opened near some of the state’s mineral springs. Colorado’s boom years ended with a depression during the early 1890s, when the silver market declined. By the dawn of the 20th century, farmers were returning to the land. The development of the automobile and the advent of good roads opened up more of the mountain areas, bringing a big boom in tourism by the 1920s. From 1920 to 1940, statewide employment declined, and population growth lagged behind that of the United States as a whole. World War II brought military training camps, airfields, and jobs to the state. After the war, the placement of both the North American Air Defense Command and the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs helped stimulate the growth of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Colorado

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde. ILSA DAWSON.

defense, federal research, and aerospace-related industries in the state. As these and other industries grew, so too did Colorado’s population and income. Between 1960 and 1983, the state’s population growth rate was more than twice that of the nation as a whole; and between 1970 and 1983, Colorado moved from 18th to 9th rank among the states in income per capita (per person). In the 1970s and early 1980s, Colorado experienced a boom in its oil, mining, and electronics industries. The economy began to shrink, however, in the mid1980s with the drop in oil prices and the closing of mines. Business starts declined by 23% between 1987 and 1988. The economy rebounded by the early 1990s, aided by the presence of an educated workforce and the low cost of doing business in the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Industry became more diverse, now including oil and gas, telecommunications, retail, and, very importantly, high technology. On 20 April 1999, the affluent Denver suburb of Littleton made headlines around the world after two teenaged gunmen entered Columbine High School and went on a shooting rampage, killing 12 students and one teacher before turning their guns on themselves. Several others were injured. The tragic event heightened the national debate on gun control and reopened the discussion about what effect media violence has had on the nation’s youth. Major challenges facing Colorado in the 21st century included industrial pollution of its air and water, overcrowding on the Rockies eastern slope (home to four-fifths of the state’s population), and water shortages. Also, the practice 125

Colorado

Colorado Governors: 1886–2007 1886–1879 1879–1883 1883–1885 1885–1887 1887–1889 1889–1891 1891–1893 1893–1895 1895–1897 1897–1899 1899–1901 1901–1903 1903–1905 1905 1905 1905–1907 1907–1909 1909–1913 1913–1915 1915–1917 1917–1919

John Long Routt Frederick Walker Pitkin James Benton Grant Bejamin Harrison Eaton Alva Adams Job Adams Cooper John Long Routt Davis Hanson Waite Albert Wills McIntire Alva Adams Charles Spalding Thomas James B. Orman James Hamilton Peabody Alva Adams James Hamilton Peabody Jesse Fuller McDonald Henry Augustus Buchtel John Franklin Shafroth Elias Milton Ammons George Alfred Carlson Julius Caldeen Gunter

Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Populist Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat

of open-pit gold mining had become an environmental problem, as the cyanide used to dissolve gold in the mines leaches into streams and rivers. Colorado was among the western states ravaged by wildfires during the summer of 2000, the worst fire season since 1988. In the summer of 2002, wildfires burned over 7.1 million acres of public and private land. The Hayman fire of 2002 was called the largest wildfire in Colorado history. The Hayman fire burned 138,577 acres of Colorado land thirty miles southwest of Denver. Another major 2002 wildfire was the Missionary Ridge fire: it burned 72,964 acres of land north and northeast of Durango.

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State Government

Colorado’s constitution, which was ratified in 1876, had been amended 145 times by January 126

1919–1923 1923–1925 1925–1927 1927–1933 1933–1937 1937 1937–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947–1950 1950–1951 1951–1955 1955–1957 1957–1963 1963–1973 1973–1975 1975–1987 1987–1999 1999–2006 2006–

Oliver Henry Nelson Shoup William Ellery Sweet Clarence J. Morley William Herbert Adams Edwin Carl Johnson Ray H. Talbot Teller Ammons Ralph L. Carr John Charles Vivian William Lee Knous Walter Walfred Johnson Daniel Isaac J. Thornton Edwin Carl Johnson Stephen L. R. McNichols John A. Love John David Vanderhoof Richard David Lamm Roy Romer Bill Owens William Ritter, Jr.

Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat

2005. In 2002 voters approved several constitutional reforms, including a campaign finance reform measure. Colorado’s general assembly, which meets annually, consists of a 35-member senate and 65-member house of representatives. There is no constitutional limit to the length of a session, and the legislature may call special sessions by request of two-thirds of the members of each house. The executive branch is headed by the governor, who submits the budget and legislative programs to the general assembly, and appoints judges, department heads, boards, and commissions. Elected with the governor is the lieutenant governor, who assumes the governor’s duties in the governor’s absence. Bills may originate in either house of the general assembly and become law when passed by majority vote of each house and signed by the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Colorado

Colorado Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

SOC. LABOR

1948

*Truman (D)

267,288

239,714

6,115

1,678

—

CONSTITUTION

1952 1956

*Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R)

245,504 263,997

379,782 394,479

1,919 —

1960 1964

Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)

330,629 476,024

402,242 296,767

— —

1968

*Nixon (R)

335,174

409,345

2,181 759

— 3,308

SOC. WORKERS

563 2,537

2,803 —

235

3,016

AMERICAN IND.

60,813 AMERICAN

1972

*Nixon (R)

329,980

597,189

17,269

666

4,361 LIBERTARIAN

1976 1980 1984 1988

Ford (R) *Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)

460,801

584,278

368,009 454,975 621,453

652,264 821,817 728,177

397

1,122

STATESMAN

CITIZENS

1,180

5,614 — —

25,744 11,257 15,482

1,608

8,669

NEW ALLIANCE

2,491

5,338

IND. (PEROT)

1992

*Clinton (D)

629,681

562,850

366,010

GREEN (NADER)

1996 Dole (R) 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election.

671,152 738,227 1,001,732

691,848 883,748 1,101,255

governor. A bill may also become law if the governor fails to act on it within 10 days after receiving it. A two-thirds vote in each house is needed to override a gubernatorial veto. The governor’s salary as of December 2004 was $90,000, unchanged from 1999.

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Political Parties

The Republicans controlled most statewide offices prior to 1900. Since then, the parties have been more evenly balanced. Of the 2,990,000 registered voters in 2004, 30% were estimated to be Democrats; 36% were Republicans; and 33% were unaffiliated or members of other parties. Following the November 2006 election, the state had one Democratic and one Republican Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

99,629 91,434 —

25,070 712 —

12,392 216 —

US Senator, and four Democratic and three Republican US Representatives. Following the 2006 elections, the Democrats held control of the state senate (20 Democrats to 15 Republicans) and the state house (39 Democrats to 26 Republicans).There were 32 women serving in the state legislature, or 32%. For the first time in 28 years, a Republican, Bill Owens, was elected governor in 1998 and reelected in 2002. In 2006, Democrat William Ritter Jr. was elected governor. In the 2004 presidential election, incumbent President George W. Bush carried Colorado with 54% of the vote, while Democrat John Kerry won 48.8% of the vote. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, then the only Native American in Congress, was reelected to a 127

Colorado

second term as senator in 1998. He did not run for reelection in 2004.

14

Local Government

As of 2005 there were 63 counties, 270 municipal governments, cities, towns, and designated places, and 176 school districts. There were 1,414 special districts. The administrative and policymaking body in each county is the board of county commissioners. Other county officials include the county clerk, treasurer, assessor, sheriff, coroner, superintendent of schools, surveyor, and attorney. Statutory cities are those whose structure is defined by the state constitution. Power is delegated by the general assembly to either a councilmanager or mayor-council form of government. Towns, which generally have fewer than 2,000 residents, are governed by a mayor and a board of trustees. Denver, Colorado’s capital and largest city, is run by a mayor and city council. A city auditor, independently elected, serves as a check on the mayor.

15

Judicial System

The supreme court, the highest court in Colorado, consists of seven justices elected on a nonpartisan ballot. The next highest court, the court of appeals, consists of 16 judges and is confined to civil matters. County courts hear minor civil disputes and misdemeanors. Appeals from the Denver county courts are heard in Denver’s superior court. Municipal courts throughout the state handle violations of municipal ordinances. Colorado’s FBI Crime Index reported that the violent crime 128

rate in 2004 was 373.5 per 100,000 people. Crimes against property that same year totaled 3,919.3 incidents per 100,000 people. There were 20,293 inmates in state and federal prisons as of 31 December 2004. Colorado has a death penalty and had executed one person between 1976 and 5 May 2006.

16

Migration

The discovery of gold in 1858 brought an avalanche of prospectors. Some of these migrants later moved westward into the Rockies and Colorado River canyons. In 1873, another gold strike brought settlers into the Ute territory, eventually driving the Indians into a small reservation in the southwestern corner of the state. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the sparsely populated eastern plains were settled by farmers from Kansas and Nebraska and by immigrants from Scandinavia, Germany, and Russia. Since the end of World War II, net migration into the state has been substantial, amounting to over 880,000 between 1950 and 1990. A number of migrant workers, mostly Mexican Americans, work seasonally in the western orchards and fields. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 112,217 and net internal migration was 47,740, for a net gain of 159,957 people.

17

Economy

With its abundant reserves of coal, natural gas, and other minerals—and the economic potential of its vast oil-shale deposits—Colorado is a major mining state, although the mineral industry’s share of the state economy declined Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Colorado

throughout the 20th century. Agriculture, primarily livestock, remains important. Trade is the leading source of employment, while real estate is the principal contributor to the gross state product. The US government employs tens of thousands of people, making it a driving force in Colorado’s economy. Tourism has also expanded in all areas of the state. The 2001 national recession affected the state, as growth slowed, particularly in manufacturing. In 2002, the state posted its first decline in employment since 1986. In 2004, the real estate sector accounted for 13.9% of gross state product (GSP), followed by professional and technical services (8.5%), and construction (6%). Mining, long a staple of the state’s economy, accounted for only 1.9% of GSP. In 2004, Colorado had an estimated 493,886 small businesses. An estimated 23,694 new companies were formed in 2004, up 5.8% from 2003. Business terminations in 2004 totaled 9,734, a drop of 26.5% from 2003. However, business bankruptcies rose to 786 in 2004, an increase of 42.4% from 2003.

18

Income

In 2005, Colorado had a gross state product (GSP) of $216 billion, placing the state at number 21 in the highest GSP among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Colorado ranked 10th among the 50 states in per capita (per person) income, with $36,113. Averaged over the 2002–04 period, the median household income was $51,022, compared to the national average of $44,473. During the same period, 9.8% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationwide. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

19

Industry

Colorado is the main manufacturing center of the Rocky Mountain states; the value of shipments by manufacturers was $33.6 billion in 2004. During the 1980s and 1990s, high-technology research and manufacturing grew substantially in the state. The major industries are food and food products, computer and electronic products, beverage and tobacco products, miscellaneous manufacturing, and transportation equipment. In 2004, a total of 132,925 people in Colorado were employed in the manufacturing sector. The computer and electronic product manufacturing industry accounted for the largest portion of all manufacturing employees at 17,690. Colorado’s manufacturing sector paid $5.9 billion in wages in 2004.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Colorado numbered 2,636,700, with approximately 113,100 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. As of April 2006, 7.3% of the nonfarm labor force was employed in construction; 6.6% in manufacturing; 18.5% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 7.1% in financial activities; 14.4% in professional and business services; 10% in education and health services; 11.5% in leisure and hospitality services; and 16.1% in government. Colorado’s labor history has been marked by major disturbances in the mining industry. From 1881 to 1886, the Knights of Labor led at least 35 strikes in the mines. During the 1890s, the Western Federation of Miners went on strike 129

Colorado

from hard-rock mines in Telluride and Cripple Creek. The United Mine Workers, who came into the state in 1899, shut down operations at numerous mines in 1900 and 1903. Violence was common in these disputes. In 1917, the state legislature created the Colorado Industrial Commission, whose purpose is to investigate all labor disputes. In 2005, 170,000 of Colorado’s 2,052,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 8.3% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

Colorado ranked 14th among the 50 states in agricultural income in 2005, at $5.65 billion. As of 2004 there were 30,900 farms and ranches covering about 30.9 million acres (12.5 million hectares). The major crop-growing areas are the east and east-central plains for sugar beets, beans, potatoes, and grains; the Arkansas Valley for grains and peaches; and the Western Slope for grains and fruits. In 2004, Colorado ranked seventh in the United States in production of dry edible beans and fifth in barley production. Colorado is also a leading producer of wheat. Other field crops include sugar beets, corn, hay, and sorghum. In 2004, Colorado produced 533,800 tons of fresh market vegetables, 27 million pounds (12.3 million kilograms) of commercial apples, and 12 million pounds (5.4 million kilograms) of peaches. About 100 tons of tart cherries were harvested in 2004. Colorado is also a major grower of roses. 130

22


A leading sheep-producing state, Colorado is also a major area for cattle and other livestock. Huge tracts of pasture land are leased from the federal government by both cattle and sheep ranchers, with cattle mostly confined to the eastern plains and sheep to the western part of the state. The estimate of the number of cattle and calves for 2005 was 2,500,000 with an estimated total value at $2.5 billion. Colorado had an estimated 800,000 hogs and pigs in 2004 with an estimated total value at $76 million. In 2003 Colorado produced 62.6 million pounds (28.5 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs at a gross income of $96.6 million. Colorado was estimated to have produced an estimated 2.57 million pounds (1.1 million kilograms) of shorn wool in 2004. Other livestock products in 2003 included chickens, at an estimated 8.7 million pounds (4 million kilograms), and milk, estimated at 2.17 billion pounds (1.0 billion kilograms). In the same year, the state produced an estimated 1.1 billion eggs.

23

Fishing

There is virtually no commercial fishing in Colorado. The many warm-water lakes lure the state’s 752,060 licensed sport anglers with perch, black bass, and trout, while walleyes are abundant in mountain streams. The Hotchkiss National Fish Hatchery produces and distributes trout to stock over 80 different water areas in Colorado and New Mexico. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Colorado

24

Forestry

As of 2004, approximately 21,637,000 acres (8,756,494 hectares) of forested lands were located in Colorado. In spite of this wood resource, however, commercial forestry is not a major element of the state’s economy. Lumber production in 2004 was 135 million board feet. In Colorado, forestry emphasis occurs in diverse areas: traditional forest management and stewardship, urban and community forestry, resource protection (from wildfire, insects, and disease), and tree planting and care. As of 2005, Colorado had 12 national forests; gross national forest acreage as of 2003 was 16,015,000 acres (6,481,271 hectares).

25

Mining

According to the US Geological Survey estimates, the value of nonfuel mineral production for 2004 was about $1.01 billion. Industrial minerals, especially construction gravel, portland cement, and crushed stone, account for much of the state’s nonfuel mineral production. However, in 2004 metals accounted for almost 52% of all nonfuel mineral production, of which (in descending order), molybdenum concentrates, gold, and silver were the top three. In 2004, Colorado ranked second in the nation in production of molybdenum and third in soda ash. The state ranked 4th in the production of gold and 10th in silver. Overall, the state ranked 17th among the 50 states in total nonfuel mineral production, by value. In 2004, Colorado mined 40.9 million metric tons of sand and gravel, 11 million metric tons of crushed stone, 26,000 tons of lime, and 249,000,000 metric tons of clay. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

26

Energy and Power

An abundant supply of coal, oil, and natural gas makes Colorado a major energy-producing state. During 2003, 46.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity were generated in Colorado, about 77.5% of that in coal-fired plants. Petroleum production in 2004 was 60,000 barrels per day (the 11th highest in the nation). Proven reserves contained 225 million barrels (the 11th highest in the nation). The marketed natural gas production in 2004 was nearly 1.08 trillion cubic feet (30.65 billion cubic meters). As of 31 December 2004, reserves were at nearly 14.7 trillion cubic feet (418.7 billion cubic meters). In 2004, Colorado’s coal output was 39.87 million tons. In 2004, Colorado had 13 producing coal mines, 5 of which were surface mines and 8 of which were underground. Recoverable coal reserves in 2004 totaled 415 million tons. In 2000, Colorado’s total per capita energy consumption was 279 million Btu (70.3 million kilocalories), ranking it 41st among the states. Colorado holds the major portion of the nation’s proved oil shale reserves. Because of its ample sunshine and wind, Colorado is also well suited to renewable energy development. Among the many energy-related facilities in the state is the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden.

27

Commerce

Colorado is the leading wholesale and retail distribution center for the Rocky Mountain states. Sales from wholesale trade totaled $92.09 billion in 2002, and retail sales totaled $52.2 billion. Exports in 2005 included $6.7 billion in goods. 131

Colorado

Denver skyline and the city park. DENVER METRO CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

28

Public Finance

The governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting has lead responsibility for preparing the annual budget, which is presented to the general assembly on 1 November. The legislature is expected to adopt the budget in May for the fiscal year, which runs from 1 July to 30 June. The constitution requires that the budget be balanced as submitted, as passed, and as signed into law. These requirements are part of the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), the name for a set of amendments adopted in 1992. The amendment also requires a vote of the people for any new or increased taxes. Revenues for 2004 were $23 billion and expenditures were $18 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($6.3 bil132

lion), public welfare ($3.5 billion), and highways ($1.4 billion). Colorado’s outstanding debt totaled $9.8 billion or $2,145.75 per person.

29

Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, the state of Colorado had an individual income tax bracket of 4.63% of federal taxable income. The corporate tax rate is the same flat rate. The state also had a 2.9% general sales tax, however, food and prescription drugs are exempt from the general sales tax. There are also selective sales taxes (excises) on tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, pari-mutuel racing, motor fuels, insurance premiums, public utilities, and other selected goods, as well as various license fees. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Colorado

Colorado municipalities are allowed to levy sales and use taxes. Property taxes are the major source of revenue for local governments. State tax collections in Colorado in 2005 totaled $7.648 billion in 2005. Of the total, 49.3% came from individual income taxes, 26.2% from the general sales tax, 13.8% from selective sales taxes, 4.1% from the corporate income tax; and 6.6% from other taxes.

30

Health

Colorado’s infant mortality rate was 6.6 per 1,000 live births in October 2005. The death rate from all causes was 6.5 per 1,000 population. As of 2002, the death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) were: heart disease, 142.6; cancer, 141.7; cerebrovascular diseases, 42.5; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 41; and diabetes, 14.6. The death rate due to HIV infection in 2000 was 2.3 per 100,000 population. In 2002, about 51.5% of the population was considered overweight or obese. As of 2004, about 20% of state residents were smokers. In 2003, Colorado’s 68 community hospitals had 9,500 beds and reported 444,000 admissions. Hospital personnel included 12,230 fulltime registered nurses and 964 full-time licensed practical nurses. The state had 268 physicians per 100,000 population in 2004 and 708 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2003, the average cost per day for inpatient care was $1,551. In 2004, 17% of the adult population was uninsured. The state’s only medical school is the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 2,010,806 housing units in the state, of which 1,850,238 units were occupied. About 68.6% were owneroccupied. About 63.4% of all units were singlefamily, detached homes. It was estimated that about 65,261 units were without telephone service, 6,527 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 7,242 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Though most homes employed gas and electricity as heating fuel, about 3,362 units were equipped for solar power heating. The average household size was 2.43 people. In 2004, 46,500 new privately-owned housing units were authorized. The median home value was $211,740. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,355 while the cost for renters was at a median of $724 per month.

32

Education

As of 2004, 35.5% of all residents ages 25 and older had completed four or more years of college. About 86.9% of all adult Coloradans were high school graduates. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 752,000 in fall 2002 and expected to be 833,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 50,123. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $6.8 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 282,343 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. As of 2005, Colorado had 75 degree-granting institutions. The oldest state school is the Colorado School of Mines, founded in Golden in 1869. Although chartered in 1861, the University of Colorado did not open until 1876. Its Boulder 133

Colorado

campus is now the largest in the state. Colorado State University was founded at Ft. Collins in 1870. The University of Denver was chartered in 1864 as the Colorado Seminary of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Colorado is also the home of the United States Air Force Academy.

33

Arts

The Colorado Council on the Arts (est. 1967) and the Colorado Endowment for the Humanities (est. 1974) sponsors many arts programs throughout the state. The Council on the Arts is affiliated with the regional Western States Art Federation. Colorado’s arts programs include the contributions of well over 100,000 artists. Arts education programs are presented to over 11,000 schoolchildren. In 2003, there were over 80 local arts organizations in the state. From its earliest days of statehood, Colorado has been receptive to the arts. Such showplaces as the Tabor Opera House in Leadville and the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver were among the most elaborate buildings in the Old West. Newer centers are Denver’s Boettcher Concert Hall, which opened in 1978 as the home of the Denver Symphony, and the adjacent Helen G. Bonfils Theater Complex, which opened in 1980 and houses a repertory theater company. Other artistic organizations include the Colorado Springs Symphony, Colorado Opera Festival of Colorado Springs, the Central City Opera House Association, and the Four Corners Opera Association in Durango. The amphitheater in Red Rocks Park near Denver, formed by red sandstone rocks, provides a natural and acoustically excellent concert area. 134

Aspen FilmFest, founded in 1979, offers several festivals throughout the year promoting interest in independent filmmaking. The annual Moondance International Film Festival for independent filmmakers has been considered to be one of the most important film festivals in the country. The Aspen Music Festival and School, founded in 1949, is an annual internationally renowned classical music festival that offers over 200 events and educational opportunities throughout the summer.

34


In 2001, Colorado had 116 public library systems, with a total of 243 libraries, of which 138 were branches. That year, the state’s public libraries held more than 11 million volumes with a circulation of more than 43.4 million. The largest system was the Denver Public Library with 1,882,487 volumes in 27 branches. The leading academic library is at the University of Colorado at Boulder, with over 2.8 million volumes. Colorado has 174 museums and historic sites. One of the most prominent museums in the West is the Denver Art Museum, with its large collection of Native American, South Seas, and Oriental art. Its new Frederick C. Hamilton Building, designed by Daniel Libeskind, opened in October 2006. Another major art museum is the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, specializing in southwestern and western American art. The Colorado Ski Museum–Ski Hall of Fame are in Vail.

35

Communications

Over 95.8% of all households in the state had telephones as of 2004. In addition, by June of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Colorado

New wing of the Denver Art Museum. AP IMAGES.

that year there were 2,727,910 mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, 70% of Colorado households had a computer and 63% had Internet access. Of the 80 major radio stations in operation in 2005, 22 were AM and 58 were FM. The Denver area had cable in 61% of its 1,268,230 television-owning households in 1999. A total of 109,775 Internet domain names were registered in Colorado in 2000.

36

Press

As of 2005, there were 21 morning dailies, 9 afternoon dailies, and 15 Sunday papers. The leading newspapers were the Rocky Mountain News, with a circulation of 595,512 in the mornings and 705,593 on Sundays; and the Denver Post, 595,512 mornings and 705,593 Sundays. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

37


In 2000, tourism was the second-largest industry in the state, with travel spending reaching $8 billion. In 2004, the state had over 24 million visitors. Tourism accounts for over 200,000 jobs within the state. Scenery, history, and skiing combine to make Colorado a prime tourist mecca. Vail and Aspen are popular ski resort centers. Colorado has over 25 ski areas. Skiing is in season from mid-November through late March. The US Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs is a popular tourist attraction, as is nearby Pikes Peak, the Garden of the Gods (featuring unusual red sandstone formations), and Manitou Springs, a resort center. Besides 135

Colorado

its many museums, parks, and rebuilt Larimer Square district, Denver’s main attraction is the US Mint. All nine national forests in Colorado are open for camping, as are the state’s two national parks: Rocky Mountain and Mesa Verde. Other attractions include the fossil beds at Dinosaur National Monument, Indian cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, the Durango-Silverton steam train, and white-water rafting on the Colorado, Green, and Yampa rivers.

38

Sports

There are four major league professional sports teams in Colorado, all in Denver: the Broncos of the National Football League, the Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball, the Avalanche of the National Hockey League. The Colorado Springs Sky Sox compete in the Pacific Coast division of minor league baseball and the Colorado Gold Kings compete in the West Coast Hockey League. Colorado is home to some of the world’s finest alpine skiing resorts, such as Vail, Aspen, and Steamboat Springs. The Buffaloes of the University of Colorado produced some excellent football teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s and were named national Champions in 1990 (with Georgia Tech). They won the Big Twelve conference title in 2001. Jack Dempsey, the famous heavyweight boxer of the 1920s, was born in Manassa, Colorado, and was appropriately named the “Manassa Mauler.” 136

Zebulon Pike was an early explorer of the Colorado region. Colorado’s highest point, Pike’s Peak, is named in his honor. EPD PHOTOS.

39

Famous Coloradans

Fort Collins was the birthplace of Byron R. White (b.1917–2002), an associate justice of the US Supreme Court from 1962. Gary Hart (b.Kansas, 1936) was a senator and a presidential candidate in 1984 and 1988. Early explorers of the Colorado region include Zebulon Pike (b.New Jersey, 1779–1813). Ouray (1820–1883) was a Ute chief who ruled at the time when mining districts were being opened. Willard F. Libby (1909–1980), won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1960. Among the performers born in the state were actors Lon Chaney (1883–1930) and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Colorado

Douglas Fairbanks (1883–1939). Singer John Denver (Henry John Deutschendorf Jr., b.New Mexico, 1943–1997) was closely associated with Colorado and lived in Aspen until his death in a plane crash. Colorado’s most famous sports personality is Jack Dempsey (1895–1983), who held the world heavyweight boxing crown from 1919 to 1926.

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Bibliography

BOOKS Ayer, Eleanor H. Colorado. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000.


Deady, Kathleen W. Colorado. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Harling, Michael. Peter Forsberg. New York: Greystone, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Colorado Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Colorado. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Shuter, Jane. Mesa Verde. Chicago: Heinemann, 2000. WEB SITES Colorado Tourism Office. Colorado: Fresh Air and Fond Memories Served Daily. www.colorado. com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Colorado. Welcome to Colorado.gov: The Official Site of the State of Colorado. www. colorado.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).

137

Connecticut State of Connecticut

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : From the Mahican word

quinnehtukqut, meaning “beside the long tidal river.” N I CKNAME : The Constitution State (official in 1959); the Nutmeg State. C AP ITAL: Hartford. ENT ERED UNION: 9 January 1788 (5th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The three grape vines and motto of the arms surrounded by the words Sigillum reipublicæ Connecticutensis (Seal of the State of Connecticut). FLAG: The coat of arms appears on a blue field. C OAT OF ARMS: On a rococo shield, three grape vines, supported and bearing fruit, stand against a white field. Beneath the shield is a streamer bearing the state motto. M OT TO: Qui transtulit sustinet (He who transplanted still sustains). SONG: “Yankee Doodle.” FLOWER: Mountain laurel. TREE: White oak. A NIMAL: Sperm whale. B IRD: American robin. IN S ECT: European praying mantis. M INERAL: Garnet. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln Day, 12 February; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Good Friday, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in New England in the northeastern United States, Connecticut ranks 48th in size among the 50 states. The state’s area is 5,018 square miles (12,997 square kilometers), of which 4,872 square miles (12,619 square kilometers) are of land and 146 square miles (378 square kilometers) are inland waters. Connecticut has an average length of 90 miles (145 kilometers) east-west and an average width of 55 miles (89 kilometers) north-south. It has a boundary length of 328 miles (528 kilometers) and a shoreline of 253 miles (407 kilometers). 139

Connecticut

2

Topography

Connecticut is divided into four main geographic regions: the central lowlands (formed by the Connecticut and Quinnipiac river valleys), the eastern highlands, the western highlands, and the coastal lowlands. Mt. Frissell, the highest point in the state at 2,380 feet (726 meters), is located in the western highlands, which are an extension of the Green Mountains. The coastal lowlands consist of rocky peninsulas, shallow bays, sand and gravel beaches, salt meadows, and good harbors at Bridgeport, New Haven, New London, Mystic, and Stonington. Connecticut has more than 6,000 lakes and ponds. The two largest bodies of water, both of which were manmade, are Lake Candlewood, covering about 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares), and Barkhamsted Reservoir, a major source of water for the Hartford area. The main river is the Connecticut, New England’s longest river, at 407 miles (655 kilometers). This waterway, which is navigable as far north as Hartford, divides the state roughly in half before emptying into Long Island Sound. Other principal rivers include the Thames, Housatonic, and Naugatuck.

3

Climate

Connecticut has a generally temperate climate, with mild winters and warm summers. The January mean temperature is 27°f (-3°c) and the July mean is 70°f (21°c). Coastal areas have warmer winters and cooler summers than the interior. The highest recorded temperature in Connecticut was 106°f (41°c) in Danbury on 15 July 1995. The lowest recorded temperature was -32°f (-36°c) in Falls Village on 16 February 1943. The annual rainfall is about 140

Connecticut Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

3,504,809 2.9% 10.9% 98.3% 81.2% 9.1% 0.2% 3.2% 0.0% 4.5% 1.8%


65 and over (13%)

Under 18 (24%)

45 to 64 (27%)

18 to 24 (8%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Bridgeport New Haven Hartford Stamford Waterbury Norwalk Danbury New Britain Bristol Meriden

Population

% change 2000–05

139,008 124,791 124,397 120,045 107,902 84,437 78,736 71,254 61,353 59,653

-0.4 0.9 2.3 2.5 0.6 1.8 5.2 -0.4 2.1 2.4



10


20 kilometers

NEW YORK

10

N

Area of Interest


20 miles

95

Norwalk

Sherwood Island State Park

Naugatuck

Shelton

Silver Sands State Park

Milford

West Haven

New Haven

West Rock Ridge State Park

Naugatuck State Forest

.

Bridgeport

Collis P. Huntington State Park

84

cR ni to sa

Stamford

Danbury

Paugussett State Forest

NEWHAVEN

ou H

Wooster Mtn. State Park

FAIRFIELD

Lake Candlewood

Sound Island Long

91

Sleeping Giant State Park

Meriden

691

New Britain

Hartford

Penwood State Forest

Bristol

Waterbury

Mattatuck State Forest

Torrington

Paugnut State Forest

Meshomasic State Forest

95

Cockaponset State Forest

Middletown

MIDDLESEX

91

TOLLAND

Devil’s Hopyard State Park

Salmon River State Forest

Rocky Neck State Park

Pachaug St. Forest

Fishers I.

Bluff Point State Park

95

Mashantucket Pequot Indian Res.

Norwich

395

Mohegan State Forest

Mashamoquet Brook State Park

WINDHAM

New London

Nehantic State Forest

NEW LONDON

Nathan Hale State Forest

Natchaug St. Forest

Nipmuck State Forest

84

Shenipsit State Forest

Hammonasset Beach State Park

R.

Mianus River State Park

Pootatuck State Forest

Mohawk Mtn. State Forest

Mohawk Mtn. State Park

Peoples State Forest

Tunxis State Forest

HARTFORD

Barkhamsted Reservoir

Algonquin State Forest

Haystack Mtn. State Park

LITCHFIELD

Wyantenock State Forest

Macedonia Brook State Park

Housatonic Meadows State Park

Housatonic State Forest

Mt. Riga State Park

MASSACHUSETTS

ut ic ct ne on C

NEW JERSEY

0

0

95

State Capital


City (25,000-100,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut

141

RHODE ISLAND

Connecticut

A seal relaxing under the sun’s rays at the Mystic Marine Life Aquarium in Connecticut. CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

46.2 inches (117 centimeters) and is evenly distributed throughout the year. The state receives some 25 to 60 inches (64 to 150 centimeters) of snow each year, with the heaviest snowfall in the northwest. Severe flooding and hurricanes have occurred.

4

Plants and Animals

Connecticut has an impressive variety of vegetation zones. Along the shore of Long Island Sound are tidal marshes with salt grasses. On slopes fringing the marshes are black grass, switch grass, and march elder. Vegetation in the swamp areas includes various ferns, abundant cattails, and skunk cabbage. The state’s hillsides and uplands 142

support a variety of flowers and plants, including mountain laurel (the state flower), pink azalea, and Queen Anne’s lace. Endangered plant species in the state include showy lady’s slipper, ginseng, showy aster, nodding pogonia, goldenseal, climbing fern, and chaffseed. Only the smaller mammals, such as the woodchuck, gray squirrel, cottontail, eastern chipmunk, porcupine, raccoon, and striped skunk, remain common. Snakes remain plentiful but are mostly harmless, except for the northern copperhead and timber rattlesnake. Fresh-water fish are abundant, and aquatic life in Long Island Sound even more so. Common birds include the robin (the state bird), blue jay, song sparrow, wood thrush, and many species of waterfowl. In April 2006, a total of 16 animal species were listed as threatened or endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Among these were five kinds of sea turtles, the bald eagle, the roseate tern, two species of whale, and the gray wolf.

5


The Department of Environmental Protection, established in 1971, is responsible for protecting natural resources and controlling water, air, and land pollution. In 1980, Connecticut became the first state in the country to adopt a comprehensive statewide groundwater quality management system. In 1994, the governors of Connecticut and New York formally adopted a comprehensive plan to manage Long Island Sound, an “estuary of national significance.” Vehicle-related emissions of ozone precursors have been reduced by almost 50% and the state is working closely with other northeastern and mid-Atlantic states on regional ozone reducJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Connecticut

Connecticut Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,405,565 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,330,717 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70,473 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,725 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,652 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,343 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,391 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,439 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 945 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 665 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,008 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 41 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 668 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,738 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,375

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 97.8 . . . . . . . 2.1 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.7 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1


tion. Permitting and enforcement processes and voluntary reductions have resulted in at least a 68% reduction in toxins emitted to the air. In 1987 Connecticut adopted statewide mandatory recycling. The combination of resource recovery, recycling, and reduction of waste by consumers has resulted in significant reductions in landfilled garbage over the past few decades. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 424 hazardous waste sites within the state, 14 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

of 3,504,809. The US Census Bureau projects that the population will reach 3.69 million by 2025. Connecticut’s population density in 2004 was 722.9 persons per square mile (279.1 persons per square kilometer), which was considerably higher than the national average. The median age of all residents in 2004 was 38.9 years. In 2005, 13% of residents were 65 years old or older, while 24% were 18 years old or younger. Major cities with their 2005 population

Population

In 2006, Connecticut ranked 29th in the nation in population with a total estimated population Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

estimates were Bridgeport, 139,008; Hartford, 124,791; New Haven, 124,397; Stamford, 120,045; and Waterbury, 107,902. 143

Connecticut

7

Ethnic Groups

Many residents in Connecticut are of secondgeneration European descent. The biggest groups are those with ancestors from Italy, Ireland, Poland, and Quebec, Canada. According to the 2000 census, the black population numbered 309,843 people, about 9% of the total population. In 2006, the black population accounted for 9.1% of the state’s population. There were also about 320,323 residents of Hispanic or Latino origin, or about 10% of the state’s total population, according to the 2000 census. Of these, about 194,443 were Puerto Rican. In 2006, those of Hispanic or Latino ancestry accounted for 10.9% of the population. The 2000 census also reported that Connecticut had 9,639 Native Americans, 82,313 Asians, and 1,366 Pacific Islanders. In 2006, those of American Indian ancestry accounted for 0.2% of the state’s population, while 3.2% were Asian. As of 2000, about 369,967 Connecticut residents, or 10.9% of the population, were foreign born.

8

Languages

Connecticut English is basically that of the Northern dialect, but features of the eastern New England subdialect occur east of the Connecticut River. In the east, the word box is pronounced /bawks/ and cart is /kaht/. In the western half, creek is /krik/ and cherry may be /chirry/. Along the Connecticut river, the word butcher might sound like /boocher/ and tomorrow is pronounced /tomawro/. In some regions, a sycamore is called a buttonball and gutters are eavestroughs. In the northwest, an earthworm is called an angledog. 144

As of 2000, a total of 2,600,601 Connecticuters (81.7% of the population five years old and older) speak only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of people who speak them, include Spanish, 268,044; Italian, 50,891; French, 42,947; Polish, 38,492; and Portuguese, 30,667.

9

Religions

In 1630, the Congregational Church, was established by the Puritans as the official religion for the colony. Roman Catholic immigrants arrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Since World War I, Roman Catholics have been the most numerous religious group in the state. As of 2004, there were 1,333,044 Roman Catholics in the state. Mainline Protestants represent the second largest category of churches and include the United Church of Christ with 92,573 adherents (in 2005), the Episcopal Church with 73,550 members (in 2000), and the United Methodist Church with 51,183 adherents (in 2000). The estimated number of Jewish adherents was 108,280 (in 2000), while Muslims numbered about 29,647. About 42.1% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

As of 2003, there were 708 miles (1,140 kilometers) of railroad in Connecticut. The New Haven Line Commuter Rail Service offers a line between New Haven and New York City. On an average weekday, nearly 900 trains serve over 250,000 Metro-North customers from Connecticut and New York. In 1990, the Connecticut Department of Transportation Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Connecticut

(CDOT) contracted with Amtrak to operate the Shore Line East Commuter Rail Service between Old Saybrook and New Haven. In February of 1996, Shore Line East service was extended to New London. On an average weekday, 18 revenue trains serve about 600 customers. Since 1971, Amtrak has provided intercity passenger service to Connecticut on the Northeast Corridor main line (Boston– New Haven–New York City–Philadelphia– Washington, DC) and on the Springfield Line (New Haven–Hartford–Springfield). Local bus systems provide intracity transportation. These services are generally subsidized by the state, and in some instances, by the Federal Transit Administration. Intercity bus service (not subsidized by the state or the federal government) is provided in over 30 municipalities by some 30 companies. Connecticut has an extensive system of expressways, state highways, and local roads, totaling 21,144 miles (34,041 kilometers) in 2004. Major highways include I-95, also called the John Davis Lodge Turnpike, which crosses the entire length of the state near the shore; I-91, linking New Haven and Springfield, Massachusetts, and I-84 from the Massachusetts Turnpike southwestward through Hartford, Waterbury, and Danbury to New York State. As of 2004, there were about 2.035 million automobiles, 938,000 trucks, and around 10,000 buses registered in the state. Connecticut had 2,694,574 licensed drivers during that same year. Most of Connecticut’s waterborne traffic is handled through the two major ports of New Haven and Bridgeport. In 2005, there were 152 public and private air facilities in Connecticut including 54 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

airports, 92 heliports, and 6 seaplane bases. Connecticut’s principal air terminal is Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, which is north of Hartford.

11

History

By the early 17th century, Connecticut had between 6,000 and 7,000 Native Americans organized into 16 tribes. Because of their fear of the warlike Pequot along the shore and of the Mohawk to the west, most of Connecticut’s other Native Americans sought the friendship of English newcomers in the 1630s. The impact of English settlers on Connecticut’s friendly tribesmen was devastating, however. The Native Americans lost their land, were made dependents in their own territory, and were ravaged by such European diseases as smallpox and measles. By the 1770s, Connecticut’s Native American population was less than 1,500. The early English settlers were part of a great migration of some 20,000 English Puritans between 1630 and 1642. In 1639, the Puritan settlements at Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford joined together to form the Connecticut Colony. A separate Puritan colony established at New Haven in 1638 joined them in 1665. Connecticut functioned throughout the colonial period much like an independent republic. It was the only American colony that generally did not follow English legal and legislative practices. With its Puritan roots and historic autonomy, Connecticut was a patriot stronghold during the American Revolution. The state’s most famous Revolutionary War figure was Nathan Hale, executed as a spy by the British in New York City in 1776. On 9 January 1788, Connecticut 145

Connecticut

became the fifth state to ratify the Constitution. Connecticut strongly disagreed with the foreign policy of Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, and opposed the War of 1812, even refusing to allow its militia to leave the state. Long before the Civil War, Connecticut was stoutly antislavery. Connecticut had a number of antislavery societies whose members routed escaped slaves to Canada via the Underground Railroad. Some 55,000 Connecticut men served in the Civil War, suffering more than 20,000 casualties. The contributions by Connecticut industries to the war effort signaled the state’s emergence as a manufacturing giant. Its industrial development was helped by abundant waterpower, an elaborate transportation network, and, most important, the technological and marketing expertise of the people.

The stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent depression of the 1930s hit highly industrialized Connecticut hard. By the spring of 1932, the state’s unemployed totaled 150,000, and cities such as Bridgeport fell deeply in debt. Connecticut was pulled out of the unemployment doldrums in 1939, when the state’s factories were once again stimulated by defense contracts. During World War II, Connecticut’s factories turned out submarines, Navy Corsair fighter aircraft, helicopters, 80% of all ball bearings manufactured in the United States, and many thousands of small arms. Approximately 220,000 Connecticut men and women served in the US armed forces. Post-World War II Since 1945, Connecticut has

sixth in the nation in 1900, with an annual output of $50 million. By 1904, Connecticut’s firearms industry was producing more than onefourth of the total value of all firearms manufactured by nongovernment factories in the United States. These great strides in manufacturing transformed Connecticut from a rural, agrarian society in the early 1800s to an increasingly urban state.

seen substantial population growth, economic diversification with a greater proportion of service industries, the expansion of middle-class suburbs, and an influx of black and Hispanic migrants to the major cities. Urban renewal projects in Hartford and New Haven have resulted in expanded office and recreational facilities, but not much desperately needed new housing. A major challenge facing Connecticut in the 1980s was once again how to handle the social and economic integration of this incoming wave of people and industries.

The state’s contribution to the Allied forces in World War I more than equaled its Civil War effort. About 66,000 Connecticuters served in the armed forces, and by 1917–18, four-fifths of Connecticut’s industry was involved in defense production. During the 1920s, the state became a national leader in the production of specialty parts for the aviation, automotive, and electric power industries.

Connecticut became the nation’s wealthiest state during the 1980s, achieving the highest per capita (per person) income in 1986. The state’s prosperity came in part from the expansion of the military budget, as 70% of Connecticut’s manufacturing sector was defense-related. The end of the Cold War, however, brought cuts in military spending which reduced the value of defenserelated contracts in Connecticut from $6 billion

1900–1945 The state’s textile industry ranked

146


Connecticut

Connecticut Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

CONNECTICUT WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

Dewey (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)

423,297 481,649 405,079 657,055 826,269

437,754 611,012 711,837 565,813 390,996

13,713 1,466 — — —

6,964 2,244 — — —

1968

Humphrey (D)

621,561

556,721

AMERICAN IND.

76,660

— AMERICAN

1972

*Nixon (R)

555,498

810,763

1976

Ford (R)

647,895

719,261

1980 1984 1988


541,732 569,597 676,584

677,210 890,877 750,241

— 7,101

17,239 US Labor 1,789

LIBERTARIAN

CITIZENS

8,570

6,130

CONN-ALLIANCE

COMMUNIST

1,274

4,826

LIBERTARIAN

NEW ALLIANCE

14,071

2,491 IND. (PEROT)

1992 1996


682,318 735,740

578,313 483,109

5,391 5,788


816,015 857,488

561,094 693,826

64,452 —

348,771 139,523 REFORM

in 1989 to $4.2 billion in 1990. Department of Defense spending per capita fell from $1,800 in the 1980s to $1,289 in 1992. By 1992, manufacturing jobs had declined by 25% while jobs in such service industries as retail, finance, insurance, and real estate increased by 23%. The total number of jobs, however, dropped by 10%. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Connecticut witnessed an increasing contrast between the standard of living enjoyed by urban and suburban residents, blacks and whites, and the wealthy and the poor. In 1992, the median family income in many of the state’s suburbs was nearly twice that of families living in urban areas. Although a personal income tax and programs were implemented to give a greater share of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

4,713 4,713

state money to urban areas, along with improvements to the state educational system, poverty in the state continued to increase during the 1990s. In 1990, a total of 6% of the state’s population lived in poverty. By 1998, that number had increased to 9.2%, although by 2004, the level had fallen to 7.6%, which was well below the national average of 13.1%. As of 2005, Connecticut was seeking additional business investment.

12

State Government

The state legislature is called the general assembly, consisting of a 36-member senate and 151member house of representatives. Legislators are elected to both houses for two-year terms. 147

Connecticut

Connecticut Governors: 1769–2007 1769–1784 1784–1786 1786–1796 1796–1797 1797–1809 1809–1811 1811–1812 1812–1817 1817–1827 1827–1831 1831–1833 1833–1834 1834–1835 1835–1838 1838–1842 1842–1844 1844–1846 1846–1847 1847–1849 1849–1850 1850–1853 1853–1854 1854–1855 1855–1857 1857–1858 1858–1866 1866–1867 1867–1869 1869–1970 1870–1871 1871–1873 1873–1877 1877–1879 1879–1881 1881–1883 1883–1885 1885–1887 1887–1889

Jonathan Trumbull Matthew Griswold Samuel Huntington Oliver Wolcott, Sr. Jonathan Trumbull John Treadwell Roger Griswold John Cotton Smith Oliver Wolcott, Jr. Gideon Thomlinson John Samuel Peters Henry Waggaman Edwards Samuel Augustus Foot Henry Waggaman Edwards William Wolcott Ellsworth Chauncey Fitch Cleveland Roger Sherman Baldwin Isaac Toucey Clark Bissell Joseph Trumbull Thomas Hart Seymour Charles Hobby Pond Henry Dutton William Thomas Minor Alexander Hamilton Holley William Alfred Buckingham Joseph Roswell Hawley James Edward English Marshall Jewell James Edward English Marshall Jewell Charles Roberts Ingersoll Richard Dudley Hubbard Charles Bartlett Andrews Hobart B. Bigelow Thomas MacDonald Waller Henry Baldwin Harrison Phineas Chapman Lounsbury

Federalist Federalist Federalist Federalist Federalist Federalist Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Nat-Rep Democrat Whig Democrat Whig Democrat Whig Democrat Whig Whig Democrat Democrat Whig American Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican

Elected members of the executive branch are the governor and lieutenant governor (who run jointly and must each be at least 30 years of age), secretary of state, treasurer, comptroller, and attorney general. All are elected for four-year terms and may be reelected. A bill becomes law when approved by both houses of the general assembly and signed by the governor. If the governor fails to sign it within 5 148

1889–1893 1893–1895 1895–1897 1897–1899 1899–1901 1901–1903 1903–1905 1905–1907 1907–1909 1909 1909–1911 1911–1915 1915–1921 1921–1923 1923–1925 1925 1925–1931 1931–1939 1939–1941 1941–1943 1943–1946 1946–1947 1947–1948 1948–1949 1949–1951 1951–1955 1955–1961 1961–1971 1971–1975 1975–1980 1980–1991 1991–1995 1995–2004 2004–

Morgan Gardner Bulkeley Luzon Burritt Morris Owen Vincent Coffin Lorrin Alamson Cooke George Edward Lounsbury George Payne McLean Abiram Chamberlain Henry Roberts Rollin Simmons Woodruff George Leavens Lilley Frank Bentley Weeks Simeon Eben Baldwin Marcus Hensey Holcomb Everett John Lake Charles Augustus Templeton Hiram Bingham John Harper Trumbull Wilbur Lucius Cross Raymond Earl Baldwin Robert Augustine Hurley Raymond Earl Baldwin Charles Wilbert Snow James Lukens McConaughy James Coughlin Shannon Chester Bliss Bowles John Davis Lodge Abraham Alexander Ribicoff John Noel Dempsey Thomas Joseph Meskill Ella Tambussi Grasso William Atchinson O’Neill Lowell Palmer Weicker, Jr. John G. Rowland M. Jodi Rell

Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican

Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep National Republican – Nat-Rep

days when the legislature is in session, or within 15 days when it has adjourned, the measure also becomes law. A bill vetoed by the governor may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the members of each house. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $150,000 and the legislative salary was $28,000. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Connecticut

13

Political Parties

Connecticut’s Democrats have held power in most years since the mid-1950s. As of 2004, there were 1,823,000 registered voters, of which an estimated 36% were Democrats, 24% were Republicans, and 40% were unaffiliated or members of other political parties. In the November 2000 elections, Democrat Al Gore carried the state with 56% of the popular vote; Republican George W. Bush won 39%. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry defeated George W. Bush for president in Connecticut, with 54.3% of the vote to 43.9%. Following the November 2006 election, Connecticut’s delegation to the US House of Representatives consisted of four Democrats and one Republican. Both US senators from Connecticut will caucus as Democrats, although Joseph Lieberman was reelected by running under his own banner as an independent in 2006. In the state legislature, following the 2006 elections, Democrats held majorities in both houses. In the state house of representatives, Democrats held 106 seats, while the Republicans held 45. In the state senate, Democrats held 24 seats to the 12 held by the Republicans. Women held 28.9% of all seats in the state legislature, or 54 seats. In 2002, Republican John G. Rowland was reelected governor. However, in 2004, Rowland was forced to resign over a scandal involving corruption. On 1 July 2005, Rowland was succeeded by the state’s lieutenant governor, Republican M. Jodi Rell, who became only the second woman to hold the state’s governorship. Rell was elected in her own right in 2006. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

14

Local Government

As of 2005, Connecticut had 8 counties, 30 municipal governments, and 384 special districts. Counties in Connecticut have been geographical subdivisions without governmental functions since county government was abolished in 1960. Connecticut’s cities generally use the council-manager or mayor-council forms of government. The council-manager system provides for an elected council that determines policy, enacts local legislation, and appoints the city manager. The mayor-council system employs an elected chief executive with extensive appointment power and control over administrative agencies. In most towns, an elected, three-member board of selectmen heads the administrative branch. The town meeting, in which all registered voters may participate, is the legislative body. Boroughs are generally governed by an elected warden, and borough meetings exercise major legislative functions.

15

Judicial System

Connecticut’s judicial system has undergone significant streamlining in recent years, with the abolition of municipal, circuit, and juvenile courts. Currently, the Connecticut judicial system consists of the supreme court, appeals court, superior court, and probate courts. The supreme court comprises the chief justice, five associate justices, and two senior associate justices. The high court hears cases on appeal, primarily from the appeals court, but also from the superior court in certain special instances, such as the review of a death sentence, reappor149

Connecticut

tionment, election disputes, invalidation of a state statute, or censure of a probate judge. The superior court, the sole general trial court, has the authority to hear all legal controversies except those over which the probate courts have exclusive jurisdiction. The superior court sits in 12 state judicial districts and is divided into trial divisions for civil, criminal, and family cases. Connecticut’s state and federal prisons had an inmate population of 19,498, as of 31 December 2004. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) the state’s violent crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) was 286.3 incidents per 100,000 people in 2004. State law provides for the death penalty, of which lethal injection is the sole method of execution.

16

Migration

Although the first English settlers found an abundance of fertile farmland in the Connecticut Valley, later newcomers were not so fortunate. It is estimated that in 1800, when Connecticut’s population was 250,000, nearly three times that many people had moved away from the state, principally to Vermont, western New York, Ohio, and other Midwestern states. The influx of European immigrants increased the number of foreign-born in the state from 38,518 in 1850 to about 800,000 by World War I. After World War II, the rush of middleclass whites (many from neighboring states) to Connecticut suburbs, propelled in part by the “baby boom” that followed the war, was accompanied by the flow of minority groups to the cities. 150

In the period 2000–05, net international migration totaled 75,991, with net domestic migration at -34,273, for a net gain of 41,718 people.

17

Economy

Connecticut turned to a variety of non-farming activities in the early 19th century, among them shipbuilding and whaling. Since the 1790s, Connecticut has been a leader in the insurance industry. Connecticut’s most important economic pursuit in the 20th century was manufacturing. In the 1980s, Connecticut became a leader in the manufacture of aircraft engines and parts, bearings, hardware, submarines, helicopters, typewriters, electronic instrumentation, electrical equipment, guns and ammunition, and optical instruments. Because defense production has traditionally been important to the state, the economy has fluctuated with the rise and fall of international tensions. Connecticut has lessened its dependence on the defense sector somewhat by attracting nonmilitary domestic and international firms to the state. The state was hit hard by cuts in military spending in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1992, about 70% of manufacturing was related to defense. During the prosperous 1990s, unemployment fell steadily, although manufacturing jobs declined. The gross state product (GSP) grew at a rate of 8.7% in 2000. The national recession of 2001 caused economic growth to slow to 2.6%, and unemployment to rise. In 2004, the state’s GSP totaled $185.802 billion, of which the real estate sector accounted for the largest portion at 13%, followed by manufacturing at 12.2%, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Connecticut

and professional and technical services at 7.4% of GSP. In 2004, Connecticut was home to 322,805 small businesses. Of the 97,311 companies that had employees, 97.3% were small firms.

18

Income

In 2005, Connecticut had a gross state product (GSP) of $194 billion. In 2004, the state ranked second among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of per capita (per person) income with $45,318, which was well above the national average of $33,050. For the three year period 2002 through 2004, the median household income for Connecticut was $55,970, compared to the national average of $44,473. In the same period, 8.8% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

19

Industry

Six main groups of industries drive the state’s economy: aerospace and advanced manufacturing; communications, information and education; financial services; health and biomedical; business services; and tourism and entertainment. The state’s value of shipments of manufactured goods totaled $45.105 billion in 2004. Of that total, transportation equipment manufacturing accounted for the largest share at $10.445 billion, followed by chemicals at $7.956 billion, and fabricated metal products at $5.128 billion. In 2004, a total of 191,909 people were employed in the state’s manufacturing industries. The largest number, 44,885 employees, were employed in the transportation equipment Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

sector, followed by 33,460 employed in the fabricated metal products sector.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Connecticut numbered 1,830,800 workers, with approximately 71,900 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.9%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. Data for that same date showed that of nonfarm employment, about 3.8% of the labor force was employed in construction; 11.5% in manufacturing; 18.6% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 8.6% in finance activities; 12.1% in professional and business services; 7.9% in leisure and hospitality services; and 14.6% in government. During the early 20th century, Connecticut was consistently anti-union and was one of the leading open-shop states in the northeastern United States. But great strides were made by organized labor in the 1930s with the support of New Deal legislation recognizing union bargaining rights. All workforce services, including recruiting, training, workplace regulation, labor market information, and unemployment insurance, are offered through a statewide partnership of Connecticut’s Department of Labor, Regional Workforce Development Boards, and state and community organizations. In 2005, a total of 247,000 of Connecticut’s 1,550,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 15.9% of those so employed, and was above the national average of 12%. 151

Connecticut

21

Agriculture

Agriculture is no longer of much economic importance in Connecticut. The number of farms declined from 22,241 in 1945 to 4,200 in 2004, covering a total of 360,000 acres (145,700 hectares). Cash receipts from crop sales in 2005 were $358 million. Tobacco production was 3,889,000 pounds (1,768,000 kilograms) in 2004. Other principal crops are hay, silage, potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes, apples, and peaches.

22


In 2005, there were an estimated 56,000 cattle and calves on Connecticut farms. Their estimated value was $59.9 million. In 2004 there were an estimated 4,200 hogs and pigs, valued at $546,000. During 2003, Connecticut dairy farmers produced an estimated 413 million pounds (187.7 million kilograms) of milk. Also during 2003 poultry farmers produced an estimated 3 million pounds (1.4 million kilograms) of chicken and received $165,000 for 135,000 pounds (46,000 kilograms) of turkey. Connecticut produced an estimated 795,000 eggs in 2003 at an estimated value of $44.1 million.

23

Fishing

Commercial fishing does not play a major role in the economy. In 2004, the value of commercial landings was $37.8 million for a catch of 21.1 million pounds (9.6 million kilograms). In 2003, the state had only 23 processing and wholesale plants with a total of about 237 employees. In 152

2001, the commercial fishing fleet had about 425 boats and vessels. Several programs have been instituted throughout the years to restore the Atlantic salmon and trout populations on the Connecticut River. Connecticut had nearly 148,125 sport fishing license holders in 2004.

24

Forestry

By the early 20th century, the forests that covered 95% of Connecticut in the 1630s were generally destroyed. Woodland recovery has been stimulated since the 1930s by an energetic reforestation program. Of the state’s 1,859,000 acres (752,337 hectares) of forestland in 2004, more than half was wooded with new growth. Lumber production in 2004 totaled 48 million board feet. State forests covered some 298,000 acres (121,990 hectares) in that same year.

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Connecticut in 2004 was estimated by the US Geological Survey at around $131 million. Crushed stone, and construction sand and gravel were the state’s two leading mineral commodities. And accounted for nearly all output by volume and value. Other commodities produced included common clays, and dimension stone. Demand for virtually all of the state’s mineral output is dependent on a healthy construction industry, the main consumer of aggregates.

26

Energy and Power

Connecticut has no proven reserves of crude oil, natural gas, nor any refining capacity. As a result, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Connecticut

the state is entirely reliant upon imported oil from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Nigeria, and others. Most of the natural gas used in Connecticut is piped in from Texas and Louisiana. However, two of the four Northeast Heating Oil Reserves established by Congress in 2000 are located in Connecticut. They have a combined capacity of 850 thousand barrels. In 2003, electricity production totaled 29.545 billion kilowatt hours. Of that amount, only 2.8% came from electric utilities, with the remainder coming from combined heat and power service providers. The largest portion of electric power generated (54.4%) came from nuclear power, while natural gas-fueled plants accounted for 17.1% of all electricity produced, and coal-fired plants accounted for 14.2%. Petroleum-fired plants accounted for 7% of all power generated. The remaining power produced came from other renewable sources and hydropower. As of 2006, Connecticut had only one nuclear generating facility, the Millstone plant at Waterford.

27

Commerce

Considering its small size, Connecticut is a busy commercial state. In 2002, the state’s wholesale trade sector had sales of $86.9 billion, while the retail trade sector had sales of $41.9 billion. The estimated value of Connecticut’s goods exported abroad was $9.6 billion in 2005. Transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, electric and electronic equipment, and instruments account for most of the state’s foreign sales. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

28

Public Finance

The state budget is prepared biennially by the Budget and Financial Management Division of the Office of Policy and Management and submitted by the governor to the general assembly for consideration. In 2004, total revenues were $19.51 billion, while total expenditures that same year amounted to were $19.52 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($4.47 billion), public welfare ($4.41 billion), and hospitals ($1.4 billion). Connecticut’s outstanding debt totaled $22.57 billion, or $6,451.72 per person.

29

Taxation

Connecticut’s principal taxes are a general state sales and use tax of 6%, a two-bracket personal income tax of 3% and 5% (as of 1 January 2006), and a flat-rate corporate income tax of 7.5%. There are state excise taxes on such products as gasoline, motor fuels, cigarettes, and other selected products and services. There are also various state license fees and stamp taxes. All property taxes are local, but there are no local sales taxes in Connecticut. Food is not taxed if it is purchased for consumption off-premises (such as at home). In 2005, the state collected $11.585 billion in taxes, or $3,300 per person, which placed the state as the fourth highest among the 50 states in per capita tax burden. Of that amount, the largest portion (43.4%) came from individual income taxes, 28.2% came from general sales taxes, while selective sales taxes accounted for 16.1%. Corporate taxes accounted for 5%. 153

Connecticut

In 2004, local property taxes amounted to $1,944 per person, the second-highest in the country, behind only New Jersey.

30

Health

As of October 2005, the infant mortality rate was estimated at 5.4 per 1,000 live births. In 2002, the death rate (per 100,000 people) for heart disease was 254.7; cancer, 207; cerebrovascular diseases 53.8; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 42; and diabetes, 19.5. As of 2004, about 18% of the state’s residents were smokers. In that same year, the reported AIDS case rate was about 18.4 per 100,000 population. In 2003, Connecticut’s 34 community hospitals had around 7,200 beds. In the same year, there were about 372,000 patient admissions and 6.8 million outpatient visits. In 2005, there were 972 nurses per 100,000 people. Connecticut had 369 physicians per 100,000 population in 2004. Outstanding medical schools are those of Yale University and the University of Connecticut. Hospital expenses in 2003 averaged $1,684 per day. In 2004, about 11% of the population was uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 1,414,433 housing units in Connecticut, 1,329,950 of which were occupied. Of those, 69.7% were owner-occupied. About 59.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes. It was estimated that about 22,730 units were without telephone service, 8,239 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 6,030 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Most households (47%) relied on fuel oil (such 154

as kerosene) for heating. The average household size was 2.55 people. New privately owned housing units authorized in 2004 numbered 11,800. The median value of a single-family detached home was $236,559. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,603, while the median monthly cost for renters was $811.

32

Education

Believing that the Bible was the only true source of God’s truths, Connecticut’s Puritan founders viewed literacy as a theological necessity. A law code in 1650 required a town of 50 families to hire a schoolmaster to teach reading and writing, and a town of 100 families to operate a school to prepare students for college. In 2004, a total of 88.8% of Connecticut residents age 25 and older were high school graduates. Some 34.5% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 570,000 in fall 2003. However, enrollment by fall 2014 was expected to drop 0.6% to 567,000. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $10,788 per student, the fifth highest among the 50 states. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 74,430. The state’s private preparatory schools include Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford), Taft (Waltertown), Westminster (Simsbury), Loomis Chaffee (Windsor), and Miss Porter’s (Farmington). In fall 2002, enrollment in college or graduate school was 170,606. In the same year Connecticut had 46 degree-granting institutions. Public institutions of higher education include the University of Connecticut at Storrs; four divisions of the Connecticut State University, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Connecticut

at New Britain, New Haven, Danbury, and Willimantic; 12 regional community colleges; and 5 state technical colleges. Connecticut also has 23 private 4-year colleges and universities. Among the oldest institutions are Yale, founded in 1701 and settled in New Haven between 1717 and 1719; Trinity College (1823) in Hartford; and Wesleyan University (1831) in Middletown. Other private institutions include the University of Hartford, University of Bridgeport, Fairfield University, and Connecticut College in New London.

33

Arts

The Connecticut Commission on the Arts, established in 1965, administers a state art collection and establishes policies for an art bank program. The Commission also partners with the New England Foundation for the Arts. The Connecticut Humanities Council was established in 1974, and as of 2006, has supported a number of reading and literacy programs for young people and adults. In 2005, Connecticut’s arts organizations received 30 grants from the from the National Endowment for the Arts, and 23 grants through the National Endowment for the Humanities. There were approximately 900 arts associations in the state and 65 local arts groups. The visual arts are easily accessible through numerous art museums, galleries, and more than 150 annual arts shows and festivals. The theater is vibrant in Connecticut, which has numerous dinner theaters, community theater groups, and many college and university theater groups. Professional theaters include the American Shakespeare Festival Theater, the Long Wharf Theater, Yale Repertory Theater, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the Hartford Stage Company, and the Eugene O’Neill Memorial Theater Center. The state’s foremost metropolitan orchestras are the Hartford and New Haven symphonies. Professional opera is presented by the Stanford State Opera and by the Connecticut Opera in Hartford. Prominent dance groups include the Connecticut Dance Company in New Haven, the Hartford Ballet Company, and the Pilobolus Dance Theater in the town of Washington. The annual International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven has grown steadily since its inception in 1996 and now presents over 300 events throughout the month of June. The Sunken Garden Poetry Festival, presented every summer at the Hill Stead Museum in Farmington, reportedly draws about 1,500 to 3,000 people per reading event.

34


As of 2001, Connecticut’s 194 public library systems had 242 libraries, of which 48 were branches. In that same year, the public library systems held over 14 million volumes and had a combined circulation of 28,455,000. The leading public library is the Connecticut State Library (Hartford), which houses over 1 million bound volumes and over 2,451 periodicals, and also serves as the official state historical museum. Connecticut’s most distinguished academic collection is the Yale University library system (with over 9 million volumes) in New Haven, headed by the Sterling Memorial Library and the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. The Hartford Seminary Foundation has an impressive collection of material on Christian-Muslim relations. The Submarine Library at the US Navy 155

Connecticut

An octagonal lighthouse forms the centerpiece of a city park, Lighthouse Point. Located at the eastern end of New Haven harbor, this park has the only public beach in New Haven, Connecticut’s second-largest city. CONNECTICUT TOURISM.

submarine base in Groton is also an important location for maritime history research. Connecticut has more than 162 museums, in addition to its historic sites. The Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale in New Haven includes an impressive dinosaur hall. Connecticut’s historical sites include the Henry Whitfield House in Guilford (1639), said to be the oldest stone house in the United States, and Noah Webster’s birthplace in West Hartford.

major network television stations. There were educational television stations in Bridgeport, Hartford, and Norwich. In addition, the Hartford and New Haven metropolitan area had the highest cable use rate of any urban area, at 88%. A total of 109,775 domain names were registered in Connecticut by 2000. As of 2003 a total of 69.2% of all households in the state had a computer, while 62.9% had Internet access.

35

36

Communications

As of 2004, a total of 95.5% of all households in the state had telephones. As of June 2004, the state had over 2 million mobile wireless phone service subscribers. In 2005, Connecticut had 18 AM and 33 FM major radio stations, and 5 156

Press

The Hartford Courant, founded in 1764, is generally considered to be the oldest US newspaper in continuous publication. The leading Connecticut dailies in 2005 were the Courant, with an average morning cirJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Connecticut

Mystic Seaport, whaling museum. CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

culation of 204,664 (Sundays, 281,714), and the New Haven Register, with an average evening circulation of 92,089 (Sundays, 100,177). Statewide, in 2005 there were 14 morning newspapers, 3 evening newspapers, and 13 Sunday editions. Leading periodicals are American Scientist, Connecticut Magazine, Fine Woodworking, Golf Digest, and Tennis.

37


Tourism has become an increasingly important part of the state economy in recent decades. Tourist spending reached about $366 million in 2003. Popular tourist attractions include the Mystic Seaport restoration and its aquarium, the Mark Twain House and state capitol in Hartford, the American Clock and Watch Museum in Bristol, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

and the Yale campus in New Haven. Outstanding events include the Harvard-Yale regatta held each June on the Thames River in New London.

38

Sports

The Connecticut Sun became the state’s first major league team when it joined the WNBA in 2003. The team was formerly the Orlando Miracle. Connecticut’s only other major league professional team, the Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League, moved to North Carolina following the 1996–1997 season and became the Carolina Hurricanes. The New England Seawolves are members of the Arena Football League. New Haven has a minor league baseball franchise, the Ravens, as do Norwich and New Britain. There are also minor league hockey and basketball teams in the 157

Connecticut

Mark Twain’s house, Nook Farm Museum. CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

state. Auto racing takes place at Lime Rock Race Track, which is located in Salisbury. Connecticut schools, colleges, and universities provide amateur athletic competitions, highlighted by Ivy League football games on autumn Saturdays at the Yale Bowl in New Haven. While Yale has won 13 Ivy League football titles, the University of Connecticut has become a force in men’s and women’s basketball. The Huskies’ women’s team won the NCAA championship in 1995 and 2000, and back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003. They have also advanced to two other Final Four tournaments. The men’s team won the National Invitational Tournament in 1988 and has made more than 30 NCAA Tournament appearances, winning national championships in 1999 and 2004. Other annual sporting events include the US Eastern Ski Jumping Championships in 158

Salisbury in February, and the Greater Hartford Open Golf Tournament in Cromwell in June and July.

39

Famous Connecticuters

Connecticut claims President George W. Bush (b.1946) as a native son. Two Connecticut natives have served as chief justice of the US Supreme Court: Oliver Ellsworth (1745–1807) and Morrison R. Waite (1816–1888). Other prominent federal officeholders were Dean Acheson (1893–1971), secretary of state; and Abraham A. Ribicoff (1910–1998), secretary of health, education, and welfare. Connecticut senator Lowell P. Weicker Jr. (b.France, 1931) was brought to national attention by his work during the Watergate hearings in 1973. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Connecticut

Ella Tambussi Grasso (1919–1981), elected in 1974 and reelected in 1978, was the first woman governor in the United States who did not succeed her husband in the post. Shapers of US history include Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758), a Congregationalist minister who sparked the 18th-century religious revival known as the Great Awakening; Connecticut’s most revered Revolutionary War figure, Nathan Hale (1755–1776), who was executed for spying behind British lines; radical abolitionist John Brown (1800–1859); and Henry Ward Beecher (1813–1887), a religious leader and abolitionist. Connecticuters prominent in US cultural development include painter John Trumbull (1756–1843); Noah Webster (1758–1843), who compiled the American Dictionary of the English Language (1828); and Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–1896), who wrote one of the most widely read books in history, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852). Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens, b.Missouri, 1835–1910) was living in Hartford when he wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885). Charles Ives (1874–1954) was one of the nation’s most distinguished composers. A renowned voice in modern poetry, Wallace Stevens (b.Pennsylvania, 1879–1955), wrote most of his work while employed as a Hartford insurance executive. James Merrill (b.New York, 1926–1995) was a poet whose works won the National Book Award (1967) and many other honors. Among the premier inventors born in Connecticut were Eli Whitney (1765–1825), inventor of the cotton gin; Samuel Colt (1814– 1862), inventor of the six-shooter; and Edwin Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

H. Land (1909–1991), inventor of the Polaroid Land Camera. Other prominent Americans born in Connecticut include circus promoter Phineas Taylor “P. T.” Barnum (1810–1891), pediatrician Benjamin Spock (1903–1998), actress Katharine Hepburn (1909–2003), and consumer-advocate Ralph Nader (b.1934), who was the Green Party candidate for president in 2000. Connecticut Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (b.1942), unsuccessful vice presidential running mate of Democrat Al Gore in 2000, was the first Jewish American ever to run for a national office.

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Bibliography

BOOKS Boyle, Doe. Fun with the Family in Connecticut: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot Press, 2000. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Lieberman, Joseph I. In Praise of Public Life. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Connecticut Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Connecticut. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Mezzanotte, Jim. Connecticut. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Sherrow, Victoria. Connecticut. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Connecticut. New York: PowerKids, 2000. WEB SITES State of Connecticut. State of Connecticut Online Access to Government. www.ct.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Visit New England. Connecticut. www. visitconnecticut.com (accessed March 1, 2007). 159

Delaware State of Delaware

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for Thomas West,

Baron De La Warr, colonial governor of Virginia; the name was first applied to the bay. N I CKNAME : The First State; the Diamond State. C AP ITAL: Dover. ENT ERED UNION: 7 December 1787 (1st). O FFICIAL SEAL: The coat of arms surrounded by the words “Great Seal of the State of Delaware 1793, 1847, 1907.” The three dates represent the years in which the seal was revised. FLAG: Colonial blue with the coat of arms on a buffcolored diamond; below the diamond is the date of statehood. C OAT OF ARMS: A farmer and a rifleman flank a shield that bears symbols of the state’s agricultural resources—a sheaf of wheat, an ear of corn, and a cow. Above is a ship in full sail; below, a banner with the state motto. M OT TO: Liberty and Independence. SONG: “Our Delaware.” C OLORS: Colonial blue and buff. FLOWER: Peach blossom. TREE: American holly. B IRD: Blue hen chicken. FISH: Sea trout. IN S ECT: Ladybug. R OCK OR STONE: Sillimanite. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Good Friday, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Day After Thanksgiving; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located on the eastern seaboard of the United States, Delaware ranks 49th in size among the 50 states. The state’s total area is 2,044 square miles (5,295 square kilometers), of which land takes up 1,932 square miles (5,005 square kilometers) and inland water 112 square miles (290 square kilometers). Delaware extends 35 miles (56 kilometers) east-west. Its maximum northsouth extension is 96 miles (154 kilometers). Delaware’s boundary length is 200 miles (322 kilometers), including a general coastline of 28 miles (45 kilometers). 161

Delaware

2

Topography

Delaware lies entirely within the Atlantic Coastal Plain except for its northern tip, which is part of the Piedmont Plateau. The state’s highest elevation is 448 feet (137 meters) on Ebright Road near Centerville. The rolling hills and pastures of the north give way to marshy regions in the south (notably Cypress Swamp), with sandy beaches along the coast. Delaware’s mean elevation, 60 feet (18 meters), is the lowest in the United States. The Nanticoke, Choptank, and Pocomoke rivers flow westward into Chesapeake Bay. All others rivers flow into Delaware Bay. There are dozens of inland freshwater lakes and ponds.

3

Climate

Delaware’s climate is temperate and humid. The average annual temperature in Wilmington ranges from 24°f (-4°c) in January to 86°f (30°c) in July. Both the record low and high temperatures for the state were established at Millsboro: -17°f (-27°c) on 17 January 1893 and 110°f (43°c) on 21 July 1930. The average annual precipitation is 42.8 inches (108.7 centimeters). The average annual snowfall is about 21 inches (53 centimeters).

4

Plants and Animals

Common trees include black walnut, hickory, sweetgum, and tulip poplar. Shadbush and sassafras are found chiefly in southern Delaware. In 2006, four plant species were listed as threatened or endangered. Mammals native to the state include the white-tailed deer, muskrat, and common cottontail. The quail, robin, and car162

Delaware Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

853,476 8.9% 6.1% 98.5% 73.6% 19.9% 0.3% 2.7% 0.0% 2.0% 1.5%


Under 18 (24%)

65 and over (13%)

45 to 64 (26%)

18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Wilmington Dover Newark Middletown Smyrna Milford Seaford Elsmere Georgetown New Castle

Population

% change 2000–05

72,786 34,288 30,060 9,121 7,413 7,201 6,997 5,722 4,911 4,836

0.2 6.7 5.3 48.0 30.5 7.0 4.4 -1.3 5.8 -0.5



Delaware

DELAWARE

PENNSYLVANIA

Explanation Brandywine Cr. St. Park Claymont

Point of Interest

Hoopes Res.

City (less than 25,000 people)

W. S. Carpenter St. Park

State Capital

Wilmington


95

e ar

. R

495

Newark

Area of Interest

Del aw

295


95

N

Fort Delaware St. Park

NEW CASTLE

Lums Pond State Park

0 0

5 5

10 miles and Chesapeake al Delaware Can

10 kilometers

Middletown

NEW JERSEY

KENT

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Dover Dover Air Force Base

D elaware Bay

MARYLAND Killen’s Pond State Forest

Milford

Prime Hook Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

SUSSEX

Cape Henlopen State Park

Ellendale State Forest Redden State Forest

AT L A N T I C

Georgetown

OCEAN

Seaford

ke ico nt Na

Rehoboth Bay

R.

Broa

Indian River Bay

d R.

Delaware Seashore State Park

Holts Landing St. Park

Trap Pond State Park


163

Delaware

dinal are native birds. Canadian geese are common waterfowl. As of 2006, there were 13 animal species considered threatened or endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Among these are the bald eagle, puma, five species of sea turtle, three species of whale, and the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel.

5


The traffic of oil tankers into the Delaware Bay represents an environmental hazard. The Coastal Zone Act of 1971 restricts industrial development, oil drilling, and tanker movement along Delaware’s coastline, but in 1979 the act was amended to allow offshore oil drilling and development. In 1982, Delaware enacted a bottle law requiring deposits on most soda and beer bottles. Deposits for aluminum cans were made mandatory in 1984. In that year, Delaware became the first state to administer the national hazardous waste program at the state level. The state’s municipal governments have constructed three municipal land fills to handle the solid waste produced by the state’s 670,000 residents. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 64 hazardous waste sites in the states, 14 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. State environmental protection agencies include the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Coastal Zone Industrial Control Board, and Council on Soil and Water Conservation. 164

6

Population

In 2006, Delaware ranked 45th in population in the nation with an estimated total of 853,476 residents. In 2004, the population density was 425.4 persons per square mile (164.2 persons per square kilometer). The population projection for 2025 is 990,694. The median age in 2004 was 37.5. As of 2005, about 13% of all residents were 65 years old or older, while about 24% were 18 years old or younger. The largest cities in 2005 were Wilmington, with an estimated population of 72,786; and Dover, the capital, with a population of 34,288.

7

Ethnic Groups

In the 2000 census, black Americans constituted Delaware’s largest racial minority, with 150,666 people, or 19% of the population. Approximately 37,277 residents, or 5% of the total population, were of Hispanic origin. In 2006, estimates indicated that 19.9% of the population was black and 6.1% of the population was of Hispanic origin. In 2000, a total of 44,898 residents, or 5.7% of the population, were foreign born. The United Kingdom, Germany, India, Italy, and Canada were the leading places of origin.

8

Languages

English in Delaware is basically North Midland, with Philadelphia features in Wilmington and the northern portion. In the north, one wants off a bus, lowers curtains rather than blinds, and says /krik/ for creek. As of 2000, about 662,845 Delawareans (90.5% of the population five years old and older) speak only English at home. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Delaware

Delaware Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 783,600 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770,567 . . . . . . 98.3 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,131 . . . . . . . 1.5 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,145 . . . . . . . 0.4 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,605 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,645 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,372 . . . . . . . 0.3 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . .890 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .338 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,282 . . . . . . . 0.2 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .325 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .902 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

Other languages spoken at home (and number of speakers) include Spanish (34,690), and French (4,041).

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Religions

The Great Awakening, America’s first religious revival, began on 30 October 1739 at Lewes with the arrival of George Whitefield, an Anglican preacher involved in the movement that would later become the Methodist Church. The African Methodist Episcopal Church was also founded by slaves and ex-slaves from Delaware. Subsequent immigration brought Lutherans from Germany; Roman Catholics from Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Poland; and Jews from Germany, Poland, and Russia. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

As of 2000, there were 151,740 Catholics in the state. The United Methodist Church had 59,471 adherents. Episcopalians numbered 12,993 and the Presbyterian Church USA claimed 14,880 adherents. There were about 13,500 adherents to Judaism. About 59.4% of the population was not counted as members of any religious organization.

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Transportation

The New Castle and Frenchtown Railroad was built in 1832. The state’s first passenger line, the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad, opened six years later. As of 2003, there were 247 rail miles (397 kilometers) of track. As of 2006, Amtrak served Wilmington via the 165

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Delaware’s first modern highway, running about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from Wilmington to the southern border, was financed by industrialist T. Coleman du Pont between 1911 and 1924. The twin spans of the Delaware Memorial Bridge connect Delaware highways to those in New Jersey. The Delaware Turnpike section of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway links the bridge system with Maryland. The Lewes– Cape May Ferry provides auto and passenger service between southern Delaware and New Jersey. In 2004, New Castle and Wilmington were chief ports. The Delaware River is traveled by oil tankers delivering to the east coast. Delaware had 99 miles (159 kilometers) of navigable inland waterways in 2004. In 2005, Delaware had 49 airfields (33 airport, 15 heliports, 1 seaplane base), of which Greater Wilmington Airport was the largest and busiest.

11 Liberty bell in front of Legislative Hall in Dover, Delaware’s state capital. DELAWARE TOURISM OFFICE.

Northeast Corridor main line that connected Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC. The Delaware Authority for Regional Transit (DART) provides state-subsidized bus service. In 2004, the state had 6,044 miles (9,731 kilometers) of public highways, roads, and streets. In the same year, there were 716,000 registered vehicles and 533,943 licensed drivers. 166

History

At the time of the first European contact, the Leni-Lenape people occupied northern Delaware, while several tribes, including the Nanticoke and Assateague, inhabited southern Delaware. Permanent settlements were made by the Swedes in 1638 at Wilmington and by the Dutch in 1651 at New Castle. The Dutch conquered the Swedes in 1655, and were in turn conquered in 1664 by the English, who placed Delaware under the control of William Penn. In the War for Independence, Delaware troops fought so well that they gained the nickname “Blue Hen’s Chicken,” after a famous breed of now-extinct fighting gamecocks. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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On 7 December 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the federal Constitution. Although Delaware had not abolished slavery, it remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War. However, white Delawareans manipulated registration laws to deny blacks voting rights until 1890. Delaware refused ratification of the three “Civil War” constitutional amendments (abolition of slavery, equal protection, voting rights for black men) until 1901. The key event in the state’s early economic history was the completion of a railroad between Philadelphia and Baltimore through Wilmington in 1838. Foreign immigration contributed to the state’s growth, largely from the British Isles and Germany in the mid-19th century and from Italy, Poland, and Russia in the early 20th century. In the early 1900’s, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., founded near Wilmington in 1802 as a gunpowder manufacturer, made the city famous as a center for the chemical industry. During the 1950s, Delaware’s population grew by an unprecedented 40%. Although many neighborhood schools became racially integrated during the 1950s, massive busing was instituted by court order in 1978 to achieve a racial balance in schools throughout northern Delaware. This court order was lifted in 1995. The 1980s ushered in a period of dramatic economic improvement. Some of Delaware’s prosperity came from a 1981 state law that raised interest rate limits and lowered taxes for large financial institutions. More than 30 banks established themselves in Delaware, and the state also succeeded in attracting foreign companies. Two industrial parks were built in Sussex, Delaware’s southernmost county, and a third complex in the center of the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The state also succeeded in using its simplified incorporation procedures to attract US and foreign companies. By the mid-1990s, the state was the registered home of roughly half the Fortune 500 companies; however, for many their presence in the state was strictly on paper. Although business has grown in Delaware, urban and rural poverty are still present. Delaware’s teenage pregnancy rate is one of the highest in the country, while its welfare benefits are lower than any other mid-Atlantic state with the exception of West Virginia. Ruth Ann Minner was elected as Delaware’s first woman governor in 2000, assuming the office in 2001. Minner was reelected in 2004. In her 2007 State of the State address, she targeted issues such as pollution, industrial cleanup, the economy, and education. In 2002, Delaware passed a law banning smoking in most indoor public places; it was among the first states in the nation to enact a smoking ban.

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State Government

Delaware has had four constitutions, the last of which, in force since 1897, had been amended 138 times by January 2005. Delaware’s legislative branch is the general assembly, consisting of a 21-member senate and a 41-member house of representatives. Senators are elected for four years, and representatives for two. Delaware’s major elected executives include the governor and lieutenant governor (elected separately), treasurer, comptroller, and attorney general. All serve four-year terms. The governor may be elected only once and must be 30 years old, have been a US resident for 12 years and a state resident for six before taking office. 167

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Delaware Governors: 1775—2007 1775–1777 1777 1777–1778 1778–1782 1782–1783 1783 1783–1786 1786–1789 1789 1789–1796 1796–1797 1797–1801 1801 1801–1802 1802–1805 1805–1808 1808–1811 1811–1814 1814–1817 1817–1820 1820–1821 1821–1822 1822–1823 1823 1823–1824 1824–1827 1827–1830 1830–1833 1833–1836 1836–1837 1837–1840 1841–1845 1845–1846 1846 1846–1847 1847–1851 1851–1855

John McKinly Thomas McKean George Read Caesar Rodney John Dickinson John Cook Nickolas Van Dyke Thomas Collins Jehu Davis Joshua Clayton Federalist Gunning Bedford, Sr. Federalist Daniel Rogers Federalist Richard Bassett Federalist James Sykes Federalist David Hall Dem-Rep Nathaniel Mitchell Federalist George Truitt Federalist Joseph Haslet Dem-Rep Daniel Rodney Federalist John Clark Federalist Jacob Stout Federalist John Collins Dem-Rep Caleb Rodney Dem-Rep Joseph Haslet Dem-Rep Charles Thomas Dem-Rep Samuel Paynter Federalist Charles Polk Federalist David Hazzard Anti–Republican Caleb Prew Bennett Jackson Democrat Charles Polk Federalist Cornelius Parsons Comegys Whig William B. Cooper Whig Thomas Stockton Whig Joseph Maull Whig William Temple Whig William Tharp Democrat William Henry Harrison Ross Democrat

In 2005, the governor’s salary was $132,000 and legislators earned $36,500 per year.

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Political Parties

Since the 1930s, the two major parties have been relatively evenly matched. As of 2004, there were 554,000 registered voters; 42% were Democratic, 36% Republican, and 23% unaffiliated or members of other parties. 168

1855–1859 1859–1863 1863–1865 1865–1871 1871–1875 1875–1879 1879–1883 1883–1887 1887–1891 1891–1895 1895 1895–1897 1897–1901 1901–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925 1925–1929 1929–1937 1937–1941 1941–1949 1949–1953 1953–1960 1960–1961 1961–1965 1965–1969 1969–1973 1973–1977 1977–1985 1985–1992 1993 1993–2001 2001–

Peter Foster Causey William Burton William Cannon Gove Saulsbury James Ponder John P. Cochran John Wood Hall Charles Clark Stockley Benjamin Thomas Briggs Robert John Reynolds Joshua Hopkins Marvel William T. Watson Ebe Walter Tunnell John Hunn Preston Lea Simeon Selby Pennewill Charles R. Miller John Gillis Townsend, Jr. William Du Hamel Denney Robert P. Robinson Clayton Douglass Buck Richard Cann McMullen Walter W. Bacon Elbert Nostrand Carvel James Caleb Boggs David Penrose Buckson Elbert Nostrand Carvel Charles Laymen Terry, Jr. Russell Wilbur Peterson Sherman Willard Tribbitt Pierre Samuel du Pont IV Michael Newbald Castle Dale Edward Wolf Thomas Richard Carper Ruth Ann Minner

Whig Democrat Unionist Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat

Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep

In the November 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry won 53.3% of the vote while the incumbent president Republican George W. Bush won 45.8%. The state has three electoral votes in the presidential election. Democrat Ruth Ann Minner won election to the governor’s office in 2000, becoming the first female governor in the state’s history. She was reelected in 2004. Democrat Thomas Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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Carper was reelected US senator in 2006, and Democratic Senator Joseph Biden was reelected in 2002. Republican Michael Castle won reelection in 2006 to remain Delaware’s sole US representative. Following the 2006 elections, Republicans controlled the state house (23–18), and Democrats controlled the state senate (13–8). There were 21 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 33.9%.

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Local Government

Delaware Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

DELAWARE WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 Dewey (R) 67,813 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 83,315 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 79,421 1960 *Kennedy (D) 99,590 1964 *Johnson (D) 122,704 1968 *Nixon (R) 89,194 1972 *Nixon (R) 92,283 1976 *Carter (D) 122,596 1980 *Reagan (R) 105,700 1984 *Reagan (R) 101,656 1988 *Bush (R) 108,647 1992** *Clinton (D) 126,054 1996** *Clinton (D) 140,355 2000 Gore (D) 180,068 2004 Kerry (D) 200,152 * Won US presidential election. **Independent Ross Perot received 59,213 1992 and 28,719 votes in 1996.

69,588 90,059 98,057 96,373 78,078 96,714 140,357 109,831 111,185 152,190 139,639 102,313 99,062 137,288 171,660

Delaware is divided into three counties. In New Castle, voters elect a county executive and a county council; in Sussex, the members of the elective county council choose a county administrator. Kent operates under an elected levy court. Most of Delaware’s 57 municipalities elect a mayor and council. In 2005, Delaware had 19 public school districts and 260 special districts. Because of the state’s small size, local government in Delaware tends to be weaker than that in other states. Here the state operates many programs that elsewhere are found at the local level.

held in state and federal prisons. Delaware has a death penalty, with lethal injection being the method of execution. As of 2006, Delaware had executed 14 persons since 1976. Delaware was the last state to abolish the whipping post. The whipping post was used for the last time in 1952 but not formally abolished until 1972.

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Judicial System

Delaware’s highest court is the supreme court, composed of a chief justice and four associate justices. Other state courts include the court of chancery and the superior court. The court of chancery handles all corporate cases and is one of the busiest of such courts in the United States due to Delaware’s high concentration of incorporated businesses. In 2004, Delaware had a total violent crime rate of 568.4 per 100,000. As of December 2004, there were 6,297 inmates Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

votes in

Migration

Delaware has attracted immigrants from a variety of foreign countries, including Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and Russia. The 1960s and 1970s saw the migration of Puerto Ricans to Wilmington. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 11,226 and net internal migration was 27,912 for a net gain of 39,138 people. 169

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Economy

Since the 1930s, and particularly since the mid1970s, Delaware has been one of the nation’s most prosperous states. Although manufacturing—primarily the chemical and automotive industries—has historically been the major contributor to the state’s economy, its contribution to gross state product shrunk to 12.9% in 2001. Tourism plays a major role in the state’s economy, as do finance, insurance, and real estate. Financial services grew 43% from 1997 to 2001. Many businesses have moved to Delaware due to its relatively low-cost business environment. In 2004, a total of 3,270 new companies were formed while 3,362 businesses ceased operation.

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Income

In 2005, the gross state product (GSP) was estimated at $54 billion. In 2004, Delaware ranked 11th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $35,728, above the national average of $33,050. In 2000, the median household income was $50,154, compared to the national average of $42,148. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $73,301, compared to the national average of $63,278. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04, was $50,152 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 8.5% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%. 170

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Industry

Wilmington is called the “Chemical Capital of the World,” largely because of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., the chemical industry giant. Important manufactured products, in addition to chemicals and transportation equipment, include food processing, plastics and rubber products, and paper manufacturing.

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Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Delaware numbered 444,700, with approximately 16,400 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.7%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, 6.6% of the labor force was employed in construction; 18% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 10.3% in financial activities; 14.3% in professional and business services; 12.5% in education and health services; 9.5% in leisure and hospitality services, and 13.8% in government. Data for manufacturing was unavailable. In 2005, some 46,000 of Delaware’s 386,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 11.8% of those so employed. The national average is 12%.

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Agriculture

Though small by national standards, Delaware’s agriculture is efficient and productive. In 2005, Delaware’s farm marketings were at $895 million. Tobacco was a leading crop in the early colonial era but was soon succeeded by corn and wheat. Peaches were a mainstay during the mid-19th century, until the orchards were devastated by “the yellows,” a tree disease. The major Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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field crops are corn, soybeans, barley, wheat, melons, potatoes, mushrooms, lima beans, and green peas. Production in 2004 included corn for grain, 23.2 million bushels; soybeans, 8.7 million bushels; wheat, 2.7 million bushels; and barley, 29 million bushels.

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In 2003, an estimated 8,300 milk cows produced 136 million pounds of milk (61.8 million kilograms). Also during 2003 an estimated 1.5 billion pounds (680 million kilograms) of broilers (young chickens) were produced and valued at an estimated $542.6 million. Broilers account for the majority of Delaware’s farm receipts. In 2005, Delaware had 23,000 cattle and calves.

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Fishing

Fishing, once an important industry in Delaware, has declined in recent decades. The total commercial landings in 2004 brought 4.3 million pounds (1.9 million kilograms), worth $5.4 million. Clams, plentiful until the mid-1970s, are in short supply because of overharvesting. In 2001, the commercial fishing fleet had 184 vessels. Delaware issued 20,544 sport fishing licenses in 2004.

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Forestry

In 2004, Delaware had approximately 383,000 acres (155,000 hectares) of forestland, of which approximately 92% was classified as private forestland. Nonindustrial private landowners owned 85% of Delaware’s forests while approximately 8% was publicly owned, and 7% was owned by the forest industry. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Southern Delaware contains many loblolly pine forests as well as the northernmost stand of bald cypress. Northern Delaware contains more hardwoods, such as oak and yellow poplar. Other common species are gum, maple, and American holly, which is Delaware’s state tree. Delaware has approximately 32,000 acres (12,950 hectares) of state forests, which are managed on a multiple use basis and are open to the public.

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Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Delaware in 2004 was about $21.9 million, according to estimated data compiled by the US Geological Survey. Construction sand and gravel are the leading nonfuel minerals produced. Other significant nonfuel minerals included magnesium compounds produced for use in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing. In 2004, Delaware ranked fourth nationally in production of magnesium compounds and was one of only five states that produced them in the United States. They are extracted from seawater close to the mouth of the Delaware Bay near Lewes and, with aluminum hydroxides, are used in the manufacture of antacid products.

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Energy and Power

In 2003, production of electric power reached 7.3 billion kilowatt hours. Most of the power is supplied by coal- and oil-fired plants. Delaware has no nuclear reactors, nor does it have any fossil fuel resources. In 2000, Delaware’s total per capita energy consumption was 386 million Btu (97.3 million kilocalories), ranking it 17th among the states. 171

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billion and expenditures were $5.3 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($1.7 billion), public welfare ($1 billion), and government administration ($394 million). At the close of fiscal 2004, the outstanding debt of Delaware state and local governments was more than $4.1 billion, or $5,009.78 per capita.

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The skyline of Wilmington, the largest city in Delaware. DELAWARE TOURISM OFFICE.

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Commerce

In 2002, annual sales from the wholesale trade in Delaware totaled over $117.2 billion, while retail establishments had sales of almost $10.9 billion. The leading retailers included food and beverage stores and clothing and clothing accessory stores. In 2005, over $2.5 billion worth of products made in the state were exported.

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Public Finance

Delaware’s annual state budget is prepared by the state budget director and submitted by the governor to the general assembly for amendment and approval. State revenues for 2004 were $5.6 172

Taxation

Delaware is the country’s corporate tax haven. If a corporation has its headquarters in Delaware, the state does not impose taxes on the company’s subsidiaries that are located in other states. Financial institutions are attracted to Delaware by its absence of usury limits. The fees paid by hundreds of thousands such companies allow Delaware to be one of five states with no general sales tax. There is also no state property tax. Delaware’s individual income tax is a sixbracket progressive schedule ranging from 2.2% to 5.95%. The corporate income tax is a flat tax of 8.7%. Though there is no general sales tax, selective sales taxes (excises) are imposed on gasoline, and other motor fuels, cigarettes and other tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, amusements, insurance premiums, pari-mutuels, public utilities, and other selected items. In 2005, state tax collections totaled $2.7 billion, or $3,229 per capita, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person. Collections included 32.4% from individual income taxes, 14.6% from selective sales taxes, 9.1% from corporate income taxes, and 43.9% from other taxes. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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Health

In 2005, the infant mortality rate was 7.4 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 8.6 per 1,000 residents. As of 2002, death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 237.6; cancer, 200.8; cerebrovascular diseases, 50.2; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 43.3; and diabetes, 26.6. In 2004, about 24.3% of residents were smokers. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported at 8.7 per 100,000. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 18.9 per 100,000. In 2003, Delaware had six community hospitals had 2,000 beds. The average expense of for hospital care was $1,508 per inpatient day. There were 272 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 914 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were a total of 377 dentists in the state. In 2004, at least 13% of the population was uninsured.

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Housing

In 2004, there were approximately 367,448 housing units in Delaware, of which 310,676 were occupied; 72.9% were owner-occupied. About 55.4% of all units were single-family, detached homes. It was estimated that about 6,646 units lacked telephone service, 1,674 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 2,334 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Most homes were heated by gas or electricity. The average household size was 2.59 people. In 2004, there were 7,900 new privately owned housing units authorized for construction. The median home value was $171,589. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,191 while renters paid a median of $743 per month.

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Education

Approximately 86.5% of adult Delawareans were high school graduates in 2004. About 26.9% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools was estimated at 116,000 in fall 2003. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 25,576. As of fall 2002, there were 49,228 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. In 2005, Delaware had 10 degree-granting institutions. Delaware has two public four-year institutions: the University of Delaware (Newark) and Delaware State College (Dover). Alternatives to these institutions include Widener University and the Delaware Technical and Community College, which has four campuses. There are three independent colleges: Goldey-Beacom College (Wilmington), Wesley College (Dover), and Wilmington College.

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Arts

The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) is a branch of the Delaware Department of State, which administers arts-related grants and programs. The Delaware State Arts Council serves as the advisory board for the DDOA. The Delaware Humanities Forum, an independent, non-profit organization was established in 1973 to sponsor programs and distribute grants to organizations promoting the understanding and appreciation of the humanities. 173

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Boardwalk at Rehobeth Beach. DELAWARE TOURISM OFFICE.

In 2005, Delaware arts organizations received six grants totaling $671,400 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National endowment for the Humanities awarded three grants totaling 4500,470 for state programs. Wilmington has a local symphony orchestra, opera society, and drama league. The Playhouse, located in the Du Pont Building in Wilmington, shows first-run Broadway plays. The restored Grand Opera House in Wilmington, Delaware’s Center for the Performing Arts, is the home of the Delaware Symphony and the Delaware Opera Guild as well as host to performances of popular music and ballet. 174

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Delaware had 37 public library systems in 2001, with 1,468,000 books and other materials and a circulation of 4,543,000. The University of Delaware’s Hugh M. Morris Library (Newark) is the largest academic library in the state. The Delaware Library Information connects all types of libraries through a statewide computer/telecommunication system. Notable among the state’s 27 museums are the Hagley Museum, the Delaware History Museum, the Winterthur Museum, and the Delaware Art Museum, all in Wilmington. The Historical Society of Delaware maintains a museum in the Old Town Hall in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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Wilmington. The Delaware State Museum is in Dover.

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Communications

In 2004, about 96% of Delaware’s housing units had telephones. The same year, there were 593,452 wireless phone subscribers. The state had 5 AM and 9 FM major radio stations and one public television station based in Seaford in 2005. Philadelphia and Baltimore commercial television stations are within range. In 2003, 59.5% of all households had a computer and 53.2% had Internet access. A total of 19,351 Internet domain names were registered in Delaware by 2000.

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Press

The Wilmington Morning News and the Wilmington Evening Journal merged to form the News Journal in 1989. As of 2005, the News Journal had a daily (afternoon) circulation of 115,641 (139,647 on Sunday). In the state’s capital is the Delaware State News with a daily circulation of 16,297 and Sunday circulation of 23,964 as of 2005. Statewide, there were two morning, one evening, and two Sunday papers in 2005. Smaller publications include the Dover Post and the Delaware Coast Press. Magazines include Delaware Today.

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In 2001, there were about 12 million visitors to the state. About 36% were day-trip travelers from surrounding states. Shopping (with no sales tax) and the state’s beaches are the most popular attractions. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

John Dickinson (b. Maryland, 1732–1808) was known as the “Penman of the Revolution.” He was elected a representative to Congress from Delaware in 1779 and assisted in framing the constitution of Delaware in 1792. He died in Wilmington. EPD PHOTOS.

Rehoboth Beach on the Atlantic Coast bills itself as the “Nation’s Summer Capital” because of the many federal officials and foreign diplomats who summer there. The Delaware Kite Festival at Cape Henlopen State Park (east of Lewes) is held every year on Good Friday. Fishing, clamming, crabbing, boating, and swimming are the main recreational attractions.

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Sports

Delaware has two major horse-racing tracks: Harrington, which has harness racing, and 175

Delaware

Dover Downs, which also has a track for auto racing. The MBNA Platinum 500 stock car race is held in June and the MBNA.com 400 is run in September. Thoroughbred races are held at Delaware Park in Wilmington. Wilmington has a minor league baseball team, the Blue Rocks, in the Carolina League. Additionally, the Fightin’ Blue Hens of the University of Delaware have teams in a large number of men’s and women’s sports.

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Famous Delawareans

Three Delawareans have served as US secretary of state: Louis McLane (1786–1857), John M. Clayton (1796–1856), and Thomas F. Bayard (1828–1898). Two Delawareans have been judges on the Permanent Court of International Justice at The Hague: George Gray (1840–1925) and John Bassett Moore (1860–1947). John Dickinson (b.Maryland, 1732–1808), the “Penman of the Revolution,” and Caesar Rodney (1728– 1784), wartime chief executive of Delaware, were notable figures of the Revolutionary era. George Read (b.Maryland, 1733–1798) and Thomas McKean (b.Pennsylvania, 1734–1817) were, with Rodney, signers for Delaware of the Declaration of Independence. Eleuthère I. du Pont (b.France, 1771– 1834) founded the company that bears his

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name. Delaware authors include Henry Seidel Canby (1878–1961), critic; and novelist Anne Parrish (b.Colorado, 1888–1957). Dr. Henry J. Heimlich (b.1920), developer of the anti-choking “Heimlich maneuver,” is also from Delaware. Actors from Delaware include Judge Reinhold (b.1958) and Valerie Bertinelli (b. 1960).

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Bibliography

BOOKS Blashfield, Jean F. Delaware. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Delaware. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. Kule, Elaine A. Delaware Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Delaware. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Schuman, Michael. Delaware. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Delaware. New York: PowerKids Press, 2000. WEB SITES Delaware Tourism Office. Visit Delaware. www. visitdelaware.com/index.htm (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Delaware. The Official Website for the First State. www.delaware.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).


Florida State of Florida

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named in 1513 by Juan

Ponce de León, who landed during Pascua Florida, the Easter festival of flowers. N I CKNAME : The Sunshine State. C AP ITAL: Tallahassee. ENT ERED UNION: 3 March 1845 (27th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the background, the sun’s rays shine over a distant highland; in the foreground are a sabal palmetto palm, a steamboat, and an Indian woman scattering flowers on the ground. The words “Great Seal of the State of Florida” and the state motto surround the whole. FLAG: The state seal appears in the center of a white field, with four red bars extending from the seal to each corner; the flag is fringed on three sides. M OT TO: In God We Trust. SONG: “Old Folks at Home” (also known as “The Swanee River”). FLOWER: Orange blossom. TREE: Sabal palmetto palm. A NIMAL: Florida panther; manatee, dolphin (marine mammals). B IRD: Mockingbird. FISH: Largemouth bass (freshwater), Atlantic sailfish (saltwater). G E M: Moonstone. R OCK OR STONE: Agatized coral. B EVERAGE: Orange juice. SHELL: Horse conch. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 3rd Monday in January; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Days, 4th Thursday and Friday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT; 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the extreme southeastern United States, Florida is the second-largest state east of the Mississippi River and ranks 22nd in size among the 50 states. The total area of Florida is approximately 58,664 square miles (151,939 square kilometers), of which land takes up 54,153 square miles (140,256 square kilometers) and inland water 4,511 square miles (11,683 square kilometers). Florida extends 361 miles (581 kilometers) east-west. Its maximum northsouth extension is 447 miles (719 kilometers). 177

Florida

The state is mostly a peninsula, surrounded by ocean on three sides, with a panhandle of land in the northwest. Offshore islands include the Florida Keys, extending form the state’s southern tip into the Gulf of Mexico. The total boundary length of Florida is 1,799 miles (2,895 kilometers).

2

Topography

Florida is a huge plateau, much of it barely above sea level. The highest point in the state is believed to be a hilltop in the panhandle, 345 feet (105 meters) above sea level, near the city of Lakewood, in Walton County. No point in the state is more than 70 miles (113 kilometers) from saltwater. Most of the panhandle region is gently rolling country, except that large swampy areas cut in from the Gulf coast. Peninsular Florida contains extensive swampland but has a relatively elevated central spine of rolling country dotted with lakes and springs. The east coast is shielded from the Atlantic by a string of sandbars. The west coast is cut by numerous bays and inlets. Near the southern tip are the Ten Thousand Islands, a mass of mostly tiny mangrove-covered islets. Southwest of the peninsula lies Key West, the southernmost point of the US mainland. Almost all the southeastern peninsula and the entire southern end are covered by the Everglades, the world’s largest sawgrass swamp, with an area of approximately 5,000 square miles (13,000 square kilometers). Its surface is largely submerged during the rainy season (April to November) and becomes a muddy expanse in the dry months. Slight elevations, known as hammocks, support clumps of cypress and the only remaining stand of mahogany in the con178

Florida Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

18,089,888 13.2% 19.6% 98.4% 76.8% 15.0% 0.3% 2.1% 0.0% 4.1% 1.7%

Population by Age Group 65 and over (17%)

Under 18 (23%)

18 to 24 (9%)

45 to 64 (25%)

25 to 44 (26%)

Major Cities by Population City Jacksonville Miami Tampa St. Petersburg Hialeah Orlando Fort Lauderdale Tallahassee Pembroke Pines Hollywood

Population

% change 2000–05

782,623 386,417 325,989 249,079 220,485 213,223 167,380 158,500 150,380 145,629

6.4 6.6 7.4 0.3 -2.6 14.7 9.8 5.2 9.4 4.5



Florida

ALABAMA

ESCAMBIA

SANTA ROSA

OKALOOSA WALTON

GEORGIA

HOLMES

JACKSON

Florida Caverns State Park

Blackwater River State For.

GADSDEN

WASHINGTON

Eglin A.F.Base

LEON

JEFFERSON MADISON

HAMILTON

Osceola Nat’l For.

CALHOUN LIBERTY BAY

Pensacola Gulf Islands National Seashore

Fort Clinch State Park

NASSAU

10

Apalachicola Nat’l For.

Tallahassee TAYLOR

St. Andrews State Recreational Area

FRANKLIN

Jacksonville

10

SUWANNEE

WAKULLA

COLUMBIA

GULF

St. Marks National Wildlife Ref.

DUVAL CLAY UNION

LAFAYETTE

95

BRADFORD

ALACHUA

DIXIE

GILCHRIST

AT L A N T I C OCEAN

BAKER

PUTNAM

75

ST. JOHNS

Gainesville

FLAGLER

LEVY

Lower Suwannee Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

Ocala Nat’l For.

Manatee Springs State Park

Daytona Beach

VOLUSIA

MARION

CITRUS

SUMTER

HERNANDO

LAKE

Orlando

PASCO

OSCEOLA POLK

PINELLAS

4

Melbourne Palm Bay

HILLSBOROUGH

Clearwater Largo

Gulf of Mexico

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

Seminole ORANGE

Lake Louisa State Park

Lakeland BREVARD INDIAN RIVER

Tampa Avon Park A.F. Range

St. Petersburg MANATEE

HARDEE

HIGHLANDS

Highlands Hammock State Park

OKEECHOBEE

Port St. Lucie

DE SOTO

Sarasota

MARTIN

SARASOTA

Brighton Lake Seminole Indian Res. Okeechobee

CHARLOTTE

75

ST. LUCIE

95 PALM BEACH

GLADES HENDRY

LEE

Cape Coral

West Palm Beach

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Coral Springs

Big Cypress National Preserve

BROWARD Sunrise

Plantation

Pembroke Pines

COLLIER

FLORIDA

Hialeah

Boca Raton Pompano Beach

Fort Lauderdale Hollywood Miami Beach

Miami

MONROE

Explanation Point of Interest City (50,000-100,000 people)

Everglades National Park

DADE

City (more than 100,000 people) Florida Bay

State Capital U.S. Interstate Route

95

Area of Interest

Florida Keys

N 0 0

25 25

50 miles

50 kilometers


179

Florida

Damage done by Hurricane Dennis in Santa Rosa Island at Navarre Beach, Florida, July 11, 2005. AP IMAGES.

tinental United States. To the west and north of the Everglades is Big Cypress Swamp, covering about 2,400 square miles (6,200 square kilometers). Lake Okeechobee, in south-central Florida, is the largest of the state’s approximately 30,000 lakes, ponds, and sinks. With a surface area of about 700 square miles (1,800 square kilometers), it is the fourth-largest natural lake located entirely within the United States. The state has numerous underground streams and caverns. Because of the high water table, most of the caverns are filled, but some spectacular examples thick with stalactites can be seen in Florida Caverns State Park, near Marianna. Florida has more than 1,700 rivers, streams, and creeks. The longest river is the St. Johns, with a length of about 273 to 318 miles (439 180

to 512 kilometers), an exact figure being elusive because of the swampy nature of the headwaters. Other major rivers are the Suwannee and the Apalachicola. Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam is located on the Apalachicola. Completed in 1957, the dam created Lake Seminole, most of which is in Georgia. More than 4,500 islands ring the mainland. Best known are the Florida Keys, of which Key Largo is the largest. Key West is the westernmost.

3

Climate

A mild, sunny climate is one of Florida’s most important natural resources, making it a major tourist center and a retirement home for millions of transplanted northerners. Average annual Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida

Florida Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,982,378 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,606,063 . . . . . . 97.6 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359,000 . . . . . . . 2.2 White and Black or African American. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38,429 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43,940 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37,068 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,389 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131,473 . . . . . . . 0.8 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,182 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,427 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . 4,852 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65,492 . . . . . . . 0.4 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,577 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . 222 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,733 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,234 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,531 . . . . . . . 0.1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,451 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,315 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

temperatures range from 65°f to 70°f (18°c to 21°c) in the north and from 74°f to 77°f (23°c to 25°c) in the southern peninsula and on the Keys. The record high temperature 109°f (43°c) was registered at Monticello on 29 June 1931. The record low, -2°f (-19°c), was registered at Tallahassee on 13 February 1899. Key West has the highest annual average temperature in the United States, at 78°f (25°c). The Atlantic coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and the state’s many inland lakes and ponds together account for the high humidity and abundant rainfall. More than half the annual rainfall occurs between June and September. At Jacksonville, the average annual precipitation is 52.3 inches (132.8 centimeters), with an average Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

of 116 days of precipitation a year. The highest 24-hour total of rain ever recorded in the United States, 38.7 inches (98.3 centimeters), fell at Yankeetown, west of Ocala on the Gulf coast, on 5–6 September 1950. Snow is virtually unheard of in southern Florida but does fall on rare occasions in the panhandle and the northern peninsula. Florida’s long coastline makes it highly vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms, which may approach from either the Atlantic or the Gulf coasts, bringing winds of up to 150 miles per hour (240 kilometers per hour).Tornados and waterspouts are not uncommon. On 25 August 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Miami as a Category 1 storm, causing extensive damage from wind and flooding and power out181

Florida

ages for about 1.3 million. At least 11 related fatalities were reported in Florida as a result of this storm. Two months later, Hurricane Wilma made landfall near Naples on 25 October 2005 as a Category 3 storm; Wilma caused power outages for 6 million people, and six fatalities were recorded.

4

Plants and Animals

Florida has seven floral zones: flatwoods, scrublands, grassy swamps, savannas, salt marshes, hardwood forests (hammocks), and pinelands. North Florida’s native plants include longleaf and other pines, oaks, and cypresses. One giant cypress, called “the Senator,” is thought to be 3,500 years old. The state is known for its wide variety of palms, but only 15 are native. About 100 varieties of palms have been introduced. Dense mangrove thickets grow along the lower coastal regions, and northern hardwood forests include varieties of rattan, magnolia, and oak. All species of cacti and orchids are regarded as threatened, as are most types of ferns and palms. Florida once claimed more than 80 land mammals. Today the white-tailed deer, wild hog, and gray fox can still be found in the wild. Such small mammals as the raccoon, squirrel, and cottontail and marsh rabbits remain common. The mockingbird was named the state bird in 1927. Among game birds are the bobwhite quail, wild turkey, and at least 30 duck species. The Arctic tern stops in Florida during its remarkable annual migration between the North and South poles. Common Florida reptiles are the diamondback rattler and various water snakes. Turtle species include mud, green, and loggerhead, and various lizards abound. More than 300 native 182

butterflies have been identified. The peninsula is famous for its marine life: scores of freshwater and saltwater fish, rays, shrimps, live coral reefs, and marine worms. All of Florida’s lands have been declared sanctuaries for the bald eagle, of which Florida has about 350 pair (second only to Alaska among the 50 states). The state’s unusually long list of threatened and endangered wildlife (54 species) as of April 2006 included the American crocodile, shortnose sturgeon, six species of sea turtle, Florida panther, West Indian (Florida) manatee, six species of mouse, two species of sparrow, Atlantic salt marsh snake, eastern indigo snake, Okaloosa darter, Stock Island tree snail, and Schaus swallowtail butterfly.

5


The state agency principally responsible for safeguarding the environment is the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), created in 1993. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Forestry manages four state forests plus the Talquin State Lands. The Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission manages nature preserves and regulates hunting and fishing. Groundwater, surface water, and soil contamination have been found across the state. Among the major contaminants were the pesticides ethylene dibromide (EDB) and other chemicals. The state’s program to clean groundwater contaminated by leaking underground storage tanks is one of the nation’s largest and pioneered the pattern followed by many other states. Florida’s groundwater quality standards are among the most stringent in the nation. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida

A second water problem involves the seepage of saltwater from the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico into the layers of porous limestone that hold Florida’s reserves of fresh water. This problem has been aggravated in some areas by the cutting of numerous inlets by developers of coastal property. The DEP and South Florida Water Management District are undertaking, with various federal agencies, a massive restoration program for the Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades, and Florida Bay. In 1960, the only undersea park in the United States, the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, was established in a 75 square mile (194 square kilometer) sector off the Atlantic coast of Key Largo, in an effort to protect a portion of the beautiful reefs, rich in tropical fish and other marine life. Untreated sewage from the Miami area, runoff water polluted by pesticides, and the removal of countless pieces of live coral by growing numbers of tourists and souvenir dealers have severely damaged large areas of the reefs. However, most of the Keys is now a National Marine Sanctuary and efforts are being made to improve water quality. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 598 hazardous waste sites, 50 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006, including four military sites.

6

Population

Florida is the most populous state in the southeastern United States and one of the fastestgrowing of the 50 states. In 2006, Florida had the fourth-largest population in the United States with an estimated total of 18,089,888 people. US Census Bureau projections indicate Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

that Florida will have a population of 25.9 million by 2025. In 2004, the population density was 322.7 persons per square mile (about 124.6 persons per square kilometer), the eighth-highest in the nation. Florida has one of the oldest populations of the 50 states. In 2004, the median age was 39.3, the fifth-highest median of the 50 states. In 2005, some 17% of the population was 65 years old or older and about 23% was 18 or younger. The most populous city in Florida is Jacksonville, which was also the 13th-largest city in the United States in 2005. Its population that year was estimated at 782,623. Miami is Florida’s second-largest city, with a 2005 population of 386,417. Other major cities and their 2005 populations are Tampa, 325,989; St. Petersburg, 249,079; Hialeah, 220,485; Orlando, 213,223; and Ft. Lauderdale, 167,380. Tallahassee, the state capital, had a population of 158,500 in 2005.

7

Ethnic Groups

Florida’s population consists mainly of whites of northern European stock, blacks, and Hispanics. European immigrants came primarily from Germany and the United Kingdom. Florida’s foreign-born population numbered 2,670,828 in the 2000 census, or 16.7% of the state total, the fourth-highest percentage of foreign born in the nation. The largest group of first- and second-generation residents are Cubans, who represented 5.2% of Florida’s population in 2000. There were 2,682,715 Hispanics and Latinos in that year, including 833,120 Cubans, 482,027 Puerto Ricans, and 363,925 Mexicans. In 2006, 19.6% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ori183

Florida

gin. The black population in 2000 was estimated at 2,335,505, the fourth-largest in the nation. In 2006, 15% of the population was black. The 2000 census also reported that there were 53,541 Native Americans living within the state, primarily of the Seminole and Miccosuckee tribes. As of 2000, Florida had an Asian population of 266,256. The number of Pacific Islanders was estimated at 8,625. There were also 54,310 Filipinos, 46,368 Chinese, 70,740 Asian Indians, 33,190 Vietnamese, 10,897 Japanese, 19,139 Koreans, and 2,131 native Hawaiians.

8

Languages

Massive migration from the North Central and North Atlantic areas, including a large number of speakers of Yiddish, has affected the previously rather uniform Southern speech of much of the state. Borrowing from the Spanish of the expanding number of Cubans and Puerto Ricans in the Miami area has had a further effect. Representative words in the Southern speech of most native-born Floridians are light bread (white bread), fairing off (clearing up), tote (carry), snap beans (green beans), and pullybone (wishbone). In the northern half of the state a peanut might be called a pinder. Indian place-names in Florida include Okeechobee, Apalachicola, Kissimmee, Sarasota, Pensacola, and Hialeah. In 2000, 11,569,739 Floridians (76.9% of the resident population five years old and older) spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Spanish or Spanish Creole (2,476,528); French Creole (208,487); French or French Patois (Cajun, 129,118), German (89,656); Italian (67,257); Portuguese or Portuguese Creole (55,014), and Yiddish (18,225). 184

9

Religions

Dominican and Franciscan friars arrived with the Spanish conquistadors and settlers in the 1500s. Protestant denominations claim the majority of church members in Florida. Protestant colonists from Britain arrived in the late 1700s. Sephardic Jews from the Carolinas moved into Florida in the early 1800s. As of 2004, the Catholic Church was the largest religious organization, with 2,316,652 adherents. The next largest group was the Southern Baptist Convention with 1,292,097 adherents in 2000. Judaism claimed 628,485 adherents. Other Protestant denominations include the United Methodist Church, 477,758 adherents in 2003; the Assemblies of God, 189,387 in 2000; Presbyterian Church USA, 157,751 in 2000; and Episcopalians, 152,526 in 2000. About 58.9% of the population did not specify affiliation with any religious organization as of 2000.

10

Transportation

The first operating railway in Florida was the St. Joseph Railroad, which inaugurated service between St. Joseph Bay and Lake Wimico on 14 April 1836, using mules to pull the train. The railroad soon put into operation the state’s first steam locomotive on 5 September 1836. By the time the Civil War broke out, railroads connected most of northern Florida’s major towns. In 2003, there were 2,956 rail miles (4,759 kilometers) of track in Florida, operated by 14 railroads. CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern were the state’s operating Class I railroads. As of 2006, Amtrak provided passenger rail service to 24 Florida stations. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida

The Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys runs over a channel between the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Strait. COPYRIGHT © 2004 BY KELLY A. QUIN.

In 2004, Florida had 119,525 miles (192,435 kilometers) of public roads. The Florida Turnpike extends from Wildwood in north-central Florida to Ft. Pierce on the Atlantic coast and then south to Miami. An extension runs between Miramar and Homestead. The Overseas Highway down the Keys, including the famous Seven Mile Bridge (which is actually only 6.8 miles in length), is part of the state highway system. There are about 44 bridges connecting the Florida Keys. Florida had about 15,205,000 registered motor vehicles in 2004. As of 2004, 13,146,357 people held active Florida drivers’ licenses. Inland waterways in Florida include the southernmost section of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and the easternmost section of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, encompassing approximately 1,200 navigable miles (1,931 kilometers), as well as federally maintained coastal channels for commercial vessels and pleasure craft. Florida has several commercially important ports. By far the largest in terms of gross tonnage is Tampa. Other major ports include Port Everglades in Ft. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Port Manatee, Miami, Panama City, Port Canaveral, and Palm Beach. In addition to civil aviation activity, Florida has more than 20 military airfields. There were 832 public and private-use aviation-related facilities (including airports, heliports, short take-off and landing ports, and seaplane bases) in 2005. Florida’s busiest airport is Orlando International (14th-busiest in the United States in 2004). Other major airports in the state include Miami International, Tampa International, and Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International.

11

History

By about 2000 bc, Native Americans in north Florida had an agricultural and hunting economy organized around village life. The southern groups did not practice agriculture until about 450 bc, when they began to plant corn in villages around Lake Okeechobee. As they spread over Florida and adjusted to widely different local conditions, the various tribes fell into six 185

Florida

main divisions, with numerous subgroups and distinctive cultural traits. When Europeans arrived in the early 16th century, they found nearly 100,000 Native Americans, including the Apalachee, Timucua, Tocobaga, Calusa, and Tequesta tribes. The Spaniards sought to Christianize the Native Americans and settle them around missions to grow food, supply labor, and help defend the province. The impact of the Europeans on the native population was, on the whole, disastrous. They died of European-introduced diseases, were killed in wars with whites or with other Indians, or moved away. When the Spanish departed Florida in 1763, the remaining 300 of the original 100,000 Native Americans left with them. As early as 1750, small groups of Creek tribes from Georgia and Alabama began to move into the north Florida area vacated by the previous tribes. Called Seminole, the Creek word for runaway or refugee, these groups numbered only 5,000 when Florida became part of the United States. However, pressures on the US president and Congress to remove the Seminole intensified after runaway black slaves began seeking refuge with them. When the Seminole resisted being removed to present-day Oklahoma (after first being confined to reservations) the result was the longest and most costly of Indian wars, the Seminole War of 1835–42. The warfare and the succeeding forced migration left fewer than 300 Seminole in Florida. European Settlement The history of the twicerepeated annihilation of Florida Indians is, at the same time, the history of white settlers’ rise to power in Florida. Sailing from Puerto Rico in search of the fabled island of Bimini, Juan Ponce de León sighted Florida on 27 March 186

1513. Ponce de León claimed the land for Spain and named it La Florida, for Pascua Florida, the Easter festival of flowers. In 1562, Jean Ribault, with a small expedition of French Huguenots, arrived at the St. Johns River, east of present-day Jacksonville, and claimed Florida for France. Another group of French Huguenot settlers built nearby Fort Caroline two years later. In the summer of 1565, the Spaniard Pedro Menéndez de Avilés marched overland to take Fort Caroline by surprise, killing most of the occupants. St. Augustine was the first permanent European settlement in the United States. It served primarily, under Spanish rule, as a military outpost, maintained to protect the wealth of New Spain. In 1763, when Spain ceded Florida to England in exchange for Cuba, about 3,000 Spaniards departed from St. Augustine and 800 from Pensacola, leaving Florida to the Seminole. British Florida reached from the Atlantic to the Mississippi River and became two colonies, East and West Florida. There, settlers established farms and plantations and moved steadily toward economic and political self-sufficiency (although these settlers did not join the American Revolution). In 1781, Spain attacked and captured Pensacola. Two years later, Britain ceded both Floridas back to Spain. During the second Spanish era, English influence remained strong. Florida west of the Perdido River was taken over by the United States in 1810, as part of the Louisiana Purchase (1803). Statehood Present-day Florida was ceded to the

United States in 1821, in settlement of $5 million in claims by US citizens against the Spanish government. At this time, General Andrew Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida

Jackson, who three years earlier had led a punitive expedition against the Seminole, came back to Florida as military governor. In 1824 Tallahassee, in the wilderness of north-central Florida, was selected as Florida’s capital. Middle Florida, as the Tallahassee region was then called, rapidly became an area of slave-owning cotton plantations and was for several decades the fastest-growing part of the territory. Floridians drew up a state constitution in 1838–39. But, being proslavery, Florida had to wait until 1845 to enter the Union, when it was paired with the free state of Iowa under the Missouri Compromise. In 1861, Florida seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy. Some 15,000 whites (one-third of whom died) served in the Confederate army, and 1,200 whites and almost as many blacks joined the Union army. Bitterness and some violence accompanied Republican Reconstruction government in 1868–76. The conservative Bourbon Democrats then governed for the rest of the century. The Spanish-American War in 1898, during which Tampa became the port of embarkation for an expedition to Cuba, stimulated the economy and advertised the state nationwide. Twentieth Century Feverish land speculation

brought hundreds of thousands of people to Florida in the first half of the 1920s. Cresting in 1925, the real estate boom was already over in 1926, when a devastating hurricane struck Miami, burying all hope of recovery. The Florida depression that began in 1926 was compounded by the national depression that hit late in 1929. The state joined the federal government in assuming responsibility for relief and recovery. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The state’s first paper mill opened in the same year, revolutionizing the forest industry. The 1940s opened with recovery and optimism, arising from the stimulus of production for World War II. New army and navy installations and training programs brought business growth. The number of army and navy airfield flying schools increased from 5 to 45. Families of thousands of trainees visited the state. Florida was on the eve of another boom. Between 1940 and 1990, migration would bring Florida’s population ranking from 27th in the nation up to 4th, with more than 12.8 million people. In 1986, Florida absorbed 1,000 arrivals a day. Until the early 1980s, many of those migrants were 65 years of age or over. In the mid-1980s, however, the majority of newcomers were younger—25 to 44 years old. They came in search of the opportunities provided by Florida’s growing and diversifying economy. The management of growth in Florida has dominated state politics in the postwar era, centering on conflicts between developers and those who seek to preserve the natural beauty of the state. Racial and ethnic relations have become another central issue. There have been efforts to reapportion (reorganize) Florida’s 23 Congressional districts and the Legislature’s 40 Senate and 120 House seats. The reorganization has been complicated by battles between blacks and Hispanics over the number and character of minority districts. Tensions between the two groups led to violence in 1989 when a Hispanic police officer shot and killed a black motorcyclist. Riots broke out in the mostly black Overton section of Miami and continued for three days. Six people died and 27 stores were set on fire. 187

Florida

Florida Governors: 1845–2007 1845–1849 1849–1853 1853–1857 1857–1861 1861–1865 1865 1865 1865–1868 1868–1872 1873–1874 1874–1877 1877–1881 1881–1885 1885–1889 1889–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901 1901–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925

William Dunn Moseley Democrat Thomas Brown Whig James E. Broome Democrat Madison Stark Perry Democrat John Milton Democrat A. K. Allison Confederate William Marvin Dem-Prov David Shelby Walker Conservative Harrison Reed Republican Ossian Bintley Hart Republican Marcellus Lovejoy Stearns Republican George Franklin Drew Democrat William Dunnington Bloxham Democrat Edward Alysworth Perry Democrat Francis Philip Fleming Democrat Henry Laurens Mitchell Democrat William Dunnington Bloxham Democrat William Sherman Jennings Democrat Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Democrat Albert Waller Gilchrist Democrat Park Trammell Democrat Sidney Johnston Catts Prohibitionist Cary Augustus Hardee Democrat

Miami was again the site of rioting in April 2000, when some Cuban Americans took to the streets to protest the federal government’s handling of the custody case of six-year-old Cuban refugee Elian Gonzalez. A fisherman found the boy clinging to a raft offshore: the boat on which he and his mother had escaped Cuba capsized, and his mother died. Miami relatives claimed and cared for the boy, while federal officials grappled with the problem of returning him to his Cuban father. The incident, which ended when the boy arrived back in Havana, Cuba, remained a point of protest for Miami’s Cuban American community, among whom the prevailing sentiment was that the child should have remained in the United States. Tropical storms and hurricanes periodically strike Florida. In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew caused $26.5 billion in damages in south 188

1925–1929 1929–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1949 1949–1953 1953 1953–1955 1955–1961 1961–1965 1965–1967 1967–1971 1971–1979 1979–1987 1987 1987–1991 1991–1999 1999–2006 2006–

John Wellborn Martin Doyle Elam Carlton David Sholtz Frederick Preston Cone Spessard Lindsey Holland Willard Fillmore Caldwell Fuller Warren Dananiel Thomas McCarty Charley Eugene Johns Thomas LeRoy Collins Cecil Farris Bryant William Haydon Burns Claude Roy Kirk, Jr. Reuben O’Donovan Askew Daniel Robert Graham John Wayne Mixon Robert Martinez Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. Jeb Bush Charlie Crist

Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican

Democrat Provisional – Dem-Prov

Florida, primarily in and around Homestead. The 2004 season devastated Florida: four hurricanes—Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne— damaged 20% of Florida’s homes, and 124 people died. In October 2005, Hurricane Wilma hit southern Florida, and millions of people were left without power. Florida became the center of national and international attention in the 7 November 2000 presidential election. The race between Democratic Vice President Al Gore and Republican challenger George W. Bush was extremely close, and on election night, Florida’s 25 electoral college votes became the ones that would decide the election. Because the vote in Florida was so close, Florida’s election officials began a mandatory recount. In addition to the automatic recount, an investigation was launched into voting irregularities denying Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida

rights to minority voters. Hand recounts began in some counties, and Bush’s lead was gradually reduced from 537 votes to 154. When the Florida Supreme Court ordered a manual recount of 43,432 “under votes” from as many as 62 counties, the Bush campaign appealed to the US Supreme Court to stop any vote recounts in Florida. On 12 December 2000, the Court decided, in Bush v. Gore, that the Florida Supreme Court had erred in its decision to order manual vote recounts. On 13 December, Gore conceded the election to Bush, who became the nation’s 43rd president after the electoral college votes were tallied, including Florida’s 25 votes.

12

State Government

Florida’s legislature consists of a 40-member senate and a 120-member house of representatives. Senators serve four-year terms, with half the senate being elected every two years. Representatives serve two-year terms. The maximum length of a regular session is 60 calendar days, unless it is extended by a three-fifths vote of each house. The governor is elected for a four-year term; a two-term limit is in effect. The lieutenant governor is elected on the same ticket as the governor. An amendment to the constitution that took effect in 2002 merged the cabinet offices of treasurer and comptroller into one chief financial office. The other cabinet members are the attorney general and agriculture commissioner; the amendment eliminated the offices of secretary of state and education commissioner from the cabinet. Passage of legislation requires a majority vote of those present and voting in both houses. A bill passed by the legislature becomes law if it is signed by the governor. The governor may veto Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The eyes of the nation turned to Florida in the final hours of the 2000 presidential elections. When the polls closed, initial results showed Republican George W. Bush ahead of Democrat Al Gore by less than 2000 votes. Here an official examines a disputed ballot. AP IMAGES.

legislation and, in general appropriations bills, may veto individual items. The governor’s vetoes may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the legislators present in each house. In 2004, the governor’s salary was $120,171, and the legislative salary was $29,916.

13

Political Parties

Aided from 1889 to 1937 by a poll tax, which effectively prevented the majority of the state’s mostly Republican blacks from voting, the Democrats won every governor’s election but 189

Florida

Florida Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

FLORIDA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN


PROGRESSIVE

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

*Truman (D) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)

281,988 444,950 480,371 748,700 948,540

194,280 544,036 643,849 795,476 905,941

89,755 — — — —

11,620 — — — —

1968 1972

*Nixon (R) *Nixon (R)

676,794 718,117

886,804 1,857,759

1976

*Carter (D)

1,636,000

1,469,531

AMERICAN IND.

624,207 —

— —

AMERICAN

21,325

— LIBERTARIAN

1980 1984

*Reagan (R) *Reagan (R)

1,417,637 1,448,816

2,043,006 2,730,350

1988

*Bush (R)

1,656,701

2,618,885

IND. (ANDERSON)

189,099

30,457 744

NEW ALLIANCE

6,665

19,796

IND. (PEROT)

1992 1996

Bush (R) *Clinton (D)

2,072,798 2,546,870

2,173,310 2,244,536

2,912,253 3,583,544

2,912,790 3,964,522

1,053,067 483,870

15,079 23,965

REFORM


one from 1876 through 1962. By the time Republican Claude R. Kirk Jr. won the governorship in 1966, Florida had already become, for national elections, a two-party state, although Democrats retained a sizable advantage in party registration. As of 2004, the state had 10,301,000 registered voters; 41% were Democratic, 38% Republican, and 21% unaffiliated or members of other parties. In addition to the Democratic and Republican parties, organized groups include the Green, Reform, and Libertarian parties. Republican Jeb Bush, brother of President George W. Bush, was elected governor in 1998 and reelected in 2002. Republican Charlie Crist was elected governor in 2006. Democrat Bill Nelson was elected to the Senate in 2000 and reelected in 2006. Democratic Senator Robert Graham was reelected in 1998. Graham ran for 190

17,484 32,971

97,488 11,996

president in 2003, giving up his bid for reelection to the Senate in 2004. In 2004, Republican Mel Martinez narrowly won the seat formerly held by Graham. He was the first Cuban-American to serve in the US Senate. Florida’s US House delegation following the 2006 elections had 16 Republicans and 9 Democrats. The state senate following the 2006 elections contained 14 Democrats and 26 Republicans, and the state house of representatives had 42 Democrats and 78 Republicans. There were 39 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 24.4%. In the 2000 presidential election, Floridians gave 49% of the vote to Republican George W. Bush and 49% to Democrat Al Gore in one of the closest presidential races in history. George W. Bush was the winner in Florida by a narrow margin after votes in that state were conJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida

tested. In 2004, Bush won 52% of the presidential vote to Democrat John Kerry’s 47%.

14

Local Government

In 2005, Florida had 67 counties, 404 municipalities, 67 school districts, and 626 special districts. Generally, legislative authority within each county is vested in a five-member elected board of county commissioners. Counties may generally enact any law not inconsistent with state law. Municipalities are normally incorporated and chartered by an act of the state legislature. Except where a county charter specifies otherwise, municipal ordinances override county laws. Municipal governments may provide a full range of local services. Consolidated city, county governments are found in Miami (Dade County) and Jacksonville (Duval County).

15

Judicial System

The state’s highest court is the Supreme Court, a panel of seven justices that sits in Tallahassee. The Supreme Court has appeals jurisdiction only. Below the Supreme Court are five district courts of appeal. District courts hear appeals of lower court decisions and may review the actions of executive agencies. The state’s principal trial courts are its 20 circuit courts, which have original jurisdiction in many types of cases, including civil suits involving more than $5,000, felony cases, and all cases involving juveniles. Circuit courts may also hear appeals from county courts if no constitutional question is involved. Each of Florida’s 67 counties has a county court with original jurisdiction in misdemeanor cases, civil disputes involving $5,000 or less, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

and traffic-violation cases. Florida has one of the highest crime rates in the United States. In 2004, Florida had a violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, assault) of 711.3 reported incidents per 100,000 (the second-highest among the states). That year, crimes against property (burglary, larceny/theft, and motor vehicle theft) totaled 4,179.7 reported incidents per 100,000 people. As of 31 December 2004, a total of 85,533 persons were serving prison sentences in institutions run by state and federal correctional authorities in Florida. Florida has a capital punishment law. As of 1 January 2006, Florida had 388 persons under sentence of death, the third-largest number after California and Texas.

16

Migration

The early European immigrants to Florida, first the Spanish, then the English, never populated the state in significant numbers. Immigration from southern states began even before the US acquisition of Florida and accelerated thereafter. In the 20th century, US immigrants to Florida came, for the most part, from the Northeast and Midwest, in order to escape harsh northern winters. A large proportion of migrants have been retirees and other senior citizens. Since the 1960s, Florida has also experienced large-scale migration from the Caribbean and parts of Latin America. Although the state has had a significant Cuban population since the second half of the 19th century, the number of immigrants surged after the Cuban revolution of 1959. From December 1965 to April 1973, an airlift agreed to by the Cuban and US governments landed a quarter of a million Cubans in Miami. Another period of large-scale immigration from Cuba, beginning in April 191

Florida

1980, brought more than 100,000 Cubans into Florida harbors. At the same time, Haitian “boat people” were arriving in Florida in significant numbers—often reaching the southern peninsula packed in barely seaworthy small craft. The US government classified some of them as illegal aliens, fleeing extreme poverty in their native country, but the immigrants claimed to be political refugees and sued to halt deportation proceedings against them. In 1996, a reported 2,186,000 Floridians (15%) were foreign-born. In 1998, 59,965 foreign immigrants were admitted into Florida, the third-highest total of any state. Of that total, 14,265 were from Cuba; 6,613 from Haiti; and 4,795 from Jamaica. Between 1990 and 1998, net domestic migration added 1,035,000 while international migration added 553,000. In the period 1995–2000, net international migration was 1,860,772 people moved into the state and net domestic migration was -1,253,749, for a net gain of 607,023, of whom 149,440 were age 65 or over.

early 1980s helped to expand Florida’s aerospace and electronics industries. Even in 1991, after reduction of the military budget, Florida ranked seventh nationally in the value of Department of Defense contracts awarded. Florida ranked fourth in the nation in defense electronics manufacturing jobs in 1999. Miami is said to have one of the largest “underground economies” in the United States, a reference both to the sizable inflow of cash from illicit drug trafficking and to the large numbers of Latin American immigrants working for low, unreported cash wages. Strong economic growth in the late 1990s was only moderated in the national recession of 2001. Even though growth in the tourism industry slowed in 2002, Florida’s economic growth remained above the national average. The real estate sector accounted for the largest percentage of gross state product (GSP) in 2004, at 15.5%, followed by healthcare and social assistance (7.4%) and wholesale trade (6.5%).

17

18

Economy

Tourists and winter residents with second homes in Florida contribute billions of dollars annually to the state economy and make retailing and construction particularly important economic areas. However, this dependence on spending by visitors and part-time dwellers also makes the economy—and especially the housing industry—highly sensitive to recession. An extremely low level of unionization among Florida workers encouraged growth in manufacturing in the 1970s and early 1980s— but may also help explain Floridians’ below-average income levels. The arms build-up during the 192

Income

In 2005, Florida ranked fourth among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a gross state product (GSP) of $674 billion. In 2004, Florida had a per capita personal income of $31,469. This ranked Florida 25th in the United States, and was 95% of the national average of $33,050. The three-year median household income for 2002–04 was $40,171, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 12.3% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared with 12.4% nationwide. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida

19

Industry

Florida is not a center of heavy industry, and many of its manufacturing activities are related to agriculture and exploitation of natural resources. Leading industries include food processing, electric and electronic equipment, transportation equipment, and chemicals. Florida ranks high in both employment and number of firms engaged in the manufacture of guided missiles and space vehicles. Laser research and development began in the 1950s by Martin–Marietta in Orlando. Since then, the greater Orlando area has grown to have the thirdhighest concentration of electro-optics and laser manufacturers in the United States. In 2004, computer and electronic product manufacturing accounted for the largest share of all products manufactured in the state. The cigar-making industry, traditionally important in Florida, has declined considerably with changes in taste and the cutoff of tobacco imports from Cuba.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Florida numbered 8,903,500, with approximately 265,300 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. As of April 2006, 7.7% of the labor force was employed in construction; 4.9% in manufacturing; 19.9% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.7% in financial activities; 17.1% in professional and business services; 11.9% in education and health services; 11.4% in leisure and hospitality services; and 13.6% in government. In 2005, 401,000 of Florida’s 7,389,000 employed wage and salary workers were memJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

bers of unions. This represented 5.4% of those so employed. The national average is 12%. As of 1 March 2006, Florida had a state-mandated minimum wage rate of $6.40 per hour. In 2004, women in the state accounted for 46.3% of the employed civilian labor force.

21

Agriculture

The total value of Florida’s crops in 2005 exceeded $6 billion, the fourth highest among the 50 states. Total farm marketings, including livestock marketings and products, exceeded $7.4 billion in 2005 (ninth in the United States). There were about 43,000 farms covering some 10.1 million acres (4.08 million hectares) in 2004, representing nearly 30% of the state’s entire land area. Florida’s most important agricultural products are citrus fruits. Florida continues to supply the vast majority of orange juice consumed in the United States. The orange was introduced to Florida by Spanish settlers around 1570. The grapefruit was introduced in the early 1800s. Polk, St. Lucie, Indian River, Hendry, and Hardee counties in central Florida are the largest producers of citrus fruits. In the 2002/03 season, the orange crop totaled 242 million boxes, with each box weighing 90 pounds (41 kilograms). The grapefruit crop was 40.9 million boxes, with each box weighing 85 pounds (39 kilograms). Tangerines, tangelos, and temple oranges are also large crops. There are about 50 processing plants in Florida where citrus fruits are processed into canned or chilled juice, frozen or pasteurized concentrate, or canned fruit sections. Production of frozen concentrate orange juice totaled 195.4 million gallons (739.7 liters) in 2002. Stock feed made from peel, pulp, and seeds is an impor193

Florida

tant byproduct of the citrus-processing industry. Other citrus byproducts are citrus molasses, Dlimonene, alcohol, wines, preserves, and citrus seed oil. Florida is the country’s second leading producer of vegetables. Vegetable farming is concentrated in central and southern Florida, especially in the area south of Lake Okeechobee. Florida’s major field crop is sugarcane (mostly grown near Lake Okeechobee). Florida’s second-largest field crop is peanuts, followed by cotton, hay, corn, tobacco, soybeans, and wheat. Florida leads the nation in the production of watermelons.

22


Florida is an important cattle-raising state. The Kissimmee Plain, north of Lake Okeechobee, is the largest grazing area. In 2005, Florida had an estimated 1.74 million cattle and calves valued at an estimated $1.4 billion. During 2004, Florida had an estimated 20,000 hogs and pigs valued at around $2.3 million. An estimated 2.8 billion eggs were produced in 2003, worth $145.1 million. Florida had an estimated 142,000 milk cows in 2003 that produced around 2.2 billion pounds (1 billion kilograms) of milk. Also during 2003, Florida poultry farmers produced 511.3 million pounds (232.4 million kilograms) of broilers, valued at $178.9 million.

23

Fishing

In 2004, Florida’s total commercial fish catch was 124.5 million pounds (56.6 million kilograms), worth $190.6 million. About 66% of the volume and 76% of the value came from fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. The remainder was from Atlantic waters. The most important commer194

cial species of shellfish are shrimp, spiny lobster, and crabs. Valuable finfish species include grouper, swordfish, and snapper. Florida’s commercial fishing fleet had 4,438 boats and 1,934 vessels in 2002. In 2003, Florida had 376 processing and wholesale plants with an average 4,745 employees. Florida’s extensive shoreline and numerous inland waterways make sport fishing a major recreational activity. Both freshwater and saltwater fishing are important sports. Tarpon, sailfish, and redfish are some of the major saltwater sport species; largemouth bass, panfish, sunfish, catfish, and perch are leading freshwater sport fish. Florida had 1,296,328 sport fishing license holders in 2004 (coastal marine fishing does not require a license).

24

Forestry

About 47% of Florida’s land area, 16,285,000 acres (6,590,000 hectares), was forested in 2003, when the state had about 2.2% of all forested land in the United States. A total of 4,016,000 acres (1,625,000 hectares) was owned by the forest industry. The most common tree is the pine, which occurs throughout the state but is most abundant in the north. Florida’s logging industry is concentrated in the northern part of the state. The most important forestry product is pulpwood for paper manufacturing. Lumber production in 2004 was 1.07 billion board feet, mostly softwoods. Four national forests—Apalachicola, Ocala, Osceola, and Choctawhatchee—covering 1,434,000 acres (580,000 hectares) are located in Florida. State forests covered 1,403,000 acres (568,000 hectares) in 2003. Three of the main Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida

Aerial view of Broward County, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. COPYRIGHT © 2004 BY KELLY A. QUIN.

activities of state forests are forest management, outdoor recreation, and wildlife management. Virtually all of Florida’s natural forest had been cleared by the mid-20th century; the forests existing today are thus almost entirely the result of reforestation. Since 1928, more than 5.6 billion seedlings have been planted in the state.

25

Mining

According to the US Geological Survey, Florida’s estimated nonfuel mineral production in 2004 was valued at nearly $2.32 billion (fourth among the states). The phosphate industry usually has the greatest impact on the state’s nonfuel mineral economy since exports of phosphate fertilizers are important to the industry’s vitality. In 2004, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida led the nation in phosphate rock mining, producing more than six times as much as the next ranking state. The largest foreign consumers of Florida phosphate are China, India, and the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Florida leads the nation in phosphate rock, masonry cement, and peat output and ranks among the top three states in crushed stone and masonry cement production. It is also the only state producing rutile concentrates and staurolite. Phosphate rock, crushed stone, portland and masonry cement, and construction sand and gravel, together with ilmenite and rutile, account for about 94% of the state’s nonfuel mineral value. Crushed stone (105 million metric tons produced in 2004, value of $675 mil195

Florida

lion) was the second-leading mineral commodity for the state. Portland cement (5.23 million metric tons, $432 million) ranked third in 2004. Sand, gravel, and clays rounded out the other top commodities in terms of value.

26

Energy and Power

In 2000, 4 quadrillion Btu (1 quadrillion kilocalories) of energy was consumed in Florida, ranking it eighth among the 50 states in total energy consumption and 47th in per capita energy consumption, which was 247 million Btu (62.2 million kilocalories). The major source of energy consumed is petroleum, which accounted for 47.8% in 1998. Although Florida produces some oil and natural gas, many energy resources are imported. Its mild climate and abundant sunshine offer great potential for solar energy development, but this potential has not been extensively exploited. In 2003, Florida had an installed electric energy generating capacity (utility and nonutility) of 49.4 million kilowatts. As of 2006, Florida had three nuclear power-generating plants: the Crystal River Energy Complex in Citrus County; the St. Lucie plant near Fort Pierce; and the Turkey Point nuclear power station near Miami, in Dade County. In 2004, the state produced 8,000 barrels per day of crude oil. Proven reserves as of 2004 were 65 million barrels. Natural gas marketed production in 2004 was 3.12 billion cubic feet (88 million cubic meters). Proven reserves were 78 billion cubic feet (2.2 billion cubic meters) in 2004. 196

27

Commerce

Wholesale trade in 2002 totaled $219.4 billion. According to the 2002 US Census of Retail Trade, the state had retail sales worth $191.8 billion. The fashionable shops lining Palm Beach’s Worth Avenue make it one of the nation’s most famous shopping streets. About 30% of retail trade is in the more than 10,000 restaurants, cafeterias, bars, and similar establishments—a reflection, in part, of the importance of the travel business in Florida’s economy. The value of all exports sent from Florida was over $33.3 billion in 2005. Duty-free goods for reshipment abroad pass through Port Everglades, Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Panama City—free-trade zones established to bring international commerce to the state. Florida is a popular entry point for marijuana, cocaine, and other illicit drugs being smuggled into the United States from Latin America.

28

Public Finance

The Office of Planning and Budget of the governor’s office prepares and submits to the legislature the budget for each fiscal year, which runs from 1 July to 30 June. Florida’s constitution requires a balanced budget by prohibiting borrowing to finance operating expenses. The total revenues for 2004 were $75.2 billion and expenditures were $59.9 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($17.7 billion), public welfare ($15.4 billion), and highways ($5 billion). The total indebtedness of Florida state and local governments reached nearly $23.2 billion, about $1,334.18 per capita (per person). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida

Kennedy Space Center-Spaceport USA is NASA’s site for shuttle and other launches. ORLANDO/ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, INC.

29

Taxation

Florida’s constitution prohibits a personal income tax. The 6% sales and use tax provides over half of state revenue. The state sales tax applies to most retail items (but excludes groceries, medicines, and certain other items), as well as to car and hotel room rentals and theater admissions. The use tax is levied on wholesale items brought into Florida for sale. Various selective sales taxes (excises) are imposed, including the gasoline tax, which was raised in 2002. The state corporate income tax is a flat 5.5% on net income over $5,000. Other taxes include state property taxes, an oil, gas and sulfur production tax, a solid minerals severance tax and state license fees. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

In 2005, state tax revenues in Florida totaled $33.9 billion, of which 56.2% came from the general sales tax, 19% from selective sales taxes, 5.3% from corporate income taxes, and 18.7% from other taxes.

30

Health

Reflecting the age distribution of the state’s population, Florida has a relatively low birth rate and a high death rate. In 2003, Florida’s live birth rate was 12.5 per 1,000 population. In 2005, the infant mortality rate was 7.1 per 1,000 live births. The death rate in 2003 was 9.9 deaths per 1,000 population. About 20.1% of state residents were smokers in 2004. In the same year, the reported AIDS case rate was about 33.5 per 100,000 people, representing the third197

Florida

highest rate in the nation (following the District of Columbia and Maryland). In 2002, about 53.9% of the population was considered overweight or obese. In 2003, Florida had 203 community hospitals with about 50,700 beds. In 2004, Florida had 258 doctors per 100,000 residents and 780 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005. In 2003, the average cost per day for hospital care was $1,387. In 2004, at least 19% of the adult population was uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 8,009,427 housing units in Florida, ranking the state third in the nation for total number of housing units (after California and Texas). About 6,819,280 of the units were occupied; 70.5% were owneroccupied. About 53.3% of all units were singlefamily, detached homes; 12.3% were in buildings with 20 units or more; and about 10.4% were mobile homes. It was estimated that about 305,291 units were without telephone service, 19,379 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 26,983 lacked complete kitchen facilities. About 76% of all units relied on electricity for heating; about 1,845 units were equipped for solar power heating. The average household size was 2.49 people. In 2004, 255,900 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. Multifamily housing ranges from beachfront luxury high rises along the Gold Coast to dilapidated residential hotels in the South Beach section of Miami Beach. In 2004, the median value of one-family homes was $149,291. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,143 while renters paid a median of $766 per month. 198

32

Education

In 2004, 85.9% of Floridians 25 years of age or older were high school graduates. About 26% had four or more years of college. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 2,540,000 in fall 2002 and was estimated to reach 2,790,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 323,766. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $2.9 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 776,622 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Florida had 169 degree-granting institutions. Florida has nine state universities, the largest being the University of Florida (Gainesville). Also part of the state university system are special university centers that provide advanced and graduate courses, such as the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Science. The State University System also offers instruction at strategic sites away from the regular campuses. Of Florida’s 90 private four-year institutions of higher education, by far the largest is the University of Miami (Coral Gables).

33

Arts

Florida ranks near the top nationally in state funding for culture and the arts. Key West has long been a gathering place for creative artists, including John James Audubon, Ernest Hemingway, and Tennessee Williams. Regional and metropolitan symphony orchestras include the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, Florida Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, and the Florida West Coast Symphony. Opera companies include the Florida Grand Opera and the Sarasota Opera. The four state theater companies Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida

are the Caldwell Theatre Company, Hippodrome State Theatre, Coconut Grove Playhouse, and the Asolo Theatre Company. The annual Florida International Festival (FIF), established in 1966, features worldrenowned artists in music and dance. The London Symphony Orchestra, which has a summer residency in Daytona Beach, provides an annual concert series for the FIF and the city. Florida is also home to premier performing arts halls, such as the Philharmonic Center for the Arts (Naples), Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, and the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (West Palm Beach). Unique cultural institutions located in Florida include Fairchild Tropical Garden, the Atlantic Center for the Arts, and Bok Tower Gardens, which has a working carillon. The State of Florida’s Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) was established in 1969. The Florida Arts Council (previously the Fine Arts Council of Florida) serves in an advisory capacity to the DCA. The DCA has a partnership with the Southern Arts Federation. The DCA also coordinates a touring program, a public art program that acquires artwork for new state buildings, an arts license plate program, and the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, which includes such luminaries as Zora Neale Hurston, Ernest Hemingway, and Ray Charles. The Florida Humanities Council (est. 1973) sponsors about 300 free programs per year throughout the state.

34


For the fiscal year ending in September 2001, Florida had 72 public library systems, with a total of 473 libraries of which 417 were branches. In that year, a total of 29,826,000 volumes of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

books and serial publications were available, while circulation totaled 81,334,000. The State Library in Tallahassee has 661,849 volumes. The largest university library in the state is that of the University of Florida (Gainesville), with holdings of more than 3.4 million volumes in 1999. Florida has about 278 museums, galleries, and historical sites, as well as numerous public gardens. One of the best-known museums is the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art (Sarasota), a state owned facility which houses the collection of the late circus entrepreneur, featuring Italian and North European Renaissance paintings. Also in Sarasota are the Ringling Museum of the Circus and the Circus Hall of Fame. The estates and homes of a number of prominent former Florida residents are now open as museums, including the homes of Ernest Hemingway and John James Audubon in Key West and Thomas Edison’s house in Fort Myers. The largest historic restoration in Florida is in St. Augustine, where several blocks of the downtown area have been restored to their 18thcentury likeness. Castillo de San Marcos, the 17th-century Spanish fort at St. Augustine, is now a national monument

35

Communications

As of 2004, 93.4% of Florida’s occupied housing units had telephones. By June of 2004, there were 11.9 million mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 61% of Florida households had a computer and 55.6% had Internet access. In 2005, the state had 66 major AM stations and 145 major FM radio stations. Film and television production in Florida is a billion-dollar per year industry with over 5,000 production companies providing more than 100,000 jobs. There 199

Florida

Canoeing in Orange County, Florida. ORLANDO/ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, INC.

were 62 major TV stations in Florida in 2005. In 1999, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota area had 1,485,980 television households, 74% of which had cable. The Orlando-Daytona BeachMelbourne area had a 77% rate for cable usage in television-owning households. At West Palm Beach-Fort Pierce, 85% of television households had cable. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale area had 1,441,570 television households, with a 73% subscription rate for cable. A total of 471,645 Internet domain names were registered in Florida by 2000, the fourth most of any state.

36

Press

The oldest newspaper still publishing is the Jacksonville Times-Union (now Florida TimesUnion), which first appeared in February 1883. In 2005, there were 38 morning papers, 3 eve200

ning papers, and 37 Sunday papers. The leading English-language dailies and their daily circulations in 2005 were the Miami Herald (315,980); the St. Petersburg Times (330,091); the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (266,889); and the Orlando Sentinel (258,881). Spanish language newspapers include Diario Las Americas and El Nuevo Herald, both published in Miami with circulations under 100,000. The most widely read periodical published in Florida is the sensationalist National Enquirer. There were 11 book publishers in Florida in 2005, including DC Press and University Presses of Florida.

37


Tourism is a mainstay of the state’s economy. In 2005, there were about 85.8 million visitors Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Florida

to the state. Over 944,000 Floridians worked directly in tourist- and recreation-related businesses in 2005, which generated more than $57 billion. Florida’s biggest tourist attractions are its sun, sand, and surf. Major tourist attractions are Walt Disney World, a huge amusement park near Orlando, Busch Gardens (Tampa) and Sea World of Florida (Orlando). Other major attractions are the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral and the St. Augustine historic district. The state has 28 state parks, 28 state recreation areas, and 18 state historical sites. The most popular destination is the Gulf Islands National Seashore, located near Pensacola, followed by the Canaveral National Seashore. Fishing and boating are major recreational activities. Off-track betting, horse-racing, dog-racing, jai alai, and bingo are all legalized forms of gaming.

Several tournaments on both the men’s and women’s professional golf tours are played in Florida. In auto racing, the Daytona 500 is a top race on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit and the Pennzoil 400 is run at the HomesteadMiami Speedway. The 24 Hours of Daytona is one of the top sports car races in the world. Three of the major collegiate football bowl games are played in the state: the Orange Bowl in Miami, the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, and the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Major college football teams are from the University of Florida, Florida State, and the University of Miami. Other annual sporting events include rodeos in Arcadia and Kissimmee and the Pepsi 400 Auto Race in Daytona Beach. Professional athletes born in the state include Emmitt Smith (football), Steve Carlton (baseball), and Tracy McGrady (basketball).

38

39

Sports

Florida has nine major league professional sports teams: the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League; the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association; the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League; and the Florida Marlins and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays of Major League Baseball. Two Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) teams and two Major League Soccer teams folded or relocated in 2002. The Miami Heat won the NBA Championship in 2006. Many Major League Baseball teams have their spring training camps in Florida and play exhibition games (in the “Grapefruit League”) in the spring. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Famous Floridians

Florida produced one of the major US military figures of World War II, General Joseph Warren Stilwell (1883–1946), dubbed “Vinegar Joe” for his strongly stated opinions. Janet Reno (b.1938), Attorney General of the United States in the Clinton presidency, was born in Miami. Military figures who have played a major role in Florida’s history include the Spanish conquistadors Juan Ponce de Len (c.1460–1521), the European discoverer of Florida, and Pedro Menéndez de Avils (1519–1574), founder of the first permanent settlement, St. Augustine. Well-known Florida authors include James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938), perhaps best known for his 1912 novel Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. He was also the first black to 201

Florida

b.1953), who became a dominant force in women’s tennis in the mid-1970s. She retired from tennis in 1990.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Blaustein, Daniel. The Everglades and the Gulf Coast. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Florida. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Dregni, Michael, ed. Our Florida: A Heritage of the Sunshine State in Stories and Photos. Stillwater, MN: Voyageur Press, 2000. Hart, Joyce. Florida. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2007. Florida native General Daniel James Jr. (1920–1978), known as “Chappie,” was the first black four-star general in the United States. EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

be admitted to the Florida bar (1897) and was a founder and secretary of the NAACP. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (b.Washington, DC, 1895– 1953) wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Yearling (1938), the poignant story of a 12-yearold boy on the Florida frontier in the 1870s. Zora Neale Hurston (1901–1960), another prominent writer, was born in poverty in the all-Negro town of Eatonville and a graduate of Barnard College. Entertainers born in Florida include Sidney Poitier (b.1927), Charles Eugene “Pat” Boone (b.1934), Faye Dunaway (b.1941), and Ben Vereen (b.1946). Among Florida’s famous sports figures is Chris Evert Lloyd (Christine Marie Evert, 202

Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: J. B. Lippincott, 1937. London, Jonathan. Panther: Shadow of the Swamp. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Florida Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Florida. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan. The Yearling. New York: Scribner, 1938. Somerville, Barbara A. Florida. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. Sullivan, Ann. Florida. Mankato, MN: Weigl, 2000. WEB SITES Florida Department of State. Florida Kids. dhr.dos. state.fl.us/kids (accessed March 1, 2007). Florida Department of State. State Library & Archives of Florida. dlis.dos.state.fl.us (accessed March 1, 2007). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Georgia State of Georgia

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for King George

II of England in 1732. N I CKNAME : The Empire State of the South; the Peach

State. C AP ITAL: Atlanta. ENT ERED UNION: 2 January 1788 (4th). OBVERSE: same as the coat of arms. a sailing vessel and a smaller boat are offshore; on land, a man and horse plow a field, and sheep graze in the background. The scene is surrounded by the words “Agriculture and Commerce 1776.” FLAG: The Georgia flag has two red stripes and one white stripe. The state coat of arms is on a blue field in the upper left corner. Flag adopted 8 May 2003. C OAT OF ARMS: Three columns support an arch inscribed with the word “Constitution;” intertwined among the columns is a banner bearing the state motto. Right of center stands a soldier with a drawn sword, representing the aid of the military in defending the Constitution. Surrounding the whole are the words “State of Georgia 1776.” M OT TO: Wisdom, Justice and Moderation. SONG: “Georgia on My Mind.” FLOWER: Cherokee rose; azalea (wildflower). TREE: Live oak. B IRD: Brown thrasher. FISH: Largemouth bass. IN S ECT: Honeybee. G E M: Quartz. FOSSIL: Shark tooth. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January;

O FFICIAL SEAL: REVERSE:


Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Confederate Memorial Day, 26 April; National Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Robert E. Lee’s Birthday, 19 January (observed the day after Thanksgiving); Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the southeastern United States, Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River and ranks 21st in size among the 50 states. The total area of Georgia is 58,910 square miles (152,576 square kilometers), of which land comprises 58,056 square miles (150,365 square kilometers) and inland water 854 square miles 203

Georgia

(2,211 square kilometers). Georgia extends 254 miles (409 kilometers) east-west and 320 miles (515 kilometers) north-south. The Sea Islands extend the length of the Georgia coast. The state’s total boundary length is 1,039 miles (1,672 kilometers).

2

Topography

There are three main geographic regions in the state: northern Georgia is mountainous, the central region has the rolling hills of the Piedmont Plateau, and southern Georgia is a nearly flat coastal plain. The Blue Ridge Mountains end in northern Georgia, where Brasstown Bald, at 4,784 feet (1,459 meters), is the highest point in the state. Stone Mountain, where a Confederate memorial is carved into a mass of solid granite 1,686 feet (514 meters) high, is located in the piedmont region. The coastal plain, thinly populated except for towns at the mouths of inland rivers, ends in marshlands along the Atlantic Ocean. Lying offshore are the Sea Islands, called the Golden Isles of Georgia, the most important of which are, from north to south, Tybee, Ossabaw, St. Catherines, Sapelo, St. Simons, Sea Island, Jekyll, and Cumberland. Two great rivers rise in the northeast: the Savannah and the Chattahoochee. The two largest rivers of central Georgia, the Ocmulgee and Oconee, flow together to form the Altamaha. Perhaps the best-known Georgia river, though smaller than any of the above, is the Suwannee, flowing southwest through the Okefenokee Swamp, across Florida, and into the Gulf of Mexico. Huge lakes created by dams on the Savannah River are Clark Hill Reservoir and Hartwell 204

Georgia Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

9,363,941 14.4% 7.1% 98.6% 62.5% 29.3% 0.2% 2.7% 0.0% 3.9% 1.4%


65 and over (9%) Under 18 (27%)

45 to 64 (24%)

18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (31%)

Major Cities by Population City Atlanta Augusta-Richmond Columbus Savannah Athens-Clarke Macon Roswell Albany Marietta Warner Robins

Population

% change 2000–05

470,688 190,782 185,271 128,453 103,238 94,316 85,920 75,394 61,261 57,907

13.0 -2.3 NA -2.3 3.0 -3.0 8.3 -2.0 4.3 18.7



Georgia

GEORGIA

NORTH CAROLINA

TENNESSEE

Explanation Point of Interest

Chattahoochee National Forest DADE

59

CATOOSA

City (25,000-100,000 people) RABUN

TOWNS

FANNIN

WHITFIELD


UNION

Dalton

WALKER

GILMER

Chattahoochee National Forest

MURRAY

Area of Interest

HABERSHAM

WHITE

GORDON

CHATTOOGA

HALL

FRANKLIN

DAWSON BANKS

BARTOW

FORSYTH

75 Rome FULTON PAULDING

Lake Sidney Lanier

CLARKE

WALTON

Smyrna

Atlanta East Point

CARROLL

ROCKDALE

DEKALB

NEWTON

FAYETTE

PIKE

RICHMOND

Hamburg State Park BALDWIN

Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park

ah

BURKE

Piedmont N. W. R.

UPSON

JONES

h Chatta

CRAWFORD

R.

JENKINS WILKINSON

Magnolia Springs State Park

EMANUEL

Macon

BIBB

TALBOT

JOHNSON

SCREVEN

185 TAYLOR

ooc

TWIGGS

PEACH

eR he

MUSCOGEE

.

Columbus MARION

BULLOCH

LAURENS

Warner Robins

George L. Smith State Park

16

HOUSTON BLECKLEY

TREUTLEN PULASKI

SCHLEY

MONTTOOMBS TATTNALL GOMERY

DODGE

Savannah N. W. R.

16 EVANS BRYAN

STEWART

DOOLY

Eufaula National Wildlife Ref.

WEBSTER

WILCOX

TERRELL

APPLING

TELFAIR

75 BEN HILL

WORTH

JEFF DAVIS

COFFEE

Albany

BERRIEN

MITCHELL

COOK

CLINCH

Red Bingham St. Park DECATUR

PIERCE GLYNN

ATKINSON

Blackbeard Island Nat’l Wildlife Ref. Wolf Island Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

COLQUITT

MILLER

Seminole State Park

Blackbeard Is. Wilderness Area WARE

BAKER

St. Catherines Sound

MCINTOSH

BACON

General Coffee State Park

TIFT

DOUGHERTY

Kolomoki EARLY Mounds State Park

95

WAYNE IRWIN

Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge

LIBERTY

LONG

TURNER

Tybee National Wildlife Ref.

Savannah

Fort Stewart Mil. Res.

Little Ocmulgee State Park

CRISP

LEE

CLAY

CALHOUN

CHATHAM

WHEELER

SUMTER

Georgia Veterens Mem. State Park

QUITMAN RANDOLPH

SEMINOLE

EFFINGHAM

CANDLER

MACON

Fort Benning Mil. Res.

CHATTAHOCHEE

Walter F. George Reservoir

Fort Gordon Mil. Res.

JEFFERSON WASHINGTON

HARRIS

ALABAMA

GLASCOCK

MONROE

LaGrange

West Point Lake

SOUTH CAROLINA

Augusta

PUTNAM

High Falls S. P.

LAMAR

McDUFFIE

nn va Sa

TROUP

Martinez

WARREN HANCOCK

Oconee Nat’l For.

BUTTS

SPALDING

85 MERIWETHER

COLUMBIA

JASPER

COWETA

HEARD

LINCOLN

20

HENRY


GREENE

MORGAN

TALIAFERRO CLAYTON

John Tanner State Park

25

WILKES

Oconee Nat. For.

285

DOUGLASS

25

0

OGLETHORPE

Athens

OCONEE

20

Bobby Brown St. Park

BARROW

Ft. Yargo State Park

Marietta

HARALSON

0

ELBERT

MADISON

JACKSON

GWINNETT

Roswell

COBB

POLK

N

HART

85

CHEROKEE

FLOYD

Hartwell Reservoir

STEPHENS

LUMPKIN

PICKENS


95

Dixon Mem. State Forest

BRANTLEY

LANIER

GRADY THOMAS

BROOKS

LOWNDES

Valdosta

Saint Simons Sound CAMDEN

CHARLTON

Okefenokee Nat’l. Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness ECHOLS Area

Lake Seminole

St. Andrews Sound Cumberland Is. Nat’l Seashore Kings Bay Naval Submarine Support Base


FLORIDA Gulf of Mexico


205

Georgia

An inhabitant of Okefenokee Swamp. GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, TRADE, AND TOURISM.

Lake; artificial lakes on the Chattahoochee River include Lake Seminole, Walter F. George Reservoir, Lake Harding, West Point Reservoir, and Lake Sidney Lanier.

3

Climate

The Chattahoochee River divides Georgia into separate climatic regions. The mountain region to the northwest is colder than the rest of Georgia, averaging 39°f (4°c) in January and 78°f (26°C) in July. The state experiences mild winters, ranging from a January average of 44°f (7c) in the piedmont to 54°f (12c) on the coast. Summers are hot in the piedmont and on the coast, with July temperatures averaging 80°f (27°c) or above. The record high is 113°f (45°c) at Greenville on 27 May 1978. The record low is 206

-17°f (–27°c), registered in Floyd County on 27 January 1940. Humidity is high, ranging from 82% in the morning to 56% in the afternoon in Atlanta. Rainfall averages 50 inches (127 centimeters) annually in the lowlands, increasing to 75 inches (191 centimeters) in the mountains. Snow falls occasionally in the interior. Tornadoes are an annual threat in mountain areas and Georgia beaches are exposed to hurricane tides.

4

Plants and Animals

Georgia has about 250 species of trees, 90% of which are of commercial importance. White and scrub pines, and northern red oak cover the mountain zone, while loblolly, yellow pines and whiteback maple are found throughout the piedmont. Pecan trees grow densely in southern Georgia, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Georgia

Georgia Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,186,453 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,072,265 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106,506 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,367 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,232 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,643 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,030 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,324 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,567 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,591 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 941 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,776 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 937 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 69 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,342 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,115 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,682

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.6 . . . . . . . 1.3 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1


and white oak and cypress are plentiful in the eastern part of the state. Trees found throughout the state include scaly-bark and white hickories, sassafras, and various dogwoods and magnolias. Common flowering shrubs include yellow jasmine, flowering quince, and mountain laurel. Spanish moss grows in the coastal regions, and kudzu vines, originally from Asia, are plentiful. The state lists 58 protected plants, of which 23 (including smooth coneflower, fringed campion, and small whorled pogonia) are endangered. Prominent among Georgia animals is the white-tailed (Virginia) deer, found in some 50 counties. Other common mammals include the black bear, muskrat, mink, and three speJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

cies of squirrel: fox, gray, and flying. At least 160 bird species breed in Georgia, among them the mockingbird, brown thrasher (the state bird), and numerous sparrows. There are 79 species of reptile, including such poisonous snakes as the rattler and copperhead. The state’s 63 amphibian species consist mainly of various salamanders, frogs, and toads. The most popular freshwater game fish are trout, bream, bass, and catfish. Dolphins, porpoises, shrimp, oysters, and blue crabs are found off the Georgia coast. As of April 2006, 38 animal species were considered endangered or threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Among these are the bald eagle, eastern indigo snake, West Indian mana207

Georgia

tee, four species of moccasinshell, five species of turtle, three species of whale, and the shortnose sturgeon.

5


The Environmental Protection Division (EPD) within the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was established in 1972. This agency administers 21 state environmental laws, most of them passed during the 1970s. The EPD issues all the environmental permits, with the exception of those required by the Marshlands Protection and Shore Assistance Acts, which are enforced by the Coastal Resources Division of the DNR. Georgia’s greatest environmental problems are an increasingly scarce water supply, nonpoint source water pollution, and hazardous waste sites. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 408 hazardous waste sites in the states, 15 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. As of 1997 the state had 7.7 million acres of wetlands.

6

Population

Georgia ranked ninth in population among the 50 states in 2006 with an estimated total population of 9,363,941. In 2004, the population density was 153.4 persons per square mile (59.2 persons per square kilometer).The population is projected to reach 11.4 million by 2025. The state’s largest cities and their estimated populations in 2005 were Atlanta, 470,688; August-Richmond, 190,782; Columbus, 185,271; and Savannah, 128,453. In 2004, the median age was 34. In 2005, about 9% of all 208

residents were 65 years old or older, while about 27% were 18 or younger.

7

Ethnic Groups

Most Georgians are of English or Scotch-Irish descent. In 2000, there were 173,170 Asians and 4,246 Pacific Islanders within the state. Asian Indians were the largest group, with a population of 46,132. There were about 29,016 Vietnamese, 28,745 Koreans, and 27,446 Chinese. The black population was estimated at 2,349,542, the third-largest black population among the 50 states. Atlanta has been a significant center for the development of black leadership, especially at Atlanta University. The Native American population in Georgia was estimated to be 21,737 in 2000. About 6% of the population (435,227 people) were of Hispanic or Latino origin. The total number of Georgians who were foreignborn was 577,273. In 2006, estimates indicated that 2.7% of the population was Asian, 29.3% was black, 7.1% was Hispanic or Latino, and 0.2% was Native American.

8

Languages

Georgia English is typically Southern. However, a highly unusual variety of regional differences makes a strong contrast between northern upcountry and southern low-country speech. In such words as care and stairs, for example, many up-country speakers use a vowel like that in cat, while many low-country speakers use a vowel like that in pane. A peanut might be called a goober in the north or a pinder in the south. Other northern terms include French harp for harmonJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Georgia

ica and sallet for salad. In Atlanta a big sandwich is a poorboy. A distinctive variety of black English, called Gullah, is spoken in the islands off the Georgia and South Carolina coast, to which Creolespeaking slaves escaped from the mainland during the 17th and 18th centuries. In 2000, about 6,843,038 Georgians (90.1% of the population five years old and older) spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of people who speak them, include Spanish and Spanish Creole (426,115), French or French Patois (Cajun, 43,428), German (32,777), Vietnamese (27,671), and Korean (25,814).

9

Religions

The Church of England was the official church in colonial Georgia. Daniel Marshall, the first “separate” Baptist in Georgia, established a church near Kiokee Creek in 1772. Some 16 years later, James Asbury formed the first Methodist Conference in Georgia. In 2000, most of the religious adherents in the state were Evangelical Protestants. The Southern Baptist Convention was the largest single denomination, claiming 1,719,484 adherents. Mainline Protestants included 476,727 United Methodists (in 2004), 105,774 USA Presbyterians (in 2000), and 71,950 Episcopalians (2000). Roman Catholic adherents numbered about 447,126 in 2004. Judaism claimed about 93,500 adherents in 2000 and there were about 38,882 Muslims. Only 16 Buddhist and 15 Hindu congregations were reported. About 55.2% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

10

Transportation

Georgia’s location between the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean makes it the link between the eastern seaboard and the Gulf states. From the 1830s onward, businessmen in the eastern cities built railroads west to maintain their commerce. The two principal lines, the Georgia and the Central of Georgia, were required by law to make connection with a stateowned line, the Western and Atlantic, at the new town of Atlanta, which thus became in 1847 the link between Georgia and the Ohio Valley. By the Civil War, Georgia, with more miles of rail than any other Deep South state, was a vital link between the eastern and western sectors of the Confederacy. In 2003, total trackage was at 4,532 rail miles (7,805 kilometers). In the same year, CSX and Norfolk Southern were the only Class I railroads operating within the state. Amtrak provides eastwest routes through Atlanta, and north-south routes through Savannah. In 1979, Atlanta inaugurated the first mass-transit system in the state, including the South’s first subway. Major ports are located at Savannah, Brunswick, and St. Mary’s. In 2004, Georgia had 721 miles (1,160 kilometers) of navigable inland waterways. In the 1920s, Georgia became the gateway to Florida for motorists. Today, I-75 is the main route from Atlanta to Florida, and I-20 is the major east-west highway. Both cross I-85 at Atlanta, which proceeds southeast from South Carolina to Alabama. I-95 stretches along the coast from South Carolina through Savannah to Jacksonville, Florida. In 2004, Georgia had 116,917 miles (188,236 kilometers) of public 209

Georgia

roads, 7.8 million registered motor vehicles and 5.7 million licensed drivers. In 2005, there were 341 airports in Georgia, 109 heliports, and 4 STOLports (Short TakeOff and Landing). Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta is the hub of air traffic in the Southeast.

11

History

The Native Americans of the Master Farmer culture that reached its height in about ad 800 left impressive mounds at Ocmulgee (near Macon) and at Etowah (north of Atlanta). During the colonial period, the most important tribes were the Creek and the Cherokee. By clever diplomacy, the Creek were able to maneuver between the English on the one hand and the French and Spanish on the other. With the ascendancy of the English and the achievement of statehood, however, the Creek lost their leverage and were expelled from Georgia in 1826. In an effort to avoid expulsion or annihilation, the Cherokee sought to adopt the Europeans’ ways. Thanks to their remarkable linguist Sequoyah, they learned to write their own language, later running their own newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix, and their own schools. Some even owned slaves. Unfortunately for the Cherokee, gold was discovered on their lands and they were expelled from their territory between 1832 and 1838. Thousands died on the march to Indian Territory (Oklahoma), known ever since as the Trail of Tears. Georgia’s first European explorer was Hernando de Soto of Spain, who crossed the region in 1540. By 1586 Spanish captain Pedro Menéndez de Avilés had established the mission of Santa Catalina de Gaule on St. Catherines 210

Island. By 1700, Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries had established an entire chain of missions along the Sea Islands and on the lower Chattahoochee. By 1702, however, the English had forced the Spaniards back to St. Augustine, Florida. In 1732, desiring a buffer between the valuable rice-growing colony of Carolina and Native American-held lands to the south and west, King George II granted a charter to a group who wanted to establish a colony in present-day Georgia. The first settlers, led by James Edward Oglethorpe, landed at Yamacraw Bluff on 12 February 1733. By 1742 Oglethorpe had fought off Spanish threats to the British colony. Statehood In 1752, Georgia became a royal col-

ony. Its society, like that of Carolina, was shaped by the planting of rice, indigo, and cotton. After the French and Indian War, settlers began to pour into the Georgia backcountry above Augusta. Following the War of Independence, a period of rapid expansion began. Georgia ratified the US Constitution on 2 January 1788, becoming the fourth state of the Union. The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793 made cotton cultivation profitable in the lands east of the Oconee River. The settlement of the cotton lands brought prosperity to Georgia. After South Carolina seceded from the Union in 1860, Georgia also withdrew and joined the Confederate States of America. In 1864, troops under General William Tecumseh Sherman moved relentlessly upon Atlanta, capturing it in September. In November, Sherman began his famous “march to the sea,” and he presented Savannah as a Christmas present to President Abraham Lincoln. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Georgia

After ratifying the 14th and 15th amendments, Georgia was readmitted to the Union on 15 July 1870. After the Democrats recovered control of the state in 1871, business interests dominated politics. Former Democratic Representative Thomas E. Watson, who declared himself a Populist during the early 1890s, incited anti-Black, anti-Jewish, and anti-Catholic sentiment in order to control a bloc of rural votes with which he dominated state politics for ten years. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s efforts to introduce the New Deal to Georgia after he became president in 1933 were blocked by Governor Eugene Talmadge. It was not until the administration of Governor Eurith D. Rivers (1937–41) that progressive social legislation was enacted. The Supreme Court order to desegregate public schools in 1954 provided Georgia politicians with an emotional issue they exploited to the maximum.

Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta. King was the leader of the March on Washington in 1963, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

1960s–2000s During the 1960s, Atlanta was

the home base for the civil-rights efforts of Martin Luther King Jr., though his campaign to end racial discrimination in Georgia focused mostly on the town of Albany. Federal civilrights legislation in 1964 and 1965 changed the state’s political climate by guaranteeing the vote to black citizens. A black man, Julian Bond, was elected to the state legislature in 1965. In 1973, Maynard Jackson was elected mayor of Atlanta, thus becoming the first black mayor of a large southern city. Governor Jimmy Carter’s resolute renunciation of racism in his inaugural speech in 1971 marked a turning point in Georgia politics and was a key factor in his election to the presidency in 1976. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The prosperity of Atlanta in the 1970s and 1980s stemmed largely from its service-based economy. The decline of service industries in the early 1990s, however, pulled Atlanta and the state of Georgia as a whole into a recession. That decline was exemplified by the collapse in 1991 of one of the two airlines that used Atlanta as its hub, Eastern Airlines, which cost Atlanta 10,000 jobs. Nevertheless, as the decade progressed, the state’s economy rebounded, fueled in part by the science and technology sector. Some changes were still on the horizon, however, as in 2000 the major employers of Lockheed Martin, CocaCola, and BellSouth announced combined layoffs of more than 15,000 workers. 211

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Georgia Governors: 1776–2007 1776 1776–1777 1777 1777–1778 1778–1779 1779 1779–1780 1779–1782 1780 1780 1780–1781 1781–1782 1782–1783 1783–1784 1784–1785 1785–1786 1786–1787 1787–1788 1788–1789 1789 1789–1793 1793–1796 1796–1798 1798–1801 1801 1801–1802 1802–1806 1806–1809 1809–1813 1813–1815 1815–1817 1817–1819 1819 1819–1823 1823–1827 1827–1829 1829–1831 1831–1835 1835–1837 1837–1839 1839–1843 1843–1847 1847–1851 1851–1853 1853–1857 1857–1865 1865 1865–1868

William Ewen Archibald Bulloch Button Gwinnett John Adam Treutlen John Houstoun John Wereat George Walton Sir James Wright Richard Howley Stephen Heard Myrick Davies Nathan Brownson John Martin Lyman Hall John Houstoun Samuel Elbert Edward Telfair George Mathews George Handley George Walton Edward Telfair George Mathews Jared Irwin James Jackson David Emanuel Josiah Tattnall, Jr. John Milledge Jared Irwin David Byrdie Mitchell Peter Early David Brydie Mitchell William Rabun Matthew Talbot John Clark George Michael Troup John Forsyth George Rockingham Gilmer Wilson Lumpkin William Schley George Rockingham Gilmer Charles James McDonald George Walker Crawford George Washington Towns Howell Cobb Herschel Vespasian Johnson Joseph Emerson Brown James Johnson Charles Jones Jenkins

President

President

President

Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Whig Union-Dem Unionist Whig Democrat Whig Democrat Union-Dem Union Democrat Dem-Prov Democrat

The 1996 Summer Olympics were staged in and around Atlanta. An explosion (on 27 July) 212

1868 1868 1868–1871 1871–1872 1872–1877 1877–1882 1882–1883 1883 1883–1886 1886–1890 1890–1894 1894–1898 1898–1902 1902–1907 1907–1909 1909–1911 1911 1911–1912 1912–1913 1913–1915 1915–1917 1917–1921 1921–1923 1923–1927 1927–1931 1931–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1943 1943–1947 1947 1947–1948 1948–1955 1955–1959 1959–1963 1963–1967 1967–1971 1971–1875 1975–1983 1983–1991 1991–1999 1999–2002 2002–

Gen. Thomas Howard Ruger Military Rufus Brown Bullock Rep-Prov Rufus Brown Bullock Reconstructionist Benjamin Conley Reconstructionist James Milton Smith Democrat Alfred Holt Colquitt Democrat Alexander Hamilton Stephens Democrat James Stoddard Boynton Democrat Henry Dickerson McDaniel Democrat John Brown Gordon Democrat William Jonathan Northen Democrat William Yates Atkinson Democrat Allen Daniel Candler Democrat Joseph Meriwether Terrell Democrat Hoke Smith Democrat Joseph Mackey Brown Democrat Hoke Smith Democrat John Marshall Slaton Democrat Joseph Mackey Brown Democrat John Marshall Slaton Democrat Nathaniel Edwin Harris Democrat Hugh Manson Dorsey Democrat Thomas William Hardwick Democrat Clifford Mitchell Walker Democrat Lamartine Griffin Hardman Democrat Richard Brevard Russell, Jr. Democrat Eugene Talmadge Democrat Eurith Dickinson Rivers Democrat Eugene Talmadge Democrat Ellis Gibbs Arnall Democrat Herman Eugene Talmadge Democrat Melvin Ernest Thompson Democrat Herman Eugene Talmadge Democrat Samuel Marvin Griffin Democrat Samuel Ernest Vandiver, Jr. Democrat Carl Edward Sanders Democrat Lester Garfield Maddox Democrat James Earl Carter Democrat George Dekle Busbee Democrat Joe Frank Harris Democrat Zell Miller Democrat Roy E. Barnes Democrat Sonny Perdue Republican

Democrat Provisional – Dem-Prov Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep Republican Provisional – Rep-Prov Union Democrat – Union-Dem

killed one person and marred the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympics. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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Georgia Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

GEORGIA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN


PROGRESSIVE

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976

*Truman (D) Stevenson (D) Stevenson (D) *Kennedy (D) Goldwater (R) Wallace (AI) *Nixon (R) *Carter (D)

254,646 456,823 444,6878 458,638 522,163 334,440 289,529 979,409

76,691 198,961 222,778 274,472 616,584 380,111 881,490 483,743

85,136 — — — — 535,550 — **1,071

1,636 — — — — — — 1,1681

1980 1984

Carter (D) *Reagan (R)

890,955 706,628

654,168 1,068,722

15,627 1521

1988

*Bush (R)

714,792

1,081,331

8,435

LIBERTARIAN

— — NEW ALL.

5,099 IND. (PEROT)

1992 1996

*Clinton (D) Dole (R)

1,008,966 1,053,849

995,252 1,080,843

2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election. ** Write-in votes.

1,116,230 1,366,149

1,419,720 1,914,254

7,110 17,870

309,657 146,337

LIBERTARIAN

Weather problems struck the state in July 1994, when record floods caused 31 deaths and millions of dollars in damage. In 2000, the state suffered one of the worst droughts in its history, with farmers struggling to keep their crops alive. In 2003–05, the problems faced by the state included a weak economy, declining tax revenues, rising interest rates, and poor SAT scores, the latter of which inspired some colleges to stress the need for better higher education standards.

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State Government

Georgia has had a number of constitutions in its history, the last of which, ratified in 1982 and still in force, had been amended 63 times by January 2005. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

36,332 18,387

13,273 —

The legislature, called the general assembly, consists of a 56-seat senate and a 180-seat house of representatives. All the legislators serve twoyear terms. Elected executives include the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and state school superintendent. To become law, a bill must be passed by both houses of the legislature and approved by the governor, or passed over the executive veto by a two-thirds vote in both houses. All revenue measures originate in the house, but the senate can propose, or concur in, amendments to these bills. Amendments to the constitution may be proposed by two-thirds votes of the elected members of each chamber and must then be ratified by popular vote. In 2004, the governor’s salary was $127,303 and the legislative salary was $16,200 per year. 213

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13

Political Parties

Georgia voted solidly Democratic between 1870 and 1960, casting its electoral votes for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election until 1964, when Republican Barry Goldwater won the state. The state’s 12 electoral votes went to independent candidate George C. Wallace in 1968 and Republican Richard Nixon in 1972. In 1976, Georgia’s native son Jimmy Carter returned the state to the Democratic camp in presidential balloting. Congressman Newt Gingrich was instrumental in guiding the Republicans to control of both the House and the Senate in the 1994 elections. Following the election, Gingrich became the first Republican Speaker of the House in 40 years. However, after Republican losses in the November 1998 midterm elections, Gingrich stepped down as Speaker and resigned his seat in 1999. Republican George W. Bush won 58% of the vote and Democrat John Kerry won 41% in the 2004 presidential election. Long-time Democrat Sonny Purdue changed party affiliations in 1998 to the Republican Party, and won election as governor in 2002, the first Republican governor in Georgia since Reconstruction. He was reelected in 2006. Republican Saxby Chambliss was elected US senator in 2002. Republican Johnny Isakson was elected US senator in 2004. Georgia’s US House delegation following the 2006 election consisted of six Democrats and seven Republicans. At the state level there were 34 Republicans and 22 Democrats in the state senate, and 74 Democrats and 106 Republicans in the state house. There were 44 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 18.6%. In 2004, there were 4,968,000 214

registered voters; there is no party registration in the state. The state had 15 electoral votes in the 2004 presidential election.

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Local Government

In 2005, Georgia had 159 counties, 531 municipal governments, 180 public school districts, and 581 special districts. In 1965, the legislature passed a home-rule law permitting local governments to amend their own charters. The traditional and most common form of municipal government is the mayor-council form. But city managers are employed by some communities, and a few make use of the commission system.

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Judicial System

Georgia’s highest court is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice, presiding justice, and five associate justices. Georgia’s general trial courts are the superior courts, which have exclusive jurisdiction in cases of divorce and land title, and in major criminal cases. Cases from local courts can be sent to the court of appeals. Each county has a probate court and separate juvenile courts. The prison population in Georgia numbered 51,104 in December 2004, an increase of 8.3% over the previous year. Georgia’s death penalty is carried out through lethal injection. From 1976–2006, the state executed 39 persons. According to the FBI Crime Index, the violent crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants for 2004 was 455.5. The rate for crimes against property was 4,265.9 per 100,000 people.

16

Migration

During the colonial period, the chief source of immigrants to Georgia was England. Other Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Georgia

important national groups were Germans, Scots, and Scotch-Irish. The number of African slaves increased from 1,000 in 1752 to nearly 20,000 in 1776. After the Revolution, a large number of Virginians came to Georgia, as well as lesser numbers of French refugees from Hispaniola and immigrants from Ireland and Germany. Following the Civil War, there was some immigration from Italy, Russia, and Greece. The greatest population shifts during the 20th century were from country to town and, after World War I, of black Georgians to northern cities. For the period 2000–05, net international migration was 192,844 and net internal migration was 232,666 for a net gain of 425,510 people.

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Economy

Georgia’s economy underwent drastic changes as a result of World War II. Many northern industries moved to Georgia to take advantage of low wages and low taxes. The raising of poultry and livestock became more important than crop cultivation, and manufacturing replaced agriculture as the chief source of income. Georgia is a leader in the making of paper products, tufted textiles products, processed chickens, naval stores, lumber, and transportation equipment. Textile manufacturing, Georgia’s oldest industry, remained its most important source of income until 1999, when food processing exceeded it. Also, most durable-goods industries, such as electrical machinery and appliances, have grown rapidly. The state economy suffered in the national recession of the early 1980s but performed better during the expansion of the latter part of the decade than the nation as a whole. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Service industries grew dramatically, particularly health and business as well as finance, insurance, and real estate. The 2001 national recession had more of a negative effect on Georgia’s economy than it did on other states’ economies, as layoffs from the end of 2001 to the end of 2002 were the worst in the nation. In 2004, there were 29,547 new businesses established and 27,835 businesses terminated.

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Income

In 2005, Georgia has a gross state product (GSP) of $364 billion, ranking 10th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Georgia ranked 36th in the nation with a per capita (per person) income of $29,782; the national average was $33,050. In 2000, the median household income was $42,887, compared to the national average of $42,148. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04, was $43,217 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 12% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

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Industry

The transport equipment, chemical, food-processing, apparel, and forest-products industries today rival textile industries in economic importance. The state’s most famous product was created in 1886, when druggist John S. Pemberton developed the formula for what became CocaCola, the world’s most widely known commercial product. In 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in the state was over $131 billion. 215

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20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Georgia numbered 4,693,900, with 214,800 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.6%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, about 5.2% of the labor force was employed in construction; 21.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.2% in financial activities; 14.6% in professional and business services; 10.7% in education and health services; 10.1% in leisure and hospitality services, and 16.2% in government. Georgia is not considered to be a unionized state. In 2002, some 218,000 of Georgia’s 3,643,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 6% of those so employed. The national average is 13.2%.

21

Agriculture

In 2001, Georgia’s farm marketings totaled $5.5 billion (11th in the United States). Georgia ranked first in the production of peanuts and pecans, harvesting 25% of all the pecans grown in the United States in 2001 and 40% of all peanuts. Cotton, first planted near Savannah in 1734, was the mainstay of Georgia’s economy through the early 20th century. World War I stimulated the cultivation of peanuts along with other crops. By the 1930s, tobacco and peanuts were challenging cotton for agricultural supremacy and Georgia had also become an important producer of peaches, a product for which the “peach state” is still widely known. In fact in 2002, Georgia produced 110 million pounds (49.8 kilograms) of peaches. 216

Sales of potted flowering plants produced in Georgia amounted to nearly $9 million in 2001. The number of farms has declined from 226,000 in 1945 to 50,000 in 2002, when the average farm size was 226 acres (91 hectares). Georgia’s farmland area of 11 million acres (4.6 million hectares) represents roughly 30% of its land area.

22


In 2003, Georgia had an estimated 1.3 million cattle and calves valued at around $774 million, and an estimated 345,000 hogs and pigs in 2002 valued at around $21.7 million. Cows kept for milk production numbered an estimated 86,000 in 2001, when Georgia dairies produced around 1.4 billion pounds (0.64 billion kilograms) of milk. In the same year poultry farmers sold an estimated 6.2 billion pounds (2.8 billion kilograms) of broilers, more than any other state, with a value of $2.43 billion. The total egg production was 5.11 billion in 2001, valued at $367.9 million.

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Fishing

In 2002, the total commercial fishing catch in Georgia brought about 9.5 million pounds (4.3 million kilograms) with a value of $15 million. Commercial fishing in Georgia involves more shellfish than finfish, the most important of which are caught in the nets of shrimp trawlers. Leading finfish are snappers, groupers, tilefish, and porgy. In 2001, the state had 5 processing and 30 wholesale plants. In 2002, the commercial fleet had about 226 vessels. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Georgia

In brisk mountain streams and sluggish swamps, anglers catch bass, catfish, jackfish, bluegill, crappie, perch, and trout. In 1998, over 4.8 million bass were distributed within the state. Georgia issued 666,389 sport fishing licenses in 2001.

24

Forestry

Georgia, which occupies 1.6% of the total US land area, has nearly 3.3% of the nation’s forestland and nearly 5% of the nation’s commercial forests. In 2002 Georgia’s forest area totaled 24,405,000 acres (9,877,000 hectares), of which 23,802,000 acres (9,633,000 hectares) were commercial forest. Forests cover about two-thirds of the state’s land area. The most densely wooded counties are in the piedmont hills and northern mountains. Ware and Charlton counties in southeastern Georgia, containing the Okefenokee Swamp, are almost entirely forested. In 2002, about 90% of Georgia’s forestland was privately owned. The chief products of Georgia’s timber industry are pine lumber and pine panels for the building industry, hardwood lumber for the furniture industry, and pulp for the paper and box industry. In 2002, Georgia produced over 3.04 billion board feet of lumber (third in the United States), of which 87% was softwood (pine). The chief recreational forest areas are in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, consisting of two main tracts in the northern and central part of the state. Georgia has 1,856,000 acres (751,123 hectares) of National Forest System lands, 99% of which are within the boundaries of the two major tracts. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

25

Mining

In 2001, the US Geological Survey estimated the value of nonfuel minerals produced in Georgia at $1.61 billion. The state ranked seventh nationally in value of nonfuel mineral production. According to preliminary figures, Georgia produced about 24% of all clay output in the United States. Kaolin clay was Georgia’s foremost nonfuel mineral commodity, accounting for 54% of the total nonfuel mineral value in 2001, while crushed stone represented about 29%. Other minerals increasing in value included portland cement, fuller’s earth, crushed stone, and industrial sand and gravel. In 2001, the state was the national leader in the quantity of kaolin, fuller’s earth, and iron oxide pigments. Georgia also ranked second in barite (used by the chemical and the industrial filler and pigments industries), fourth in common clays and feldspar, fifth in dimension stone, and ninth in masonry cement. Blue-gray granite, known as “Elberton granite,” is the mainstay of the industry. The granite is commonly used for road curbing in the northeastern United States. Overall, the estimated quantity of dimension stone produced was 74 million metric tons valued at $11 million in 2001. Output of crushed stone, Georgia’s second-leading mineral commodity, was 76 million metric tons valued at $463 million.

26

Energy and Power

Georgia is an energy-dependent state which produces only a small proportion of its energy needs, most of it through hydroelectric power. There are no commercially recoverable petroleum or natural-gas reserves, and the state’s coal 217

Georgia

deposits are not of great importance. Georgia does have large amounts of timberland, however, and it has been estimated that 20–40% of the state’s energy demands could be met by using wood that is currently wasted. In 2000, Georgia’s total per capita energy consumption was 338 million Btu (85.2 million kilocalories), ranking it 28th among the 50 states. In 1999, Georgia produced 117.7 billion kilowatt hours of electricity (utility and nonutility) and had a total installed capacity of 25 million kilowatts. As of 2001, the Georgia Power Co. operated two atomic reactors at the Edwin I Hatch power plant near Baxley, with a combined capacity of 1,726,000 kilowatts, and two more reactors, with a combined capacity of 2,297,000 kilowatts, at the Vogtle plant at Waynesboro. All utilities are regulated by the Georgia Public Service Commission. Exploration for oil is currently in progress off the coast, but the state’s offshore oil resources are expected to be slight.

27

Commerce

Georgia’s wholesale trade in 1997 had total sales of $170 billion. The state ranked 10th in retail trade in 1992, with sales totaling $49.9 billion. Retail sales in the Atlanta area accounted for 53% of the total. Georgia exported goods worth $13 billion in 1998. Savannah is Georgia’s most important export center.

28

Public Finance

The governor’s Office of Planning and Budget prepares the budget, which is then presented to the general assembly at the beginning of each year’s session. The assembly may decide to 218

change the revenue estimate, but it usually goes along with the governor’s forecast. The fiscal year begins on 1 July. The Georgia constitution forbids the state to spend more than it takes in from all sources, The total state revenues for 2001 were $25.2 billion and expenditures were $27.8 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($11.5 billion), public welfare ($6.3 billion), and highways ($1.7 billion). Georgia’s state debt totaled more than $7.5 billion in 2001, or about $894.61 per capita.

29

Taxation

Georgia was the last of the 13 original colonies to tax its citizens, but today its state tax structure is among the broadest in the United States. Sales tax in the state is at 4% and provides the second-largest source of revenue. Basic foods and prescription drugs are exempt. State law allows counties to charge an additional 1% local-option sales tax and to use the money to roll back property taxes. Local sales and use taxes range from 1% to 3%. Almost half of Georgia’s taxes are collected at the local level. The state personal income tax schedule has six brackets ranging from 1% to 6%. The basic corporate tax rate is 6%. Other state taxes include selective sales taxes (excises) on tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, motor fuels and insurance premiums, and various license fees. State tax collection in Georgia totaled $13.77 billion in 2002, with 47.1% from individual income tax, 35% from state sales tax, 8.6% from selective sales taxes, and 4.1% from the corporate income tax. In 2003, combined state and local taxes amounted to 9.9% of income, the 15th highest in the country. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Georgia

30

Health

In 2000, Georgia’s infant mortality rate was 8.5 per 1,000 live births. Heart disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular disease were leading causes of death. Of the population age 18 and older, 23.6% were smokers. The same year, the HIVrelated death rate was 9.4 per 100,000 population. AIDS cases numbering 24,559 had been reported through 2001. In 1998, there were 147 community hospitals in Georgia. By 2001, there were 24,113 beds available in these hospitals. Georgia had 28,326 full-time registered nurses and 4,502 full-time licensed practical nurses in 2001 and 225 physicians per 100,000 population the same year. The average daily expense for hospital care was $1,173.7. In 2002, at least 16.7% of Georgia’s adult population was uninsured. The Medical College of Georgia, established at Augusta in 1828, is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and the center of medical research in the state. The Federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) were established in Atlanta in 1973.

31

Housing

In 2002, there were an estimated 3,487,088 housing units in Georgia, of which 3,078,258 were occupied; 67.9% were owner-occupied. About 64.9% of all units were single-family, detached homes; about 12% were mobile homes. The average household size was 2.7 people. It was estimated that about 137,503 units were without telephone service, 14,408 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 16,281 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Most households relied on gas and electricity for heating. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The University of Georgia, America’s first state-chartered university, was founded in 1785. This statue of its mascot, the Bulldog, greets visitors to the campus in Athens. ATHENS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

In 2002, 97,523 privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median value of a one-family home was about $131,221. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,125 while renters paid a median of $664 per month.

32

Education

During the colonial period, education was in the hands of private schoolmasters. Georgia’s first constitution called for the establishment of a school in each county. The oldest school in the state is Richmond Academy (Augusta), founded in 1788. The nation’s oldest chartered public university, the University of Georgia, dates from 1784. In 2000, 78.6% of the population age 25

219

Georgia

or older had a high school diploma and 24.3% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 1,444,937 in fall 2000 and expected to reach 1,527,000 by fall 2005. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2001 was 116,407. Fullday kindergarten is offered statewide and preschool classes are available for all four-year-olds. Every school has a satellite dish for long-distance learning, and computers are being provided to every school, with extensive technology services, both instructional and administrative. Additionally, instructional services are provided for hearing- and sight-impaired students at three state schools: Atlanta Area School for the Deaf, Georgia Academy for the Blind, and Georgia School for the Deaf. As of fall 2000, there were 436,555 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In the same year Georgia had 125 degree-granting institutions. Thirty-four public colleges are components of the University System of Georgia; the largest of these is the University of Georgia (Athens). The largest private university is Emory (Atlanta).

making industry and, as of the late 1990s, an increasing number of films for cinema and television were being produced in the state. Georgia has at least 11 symphony orchestras, ranging from the Atlanta Symphony to community and college ensembles throughout the state. Atlanta and Augusta have professional ballet touring companies. Augusta has a professional opera company and choral groups and opera societies perform in all major cities. Macon has become a major recording center, especially for popular music. The north Georgia mountain communities retain their traditional folk music. The Georgia Council for the Arts was founded in 1965. Major ongoing programs of the Council include the Georgia Folklife Program (est. 1987), the Grassroots Arts Program (est. 1993), and the State Capitol Gallery (est. 1991), which features exhibits from the State Art Collection of over 600 works of art from Georgian artists. The Georgia Humanities Council was founded in 1971. Georgia’s arts education programs are offered to about 21,600 students. There are over 200 arts associations in Georgia along with an estimated 30 local arts groups.

33

34

Arts

Atlanta is the major arts center of Georgia. The state has eight major art museums, as well as numerous private galleries. The Atlanta Memorial Arts Center was dedicated in 1968. The Atlanta Art Association exhibits the work of contemporary Georgia artists. Georgia’s Art Bus Program delivers art exhibits to Georgia communities, mostly in rural areas, for three-week periods. Atlanta has a resident theater and there are community theaters in some 30 cities and counties. Georgia has actively cultivated the film220


In 2000, the Georgia public library system included 33 regional and 24 county systems, each operating under its own board. The holdings of all public libraries totaled 14.8 million volumes in 2000 with a combined circulation of over 34 million. The University of Georgia had by far the largest academic collection, including over 3 million books. Georgia has 179 museums, including the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences in Savannah, the Georgia State Museum of Science and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Georgia

Exterior of the Georgia Aquarium. BARRY WILLIAMS/GETTY IMAGES.

Industry in Atlanta, and the Columbus Museum of Arts and Sciences. Atlanta’s Cyclorama depicts the 1864 Battle of Atlanta. Georgia abounds in historic sites. Sites administered by the National Park Service include the Chickamauga battlefield, Kennesaw Mountain battlefield, Fort Pulaski National Monument, and Andersonville prison camp near Americus, all associated with the Civil War, as well as the Fort Frederica National Monument, an 18th-century English barracks on St. Simons Island. The Martin Luther King Jr., National Historic Site was established in Atlanta in 1980. Also in Atlanta is former President Jimmy Carter’s library, museum, and conference center complex. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

35

Communications

As of 2001, 93.2% of Georgian households had telephones. In 2003, Georgia had 106 major radio stations, 24 AM and 82 FM. There were 37 major television stations in the same year. Atlanta had 1,774,720 television-owning households in 1999, 70% of which received cable. On 1 June 1980, Atlanta businessman Ted Turner inaugurated the independent Cable News Network (CNN), which made round-theclock news coverage available to 4,100 cable television systems throughout the United States. By the late 1980s, CNN had become well known worldwide. In addition, Turner broadcasts CNN Headline News. A total of 183,093 Internet 221

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domain names were registered in Georgia by the year 2000.

36

Press

In 1817, the Savannah Gazette became the state’s first daily. After the Native American linguist Sequoyah gave the Cherokee a written language, Elias Boudinot gave them a newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix, in 1828. Georgia authorities suppressed the paper in 1835 and Boudinot joined his tribe’s tragic migration westward. In 1958, Ralph E. McGill, editor and later publisher of the Constitution, won a Pulitzer Prize for his editorial opposition to racial intolerance. In 2001, the Constitution, and the Atlanta Journal merged to form the Journal-Constitution, owned by Cox Newspapers. As of 2002, Georgia had 27 morning dailies, 6 evening dailies, and 28 Sunday newspapers. Leading newspapers with their 2002 daily circulations were: the Journal-Constitution (396,464); the Augusta Chronicle (69,022); and the Macon Telegraph (63,553). Periodicals published in Georgia include Golf World, Atlanta Weekly, Robotics World, and Southern Accents. Among the nation’s better-known scholarly presses is the University of Georgia Press (Athens), which publishes the Georgia Review.

37


In 2002, over 42 million travelers spent $23.9 billion on visits to Georgia. More than 207,000 jobs are supported by the tourism industry in Georgia. Besides national forests and parks, major tourist attractions include the Okefenokee Swamp in 222

southern Georgia; Stone Mountain near Atlanta; former President Jimmy Carter’s home in Plains; the birthplace, church, and gravesite of Martin Luther King Jr., in Atlanta; and the historic squares and riverfront of Savannah. The varied attractions of the Golden Isles include fashionable Sea Island. Georgia has long been a hunters’ paradise. Waynesboro calls itself the “bird dog capital of the world,” and Thomasville in South Georgia is a popular destination for quail hunters.

38

Sports

There are four major league professional sports teams in Georgia, all in Atlanta. Turner Field and the Georgia Dome, main venues for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, serve as the home field baseball’s Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. The Philips Arena houses the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association and the Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League. The Atlanta Braves won the National League Pennant five times in the 1990s and won the World Series in 1995. The Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 and the NAPA 500 are two of the NASCAR Winston Cup auto races. They are both held at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Masters, the most publicized golf tournament in the world, has been played at the Augusta National Golf Club since 1934. The Atlanta Golf Classic is also listed on the professional golfers’ tour. Football and basketball dominate college sports. The University of Georgia Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference. Georgia Tech’s Yellow Jackets of the Atlantic Coast Conference are a perennial basketball power. The Peach Bowl Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Georgia

has been an annual postseason football game in Atlanta since 1968. Professional fishing, sponsored by the Bass Anglers Sportsman’s Society, is one of the fastest-growing sports in the state. Another popular summer pastime is rafting with raft races on the Chattahoochee at Atlanta and Columbus, and on the Savannah River at Augusta.

39

Famous Georgians

James Earl “Jimmy” Carter (b.1924), born in Plains, was the first Georgian to serve as president of the United States. He was governor of the state (1971–75) before being elected to the White House in 1976. He was the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Clarence Thomas (b.1948) was appointed as a Supreme Court Justice in 1991. Dean Rusk (1909–1994) was secretary of state in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. Notable US senators in recent years were Herman Talmadge (1913–2002), and Sam Nunn (b.1938). A Georgia member of Congress, Newt Gingrich (b. Pennsylvania 1943), served as Speaker of the US House of Representatives from 1994 until 1998. Revolutionary War hero James Jackson (b.England, 1757–1806) organized the Democratic-Republican Party (today’s Democratic Party) in Georgia. Confederate General Joseph Wheeler (1836–1906) became a major general in the US Army during the Spanish-American War. Other Civil War generals included W. H. T. Walker (1816–1864), Thomas R. R. Cobb (1823–1862), who also codified Georgia’s laws, and John B. Gordon (1832–1904), later a US senator and governor of the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Jimmy Carter, who was elected president of the United States in 1976, was born in Plains, Georgia. He was governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. COURTESY, JIMMY CARTER LIBRARY.

Among Georgia’s notable Native Americans were Osceola (1800–1838), who led the Seminoles into the Florida swamps rather than move west and rallied them during the Seminole War of 1835–42; Sequoyah (b.Tennessee, 1773– 1843), who framed an alphabet for the Cherokee; and John Ross (Coowescoowe, b.Tennessee, 1790–1866), the first president of the Cherokee republic. Distinguished black Georgians include civil-rights activists W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt) DuBois (b.Massachusetts, 1868– 1963). One of the best-known Georgians was Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968), born in 223

Georgia

Atlanta, leader of the March on Washington in 1963, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Black Muslim leader Elijah Muhammad (Elijah Poole, 1897–1975) was also a Georgian. Other prominent black leaders include Atlanta Mayor and former UN Ambassador Andrew Young (b.Louisiana, 1932), former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson (b.Texas, 1938), and Georgia Senator Julian Bond (b.Tennessee, 1940). Famous Georgia authors include Joel Chandler Harris (1848–1908), Conrad Aiken (1889–1973), and Flannery O’Connor (1925– 1964). Also notable is Margaret Mitchell (1900– 1949), whose Pulitzer Prize-winning Gone With the Wind (1936) typifies Georgia to many readers. Entertainment celebrities include songwriter Johnny Mercer (1909–1976); comedian Oliver Hardy (1877–1961); musicians Ray Charles (Ray Charles Robinson, 1930–2004), James Brown (1933–2006), Little Richard (Richard Penniman, b.1935), Otis Redding (1941– 1967), Gladys Knight (b.1944), Brenda Lee (b.1944), and Amy Grant (b.1961); and actors Joanne Woodward (b.1930), and Burt Reynolds (b.1936). Major sports figures include baseball’s “Georgia peach,” Tyrus Raymond “Ty” Cobb (1886–1961); Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson (1919–1972), the first black man to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame; and Robert Tyre

224

“Bobby” Jones (1902–1971), winner of the “grand slam” of four major golf tournaments in 1930.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Doak, Robin S. Georgia, 1521–1776. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 2006. King, Coretta Scott. My Life with Martin Luther King. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1970. Lommel, Cookie. James Oglethorpe. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Georgia Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murphy, Andrea. Georgia. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Murray, Julie. Georgia. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Otfinoski, Steven. Georgia. New York: Benchmark Books, 2001. Waters, Andrew, ed. On Jordan’s Stormy Banks: Personal Accounts of Slavery in Georgia. Winston-Salem, NC: John F. Blair, 2000. WEB SITES Georgia Department of Economic Development. Georgia. www.georgia.org (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Georgia. Georgia.gov. www.georgia.gov/00/ home/0,2061,4802,00.html (accessed March 1, 2007).


Hawaii State of Hawaii

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Unknown. The name

may stem from Hawaii Loa, traditional discoverer of the islands, or from Hawaiki, the traditional Polynesian homeland. N I CKNAME : The Aloha State. C AP ITAL: Honolulu. ENT ERED UNION: 21 August 1959 (50th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Same as coat of arms, with the words “State of Hawaii 1959” above and the state motto below. FLAG: Eight horizontal stripes, alternately white, red, and blue, represent the major islands, with the British Union Jack (reflecting the years that the islands were under British protection) in the upper left-hand corner. C OAT OF ARMS: The heraldic shield of the Hawaiian kingdom is flanked by the figures of Kamehameha I, who united the islands, and Liberty, holding the Hawaiian flag. Below the shield is a phoenix surrounded by taro leaves, banana foliage, and sprays of maidenhair fern. EMBLEM: Each of the eight major islands has its own emblem—Hawaii, lehua (ohia blossom); Kahoolawe, hinahina (beach heliotrope); Kauai, mokihana (fruit capsule of the Pelea anisata); Lanai, kaunaoa (Cuscuta sandwichiana); Maui, lokelani (pink cottage rose); Molokai, kukui (candlenut) blossom; Niihau, white pupa shell; and Oahu, ilima (Sida fallax). M OT TO: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness). SONG: “Hawaii Ponoi.” Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

C O L O R S : Each of the eight major islands has its own

color—Hawaii, red; Kahoolawe, gray; Kauai, purple; Lanai, yellow; Maui, pink; Molokai, green; Niihau, white; and Oahu, yellow. F L O W E R : Pua aloalo (yellow hibiscus). T R E E : Kukui (candlenut tree). B I R D : Nene (Hawaiian goose). L E G A L H O L I D AY S : New Year’s Day, 1 January;

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Kuhio Day, 26 March; Good Friday and Easter, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Kamehameha Day, 11 June; Independence Day, 4 July; Statehood Day, 3rd Friday in August; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 2 AM Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time = noon

GMT.

225

Hawaii

1

Location and Size

The State of Hawaii is an island group situated in the northern Pacific Ocean, about 2,400 miles (3,900 kilometers) west-southwest of San Francisco. The smallest of the five states with a border on the Pacific, Hawaii ranks 47th in size among the 50 states. The 132 Hawaiian Islands have a total area of 6,470 square miles (16,758 square kilometers), including 6,425 square miles (16,641 square kilometers) of land and only 45 square miles (117 square kilometers) of inland water. The island chain extends over 1,576 miles (2,536 kilometers) north-south and 1,425 miles (2,293 kilometers) east-west. The four largest islands of the Hawaiian group are Hawaii, 4,035 square miles (10,451 square kilometers); Maui, 734 square miles (1,901 square kilometers); Oahu, 617 square miles (1,598 square kilometers); and Kauai, 558 square miles (1,445 square kilometers). The general coastline of the islands is 750 miles (1,207 kilometers).

2

Topography

The eight major and 124 minor islands that make up the State of Hawaii were formed by volcanic eruptions. Mauna Loa, on the island of Hawaii, is the world’s largest active volcano, at a height of 13,675 feet (4,168 meters). The highest peak in the state is Puu Wekiu on Hawaii at 13,796 feet (4,208 meters). The largest natural lake is Halulu on Niihau at 182 acres (74 hectares). The largest artificial lake, Waiia Reservoir on Kauai, covers 422 acres (171 hectares). The longest rivers are Kaukonahua Stream (33 miles/53 kilometers) in the north on Oahu, and Wailuku River (32 miles/51 kilometers) on Hawaii. 226

Hawaii Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

1,285,498 6.1% 8.0% 79.0% 24.9% 2.0% 0.3% 42.0% 8.5% 1.3% 21.0%

Population by Age Group 65 and over (14%)

Under 18 (24%)

45 to 64 (27%)

18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (26%)

Major Cities by Population City Honolulu CDP

Population

% change 2000–05

377,379

1.5


3

Climate

Hawaii has a tropical climate cooled by trade winds. Normal daily temperatures in Honolulu average 72°f (22°c) in February and 78°f (26°c) in August. The record high for the state Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


0

0

Niihau Island

Waimea Canyon S.P.

Haena State Park

25

25

50 miles

50 kilometers

N

Area of Interest

State Capital


City (25,000-100,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

HAWAII

Na Pali Coast S.P. Kokee S.P. Polihale S.P. Wailua River State Park

Kauai

Kauai Channel

Kaena Point State Park

Oahu

Kahana Valley State Park

Channel

PA C I F I C OCEAN

Honolulu

Hanauma Bay St. Underwater Park Diamond Head State Mon. Kaiwi

Pearl Kaneohe City Kailua

Pearl Harbor

Waipahu

Miliani Town

Puu o Mahuka Heiau State Monument

James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge

Auau Channel

Molokai

Waianapanapa State Park

Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Hist. Park

Kealakekua Bay State Hist. Park

Hulihee Palace State Monument

Puukohola Heiau National Hist. Site

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Dr. D. Douglas Historical Monument

Alenuihaha Channel

Haleakala National Park

Maui

Kohala Historical Sites State Monument

Iao Valley St. Mon.

Halekii-Piharia Heiaus St. Mon.

Pailolo Channel

Kahoolawe Island

Kealaikahiki Channel

Lanai Island

Kalohi Channel

Palaau State Park

Hawaii

Lava Tree State Mon.

Hilo

Akaka Falls State Park

Hawaii

227

Hawaii

An area of devastation near the Kiluaea Crater. Although destructive at times, Hawaii’s volcanoes are also beneficial. Not only do they add new land to the island chain, but they also form a soil that is high in nutrients. © COREL CORPORATION.

is 100°f (38°c), set at Pahala on 27 April 1931. The record low is 12°f (–11°c), set at Mauna Kea Observatory on 17 May 1979. Rainfall is extremely variable. Mt. Waialeale, on Kauai, is said to be the rainiest place on earth, with a mean annual total of 486 inches (1,234 centimeters). Upper mountain slopes and island interiors are the driest areas, averaging under 10 inches (25 centimeters). Snow falls at the summits of Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, and Haleakala—the highest mountains. The highest tidal wave (tsunami) in the state’s history reached 56 feet (17 meters).

4

Plants and Animals

Hawaii has about 2,200 species and subspecies of plants, more than half are endangered, threat228

ened, or extinct. As of April 2006, a total of 317 species (44 animal and 273 plant species) were listed as endangered or threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The only land mammal native to the islands, the Hawaiian hoary bat, is now endangered. There are no indigenous snakes. Animal species listed as endangered or threatened. These include four species of sea turtle and the humpback whale, which migrates to Hawaiian waters in winter. Among threatened birds are several varieties of honeycreeper, shorttailed albatross, Hawaiian coot, and the Hawaiian goose, or nene (the state bird). Animals considered endangered by the state but not on the federal list include the Hawaiian storm petrel, Hawaiian owl, Maui ‘amakihi (Loxops virens wilsoni), and ‘i’iwi (Vestiaria coccinea). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Hawaii

Hawaii Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,211,537 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 952,194 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175,252 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,289 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,953 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55,028 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,485 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,728 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,936 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . 1,330 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,473 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . 1,259 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57,647 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,671 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,051 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84,091

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 78.6 . . . . . . 14.5 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.5 . . . . . . . 4.5 . . . . . . . 2.6 . . . . . . . 0.6 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 4.8 . . . . . . . 0.5 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 6.9


5


Environmental protection within the state is the responsibility of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the Environmental Management Division of the Department of Health. Noise pollution requirements for the state are among the strictest in the United States, and air and water purity levels are well within federal standards. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the use of ethylene dibromide (EDB), a pesticide used in the state’s pineapple fields, after high levels of the chemical were found in wells on the island of Oahu in 1983. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

database listed 87 hazardous waste sites in the state, 3 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2006, Hawaii ranked 42nd in population in the United States with an estimated total of 1,285,498 residents. The Census Bureau projects that the population will reach 1.38 million by 2015 and 1.43 million by 2025. Almost fourfifths of the population lives on Oahu. In 2004, Hawaii had a population density of about 196.6 persons per square mile (75.9 persons per square kilometer). In that same year, the median age was 38. In 2005, about 14% of all residents were 65 229

Hawaii

or older, while about 24% were 18 or younger. Honolulu is the largest city in the state. In 2005, it had an estimated population of 377,379.

7

Ethnic Groups

Hawaii has the nation’s highest percentage of Asian residents. In 2006, a total of 42% were of Asian descent, while 8.5% were Pacific Islanders or native Hawaiians, 2.0% were black, 0.3% were Native Americans or Alaskan natives, and 8.0% were Hispanic or Latino. In 2000, foreignborn residents numbered 212,229, or 17.5% of the total state population.

8

Languages

The Hawaiian legacy is apparent in the state’s English. Newcomers soon add to their vocabulary aloha (love, good-bye), haole (white foreigner), malihini (newcomer), mahimahi (dolphinfish), ukulele, muumuu, and other common native words. Most native-born residents of Hawaiian ancestry speak one of several varieties of Hawaiian pidgin, a common language with elements of Hawaiian, English, and other Asian and Pacific languages. In 2000, of all Hawaiians five years old or older, 73.4% spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of speakers, include Tagalog (60,967), Japanese (56,225), and Chinese (29,363).

9

Religions

Congregationalist missionaries arrived in 1820 and Roman Catholics in 1827. Subsequent migration brought Mormons and Methodists. Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism arrived with the Chinese during the 1850s. In 2004, the largest religious group was the Catholic Church, 230

with 234,588 adherents. The Latter-day Saints (Mormons) followed with 64,608 adherents in 2006. Other major groups (as of 2000) included the Assemblies of God with 21,754 members, and the Southern Baptist Convention with 20,901 adherents. In 2005, the United Church of Christ had 17,362 adherents. In 2000, the Jewish population was at about 7,000. There were 73 Buddhist, 1 Muslim, and 8 Hindu congregations reported in that same year. About 63.8% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

Hawaii has only two railroads: the nonprofit Hawaiian Railway Society, with 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers) of track on Oahu, and the commercial-recreational Lahaina, Kaanapali & Pacific on Maui, with 6 miles (10 kilometers) of track. The islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai have public bus systems. In 2004, Hawaii had 843,876 licensed drivers, and 4,318 miles (6,951 kilometers) of roads and streets. In that same year, there were about 532,000 passenger cars registered, along with around 394,000 trucks, and some 4,000 buses. Hawaii’s busiest port is Honolulu. Other major Hawaiian ports include Barbers Point, Oahu, and Kahului, Maui. Most scheduled interisland passenger traffic and most trans-Pacific travel is by air. In 2005, the state had 31 airports and 17 heliports. The busiest air terminal is Honolulu International Airport, which had a total of 9,579,076 passengers in 2004. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Hawaii

11

History

The Western world learned of the Hawaiian islands in 1778, when an English navigator, Captain James Cook, sighted Oahu. At that time, each island was ruled by a hereditary chief under a caste system called kapu. Contact with European sailors and traders exposed the Polynesians to smallpox, venereal disease, liquor, firearms, and Western technology—and fatally weakened the kapu system. Within 40 years of Cook’s arrival, one of the island chiefs, Kamehameha (r.1810– 19), had conquered Maui and Oahu and established a royal dynasty in what became known as the Kingdom of Hawaii. His son, Liholiho, was proclaimed Kamehameha II in 1819. After the death of Kamehameha II in 1824, his brother, Kauikeaouli, was proclaimed King Kamehameha III. His reign saw the establishment of public schools, the first sugar plantation, and a two-chamber legislature. Hawaii’s first written constitution was adopted in 1840, and in 1848, a land reform called the Great Mahele abolished the feudal land system, fostering the expansion of sugar plantations. The 1840s and 1850s saw recognition of the kingdom from the United States, Britain, and France. The following decades witnessed the arrival of Chinese contract laborers and the increasing influence of American sugar planters. In 1893, the reigning monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, was overthrown in an Americanled revolution that produced a provisional government under the leadership of Sanford B. Dole. After unsuccessfully requesting annexation by the United States, Hawaii’s government drafted a new constitution and on 4 July 1894 proclaimed the Republic of Hawaii. After the Spanish-American War, which fueled expanJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

A worker cleans up the remains of the historical Hawi Mill after it was destroyed by an earthquake in Hawi, Hawaii, October 16, 2006. AP IMAGES.

sionist feelings in the United States and pointed up the nation’s strategic interests in the Pacific, the United States annexed Hawaii, effective June 1900. Notable in the territorial period were a steady US military buildup; the creation of a pineapplecanning industry; the growth of tourism (spurred in 1936 by the inauguration of commercial air service); and a rising desire for statehood. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, crippling the US Pacific fleet and causing some 4,000 casualties, quickly turned Hawaii into an armed camp under martial law. Hawaiians pressed for statehood after World War II, but Congress was reluctant, partly 231

Hawaii

Hawaii Governors: 1959–2007 1959–1962 1962–1974 1974–1986 1986–1994 1994–2002 2002–

William Francis Quinn John Anthony Burns George Ryoichi Ariyoshi John Waihee III Benjamin J. Cayetano Linda Lingle

Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican

because of racial hostility and partly because of fears that Hawaii’s powerful International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union was Communist-controlled. Not until 21 August 1959, after Alaska became the 49th state, did Hawaii become the 50th. Since then, defense and tourism have been the mainstays of Hawaii’s economy, with the state playing an increasingly important role as an economic, educational, and cultural bridge between the United States and the nations of Asia and the Pacific. In recent years, a prominent political issue in Hawaii has been the movement to give native Hawaiians some form of sovereignty. At stake is the control of around 2 million acres of land. In 1996, the state’s 200,000 descendants of native Hawaiians voted to establish some form of self-government. In July 2000, a rights bill was introduced in the US Congress by Hawaiian senator Daniel Akaka, which would give native Hawaiians the right to form their own government, with a status similar to that granted to American Indians. However, certain native Hawaiian groups opposed the bill because it would give too much administrative power over native Hawaiian affairs to the US Department of the Interior. Affecting Hawaii in the early years of the 21st century were the recession of 2001, the 11 September terrorist attacks that same year, and 232

the 2003 Iraq war, all of which had deeply hit the state’s tourism industry. One month after the Iraq war began on 19 March 2003, the state’s tourism business fell by one-third.

12

State Government

Hawaii’s constitution, ratified in 1950 and amended by the 1959 plebiscite on the statehood question, had been amended 104 times by January 2005. Hawaii has a two-chamber legislature of 25 senators and 51 representatives. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected to four-year terms and must be of the same political party. They are the only elected officers of the executive branch, except for members of the Board of Education. The legislature can override the governor’s veto by a two-thirds vote. In 2004, the governor’s salary was $94,780, and the legislative salary was $32,000.

13

Political Parties

Before statehood, the Republican Party dominated the political scene. Since the 1960s, however, Hawaii has been solidly Democrat. Following the 2006 midterm elections, the majorities of both houses of the state legislature, its senators, and its two US Representatives were all Democrats. Democrats held 20 of the seats in the state senate while Republicans held just 5. In the house, Democrats held 43 seats to the Republicans 8. There were 24 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 31.6%. Democrat Al Gore won with 56% of the vote in the presidential election in 2000, while Republican George W. Bush garnered 38%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democratic Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Hawaii

challenger John Kerry took 54% of the vote in Hawaii, to George W. Bush’s 45%. However, a Republican, Linda Lingle, was elected governor in 2002 and reelected in 2006. In 2002 there were 676,242 registered voters; there is no party registration in the state.

14

Local Government

The state is divided into five principal counties—Hawaii, Maui, Honolulu (coextensive with the city of Honolulu and covering all of Oahu), Kauai (including the island of Niihau), and Kalawao on that part of Molokai more commonly known as the Kalaupapa Settlement, primarily for the care and treatment of persons suffering from leprosy. Since there are no further subdivisions, the counties provide some services traditionally performed in other states by cities, towns, and villages. On the other hand, the state government provides many functions normally performed by counties on the mainland. Each principal county has an elected council and a mayor. In 2002, the state had fifteen special districts and one public school system.

15

Judicial System

The supreme court, the highest in the state, consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. The state is divided into four judicial circuits with 27 circuit court judges and 4 intermediate appeals court judges. Circuit courts are the main trial courts, having jurisdiction in most civil and criminal cases. District courts function as inferior courts within each judicial circuit; district court judges may also preside over family court proceedings. Hawaii also has a land court and a tax appeal court. Hawaii in 2004 had a violent Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Hawaii Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1960–2004 YEAR

HAWAII WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1960 *Kennedy (D) 92,410 92,295 1964 *Johnson (D) 163,249 44,022 1968 Humphrey (D) 141,324 91,425 1972 *Nixon (R) 101,433 168,933 1976 *Carter (D) 147,375 140,003 1980 Carter (D) 135,879 130,112 1984 *Reagan (R) 147,154 185,050 1988 Dukakis (D) 192,364 158,625 1992** *Clinton (D) 179,310 136,822 1996** *Clinton (D) 205,012 113,943 2000 Gore (D) 205,286 137,845 2004 Kerry (D) 231,708 194,191 * Won US presidential election. **Independent candidate Ross Perot received 53,003 votes in 1992 and 27,358 votes in 1996.

crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) in 2004 of 254.4 incidents per 100,000 people. There were 5,960 persons in the state’s jails and prisons as of 31 December 2004. Hawaii does not have a death penalty.

16

Migration

The US mainland and Asia have been the main sources of immigrants to Hawaii since the early 19th century. Immigration remains a major source of population growth. Since the early 1970s, about 40,000 mainland Americans have come each year to live in Hawaii. More than half are military personnel and their dependents, on temporary residence during their term of military service. Between 1990 and 1998, the net loss from domestic migration was 80,000. During the same period there was a net gain of 51,000 from international migration. In the period 2000–05, a net total of 30,068 moved into the state from 233

Hawaii

other countries, and a net loss of 13,112 left the state and moved to other states, for a net gain of 16,956 people.

17

Economy

Tourism remains Hawaii’s leading employer, revenue producer, and growth area. However, agricultural diversification—including the cultivation of flowers and nursery products, papaya, macadamia nuts, fish farming, manganese nodule mining, and film and television production have broadened the state’s economic base. The national recession of 2001, and the after-effects of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States reduced the annual economic growth rate, mainly through the impact on tourism. Hotel revenues had begun to increase by the end of 2002, however. Hawaii’s gross state product (GSP) in 2005 totaled $54 billion. In 2004, real estate accounted for the largest portion of GSP at 16.5%, followed by lodging and food service at 8.4%. Of the 29,791 businesses in the state that had employees, 96.8% were small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, Hawaii ranked 20th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $32,625. The three-year average median income for the period 2002–04 was $53,123, compared to the national average of $44,473. In the same three-year period, an estimated 9.7% of the state’s population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%. 234

19

Industry

As of 2004, food and food products accounted for slightly more than 23% of shipment value of all manufactured goods, including sugar and pineapples. Other major industries are clothing, stone, clay, glass products, fabricated metals, and shipbuilding.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Hawaii numbered 645,600, with approximately 18,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.6%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. For that same date, about 5.7% of the labor force was employed in construction; 2.4% in manufacturing; 19.8% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 21.6% in trade; 11.5% in education and health services; 17.5% in leisure and hospitality services; and 19.5% in government. Data was not available for financial activities and services. Unionization was slow to develop in Hawaii. After World War II, however, the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union (ILWU) organized workers in the sugar and pineapple industries, and then on the docks. The Teamsters Union is also well established. In 2005, a total of 141,000 of Hawaii’s 545,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 25.8% of those so employed, and well above the national average in 2004 of 12%. Hawaii is one of only four states with a union membership rate over 20%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Hawaii

21

Agriculture

Export crops—especially sugarcane and pineapple—dominate Hawaiian agriculture, which had farm receipts exceeding $553 million in 2005. The islands of Hawaii (Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai) are the only places in the United States where coffee is grown commercially. Coffee production in 2004/2005 totaled 7.1 million pounds (3.2 million kilograms). Another tropical product, pineapple, has also become a substantial export crop, with 215,000 tons produced in 2004. Macadamia nuts, tropical flowers, and taro are also grown. Banana production in 2003 was 22.5 million pounds (10.2 million kilograms).

22


Hawaii had an estimated 155,000 cattle and calves worth $97.6 million in 2005. In 2004, the estimated number of hogs and pigs was 22,000, worth $3.5 million. Poultry farms produced an estimated 117.2 million eggs in 2003, worth $9.4 million. Most of the eggs were for domestic consumption, making eggs one of the very few farm commodities in which the state is close to being self-sufficient. Most of the state’s cattle farms are in Hawaii and Maui counties.

23

Fishing

Although expanding, Hawaii’s commercial catch remains surprisingly small. In 2004, Hawaii landings brought in 24.2 million pounds (11 million kilograms) with a value of $57.2 million. Although the port of Honolulu ranked eighth in the nation that year in catch value ($44.6 million), it was 42nd in quantity with 18.2 milJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

lion pounds (8.3 million kilograms). The most valuable commercial species are swordfish and bigeye tuna. In 2001, the state had 2,814 commercial fishing boats and vessels. Sport fishing is extremely popular, with bass, bluegill, tuna, and marlin among the most sought-after varieties. In 2004, the state had 5,796 holders of sport fishing licenses.

24

Forestry

As of 2003, Hawaii had 1,748,000 acres (707,940 hectares) of forestland and water reserves, with 700,000 acres (283,500 hectares) classified as commercial timberland, most of it located on the island of Hawaii. The majority of the locally grown wood is used in the manufacture of furniture, flooring, and craft items. As the sugar industry downsizes, there is an initiative to expand the forest industry by planting trees on lands formerly planted in sugar cane.

25

Mining

The value of Hawaii’s nonfuel mineral production in 2003 was estimated to be around $74 million. Mining in the state that year consisted of crushed stone, primarily for use by the state’s construction industry, and the extraction of sand and gravel from open pits. Preliminary data for 2003 showed 600,000 metric tons of construction grade sand and gravel, were produced, along with 6.5 million metric tons of crushed stone.

26

Energy and Power

Without indigenous fossil fuels or nuclear installations, Hawaii depends on imported petroleum for about 78% of its energy needs. Coal, hydroelectric power, natural gas, windmills, geother235

Hawaii

mal energy, and sugar cane wastes contribute the rest. As of 2003, the state’s installed electrical power generating capacity totaled 2.268 million kilowatts, with total production that same year at 10.976 billion kilowatt hours. All of Hawaii’s electric power plants are privately owned. As of 2004, Hawaii had no proven reserves of crude oil or natural gas. In 2005, the state’s two refineries had a combined crude oil distillation capacity of 147,000 barrels per day.

27

Commerce

In 2002, Hawaii’s wholesale trade sector had sales of $9.9 billion, while the retail trade sector had sales that same year of $13 billion. In 2005, Hawaii’s exports totaled $1.02 billion. Foreign imports to the state primarily come from Japan, Singapore, and Indonesia.

28

Public Finance

Hawaii’s biennial budget is the responsibility of the Department of Budget and Finance. The fiscal year runs from 1 July through 30 June. Total revenues for the 2004 fiscal year were $8.2 billion, while total expenditures were $7.856 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($2.48 billion), public welfare ($1.346 billion), and health ($416.2 million). The debt of the Hawaii state government at the end of fiscal year 2004 was $5.7 billion, or $4,553.24 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

Hawaii’s per capita tax burden is one of the highest in the United States. In 2005, the state collected $4.43 billion or $3,478 per person, making the state second among the 50 states in per 236

person tax burden, and well above the national average of $2,192. As of 1 January 2006, Hawaii had nine individual income tax brackets, ranging from 1.4% to 8.25%. The corporate income tax rate ranged from 4.4% to 6.4%. The state general sales tax rate is 4%. Food purchased for consumption off premises (such as at home) is taxed, although an income tax credit is allowed as an offset to the sales tax on food. There are no local sales taxes, but all property taxes are local taxes. There are selective sales taxes (excises) on cigarettes, and motor fuels. Other state taxes include various license fees and stamp taxes. General sales taxes accounted for 48.2% of all taxes collected by the state, followed by selected sales taxes at 13.8%, and individual income taxes at 31.2%. Corporate income taxes accounted for 2.8% of all taxes collected.

30

Health

In October 2005, Hawaii’s infant mortality rate was estimated at 5.6 per 1,000 live births. Death rates per 100,000 people, as of 2002, from heart disease was 201.8, followed by cancer at 156.2, cerebrovascular diseases at 65.2, chronic lower respiratory disease at 21.3, and diabetes at 16.4. The HIV-related death rate in Hawaii was 2.1 per 100,000 people. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was around 10.8 per 100,000 population. In 2000, about 19.7% of Hawaiians were smokers. In 2003, Hawaii had 24 community hospitals, which together provided about 3,100 beds. In 2005, there were 725 nurses per 100,000 people. In 2004, there were 302 physicians, and 997 dentists in the state per 100,000 population. The Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Hawaii

average expense for hospital care was $1,350 per day. Hawaii comes the closest of any state to providing universal health care coverage as the result of a 1974 law that requires employers to provide health insurance for full-time workers, and a state insurance plan for low-income, part-time workers and Medicaid recipients. About 10% of the state’s population were uninsured in 2004.

31

Housing

In 2004 there were an estimated 482,873 housing units, 427,673 of which were occupied. However, only 58.9% were owner-occupied, ranking the state at 48th out of 51 (the 50 states and the District of Columbia) in the number of homeowners. About 51.4% of all units were single-family, detached homes, while around 22% were within buildings of 20 or more units. Most units relied on electricity for heating, but about 5,476 units were equipped for solar power. It was estimated that 20,719 units were lacking telephone service, 4,972 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 8,549 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.87 people. In 2004, a total of 9,000 privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. Median home value was at $291,576, the highest in the nation. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,648 while renters paid a median of $871 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, of all state residents 25 years of age or older, 88% had completed high school and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

26.6% had completed four or more years of college. Hawaii is the only state to have a single, unified public school system. It was founded in 1840. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 183,000 in fall 2003 and expected to reach 193,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 37,228. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $1.7 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 65,368 students enrolled in college or graduate school. As of 2005, Hawaii had 20 degree-granting institutions. The University of Hawaii maintains three campuses—Manoa (by far the largest), Hilo, and West Oahu. Private colleges include the Hawaiian campus of Brigham Young University, Chaminade University of Honolulu, and Hawaii Pacific College. There were also seven community colleges.

33

Arts

The Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) was founded in 1965. Ongoing programs include the Folk Arts Program (est. 1983) and the Hawaii State Art Museum, which opened in 2002 to feature artworks from the State Art Collection of the SFCA. The Hawaii Council for the Humanities was established in 1972 and has since granted over $4 million for over 500 projects in the state. The Neal Blaisdell Center in Honolulu has a 2,100-seat theater and concert hall, an 8,400seat arena, and art display rooms. Other performance facilities in Honolulu are the John F. Kennedy Theater at the University of Hawaii, the Waikiki Shell for outdoor concerts, and the Hawaii Opera Theater, which presents three 237

Hawaii

dance, and history of the various cultures represented in the state.

34

Hawaii’s famous Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu. Income generated from tourism is important to Hawaii’s economy. © COREL CORPORATION.

operas each season. The Honolulu Symphony Orchestra performs both on Oahu and on the neighboring islands. Other Oahu cultural institutions are the Honolulu Community Theater, Honolulu Theater for Youth, and Polynesian Cultural Center. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival includes a number of Japanese cultural events presented from January through March, mostly on Oahu. The Honolulu Festival, established in 1994 as a way to encourage cultural cooperation and understanding, presents a number of art exhibits and musical performances. The Aloha Festivals, which began in 1946, now consist of over 300 events on six islands throughout the months of August and September to celebrate the music, 238


The Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) operates as a single system with a combined book collection of over 3.1 million volumes and total circulation of 6.7 million. In 2000, the University of Hawaii library system in Honolulu had approximately 3 million volumes. Hawaii has 42 major museums and cultural attractions. Among the most popular sites are the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Polynesian Cultural Center, Sea Life Park, Bernice P. Bishop Museum (specializing in Polynesian ethnology and natural history), and Honolulu Academy of Arts. Outside Oahu, the Kilauea Visitor Center (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park) and Kokee Natural History Museum (Kauai) attract the most visitors.

35

Communications

In 2004, a total of 95.4% of Hawaii’s occupied housing units had telephones. Hawaii had 12 major AM radio stations and 21 major FM stations as of 2003, as well as 10 major television stations. A total of 27,025 Internet domain names were registered in Hawaii by the year 2000. In 2003, of all Hawaiian households, 63.3% had a computer, and 55% had Internet access.

36

Press

In 2005, Hawaii had eight daily newspapers: the Honolulu Advertiser (circulation 141,341 daily, 161,325 Sunday), Honolulu Star-Bulletin (64,305 daily, 64,344 Sunday), Hawaii TribuneJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Hawaii

Herald (18,806 daily, 22,150 Sundays), Maui News (21,478 daily, 25,938 Sundays), West Hawaii Today (12,397 daily, 15,916 Sundays), and The Garden Island (8,677 daily, 9,130 Sundays).

37


In 2004, there were 7 million visitor arrivals to the islands, with travel expenditures at about $10.8 billion dollars for those who arrived by air. An estimated 42% of all visitors are from other US states. Visitors come for scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, and sailing; for the hula, luau, lei, and other distinctive island pleasures; for the tropical climate and magnificent scenic beauty; and for a remarkable variety of recreational facilities, including 7 national parks and historic sites, 74 state parks, 626 county parks, 17 public golf courses, and 1,600 recognized surfing sites.

38

Sports

Hawaii has no major league professional sports teams. The Aloha Bowl (est. 1982) is a major college football postseason game played on Christmas Day in Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The Hula Bowl, a postseason all-star game for college athletes, takes place in January. The Pro Bowl (the National Football League’s all-star game) is also played in Honolulu, on the weekend following the Super Bowl. Surfing is an extremely popular sport in Hawaii, as it is the home of the Banzai Pipeline, north of Oahu. Here, the annual Duke Kahanamoku and Makaha surfing meets take place. Hawaii is also the site of an annual Professional Golfers’ Association tournament Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

and the world-famous Ironman Triathlon competition. The Transpac Yacht Race is held biennially from California to Honolulu. Kona is the site of the International Billfish Tournament and the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club holds statewide tournaments each year. Football, baseball, and basketball are the leading collegiate sports. The University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors produce the most well-known collegiate teams.

39

Famous Hawaiians

Hawaii’s best-known federal officeholder is Daniel K. Inouye (b.1924), a US senator since 1962 and the first person of Japanese ancestry ever elected to Congress. George R. Ariyoshi (b.1926), who was elected governor of Hawaii in 1974, was the first Japanese-American to serve as chief executive of a state. Commanding figures in Hawaiian history are King Kamehameha I (1758?–1819), who unified the islands through conquest, and Kamehameha III (Kauikeaouli, 1813–1854), who transformed Hawaii into a constitutional monarchy. Sanford B. Dole (1844–1926) led a revolutionary movement that overthrew Queen Liliuokalani (1838–1917), and ultimately secured annexation by the United States. Honolulu-born Luther Halsey Gulick (1865–1918), along with his wife, Charlotte Vetter Gulick (b.Ohio, 1865–1928), founded the Camp Fire Girls. Don Ho (b.1930) is a prominent Hawaiianborn entertainer; singer-actress Bette Midler (b.1945) was also born in Hawaii. Duke Kahanamoku (1889–1968) held the Olympic 100-meter free-style swimming record for almost 20 years. 239

Hawaii

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Feinstein, Stephen. The Pacific States. Chicago: Raintree, 2006. Goldberg, Jake. Hawaii. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2007. McAuliffe, Emily. Hawaii Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003.

240

Murray, Julie. Hawaii. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Thomas, William. Hawaii. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. WEB SITES Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. Hawaii, the Island of Aloha. www.gohawaii.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Hawaii. Ehawaiigov. pahoehoe.ehawaii. gov/portal (accessed March 1, 2007).


Idaho State of Idaho

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Apparently coined by a

lobbyist-politician, George M. Willing, who claimed the word came from an Indian term meaning “gem of the mountains.” N I CKNAME : The Gem State. C AP ITAL: Boise. ENT ERED UNION: 3 July 1890 (43rd). O FFICIAL SEAL: With cornucopias at their feet, a female figure (holding the scales of justice in one hand and a pike supporting a liberty cap in the other) and a miner (with pick and shovel) stand on either side of a shield depicting mountains, rivers, forests, and a farm; the shield rests on a sheaf of grain and is surmounted by the head of a stag above whose antlers is a scroll with the state motto. The words “Great Seal of the State of Idaho” surround the whole. FLAG: On a blue field with gilt fringe, the state seal appears in the center with the words “State of Idaho” on a red band below. M OT TO: Esto perpetua (Let it be perpetual). SONG: “Here We Have Idaho.” FLOWER: Syringa. TREE: Western white pine. H ORSE: Appaloosa. B IRD: Mountain bluebird. G E M: Star garnet. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and Idaho Human Rights Day, 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 5 AM MST = noon GMT; 4 AM PST = noon

GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the northwestern United States, Idaho is the smallest of the eight Rocky Mountain states and 13th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Idaho is 83,564 square miles (216,431 square kilometers), of which land comprises 82,412 square miles (213,447 square kilometers), and inland water 1,152 square miles (2,984 square kilometers). With a shape sometimes described as a hatchet, a snub-nosed pistol, or a pork chop, Idaho extends a maximum of 305 miles (491 kilometers) east-west and 479 miles 241

Idaho

(771 kilometers) north-south. Its total boundary length is 1,787 miles (2,876 kilometers).

2

Topography

Idaho is extremely mountainous. Its northern two-thirds consists of a mountain massif broken only by river and stream valleys and by two prairies: the Big Camas Prairie and the Palouse Country. The Snake River Plain extends east to west across Idaho from Yellowstone National Park to the Boise area. A forested high-mountain area juts out of the southeastern corner of the state, but the rest of Idaho’s southern edge consists mostly of low, dry mountains. More than 40 peaks rise above 10,000 feet (3,000 meters), of which the highest is Mt. Borah, at 12,662 feet (3,862 meters). Idaho’s lowest point is at 710 feet (217 meters) near Lewiston, where the Snake River leaves the Idaho border and enters Washington. The largest lakes are Pend Oreille, at 180 square miles (466 square kilometers), Coeur d’Alene, Priest, and Bear. The Snake River—one of the longest in the United States, extending 1,038 miles (1,671 kilometers) across Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington—dominates the southern part of the state. The Salmon River, also called the “River of No Return,” is a salmon-spawning stream. The Clearwater, Kootenai, Bear, Boise, and Payette are other major rivers. There are ice caves near Shoshone and American Falls and a large scenic cave near Montpelier. Near Arco is an expanse of lava, craters, and caves called the Craters of the Moon, another scenic attraction. At Hell’s Canyon in the northernmost part of Adams County, the Snake River cuts the deepest gorge in North America, 7,913 feet (2,412 meters) deep. 242

Idaho Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

1,466,465 13.3% 9.1% 98.0% 91.8% 0.4% 1.1% 1.1% 0.1% 3.5% 2.0%


Under 18 (27%)

65 and over (11%)

45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City Boise Nampa Pocatello Idaho Falls Meridian Coeur d’Alene Twin Falls Caldwell Lewiston Rexburg

Population

% change 2000–05

193,161 71,713 53,372 52,338 52,240 40,059 38,630 34,433 31,081 26,265

4.0 38.3 3.7 3.2 49.6 16.1 12.1 32.6 0.6 52.2



Idaho

CANADA BOUNDARY

Kaniksu Nat’l For.

BONNER

Lake Pend Oreille

Coeur d’Alene Nat’l For. KOOTENAI

Coeur d’Alene

IDAHO

WASHINGTON

90 BENEWAH


Coeur d’Alene Indian Res.

City (10,000 to 40,000 people) City (more than 40,000 people)

St. Joe National Forest

SHOSHONE LATAH

MONTANA

CLEARWATER


94 84

Dworshak Res. Dworshak St. Park

Moscow

Area of Interest

Nez Clearwater Perce National Indian Forest Res.

Lewiston NEZ PERCE LEWIS

N Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area

0 Sa lm

0

50 miles

50 kilometers

on

IDAHO

25 25

R.

Seven Devils State Park

Hells Canyon Nat. Rec. Area

LEMHI

Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area

ADAMS

Salmon National Forest

VALLEY

Beaver Head National Forest

Payette National Forest

Salmon National Forest

Salm on R

.

Sna ke R

.

CUSTER

WASHINGTON

CLARK

Lost River Range

BOISE

Targhee National Forest

PAYETTE

OREGON

Boise Nat’l For.

GEM

Caldwell

BUTTE

CAMAS

Boise ELMORE

Nampa

84

MADISON

BINGHAM

e ak Sn

GOODING

LINCOLN

American Falls Res.

C.J. Strike Dam

Idaho Falls

BONNEVILLE

Sawtooth Nat’l For. Mtn. Home Air Force Base

TETON

Camas National Wildlife Ref.

Craters of the Moon Nat’l Mon.

BLAINE

OWYHEE

Rexburg

15

Challis Nat’l For.

ADA CANYON

FREMONT

JEFFERSON

BANNOCK

. R

CARIBOU

Pocatello Blackfoot

POWER

Reservoir

JEROME

WYOMING

Ft. Hall Ind. Res. Targhee Nat’l For.

MINIDOKA

Caribou Nat’l For.

86 TWIN FALLS

Twin Falls Balanced Rock

Duck Valley Ind. Res.

Bruneau Dunes State Park

Salmon Dam

NEVADA


15 Sawtooth Nat’l For.

CASSIA

84 ONEIDA

Sawtooth Caribou Nat’l Nat’l Forest For.

FRANKLIN

Cache Nat’l For. BEAR LAKE

UTAH

243

Idaho

The Towers, where the Louis and Clark expedition stopped in 1805. © DAVID MUENCH/CORBIS.

3

Climate

The four seasons are distinct in Idaho, but do not occur at the same time in all parts of the state. Boise and Lewiston are protected from severe weather by nearby mountains and have earlier springs and later winters than other areas. Eastern Idaho tends to have more extreme temperatures. Mean temperatures in Boise range from 29°f (-2°c) in January to 74°f (23°c) in July. The record low temperature in the state is -60°f (-51°c), set at Island Park Dam on 16 January 1943. The record high, 118°f (48°c), was set 244

at Orofino on 28 July 1934. Humidity is low throughout the state. Precipitation in southern Idaho averages 13 inches (33 centimeters) per year. In the north, annual precipitation is over 30 inches (76 centimeters). The average annual snowfall in Boise is over 20 inches (53 centimeters). Much greater accumulations of snow are experienced in the mountains.

4

Plants and Animals

Idaho has some 3,000 native plants. Evergreens include Douglas fir and western white pine (the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Idaho

Idaho Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,293,953 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,268,344 . . . . . . 98.0 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,265 . . . . . . . 1.9 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,725 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,112 . . . . . . . 0.6 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,929 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 673 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,094 . . . . . . . 0.6 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . 42 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,344 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

state tree). Oak/mountain mahogany and ponderosa pine are among the other main forest types. Syringa is the state flower. MacFarlanes four-o’clock, water howellia, Spalding’s catchfly, and Ute ladies-tresses were the state’s four threatened plant species as of April 2006. Game mammals include the elk, mountain sheep, pronghorn antelope, black bear, moose, mule deer, mountain lion, and white-tailed deer. Pheasant, partridge, quail, and forest grouse are the main game birds. Trout, salmon, and bass are numerous in Idaho’s lakes and streams. Rare animal species include the wolverine, kit fox, and pika. As of April 2006, a total of 17 animal species were listed as threatened or endangered. They include the woodland caribou, whooping crane, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

three species of salmon, grizzly bear, bald eagle, woodland caribou, gray (timber) wolf, American peregrine falcon, and whooping crane.

5


The Department of Health and Welfare’s Division of Environment is responsible for enforcing environmental standards. Air quality improved greatly since 1978, following the passage of federal regulations strengthening the Clean Air Act. Vehicle emissions were responsible for high carbon monoxide levels in the Boise area in the late 1970s and 1980s. Emissions have dropped to the point that no carbon monoxide violations have occurred for several years. 245

Idaho

operation near Lowman are a potential health hazard. A top-priority site for hazardous-waste cleanup is Bunker Hill Mining at Smelterville. Two sites in Pocatello are also considered candidates for cleanup. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 87 hazardous waste sites in the state, 6 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2006, Idaho ranked 39th in population in the United States with an estimated total of 1,466,465 residents. The state’s population density was 16.8 persons per square mile (7.33 per square kilometer) in 2004. The population is projected to reach nearly 1.6 million by 2015 and 1.8 million by 2025. In 2004, the median age was 34.3 years. Residents who were 65 years old or older accounted for 11% of the population, while nearly 27% were 18 or younger in 2005. Boise is the largest city. Its estimated population in 2005 was 193,161. A Nez Perce man in traditional dress. The Nez Perce are one of the Native American tribes of Idaho. © DAVE G. HOUSER/CORBIS.

7

Water quality is generally good. Most of the existing problems stem from runoff from agricultural lands. The state has 386,000 acres of wetlands. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has implemented plans to acquire privately owned wetlands deemed to be in danger. Since 1953, nuclear waste has been buried at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory west of Idaho Falls or discharged in liquid form into the underground aquifer. Some isotopes are migrating toward the boundaries of the site. Tailings from a former uranium-ore milling

According to the 2000 census, there were about 17,645 Native Americans living in Idaho. The largest group in the census year was the Nez Perce, with a reservation located in northern Idaho. There were 5,456 black Americans and 11,889 Asians, including 2,642 Japanese. Persons were of Hispanic or Latino origin accounted for 9.1% of the state’s population in 2006. There was also a very visible Basque community in the Boise area, with an organization devoted to preserving their language and culture. In 2000, the total number of foreign-born residents was 64,080, about 5% of the population.

246

Ethnic Groups


Idaho

8

Languages

In Idaho, English is a merger of Northern and North Midland features, with certain Northern pronunciations marking the panhandle. Of all residents five years old or older, 90.7% spoke only English in the home in 2000. Other languages spoken (and the number of speakers) were Spanish (80,241) and German (5,666).

9

Religions

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) has been the leading religion in Idaho since 1860. The number of Mormons in Idaho is second only to that in Utah. In 2006, membership in the Mormon church was reported at 376,661. According to 2000 estimates, Idaho had 18,745 adherents in the Assemblies of God, and 17,683 United Methodists. There were also 130,847 Roman Catholics, and an estimated 1,050 Jews.

10

Transportation

In 2004, Idaho had 47,101 miles (75,832 kilometers) of public roads and streets, the vast majority of which were rural. The major east– west highways are I-90, I-84, and US 12. US 95, Idaho 55, US 93, and I-15 are among the most traveled north–south routes. Idaho had 1.370 million registered vehicles in 2004, including about 569,000 automobiles, 751,000 trucks, and around 1,000 buses. In that same year, there were 942,983 licensed drivers. Boise, Pocatello, and Idaho Falls have mass transit system bus lines. In 2003, there were 1,678 miles (2,701 kilometers) of railroad right of way used by the nine Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

railroads operating within the state. Among the two Class I railroads, the Union Pacific Railroad served southern Idaho, while the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad crossed the panhandle. As of 2006, Amtrak provided east-west passenger service to Idaho via its Empire Builder train connection at Sandpoint to Chicago, or Seattle/Portland. The modern airport at Boise is the state’s busiest. In 2005, there were a total of 204 airports, 44 heliports, 5 seaplane bases, and 2 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing). The Snake River port at Lewiston links Idaho, Montana, and the Dakotas with the Pacific via 464 miles (747 kilometers) of navigable waterways in Washington State.

11

History

The Shoshone, Northern Paiute, Salishan, and Shapwailutan tribal families were living in the area now known as Idaho when fur trappers and missionaries arrived in the early 1800s. The Oregon Trail opened in 1842, but for two decades people used it only to cross Idaho, not to settle there. In 1860 Mormons from Utah established Franklin, Idaho’s first permanent settlement, and began farming. Gold was discovered that summer in northern Idaho. A gold rush, lasting several years, led directly to the organizing of the Idaho Territory on 10 July 1863. Idaho’s population nearly doubled between 1870 and 1880. The threat to Native American hunting and fishing grounds posed by growing white settlement touched off a series of wars in the late 1870s. The most famous of these conflicts was the Nez Perce War. With a population of 88,548 in 1890, Idaho was eligible to enter the Union, becoming the 43rd state on 3 July. 247

Idaho

with a new interest in the environment, creating controversies over land-use planning, mineral development, and water supply and dam construction.

12

The Idaho state capitol building in Boise. © KEVIN R. MORRIS/CORBIS.

From 1895 onward, federal land and irrigation projects fostered rapid economic growth. The modern timber industry began in 1906 with the completion of one of the nation’s largest sawmills at Potlatch. By World War I, agriculture was a leading enterprise. Between the wars, Idaho suffered first from a farm depression in the 1920s, then from the nationwide Great Depression of the 1930s. After the war, an agroindustrial base was created, with fertilizers and potato-processing leading the way. In the 21st century, population expansion and the push for economic growth have collided 248

State Government

Idaho’s 1889 constitution, amended 117 times as of January 2005, continues to govern the state today. The legislature, consisting of a 35-seat Senate and a 70-member House of Representatives, meets annually on the Monday closest to 9 January. The executive branch is headed by the governor, lieutenant governor, and five other elected officials, all of whom serve four-year terms. The governor may only serve two consecutive terms. The governor can sign or veto a bill or let it become law without his signature. Vetoes may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of each legislative house. The governor’s salary as of December 2004 was $98,500, and the legislative salary was $15,646 in that same year.

13

Political Parties

Idahoans usually vote Republican in presidential elections. In 2004 Republican George W. Bush received 68.5% of the vote while Democrat John Kerry won 30.4% of the vote. However, while the state has become increasingly conservative politically since the early 1960s, Democrats were elected governor during 1970–92. In November 2006, Republican C. L. “Butch” Otter won election as governor. Following the 2006 elections, the state legislature had 28 Republicans and 7 Democrats in the state senate, and 51 Republicans and 19 Democrats in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Idaho

the state house. There were 29 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 27.6%. In the 2006 elections, Idaho voters again elected two Republicans to represent them in the US House. Its US senators, Larry Craig, reelected in 2002, and Mike Crapo, elected in 2004, are also Republicans. In 2004, there were 798,000 registered voters. There is no party registration in the state.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, Idaho had 44 counties, 200 municipal governments, 115 public school districts, and 798 special districts. Most counties elect three commissioners and other officers. Nearly all cities have an elected mayor and a council of four to six members.

15

Judicial System

Idaho’s highest court, the supreme court, consists of five justices. There is a three-member court of appeals. The district court is the main trial court in civil and criminal matters, while magistrates’ courts handle traffic, misdemeanor, and minor civil cases and preliminary hearings in felony cases. Idaho’s crime rates are low in almost every category. In 2004, Idaho had a violent crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) of 244.9 incidents per 100,000 people. As of 31 December 2004, there were 6,375 inmates in Idaho’s state and federal prisons. The state permits execution by lethal injection. As of 1 January 2006, there were 20 persons under sentence of death. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Idaho Governors: 1890–2007 1890–1891 1891–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901 1901–1903 1903–1905 1905–1909 1909–1911 1911–1913 1913–1915 1915–1919 1919–1923 1923–1927 1927–1931 1931–1937 1937–1939 1939–1941 1941–1943 1943–1945 1945 1945–1947 1947–1951 1951–1955 1955–1967 1967–1971 1971–1977 1977–1987 1987–1995 1995–1999 1999–2006 2006 2006–

16

George Laird Shoup Republican Norman Bushnell Willey Republican William John McConnell Republican Frank Steunenberg Popularist Democrat Frank Williams Hunt Democrat John Tracey Morrison Republican Frank Robert Gooding Republican James Henry Brady Republican James Henry Hawley Democrat John Michiner Haines Republican Moses Alexander Democrat David William Davis Republican Charles Calvin Moore Republican H. Clarence Baldridge Republican C. Ben Ross Democrat Barzilla Worth Clark Democrat Clarence Alfred Bottolfsen Republican Chase Addison Clark Democrat Clarence Alfred Bottolfsen Republican Charles Clinton Gossett Democrat Arnold Williams Democrat Charles Armington Robins Republican Leonard Beck Jordan Republican Robert Eben Smylie Republican Don William Samuelson Republican Cecil Dale Andrus Democrat John Victor Evans Democrat Cecil Dale Andrus Democrat Philip E. Batt Republican Dirk Kempthorne Republican James E. Risch Republican C. L. Otter Republican

Migration

Idaho’s first white immigrants came from Utah, California, and Oregon in the early 1860s. By the end of the Civil War, the chief sources of immigrants were the southern and border states. Homesteaders from the Midwest, Utah, and Scandinavia arrived at the end of the 19th century. Since 1960, immigrants have come largely from California. In 1998, 1,504 immigrants from foreign countries arrived in Idaho. In the period 2000–05, net international migration 249

Idaho

Idaho Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

IDAHO WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 *Truman (D) 107,370 101,514 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 395,081 180,707 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 105,868 166,979 1960 Nixon (R) 138,853 161,597 1964 *Johnson (D) 148,920 143,557 1968 *Nixon (R) 389,273 165,369 1972 *Nixon (R) 380,826 199,384 1976 Ford (R) 126,549 204,151 1980 *Reagan (R) 110,192 290,699 1984 *Reagan (R) 108,510 297,523 1988 *Bush (R) 147,272 253,881 1992** Bush (R) 137,013 202,645 1996** Dole (R) 165,443 256,595 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 138,637 336,937 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 181,098 409,235 * Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 130,395 votes in 1992 and 62,518 votes in 1996.

was 14,522 people, while net domestic migration was 61,273 people, giving a net population gain of 75,795.

17

Economy

Currently, agriculture, mining, forest products, and food processing comprise Idaho’s largest industries. The early 1980s brought a national recession to Idaho. Recovery, which required a restructuring of Idaho’s mining, forest products, and agricultural industries, came slowly. In some areas of the economy, the labor force has shrunk permanently. Modernization in lumber and wood products eliminated hundreds of jobs. Employment in chemical manufacturing, the paper industry, electronics, and tourism increased, however. Disputes with the federal government over the management of federal lands—60% of 250

Idaho’s public land—remain central to discussion of Idaho’s economic policy. The disputes center on such matters as grazing fees, costs of water from government projects, species protection, and mining regulations. The electronics industry grew during the 1990s, but so too did other manufacturing sectors. From 1997 to 2000 the state’s overall manufacturing output grew by 37%. However, in the national recession of 2001, there was a substantial decrease in manufacturing output. Idaho’s economy was also negatively impacted by drought conditions in 2002 that reduced grazing lands and threatened the state’s potato crop. The state’s farmers were also affected by historically low milk prices in 2002 and 2003. Idaho’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $43.571 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for the largest portion at 14.3%, followed by real estate at 11.9%, and health care and social services at 6.6% of GSP. In 2005, the state’s GSP totaled $47 billion. In 2004, of the 43,675 businesses that had employees, 97% were small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, per capita (per person) personal income in Idaho was $26,877, which was well below the national average of $33,050. Average median household income in Idaho for the three-year period 2002 through 2004, was $42,519 compared to the national average of $44,473. In that same period, an estimated 10.5% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Idaho

19

Industry

Although resource industries such as food processing, chemical manufacturing, and lumber production, continued to be important manufacturing sectors in Idaho’s economy, computer and electronic product manufacturing were the state’s primary manufacturing sectors in 2004. Overall, the shipment value of all products manufactured in the state in 2004 totaled $16.583 billion, of which computer and electronic product manufacturing accounted for $6.076 billion, followed by food manufacturing at $4.455 billion. The state’s manufacturing sector employed 56,479 people in 2004.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Idaho numbered 761,200, with approximately 25,600 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.4%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. According to preliminary nonfarm employment data for April 2006, about 8.1% of the labor force was employed in construction; 10% in manufacturing; 19.9% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 4.9% in financial activities; 12.6% in professional and business services; 10.8% in educational and health services; 9.7% in leisure and hospitality services; and 18.1% in government. Idaho was a pioneer in establishing the eighthour day, and in outlawing so-called “yellow dog contracts,” which were agreements workers were required to sign as a condition of employment, that prohibited them from joining a union. In 2005, a total of 31,000 of Idaho’s 606,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 5.2% of those Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

so employed, and well under the national average of 12% for that same year.

21

Agriculture

The receipts from farm marketings totaled $4.5 billion in 2005 (21st in the United States). As of 2004, Idaho led the United States in potato production, was second in sugar beet and barley production, third in hops and peppermint oil, and fourth in spearmint oil. Development of the russet potato in the 1920s gave Idaho its most famous crop. In 2004, the state produced 131.97 million hundredweight (5.98 billion kilograms) of potatoes (29% of the US total). Most were grown on irrigated land on the Snake River plain. About three-fourths of the crop is processed into frozen french fries, instant mashed potatoes, and other products. Other leading crops were hay, wheat, barley, and sugar beets. As of 2004, Idaho had 11.9 million acres (5.4 million hectares) in farmland, roughly 22% of the state’s land area, with an estimated 25,000 farms, (including ranches). Almost 3.5 million acres (1.4 hectares) of land were irrigated.

22


In 2005, there were an estimated 2 million cattle and calves worth around $2.2 billion. In 2004, Idaho had an estimated 21,000 hogs and pigs worth around $2.1 million. Idaho had an estimated 404,000 dairy cows, which produced 8.8 billion pounds (3.4 million kilograms) of milk in 2003. In the same year, Idaho produced an estimated 2.3 million pounds (1 million kilograms) of chicken, and an estimated 243 million eggs worth $14.5 million. Also during 2003, the state 251

Idaho

produced an estimated 24.7 million pounds of sheep and lambs, which grossed $20.8 million for Idaho farmers. Shorn wool production in 2004 was estimated at 2.1 million pounds (0.95 million kilograms).

23

Fishing

In 2004, there were some 403,741 licensed sport fishermen catching trout along with salmon, steelhead, bass, and 32 other game-fish species. Idaho is a leading producer of farm-raised trout. The state’s 55 trout farms had $32.6 million in sales in 2004. There are about 19 state hatcheries and 3 national fish hatcheries located within the state. The Idaho Fish Health Center in Orofino is a federally sponsored research facility.

24

Forestry

As of 2004, Idaho forests covered 23.5 million acres (9.5 million hectares), or about 40% of the state’s land area, with 16,824,000 acres (6,809,000 hectares) classified as commercial timberland. Of the total forest area in 2003, the federal government controlled 79%, while the state government controlled 5%, and private owners had 16%. National forest system lands in Idaho totaled 21,575,000 acres (8,731,000 hectares) in 2005. Idaho forests are used increasingly for ski areas, hunting, and other recreation, as well as for timber and pulp. Total lumber production was 1.7 billion board feet (10th in the United States) in 2004, almost all softwoods.

25

Mining

The estimated value of nonfuel mineral production for Idaho in 2004 was $446 million. Phosphate rock, construction sand and gravel, 252

molybdenum concentrates, silver, portland cement, and crushed stone were the leading minerals, accounting for 91% of output by value in 2004. In that same year, Idaho was second nationally in the production of phosphate rock; third in silver and lead; fourth in molybdenum concentrates and zeolites; fifth in pumice and zinc; and sixth in gemstones. In 2004, early data put the state’s production of crushed stone at 3.2 million metric tons, and sand and gravel for construction at 18.2 million metric tons.

26

Energy and Power

In 2003, net summer electric power generating capacity was 3.002 million kilowatts, with total production that same year at 10.422 billion kilowatt hours. Hydroelectric power generation accounted for 80.1% of all electricity produced, followed by 13.2% from natural gas-fired plants. The remaining output came from other types of renewable sources, and from coal-fired plants. Idaho’s large size, widespread and relatively rural population, and lack of public transportation foster reliance on motor vehicles and imported petroleum products. Natural gas is also imported. Hot water from thermal springs is used to heat buildings in Boise. As of 2004, Idaho had no known proven reserves of, or production of crude oil, or natural gas. Nor are there any refineries located within the state.

27

Commerce

In 2002, Idaho’s wholesale trade sector registered $11.4 billion in sales, while the state’s retail trade sector had sales in that same year of $13.5 billion. Motor ve4hicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest portion of retail Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Idaho

sales in 2002 at $3.7 billion, followed by general merchandise stores at $2.3 billion, and food and beverage stores at $1.8 billion. Exports of goods produced in Idaho totaled $3.2 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

Idaho’s annual budget is prepared by the Division of Financial Management. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. The state constitution requires that the legislature pass a balanced budget, and the governor, as the chief budget officer, has regularly assured that expenditures do not exceed revenues. Idaho had total revenues in 2004 of $7.1 billion, while total expenditures that same year were $5.76 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($2.01 billion), public welfare ($1.19 billion), and highways ($524 million). The debt of the Idaho state government at the end of 2004 was $2.38 billion, or $1,708.85 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, the personal income tax schedule had eight categories, ranging from 1.6% to 7.8%. Idaho’s flat tax on corporate income was 7.6%. Idaho has a retail sales tax rate of 6%, while local sales tax rates can reach as much as 3%, making the overall sales tax rate 9%. Although groceries are not exempt from the sales tax, the state does extend a grocery tax credit. The state also levies selective sales taxes (excises) on such items as gasoline and cigarettes. Other state taxes include various kinds of license fees. There is no state property tax. Local property taxes are the only major source of local revenue. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Total state government tax collections in 2005 were $2.934 billion, or $2,054 per person, which was under the national average of $2,192. Sales taxes accounted for the largest share of the state’s tax revenues at 38.5%, followed by 35.5% from individual income taxes, and 12.7% from excise taxes. Corporate income taxes that year, accounted for 4.8% of tax collections.

30

Health

In October 2005, Idaho’s infant mortality rate was estimated at 6.3 per 1,000 live births. The state’s crude death rate in 2003 was 7.6 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants. As of 2002, the death rates (per 100,000 people) for heart disease was 188.8; cancer 159.4; cerebrovascular disease 54.9; chronic lower respiratory disease 44.4; and diabetes 23.9. As of 2004, about 17.4% of the population were smokers. In the same year, the reported AIDS case rate was around 1.6 per 100,000 people. In 2003, Idaho had 39 community hospitals with around 3,400 beds. There were 657 nurses per 100,000 people in 2005. In 2004, there were 175 physicians per and 824 dentists per 100,000 population. The average daily expense for hospital care was $1,235 in 2003. About 17% of the state’s population were uninsured in 2004.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 578,774 housing units within the state, of which 515,252 were occupied. About 72.4% of all units were owneroccupied, and around 71.1% were single-family, detached homes. Mobile homes accounted for 10.8% of all homes. Most units relied on utility gas and electricity for heating. It was estimated 253

Idaho

that 22,347 units were without telephone service, 2,419 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 3,220 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.64 people. In 2004, a total of 18,100 privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. Median home value was at $120,825. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was about $953, while renters paid a median of $566 per month.

32

Education

As of 2004, a total of 84.7% of Idaho residents over 25 were high school graduates, while 23.8% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 250,000 in fall 2003, and was expected to reach 283,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 10,994. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $1.7 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 72,072 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Idaho had 14 degree-granting institutions. The leading public higher educational institutions are the University of Idaho at Moscow, Idaho State University (Pocatello), Boise State University, and Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston.

33

Arts

The Idaho Commission on the Arts, founded in 1966, offers grants to support both creative and performing artists. The Commission is a partner with the regional Western States Arts Federation. The Idaho Humanities Council was established in 1973. In 2005, the state received 254

$530,730 dollars in the form of six grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Boise Philharmonic is Idaho’s leading professional orchestra. Other symphony orchestras are in Coeur d’Alene, Moscow, Pocatello, and Twin Falls. Boise and Moscow have seasonal theaters. The annual summer Idaho Shakespeare Festival, in Boise, presents a series of plays in its outdoor Festival Amphitheater and Reserve. Boise is also home to Ballet Idaho, the state’s professional ballet company.

34


As of September 2001, Idaho had 106 public library systems, with 143 libraries, 39 of which were branches, and a combined book stock of 3.57 million volumes and a circulation of more than 8.7 million. The largest public library system is the Boise Public Library and Information Center. The leading academic library is at the University of Idaho (Moscow). The state also has 31 museums, notably the Boise Art Museum, Idaho State Historical Museum (Boise), and the Idaho Museum of Natural History (Pocatello). The University of Idaho Arboretum is at Moscow.

35

Communications

As of 2004, a total of 94.1% of Idaho’s occupied housing units had telephones. As of 2005, the state had 43 major operating radio stations (8 AM, 35 FM), and 13 major television stations. Several large cable systems serviced the state in 2005. A total of 21,563 Internet domain names were registered in the state in 2000. In 2003, computers were in 69.2% of all Idaho households, while 56.4% had computer access. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Idaho

36

Press

Idaho, site of the first printing press in the Northwest, had 12 daily newspapers in 2005 (10 morning and 2 evening), and 8 Sunday papers. The most widely read newspaper was the Idaho Statesman, published in Boise, with a circulation of 63,023 daily and 83,857 Sundays in that same year. Caxton Printers, founded in 1902, is the state’s leading publishing house. Leading magazines from the state are Idaho magazine, and the industry trade magazines, Spudman and Sugar.

37


In 2004, Idaho’s tourist industry earned $2.97 billion. Tourists come to Idaho primarily for outdoor recreation—river trips, skiing, camping, hunting, fishing, and hiking. There are 19 ski resorts, of which by far the most famous is Sun Valley. Tourist attractions include the Craters of the Moon National Monument, the Nez Percé National Historical Park, and two US parks. Portions of the Lewis and Clark Trail and the Oregon Trail lie within the state as well.

38

Sports

Although Idaho has no major league sports teams, the state is represented in college sports. The Idaho State Bengals and the University of Idaho Vandals play Division I basketball and Division I-A football in the Big Sky and Big West Conferences, respectively. Boise State University is the largest university in the Big West Conference, with a football team in Division I. Most county seats hold quarter-horse racing a few days a year and Boise’s racing season (including thoroughbreds) runs three days a week Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

for five months. World chariot racing championships have been held at Pocatello, as are the National Circuit Rodeo Finals. Polo was one of Boise’s leading sports from 1910 through the 1940s. Idaho cowboys have won numerous riding, roping, and steer-wrestling championships. Skiing is very popular throughout the state and there is a world-class resort at Sun Valley. Golf is also quite popular.

39

Famous Idahoans

Leading federal officeholders born in Idaho include Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994), US secretary of agriculture from 1953 to 1961, and Cecil D. Andrus (b.Oregon, 1931), governor of Idaho from 1971 to 1977 and secretary of the interior from 1977 to 1981. Republican William E. Borah (b.Illinois, 1865–1940) served in the US Senate from 1907 until his death, chairing the foreign relations committee for 16 years. Senator Frank Church (1924–1984) became chairman of the same committee in 1979; however, he was defeated in his bid for a fifth term in 1980. Important state officeholders were the nation’s first Jewish governor, Moses Alexander (b.Germany, 1853–1932), and New Deal governor C. Ben Ross (1876–1946). Idaho was the birthplace of poet Ezra Pound (1885–1972). Nobel Prize-winning novelist Ernest Hemingway (b.Illinois, 1899– 1961) is buried at Ketchum. Gutzon Borglum (1871–1941), the sculptor who carved the Mt. Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, was an Idaho native. Baseball slugger Harmon Killebrew (b.1936), football star Jerry Kramer (b.1936), and Olympic ski champion Picabo Street (b.1971) are Idaho’s leading sports personalities. 255

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40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Idaho. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. Kule, Elaine A. Idaho Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003.

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Murray, Julie. Idaho. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Stefoff, Rebecca. Idaho. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. WEB SITES Idaho Travel and Tourism. Idaho. www.visitid.org (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Idaho. Idaho.gov. www.accessidaho.org (accessed March 1, 2007).


Illinois State of Illinois

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : French derivative of

Iliniwek, meaning “tribe of superior men,” a Native American group formerly in the region. N I CKNAME : The Prairie State; Land of Lincoln (slogan). C AP ITAL: Springfield. ENT ERED UNION: 3 December 1818 (21st). O FFICIAL SEAL: An American eagle perched on a boulder holds in its beak a banner bearing the state motto; below the eagle is a shield resting on an olive branch. Also depicted are the prairie, the sun rising over a distant eastern horizon, and on the boulder, the dates 1818 and 1868, the years of the seal’s introduction and revision, respectively. The words “Seal of the State of Illinois Aug. 26th 1818” surround the whole. FLAG: The inner portion of the state seal and the word “Illinois” on a white field. M OT TO: State Sovereignty–National Union. SONG: “Illinois.” FLOWER: Native violet. TREE: White oak. A NIMAL: White-tailed deer. B IRD: Cardinal. FISH: Bluegill. IN S ECT: Monarch butterfly. M INERAL: Fluorite. G RASS: Big bluestem. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February; George Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November in even-numbered years; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the eastern north-central United States, Illinois ranks 24th in size among the 50 states. Its area totals 56,345 square miles (145,934 square kilometers), of which land comprises 55,645 square miles (144,120 square kilometers) and inland water 700 square miles (1,814 square kilometers). Illinois extends 211 miles (340 kilometers) east-west and 381 miles 257

Illinois

(613 kilometers) north-south. Its boundaries total 1,297 miles (2,088 kilometers).

2

Topography

Illinois is predominantly flat. Lying wholly within the Central Plains, the state’s physical features are uniform, relieved mainly by rolling hills in the northwest and throughout the southern third of the state. The highest natural point, Charles Mound, is only 1,235 feet (377 meters) above sea level, which is lower than Chicago’s towering skyscrapers. The lowest point is found at the extreme southern tip of the Mississippi River, at 279 feet (85 meters) above sea level. Most of the state’s 2,000 lakes of 6 acres (2.4 hectares) or more were created by dams. The most important rivers are the Illinois, the Wabash, the Ohio, and the Mississippi. Illinois has three manmade lakes. The artificial Lake Carlyle, at 41 square miles (106 square kilometers), is the largest body of inland water.

3

Climate

Illinois has a temperate climate with cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers. The seasons are sharply differentiated by region. Mean winter temperatures are 22°f (–6°c) in the north and 37°f (3°c) in the south. Mean summer temperatures are 70°f (21°c) in the north and 77°f (25°c) in the south. The record high, 117°f (47°c), was set at East St. Louis on 14 July 1954. The record low, -36°f (–37°c), was registered at Congerville on 5 January 1999. Average annual precipitation is 36 inches (91 centimeters). An annual snowfall of 37 inches (94 centimeters) is normal for northern Illinois, decreasing to 24 inches (61 centimeters) or less 258

Illinois Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

12,831,970 3.3% 14.5% 98.5% 72.2% 14.5% 0.2% 4.1% 0.0% 7.5% 1.5%


Under 18 (26%)

65 and over (12%)

45 to 64 (24%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (29%)


Population

% change 2000–05

Chicago Aurora Rockford Naperville Joliet Springfield Peoria Elgin Waukegan Cicero

2,842,518 168,181 152,916 141,579 136,208 115,668 112,685 98,645 91,396 82,741

-1.8 17.6 1.9 10.3 28.2 3.8 -0.2 4.4 4.0 -3.4



Illinois

WISCONSIN JO DAVIESS

STEPHENSON

WINNEBAGO

Chain O’ Lakes S. P.

BOONE

Freeport CARROLL

Rockford

Highland Park

R

Des Plaines

Elgin

39 De Kalb LEE

Shabonna Lake S. P.

88

ock

Aurora

Buffalo Rock St. Park

ROCK ISLAND

Mark Twain Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

74

80

Johnson Sauk State Park

Joliet

GRUNDY

Matthiesson St. Park

PUTNAM

STARK

KNOX

Harvey

Silver Springs St. Park

BUREAU

Wilmette

Evanston Schaumburg Chicago Elmhurst Cicero NaperOak ville Lawn WILL Orland Park

DU PAGE

KENDALL

LA SALLE

HENRY

COOK

KANE

DE KALB

R.

Kankakee

KANKAKEE

MARSHALL LIVINGSTON

Delabar St. Park

WARREN

55

Galesburg

IROQUOIS

PEORIA

Jubilee College WOODFORD State Upper Peoria Park Lake

HENDERSON

TAZEWELL

MC DONOUGH

FORD

Pekin

Nauvoo St. Park WeinbergKing St. Park

Argyle Lake St. Park

CHAMPAIGN

LOGAN

SCHUYLER

DE WITT

Chautauqua Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

. lt R Sa

74

MENARD

PIATT

CASS

Quincy

MACON

Panther Creek Conservation Area

Siloam Springs State Park

MORGAN

o am ng Sa

Decatur

SANGAMON

SHELBY

COLES

Wolf Cr. Lake S. P. Shelbyville

MONTGOMERY

FAYETTE

s Ka

rr

as

70

55 57 CLINTON

East St. Louis

South Shore S. P.

64 Bellevile

MONROE

Mu dd y

City (25,000-100,000 people)

HAMILTON

WHITE

SALINE

GALLATIN

WILLIAMSON

Big

Shawnee National Forest


WABASH

FRANKLIN

JACKSON

State Capital

64 Rend Lake

PERRY


LAWRENCE

Red Hills S. P. EDWARDS

Pyramid S. P.

Point of Interest

R.

Sam Dale Lake Conservation Area

JEFFERSON

R. RANDOLPH

RICHLAND

WAYNE

WASHINGTON

Explanation

80

sh

Granite City

ILLINOIS

R.

CLAY MARION

ST. CLAIR

CRAWFORD

JASPER

ba Wa

Alton

Lincoln Trail S. P.

EFFINGHAM

ia sk ka

ba

BOND

MADISON

CLARK

CUMBERLAND

Em

Ramsey Lake S. P.

JERSEY

Pere Marquette State Park

Fox Ridge S. P.

Eagle Cr. S. P.

R.

Illinoi

Sangchris Lake St. Park

MACOUPIN

Beaver Dam State Park

EDGAR

CHRISTIAN

s R.

pi ip iss iss M

GREENE

Walnut Point S. P.

DOUGLAS

MOULTRIE

Springfield

Danville

Champaign

. nR

72 SCOTT

R.

VERMILION

155

BROWN

PIKE

Moraine View State Park

Normal Bloomington

MASON

ADAMS

MISSOURI

57

MCLEAN

Peoria

FULTON HANCOCK

INDIANA

IOWA

Waukegan North Chicago

OGLE

WHITESIDE

MERCER

94

90

Mississippi Palisades St. Park

Moline Rock Island

Lake Michigan

LAKE

MC HENRY

Apple River Canyon St. Park

Crab Orchard N. W. R.

Carbondale

JOHNSON

UNION

POPE

HARDIN

Area of Interest

57

N 0 0

25 25

PULASKI

50 miles

24 MASSAC

ALEXANDER

Shawnee National Forest

KENTUCKY

50 kilometers


259

Illinois

in the central and southern regions. A record high snowfall occurred in Chicago in the winter of 1978–79 with 90 inches (229 centimeters) of snow. The flat plains of Illinois are favorable to tornado activity.

4

Plants and Animals

About 90% of the oak and hickory forests that once were common in the north have been cut down for fuel and lumber. In the forests that do remain, mostly in the south, typical trees are black oak, sugar maple, box elder, and slippery elm. Characteristic wildflowers are the Chase aster, lupine, and primrose violet. Endangered plants include the leafy prairie-clover, smallwhorled pogonia, lakeside daisy, prairie bushclover, and eastern prairie fringed orchid. The bison, elk, bear, and wolves that once roamed freely have long since vanished. Deer are abundant. The state’s fur-bearing mammals include opossum, raccoon, mink, and muskrat. More than 350 birds have been identified. Game birds such as ruffed grouse, wild turkey, and bobwhite quail are especially prized. Other native birds are the cardinal (the state bird), horned lark, and blue jay. Mallard and black ducks are common, and several subspecies of the Canada goose are also found. The state claims 17 types of native turtle, 46 kinds of snake, 19 varieties of salamander, and 21 types of frog and toad. Coho salmon were introduced into Lake Michigan in the 1960s, thus reviving sport fishing. As of April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 25 Illinois animal species as endangered or threatened. Included among threatened animals are the bald eagle and gray wolf. Endangered species include the piping plover, pallid sturgeon, Hine’s 260

emerald dragonfly, Higgins’ eye pearly mussel, and the least tern.

5


The Illinois Environmental Protection Act of 1970 created the Pollution Control Board to set standards and conduct enforcement proceedings and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a comprehensive program for protecting environmental quality. In 1980, the Department of Nuclear Safety was established. The Illinois EPA maintains more than 200 air-monitoring stations to measure different types of pollutants. Many of these stations are in the Chicago area. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 455 hazardous waste sites in the state, 41 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2006, Illinois had the fifth-largest population among the 50 states, with an estimated total of 12,831,970 residents. In 2004, the population density was 228.8 persons per square mile (88.3 persons square kilometer). The projected population for 2025 is 13.3 million. The age distribution of the state’s population in 2005 closely mirrored the national pattern, with 26% under age 18 and about 12% aged 65 or older. The median age in 2004 was 35.4. The largest city in the state is Chicago, which had an estimated population of 2,842,518 in 2005. Other major cities, with their 2005 populations, were Aurora, 168,181; Rockford, 152,916; Naperville, 141,579; Joliet, 136,208; Springfield, 115,668; and Peoria, 112,685. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Illinois

Illinois Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,419,293 One race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,184,277 Two races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223,969 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32,903 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24,787 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30,451 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,716 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97,454 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . .6,281 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,098 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 526 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10,140 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,830 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 79 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,538 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,084 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8,661 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,421 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11,047

. . . . .100.0 . . . . . .98.1 . . . . . . .1.8 . . . . . . .0.3 . . . . . . .0.2 . . . . . . .0.2 ....... — . . . . . . .0.8 . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — . . . . . . .0.1


7

Ethnic Groups

In 2000, 1,529,058 residents of Illinois were foreign born (about 12.3% of the total population). There were 389,928 Europeans, 359,812 Asians, 731,397 Latin Americans, 26,158 Africans, and 2,553 from Oceanic countries. The most common ancestries of Illinois residents were German, Irish, Polish, English, and Italian. There were also significant numbers of Scandinavians, Irish, Lithuanians, Serbs, Eastern European Jews, Ukrainians, Slovaks, Hungarians, Czechs, Greeks, and Dutch. Many ethnic groups in Illinois maintain their own newspapers, clubs, festivals, and houses of worship. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

According to the 2000 census, the Native American population in Illinois was about 31,006, with many residing in Chicago. The black population totaled 1,876,875 the same year, with more than half of all black residents living within the city of Chicago. The number of people with Hispanic and Latino ancestry was 1,530,262, again living chiefly in Chicago. There were 1,144,390 persons of Mexican origin, 157,851 Puerto Ricans, and 18,438 Cubans. Most of the remainder of the Hispanics were of Caribbean and other Latin American descent. The total Asian population was estimated at 423,603, placing Illinois sixth among the 50 states in number of Asian residents. There were 76,725 Chinese in Illinois, 20,379 Japanese, 261

Illinois

86,298 Filipinos, 51,453 Koreans, and 19,101 Vietnamese. Pacific Islanders numbered 4,610.

8

Languages

Except for the Chicago metropolitan area and the extreme northwestern corner of Illinois, the northern quarter of the state is dominated by Northern speech. Settlers from Pennsylvania and Ohio brought a mix of Northern and North Midland speech to central Illinois. Migration from South Midland areas in Indiana and Kentucky affected basic speech in the southern third of Illinois, known as Egypt. Metropolitan Chicago has experienced such complex immigration that, although it still has a basic Northern/North Midland mix, elements of almost all varieties of English appear somewhere. In 2000, English was spoken at home by 80.8% of all state residents who were five years of age and older. Speakers of other languages included Spanish (1,253,676 people), Polish (185,749), Chinese (65,251), German (63,366), and Italian (51,975).

9

Religions

In 2004, the largest religious institution was the Roman Catholic Church, with 3,948,768 adherents. The largest Protestant denomination was the United Methodist Church, with 365,182 adherents (in 2000), followed by the Southern Baptist Convention with 305,838 adherents (2000). Other major Protestant groups (with 2000 data) included the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 279,724 adherents and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod with 278,008 adherents. The Jewish population was estimated at 270,000 in 2000 and the Muslim 262

community had about 125,203 adherents. There are over 11,000 Mennonites throughout the state. About 44.7% of the population did not specify a religious affiliation.

10

Transportation

The intersection of several long-distance transportation routes in Illinois has been an important factor in the state’s economic development. Most of the nation’s rail lines converge on Illinois. Chicago and St. Louis (especially East St. Louis) have been the two main US railroad centers since the late 19th century. Interstate highways, notably the main east-west routes, also cross the state and Chicago’s central location in the United States has made it a major transfer point for airline connections. The Illinois Central aided by the first federal land grants, opened up the prairie lands in the years before the Civil War. The railroads stimulated not only farming but also coal mining and in the process created tens of thousands of jobs in track and bridge construction, maintenance, traffic operations, and the manufacture of cars, rails, and other railroad equipment. The rise of automobile and truck traffic in the 1920s and 1930s dealt the railroads a serious blow. Many lines gave up passenger service to focus instead on freight handling. In the 1990s, abandoned railroad tracks and right-of-ways were being developed into public bicycle trails, walking paths, and greenways to take advantage of the scenic beauty of the state. In 2003, there were 39 railroad companies operating 9,757 route miles (15,708 kilometers) of track within the state. Chicago is the hub of Amtrak’s passenger service, which operated approximately 12 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Illinois

train routes through Illinois in 2006, connecting a total of 14 cities in Illinois. Mass transit is of special importance to Chicago, where subways, buses, and commuter railroads are essential to daily movement. The transit systems were built privately but eventually were acquired by the city and regional transportation authorities. Outside Chicago, transit service is available in some of the older, larger cities. In 2004, 138,624 miles (223,184 kilometers) of public roadway served 9.4 million registered vehicles, including 5,580,000 automobiles and 3,547,000 trucks. There were 8,057,683 licensed drivers. The main east–west routes are I-90, I-88, I-80, I-74, I-72, I-70, and I-64. I94 links Chicago with Milwaukee to the north and Indiana to the east, while I-57 and I-55 connect Chicago with the south and southwest (St. Louis), respectively. Barge traffic along the Mississippi, Ohio, and Illinois rivers remains important, especially for the shipment of grain. The Port of Chicago no longer harbors the sailing ships that brought lumber, merchandise, and people to a fast-growing city. However, the port is still the largest on the Great Lakes, handling mostly grain and iron ore. Midway Airport in Chicago became the world’s busiest after World War II but was superseded by O’Hare Airport, which opened in the late 1950s. O’Hare lost its title as busiest airport in the world in March 2000 when it was superseded by Atlanta’s Hartsfield International. With 586 airports and 265 heliports in 2005, Illinois is also an important center for general aviation. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

View under elevated transit line, Wabash St., Chicago. WILLIAM SEMPLE.

11

History

When European explorers arrived in Illinois in the 17th century, the region was inhabited by Algonkian-speaking tribes, including the Kickapoo, Sauk, Potawatomi, Ojibwa, and Peoria. Constant warfare with tribes from neighboring areas, plus disease and alcohol introduced by European fur traders and settlers, combined to devastate the tribal population. Defeat of the tribes in the Black Hawk War (1832) led to a series of treaties that removed all of the Native Americans to lands across the Mississippi River. The first permanent European settlement in Illinois was a mission built by French Catholic priests at Cahokia, near present-day St. Louis, in 1699. In 1765, under the Treaty of Paris that 263

Illinois

the Illinois country, and much fighting took place in the area. On 3 December 1818, Illinois was formally admitted to the Union as the 21st state. The capital was moved from Vandalia to Springfield in 1839.

Chicago River harbor locks and lighthouse. WILLIAM SEMPLE.

ended the French and Indian War, the British took control of the Illinois country but established no settlements of their own. During the American Revolution, troops from Virginia captured the small British forts at Cahokia and Kaskaskia in 1778, after which Virginia governed Illinois as its own territory. In 1787, Illinois became part of the newly organized Northwest Territory, and in 1800, it was included in the Indiana Territory. Statehood Nine years later the Illinois Territory,

including the present state of Wisconsin, was created, and a territorial legislature was formed in 1812. During the War of 1812, British and Native American forces combined in a last attempt to push back American expansion into 264

The withdrawal of British influence after the War of 1812 and the final defeat of the Native American tribes in the Black Hawk War of 1832 opened the fertile prairies to white settlers from the south, especially Kentucky. Despite a heavy state debt resulting from the collapse of ambitious financial development schemes in the 1830s, the arrival after 1840 of energetic Yankee pioneers, attracted by the rich soil and excellent water routes, guaranteed rapid growth. During the Civil War, Illinois sent half its young men to the battlefield and supplied the Union armies with huge amounts of food, feed, and horses. The wartime administration of Republican Governor Richard Yates guaranteed full support for the policies of Abraham Lincoln, who had been prominent in Illinois political life since the 1840s and had been nominated for the presidency in 1860 at a Republican convention held in Chicago. Economic and population growth quickened after 1865, and Chicago became the principal city of the Midwest. Responding to opportunities presented by the coming of the railroads, hundreds of small towns and cities built banks, grain elevators, retail shops, small factories, stately courthouses, and schools, in an abundance of civic pride. During the second half of the 19th century, Illinois was a center of the American labor movement. Workers joined the Knights of Labor in the 1870s and 1880s and fought for child-labor laws and the eight-hour day. Union organizJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Illinois

Illinios Governors: 1818–2007 1818–1822 1822–1826 1826–1830 1830–1834 1834 1834–1838 1838–1842 1842–1849 1849–1853 1853–1857 1857–1860 1860–1861 1861–1865 1865–1869 1869–1873 1873 1873–1881 1881–1883 1883–1885 1885–1889 1889–1893 1893–1897

Shadrach Bond Edward Coles Ninian Edwards John Reynolds William Lee Davidson Ewing Joseph Duncan Thomas Carlin Thomas Ford Augustus C. French Joel Aldrich Matteson William Harrison Bissell John Wood Richard Yates Richard James Oglesby John McAuley Palmer Richard James Oglesby John Lourie Beveridge Shelby Moore Cullom John Marshall Hamilton Richard James Oglesby Joseph Wilson Fifer John Peter Altgeld

Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Republican Democrat Democrat Whig Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat

ing led to several spectacular incidents, including the Haymarket riot in 1886 and the violent Pullman strike in 1894. After the great fire of 1871 destroyed Chicago’s downtown section, the city’s wealthy elite dedicated itself to rebuilding Chicago and making it one of the great metropolises of the world. Immense steel mills, meatpacking plants, and factories sprang up, and growth was tremendous in the merchandising, banking, and transportation fields. 20th Century The first three decades of the 20th

century witnessed almost unbroken prosperity in all sections except Egypt, the downstate region where poor soil and the decline of the coal industry produced widespread poverty. The slums of Chicago were poor, too, because most of the hundreds of thousands of new immigrants arrived nearly penniless. After 1920, however, large-scale immigration ended and the immiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1897–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1925 1925–1929 1929–1937 1937–1940 1940–1945 1945–1949 1949–1957 1957–1965 1965–1968 1968–1969 1969–1973 1973–1977 1977–1991 1991–1999 1999–2002 2002–

John Riley Tanner Richard Yates Charles Samuel Deneen Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne Frank Orren Lowden Lennington Small Louis Lincoln Emmerson Henry Horner John Henry Stelle Dwight Herbert Green Adlai Ewing Stevenson II William Grant Stratton Otto Kerner Samuel Harvey Shapiro Richard Buell Ogilvie Daniel Walker James Robert Thompson James Edgar George H. Ryan Rod Blagojevich

Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat


grants achieved steady upward mobility, based on hard work, savings, and education. During the Prohibition era, a vast organized crime empire rose to prominence, giving Chicago and Joliet a reputation for gangsterism, violence, and corruption. The Great Depression of the 1930s affected the state unevenly, with agriculture hit first and recovering first. Industries began shutting down in 1930 and did not fully recover until massive military contracts during World War II restored full prosperity. The depression destroyed the credibility of the pro-business Republican regime that had run the state since 1856, as blacks, white ethnics, and factory workers responded enthusiastically to Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. The goals of personal security and prosperity dominated Illinois life in the postwar period. However, events in the 1960s and 1970s— assassinations, the Vietnam war, the race riots, 265

Illinois

and the violence that accompanied the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago— coupled with a new awareness of such issues as poverty and environmental pollution, helped reshape attitudes in Illinois. This transformation was perhaps best shown in Chicago, where voters elected Jane Byrne the city’s first woman mayor in 1979 and chose Harold Washington as its first black mayor in 1983. The economy of Illinois, like other “rust belt” states, suffered a severe recession in the early 1980s. Hit hard by foreign competition, producers of steel, machine tools, and automobiles engaged in massive layoffs. By the end of the decade, the economy had begun to rebound, but many industrial jobs were permanently lost, as industries sought to improve their efficiency and productivity through automation. In 1990, the unemployment rate in Illinois was 7.2%, in contrast to the national average of 5.2%. In 1992, the 60-mile maze of tunnels beneath downtown Chicago ruptured, filling basements with up to 30 feet of water, and forcing the temporary closure of the Chicago Board of Trade and City Hall. A year later, flooding of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers caused $1.5 billion of damage in the western part of the state and forced 12,800 people to evacuate their homes. In 2000, the state was embroiled in a bribefor-licenses scandal involving Governor George Ryan. It was alleged that truck drivers’ licenses were issued in exchange for campaign contributions (from trucking companies) when Ryan was secretary of state. Indictments were handed down to some state officials, but the governor insisted he knew nothing about the contributions and said if the accusations proved to be 266

true, the money would be contributed to charities. Ryan left after one term in office due to the scandal, succeeded by Rod Blagojevich in 2002. In 2003, the state had a $5 billion budget deficit and was experiencing the worst deficit in two decades. In 2002, Illinois lost 23,000 manufacturing jobs. By 2006, Governor Blagojevich was shepherding programs aimed at creating jobs, providing affordable and comprehensive healthcare for every child in the state, providing residents with better access to prescription drugs from abroad, and increasing education funding to better prepare students to compete and succeed in the economy of the 21st century.

12

State Government

Under the 1970 constitution, as amended 11 times as of January 2005, the upper house of the general assembly consists of a senate of 59 members who are elected to four-year terms on a two-year cycle. In November 1980, Illinois voters chose to reduce the size of house membership from 177 to 118 (two representatives from each district). The executive officers elected statewide are the governor and lieutenant governor (who run jointly), secretary of state, treasurer, comptroller, and attorney general. Each serves a fouryear term and is eligible for reelection. Bills passed by both houses of the legislature become law if signed by the governor; if left unsigned for 60 days (whether or not the legislature is in session); or if vetoed by the governor but passed again by three-fifths of the elected members of each house. Constitutional amendments require a three-fifths vote by the legislature for placement on the ballot. Either a simple majority of those voting in the election or threeJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Illinois

Illinois Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

ILLINOIS WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

SOCIALIST LABOR

PROHIBITION

COMMUNIST

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

*Truman (D) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)

1,994,715 2,013,920 1,775,682 2,377,846 2,796,833

1,961,103 2,457,327 2,623,327 2,368,988 1,905,946

3,118 9,363 8,342 10,560 —

11,959 — — — —

— — — — —

1968

*Nixon (R)

2,039,814

2,174,774

13,878

1972

*Nixon (R)

1,913,472

2,788,179

12,344

AMERICAN IND.

390,958

—

AMERICAN

2,471

4,541

LIBERTARIAN

1976

Ford (R)

2,271,295

2,364,269

2,422

8,057

9,250

38,939 10,086 14,944

9,711 — —

CITIZENS

1980 1984 1988


1,981,413 2,086,499 2,215,940

2,358,094 2,707,103 2,310,939

1992 1996


2,453,350 2,341,744

1,734,096 1,587,021

2,589,026 2,891,550

2,019,421 2,345,946

10,692 2,716 10,276 NEW ALLIANCE


fifths of those voting on the amendment is sufficient for ratification. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $150,691, and the legislative salary was $55,788.

13

Political Parties

Politically, Illinois is a closely balanced state, with a slight Republican predominance from 1860 to 1930 giving way to a highly competitive situation statewide. The party balance changed with the rise of the powerful Cook County Democratic organization in the 1930s. Built by Mayor Anton Cermak and continued from 1955 to 1976 by Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

IND. (PEROT)

5,267 —

9,218 22,548

840,515 346,408

PROGRESSIVE (NADER)

REFORM

LIBERTARIAN

16,106 —

11,623 —

103,759 —

six-term Mayor Richard J. Daley, the Chicago “Democratic machine” totally controlled the city, dominated the state party, and exerted enormous power at the national level. However, the machine lost its clout with the election in 1979 of independent Democrat Jane Byrne as Chicago’s first woman mayor, and again in 1983 when Harold Washington became its first black mayor. Although Richard Daley’s son, also named Richard Daley, won the mayoralty in 1989, the machine has never recovered the power it once enjoyed. Richard Daley was elected to his fifth consecutive term as mayor of Chicago in 2003. In the 2000 presidential election, Democrat Al Gore won 55% of the vote, Republican George W. Bush received 43%, and Green Party 267

Illinois

candidate Ralph Nader garnered 2%. In 2004, Bush won 50% of the popular vote in Illinois in his successful bid for reelection to Democrat John Kerry’s 49%. In 2004 there were 8,594,000 registered voters. There is no party registration requirement. Democrat Rod R. Blagojevich was reelected governor in 2006. In 1998, Democrat Carol Moseley-Braun, the first black woman US Senator, lost to Republican challenger Peter Fitzgerald. In 2003, Moseley-Braun campaigned for president. Fitzgerald did not run for a second term as senator; the seat he left vacant was won by Democrat Barak Obama; in 2007, Obama declared himself a candidate for president in the 2008 elections. In 1996 Democrat Richard J. Durbin won the race to succeed retiring US senator Paul Simon; Durbin was reelected in 2002. In the 2006 elections, Illinois voters sent nine Republicans and ten Democrats to the US House of Representatives. Following the 2006 elections, there were 22 Republicans and 37 Democrats in the state senate, and 66 Democrats and 52 Republicans in the state house. Following those elections, there were 48 women serving in the state legislature, or 27.1%.

15

14

Most early white migration into Illinois came from the South, as poor young farm families trekked overland to southern Illinois from Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Carolinas between 1800 and 1840. After 1830, migration from Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania filled the central portion of the state, while New Englanders and New Yorkers came to the northern portion. Immigration from Europe became significant in the 1840s and continued in a heavy stream for about 80 years. Before 1890, most of the new arrivals came from Germany, Ireland, Britain, and Scandinavia. These groups contin-

Local Government

Illinois has more units of local government (most with property-taxing power) than any other state. In 2005 there were 102 counties, 1,291 municipalities, 934 school districts, and 3,145 special districts. In 2002, there were 1,431 townships. Chicago is governed by an elected mayor, clerk, treasurer, and city council composed of 50 aldermen. Larger cities are administered by an elected mayor and council members; most smaller communities are administered by nonpartisan city managers. 268

Judicial System

The state’s highest court is the Illinois Supreme Court, consisting of seven justices elected by judicial districts for ten-year terms. The supreme court has appeals jurisdiction generally, and original jurisdiction in certain cases. The chief justice, assisted by an administrative director, has administrative and supervisory authority over all other courts. The appeals court is divided into five districts. Appeals judges hear appeals from the 22 circuit courts, which handle civil and criminal cases. As of 2004, the violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) in Illinois was 542.9 reported incidents per 100,000 population. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/ theft, and motor vehicle theft) in 2004 totaled 3,186.1 reported incidents per 100,000 people. Illinois had 44,054 prisoners as of 31 December 2004. The state has a death penalty, and 10 prisoners were under sentence of death as of 1 January 2006.

16

Migration


Illinois

ued to arrive after 1890, but they were soon outnumbered by heavy immigration from southern and eastern Europe. The opening of prairie farms, the burgeoning of towns and small cities, and the explosive growth of Chicago created a continuous demand for unskilled and semiskilled labor. Concern for the welfare of these newcomers led to the establishment of Hull House (1889) by Jane Addams in Chicago. Hull House served as a social center, shelter, and advocate for immigrants. Launching the settlement movement in America, its activities helped popularize the concept of cultural pluralism. The outbreak of World War I interrupted the flow of European immigrants but also increased the economy’s demand for unskilled labor. The migration of blacks from states south of Illinois—especially from Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama—played an important role in meeting the demand for labor during both world wars. After World War II, the further collapse of the cotton labor market drove hundreds of thousands more blacks to Chicago and other northern cities. After World War II, native whites left the state in large numbers, with southern California as a favorite destination. Between 1990 and 1998, there was a net loss of 516,000 persons from domestic migration and a net gain of 337,000 from international migration. In the period 1995–2000, some 665,122 people moved into the state and 1,007,738 moved out, for a net loss of 342,616. In the period 2000–05, a net number of 328,020 people moved into the state from other countries, and a net 391,031 people left the state to move to other states, for a net loss of 63,011 people. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

17

Economy

Since 1950, the importance of manufacturing has declined, but a very strong shift into services— government, medicine, education, law, finance, and business—has underpinned the state’s economic vigor. In the 1980s heavy industrial competition from Japan wreaked havoc in the state’s steel, television, and automotive industries, while the state’s high-wage, high-cost business climate encouraged the migration of factories to southern states. Meat-packing, once the most famous industry in Illinois, dwindled after the closing of the Chicago stockyards in 1972. Chicago remained the nation’s chief merchandising center during the early 1980s, and an influx of huge international banks boosted the city’s financial strength. The state’s major industries include primary and secondary metals; industrial and farm equipment; electric equipment and appliances; electronic components; food processing; and printing equipment. In 2004, manufacturing made up the largest portion of the gross state product (13.6% of GSP), followed by real estate (12.3%) and professional and technical services (8.1%).

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Income

In 2005, Illinois had a gross state product (GSP) of $560 billion, which placed the state fifth in GSP among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Illinois ranked 14th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $33,050. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $45,787, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 2002–04, 12.5% of the state’s residents lived 269

Illinois

below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Manufacturing in Illinois, concentrated in but not limited to Chicago, has always been diverse. As of 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in the state was $210 billion. Of that total, food manufacturing accounted for the largest share ($32.7 billion), followed by chemical manufacturing ($28.2 billion), machinery manufacturing ($26 billion), fabricated metal product manufacturing ($18.6 billion), petroleum and coal products manufacturing ($18.1 billion), and plastics and rubber products manufacturing ($12.7 billion). Industrial corporations headquartered in Illinois include Amoco (Chicago), Sara Lee, and Caterpillar Tractor (Peoria).

20

Labor

In April 2006, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in Illinois numbered 6,525,100, with approximately 332,500 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.1%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, approximately 4.6% of the labor force was employed in construction; 11.5% in manufacturing; 20.1% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.9% in financial activities; 14.3% in professional and business services; 12.7% in education and health services; 8.9% in leisure and hospitality services; and 14.2% in government. The first labor organizations sprang up among German tailors, teamsters, and carpenters in Chicago in the 1850s and among British 270

and German coal miners after the Civil War. The period of industrialization after the Civil War saw many strikes, especially in coal mining and construction, many of them spontaneous rather than union-related. The Chicago Federation of Labor, formed in 1877, was eventually absorbed by the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Labor unions are powerful in Chicago but relatively weak downstate. The major unions are the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the United Steelworkers of America, the International Association of Machinists, the United Automobile Workers, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. The Illinois Education Association, though not strictly a labor union, has become one of the state’s most militant employee organizations, often calling strikes and constituting the most active lobby in the state. In 2005, some 927,000 of the state’s 5,473,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 16.9% of those so employed. The national average was 12% in 2005. As of 1 March 2006, Illinois had a state-mandated minimum wage of $6.50 per hour. In 2004, women in the state accounted for 46.5% of the employed civilian labor force.

21

Agriculture

Total agricultural income in 2005 reached $8.7 billion in Illinois, seventh in the nation. Crops accounted for nearly 79% of the value of farm marketings, with corn and soybeans the leading cash commodities. Commercial agriculture was made possible by the extension of the railroad network in the 1860s and 1870s. Corn, wheat, hogs, cattle, and horses were the state’s Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Illinois

main products in the 19th century. Since then, wheat and poultry have declined greatly in significance, while soybeans and, to a lesser extent, dairy products and vegetables have played an increasingly important role. Strong interest in scientific farming, including the use of hybrid corn, sophisticated animal-breeding techniques, and chemical fertilizers, has fostered a steady, remarkable growth in agricultural productivity. The number of farms reached a peak at 264,000 in 1900 and began declining rapidly after World War II, down to 73,000 in 2004. Total farmland in 2004 was 27.5 million acres (11.1 million hectares). Very few farms are owned by corporations (except “family corporations,” a tax device). The major agricultural region is the corn belt, covering all of central and about half of northern Illinois. Among the 50 states, Illinois ranked second only to Iowa in production of corn and soybeans during 2000–04.

22


Livestock is raised almost everywhere in Illinois, but production is concentrated especially in the west-central region. In 2005, Illinois farms had an estimated 1.38 million cattle and calves worth around $1.1 billion. Illinois farms had an estimated 4 million hogs and pigs in 2004, worth around $400 million. The dairy belt covers part of northern Illinois. Milk production in 2003 totaled and estimated 2 billion pounds (0.9 billion kilograms). During 2003, Illinois poultry farmers sold an estimated 7.1 million pounds (3.2 million kilograms) of chicken. An estimated 973 million eggs were produced in 2003, worth around $51 million. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

23

Fishing

Commercial fishing is relatively insignificant in Illinois. Sport fishing is of modest importance in southern Illinois and in Lake Michigan. Some 450 lakes and ponds and 200 streams and rivers are open to the public. In 2004, there were 713,120 sport anglers licensed in Illinois. The state Division of Fisheries operates four fish hatcheries, producing more than 50 million fish of 18 species for stocking into Illinois waters. In 2004, Illinois had 18 catfish farms covering 320 acres (130 hectares).

24

Forestry

Forestland covering 4,331,000 acres (1,753,000 hectares) comprises about 12% of the state’s land area. Forests in the northern two-thirds of the state are predominately located in the northwestern part of the state and along major rivers and streams. The majority of the state’s forests are located in the southern one-third of the state. Some 4,087,000 acres (1,654,000 hectares) are classified as commercial forests and are 90% privately owned. As of 2005 Illinois had two national forests, with a total National Forest System acreage of 857,000 acres (347,000 hectares). In 2004, lumber production totaled 123 million board feet.

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production for Illinois in 2003 was estimated to be $911 million. Illinois was the nation’s leading producer of industrial sand and gravel and tripoli, fourth in fuller’s earth, fifth in production of crushed stone and peat, ninth in lime, and tenth in 271

Illinois

Chicago waterfront from Olive Park. WILLIAM SEMPLE.

portland cement in 2001. It was also a significant producer of construction sand and gravel. Nationally, the state ranked 16th in nonfuel mineral production value in 2003. Crushed stone, the state’s leading nonfuel mineral commodity, accounted for about 46% of the state’s nonfuel mineral value in 2003. Portland cement accounted for nearly 23% and construction sand and gravel production accounted for 17%.

26

Energy and Power

Illinois is one of the nation’s leading energy producers and consumers. Electric power production totaled 189 billion kilowatt hours in 2003. Total installed capacity was 45.5 million kilowatts, nearly all of it privately owned. In 2000, 272

the state’s total per capita energy consumption was 356 million Btu (89.7 million kilocalories), ranking it 22nd among the 50 states. Commonwealth Edison and Northern Illinois Light and Power are the largest suppliers. Coalfired plants account for about 45% of the state’s power production. Nuclear power is also important, particularly for the generation of electricity in the Chicago area. The state had six nuclear power plants in 2006. People’s Gas, a diversified energy conglomerate based in Chicago, is the largest natural gas firm. Marketed gas production in 2004 was 174 million cubic feet (4.9 million cubic meters). Petroleum production totaled 30,000 barrels per day in 2004. Recoverable coal reserves were estimated at 796 million tons in 2004. Coal is abundant Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Illinois

throughout the state, with the largest mines in the south and central regions. In 2004 there were 19 productive coal mines, including 7 surface (strip) mines and 12 underground mines.

27

Commerce

Chicago is the leading wholesaling center of the Midwest. The state’s 20,520 wholesale establishments had sales of $317.4 billion in 2002. Chicago is an especially important trade center for furniture, housewares, and apparel. The state’s 43,022 retail stores recorded sales of $131.4 billion in 2002. Leading Illinois-based retailing companies include Sears, Roebuck; Walgreen’s; McDonald’s; and Household International. Illinois ranked sixth among the states in total exports with an estimated $35.8 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

Among the larger states, Illinois is known for its low taxes and conservative fiscal policy. The Bureau of the Budget, under the governor’s control, has the major responsibility for the state’s overall fiscal program. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. In 2004, the state of Illinois had an income of $61.25 billion. Expenditures were $53.4 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($15.3 billion), public welfare ($12.7 billion), and highways ($3.1 billion). In 2004, the state’s debt was about $48.7 billion, or $3,833.08 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

The state personal income tax is a flat 3%. In 1998, the state abolished the local personal propJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

erty tax and replaced it with a 2.5% addition to the state’s 4.8% corporate income tax, bringing the total corporate tax rate to 7.3%. The state’s general sales and use tax rate is 6.25%. There is a reduced rate of 1% on food and medicines. Local sales taxes range from 0% to 3%. The state imposes a full set of excise taxes, on tobacco products, motor fuels, amusements, pari-mutuels, public utilities, insurance premiums, and other selected items. Other state taxes include various license fees and a 4% timber fee that goes to the Department of Conservation. Total state tax collections in Illinois in 2005 were $26.4 billion, of which 30.1% was generated by the state income tax, 27.2% by the state general sales and use tax, 23.3% by state excise taxes, 8.3% by the corporate income tax, and 10.9% from other taxes. In 2004, combined state and local taxes amounted to $17,888,828,000, or $1,407 per capita (per person). The per capita amount ranks the state ninth nationally.

30

Health

In October 2005, infant mortality was 7.6 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate was 8.5 per 1,000 residents in 2002. Illinois has ranked above the national averages in deaths due to heart disease and cerebrovascular disease, but below the averages in accidents and adverse effects and suicide. Alcoholism has always been a major problem in Illinois. The state also has a high proportion of residents receiving psychiatric care. In 2004, 22.2% of the adults 18 years of age and older were smokers. The reported AIDS case rate was about 13.2 per 100,000 population in 2004. Hospitals abound in Illinois, with Chicago serving as a diagnostic and treatment center 273

Illinois

for patients throughout the Midwest. In 2003, Illinois had 192 community facilities (many quite large) and about 35,000 beds. In 2004, the state had 284 physicians per 100,000 population, and 803 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were 7,958 dentists in the state. The average daily expense for hospital care in 2003 was $1,497. In 2004, about 14% of adult residents had no insurance.

31

Housing

Flimsy cabins and shacks provided rude shelter for many Illinoisans in pioneer days. Later, wooden-frame houses, much cheaper to build than traditional structures, became a trademark of the Prairie State. After a third of Chicago’s wooden houses burned in 1871, the city moved to enforce more stringent building codes. The city’s predominant dwelling then became the three- or five-story brick apartment house. In 2004, there were an estimated 5,094,186 housing units in Illinois, of which 4,659,791 were occupied; 69.2% were owner-occupied. About 58.9% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Most units rely on utility gas for heating. It was estimated that 247,234 units were without telephone service, 15,492 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 16,789 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.66 people. In 2004, 59,800 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $167,711. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,370, while renters paid a median of $698 per month. 274

32

Education

Illinois tends to have slightly higher literacy levels than the national averages. In 2004, 86.8% of the Illinois adult population held high school diplomas, with 27.4% continuing their education and earning a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 2,084,000 in fall 2002 and expected to reach 2,118,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 270,490. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $21 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 776,622 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Illinois had 173 degree-granting institutions. Public universities enroll about one-quarter of the Illinois college student population. The University of Illinois system has both the largest and smallest public university campuses. The University of Illinois at Springfield was formerly Sangamon State University. Champaign-Urbana is the state’s most populous campus. Nearly half of all Illinois college students attend one of the state’s 48 public community colleges.

33

Arts

Chicago is one of the leading arts center of the Midwest and continues to hold this premier position. Architecture is the outstanding art form in Illinois and Chicago, where the first skyscrapers were built in the 1880s, has been a mecca for modern commercial and residential architects ever since the fire of 1871. An example of bold contemporary architecture is the $172-million State of Illinois Center in Chicago, which opened in 1985. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Illinois

There were nearly one hundred theatrical producers in the state including the Second City comedy troupe and the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. Since the 1980s, television films and motion pictures have been routinely shot in the state. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, organized in 1891, quickly acquired world stature. German immigrants founded many musical societies in Chicago in the late 19th century, when the city also became a major center of musical education. The Lyric Opera was founded in 1954. Chicago’s most original musical contribution was jazz, imported from the South by black musicians in the 1920s. Such jazz greats as King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Benny Goodman, and Gene Krupa all worked or learned their craft in the speakeasies and jazz houses of the city’s South Side. More recently, Chicago became the center of an urban blues movement, using electric rather than acoustic guitars and influenced by jazz. The Illinois Arts Council was founded in 1965. The Illinois Humanities Council, founded in 1974, offers ongoing programs that include a lecture/presentation series program called the Heartland Chautauqua and the Odyssey Project, which offers free college-level courses in the humanities to individuals with incomes below the poverty level. The state’s arts education programs are offered to over 850,000 schoolchildren. There are over 2,200 arts associations in Illinois and over 80 local associations. There are a number of local arts fairs and festivals held annually throughout the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

34


Libraries and library science are particularly strong in Illinois. At the end of fiscal year 2001, there were 629 public library systems with a total of 786 libraries, of which 157 were branches. In that same year, the state’s public library systems had a combined book and serial publications stock of over 41 million and circulation of over 83 million. The facilities in Peoria, Oak Park, Evanston, Rockford, Quincy, and the Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago are noteworthy. The Illinois Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is operated by the Chicago Public Library system. The libraries of the University of Illinois (Champaign–Urbana) and the University of Chicago are two of the state’s leading research facilities. The University of Illinois also has a famous library school. Illinois has 277 museums and historic sites. Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History, founded in 1893, has sponsored numerous worldwide expeditions in the course of acquiring some 13 million anthropological, zoological, botanical, and geological specimens. The Museum of Science and Industry, near the University of Chicago, attracts two million visitors a year, mostly children. Just about every town has one or more historic sites authenticated by the state. The most popular is New Salem, near Springfield, where Abraham Lincoln lived from 1831 to 1837. Its reconstruction, begun by press magnate William Randolph Hearst in 1906, includes one original cabin and numerous replicas. 275

Illinois

35

Communications

Illinois has an extensive communications system. In 2004, 90.1% of all households had telephones. In addition, by June of that year there were 7,529,966 mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, 60% of Illinois households had a computer and 51.1% had Internet access. There were 36 major AM and 130 major FM commercial radio stations in 2005, with an additional 31 major television stations. The Chicago area has the third largest number of television households of all metropolitan areas (3,204,710), with cable in 65%. As a major advertising center, Chicago produces many commercials and industrial films. Most educational broadcasting in Illinois comes from state universities and the Chicago public and Catholic school systems.

36

Press

As of 2005, Illinois had 26 morning newspapers, 41 evening dailies, and 32 Sunday papers. The Illinois editions of St. Louis newspapers are also widely read. The Chicago Tribune was the eighth-largest daily and fourth-largest Sunday newspaper nationwide in 2005, based on circulation figures. The leading dailies of 2005 and their circulations are the Chicago Tribune (600,988); the Chicago Sun-Times (481,980); the Peoria Journal Star (76,879); and the Rockford Register Star (64,518). The most popular magazines published in Chicago are Playboy and Ebony. Many specialized trade and membership magazines, such as the Lion and the Rotarian, are published in Chicago, which is also the printing and circulation center for many magazines edited in New 276

York. The popular Cricket Magazine for children is published in LaSalle-Peru.

37


The tourist industry is of special importance to Chicago, which is the nation’s leading convention center. Business travel accounts for about 36% of all state travel in 2004, when tourism and travel expenditures contributed some $24 billion to the state’s economy. In 2002, there were about 83.3 million domestic visitors to the state. Illinois was the sixth most popular US state for overseas visitors in 2002, with 1,071,000 travelers. The city’s chief tourist attractions are its museums, restaurants, and shops. Chicago also boasts the tallest building in the United States, the Sears Tower, 110 stories and 1,454 feet (443 meters) high. There are 42 state parks, 4 state forests, 36,659 campsites, and 25 state recreation places. The Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield is a popular tourist attraction. Swimming, bicycling, hiking, camping, horseback riding, fishing, and motorboating are the most popular recreational activities. Wildlife observation engages millions of Illinoisans annually.

38

Sports

Illinois has six major league professional sports teams, all of which play in Chicago. The Cubs and the White Sox are Major League Baseball teams, the Bears play for the National Football League, the Bulls for the National Basketball Association, the Fire for Major League Soccer, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Illinois

and the Blackhawks for the National Hockey League. The White Sox built a new ballpark, Comiskey Park, which opened in 1993. The Cubs play their home games at Wrigley Field. The Bulls established a remarkable basketball dynasty fueled by the play of Michael Jordan, perhaps the best athlete in the history of basketball, winning six NBA championships in the 1990s. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup three times. The state also has minor league baseball, basketball, and hockey. Horse racing is very popular in the state, with pari-mutuel betting allowed. The Golden Glove Boxing Tournament is held annually in February in Chicago. In collegiate sports the emphasis is on basketball and football. Teams from the University of Illinois and Northwestern University compete in the Big Ten Conference. Southern Illinois University won the National Invitational Tournament in basketball in 1967. The DePaul Blue Demons of Conference USA consistently rank high among college basketball teams.

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Famous Illinoisans

The only Illinois native to be elected president is Ronald Reagan (1911–2004), who left the state after graduating from Eureka College to pursue film and political aspirations in California. Abraham Lincoln (b.Kentucky, 1809–1865) received his law license in Illinois and established his political and legal careers there. Ulysses S. Grant (b.Ohio, 1822–1885), the nation’s 18th president, lived in Galena on the eve of the Civil War. Adlai E. Stevenson (b.Kentucky, 1835– 1914), founder of a political dynasty, served as US vice-president from 1893 to 1897, but was Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

William Jennings Bryan graduated with highest honors from Illinois College in Jacksonville in 1881. The college was founded in 1829. EPD PHOTOS.

defeated for the same office in 1900. His grandson, also named Adlai E. Stevenson (b.California, 1900–1965), who served as governor of Illinois from 1949 to 1953, was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1952 and 1956, and ended his career as US ambassador to the United Nations. William Jennings Bryan (1860–1925), a leader of the free-silver and Populist movements, was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1896, 1900, and 1908. US Supreme Court justices associated with Illinois include Chicago-born Arthur Goldberg (1908–1990), who also served as secretary of labor and succeeded Stevenson as UN ambas277

Illinois

sador; Harry A. Blackmun (1908–1997); and John Paul Stevens (b.1920). Richard J. Daley (1902–1976) was Democratic boss and mayor of Chicago from 1955 to 1976. Jane Byrne (b.1934), a Daley protégé, became the city’s first female mayor in 1979; she was succeeded in 1983 by Harold Washington (1922–1987), the city’s first black mayor. Richard Michael Daley (b.1942), son of Richard J. Daley, also became mayor. An outstanding Illinoisan was Jane Addams (1860–1935), founder of Hull House (1889), author, reformer, prohibitionist, and feminist, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. Feminist leader Betty Friedan (1921–2006) founded the National Organization for Women in 1966. Winners of the Nobel Prize in physics include Albert Michelson (b.Germany, 1852– 1931) and Enrico Fermi (b.Italy, 1901–1954). A Nobel award in literature went to Saul Bellow (b.Canada, 1915–2005), and the economics prize was given to Milton Friedman (b.New York, 1912–2006), leader of the so-called Chicago school of economists. Jerome Friedman (b.1930) was a 1990 co-recipient of the Nobel Prize for physics, and Harry M. Markowitz (b.1927) won the Nobel prize for economics in 1990. Some of the most influential Illinoisans have been religious leaders, and many of them also exercised social and political influence. Notable are Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini (b.Italy, 1850–1917), the first American to be canonized as a Catholic saint; Elijah Muhammad (Elijah Poole, b.Georgia, 1897–1975), leader of the Black Muslim movement; and Jesse Jackson (b.North Carolina, 1941), civil rights leader and prominent public speaker. 278

Outstanding business and professional leaders who lived in Illinois include John Deere (b.Vermont, 1804–1886), industrialist and inventor of the steel plow; railroad car inventor George Pullman (b.New York 1831–1897); merchant Marshall Field (b.Massachusetts, 1834– 1906); sporting-goods manufacturer Albert G. Spalding (1850–1915); breakfast-food manufacturer Charles W. Post (1854–1911); lawyer Clarence Darrow (b.Ohio, 1857–1938); and meat packer Oscar Mayer (1888–1965). Artists who worked for significant periods in Illinois (usually in Chicago) include architects Frank Lloyd Wright (b.Wisconsin, 1869–1959) and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (b.Germany, 1886–1969). Important writers include novelists John Dos Passos (1896–1970) and Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961). Poets include Edgar Lee Masters (b.Kansas, 1869–1950); Carl Sandburg (1878–1967); Nicholas Vachel Lindsay (1879–1931); Archibald MacLeish (1892–1982), also Librarian of Congress and assistant secretary of state; Gwendolyn Brooks (b.Kansas, 1917–2000), the first black woman to win a Pulitzer Prize; and Ray Bradbury (b.1920). Robert Butler (b.1945) was the 1993 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Performing artists connected with the state include opera stars Sherrill Milnes (b.1935); clarinetist Benny Goodman (1909–1986); singers Mel Torme (1925–1999) and Grace Slick (b.1939); musicians Ray Charles (1918–2004) and Miles Davis (1926–1991); comedians Jack Benny (Benjamin Kubelsky, 1894–1974), Bob Newhart (b.1929), and Richard Pryor (1940– 2005); and a long list of stage and screen stars, including Gloria Swanson (1899–1983), Karl Malden (Malden Sekulovich, b.1913), Jason Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Illinois

Robards Jr. (1922–2000), Charlton Heston (b.1922), Rock Hudson (Roy Fitzgerald, 1925– 1985), Bruce Dern (b.1936), and Raquel Welch (Raquel Tejeda, b.1942). Dominant figures in the Illinois sports world include Ernest “Ernie” Banks (b.Texas, 1931) of the Chicago Cubs; Robert “Bobby” Hull (b.Canada, 1939) of the Chicago Black Hawks; owner George Halas (1895–1983) and running back Walter Payton (b.Mississippi, 1954– 1999) of the Chicago Bears; and Michael Jordan (b.New York, 1963) of the Chicago Bulls.

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Bibliography

BOOKS Brill, Marlene Targ. Illinois. 2nd ed. New York: Benchmark Books, 2006.


Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Illinois Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Illinois. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Somervill, Barbara A. Illinois. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. Wiley, William. The Civil War Diary of a Common Soldier: William Wiley of the 77th Illinois Infantry. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2001. WEB SITES Illinois Deparment of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Illinois: Mile after Magnificent Mile. www.enjoyillinois.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Illinois. Learn Illinois. www.state.il.us/kids/ learn (accessed March 1, 2007).

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Table of Contents

Reader’s Guide vi Guide to State Articles x Indiana 1 Iowa 23 Kansas 43 Kentucky 63 Louisiana 83 Maine 107 Maryland 125 Massachusetts 147 Michigan 173 Minnesota 199 Mississippi 221 Missouri 241 Montana 261 Nebraska 277 Glossary 295 Abbreviations & Acronyms 300

v

Indiana State of Indiana

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named “land of Indians”

for the many Indian tribes that formerly lived in the state. N I CKNAME : The Hoosier State. C AP ITAL: Indianapolis. ENT ERED UNION: 11 December 1816 (19th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In a pioneer setting, a farmer fells a tree while a buffalo flees from the forest and across the prairie; in the background, the sun sets over distant hills. The words “Seal of the State of Indiana 1816” surround the scene. FLAG: A flaming torch representing liberty is surrounded by 19 gold stars against a blue background. The word “Indiana” is above the flame. M OT TO: The Crossroads of America. SONG: “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away.” FLOWER: Peony. TREE: Tulip poplar. B IRD: Cardinal. R OCK OR STONE: Indiana limestone. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Good Friday, Friday before Easter, March or April; Primary Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in May in even-numbered years; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November in even-numbered years; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February (observed the day after Thanksgiving); Christmas Day, 25 December; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February (observed the day after Christmas). T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT; 6 AM CST = noon

GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the eastern north-central United States, Indiana is the smallest of the 12 Midwestern states and ranks 38th in size among the 50 states. Indiana’s total area is 36,185 square miles (93,720 square kilometers), of which land takes up 35,932 square miles (93,064 square kilometers) and inland water the remaining 253 square miles (656 square kilometers). The state extends about 160 miles (257 kilometers) east–west and about 280 miles (451 kilome1

Indiana

ters) north–south. The total boundary length of Indiana is 1,696 miles (2,729 kilometers).

2

Topography

Indiana has two principal types of terrain: slightly rolling land in the northern half of the state, and rugged hills in the southern, extending to the Ohio River. The highest point in the state is a hill in Franklin Township that is 1,257 feet (383 meters) above sea level. The lowest point, on the Ohio River, is 320 feet (98 meters). Four-fifths of the state’s land is drained by the Wabash River and by its tributaries, the White, Eel, Mississinewa, and Tippecanoe rivers. The northern region is drained by the Maumee, Calumet, and Kankakee rivers. In the southwest, the two White River forks empty into the Wabash, and in the southeast, the Whitewater River flows into the Ohio. In addition to Lake Michigan on the northwestern border, there are more than 400 lakes in the northern part of the state. The largest lakes include Wawasee, Maxinkuckee, Freeman, and Shafer. There are mineral springs at French Lick and West Baden in Orange County and two large caves at Wyandotte and Marengo in adjoining Crawford County.

3

Climate

Temperatures vary from the extreme north to the extreme south of the state. The annual mean temperature in the north is 49°f–58°f (9°c– 12°c). In the south, the mean temperature is 57°f (14°c) in the south. The average temperatures in January range between 17°f (–8°c) and 35°f (2°c). Average temperatures during July vary from 63°f (17°c) to 88°f (31°c). The record 2

Indiana Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

6,313,520 3.8% 4.6% 98.5% 86.1% 8.6% 0.2% 1.2% 0.0% 2.4% 1.5%


Under 18 (26%)

65 and over (12%)

45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Indianapolis Fort Wayne Evansville South Bend Gary Hammond Bloomington Muncie Lafayette Carmel

Population

% change 2000–05

784,118 223,341 115,918 105,262 98,715 79,217 69,017 66,164 60,459 59,243

0.3 8.6 -4.7 -2.3 -3.9 -4.6 -0.4 -1.9 7.2 57.0



Indiana

Lake Michigan

MICHIGAN

Michigan City Indiana Dunes S. P. E. Chicago

90

LAKE

Pokagon St. Park

Potato Cr. St. Park

e ke

Portage Merrillville

ka an STARKE

Chain O’ Lakes St. Park

KOSCIUSKO

Bass Lake St. Beach R.

PULASKI

FULTON

ec

an

oe

Tippecanoe River St. Park

HUNINGTON

R.

Salamonie River St. Forest

l Ee

CASS

BENTON

Fort Wayne

WABASH

MIAMI

Ti pp WHITE

69

ALLEN

WHITLEY

JASPER NEWTON

STEUBEN

DEKALB

NOBLE

MARSHALL

K

LAGRANGE

Mish- Elkhart awaka

R. South

Bend

PORTER LAPORTE

Hammond

ELKHART

ST. JOSEPH

80

94

Gary

Mississinewa Lake

CARROLL

ADAMS

WELLS

Quabache St. Park

GRANT TIPPECANOE

BLACKFORD

HOWARD

JAY

Marion WARREN

W. Lafayette

Kokomo CLINTON

R. Lafayette h as ab W FOUNTAIN

TIPTON

DELAWARE

RANDOLPH MONTGOMERY

69

HAMILTON

Anderson

BOONE

74 VERMILLION

OHIO

MADISON

65

Muncie HENRY

Carmel PARKE

Shades St. Park

Turkey Run S. P.

ILLINOIS

Lawrence

HENDRICKS

70

Indianapolis

Terre Haute

MORGAN

70 OWEN

McCormick’s Creek St. Park

SULLIVAN

Greenwood

MorganMonroe St. Forest

FAYETTE

74

DECATUR

Brookville Lake

BARTHOLOMEW RIPLEY

Columbus

GREENE

UNION

Whitewater Mem. S. P.

FRANKLIN

65

BROWN

MONROE

Richmond

RUSH SHELBY

JOHNSON

CLAY

Shakamak St. Park GreenSullivan St. Forest

WAYNE HANCOCK

PUTNAM

MARION

VIGO

Summit Lake St. Park

DEARBORN

Bloomington JENNINGS

JACKSON

LAWRENCE

KNOX

DAVIESS

Muscatatuck N. W. R.

Hoosier Nat’l For.

MARTIN

Jefferson Proving Grounds JEFFERSON

OHIO

SWITZERLAND

R.

WASHINGTON

W ab

ash

ORANGE

White

R.

PIKE

Jackson Washington St. Forest Clarke St. Forest

SCOTT

CLARK

DUBOIS GIBSON

Patoka R .

HARRISON

Hoosier Nat’l For.

INDIANA

POSEY

Harmonie St. Park

Explanation

VANDERBURGH

WARRICK

64

164

City (25,000-100,000 people)

PERRY

FLOYD

New Albany

Squire Boone’s Caverns

Lincoln St. Park

Evansville

Point of Interest

SPENCER

CRAWFORD

Oh io


R.

State Capital

65


KENTUCKY

N 0 0

25 25



3

Indiana

high for the state was 116°f (47°c), set on 14 July 1936 at Collegeville, and the record low was -36°f (-38°c) on 19 January 1994 at New Whiteland. Rainfall is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year, although drought sometimes occurs in the southern region. The average annual precipitation in the state is 40 inches (102 centimeters), ranging from about 35 inches (89 centimeters) near Lake Michigan to 45 inches (114 centimeters) along the Ohio River. The annual snowfall in Indiana averages less than 22 inches (56 centimeters). The average wind speed in the state is 8 miles per hour (13 kilometers per hour), but gales sometimes occur along the shores of Lake Michigan. There are occasional tornadoes in the interior.

4

Plants and Animals

There are 124 native tree species, including 17 varieties of oak, as well as black walnut, sycamore, and the tulip tree (yellow poplar), which is the state tree. Fruit trees—apple, cherry, peach, and pear—are common. American elderberry and bittersweet are common shrubs, while various jack-in-the-pulpits and spring beauties are among the indigenous wildflowers. The peony is the state flower. As of April 2006, Mead’s milkweed and Pitcher’s thistle were considered threatened, and running buffalo clover was considered endangered. Although the presence of wolves and coyotes has been reported occasionally, the red fox is Indiana’s only common carnivorous mammal. Other native mammals include the common cottontail, muskrat, and raccoon. Many waterfowl and marsh birds, including the black duck and great blue heron, inhabit northern Indiana, 4

while the field sparrow, yellow warbler, and redheaded woodpecker nest in central Indiana. Catfish, pike, bass, and sunfish are native to state waters. As of April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 21 Indiana animal species as threatened or endangered. Among these are the bald eagle, Indiana and gray bats, gray wolf, piping plover, and two species of butterfly.

5


The Department of Natural Resources regulates the use of Indiana’s lands, waters, forests, and wildlife resources. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) seeks to protect public health through the implementation and management of various environmental programs. In addition, the following boards exist to aid in environmental involvement: Air Pollution Control Board, Water Pollution Control Board, Pollution Prevention Control Board, and the Solid Waste Management Board. The IDEM offers technical assistance to industries for the installation of pollution prevention equipment, and encourages consumers to rethink their use and disposal of hazardous household goods and chemicals. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 210 hazardous waste sites in the state, 29 of which were on the National Priorities List. Some of the state’s most serious environmental challenges lie in Lake and Porter counties in Northwest Indiana. A century of spills, emissions and discharges to the environment there require comprehensive, regionally coordinated programs. The Northwest Indiana Remedial Action Plan (RAP) is a three-phased program designed especially for the Grand Calumet River and the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal. Both waterways are Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Indiana

Indiana Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,080,485 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,004,813 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71,132 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,187 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,053 White and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,131 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 843 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,756 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,883 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 959 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Black or African American and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,432 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 30 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,291 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,540

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.8 . . . . . . . 1.2 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1


heavily contaminated, and if left in their current state, would certainly degrade the waters of Lake Michigan, the primary source of drinking water for the Northwest Indiana area.

and South Bend, 105,262. In 2004, the median age was 35.7 years. In 2005, about 12% of all residents were 65 or older, and about 26% were 18 or younger.

6

7

Population

In 2006, Indiana ranked 15th in population among the 50 states, with an estimated total of 6,313,520 residents. In 2004, the population density was 173.9 persons per square mile (67.1 persons per square kilometer). The population is projected to reach 6.5 million by 2015, and 6.7 million by 2025. In 2005, Indianapolis, the capital and largest city, had a population of 784,118. Other major cities with their 2005 populations were Fort Wayne, 223,341; Evansville, 115,918; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, the state had 510,034 blacks, representing about 8.4% of the total population. In that same year, about 214,536 Hispanics and Latinos lived within the state, representing approximately 3.5% of the population. In 2006, Hispanics and Latinos accounted for 4.6% of the state’s population. The Asian population was estimated at 59,126, in 2000, including 14,685 Asian Indians, 12,531 Chinese, 6,674 Filipinos, 7,502 Koreans, 5,065 Japanese, and 5

Indiana

4,843 Vietnamese. Pacific Islanders numbered 2,005. There were 15,815 Native Americans, many of whom are descendants of a variety of Algonkian-speaking tribes, such as Delaware, Shawnee, and Potawatomi. As of 2000, foreignborn Hoosiers numbered 186,534, about 3% of the total state population.

8

Languages

Most Indiana speech is basically that of the South Midland pioneers from south of the Ohio River. Between the Ohio River and Indianapolis, South Midland speakers use the term clabber cheese instead of cottage cheese, frogstools rather than toadstools, and goobers instead of peanuts. North of Indianapolis, speakers with a Midland Pennsylvania background wish on the pullybone of a chicken, may use a trestle (sawhorse), and are likely to get their hands greezy rather than greasy. In 2000, of all Hoosiers five years old and older, 93.5% spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home (and number of speakers) include Spanish (185,576), German (44,142), French (18,065), and Polish (7,831). Chinese, Indic, Greek, Italian, and Korean were also reported.

9

Religions

The first branch of Christianity to gain a foothold in Indiana was Roman Catholicism, introduced by the French settlers in the early 18th century. The first Protestant church was founded near Charlestown by Baptists from Kentucky in 1798. In 1807, Quakers built their first meetinghouse at Richmond. The Shakers, established 6

a short-lived community in Sullivan County in 1808. In 2004, the Roman Catholic Church was the largest single denomination in the state, with about 765,699 adherents. The largest Protestant denominations were the United Methodist Church (with 212,667 adherents) in that same year. Other denominations included (with 2000 membership data) the Church of Christ (205,408 adherents), the Southern Baptist Convention (124,452), the American Baptist Church (115,101), and the Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (111,522). The estimated Jewish population of the state in 2000 was 18,000. The Muslim community had about 11,000 members. There were also over 17,000 Mennonites, and over 19,000 members of Amish communities statewide. About 57% of the population (over 3.4 million people) were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

Indiana’s central location in the country and its position between Lake Michigan to the north and the Ohio River to the south gave the state its motto, “The Crossroads of America.” Historically, the state took advantage of its strategic location by digging canals to connect Indiana rivers and by building roads and railroads to provide farmers access to national markets. In 2003, there were 37 railroads operating on 5,136 miles (8,269 kilometers) of railroad track. As of 2006, regularly scheduled Amtrak passenger trains served Indianapolis, Hammond/ Whiting, South Bend, and seven other stations in the state. Indianapolis and other major cities have public transit systems subsidized heavily by the state and federal governments. The South Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Indiana

Shore commuter railroad connects South Bend, Gary, and East Chicago with Chicago, Illinois. Major highways include the east–west National Road (US 40), and the north–south Michigan road (US 421). In 2003, there were 94,597 miles (152,301 kilometers) of public roads in the state. In 2004, motor vehicle registrations totaled 5.587 million, including 3.043 million passenger cars and 2.382 million trucks. Water transportation has been important from the earliest years of European settlement. The Wabash and Erie Canal, constructed in the 1830s from Fort Wayne east to Toledo, Ohio, and southwest to Lafayette, was vital to the state’s market economy. The transport of freight via Lake Michigan and the Ohio River helped to spark Indiana’s industrial development. A deepwater port on Lake Michigan, which became operational in 1970, provided access to world markets via the St. Lawrence Seaway. Indiana Harbor and the port of Gary are leading ports. In 2005, there were 629 public and private use aviation facilities in the state, including 492 airports, 121 heliports, 3 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing), and 13 seaplane bases. The state’s main airport is Indianapolis International Airport. In 2004, it handled 3,992,097 boardings.

11

History

The first Native Americans to be seen by Europeans in present-day Indiana were probably the Miami and Potawatomi tribes. The first European penetration was made in the 1670s by the French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle. After the founding of Detroit, Michigan, in 1701, the Maumee-Wabash river route to the lower Ohio Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

was discovered. The first French fort was built farther down the Wabash among the Wea tribe, near present-day Lafayette, in 1717. By 1765, Indiana had fallen to the English. The pre-Revolutionary turmoil in the colonies on the Atlantic was hardly felt in Indiana. However, the region did not escape the Revolutionary War itself. Colonel George Rogers Clark, acting for Virginia, captured Vincennes from a British garrison early in 1779. Following the war, the area northwest of the Ohio River was granted to the new nation by treaty in 1783. The first US town plotted in Indiana was Clarksville, established in 1784. A government for the region was established by the Continental Congress under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Known as the Northwest Territory, it included present-day Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota. After continued Native American unrest, General Anthony Wayne was put in command of an enlarged army, which ended the disturbance in 1794 at Fallen Timbers (near Toledo, Ohio). Statehood In 1800, as Ohio prepared to enter

the Union, the rest of the Northwest Territory was set off and called Indiana Territory, with its capital at Vincennes. After Michigan Territory was detached in 1805, and Illinois Territory in 1809, Indiana assumed its present boundaries (having added about 10 miles to its northern border in 1816). William Henry Harrison was appointed first governor and, with a secretary and three appointed judges, constituted the government of Indiana Territory. When the population totaled 60,000—as it did in 1815—the voters were allowed to elect delegates to write a state constitution and to apply for admission to 7

Indiana

the Union. Indiana became the 19th state on 11 December 1816. After the War of 1812, new settlers began pouring into the state from the upper South and in fewer numbers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and New England. In 1816, Thomas Lincoln brought his family from Kentucky, and his son Abe grew up in southern Indiana from age 7 to 21. Unlike most other frontier states, Indiana was settled from south to north. Central and northern Indiana were opened up as land was purchased from the Native Americans. Railroads began to tie Indiana commercially with the East. Irish immigrants dug canals and laid the rails, and German immigrants took up woodworking and farming. Levi Coffin, a Quaker who moved to Fountain City in 1826, operated the Underground Railroad, a network of people dedicated to help escaping slaves from the South. Civil War Hoosiers (as Indianans are called)

showed considerable sympathy with the South in the 1850s. However, Indiana remained staunchly in the Union under Governor Oliver P. Morton, sending some 200,000 soldiers to the Civil War. The state suffered no battles, but General John Hunt Morgan’s Confederate cavalry raided the southeastern sector of Indiana in July 1863. After the Civil War, small local industries expanded rapidly. Discovery of natural gas in several northeastern counties in 1886, and the resultant low fuel prices, spurred the growth of energy-intensive glass factories. As America became captivated by the automobile, a racetrack for testing cars was built outside Indianapolis in 1908, and the famous 500-mile (805-kilometer) race on Memorial Day weekend began in 1911. 8

Five years earlier, US Steel had constructed a steel plant at the south end of Lake Michigan. The town built by the company to house the workers was called Gary, and it grew rapidly with the help of the company and the onset of World War I. World Wars Although many Hoosiers of German

and Irish descent favored neutrality when World War I began, Indiana industries boomed with war orders, and public sympathy swung heavily toward the Allies. Indiana furnished 118,000 men and women to the armed forces and suffered the loss of 3,370. After 1920, only about a dozen makes of cars were still being manufactured in Indiana, and those factories steadily lost out to the three largest car makers in Detroit. Auto parts continued to be a big business, however, along with steelmaking and oil-refining in the Calumet region. Elsewhere there was manufacturing of machinery, farm implements, railway cars, furniture, and pharmaceuticals. Meat-packing, coalmining, and limestone-quarrying continued to be important. With increasing industrialization, cities grew, particularly in the northern half of the state, and the number of farms diminished. The balance of rural and urban population, about even in 1920, tilted in favor of urban dwellers. World War II had a greater impact on Indiana than did World War I. Most factories converted to production of war materials, and 300 of them held defense orders in 1942. Military training facilities were created. Camp Atterbury covered 100 square miles (259 square kilometers) in Bartholomew County, and two air stations trained aviators. Two large ammunition depots loaded and stored shells, and the enorJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Indiana

Indiana Governors: 1816–2007 1816–1822 1822 1822–1825 1825–1831 1831–1837 1837–1840 1840–1843 1843–1848 1848–1849 1849–1857 1857–1860 1860–1861 1861 1861–1867 1867–1873 1873–1877 1877–1880 1880–1881 1881–1885 1885–1889 1889–1891 1891–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901 1901–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913

Johathan Jennings Dem-Rep Ratliff Boone Jackson Democrat William Hendricks Dem-Rep James Brown Ray Anti–Jacksonian/Indep Noah Noble Nat-Rep/Whig David Wallace Whig Samuel Bigger Whig James Whitcomb Democrat Paris Chipman Dunning Democrat Joseph Albert Wright Unionist Ashbel Parsons Willard Democrat Abram Adams Hammond Democrat Henry Smith Lane Republican Oliver Hazzard Perry Morton Republican Conrad Baker Republican Thomas Andrews Hendricks Democrat James Douglas Williams Democrat Isaac Pusey Gray Democrat Albert Gallatin Porter Republican Isaac Pusey Gray Democrat Alvin Peterson Hovey Republican Ira Joy Chase Republican Claude Matthews Democrat James Atwell Mount Republican Winfield Taylor Durbin Republican James Franklin Hanly Republican Thomas Riley Marshall Democrat

mous Jefferson Proving Grounds tested ammunition and parachutes. Post-War Period After the war, many small local

industries were taken over by national corporations, and their plants were expanded. By 1984, the largest employer in Indiana was General Motors, with 47,800 employees in six cities. Inland Steel, with 18,500 workers, was second, followed by US Steel with 13,800 workers. Nostalgia for an older, simpler, rural way of life pervades much Hoosier thinking. The state’s conservation efforts were guided by Richard Lieber, a state official from 1933 to 1944, promoted the preservation of land for state parks Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1924 1924–1925 1925–1929 1929–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1949 1949–1953 1953–1957 1957–1961 1961–1965 1965–1969 1969–1973 1973–1981 1981–1989 1989–1997 1997–2003 2003–2004 2004–

Samuel Moffett Ralston James Putnam Goodrich Warren Terry McCray Emmett Forest Branch Edward L. Jackson Harry Guyer Leslie Paul Vories McNutt Mourice Clifford Townsend Henry Frederick Schricker Ralph Fesler Gates Henry Frederick Schricker George North Craig Harold Willis Handley Matthew Empson Welsh Roger Douglas Branigin Edgar Doud Whitcomb Otis Ray Bowen Robert Dunkerson Orr Evan Bayh Frank O’Bannon Joseph Kernan Mitch Daniels

Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican

Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep Independent – Indep National Republican – Nat-Rep

and recreational areas, as well as for state and federal forests. Hoosiers enjoy politics and participate intensively in conventions and elections. The percentage of registered voters who vote has generally exceeded the national average by a wide margin. The state legislature was dominated by rural interests until a 1966 reorganization gave urban counties more representation. In October 1999, Indiana saw its first African American, Justice Robert D. Rucker, named to the state’s supreme court. On 8 September 2003, Indiana’s governor Frank O’Bannon, who had named Justice Rucker to the state’s highest court, suffered a massive stroke and died five days later. O’Bannon was 9

Indiana

Indiana Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

INDIANA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

PROHIBITION

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

Dewey (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)

807,833 801,530 783,908 952,358 1,170,848

821,079 1,136,259 1,182,811 1,175,120 911,118

9,649 1,222 — — —

14,711 15,335 6,554 6,746 8,266

1968

*Nixon (R)

806,659

1,067,885

AMERICAN IND.

1972

*Nixon (R)

708,568

1,405,154

243,108

4,616

PEOPLE’S

SOC. WORKERS

4,544

5,575

AMERICAN

1976

Ford (R)

1,014,714

1,185,958

1980 1984


844,197 841,481

1,255,656 1,377,230

1988

*Bush (R)

860,643

1,297,763

14,048

5,695

CITIZENS

LIBERTARIAN

4,852 —

19,627 6,741

NEW ALLIANCE

10,215

—

IND. (PEROT)

1992 1996

Bush (R) Dole (R)

848,420 887,424

989,375 1,006,693

455,934 224,299


901,980 969,011

1,245,836 1,479,438

18,531 —

7,936 15,632 REFORM

replaced by Lieutenant Governor Joe Kernan, who was defeated in November 2004 by Republican Mitch Daniels Jr. Upon taking office in 2005, Daniels moved to fix the state’s $700 million budget shortfall. Daniels called for strict spending controls, and a one-time, one-year tax hike of 1% on all residents with incomes of $100,000 or more.

12

State Government

Indiana’s first constitution, which took effect in 1816, prohibited slavery and recommended a free public school system, including a state university. The constitution did not allow for amendment, so a new one was adopted in 1851, which is still in force. It had been amended 46 times as of January 2005. 10

16,959 —

The Indiana General Assembly consists of a fifty-member Senate elected to four-year terms, with half the senators elected every two years, and a one hundred-member House of Representatives elected to two-year terms. The state’s chief executive is the governor, elected to a four-year term. The governor may call special sessions of the legislature and may veto bills passed by the legislature, but his veto can be overridden by a majority vote in each house. Indiana’s other top elected officials are the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, attorney general, and superintendent of public instruction. Each is elected to a four-year term. The lieutenant governor is constitutionally empowered to preside over the state senate and to act as governor if that office should become vacant, or the governor is unable to discharge his Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Indiana

duties. Legislation may be introduced in either house of the General Assembly, although bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $95,000, and the legislative salary was $11,600.

13

Political Parties

After voting Republican in four successive presidential elections, Indiana voted Democratic in 1876 and became a swing state. More recently, a Republican trend has been evident, as the state voted Republican in 16 out of 17 presidential elections between 1940 and 2004. In 2004, Indiana gave 60% of the vote to Republican George W. Bush and 39% to Democrat John Kerry. In that same year, Governor Joseph E. Kernan was defeated by Republican Mitch Daniels, but Democrat Evan Bayh was reelected to the US Senate. The state’s other senate seat was held by Republican Richard Lugar, who won re-election to the Senate in 2006. Indiana’s delegation to the US House of Representatives following the 2006 elections included five Democrats and four Republicans. Following the 2006 elections, the state senate had 33 Republicans and 17 Democrats. In the state house of representatives, there were 51 Democrats and 49 Republicans. Following the 2006 elections, there were 27 women serving in the state legislature, or 18%. In 2004 there were 4,009,000 registered voters in the state. There is no party registration in the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

14

Local Government

Indiana’s 92 counties have traditionally provided law enforcement in rural areas, operated county courts and institutions, maintained county roads, administered public welfare programs, and collected taxes. In 1984, counties were given the power to impose local income taxes. The county’s business is conducted by a board of county commissioners, consisting of three members elected to four-year terms. Townships (1,008 in 2002) provide assistance for the poor, and assess taxable property. Each township is administered by a trustee elected to a four-year term. Indiana had 567 municipal governments in 2005. They are governed by elected city councils. In 2005, Indiana had 294 public school districts and 1,125 special districts.

15

Judicial System

The Indiana supreme court consists of 5 justices who are appointed by the governor. The state court of appeals consists of 15 justices. The court exercises appeals jurisdiction under rules set by the state supreme court. Superior courts, probate courts, and circuit courts all function as general trial courts and are presided over by 279 judges who serve a term of 6 years. Indiana had 24,008 prisoners in its state and federal correctional facilities as of 31 December 2004. Indiana in 2004, had a violent crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) of 325.4 incidents per 100,000 people statewide. Indiana has a death penalty, of which lethal injection is the sole method of execution. As of 1 January 2006, there were 26 inmates on death row. 11

Indiana

16

Migration

Indiana’s early settlers were predominantly northern Europeans who migrated from eastern and southern states. The principal migratory pattern since 1920 has been within the state, from the farms to the cities. Since World War II, Indiana has lost population through a growing migratory movement to other states, mostly to Florida and the Southwest. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had a net gain of 76,000 persons through domestic migration and a net gain of 25,000 in international migration. In 1998, 3,981 foreign immigrants arrived in Indiana. In the period 2000–05, some 55,656 people arrived in the state from other countries, while 17,000 people left the state to move to other states, giving the state a net gain of 38,656 people.

17

Economy

Indiana is both a leading agricultural and industrial state. The state’s industrial development in Indianapolis, Gary, and other cities was based on its plentiful natural resources—coal, natural gas, timber, stone, and clay—and on good transportation facilities. The northwestern corner of the state is the site of one of the world’s greatest concentrations of heavy industry, especially steel. Until the end of the 20th century, manufacturing continued to grow, and between 1997 and 2000 accounted for about 30% of Indiana’s total economic output. In the national recession of 2001, however, manufacturing output fell 9.2%. Many jobs were lost, although the unemployment rate remained below the national average. Indiana’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $227.569 billion, of which industry 12

accounted for 27.8% of GSP, followed by real estate at 9.7%, and health care and social services at 7% of GSP. Of the 125,746 businesses in the state that had employees, 97.6% were small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, Indiana had a per capita (per person) personal income of $30,204, which was under the national average of $33,050. For the threeyear period 2002 through 2004, the median household income was $43,003, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 10.2% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

19

Industry

The industrialization of Indiana that began in the Civil War era was spurred by technological advances in processing agricultural products, manufacturing farm equipment, and improving transportation facilities. Meat-packing plants, textile mills, furniture factories, and wagon works—including Studebaker wagons—were soon followed by metal foundries, machine shops, farm implement plants, and various other durable-goods plants. In 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in Indiana was $183.563 billion. Among the leading industry groups were transportation equipment, primary metal products, chemicals, food products, and fabricated metal products. Indiana is also a leading producer of compact discs, elevators, storage batteries, small motors and generators, mobile homes, household furniture, burial caskets, and musiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Indiana

cal instruments. Most manufacturing plants are located in and around Indianapolis and in the Calumet region. In 2004, the state’s manufacturing sector employed 534,942 people.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Indiana numbered 3,252,000, with approximately 159,500 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.9%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. Preliminary nonfarm employment data for April 2006 showed that 5.1% of the labor force was employed in construction; 19.2% in manufacturing; 19.6% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 4.7% in financial activities; 9.2% in professional and business services; 12.8% in educational and health services; 9.4% in leisure and hospitality services; and 14.3% in government. Most industrial workers live in Indianapolis and the Calumet area of northwestern Indiana. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) first attempted to organize workers at the US Steel Company’s plant in Gary in 1919, but a strike to get union recognition failed. By 1936, however, the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) had won bargaining rights, and the 40hour workweek from US Steel and union organization spread to other industries throughout the state. In 2005, a total of 346,000 of Indiana’s 2,789,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 12.4% of those employed, and just above the national average of 12%. The majority of the workers belonged to unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The Oliver chilled plow was developed by James Oliver, an industrialist who came to South Bend, Indiana, in the 1850s. A superior farm plow made of chilled and hardened steel, it revolutionized farming in the later half of the 19th century. NORTHERN INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

21

Agriculture

Agriculture in Indiana is a large and diverse industry that plays a vital role in the economy. The state had 59,300 farms containing 15,000,000 acres (6,800,000 hectares) of farmland. In 2005, cash receipts from the sale of all commodities (crops and livestock) reached $5.4 billion. In the same year, Indiana ranked 16th in the United States in cash receipts from the sale of all commodities. Over 80% of Indiana’s farm operators live on the farm, while more than 55% of farmers have a principal occupation other than farming. 13

Indiana

Corn and soybeans are Indiana’s two main crops. In 2004 the state produced 929.04 million bushels of corn for grain, ranking fifth in the United States. Indiana also grew 287.04 million bushels of soybeans, the third most in the nation. Other principal field crops in 2004 included spearmint, peppermint, and cantaloupes.

22


Indiana dairy farmers produced an estimated 2.9 billion pounds (1.3 billion kilograms) of milk from 149,000 milk cows in 2003. The state’s poultry farmers sold an estimated 24.8 million pounds (11.3 million kilograms) of chicken, and an estimated 396.8 million pounds (179.985 million kilograms) of turkey during 2003. Indiana had an estimated 850,000 cattle and calves worth around $799 million in 2005.

23

Fishing

Fishing is not of commercial importance in Indiana, although fishing for bass, pike, perch, catfish, and trout is a popular sport with Indiana anglers. In 2004, there were 522,389 sport fishing licenses issued by the state. There are eight state fish hatcheries.

24

Forestry

About 20% of Indiana’s total land area was forested in 2004. Indiana has 4,501,000 acres (1,822,000 hectares) of forestland, of which 96%, or 4,342,000 acres (1,757,000 hectares), is considered commercial timberland. Some 75% of the commercial forestland is located in the southern half of Indiana, where oak, hickory, beech, maple, yellow poplar, and ash predominate in the uplands. Soft maple, sweetgum, pin 14

oak, cottonwood, sycamore, and river birch are the most common species found in wetlands and drainage corridors. Indiana’s wood-using industries manufacture everything from the “crinkle” center lining in cardboard boxes to the finest furniture in the world. Other wood products include pallets, desks, fancy face veneer, millwork, flooring, mobile homes, and recreational vehicle components. In 2004, Indiana produced 333 million board feet of lumber. Indiana has always been noted for the quality of its hardwood forests and the trees it produces.

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Indiana in 2004 was $764 million. Nationally, Indiana ranked 22nd in value of nonfuel mineral production. In 2004, cement (portland and masonry) was Indiana’s top nonfuel mineral by value, followed by crushed stone, construction sand and gravel, and lime, which together accounted for 92% of all nonfuel mineral output by the states. The state’s top two mineral commodities by output were crushed stone (2001 estimated output 56 million metric tons) and cement (portland cement production was estimated at 2.86 million metric tons).

26

Energy and Power

Indiana is largely dependent on fossil fuels for its energy supplies. In recent years, petroleum has become an important power source for automobiles, home heating, and electricity. Nevertheless, coal has continued to be the state’s major source of power, meeting about half of Indiana’s energy needs. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Indiana

The Indianapolis skyline featuring the Indiana Convention Center & RCA Dome. The RCA Dome is the home of the Indianapolis Colts professional football team. ROB BANAYOTE.

The state has no nuclear power plants. Electric power produced in Indiana in 2003 totaled 124.888 billion kilowatt hours, with total net summer generating capacity at 25.640 million kilowatts. Of the total produced, 94.3% came from coal-fired plants. As of 2004, Indiana’s proven reserves of crude oil totaled 11 million barrels, with production at 5,000 barrels per day in that same year. Natural gas production in 2004 totaled 1.464 billion cubic feet (0.041 billion cubic meters). Data was unavailable as to the state’s proven reserves of natural gas. In 2004 there were 29 producing coal mines in Indiana, of which 7 were underground and 22 were strip (surface) mines. Indiana’s coal production in that same year totaled 35.11 million Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

tons. Recoverable reserves totaled 398 million tons in 2004.

27

Commerce

Indiana’s wholesale trade sector in 2002 had sales of $79.8 billion, while the state’s retail trade sector had sales that same year of $67.2 billion. Indiana ranked 11th among the 50 states in exports during 2005, when its goods shipped abroad were valued at $21.4 billion.

28

Public Finance

The State Budget Agency acts as a watchdog over state financial affairs. The agency prepares the budget for the governor and presents it to the 15

Indiana

General Assembly. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June of the following year. The total revenues for 2004 were $26.9 billion, with total expenditures that same year of were $25.37 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($9.04 billion), public welfare ($5.67 billion), and highways ($1.9 billion). The total indebtedness of the state government in 2004 stood at $13.07 billion, or $2,100.50 per person.

29

Taxation

Indiana has a general state sales tax of 6%. As of 1 January 2006, the state had a single individual income tax rate of 3.4%, and a flat corporate tax rate of 8.5%. Indiana also imposes an excise tax on cigarettes and gasoline. Food is not subject to the state sales tax, if it is consumed off premises (such as at home). In 2005, state tax collections totaled $12.854 billion, with 38.9% generated by the state sales taxes, 32.8% by the state personal income tax, 17.1% by state excise taxes, 6.4% by the state corporate income tax, and 4.8% from other taxes. Indiana ranked 31st among the 50 states in per capita (per person) tax burden at $2,049, compared to the national average of $2,192.

30

Health

In October 2005, Indiana had an infant death rate estimated at 7.9 per 1,000 live births. In 2003, the state’s crude death rate stood at 9.1 per 1,000 inhabitants. The principal causes of death were heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and diabetes. About 24.8% of the state’s residents were smokers in 2004. The rate of HIV-related 16

deaths stood at 1.9 per 100,000 population. The reported AIDS case rate was about 6.3 per 100,000 people in 2004. Indiana’s 112 community hospitals had about 18,900 beds in 2003. There were 834 nurses per 100,000 people in 2005, and 222 physicians per 100,000 people in 2004. In that same year, Indiana had 2,939 dentists. In 2003, the average expense of community hospital care was $1,352 per day. In 2004, about 14% of the population was uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, the state had an estimated 2,690,619 housing units, of which 2,412,885 were occupied, 71.8% by the owner. About 21% of all units were built before 1939. About 71.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Most units relied on utility gas and electricity for heating, but about 1,030 units were equipped for solar power. It was estimated that 158,051 units lacked telephone service, while 10,304 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 12,973 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.51 people. In 2004, the construction of 39,200 privately owned housing units were authorized. The median home value was $110,020. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $963. Renters paid a median of $589 per month.

32

Education

Although the 1816 constitution recommended establishment of public schools, the state legislature did not provide funds for education. The constitution of 1851 more specifically outlined the state’s responsibility to support a system of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Indiana

free public schools. In 2004, of those aged 25 years and over, 87.2% were high school graduates, and 21.1% had completed four or more years of college. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 1,009,000 in fall 2003, and was expected to reach 1,029,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 109,101. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $10 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 342,064 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Indiana had 101 degree-granting institutions. Indiana University, the state’s largest institution of higher education, was founded in 1820. It is one of the largest state universities in the United States, with a total of eight campuses. The Bloomington campus has a nationally recognized music program. Other major state universities include Purdue University (Lafayette), Ball State University (Muncie), and Indiana State University (Terre Haute). Well-known private universities in the state include Notre Dame (at South Bend) and Butler (Indianapolis). Small private colleges and universities include DePauw (Greencastle), Earlham (Richmond), Hanover (Hanover), and Wabash (Crawfordsville).

33

Arts

The earliest center for artists in Indiana was the Art Association of Indianapolis, founded in 1883. Around 1900, art colonies sprang up in Richmond, Muncie, South Bend, and Nashville. Indianapolis remains the state’s cultural center. Since 1969, the Indiana Arts Commission has taken art and artists into many Indiana communities. The commission also sponsors biennial awards to artists in the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

University of Notre Dame, Hesburgh Library. SOUTH BEND/MISHAWAKA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

The state’s first resident theater company was established in Indianapolis in 1840 and the first theater building, the Metropolitan, was opened there in 1858. Ten years later, the Academy of Music was founded as the center for dramatic activities in Indianapolis. In 1875, the Grand Opera House opened there and the following year it was joined by the English Opera House. Amateur theater has been popular since the 1915 founding of the nation’s oldest amateur drama group, the Little Theater Society, which later became the Civic Theater of Indianapolis. Music has flourished in Indiana. Connersville reportedly was the first American city to establish a high school band, while Richmond claims 17

Indiana

the first high school symphony orchestra. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1930. There are 23 other symphony orchestras in the state. Indianapolis Opera was founded in 1975. The annual Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering, founded in 1973, is a three-day festival featuring the bluegrass, swing fiddle, string band, and Celtic and other ethnic music. The Indiana Humanities Council sponsors programs that include Habits of the Heart, a youth volunteer leadership development program, and History Alive, an educational program featuring live portrayals of famous historical figures.

34


In 2001 there were 239 public library systems in Indiana, with a total of 430 libraries, of which 191 were branches. The largest book collections are at public libraries in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Gary, Evansville, Merrillville, and Hammond. The total book stock of all Indiana public libraries was 22.14 million volumes in 2001, with a total circulation of 62.7 million. The Indiana State Library has a large collection of documents about Indiana’s history and a large genealogical collection. The Indiana University Library has special collections on American literature and history and an extensive collection of rare books. The University of Notre Dame has a noteworthy collection on medieval history. Also of note are the General Lew Wallace Study Museum in Crawfordsville, and the Elwood Haynes Museum of early technology in Kokomo. In 2000, Indiana had 179 museums. Many county historical societies maintain smaller

18

museums, such as the Wayne County Historical Museum. Indiana’s historic sites include the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial near Gentryville, the Levi Coffin Home (one of the Underground Railroad stops) in Fountain City, and the Benjamin Harrison Memorial Home in Indianapolis.

35

Communications

In 2004, about 91.8% of all households had telephone service. The state’s first radio station was licensed in 1922 at Purdue University, Lafayette. Indiana had 20 major AM, 102 major FM radio stations, and 30 television stations as of 2005. Powerful radio and television transmissions from Chicago and Cincinnati also blanket the state. In 1999, the Indianapolis area had 963,320 television households, 65% of which received cable. A total of 73,696 Internet domain names were registered in the state in 2000. In 2003, computers were in 59.6% of all Indiana households, while 51% had Internet access. As of June 2004, there were over 2.8 million mobile telephone service subscribers.

36

Press

In 2005, the state had 24 morning dailies, 44 evening dailies, and 25 Sunday papers. In 2005, the morning Indianapolis Star had a daily circulation of 252,021 (Sunday circulation, 358,261), while the circulation of Gary’s Post-Tribune averaged 65,621 daily and 73,795 on Sundays. A number of national magazines are published in Indiana, including Children’s Digest and The Saturday Evening Post.


Indiana

Many Hoosier authors were first published by Indiana’s major book publisher, BobbsMerrill. Indiana University Press is an important publisher of scholarly books.

37


In 2004, there were about 57.7 million visitors to the state, who spent $6.5 billion. The tourist industry supported about 94,000 full-time jobs. About 70% of visitors participate in outdoor activities, many within one of three national parks. Summer resorts are located in the north, along Lake Michigan and in Steuben and Kosciusko counties, where there are nearly 200 lakes. Popular tourist sites include the reconstructed village of New Harmony, site of famous communal living experiments in the early 19th century; the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Museum; and the George Rogers Clark National Historic Park at Vincennes. Among the natural attractions are the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan; the state’s largest waterfall, Cataract Falls, near Cloverdale; and the largest underground cavern, at Wyandotte. Indiana has 23 state parks, comprising 59,292 acres (21,800 hectares). The largest state park is Brown County (15,543 acres—6,290 hectares), near Nashville. There are 15 state fish and wildlife preserves, totaling about 75,200 acres (30,400 hectares).

38

Sports

Professional teams in Indiana include the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association, the Indiana Fever of the Women’s National


A kayaker looking at Century Center, South Bend. SOUTH BEND/MISHAWAKA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

Basketball Association, and the National Football League’s Colts, who moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore in 1984. There are also several minor league baseball, basketball, and hockey teams in the state. The state’s biggest annual sports event is the Indianapolis 500. The race is now part of a threeday Indiana festival held over Memorial Day weekend that attracts crowds of over 300,000 spectators, the largest crowd for any sporting event anywhere in the world. The state’s most popular amateur sport is basketball. The high school tournaments for both boys and girls are big events. Basketball is also popular at the college level, with teams

19

Indiana

from Indiana University, Purdue University, and Indiana State holding a number of championship titles. Evansville College won the NCAA Division II championships three times. College football is also popular. The Fighting Irish football team from the University of Notre Dame competes as an independent team. They have won ten bowl games. Football teams from Indiana University and Purdue University compete in the Big Ten. The team from Indiana State University is part of the Missouri Valley Conference. The Little 500, a 50-mile (80-kilometer) bicycle race, is held each spring at Indiana University’s Bloomington campus. Other annual sporting events include the National Muzzle-loading Rifle Association Championship Shoot, which is held in Friendship in September, and the Sugar Creek canoe race, which is held in Crawfordsville in April.

39

Famous Indianans

Indiana has contributed one US president and five vice-presidents to the nation. Benjamin Harrison (b.Ohio, 1833–1901), the 23rd president, was a Republican who served one term (1889–1893) and then returned to Indianapolis, where his home is now a national historic landmark. Three vice-presidents were Indiana residents: Thomas Hendricks (b.Ohio, 1819–1885), who served only eight months under President Cleveland and died in office; Schuyler Colfax (b.New York, 1823–1885), who served under President Grant; and Charles Fairbanks (b.Ohio, 1852–1918), who served under Theodore Roosevelt. Two vicepresidents were native sons: Thomas Marshall of North Manchester (1854–1925), who served two four-year terms with President Wilson; 20

James Whitcomb Riley (1849–1916) was one of Indiana’s best known poets. EPD PHOTOS.

and J(ames) Danforth Quayle of Indianapolis (b.1947), who served with President George H. W. Bush during 1989–93. Only one Hoosier, Sherman Minton (1890– 1965), has served on the US Supreme Court. Ambrose Burnside (1824–1881), and Lew Wallace (1827–1905) were Union generals during the Civil War. Harold C. Urey (1893–1981) won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1934, and Wendell Stanley (1904–1971) won it in 1946. The Nobel Prize in economics was awarded to Paul Samuelson (b. 1915) in 1970. Booth Tarkington (1869–1946) won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1918 and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Indiana

1921. A. B. Guthrie (1901–1991) won it for fiction in 1950. Aviation pioneer Wilbur Wright (1867–1912) was born in Millville. Juvenile writer Annie Fellows Johnston (1863–1931) produced the “Little Colonel” series. Other notable Indiana novelists include Theodore Dreiser (1871–1945), Jessamyn West (1907–1984), and Kurt Vonnegut (b.1922). Composers of Indiana origin have worked mainly in popular music: Cole Porter (1893– 1964) and Howard Hoagland “Hoagy” Carmichael (1899–1981). Entertainers from Indiana include David Letterman (b.1947) and singer Michael Jackson (b.1958). Hoosier sports heroes include Knute Rockne (b.Norway, 1888–1931), famed as a football player and coach at Notre Dame. Larry Bird (b.1956) was college basketball’s player of the year at Indiana State University in 1978/79 and went on to play for the Boston Celtics of the NBA in the 1980s; in 1998 he became head coach of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers.


40

Bibliography

BOOKS Brill, Marlene Targ. Indiana. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Indiana. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Fish, Bruce. Indy Car Racing. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House, 2000. Heinrichs, Ann. Indiana. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. McAuliffe, Bill. Indiana Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Indiana. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Nelson, Julie. Indianapolis Colts. Mankato, MN: Creative Education, 2000. WEB SITES Government of Indiana. www.IN.gov. www.in.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Indiana Traveler: Regional Tourism Office & Information Links. www.indianatraveler.com/ tourism.htm (accessed March 1, 2007).

21

Iowa State of Iowa

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for Iowa Indians

of the Siouan family. N I CKNAME : The Hawkeye State. C AP ITAL: Des Moines. ENT ERED UNION: 28 December 1846 (29th). O FFICIAL SEAL: A sheaf and field of standing wheat

and farm utensils represent agriculture; a lead furnace and a pile of pig lead are to the right. In the center stands a citizen-soldier holding a US flag with a liberty cap atop the staff in one hand and a rifle in the other. Behind him is the Mississippi River with the steamer Iowa and mountains; above him an eagle holds the state motto. Surrounding this scene are the words “The Great Seal of the State of Iowa” against a gold background. FLAG: There are three vertical stripes of blue, white, and red; in the center a spreading eagle holds in its beak a blue ribbon with the state motto. M OT TO: Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain. SONG: “The Song of Iowa.” FLOWER: Wild rose. TREE: Oak. B IRD: Eastern goldfinch. R OCK OR STONE: Geode. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the western north-central United States, Iowa is the smallest of the Midwestern states west of the Mississippi River and ranks 25th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Iowa is 56,275 square miles (145,752 square kilometers), of which land takes up 55,965 square miles (144,949 square kilometers) and inland water 310 square miles (803 square kilometers). The state extends 324 miles (521 kilometers) east-west and 210 miles (338 kilometers) north-south. Its total boundary length is 1,151 miles (1,853 kilometers). 23

Iowa

2

Topography

The physical terrain of Iowa consists of a gently rolling plain that slopes from the highest point of 1,670 feet (509 meters) in the northwest to the lowest point of 480 feet (146 meters) in the southeast at the mouth of the Des Moines River. Iowa has the richest and deepest topsoil in the United States. The major rivers are the Mississippi River and the Missouri River. Iowa has 13 natural lakes. The largest are Spirit Lake, at about 9 miles (14 kilometers) long) and West Okoboji Lake, at 6 miles (10 kilometers) long. Both are near the state’s northwest border.

3

2,982,085 1.9% 3.7% 98.9% 93.5% 2.2% 0.2% 1.5% 0.0% 1.5% 1.1%


Under 18 (23%)

Plants and Animals

Although most of Iowa is under cultivation, such unusual wild specimens as bunchberry and bearberry can be found in the northeast. Other notable plants are pink lady’s slipper and twin24


65 and over (14%)

Climate

Iowa lies in the humid continental zone and generally has hot summers, cold winters, and wet springs. Temperatures vary widely during the year, with an annual average of 49°f (9°c). Des Moines, in the central part of the state, has a normal daily maximum temperature of 86°f (30°c) in July and a normal daily minimum of 11°f (-4°c) in January. The record low temperature for the state of Iowa is -47°f (–44°c), set as Washta on 12 January 1912. That record was matched on 3 February 1996 in Elkader. The record high is 118°f (48°c), set at Keokuk on 20 July 1934. Annual precipitation averages 32.4 inches (82 centimeters) in Des Moines. Average snowfall statewide is 33.2 inches (84 centimeters).

4

Iowa Population Profile

45 to 64 (26%)

18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City Des Moines Cedar Rapids Davenport Sioux Waterloo Iowa Council Bluffs Dubuque West Des Moines Ames

Population

% change 2000–05

194,163 123,119 98,845 83,148 66,483 62,887 59,568 57,798 52,768 52,263

-2.3 2.0 0.5 -2.2 -3.3 1.1 2.2 0.2 13.7 3.0



SOUTH DAKOTA

Iowa

MINNESOTA

LYON

KOSSUTH

Ft. Defiance St. Park

Trappers Bay St. Park

SIOUX

CLAY

WORTH

WINNEBAGO

PALO ALTO

HANCOCK

CERRO GORDO

O’BRIEN

Mill Creek St. Park

PLYMOUTH

Flo yd R.

POCAHONTAS

BUENA VISTA

HUMBOLDT

Echo Valley S. P.

BREMER

BUTLER

ke y

WEBSTER SAC

IDA

HAMILTON

Backbone S. P.

Cedar Falls

GRUNDY

Dubuque

HARDIN

Litt le

Ft. Dodge

. ri R sou Mis

Black Hawk Lake S. P.

MONONA

CRAWFORD

CARROLL

GREENE

BOONE

R.

Swan Lake S. P.

Ames

SHELBY

AUDUBON

GUTHRIE

JASPER

POLK

DALLAS

380

LINN

Union Grove State Park

Marshalltown Rock Creek S. P.

yer Bo HARRISON

BENTON

TAMA

MARSHALL

STORY

Ledges S. P.

Waterloo

Pine Lake S. P.

. Io wa R

Sioux City

WISCONSIN

DUBUQUE

DELAWARE

BUCHANAN

BLACK HAWK

CALHOUN

Yellow River St. Forest

R.

35

Sio ux

WOODBURY

CLAYTON

FAYETTE

FRANKLIN

R.

Stone S. P.

Mason City

WRIGHT

Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge

ALLAMAKEE

Effigy Mounds Nat’l Mon.

CHICKASW

FLOYD

Clear Lake S. P.

CHEROKEE

WINNESHIEK

HOWARD

i R. ssipp Missi

Oak Grove St. Park

MITCHELL

Union Slough N. W. R.

r Tu

Big Siou x R.

EMMET

DICKINSON

OSCEOLA

Wa p

Cedar Rapids

Mesquakie Ind. Res.

JACKSON

JONES

s ip

in i

co n

Maq uo keta

R.

R. CLINTON

Clinton

CEDAR

JOHNSON

POWESHIEK

IOWA SCOTT

De Soto National Wildlife Refuge

80

West Des Moines

29

Iowa City

MUSCATINE

Des Moines

680

CASS

POTTAWATTAMIE

80

R.

Council Bluffs

MILLS

MONTGOMERY

ADAMS

UNION

CLARKE

LOUISA

Lake Darling St. Park WAPELLO

Lake of Three Fires S. P.

RINGGOLD

DECATUR

Nine Eagles S. P.

DAVIS

WAYNE

Bobwhite S. P.

280

Bettendorf Davenport

Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge

DES MOINES

Rathbun Lake TAYLOR

Wildcat Den S. P.

HENRY

JEFFERSON

Stephens St. For.

Viking Lake S. P. PAGE

MONROE

LUCAS

WASHINGTON

k un Sk

FREMONT

Lake Red Rock

Pammel 35 St. Park

Nish nab otna

80

KEOKUK

MAHASKA

MARION

WARREN

MADISON

ADAIR

APPANOOSE

De s

LEE

Burlington R.

Shimek S. F. es oin M

NEBRASKA

VAN BUREN

R.

ILLINOIS

IOWA Explanation Point of Interest City (25,000-100,000 people) City (more than 100,000 people)

MISSOURI

State Capital

80


N 0 0

25 25



25

Iowa

leaf. More than 80 native plants have become extinct in the area and at least 35 others are confined to a single location. The federal government classified five plant species as threatened as of April 2006. Among these are the northern wild monkshood and the eastern and western prairie fringed orchids. Common Iowa mammals include red and gray foxes, raccoon, opossum, and woodchuck. Common birds include the cardinal, rosebreasted grosbeak, and eastern goldfinch (the state bird). Game fish include rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, and walleye. In all Iowa has 140 native fish species. Rare animals include the pygmy shrew, ermine, black-billed cuckoo, and crystal darter. As of April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed eight threatened or endangered species, including the Indiana bat, bald eagle, Higgins’ eye pearlymussel, piping plover, Topeka Shiner, Iowa Pleistocene snail, pallid sturgeon, and least tern.

5


Conservation measures in Iowa are generally directed toward preventing soil erosion and preserving watershed runoff. Other concerns include with improving air quality, preventing chemical pollution, and preserving water supplies. In 1997, wetlands covered 1.2% of Iowa. The Wetlands Reserve Program of 1990 was created to reclaim some of the state’s lost wetlands. The Department of Water, Air and Waste Management, established in 1983, regulates operation of the state’s 2,900 public water supply systems. The department also enforces laws prohibiting open dumping of solid wastes, monitors the handling of hazardous wastes, estab26

lishes standards for air quality, and regulates the emission of air pollutants from more than 600 industries and utilities. In 2003, Iowa had 172 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 11 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006.

6

Population

In 2005, Iowa ranked 30th of the 50 states in population with an estimated total of 2,982,085 residents. In 2004, population density was 52.9 persons per square mile (20.4 persons per square kilometer). The median age of all residents in 2004 was 38. In 2005, about 14% of the people were 65 or older while just over 23% were 18 or younger. In 2005, the largest cities and their estimated populations were Des Moines, 194,163 and Cedar Rapids, 123,119.

7

Ethnic Groups

In the 2000 census, Iowa had 61,853 black Americans, 8,989 Native Americans, and 82,473 Hispanics and Latinos living in the state. Among Iowans of European descent, there were 1,046,153 Germans, representing about 35.7% of the population. Other groups included 395,905 Irish residents and 277,487 English residents. The foreign-born population numbered 91,085. The primary countries of origin included Germany, Mexico, Laos, Canada, Korea, and Vietnam.

8

Languages

Iowa English reflects the three major migration streams: Northern in the half of the state above Des Moines, North Midland in the southern half, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Iowa

Iowa Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,926,324 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,894,546 . . . . . . 98.9 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,959 . . . . . . . 1.0 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,856 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,075 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,369 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .468 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,049 . . . . . . . 0.2 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . .577 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .634 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . .24 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .750 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,819 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

and a slight South Midland trace in the extreme southeastern corner. Northern words that contrast with Midland words include: crab for crawdad, corn on the cob for roasting ears, barnyard for barn lot, and gopher for ground squirrel. In 2000, 94.2% of all Iowans aged five or more spoke only English at home. Other languages reported by Iowans, and the number speaking each at home, included Spanish, 79,491; German, 17,262; and French, 7,476.

9

Religions

The first church building in Iowa was constructed by Methodists in Dubuque in 1834. A Roman Catholic church was built in Dubuque Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the following year. Mainline Protestantism is predominant in the state even though the largest single Protestant denomination is the Evangelical Free Church of America, which had about 268,211 members in 2000. Other major Protestant denominations include the United Methodist Church (with 195,024 adherents in 2004), the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (120,075 adherents in 2000), the Presbyterian Church USA (69,974 adherents in 2000), and the United Church of Christ (36,326 adherents in 2005). Roman Catholic Church membership was about 506,698 in 2004. The Jewish community had about 6,400 members in 2000. Muslims numbered about 4,717. Nearly 41.5% 27

Iowa

Des Moines has the largest skywalk system per capita in the world. GREATER DES MOINES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

(over 1.2 million) of the state population did not specify a religious affiliation.

10

Transportation

The early settlers came to Iowa by way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and the Great Lakes, then traveled overland on trails via wagon and stagecoach. The need of Iowa farmers to haul their products to market over long distances prompted the development of the railroads. In 2003, Iowa had 4,248 miles (6,839 kilometers) of track. Amtrak operates the long-distance California Zephyr (Chicago to Oakland, California) and Southwest Chief (Chicago to Los Angeles, California), serving six major stations in Iowa. 28

Iowa had 113,377 miles (182,462 kilometers) of public roadway in 2004. In 2004, there were 3,461,000 registered vehicles in the state, including 1,872,000 automobiles, 1,448,000 trucks, and around 1,000 buses. There were 2,003,723 licensed drivers. Iowa is bordered by two great navigable rivers, the Mississippi and the Missouri. They provided excellent transport facilities for the early settlers via keelboats and paddle-wheel steamers. Today, rivers remain an important part of Iowa’s intermodal transportation system, providing shippers a gateway to an extensive inland waterway system that has access to ports in St. Paul, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Houston, and New Orleans. Most docks in Iowa are privately owned and all are privately operated. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Iowa

Iowa’s busiest airfield is Des Moines Municipal Airport, which handled 975,859 passengers in 2004.

11

History

The first permanent settlers of the land were the Woodland Indians, who built villages in the forested areas along the Mississippi River and introduced agriculture. Not until June 1673 did the first known white men, explorer Louis Jolliet and the Catholic priest Jacques Marquette, come to the territory. Iowa was part of the vast Louisiana Territory that extended from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border and was ruled by the French until the title was transferred to Spain in 1762. Napoleon took the territory back in 1800 and then promptly sold all of Louisiana Territory to the amazed American envoys who had come to Paris seeking only the purchase of New Orleans and the mouth of the Mississippi. After Iowa had thus come under US control in 1803, the Lewis and Clark expedition worked its way up the Missouri River to explore the newly purchased land. Placed under the territorial jurisdiction of Michigan in 1834, and then two years later under the newly created Territory of Wisconsin, Iowa became a separate territory in 1838. The first territorial governor, Robert Lucas, began planning for statehood by drawing aggressive boundary lines that extended county boundaries and local government westward and northward. Under the Missouri Compromise, Iowa came into the Union with Florida as its slaveholding counterpart. A serious dispute, concerning how large the state would be, delayed Iowa’s admission into the Union until 28 December 1846. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

State Development The settlement of Iowa was

rapidly accomplished. With one-fourth of the nation’s fertile topsoil located within its borders, Iowa was a powerful magnet that drew farmers by the thousands from many areas. The settlers were overwhelmingly Protestant in religion and remarkably uniform in ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Fiercely proud of its claim to be the first free state created out of the Louisiana Purchase, Iowa was an important center of abolitionist sentiment throughout the 1850s. The Underground Railroad for fugitive slaves from the South ran across the southern portion of Iowa to the Mississippi River. When the Civil War came, Iowa overwhelmingly supported the Union cause. The railroad had been lavishly welcomed by Iowans in the 1850s. By the 1870s, Iowa farmers were battling the railroad interests for effective regulatory legislation. The National Grange (an association of farmers) was powerful enough in Iowa to push through the so-called Granger laws regulating the railroads. Following World War I, conservatives regained control of the ruling Republican Party and remained in control until the 1960s. Then new liberal leadership was forced on the party after the disastrous 1964 presidential campaign of Barry Goldwater and effective opposition from a revitalized Democratic Party led by Harold Hughes. After Hughes gave up the governorship in 1969 to become a US senator, he was succeeded in office by Robert Ray, a liberal Republican who dominated the state throughout the 1970s. Iowa’s economy suffered in the 1980s from a combination of high debt and interest rates, numerous droughts, and low crop prices. Businesses departed or shrank their work forces. 29

Iowa

The five-domed state capitol in Des Moines has a 23-karat gold center dome. GREATER DES MOINES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

By the 1990s, however, the companies that had survived were in a much stronger position, and Iowa began enjoying a period of cautious prosperity. The state’s unemployment rate in 1992 was 4.7%, lower than the national average. By 1999, it had dropped to 2.5%, the lowest rate in the nation. In Iowa, as elsewhere in the Midwest, high-tech and service industries continued to pull workers away from farming— and away from the state, causing many to worry about a disappearing way of life. By 2003, the United States economy was slowly recovering from its 2001 recession, and Iowa was also feeling the effects. In 2005, the state was pursuing a comprehensive economic growth strategy focusing on renewable energy, life sciences, financial services, advanced man30

ufacturing, and improving cultural and recreational opportunities. The governor made Iowa’s energy independence a goal, and to that effect, the state from 2000 to 2005 nearly tripled its ethanol production and by 2006 was projected to be the nation’s leading producer of ethanol. In 1993, unusually heavy spring and summer rains produced record floods along the Mississippi River by mid-July. The entire state of Iowa was declared a disaster area. The floods forced 11,200 people to evacuate their homes and caused $2.2 billion in damages.

12

State Government

The state legislature, or general assembly, consists of a 50-member senate and a 100-member house of representatives. Senators serve four-year Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Iowa

Iowa Governors: 1846–2007 1846–1850 1850–1854 1854–1858 1858–1860 1860–1864 1864–1868 1868–1872 1872–1876 1876–1877 1877–1878 1878–1882 1882–1886 1886–1890 1890–1894 1894–1896 1896–1898 1898–1902 1902–1908 1908–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925

Ansel Briggs Stepehn P. Hempstead James Wilson Grimes Ralph Phillips Lowe Samuel Jordan Kirkwood William Milo Stone Samuel Merrill Cyrus Clay Carpenter Samuel Jordan Kirkwood Joshua G. Newbold John Henry Gear Buren Robinson Sherman William Larrabee Horace Boies Frank Darr Jackson Francis Marion Drake Leslie Mortier Shaw Albert Baird Cummins Warren Garst Beryl Franklin Carroll George W. Clarke William Lloyd Harding Nathan Edward Kendall

Democrat Democrat Whig Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican

terms, with half the members elected every two years; representatives serve two-year terms. Each house may introduce or amend legislation, with a simple majority vote required for passage. The governor’s veto of a bill may be overridden by a two-thirds majority in both houses. The state’s elected executives are the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, attorney general, and secretary of agriculture. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $107,482, and the legislative salary was $21,380.54.

13

Political Parties

For 70 years following the Civil War, a majority of Iowa voters supported the Republicans over the Democrats in nearly all state and national elections. During the Great Depression of the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1925–1931 1931–1933 1933–1937 1937–1939 1939–1943 1943–1945 1945–1949 1949–1954 1954–1955 1955–1957 1957–1961 1961–1963 1863–1969 1969 1969–1983 1983–1999 1999–2006 2006–

John Hammill Republican Daniel Webster Turner Republican Clyde LaVerne Herring Democrat Nelson George Kraschel Democrat George Allison Wilson Republican Bourke Blakemore Hickenlooper Republican Robert Donald Blue Republican William S. Beardsley Republican Leo Elthon Republican Leo Arthur Hoegh Republican Herschel Celiel Loveless Democrat Norman Arthur Erbe Republican Harold Everett Hughes Democrat Robert David Fulton Democrat Robert D. Day Republican Terry Edward Branstad Republican Thomas J. Vilsack Democrat Chester Culver Democrat

Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep Independent – Indep National Republican – Nat-Rep

1930s, Iowa briefly turned to the Democrats, supporting Franklin D. Roosevelt in two presidential elections. However, from 1940 through 1984, the majority of Iowans voted Republican in 10 of 12 presidential elections. Democrats carried the state in four recent presidential contests (1988, 1992, 1996, 2000), but turned Republican again in 2004. Republicans won 35 of the 45 gubernatorial elections from 1900 through 2002 and controlled both houses of the state legislature for 112 of the 130 years from 1855 to 1984. In the 2000 elections, Iowa gave Democrat Al Gore 49% of the vote, while Republican George W. Bush received 48%. In 2004, Bush increased his support to 50% to Democrat John Kerry’s 49%. As of the 2006 elections, Democrats had a 3–2 edge in the US House delegation, while a Democrat and a Republican both served in 31

Iowa

Iowa Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

IOWA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

PROHIBITION

SOCIALIST LABOR

1948 1952

*Truman (D) *Eisenhower (R)

522,380 451,513

494,018 808,906

12,125 5,085

3,382 2,882

4,274 —

1956 1960 1964

*Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)

501,858 550,565 733,030

729,187 722,381 449,148

— — —

— — 1,902

SOC. WORKERS

AMERICAN IND.

1968

*Nixon (R)

476,699

619,106

3,377

66,422

CONSTITUTION

AMERICAN

1972

*Nixon (R)

496,206

706,207

3,202 — — — PEACE & FREEDOM

22,056

—

1,332 LIBERTARIAN

1976

Ford (R)

619,931

632,863

—

3,040

1,452

— — 540

12,324 — 2,494

3,079 —

1,177 2,315

CITIZENS

1980 1984 1988

*Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) Dukakis (D)

508,672 605,620 670,557

676,026 703,088 545,355

2,191 — 755

1992 1996


586,353 620,258

504,891 492,644

253,468 105,159

638,517 741,898

634,373 751,957

29,374 —

IND. (PEROT)

REFORM

2000 Gore (D) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election.

the US Senate—Republican Charles Grassley, who won election to a fifth term in 2004, and Democrat Tom Harkin, who won reelection for a fourth term in 2002. Democrat Chet Culver won election as governor in 2006. Following the 2006 elections, there were 30 Democrats and 20 Republicans in the state senate, and 54 Democrats, 45 Republicans, and 1 Independent in the state house. There were 30 women serving in the state legislature following the 2006 elections, or 20%. Iowa’s presidential caucuses are held in January of presidential campaign years (ahead of New Hampshire, which also has a primary in January). This is earlier than any other state, thus giving Iowans a degree of influence in national politics. 32

14

5,731 —

190 —

Local Government

The state’s 99 counties are governed by boards of supervisors. County officials enforce state laws, collect taxes, supervise welfare activities, and manage roads and bridges. Local government was exercised by 948 municipal units in 2005. The mayor-council system functioned in the great majority of these municipalities. The power to tax is authorized by the state general assembly. In 2005, there were 374 public school districts and 542 special districts.

15

Judicial System

The Iowa supreme court consists of seven justices appointed by the governor, who select one of their number as chief justice. The court exercises Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Iowa

appeals jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases, supervises the trial courts, and establishes the rules of civil and appeals procedure. The supreme court transfers certain cases to the six-member court of appeals. The state is divided into eight judicial districts, each with a chief justice. Iowa’s violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) in 2004 was 270.9 per 100,000 population. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/theft, and motor vehicle theft) in 2004 totaled 2,905.3 reported incidents per 100,000 people. Iowa does not have a death penalty. As of 31 December 2004, there were 8,525 prisoners in federal and state institutions.

16

Migration

Iowa was opened, organized, and settled by a generation of native migrants from other states. Around the 1850s, the largest group of foreign immigrants were Germans who had fled military conscription. The next largest group had sought to escape the hardships of potato famine in Ireland or of agricultural and technological displacement in Scotland, England, and Wales. They were joined in the by Dutch immigrants seeking religious liberty and by Norwegians and Swedes. During and immediately after the Civil War, some former slaves fled the South for Iowa, and more blacks settled in Iowa cities after 1900. But many of the migrants who came to Iowa did not stay long. Some Iowans left to join the gold rush and others settled lands in the West. In the period 2000–05, a net total of 29,386 moved into the state from other countries and a net 41,140 people moved to other states, for a net loss of 11,754 people. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

17

Economy

Iowa’s economy is based on agriculture. Although the value of the state’s manufactures exceeds the value of its farm production, manufacturing is basically farm-centered. The major industries are food processing and the manufacture of agriculture-related products, such as farm machinery. Technological progress in agriculture and the growth of manufacturing industries have enabled Iowans to enjoy general prosperity since World War II. In the early 1980s, however, high interest rates and falling land prices created serious economic difficulties for farmers and contributed to the continuing decline of the farm population. By the early 1990s, the state had recovered. The national recession of 2001 had a relatively mild effect on Indiana’s unemployment rate. Agricultural production was positive in 2002, largely because Iowa escaped the drought that was harming other states in the region.

18

Income

In 2005, Iowa ranked 30th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a gross state product (GSP) of $114 billion. In 2004, Iowa had a per capita personal income of $31,058. This ranked 28th in the United States; the national average was $33,050. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $43,042, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 2002–04, 9.7% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationwide. 33

Iowa

19

Industry

Because Iowa was primarily a farm state, the first industries were food processing and the manufacture of farm implements. These industries have retained a key role in the economy. In recent years, Iowa has added a variety of others—including pens, washing machines, and even mobile homes. The estimated total value of shipments by manufacturers was $79.47 billion in 2004.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in Iowa numbered 1,674,200, with approximately 59,800 workers unemployed. Iowa’s unemployment rate of 3.6% was below the overall US rate of 4.7%. As of April 2006, approximately 5% of the labor force was employed in construction; 15.5% in manufacturing; 20.5% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.6% in financial activities; 16.4% in government; 7.6% in professional and business services; 13.2% in education and health services; and 8.7% in leisure and hospitality services. The labor movement generally has not been strong in Iowa, and labor unions have had little success in organizing farm laborers. The Knights of Labor, consisting mostly of miners and railroad workers, was organized in Iowa in 1876. But the Knights practically disappeared after 1893, when the American Federation of Labor (AFL) established itself in the state among miners and other workers. The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) succeeded in organizing workers in public utilities, meat packing, and light industries in 1937. After 1955, when the 34

AFL and CIO merged, the power and influence of labor unions increased in the state. In 2005, 157,000 of Iowa’s 1,369,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 11.5% of those so employed. The national average is 12%.

21

Agriculture

Iowa recorded a gross farm income of $14.2 billion in 2005, the third highest in the United States. Nearly half of all cash receipts from marketing came from the sale of livestock and meat products. During 2000–04, Iowa ranked first in output of corn for grain and soybeans and fifth for oats. Two important 20th-century developments were the introduction in the 1920s of hybrid corn and the utilization on a massive scale of soybeans as a feed grain (during World War II). In 2004, Iowa had 89,700 farms, with an average size of 353 acres (143 hectares) per farm. Nearly all of Iowa’s land is tillable and about nine-tenths of it is given to farmland. Corn is grown practically everywhere; wheat is raised in the southern half of the state and in counties bordering the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. In 2004, production of corn for grain totaled 2.24 billion bushels, soybeans totaled 497.4 million bushels, oats totaled 10.1 million bushels, and hay totaled 6.24 million tons.

22


Iowa had an estimated 3.6 million cattle and calves in 2005, worth around $3.2 billion. In 2004, Iowa was ranked first among the 50 states in the number of hogs and pigs with 16.1 million, worth around $1.77 billion. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Iowa

Pigs, calves, lambs, and chickens are raised throughout the state, particularly in the Mississippi and Missouri river valleys, where good pasture and water are plentiful. Iowa farmers are leaders in applying modern livestock breeding methods to produce lean hogs, tender corn-fed cattle, and larger-breasted chickens and turkeys. In 2003, Iowa farmers produced an estimated 30.7 million pounds (14 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs, which grossed a total of around $31.6 million. Also during 2003, Iowa farmers produced 267.7 million pounds (121.6 million kilograms) of turkeys, worth $96.4 million. In the same year an estimated 10.4 billion eggs were produced, worth around $460.5 million. Iowa dairy farmers produced 3.8 billion pounds (1.7 million kilograms) of milk from 201,000 dairy cows in 2003.

23

Fishing

Fishing has very little commercial importance in Iowa. Game fishing in the rivers and lakes, however, is a popular sport. In 2004, there were 429,689 sport fishermen licensed in the state.

24

Forestry

Lumber and woodworking were important to the early settlers, but the industry has since declined in commercial importance. In 2004, Iowa had 2.7 million acres (1.1 million hectares) of forestland, which represents 7.5% of the state’s land area, up from 1.6 million acres (650,000 hectares) in 1974. The state’s lumber industry produced 78 million board feet of lumber in 2004. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Iowa was estimated at $478 million in 2003. The top products were crushed stone, construction sand and gravel, cement, crude gypsum, which collectively accounted for 97% of the total mineral value produced. In 2001, Iowa ranked second in production of crude gypsum. In 2003, Iowa was a significant producer of crushed stone (34.7 million metric tons), portland cement, and construction sand and gravel (13 million metric tons). The state is also a producer of common clays.

26

Energy and Power

Although Iowa’s fossil fuel resources are extremely limited, the state’s energy supply has been adequate for consumer needs. In 2000, Iowa consumed 372 million Btu (93.7 million kilocalories) per capita, to rank 19th among the states. In 2003, the state’s production of electricity (utility and nonutility) totaled 42.1 billion kilowatt hours. The total installed capacity was 10 million kilowatts. Coal-fired plants supplied the vast majority of generated power (85%), with nuclear power plants in second place (9.5%). The remainder came from gas, hydroelectric power, and other sources. Iowa has one singleunit nuclear plant, the Duane Arnold plant in Palo. Extensive coalfields in southeastern Iowa were first mined in 1840. The state’s annual bituminous coal production reached nearly 9 million tons in 1917–18. Coal output in 1994 was only 46,000 tons. Recoverable coal reserves totaled 1.1 billion tons in 2001. As of 2004, Iowa had 35

Iowa

Des Moines skyline. GREATER DES MOINES CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

no production of crude oil or natural gas. There are no refineries in Iowa.

27

Commerce

Iowa had 2002 wholesale sales of $33.5 billion and retail sales of $31.1 billion. The most valuable categories of goods traded were agricultural raw materials, durable goods, groceries and related products, and farm supplies. Iowa’s exports of goods originating within the state had an estimated value of $7.3 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The public budget is prepared by the Department of Management with the governor’s approval and is adopted or revised by the general assembly. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. 36

Iowa’s fiscal year 2004 budget included revenues of $15.3 billion and expenditures of $13.4 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($4.67 billion), public welfare ($3.1 billion), and highways ($1.36 billion). The state had an outstanding debt of $4.8 billion, or $1,644.98 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

Iowa’s personal income tax schedule has nine brackets. In 2006, the lowest bracket was at 0.36% and the highest was at 8.98%. Iowa’s corporate income tax ranges from 6% to 12%. Iowa’s retail sales tax is 5%, with exemptions for basic foods and prescription drugs. Some local governments have local-option sales taxes of up to 2%. There are also state excise taxes on motor fuels, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Iowa

tobacco products, amusements, pari-mutuels, insurance premiums, and other selected items. The state directly controls alcohol sales. Other state taxes include license fees and stamp taxes. Property taxes are all local. Localities collect over 40% of the taxes in Iowa. Total state tax collections in Iowa came to over $5.7 billion in 2005, with 39.2% generated by the state income tax, 29.9% by the state sales tax, 15.7% by state excise taxes, 3.2% by the state corporate income tax, and other taxes 11.9%. The state placed 33rd in the nation in terms of tax burden in 2005.

30

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality rate was 5.2 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate was 9.5 per 1,000 people in 2003. The leading causes of death were heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. About 20.8% of all Iowans ages 18 and older were smokers in 2004. The mortality rate from HIV infection was 1 per 100,000 persons, the lowest in the nation. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was at about 2.2 per 100,000 population. Iowa’s 116 community hospitals have about 11,000 beds. In 2004, Iowa had 218 doctors per 100,000 people and 1,009 nurses per 100,000 people in 2005. In 2004, there were 1,546 dentists in the state. In 2001, the average expense for hospital care was $1,437.60 per inpatient day. In 2004, about 10% of the population was uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were 1,292,976 housing units in Iowa, of which 1,175,771 were occupied; 73.8% Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

were owner-occupied, placing the state fourth in the nation in the percentage of homeownership. About 74.7% of all units were single-family, detached homes. About 31.5% of all units were built in 1939 or earlier. Most households relied on utility gas and electricity for heating. It was estimated that 52,215 lacked telephone service, 4,728 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 5,037 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Average household size was 2.42 people. In 2004, 16,300 privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. Median home value was $95,901. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $942. Renters paid a median of $533 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, 89.8% of Iowans age 25 and older were high school graduates and 24.3% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 482,000 in fall 2002 but expected to drop to 452,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 45,309. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $4.28 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 202,546 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. As of 2005, Iowa had 63 degree-granting institutions. Iowa has three state universities and 35 private colleges. Since the public community college system began offering vocational and technical training in 1960, total enrollment has increased rapidly and the number of different career programs has grown. Iowa’s small liberal arts colleges and universities include Briar Cliff College, Coe College, Cornell College, Drake University, 37

Iowa

Grinnell College, Iowa Wesleyan College, Loras College, and Luther College.

33

Arts

There is an opera company in Des Moines, and there are art galleries, little theater groups, symphony orchestras, and ballet companies in the major cities and college towns. The Des Moines Arts Center is a leading exhibition gallery for native painters and sculptors. The Des Moines Arts Festival, established in 1998, has drawn an attendance of nearly 800,000 people each year. The 2002 ArtFair SourceBook ranked it as the Sixth Best Fine Arts Festival in the nation. There are regional theater groups in Des Moines, Davenport, and Sioux City. The Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa has an international reputation. The Iowa Arts Council (IAC) was established as a state agency in 1967. In 1986, the IAC became a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, which also includes the State Historical Society of Iowa. Humanities Iowa, founded in 1971, sponsors over $1.5 million of programs each year. Iowa’s arts programs have a total audience of nearly seven million people. There are over 36,000 contributing artists for the programs. The state offers arts education to about 120,000 schoolchildren. There are over 800 art associations in Iowa.

34


As of the end of fiscal year 2001 (June), Iowa had 537 public library systems, with a total of 561 libraries, of which 24 were branches. That year, the public library system had total book and serial publication holdings of 11.45 million 38

volumes and a circulation of nearly 25.5 million. Among the principal libraries in Iowa are the State Library in Des Moines, the State Historical Society Library in Iowa City, the libraries of the University of Iowa (also in Iowa City), and the Iowa State University Library in Ames. Iowa had 134 museums and zoological parks in 2000. The Herbert Hoover National Historical Site, in West Branch, houses the birthplace and grave of the 31st US president and a library and museum with papers and memorabilia.

35

Communications

In 2004, about 95.4% of all occupied units had telephones. In June of that year, there were 1,445,711 mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, 64.7% of Iowa households had a computer and 57.1% had Internet access. The first commercial radio station west of the Mississippi, WDC at Davenport, began broadcasting in 1921. In 2005 there were 110 major radio stations, including 37 AM stations and 73 FM stations. In the same year, Iowa had a total of 21 network television stations.

36

Press

In 2005, Iowa had 37 dailies (21 evening, 16 morning) and 12 Sunday papers. The Des Moines Register remained the leader, with a morning circulation of 152,800 and a Sunday circulation of 243,302 as of 2002. Other major newspapers and their estimated daily circulations at 2002 include the Cedar Rapids Gazette (63,493), Dubuque Telegraph Herald (28,621), Sioux City Journal (41,182), and the Waterloo Courier (42,679). Also published in Iowa were over 100 periodiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Iowa

From 1960 until her retirement in 2006, Norma Duffield Lyon (“Duffy”) of Toledo produced butter sculptures for the Iowa State Fair. It takes about 16 hours to sculpt a life-size cow out of more than a quarter-ton of low-moisture sweet butter. The finished product is displayed during the fair in a refrigerated showcase in the Agriculture Building. IOWA STATE FAIR. PHOTO BY STEVE POPE.

cals, among them Better Homes and Gardens and Successful Farming.

37


The Mississippi and Missouri rivers offer popular water sports facilities for both out-of-state visitors and resident vacationers. Notable tourist attractions include the Effigy Mounds National Monument (near Marquette), which has hundreds of prehistoric Indian mounds and village sites. Tourist sites in the central part of the state include the state capitol and the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (West Branch), with its Presidential Library and Museum. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Iowa has about 85,000 acres (34,400 hectares) of lakes and reservoirs and 19,000 miles (30,600 kilometers) of fishing streams. There are 52 state parks and 7 state forests. In 2005, there were about 30.5 million visitors to the state. This showed an increase from 17.1 million in 2001. Travel generated expenditures of about $4.3 billion in 2002; in 2005, the figure was $5 billion. In 2005, there were over 62,290 travel-related jobs in the state.

38

Sports

Iowa has no major league professional sports teams, but do sponsor the Iowa Barnstormers 39

Iowa

in the Arena Football League. Minor league baseball and basketball teams make their home in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Sioux City, Burlington, and the Quad Cities. High school and college basketball and football teams draw thousands of spectators, particularly to the state high school basketball tournament at Des Moines in March. Large crowds also fill stadiums and fieldhouses for the University of Iowa games in Iowa City and Iowa State University games in Ames. In intercollegiate football competition, the University of Iowa Hawkeyes belong to the Big Ten Conference. They have a legendary wrestling program that has won the NCAA Championship 20 times. The Iowa State University Cyclones are in the Big Twelve Conference. A popular trackand-field meet for college athletes is the Drake Relays, held every April in Des Moines. Horse racing is popular at state and county fairgrounds, as is stock car racing at small-town tracks. The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa is held in July. There are rodeos in Sidney and Fort Madison and the National Balloon Classic is held in Indianola. Iowa has over 350 golf courses, eight major ski areas, and is the nation’s leading state in pheasant hunting.

39

Famous Iowans

Among Iowa’s most influential governors were the first territorial governor, Robert Lucas (b.Virginia, 1781–1853); William Larrabee (b.Connecticut, 1832–1912); and Harold Hughes (1863–1969). Iowa has produced a large number of radical dissenters and social reformers. Abolitionists, strong in Iowa before the Civil War, included Josiah B. Grinnell (b.Vermont, 1821–1891), and Asa Turner (b.Massachusetts, 1799–1885). 40

George D. Herron (b.Indiana, 1862–1925) made Iowa a center of the Social Gospel movement before helping to found the Socialist Party. William “Billy” Sunday (1862–1935) was an evangelist with a large following among rural Americans. John L. Lewis (1880–1969), head of the United Mine Workers, founded the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). Iowa can claim two winners of the Nobel Peace Prize: religious leader John R. Mott (b.New York, 1865–1955), and agronomist and plant geneticist Norman E. Borlaug (b.1914). Distinguished scientist George Washington Carver (b.Missouri 1864–1943) was an Iowa resident. Iowa writers of note include Hamlin Garland (b.Wisconsin, 1860–1940) and Wallace Stegner (1909–1993). Two Iowa playwrights, Susan Glaspell (1882–1948) and her husband, George Cram Cook (1873–1924), were instrumental in founding influential theater groups. Columnists Abigail Van Buren (Pauline Esther Friedman, b.1918) and her twin sister Ann Landers (Esther Pauline Friedman Lederer, 1918–2002) are from Sioux City. Iowans who have contributed to America’s musical heritage include popular composers Meredith Willson (1902–1984) and Peter “PDQ Bach” Schickele (b.1935), jazz musician Leon “Bix” Beiderbecke (1903–1931), bandleader Glenn Miller (1904–1944), and opera singer Simon Estes (b.1938). Iowa’s artists of note include Grant Wood (1892–1942), whose American Gothic is one of America’s bestknown paintings. Iowa’s contributions to the field of popular entertainment include William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody (1846–1917); circus promoter Charles Ringling (1863–1926) and his four brothers; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Iowa

and one of America’s best-loved movie actors, John Wayne (Marion Michael Morrison, 1907– 1979). Johnny Carson (1925–2005), host of the Tonight Show for 30 years, was born in Corning. Iowa sports figures of note are baseball Hall of Famers Adrian C. “Cap” Anson (1851–1922) and Robert “Bob” Feller (b.1918), and football All-American Nile Kinnick (1918–1944).

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Dykstra, Mary. Iowa. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006.


Genoways, Ted, and Hugh H. Genoways, eds. A Perfect Picture of Hell: Eyewitness Accounts by Civil War Prisoners from the 12th Iowa. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2001. Kule, Elaine A. Iowa Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Morrice, Polly Alison. Iowa. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2007. Murray, Julie. Iowa. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Iowa Tourism Office. Iowa: Life Changing. traveliowa.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Iowa. Official Web Site of the State of Iowa. www.iowa.gov/state/main/index.html (accessed March 1, 2007).

41

Kansas State of Kansas

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for the Kansa (or

Kaw) Indians, the “people of the south wind.” N I CKNAME : The Sunflower State; the Jayhawker

State. C AP ITAL: Topeka. ENT ERED UNION: 29 January 1861 (34th). O FFICIAL SEAL: A sun rising over mountains in

the background symbolizes the east; commerce is represented by a river and a steamboat. In the foreground, agriculture, the basis of the state’s prosperity, is represented by a settler’s cabin and a man plowing a field. Beyond this is a wagon train heading west and a herd of buffalo fleeing from two Indians. Around the top is the state motto above a cluster of 34 stars; the circle is surrounded by the words “Great Seal of the State of Kansas, January 29, 1861.” FLAG: The flag consists of a dark blue field with the state seal in the center; a sunflower on a bar of twisted gold and blue is above the seal; the word “Kansas” is below it. M OT TO: Ad astra per aspera (To the stars through difficulties). SONG: “Home on the Range.” M ARCH: “The Kansas March.” FLOWER: Wild native sunflower. TREE: Cottonwood. A NIMAL: American buffalo. B IRD: Western meadowlark. IN S ECT: Honeybee. R EPT ILE: Ornate box turtle. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT; 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the western north-central United States, Kansas is the second-largest Midwestern state (following Minnesota) and ranks 14th among the 50 states. The total area of Kansas is 82,277 square miles (213,097 square kilometers), of which 81,778 square miles (211,805 square kilometers) are land, and the remaining 499 square miles (1,292 square kilometers) inland 43

Kansas

water. The state has a maximum extension eastwest of about 411 miles (661 kilometers) and an extreme north-south distance of about 208 miles (335 kilometers). Kansas has a total boundary length of 1,219 miles (1,962 kilometers).

2

Topography

Three main land regions define the state. The eastern third consists of the Osage Plains, Flint Hills, Dissected Till Plains, and Arkansas River Lowlands. The central third comprises the Smoky Hills to the north and several lowland regions to the south. To the west are the Great Plains, divided into the Dissected High Plains and the High Plains. Kansas generally slopes eastward from a maximum elevation of 4,039 feet (1,232 meters) at Mt. Sunflower on the Colorado border to 679 feet (207 meters) by the Verdigris River at the Oklahoma border. More than 50,000 streams run through the state and there are hundreds of artificial lakes. Major rivers include the Missouri, the Arkansas, and the Kansas. Extensive beds of prehistoric ocean fossils lie in the chalk beds of two western counties, Logan and Gove.

3

Climate

Kansas’s continental climate is highly changeable. The average mean temperature is 55°f (13°c). The record high in the state is 121°f (49°c), recorded near Alton on 24 July 1936. The record low is -40°f (-40°c), recorded at Lebanon on 13 February 1905. The normal annual precipitation ranges from slightly more than 40 inches (101.6 centimeters) in the southeast to as little as 16 inches (40.6 centimeters) in the west. The 44

Kansas Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

2,764,075 2.8% 8.4% 97.8% 85.2% 5.5% 0.9% 2.0% 0.0% 4.1% 2.3%


Under 18 (25%)

65 and over (13%)

45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City Wichita Overland Park Kansas City Topeka Olathe Lawrence Shawnee Manhattan Salina Lenexa

Population

% change 2000–05

354,865 164,811 144,210 121,946 111,334 81,816 57,628 48,668 45,956 43,434

3.1 10.6 -1.8 -0.4 19.8 2.1 20.1 8.6 0.6 7.9




MORTON

Cimarron National Grassland

STEVENS

GRANT

SEWARD

HASKELL

Finney Wildlife Area

Garden City

FINNEY

Meade S.P.

MEADE

GRAY

LANE

HODGEMAN

Cedar Bluff St. Park

Clark State Fishing Lake

Dodge City

CLARK

FORD

Hodgeman State Fishing Lake

NESS

PHILLIPS

Hill

EDWARDS

COMANCHE

KIOWA

PAWNEE

RUSH

Smo ky

ELLIS

Webster St. Park

ROOKS

Kirwin Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

Saline R.

CLOUD

HARPER

OTTAWA

SUMNER

Wichita

SEDGWICK

Sand Hills S. P.

135

. as R

35

Cowley State Fishing Lake

COWLEY

BUTLER

CHASE

Council Grove Lake

335

CHAUTAUQUA

Toronto Lake

GREENWOOD

ELK

Res.

COFFEY

Melvern Res.

Pomona Res.

OSAGE

Elk City Res.

LABETTE

NEOSHO

ALLEN

ANDERSON

35

FRANKLIN

DOUGLAS

Elk City S.P.

MONTGOMERY

WILSON

Toronto St. Park

WOODSON

0

0 25

WYAN-

CHEROKEE

Crawford St. Park

CRAWFORD

BOURBON

LINN

MIAMI

JOHNSON

Kansas City

Overland Park

Prairie Village

50 miles

ARKANSAS

MISSOURI

50 kilometers

25

N

Area of Interest


State Capital

Fort Leavenworth

70

DOTTE Perry Res. Shawnee Lenexa Olathe Lawrence

Leavenworth

JEFFERSON LEAVENWORTH

Flint Hills Emporia N.W.R. John Redmond Reservoir

LYON

SHAWNEE

DONIPHAN

ATCHISON

70 Topeka Clinton

WABAUNSEE

Manhattan

Tuttle Creek Res.

GEARY MORRIS

Fort Riley

JACKSON

Kickapoo Ind. Res.

BROWN

Pottawatomie Ind. Res.

Nemaha State Fishing Lake

NEMAHA

POTTAWATOMIE

MARSHALL

RILEY

Marion Lake

MARION

s Ka n

DICKINSON

Milford Res.

CLAY

WASHINGTON

HARVEY

Salina

Maxwell Wildlife Refuge MC PHERSON

SALINE

Cheney Res. KINGMAN

REPUBLIC

Cheney S.P.

Hutchinson

RENO

s

nsa

ka

Ar

RICE

ELLSWORTH

Kanopolis S.P.

LINCOLN

Glen Elder Res.

MITCHELL

Glen Elder St. Park

Lovewell Res.

JEWELL

OKLAHOMA

Barber State Fishing Lake

BARBER

PRATT

Quivira N.W.R.

STAFFORD

Cheyenne Bottoms

BARTON

R.

Wilson S.P. Wilson Res.

RUSSELL

OSBORNE

Kirwin Res.

SMITH

R.

STANTON

KEARNY

HAMILTON

LakeScott St. Park

SCOTT

Cedar Bluff Res.

TREGO

GRAHAM

Prairie Dog S.P.

NORTON

. R

WICHITA

Chalk Pyramids

GOVE

Sheridan State Fishing Lake

SHERIDAN

DECATUR

on om

GREELEY

LOGAN

70

THOMAS

RAWLINS

l So

Mount Sunflower

WALLACE

SHERMAN

CHEYENNE

NEBRASKA


City (20,000-100,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

KANSAS

Kansas

45

COLORADO

Kansas

National Weather Service meteorologists in Wichita, Kansas, track tornadoes on their computers. © JIM REED/CORBIS.

overall annual precipitation for the state averages 27 inches (68.6 centimeters), although years of drought have not been uncommon. Tornadoes are a regular fact of Kansas life. The annual mean snowfall ranges from about 36 inches (91.4 centimeters) in the extreme northwest to less than 11 inches (27.9 centimeters) in the far southeast. Dodge City is said to be the windiest city in the United States, with an average wind speed of 14 miles per hour (23 kilometers per hour).

4

Plants and Animals

There are 194 species of grasses covering the state of Kansas. Bluestem, both big and little, grows in most parts of the state. Other grasses include 46

buffalo grass, blue and hairy gramas, and alkali sacaton. One native conifer, eastern red cedar, is found generally throughout the state. Hackberry, black walnut, and sycamore grow in the east, while box elder and cottonwood predominate in western Kansas. There are no native pines. The wild native sunflower, the state flower, is found throughout the state. Other characteristic wildflowers include wild daisy, ivy-leaved morning glory, and smallflower verbena. As of 2006, the western prairie fringed orchid and Mead’s milkweed were listed as threatened species and are protected under federal statutes. Kansas’s native mammals include the common cottontail, black-tailed jackrabbit, and black-tailed prairie dog. The white-tailed deer is Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kansas

Kansas Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,688,418 One race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,631,922 Two races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53,344 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9,970 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17,539 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,781 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12,631 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . .1,951 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 661 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,514 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 41 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,104 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,152

. . . . .100.0 . . . . . .97.9 . . . . . . .2.0 . . . . . . .0.4 . . . . . . .0.7 . . . . . . .0.2 ....... — . . . . . . .0.5 . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1


the state’s only big-game animal. There are 12 native species of bat, 2 varieties of shrew and mole, and 3 types of pocket gopher. The western meadowlark is the state bird. Kansas has the largest flock of prairie chickens remaining on the North American continent. In April 2006 the US Fish and Wildlife Service named 12 Kansas animal species as threatened or endangered. Among these are the Indiana and gray bats, bald eagle, Eskimo curlew, Topeka Shiner, and blackfooted ferret.

5


Water quality is the most crucial environmental problem for Kansas. Protection of the water supJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ply is a primary focus of the state’s environmental efforts. Maintenance of air quality is also a primary effort and the state works actively with the business community to promote pollution prevention. Strip mining for coal is decreasing in southeast Kansas, and the restoration of resources damaged by previous activities is ongoing. The state has sufficient capacity for handling solid waste, although the total number of solid waste facilities has decreased in recent years. In 2003, Kansas had 307 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 10 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. 47

Kansas

6

Population

In 2006, Kansas ranked 33rd in population among the states with an estimated total of 2,764,075 residents. The population is projected to reach 2.91 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 33.4 persons per square mile (12.89 persons per square kilometer). In 2004, the median age of all residents was 36.1. In 2005, about 13% of the population was 65 years old or older while 25% were 18 or younger. The largest cities in 2005 with their estimated populations were Wichita, 354,865; Overland Park, 164,811; and Kansas City, 144,210.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the census, there were 24,936 Native Americans living in Kansas in 2000. The same year, black Americans in Kansas numbered 154,198, or 5.7% of the population. There were 188,252 Hispanics and Latinos and 46,806 Asian residents. The largest group of Asians was the Vietnamese with 11,623 residents. There were 8,153 Asian Indians and 7,624 Chinese, as well as sizable communities of Laotians and Cambodians. The census also reported that a total of 80,271 residents (2% of the population) were foreign born. The most common lands of origin were Mexico, Germany, and Vietnam. Among the Europeans who reported descent from a single ancestry group, the leading nationalities were German, English, and Irish.

8

Languages

Regional features of Kansas speech are almost entirely those of the Northern and North Midland dialects. Kansans typically play as 48

children on a teetertotter (seesaw), make white bread sandwiches, and carry water in a pail. The migration by Southerners in the mid-19th century is evidenced in southeastern Kansas by such South Midland terms as pullybone (wishbone) and light bread (white bread). In 2000, about 2,281,705 Kansans (91.3% of the residents five years old or older) spoke only English at home. Other languages (and the number of speakers) were Spanish (137,247), German (16,821), Vietnamese (10,393), and French (6,591).

9

Religions

Isaac McCoy, a Baptist minister, was instrumental in founding the Shawnee Baptist Mission in Johnson County in 1831. Mennonites were drawn to the state by a law passed in 1874 allowing exemptions from military service on religious grounds. Religious freedom is specifically granted in the Kansas constitution, and a wide variety of religious groups is represented in the state. The leading Protestant denominations are the United Methodist Church, with 162,202 adherents in 2004; the Southern Baptist Convention, 101,696 adherents in 2000; the American Baptist Church, 64,312 in 2000; the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, 62,712 in 2000; and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 56,908 in 2000. Roman Catholics constitute the largest single religious group in the state, with 409,906 adherents in 2004. The estimated Jewish population in 2000 was 14,500. There were over 18,000 Mennonites throughout the state and about 3,470 Muslims. About 50.6% of the population (or over 1.3 million people) were not counted as members of any religious organization. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kansas

10

Transportation

In the heartland of the nation, Kansas is at the crossroads of US road and railway systems. In 2001, Kansas had 25,638 bridges (third in the nation behind Texas and Ohio). In 2004, the state had 135,017 miles (217,377 kilometers) of public roads. There were 845,000 automobiles, 1.71 million trucks, and some 1,000 buses registered in 2004. In the late 1800s, the two major railroads, the Kansas Pacific (now the Union Pacific) and the Santa Fe (now the Burlington NorthernSanta Fe) acquired more than 10 million acres (4 million hectares) of land in the state and then advertised for immigrants to come and buy it. By 1872, the railroads stretched across the state, creating in their path the towns of Ellsworth, Newton, Caldwell, Wichita, and Dodge City. One of the first “cow towns” was Abilene, the terminal point for all cattle shipped to the East. In 2003, the state had 6,269 route miles (10,093 kilometers) of railroad track. An Amtrak passenger train (the Southwest Chief ) crosses Kansas en route from Chicago to Los Angeles. In 2005, the state had 370 airports. The busiest airport is Kansas City International, with 5,040,595 passengers in 2004. Approximately two-thirds of all business and private aircraft in the United States are built in Kansas. River barges move bulk commodities along the Missouri River. The chief river ports are Atchison, Leavenworth, Lansing, and Kansas City.

11

History

Plains tribes—the Wichita, Pawnee, Kansa, and Osage—were living or hunting in Kansas when Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the earliest Europeans arrived. Around 1800, they were joined on the Central Plains by the nomadic Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, and Kiowa. The first European, explorer Francisco Coronado, entered Kansas in 1541. Between 1682 and 1739, French explorers established trading contacts with the Native Americans. France ceded its claims to the area to Spain in 1762 but received it back from Spain in 1800. Most of Kansas was sold to the United States by France as part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. (The extreme southwestern corner was gained after the Mexican War.) Early settlement of Kansas was sparse, limited to a few thousand Native Americans—including Shawnee, Delaware, Ojibwa, and Wyandot. These tribes were forcibly removed from their lands and relocated in what is now eastern Kansas. The Santa Fe Trail was opened to wagon traffic in 1822, and for 50 years that route, twothirds of which lay in Kansas, was of commercial importance to the West. During the 1840s and 1850s, thousands of migrants crossed northeastern Kansas on the California-Oregon Trail. Kansas Territory was created by the KansasNebraska Act (30 May 1854). Almost immediately, disputes arose as to whether Kansas would enter the Union as a free or slave state. Both freestaters and pro-slavery settlers were brought in, and a succession of governors tried to mediate between the two groups. Statehood Kansas entered the Union on 29

January 1861 as a free state, and Topeka was named the capital. Although Kansas lay west of the major Civil War action, more than twothirds of its adult males served in the Union Army and gave it the highest military death rate among the northern states. Following the Civil 49

Kansas

The John Ritchie House (left) and the Hale Ritchie House, a stop on the Underground Railroad. AP IMAGES.

War, settlement expanded in Kansas, particularly in the central part of the state. White settlers encroached on the hunting grounds of the Plains tribes, and their settlements were attacked in retaliation. Most of the Native Americans were eventually removed to the Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma. By 1872, both the Union Pacific and the Santa Fe railroads had crossed Kansas, and other lines were under construction. Rail expansion brought more settlers, who established new communities. It also led to the great Texas cattle drives that meant prosperity to a number of Kansas towns—including Abilene, Ellsworth, Wichita, Caldwell, and Dodge City—from 1867 50

to 1885. This was when Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and Wild Bill Hickok reigned in Dodge City and Abilene—the now romantic era of the Old West. A strain of hard winter wheat that proved particularly well-suited to the state’s soil was brought to Kansas in the 1870s by Russian Mennonites fleeing czarist rule, and Plains agriculture was transformed. Significant changes in agriculture, industry, transportation, and communications came after 1900. Mechanization became commonplace in farming, and vast areas were opened to wheat production, particularly during World War I. The Progressive movement of the early 1900s focused attention on control Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kansas

of monopolies, public health, labor legislation, and more representative politics. The Modern Age Kansas suffered through the Great Depression of the 1930s. The state’s western region, part of the Dust Bowl, was hardest hit. Improved weather conditions and the demands of World War II revived Kansas agriculture in the 1940s. The World War II era also saw the development of industry, especially in transportation. Other heavy industry grew, and mineral production—oil, natural gas, salt, coal, and gypsum—expanded greatly.

Since World War II, Kansas has become increasingly urban. Agriculture has become highly commercialized, and there are dozens of large industries that process and market farm products and supply materials to crop producers. Livestock production, especially in closely controlled feedlots, is a major enterprise. Recent governors have worked to expand international exports of Kansas products, and by 1981/82, Kansas ranked seventh among the states in agricultural exports, with sales of more than $1.6 billion. The late 1980s and early 1990s brought dramatic extremes of weather. A severe drought in 1988 drove up commodity prices and depleted grain stocks. From April through September of 1993, Kansas experienced the worst floods of the century. Some 13,500 people evacuated their homes, and the floods caused $574 million dollars worth of damage. In 1999, the Kansas Board of Education voted 6–4 to adopt standards that downplayed the importance of evolution and omitted the Big Bang theory of the universe’s origin from the curriculum. The standards drew national attention. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The bronze sculpture Ad Astra on top of the dome of the Kansas state capitol is silhouetted against a full moon. AP IMAGES.

The decision was later reversed. In 2005, the Kansas Board of Education resumed hearings to determine whether evolution should once again be eliminated from state science standards. The Kansas economy improved by 2003, following the 2001 US recession. From 2003– 05, Wichita’s aircraft industry was shored up, business development in small Kansas towns was increasing, and heavy investments were made in bioscience research at universities and medical centers.

12

State Government

The form of Kansas’s constitution was a matter of great national concern, because the question of whether Kansas would be a free or a slave state was in doubt throughout the 1850s. After three draft constitutions failed to win popular support or congressional approval, a fourth version, which banned slavery, was ratified in 1859 and signed by President James Buchanan in 1861. 51

Kansas

Kansas Governors: 1861–2007 1861–1863 1863–1865 1865–1868 1868–1869 1869–1873 1873–1877 1877–1879 1879–1883 1883–1885 1885–1889 1889–1893 1893–1895 1895–1897 1897–1899 1899–1903 1903–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913 1913–1915 1915–1919 1919–1923 1923–1925

Charles Lawrence Robinson Thomas Carney Samuel Johnson Crawford Nehemiah Green James Madison Harvey Thomas Andrew Osborn George Tobey Anthony John Pierce St. John George Washington Glick John Alexander Martin Lyman Underwood Humphrey Lorenzo Dow Lewelling Edmund Needham Morrill John Whitnah Leedy William Eugene Stanley Willis Joshua Bailey Edward Wallis Hoch Walter Roscoe Stubbs George Hartshorn Hodges Arthur Capper Henry Justin Allen Johathan McMillan Davis

Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Populist Republican Populist Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat

This constitution is in force today, with its 92 amendments (as of 2005). The Kansas legislature consists of a 40-member senate and a 125-member house of representatives. Officials elected statewide include the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, and commissioner of insurance. Members of the state Board of Education are elected by districts. The governor cannot serve more than two consecutive terms. Candidates for governor need meet no age, citizenship, or residency requirements as qualifications for office. A bill becomes law when it has been approved by 21 senators and 63 representatives and signed by the governor. A veto can be overridden by two-thirds of the members of both houses. As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $98,331, and the legislative salary was $78.75 per day during regular sessions. 52

1925–1929 1929–1931 1931–1933 1933–1937 1937–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947–1950 1950–1951 1951–1955 1955–1957 1957 1957–1961 1961–1965 1965–1967 1967–1975 1975–1979 1979–1987 1987–1991 1991–1995 1995–2002 2002–

13

Benjamin Sanford Paulen Clyde Martin Reed Harry Hines Woodring Alfred Mossman Landon Walter Augustus Huxman Payne Harry Ratner Andrew Frank Schoeppel Frank Carlson Frank Leslie Hagaman Edward Ferdinand Arn Frederick Lee Hall John Berridge McCuish George Docking John Anderson, Jr. William Henry Avery Robert Blackwell Docking Robert Frederick Bennett John Carlin John Michael Hayden Joan Finney Bill Graves Kathleen Sebelius

Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat

Political Parties

Although the Republicans remain the dominant force in state politics, the Democrats controlled several state offices in the early 2000s. The most recent Democratic governor was Kathleen Sebelius, elected in 2002 and reelected in 2006. Republicans have regularly controlled the state legislature, however. In 2004 there were 1,694,000 registered voters. In 1998, 29% of registered voters were Democratic, 45% Republican, and 26% unaffiliated or members of other parties. In the 2004 election, President George W. Bush won 62% of the vote to Democrat John Kerry’s 36%. In the 2000 election, Republican George W. Bush won 58% of the vote while Democrat Al Gore received 37%. In the 1996 elections, native Kansan and Republican Bob Dole, first elected to the US Senate in 1968 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kansas

Kansas Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

KANSAS WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

PROHIBITION

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

Dewey (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)

351,902 273,296 296,317 363,213 464,028

423,039 616,302 566,878 561,474 386,579

4,603 6,038 — — —

2,807 530 — — 1,901

6,468 6,038 3,048 4,138 5,393

1968 1972

*Nixon (R) *Nixon (R)

302,996 270,287

478,674 619,812

88,921 21,808

— —

2,192 4,188

1976 1980 1984 1988

Ford (R) *Reagan (R) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)

430,421 326,150 333,149 422,636

502,752 566,812 677,296 554,049

4,724 7,555 — 3,806

1992 1996

Bush (R) Dole (R)

390,434 387,659

449,951 583,245

312,358 92,639

399,276 434,993

622,332 736,456

36,086 —

AMERICAN IND.

LIBERTARIAN

3,242 14,470 3,329 12,553

1,403 — — —

4,314 4,557

— —

REFORM

LIBERTARIAN

7,370 9,348

4,525 4,013

IND. (PEROT)


and elected Senate majority leader in 1984, was reelected in 1992. He reclaimed the post of Senate majority leader when the Republicans gained control of the Senate in the elections of 1994. In a surprise move in May 1996, Dole suddenly retired from the Senate to concentrate on his presidential campaign. In November, the race to fill his remaining term was won by Republican Sam Brownback. Brownback won his first full term in 1998, and was reelected in 2004. Kansas’s other Republican Senator is Pat Roberts, reelected in 2002. Following the 2006 election, Republicans and Democrats each held two US congressional seats. In the state legislature following those elections, there were 30 Republicans and 10 Democrats in the state senate and 77 Republicans and 48 Democrats in the state house. Fifty-three women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 32.1%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

14

Local Government

As of 2005, Kansas had 105 counties, 627 incorporated cities, 1,533 special districts, and 304 school districts. In 2002, there were 1,299 townships. Each county government is headed by elected county commissioners. Other county officials include the county clerk, treasurer, register of deeds, attorney, sheriff, clerk of district court, and appraiser. Most cities are run by mayor-council systems.

15

Judicial System

The supreme court, the highest court in the state, is composed of a chief justice and six other justices. An intermediate-level court of appeals consists of a chief judge and six other judges. There are 31 district courts. Kansas had a death penalty until 17 December 2004, when the state’s death penalty statutes were declared unconstitutional. 53

Kansas

However, as of 1 January 2006, eight inmates remained on death row. Kansas’s violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) was 374.5 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2004. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/ theft, and motor vehicle theft) that year totaled 3,973.5 reported incidents per 100,000 people. The state had a prison population of 8,966 as of 31 December 2004.

16

Migration

By the 1770s, Kansas was inhabited by a few thousand Indians, mainly from five tribes: the Kansa (Kaw), the Osage, the Pawnee, the Wichita, and Comanche. The first wave of white migration came during the 1850s with the arrival of New England abolitionists who settled in Lawrence, Topeka, and Manhattan. They were followed by a much larger wave of emigrants from the eastern Missouri and the upper Mississippi Valley, drawn by the lure of wide-open spaces and abundant economic opportunity. The population swelled as a result of the Homestead Act of 1862, which offered land to anyone who would improve it and live on it for five years. The railroads promoted the virtues of Kansas overseas and helped sponsor immigrant settlers. More than 30,000 blacks, mostly from the South, arrived during 1878–80. Crop failures caused by drought in the late 1890s led to extensive out-migration from the western half of the state. Another period of out-migration occurred in the early 1930s, when massive dust storms drove people off the land. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had a net loss of 13,000 in domestic migration and a gain of 24,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, a net total of 38,222 people 54

moved into the state from other countries and 57,763 moved out of the state to other states, for a net loss of 19,541 people.

17

Economy

Agricultural products and meat-packing industries are rivaled by the large aircraft industry centered in Wichita. Four Kansas companies, all located in Wichita, manufacture 70% of the world’s general aviation aircraft. Kansas leads all states in wheat production. The Kansas City metropolitan area is a center of automobile production and printing. Metal fabrication, printing, and mineral products are the main industries in the nine southeastern counties. The national recession of 2001 had a relatively mild impact on the Kansas economy. Despite layoffs in 2001 and 2002, total job creation was positive, in contrast to the nation as a whole. Farming was affected by drought conditions, which persisted into the winter of 2002–2003. Kansas’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 totaled $98.9 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for 15%, followed by real estate (8.8%) and health care and social services (7%).

18

Income

In 2005, Kansas had a gross state product (GSP) of $105 billion, ranking the state 32nd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in highest GSP. In 2004, Kansas had a per capita (per person) income of $31,078. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $43,725, compared to the national average of $44,473. During the same period, 10.7% of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kansas

the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Food products, transportation equipment, printing and publishing, petroleum and coal products, and chemicals accounted for about 70% of the estimated value of shipments, which totaled $56.46 billion in 2004. Kansas is a world leader in aviation, claiming a large share of both US and world production and sales of commercial aircraft. Wichita is a manufacturing center for Boeing, Cessna, Learjet, and Raytheon, which combined manufacture approximately 70% of the world’s general aviation aircraft.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Kansas numbered 1,481,300, with approximately 67,400 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.6%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In April 2006, 4.9% of the labor force was employed in construction; 19.3% in manufacturing; 19.3% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 9.8% in professional and business services; 12.4% in education and health services; 8.4% in leisure and hospitality services; and 18.9% in government. In 2005, 85,000 of Kansas’s 1,210,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 7% of those so employed. The national average is 12%.

21

Agriculture

Known as the breadbasket of the nation, Kansas typically produces more wheat than any other Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

state. It ranked fifth in total farm income in 2005, with cash receipts of $9.7 billion. Between 1940 and 2002, the number of farms declined from 159,000 to 64,500. Income from crops in 2005 totaled $3.1 billion. Other leading crops are alfalfa, hay, oats, barley, popcorn, rye, dry edible beans, corn and sorghums for silage, red clover, and sugar beets.

22


Kansas dairy farmers have an estimated 111,000 milk cows that produced 2.11 billion pounds (0.96 billion kilograms) of milk. In 2001, Kansas poultry farmers sold an estimated 2.2 million pounds (1 million kilograms) of chicken and 434 million eggs worth around $13.6 million. In 2005, Kansas farmers had an estimated 6.65 million cattle and calves worth $5.51 billion (second in the United States). Kansas farmers had an estimated 1.72 million hogs and pigs worth around $160 million in 2004. An estimated 6.9 million pounds (3.1 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs were produced by Kansas farmers in 2003 and sold for $6.1 million.

23

Fishing

There is little commercial fishing in Kansas. Sport fishermen can find bass, crappie, catfish, perch, and pike in the state’s reservoirs and artificial lakes. In 2004, there were 265,238 fishing licenses issued by the state. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ objectives for fisheries include provision of 11.7 million angler trips annually on Kansas reservoirs, lakes, streams, and private waters, while maintaining the quantity and quality of the catch. There are four state hatcheries. 55

Kansas

24

Forestry

Kansas was at one time so barren of trees that early settlers were offered 160 acres (65 hectares) free if they would plant trees on their land. This program was rarely implemented, however, and today much of Kansas is still treeless. Kansas has 1,545,000 acres (625,000 hectares) of forestland, 2.9% of the total state area. There are 1,491,000 acres (491,000 hectares) of commercial timberland, of which 96% are privately owned.

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Kansas was estimated at $754 million in 2004. The leading nonfuel mineral commodities were grade-A helium, portland cement, salt, and crushed stone. Kansas continued to rank first in the nation in producing crude helium and grade-A helium, fifth in salt production, and eighth in the production of gypsum. Production of portland cement in 2004 was 2.69 million metric tons and crushed stone was 19.8 million metric tons.

26

Energy and Power

In 2003, Kansas’s electrical output was 46.56 billion kilowatt hours, 75.4% of which was coalfired. The installed electrical generating capacity (utility and nonutility) was 10.88 million kilowatts. In 2000, the state ranked 18th in energy consumption per capita, with 385 million Btu (97 million kilocalories). In 2004, Kansas was the nation’s eighth-leading oil producer. Output in 2004 totaled 92,000 barrels of crude petroleum per day. There were 56

proven reserves of 245 million barrels in 2004. Natural gas marketed production was 397.1 billion cubic feet (11.2 billion cubic meters) in 2004. Proven reserves that year totaled 4,652 billion cubic feet (132.1 billion cubic meters). Kansas had only one producing coal mine in 2004, a surface mine. Coal production that year totaled 71,000 tons. The state has one single-unit nuclear plant, the Wolf Creek plant in Burlington.

27

Commerce

The state’s wholesale sales totaled $44.1 billion in 2002; retail sales totaled $26.5 billion. Kansas’s agricultural and manufactured goods have an important role in US foreign trade. Exports of goods originating in Kansas totaled $6.7 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The state budget is prepared by the Division of the Budget and is submitted by the governor to the legislature for approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. The state revenues for fiscal year 2004 were $11.04 billion and expenditures were $11.20 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($4.44 billion), public welfare ($2.47 billion), and highways ($1.22 billion). The total indebtedness of state government exceeded $4.57 billion, or about $1,672.06 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

The state individual income tax schedule has three brackets, 3.5%, 6.25%, and 6.45%. The corporate tax rate is 4.0%. In 2005, the state Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kansas

sales tax rate was at 5.3%. Prescription drugs are exempted from the sales tax. Local-option sales taxes can range up to 3%. The state also collects a full set of excise taxes—on motor fuels, insurance premiums, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, amusements, pari-mutuels, public utilities and other selected items. The Kansas inheritance tax is 10% on amounts up to $100,000 and 15% on amounts above $200,000. Other taxes include various license fees, a state property tax, severance taxes for oil and coal, and an oil and gas conservation tax. Property taxes are mainly collected at the local level and are the largest source of income for local governments. Total state tax collections in Kansas came to $5.59 billion in 2005, with 36.6% generated by the state income tax, 35.6% by the state sales tax, 14.1% by state excise taxes, 1.1% by property taxes, 4.4% by the state corporate income tax, and 8.2% by other taxes. Kansas ranked 32nd in the country in terms of state and local tax burden in 2005.

30

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality rate was 6.3 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 9 deaths per 1,000 population. Heart disease was the leading cause of death in the state. About 19.8% of all Kansans ages 18 and older were smokers in 2004. The rate of HIV-related deaths stood at 1.4 per 100,000 population in 2004. Kansas’s 134 community hospitals had about 10,600 beds in 2003. In 2004, Kansas had 235 doctors per 100,000 resident population and 923 nurses per 100,000 population in 2005. In 2004, there was a total of 1,360 dentists in the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

state. In 2003, the average expense for community hospital care was $952 per inpatient day. In 2004, at least 11% of the adult population was uninsured. The University of Kansas has the state’s only medical and pharmacology schools. The university’s Mid-America Cancer Center and Radiation Therapy Center are the major cancer research and treatment facilities in the state. Topeka, a major US center for psychiatric treatment, is home to the world-famous Menninger Clinic, where research and treatment is sponsored in part by The Menninger Foundation.

31

Housing

Kansas has relatively old housing stock. According to a 2004 survey, about 20% of all housing units were built in 1939 or earlier and 49.6% were built between 1940 and 1979. The overwhelming majority (73.8%) were one-unit, detached structures and 69.5% were owner-occupied. The total number of housing units in 2004 was 1,185,114, of which 1,076,366 were occupied. Most units relied on utility gas and electricity for heating. It was estimated that 46,269 units lacked telephone service, 3,554 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 5,093 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.47 people. In 2004, 13,300 privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $102,458. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,013. Renters paid a median of $567 per month. 57

Kansas

32

Education

In 1954, Kansas was the focal point of a US Supreme Court decision that had enormous implications for public education. The court ruled, in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, that Topeka’s “separate but equal” elementary schools for black and white students were inherently unequal and it ordered the school system to integrate. In 2004, 89.6% of those age 25 and older were high school graduates and some 30% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 471,000 in fall 2002. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 41,762. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at more than $3.96 million. As of fall 2002, there were 188,049 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. In 2005, Kansas had 63 degree-granting institutions. There are 9 state universities, 27 two-year community colleges, and 21 private nonprofit four-year institutions. In addition, Kansas has a state technical institute, a municipal university (Washburn University, Topeka), and an American Indian university. Kansas State University was the nation’s first land-grant university. Washburn University and the University of Kansas have the state’s two law schools. The oldest higher-education institution in Kansas is Highland Community College, which was chartered in 1857. The oldest four-year institution is Baker University, a United Methodist institution, which received its charter just three days after Highland’s was issued. 58

33

Arts

The Kansas Arts Commission is a state arts agency governed by a 12-member panel of commissioners appointed for four-year rotating terms by the governor. The Arts Commission is in partnership with the regional Mid-America Arts Alliance. The Kansas Humanities Council, founded in 1972, sponsors programs involving over 500,000 people each year. The largest and most active arts organizations in the state is the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, established in 1944. The Topeka Performing Arts Center presents concerts and shows of a variety of music. Topeka also hosts a symphony.

34


Kansas had 321 public library systems in 2001, with a total of 373 libraries of which 53 were branches. That year, the state’s public library system had 10.4 million volumes and a circulation of 21.48 million. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library in Abilene houses the collection of papers and memorabilia from the 34th president. There is also a museum there. The Menninger Foundation Museum and Archives in Topeka maintains various collections pertaining to psychiatry. The Kansas State Historical Society Library (Topeka) contains the state’s archives. There were about 188 museums, historical societies, and art galleries scattered across the state in 2000. Among the art museums are the Mulvane Art Center in Topeka, the Helen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas (Lawrence), and the Wichita Art Museum. The Dalton Museum in Coffeyville displays memorabilia from the famed Dalton family of desperadoes. La Crosse is the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kansas

home of the Barbed Wire Museum, displaying more than 500 varieties of barbed wire. The Emmett Kelly Historical Museum in Sedan honors the world-famous clown born there. The US Cavalry Museum is on the grounds of Ft. Riley.

35

Communications

In 2004, about 94.8% of all households had telephone service. By June of that year, there were 1,345,160 mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 63.8% of Kansas households had a computer, and 54.3% had Internet access. The state had 15 major AM and 54 major FM radio stations, 14 major commercial television stations, and 4 public television stations in 2005.

36

Press

The first newspaper in the state was the Shawnee Sun, a Shawnee-language newspaper founded by missionary Jotham Meeker in 1833. In 2005, Kansas had 43 daily newspapers and 14 Sunday papers. Leading newspapers and their daily circulations in 2005 were the Wichita Eagle (96,506) and the Topeka Capital-Journal (89,469). The Kansas City Star (from Missouri) is widely read in both the Kansas and Missouri metropolitan areas.

37


Kansas has 23 state parks, 24 federal reservoirs, 48 state fishing lakes, and more than 100 privately owned campsites. There are two national historic sites, Fort Larned and Fort Scott, both 19th century frontier army bases. The most popular tourist attraction, with over 2.4 million visitors in 2002, is Cabela’s (Kansas City), a 190,000 square-foot showroom and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

shopping center featuring a mule deer museum, a 65,000 gallon aquarium, a gun library, and Yukon base camp grill. The next ranking visitor sites in 2002 were Harrah’s Prairie Band Casino (Mayetta), the Kansas City Speedway, Sedgwick County Zoo (Wichita), Woodlands Race Tracks (Kansas City), New Theatre Restaurant (Overland Park), Exploration Place (Wichita) and the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center (Hutchinson). The state fair is held in Hutchinson. Topeka features a number of tourist attractions, including the Kansas Museum of History and the Menninger Foundation. Dodge City offers a reproduction of Old Front Street as it was when the town was the “cowboy capital of the world.” In Hanover stands the only remaining original and unaltered Pony Express station. A recreated “Little House on the Prairie,” near the childhood home of author Laura Ingalls Wilder, is 13 miles (21 kilometers) southwest of Independence. The Eisenhower Center in Abilene contains the 34th president’s family home, library, and museum.

38

Sports

There are no major professional sports teams in Kansas. The minor league Wichita Wranglers play in the AA Texas League. There is also a minor league hockey team in Wichita. During spring, summer, and early fall, horses are raced at Eureka Downs. The national Greyhound Association Meet is held in Abilene. The University of Kansas and Kansas State both play collegiate football in the Big Twelve Conference. The National Junior College Basketball Tournament is held in Hutchinson each March. The Kansas Relays take place at Lawrence in April. The Flint Hills Rodeo 59

Kansas

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969), shown here with his wife, Mamie, was born in Texas but grew up in Abilene, Kansas. He was elected the 34th president in 1952 and was reelected in 1956. NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

in Strong City is one of many rodeos held statewide. A sporting event unique to Kansas is the International Pancake Race, held in Liberal each Shrove Tuesday. Women wearing housedresses, aprons, and scarves run along an S-shaped course carrying skillets and flipping pancakes as they go.

39

Famous Kansans

Kansas claims only one US president and one US vice president. Dwight D. Eisenhower (b.Texas, 1890–1969) was elected the 34th president in 1952 and was reelected in 1956. 60

Charles Curtis (1860–1936) was vice president during the Herbert Hoover administration. Two Kansans have been associate justices of the US Supreme Court: David J. Brewer (1837–1910) and Charles E. Whittaker (1901–1973). Prominent US senators include Robert “Bob” Dole (b.1923), who was the Republican candidate for vice-president in 1976, twice served as Senate majority leader, and was his party’s presidential candidate in 1996; and Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker (b.1932), who was first elected to the US Senate in 1978 but retired in 1997. Gary Hart (b.1936) was a senator and a presidential candidate in 1984 and 1988. Other prominent Kansan political figures included Alfred M. Landon (1887–1984), a former governor who ran for US president on the Republican ticket in 1936; and Carrie Nation (b. Kentucky, 1846–1911), the prohibition activist. Leaders in medicine and science include the Menninger doctors—C. F. (1862–1953), William (1899–1966), and Karl (1893–1990)— who established the Menninger Foundation, a leading center for mental health; and Clyde Tombaugh (1906–1997), who discovered the planet Pluto. Kansas also had several pioneers in aviation including Clyde Cessna (b.Iowa, 1880–1954), Walter Beech (1891–1950), and Amelia Earhart (1898–1937). William Coleman (1870–1957) was an innovator in lighting, and Walter Chrysler (1875–1940) was a prominent automotive developer. Most famous of Kansas writers was William Allen White (1868–1944), whose son William L. White (1900–1973) also had a distinguished literary career. Damon Runyon (1884–1946) was a popular journalist and storyteller, and Gordon Parks (1912–2006) made his mark in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kansas

literature, photography, and music. Mort Walker (Mortimer Walker Addison, b.1923) is a famous cartoonist. William Inge (1913–1973) was a prize-winning playwright who contributed to the Broadway stage. Notable painters include John Noble (1874–1934) and John Steuart Curry (1897– 1946). Jazz great Charlie “Bird” Parker (Charles Christopher Parker, Jr., 1920–1955) was born in Kansas City. Stage and screen notables include Joseph “Buster” Keaton (1895–1966), Louise Brooks (1906–1985), Edward Asner (b.1929), and Kirstie Alley (b.1955). The clown Emmett Kelly (1898–1979) was a Kansan. Glenn Cunningham (1909–1988) and Jim Ryun (b.1947) both set running records for the mile. Also prominent in sports history were James Naismith (b.Ontario, Canada, 1861– 1939), the inventor of basketball, and baseball pitcher Walter Johnson (1887–1946).


40

Bibliography

BOOKS Averill, Thomas Fox. Soldier of Democracy: A Biography of Dwight Eisenhower. New York: Doubleday, 1945, 1952. Bjorklund, Ruth. Kansas. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Deady, Kathleen W. Kansas Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Kansas. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Nelson, Julie. Kansas City Chiefs. Mankato, MN: Creative Education, 2000. Zeinert, Karen. Tragic Prelude: Bleeding Kansas. North Haven, CT: Linnet, 2001. WEB SITES Kansas Travel and Tourism. Kansas: As Big as You Think. www.travelks.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Kansas Web Site www.state.ks.us (accessed March 1, 2007).

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Kentucky Commonwealth of Kentucky

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Possibly derived from

the Wyandot Indian word Kah-ten-tah-teh (land of tomorrow). N I CKNAME : The Bluegrass State. C AP ITAL: Frankfort. ENT ERED UNION: 1 June 1792 (15th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the center are two men exchanging greetings; above and below them is the state motto. On the periphery are two sprigs of goldenrod and the words “Commonwealth of Kentucky.” FLAG: A simplified version of the state seal on a blue field. M OT TO: United We Stand, Divided We Fall. SONG: “My Old Kentucky Home.” C OLORS: Blue and gold. FLOWER: Goldenrod. TREE: Tulip poplar. A NIMAL: Gray squirrel. B IRD: Cardinal. FISH: Bass. IN S ECT: Viceroy butterfly. FOSSIL: Brachiopod. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January, plus one extra day; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Good Friday, March or April, half-day holiday; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November, plus one extra day; Christmas Day, 25 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

December, plus one extra day. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT; 6 AM CST = noon

GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the eastern south-central United States, the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the smallest of the eight south-central states and ranks 37th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Kentucky is 40,409 square miles (104,659 square kilometers), of which land makes up 39,669 square miles (102,743 square kilometers) and inland water 740 square miles (1,917 square kilometers). The state extends about 350 miles (563 kilometers) east-west and 175 miles (282 kilometers) north-south. Its total boundary length is 1,290 miles (2,076 kilometers). Because of a double bend in the Mississippi River, about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers) of south63

Kentucky

west Kentucky is separated from the rest of the state by a narrow strip of Missouri.

2

Topography

The eastern quarter of the state is dominated by the Cumberland Plateau, which is on the western border of the Appalachians. At its western edge, the plateau meets the uplands of the Lexington Plain (known as the Bluegrass region) to the north and the hilly Pennyroyal to the south. These two regions, which together make up nearly half the state’s area, are separated by a narrow curving plain known as the Knobs, because of the shapes of its eroded hills. The most level area of the state consists of the western coalfields bounded by the Pennyroyal to the east and the Ohio River to the north. In the far west are the coastal plains of the Mississippi River, a region commonly known as the Purchase, having been purchased from the Chickasaw Indians. The highest point in Kentucky is Black Mountain on the southeastern boundary in Harlan County, at 4,139 feet (2,162 meters). The lowest point is 257 feet (78 meters), along the Mississippi River in Fulton County. The only large lakes in Kentucky are artificial. The biggest is Cumberland Lake, at 79 square miles (205 square kilometers). Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, and Dale Hollow Lake straddle the border with Tennessee. Kentucky claims at least 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers) of navigable rivers. Among the most important of Kentucky’s rivers are the Kentucky (259 miles/417 kilometers), the Cumberland, the Tennessee, the Big Sandy, Green, Licking, and Tradewater rivers. Completion in 1985 of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, linking the Tennessee and Tombigbee rivers in Alabama, 64

Kentucky Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

4,206,074 4.1% 1.7% 98.9% 89.9% 7.2% 0.2% 0.9% 0.1% 0.7% 1.0%


Under 18 (24%)

65 and over (13%)

45 to 64 (26%)

18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Louisville/Jefferson Lexington-Fayette Owensboro Bowling Green Covington Richmond Hopkinsville Henderson Frankfort Florence

Population

% change 2000–05

556,429 268,080 55,459 52,272 42,811 30,893 28,821 27,666 27,210 26,349

NA 2.9 2.6 6.0 -1.3 13.8 -4.2 1.1 -1.9 11.9




Reelfoot Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

FULTON

HICKMAN

Kentucky L.

CALLOWAY

e has Purc MARSHALL

24

Fort Campbell Military Reservation

Hopkinsville

CHRISTIAN

Barkley L.

24

TRIGG

Pkwy

GRAVES

DAVIESS

Owensboro

MUHLENBERG

TODD

OHIO

65

SIMPSON

Bowling Green

cky

LARUE

Barren River Lake

land

Pkw

y.

MONROE CUMBERLAND

Cumber

METCALFE

ADAIR

MARION

CLINTON

WAYNE

FAYETTE

GARRARD

ROCKCASTLE

Daniel Boone National Forest

MC CREARY

PULASKI

75

ESTILL

CLAY

KY Ridge S. F.

BELL


WHITLEY

75

LEE

ELLIOTT

BOYD

PIKE

Fo rk

R.

VIRGINIA

Jefferson National Forest

LETCHER

KNOTT

FLOYD

WEST VIRGINIA MARTIN

Paintsville Lake S. P.

JOHNSON

LAWRENCE

Lake

Cumberland Gap National Historic Park

HARLAN

PERRY

BREATHITT

Mt. Pkwy.

MAGOFFIN

MORGAN

LESLIE

Combs

WOLFE

MENIFEE

ROWAN

64 Grayson

CARTER

GREENUP

OHIO


LEWIS

OWSLEY

KNOX

Powell

LAUREL

JACKSON

MADISON

BATH

FLEMING

MASON

MONTGOMERY

NICHOLAS

ROBERTSON

CLARK

BOURBON

HARRISON

JESSAMINE

LINCOLN

Ohio R. Kincaid Lake S. P.

PENDLETON BRACKEN

CAMPBELL

Lexington

Lake Cumberland

RUSSELL

CASEY

BOYLE

MERCER

Pkw

y.

WOODFORD

Frankfort

SCOTT

75

GRANT

FRANKLIN

OWEN

275

Covington BOONE

IN AT LL GA

ANDERSON

WASHINGTON

s

ras

eg

Blu

TAYLOR

GREEN

Mammoth Cave National Park BARREN

SHELBY

71

SPENCER

NELSON

JEFFERSON

A. Lincoln 65Birthplace HART

y. w Pk

OLDHAM

HENRY

CARROLL TRIMBLE

Louisville 64 BULLITT

Fort Knox HARDIN

ALLEN

EDMONSON

WARREN

BUTLER

tu Ken W.

GRAYSON

Rough River Lake

BRECKINRIDGE

MEADE

INDIANA

TENNESSEE

LOGAN

Lake Malone St. Park

MC LEAN

Audubon Pkwy.

v Ri

MC CRACKEN

Paducah

CALDWELL

HOPKINS

WEBSTER

HENDERSON

Henderson

HANCOCK

wy Pk

CARLISLE

LYON

CRITTENDEN

UNION

Pennyrile

BALLARD

LIVINGSTON

Ohio R.

50 miles

50 kilometers

ILLINOIS

25

25

N

Area of Interest


State Capital


City (25,000-100,000 people)

en Gre

er

MISSOURI

0

0

64

Explanation

Point of Interest

g Tu

on

R.

ck s

g

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Ja

Bi n Sa

Pkwy

KENTON

KENTUCKY

Kentucky

65

Kentucky

uplands. In Louisville, the normal monthly mean temperature ranges from 33°f (1°c) in January to 76°f (24°c) in July. The record high for the state was 114°f (46°c), set in Greensburg on 28 July in 1930. The record low, -37°f (-40°c), was set in Shelbyville of 19 January 1994.The average daily relative humidity in Louisville ranges from 58% to 81%. The normal annual precipitation is 44.5 inches (113 centimeters). Snowfall totals about 18 inches (46 centimeters) a year.

4

Mammoth Cave National Park, visited each year by over 1.8 million people, contains an estimated 150 miles (241 kilometers) of underground passages. WWW. KENTUCKYTOURISM.COM.

gave Kentucky’s Appalachian coalfields direct water access to the Gulf of Mexico for the first time. Drainage through porous limestone rock of the Pennyroyal has created underground passages, the best known of which is Mammoth Cave, now a national park. The Cumberland Falls, 92 feet (28 meters) high and 100 feet (30 meters) wide, are located in Whitely County.

3

Climate

Kentucky has a moderate, relatively humid climate, with abundant rainfall. The southern and lowland regions are slightly warmer than the 66

Plants and Animals

Kentucky’s forests are mostly of the oak and hickory variety, with some beech and maple areas. Four species of magnolia are found and the tulip poplar, eastern hemlock, and eastern white pine are also common. Kentucky’s famed bluegrass is actually blue only in May, when dwarf iris and wild columbine are in bloom. Rare plants include the swamp loosestrife and showy gentian. In April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed eight Kentucky plant species as threatened or endangered, including Braun’s rock-cress, Cumberland sandwort, running buffalo clover, and Short’s goldenrod. Game mammals include the raccoon, muskrat, and opossum. The eastern chipmunk and flying squirrel are common small mammals. At least 300 bird species have been recorded, including blackbirds, cardinals (the state bird), and robins. More than 100 types of fish have been identified. Rare animal species include the swamp rabbit, black bear, raven (Corvus corax), and mud darter. In April 2006, there were 31 animal species listed as threatened or endangered, including three species of bat (Indiana, Virginia bigeared, and gray), bald eagle, puma, piping ploJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kentucky

Kentucky Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4,041,769 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,999,326 . . . . . . 98.9 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,863 . . . . . . . 1.0 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,084 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,842 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,728 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .633 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,166 . . . . . . . 0.2 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,174 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .571 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . .141 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,126 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . .30 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .251 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .592 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,580 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

ver, Kentucky cave shrimp, and three species of pearly mussel.

5


The National Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet is the primary state agency for the environment. The Environmental Quality Commission, a watchdog group for environmental concerns, is a citizen’s group of seven members appointed by the governor. The most serious environmental concern in Kentucky is repairing and minimizing damage to land and water from strip-mining. Also active in environmental matters is the Department of Environmental Protection, consisting of four divisions. The Division of Water Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

administers the state’s Safe Drinking Water and Clean Water acts and regulation of sewage disposal. The Division of Waste Management oversees solid waste disposal systems in the state. The Air Pollution Control Division monitors industrial discharges into the air and other forms of air pollution. A special division is concerned with Maxey Flats, a closed nuclear waste disposal facility in Fleming County, where leakage of radioactive materials was discovered. Flooding is a chronic problem in southeastern Kentucky, where strip-mining has exacerbated soil erosion. In 2003, Kentucky had 149 hazardous waste sites, 14 of which were on the National Priorities List, as of 2006. 67

Kentucky

6

Population

In 2005, Kentucky ranked 26th in population among the 50 states, with an estimated total of 4,206,074 residents. The projected population for 2025 is 4.48 million. The population density in 2004 was 104.7 persons per square mile (40.49 persons per square kilometer). In that same year, the median age was 37.3. In 2005, those 65 years or older accounted for 13% of all residents, while 24% of all residents were 18 years old or younger. As of 2005, Louisville-Jefferson County had an estimated population of around 556,429 people. Lexington-Fayette had an estimated population of about 268,080. The population of Louisville metropolitan area (includes portions of Kentucky and Indiana) was estimated at 1,200,847.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, the number of black Americans in Kentucky stood at 295,994 residents, representing 7.3% of the population. In 2006, the percentage of black residents was 7.2%. In 2000, the state’s Asian population was estimated at 29,744, and the Native American population was estimated at 8,616. In that same year, there were also 3,818 Koreans, 6,771 Asian Indians, 3,683 Japanese, 3,596 Vietnamese, and 5,397 Chinese. A total of 59,939 residents (1.5%) were Hispanic or Latino in 2000, with 31,385 reporting Mexican ancestry and 6,469 of Puerto Rican ancestry. In 2006, the Hispanic or Latino population accounted for 1.7% of all Kentucky residents. Pacific Islanders numbered 1,460, in 2000, while there were 80,271 foreignborn residents in that same year (about 2% of 68

the total population). Among persons reporting a single ancestry a total of 391,542 were English, 514,955 were German, 424,133 were Irish, and 66,147 were French.

8

Languages

Speech patterns in the state generally reflect the Virginia and Kentucky backgrounds of the first settlers. South Midland features are best preserved in the mountains, but some common to Midland and Southern are widespread. Other regional features are typically both South Midland and Southern. After a vowel, the /r/ sound may be weak or missing. In southern Kentucky, earthworms are called redworms, a burlap bag is a tow sack, and green beans are called snap beans. Subregional terms appear in abundance. In the east, kindling is pine and a seesaw is a ridyhorse. In central Kentucky, a moth is a candlefly. In 2000, of all residents five years old and older, 96.1% spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Spanish, German, Korean, and Chinese.

9

Religions

Throughout its history, Kentucky has been predominantly Protestant. The New Light Baptists immigrated from Virginia to Kentucky under the leadership of Lewis Craig and built the first church in the state near Lancaster in 1781. The first Methodist Church was established near Danville in 1783. In 1784, the Roman Catholics also built a church. As of 2000, Evangelical Protestantism was predominant with the single largest denomination within the state being the Southern Baptists Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kentucky

Convention with 979,994 adherents. The next largest Protestant denomination was the United Methodist Church with 208,720 adherents, but reported only 152,727 members in 2003. In 2000, the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ with 106,638 adherents. The Roman Catholic Church had about 382,042 members in 2004. There were an estimated 11,350 Jews in Kentucky in 2000, and about 4,696 Muslims. Over 1.8 million people (46.6% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization in the 2000 survey.

The Ohio River and its tributaries, along with the Mississippi, were Kentucky’s primary commercial routes for trade with the South and the West, until railroads became more popular. Louisville, on the Ohio River, is the chief port. Paducah is the outlet port for traffic on the Tennessee River. In 2005 there were 149 airports, 58 heliports and 1 STOLport (Short Take-Off and Landing) in Kentucky. The largest of these is Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport, with 10,864,547 passenger boardings in 2004.

10

11

Transportation

As of 2003, Kentucky had 2,823 miles (4,545 kilometers) of railroad track, with five Class I railroads operating in the state. Rail service to the state, nearly all of which was freight, was provided by 15 railroads. As of 2006, there were four Amtrak stations in Kentucky. The trails of Indians and buffalo became the first roads in Kentucky. Throughout the 19th century, counties called on their citizens to maintain some roads although maintenance was haphazard. The best roads were the toll roads. This system came to an end as a result of the “tollgate war” of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a rebellion in which masked Kentuckians, demanding free roads, raided tollgates and assaulted their keepers. In 1912, a state highway commission was created, and by 1920, roads had improved considerably. In 2004, Kentucky had 77,366 miles (124,559 kilometers) of public roads and 2.8 million licensed drivers. In the same year, there were some 1.855 million automobiles, about 1.415 million trucks, and around 2,000 buses registered in the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

History

No Native American nations resided in central and eastern Kentucky when these areas were first explored by British-American surveyors Thomas Walker and Christopher Gist in 1750 and 1751. The dominant Shawnee and Cherokee tribes utilized the region as a hunting ground, returning to homes in the neighboring territories of Ohio and Tennessee. The first permanent colonial settlement in Kentucky was established at Harrodstown (now Harrodsburg) in 1774. North Carolina speculator Richard Henderson, assisted by famed woodsman Daniel Boone, purchased a huge tract of land in central Kentucky from the Cherokee and established Fort Boonesborough. Henderson sought approval for creation of a 14th colony, but the plan was blocked by Virginians, who in 1776 incorporated the region as the County of Kentucky. Kentucky became the principal gateway for migration into the Mississippi Valley. By the late 1780s, its settlements were growing, and it was obvious that Kentucky could not long remain 69

Kentucky

Kentucky Governors: 1792–2007 1792–1796 1796–1804 1804–1808 1808–1812 1812–1816 1816 1816–1820 1820–1824 1824–1828 1828–1832 1832–1834 1834–1836 1836–1839 1839–1840 1840–1844 1844–1848 1848–1850 1850–1851 1851–1855 1855–1859 1859–1862 1862–1863 1863–1867 1867 1867–1871 1871–1875 1875–1879 1879–1883 1883–1887 1887–1891 1891–1895 1895–1899

Isaac Shelby James Garrard Christopher Greenup Charles Scott Isaac Shelby George Madison Gabriel Slaughter John Adair Joseph Desha Thomas Metcalfe John Breathitt James Turner Morehead James Clark Charles Anderson Wickliffe Robert Perkins Letcher William Owsley John Jordan Crittenden John Larue Helm Lazarus Whitehead Powell Charles Slaughter Morehead Beriah Magoffin James Fisher Robinson Thomas E. Bramlette John Larue Helm John White Stevenson Preston Hopkins Leslie James Bennett McCreary Luke Pryor Blackburn James Procter Knott Simon Bolivar Buckner John Young Brown William O’Connell Bradley

Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Republican Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Nat-Rep Democrat Democrat Whig Whig Whig Whig Whig Democrat Democrat American Democrat Democrat Union-Dem Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican

under the control of Virginia. In June 1792, Kentucky entered the Union as the 15th state. State Development Kentucky became a center

for breeding and racing fine thoroughbred horses, an industry that still thrives today. More important was the growing and processing of tobacco, which accounted for half the agricultural income of Kentucky farmers by 1860. Finally, whiskey began to be produced in vast quantities by the 1820s, culminating in the development of a fine, aged amber-red brew known throughout the world as bourbon, after Bourbon County. 70

1899–1900 1900 1900–1907 1907–1911 1911–1915 1915–1919 1919 1919–1923 1923–1927 1927–1931 1831–1835 1835–1839 1839–1843 1943–1947 1947–1950 1950–1955 1955–1959 1959–1963 1963–1967 1967–1971 1971–1974 1974–1979 1979–1983 1983–1987 1987–1991 1991–1995 1995–2003 2003–

William Sylvester Taylor Republican William Goebel Democrat John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham Democrat Augustus Everett Willson Republican James Bennett McCreary Democrat Augustus Owsley Stanley Democrat James Dixon Black Democrat Edwin Porch Morrow Republican William Jason Fields Democrat Flem Davis Sampson Republican Ruby Laffoon Democrat Albert Benjamin Chandler Democrat Keen Johnson Democrat Simeon Slavens Willis Republican Earle Chester Clements Democrat Lawrence Winchester Wetherby Democrat Albert Benjamin Chandler Democrat Bertram Thomas Combs Democrat Edward Thompson Breathitt Democrat Louie Broady Nunn Republican Wendell Hampton Ford Democrat Julian Morton Carroll Democrat John Young Brown, Jr. Democrat Martha Layne Collins Democrat Wallace G. Wilkinson Democrat Brereton Chandler Jones Democrat Paul E. Patton Democrat Ernie Fletcher Republican

Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep National Republican – Nat-Rep Union Democrat – Union-Dem

During the Civil War, Kentuckians were forced to choose sides between the Union, led in the North by Kentucky native Abraham Lincoln, and the Confederacy, led in the South by Kentucky native Jefferson Davis. Although the state legislature finally opted for the Union side, approximately 30,000 men went south to Confederate service, while up to 100,000— including nearly 24,000 black soldiers—served in the Union army. In the decades following the war, railroad construction increased threefold and exploitation of timber and coal reserves began in eastJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kentucky

ern Kentucky. By 1900, Kentucky ranked first among southern states in per capita (per person) income. However, wealth remained very unevenly distributed—a third of all Kentucky farmers were landless tenants. The gubernatorial election scandal of 1899, in which Republican William S. Taylor was charged with fraud and reform-minded Democrat William Goebel was assassinated, polarized the state. Outside investment plummeted, and Kentucky fell into a prolonged economic depression. By 1940, the state ranked last among the 48 states in per capita income and was burdened by an image of poverty and feuding clans. The Great Depression hit the state hard, though an end to Prohibition revived the inactive whiskey industry. Post-World War II Kentucky has changed greatly

since World War II. Between 1945 and 1980, the number of farms decreased by 53%, while the number of manufacturing plants increased from 2,994 to 3,504 between 1967 and 1982. Although Kentucky remains one of the poorest states in the nation, positive change is evident even in relatively isolated rural communities, the result of better roads, education, television, and government programs. In the early 1990s, public corruption became a major issue in Kentucky politics. In a sting operation code-named Boptrot, legislators were filmed by hidden cameras accepting payments from lobbyists. Fifteen state legislators, lobbyists, and public figures were convicted or charged with bribery, extortion, fraud, and racketeering. An investigation carried out at the same time charged the husband of former Governor Martha Layne Collins, Dr. William Collins, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

with collecting $1.7 million in bribes while his wife was in office. In 1990, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that the state’s public education system was unconstitutional and ordered the state legislature to develop a new system of school administration and funding. The legislature responded with the Kentucky Education Reform Act, which it passed that same year and was implemented over the next five years. In 2003, Republican Ernie Fletcher was elected governor, and by 2005, had moved to make the state more business-friendly through the creation of a more flexible tax code, improvements in the quality of education, encouraging more healthy lifestyles, and other governmental and administrative reforms.

12

State Government

The state legislature, called the General Assembly, consists of the House of Representatives, which has 100 members elected for 2-year terms, and the Senate with 38 members elected for staggered 4-year terms. Except for revenue-raising measures, which must be introduced in the House of Representatives, either chamber may introduce or amend a bill. Most bills may be passed by majority votes equal to at least two-fifths of the membership of each house. A majority of the members of each house is required to override the governor’s veto. The elected executive officers of Kentucky include the governor and lieutenant governor (elected jointly), secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, auditor of public accounts, and commissioner of agriculture. All serve 4-year terms and may succeed themselves only once. 71

Kentucky

Kentucky Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

KENTUCKY WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

DEMOCRAT

PROHIBITION

STATES’ RIGHTS PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

1948 1952 1956 1960

*Truman (D) Stevenson (D) *Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R)

466,756 495,729 476,453 521,855

341,210 495,029 572,192 602,607

10,411 — — —

1,245 1,161 2,145 —

1,567 — — —

1,284 — — —

1964

*Johnson (D)

669,659

372,977

—

—

STATES’ RIGHTS

3,469

AMERICAN IND.

1968

*Nixon (R)

397,541

462,411

193,098

— SOC. WRKRS

—

—

AMERICAN

PEOPLE’S

2,843

1,118 —

— —

1972 1976


371,159 615,717

676,446 531,852

— 2,328

17,627 8,308

LIBERTARIAN

CITIZENS

1980 1984 1988


617,417 539,539 580,368

635,274 821,702 734,281

— — 4,994

— — 1,256

5,531 1,776 2,118

1,304 599 —

1992 1996


665,104 636,614

617,178 623,283

203,944 120,396

430 —

4,513 4,009

989 —

LIBERTARIAN

REFORM

2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 638,898 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 712,733 *Won US presidential election.

872,492 1,069,439

2,896 —

4,173 —

23,192 2,619

__ __

IND. (PEROT)

As of December 2004, the governor’s salary was $127,146, and most legislators received less than $14,000 per year based upon salaries of $166.34 per day when the legislature is in session.

13

Political Parties

Regional divisions in party affiliation during the Civil War era, based upon sympathy with the South (Democrats) or with the Union (Republicans), have persisted in the state’s voting patterns. In general, in the 21st century, the poorer mountain areas tend to vote Republican, while the more affluent lowlanders in the Bluegrass and Pennyroyal areas tend to vote Democratic. In 1983, Martha Layne Collins, a Democrat, defeated Republican candidate Jim Bunning to 72

become Kentucky’s first woman governor. In 2004 there were 2,819,000 registered voters. In 1998, the party affiliation of registered voters was 61% Democratic, 32% Republican, and 7% unaffiliated or members of other parties. Republican Ernie Fletcher was elected governor in 2003. Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore 57% to 41% in the 2000 US presidential campaign. Bush also defeated Democrat John Kerry 59.5% to 39.7% in the 2004 presidential election. Following the 2006 midterm elections, Republicans held 21 seats in the state senate, while Democrats held 16, and 1 was held by an independent. However in the state house, the Democrats continued to dominate, with 61 seats, to the Republicans’ 39. Sixteen women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 11.6%. At the national level, Kentucky was repreJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kentucky

sented by Republican senators Mitch McConnell (reelected in 2002) and Jim Bunning (elected in 1998 and reelected in 2004). In the US House of Representatives, there were two Democrats and four Republicans following the 2006 elections.

14

Local Government

The chief governing body of Kentucky’s counties is the fiscal court. Elected officials include magistrates, commissioners, and sheriffs. As of 2005, the state had 120 counties and 424 cities. Cities are assigned by the General Assembly to one of six classes on the basis of population. Kentucky has two first-class cities, Louisville and Lexington. The mayor or other chief executive officer in the top three classes must be elected. In the bottom classes, the executive may be either elected by the people, or appointed by a city council or commission. Other units of local government in Kentucky included 720 special-purpose districts and 176 public school districts in 2005.

15

Judicial System

Judicial power in Kentucky is vested in a unified court of justice. The highest court is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and six associate justices. It has appeals jurisdiction and also bears responsibility for the budget and administration of the entire system. The court of appeals consists of 14 judges, 2 elected from each supreme court district. Circuit courts, with original and appeals jurisdiction, are held in each county. There are 56 judicial circuits. Under the revised judicial system, district courts, which have limited and original jurisdiction, replaced various local and county courts. In 2004, Kentucky had a vioJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

lent crime (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) rate of 244.9 crimes per 100,000 people. As of 31 December 2004, there were 17,814 prisoners in Kentucky’s state and federal prisons. The state has a death penalty, of which the sole method of execution is lethal injection for those sentenced after 31 March 1998. Those inmates sentenced before that date may select electrocution, instead of lethal injection. From 1976 through 5 May 2006, the state had executed only 2 persons. As of 1 January 2006, there were 37 inmates on death row.

16

Migration

During the frontier period, Kentucky first attracted settlers from eastern states, especially Virginia and North Carolina. Prominent among early foreign immigrants were people of English and Scotch-Irish ancestry, who tended to settle in the Kentucky highlands, which resembled their Old World homelands. Kentucky’s black population increased rapidly during the first 40 years of statehood through slavery. By the 1830s, however, many Kentucky owners either moved to the Deep South or sold their slaves to new owners in that region. During the 1850s, nearly 16% of Kentucky’s slave population, more than 43,000 people, were sold or moved from the state. A tiny percentage of Kentucky’s blacks, probably fewer than 200, emigrated to Liberia under the auspices of the Kentucky Colonization Society. Until the early 1970s there was a considerable out-migration of whites, especially from eastern Kentucky to industrial areas of Ohio, Indiana, and other nearby states. Between 1990 and 1998, Kentucky had net gains of 90,000 in 73

Kentucky

Bowling Green is the only place where the Chevy Corvette is manufactured. The Corvette Museum is located across the street from the manufacturing plant. WWW. KENTUCKYTOURISM.COM.

domestic migration and 14,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration into the state totaled 27,435 people, while net domestic migration totaled 32,169, for a net gain of 59,604 people.

17

Economy

Although agriculture is still important in Kentucky, manufacturing has grown rapidly since World War II, and was by the mid1980s, the most important area of the economy as a source of both employment and personal income. Kentucky leads the nation in the production of coal and whiskey, and ranks second in 74

tobacco output. In contrast to the generally prosperous Bluegrass area and the growing industrial cities, eastern Kentucky, highly dependent on coal mining, is one of the poorest regions in the United States. During the 1990s, declines in the tobacco, textiles, apparel, and coal mining areas were compensated for by job growth in motor vehicle manufacturing, fabricated metals, and appliances. The national recession of 2001 negatively impacted the economy, however, as manufacturing declined. Nonetheless, Kentucky was one of only five states where employment grew more than 1% in 2002. Kentucky’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 totaled $136.446 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for the largest portion at 21% of GSP, followed by real estate at 9%, and health care and social services at 7.6% of GSP. Of the 83,046 businesses in the state that had employees, 97% were small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, Kentucky had a per capita (per person) personal income of $27,265, which ranked the state 44th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, compared to the national average of $33,050. Median household income for the three-year period 2002–04 was $37,396 in Kentucky, compared to the national average of $44,473. For that period, 15.4% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Manufacturing industries are concentrated in Louisville and Jefferson County, and other cities Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kentucky

along the Ohio River. Kentucky is the leading producer of bourbon whiskey, and is one of the largest producers of trucks in the nation, with assembly plants at Louisville, as well as for automobiles at Bowling Green and Georgetown. The shipment value of manufactured products in 2004 was $97.253 billion. Of that total, transportation equipment accounted for the largest share at $34.220 billion, followed by primary metals at $9.178 billion. In 2004, a total of 246,749 people were employed in Kentucky’s manufacturing sector. Of that total, the transportation equipment manufacturing sector accounted for the largest portion at 50,032, followed by food manufacturing at 22,863.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in Kentucky numbered 2,022,000, with approximately 123,600 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 6.1%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. According to early data on nonfarm employment for that same period, about 4.7% of the labor force was employed in construction; 14.1% in manufacturing; 20.7% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 4.8% in financial activities; 9.4% in professional and business services; 12.9% in educational and health services; 9.2% in leisure and hospitality services; and 17% in government. Although a small number of trade unions existed in Kentucky before the 1850s, it was not until after the Civil War that substantial unionization took place. During the 1930s, there were long, violent struggles between the United Mine Workers (UMW) and the mine owners of eastJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ern Kentucky. The UMW won bargaining rights in 1938, but after World War II the displacement of workers because of mechanization, a drastic drop in the demand for coal, and evidence of mismanagement and corruption within the UMW served to undercut the union’s position. Increased demand for coal in the 1970s led to a substantial increase in jobs for miners and the UMW, under different leaders, began a new drive to organize the Cumberland Plateau. In 2005, a total of 164,000 of Kentucky’s 1,696,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 9.7% of those so employed, under the national average of 12%.

21

Agriculture

With cash receipts totaling $3.9 billion, Kentucky ranked 24th among the 50 states in farm marketings in 2005. Kentucky tobacco, first marketed in New Orleans in 1787, quickly became the state’s most important crop. Corn has long been one of the state’s most important crops, not only for livestock feed, but also as a major ingredient in the distilling of whiskey. In 2004 there were approximately 85,000 farms in Kentucky, with an average size of 162 acres (66 hectares). In that same year, Kentucky farms produced some 234.5 million pounds (106.36 million kilograms) of tobacco, the second most in the nation. Other leading field crops in 2004 included corn for grain, soybeans, wheat, sorghum, and barley.

22


The Bluegrass region, which offers excellent pasturage and drinking water, has become renowned 75

Kentucky

as a center for horse breeding, including thoroughbreds, quarter horses, American saddle horses, Arabians, and standardbreds. In 2004, sales of horses accounted for 23% of Kentucky’s farm receipts. In 2005, Kentucky had an estimated 2.25 million cattle and calves worth $1.82 billion. In 2004, Kentucky farmers had an estimated 350,000 hogs and pigs, worth around $27.6 million. Kentucky also produced an estimated 1.46 billion pounds (0.66 billion kilograms) of milk from 116,000 dairy cows in 2003.

23

Fishing

Fishing is of little commercial importance in Kentucky. In 2004, Kentucky had 580,917 fishing license holders. In 2005, there were 60 catfish farms operating within the state. The Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery in Jamestown raises rainbow and brown trout and stocks 90 different areas within the state.

24

Forestry

In 2004 there were 11,391,000 acres (4,828,000 hectares) of forested land in Kentucky, which is 47% of the state’s land area, with over 90% of the forestland classified as commercially viable for timber production. The most heavily forested areas are in the river valleys of eastern Kentucky, in the Appalachians. In 2004, Kentucky produced 662 million board feet of lumber, nearly all of it in hardwoods. The Division of Forestry of the Department of Natural Resources manages approximately 30,000 acres (12,300 hectares) of state-owned forestland and operates two forest tree nurseries producing 7 to 9 million seedling trees a year. 76

There are two national forests (the Daniel Boone and the Jefferson on Kentucky’s eastern border) enclosing two national wilderness areas. These two national forests had a combined area of 1,415,744 acres (572,952 hectares) in 2005. Gross acreage of all Kentucky lands in the National Forest System was 2,212,000 acres (895,400 hectares) in 20031. National parks in the state include the Mammoth Cave National Park, and the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park on Kentucky’s eastern border.

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Kentucky in 2003 was estimated at $559 million. Nationally, Kentucky ranked 24th in nonfuel mineral production, by value. According to preliminary figures, in 2003, crushed stone accounted for about 57% of nonfuel mineral production value, followed by lime, cement (portland and masonry), and construction sand and gravel. Nationally, the state ranked third in ball clays and in lime, and tenth in common clay. According to early data for 2003, the state produced 8.8 million metric tons of construction sand and gravel, valued at $35.2 million.

26

Energy and Power

In 2003, Kentucky had 62 electric power service providers. In that same year, total net summer generating capacity was 19.068 million kilowatts, with total production at 91.718 billion kilowatt hours. Of the total amount generated, 91.6% came from coal-fired plants, with hydroelectric power accounting for 4.3% of production and 3.2% from petroleum-fired plants. The remaining production came from generatJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kentucky

ing plants using natural gas, or other renewable energy sources. Most of Kentucky’s coal came from the western fields of the interior coal basin until late in the 19th century, when the lower-sulfur Cumberland Plateau coal reserves of the Appalachian region were discovered. In 2004, eastern Kentucky produced 90,871,000 tons of coal, while western Kentucky produced 23,373,000 tons. In that same year, Kentucky had 419 active coal mines, of which 196 were surface (strip) mines and 223 were underground. Recoverable coal reserves as of 2004 stood at 1.129 billion tons. In 2004, Kentucky produced an average of 7,000 barrels per day of crude petroleum. The state’s proven oil reserves in that same year stood at 27 million barrels. Kentucky had 18,075 producing oil wells in 2004. In 2003, Kentucky marketed 87.608 billion cubic feet (2.49 billion cubic meters) of natural gas. As of 31 December 2004, the state had proven reserves of dry or consumer-grade natural gas of 1.880 billion cubic feet (0.157 billion cubic meters). As of 2005, Kentucky had two operating refineries with a combined crude oil refining capacity of 227,500 barrels per day.

27

Commerce

In 2002, Kentucky’s wholesale trade sector had sales totaling $51.8 billion, while the state’s retail sector had sales totaling $40.06 billion, that same year. Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest portion of retail sales in the state in 2002, at $9.5 billion, followed by general merchandise stores at $7.6 billion. Kentucky’s exports to foreign countries in 2005 totaled $14.8 billion. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

28

Public Finance

The Kentucky biennial state budget is prepared by the Governor’s Office for Policy and Management late in each odd-numbered year and submitted by the Governor to the General Assembly for approval. The fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. Total revenues in 2004 totaled $20.180 billion, while total expenditures amounted to $20.072 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($6.39 billion), public welfare ($5.27 billion), and highways ($1.7 billion). The total state debt at the end of 2004 stood at $8.1 billion, or $1,959.55 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, Kentucky’s personal income tax consisted of a six-bracket schedule ranging from 2% to 6%. Corporate income is taxed according to a schedule ranging from 4% to 7%. Kentucky also levies a 6% sales and use tax, that exempts food, if it is eaten off-premises (such as at home). Gasoline and cigarettes are subject to a state excise tax. State tax collections in Kentucky for 2005 totaled $9.1 billion, of which 33.4% was generated by the state’s personal income tax, followed by 28.5% from the state general sales and use tax, 18.2% by state excise taxes, 5.2% by state property taxes, and 5.3% by the state’s corporate income tax. In 2005, the per capita (per person) tax burden amounted to $2,179 as compared to the national average of $2,192. 77

Kentucky

30

Health

In 2003, Kentucky’s overall death rate was 9.8 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants, while the infant mortality rate, as of October 2006, was estimated at 6.6 per 1,000 live births. As of 2002, Kentucky’s death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 people) were 285.8 from heart diseases, 230.6 from cancer, 62.4 from cerebrovascular diseases, 58.7 from chronic lower respiratory diseases, and 30.9 from diabetes. Of all Kentuckians, 27.4% were smokers in 2004, the highest in the nation. There were 2.4 HIVrelated deaths per 100,000 population. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was 6.1 per 100,000 people. Kentucky’s 103 community hospitals had about 14,900 beds in 2003. In 2005, there were 904 nurses per 100,000 people, while in 2004 there were 233 physicians per 100,000 population, and a total of 2,325 dentists throughout the state. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,106 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, about 14% of the population was uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, Kentucky had 1,842,971 housing units, of which 1,647,464 were occupied. About 70.1% were owner-occupied. About 67% of all units were single-family, detached homes, and 13.9% were mobile homes. Though most units relied on utility gas or electricity for heating, about 11,533 units used coke or coal and 37,785 relied on wood. It was estimated that 109,895 units lacked telephone service, 13,677 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 9,421 lacked 78

complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.45 people. In 2004, a total of 22,600 privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $98,438. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $888. Renters paid a median of $503 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, a total of 81.8% of all adults in Kentucky had completed high school, which was below the national average of 84%. Also, 21% of all adults had completed four or more years of college, compared to the national average of 26%. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 650,000 in fall 2003, but is expected to rise to decline to 618,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 71,067. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $5.4 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 225,489 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. Kentucky had 77 degree-granting institutions, as of fall 2005. Kentucky’s higher education facilities included 8 public and 26 private 4-year colleges and universities, and 26 public 2-year schools. The University of Kentucky, established in 1865 at Lexington, is the state’s largest public institution. The University of Louisville (1798) is also state supported.

33

Arts

The Kentucky Arts Council (est. 1965) is authorized to promote the arts through such programs as Arts in Education and the State Arts Resources Program. Ongoing programs include the Craft Marketing Program, which promotes the state’s Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kentucky

craft industry, and the Folklife Program, a partnership with the Kentucky Historical Society. Kentucky Chautauqua, an ongoing program of the Kentucky Humanities Council, sponsors impersonations of ten historical characters from Kentucky’s past who travel across the state for presentations. The Arts Kentucky is a statewide membership organization for artists, performers, craftspeople, and community arts groups. The Actors Theater of Louisville holds a yearly festival of new American plays. In 2006, the festival celebrated its 30th anniversary. The Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville, dedicated in 1983, serves as home to the Louisville Orchestra (est. 1937), the Louisville Ballet (est. 1952), and the Kentucky Opera. As of 2006, the Louisville Ballet has entertained over 75,000 people, annually, and reached more than 15,000 children each year, through its education programs. Bluegrass, a form of country music performed on fiddle and banjo, and played at a rapid tempo, is named after the style pioneered by Kentuckian Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys.

34


In the year ending in June 2001, there were 116 public library systems in Kentucky, with a total of 189 libraries, of which 73 were branches. In that same year, there were over 7.89 million volumes, and a circulation of 20.8 million. The regional library system included university libraries and the state library at Frankfort, as well as city and county libraries. The Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort also maintains a research library of more than 85,000 volumes. The state has over 107 museums. The Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort mainJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

tains the State History Museum and supports a mobile museum system that brings exhibits on Kentucky history to schools, parks, and local gatherings, and aids over 400 local historical organizations. Art museums include the University of Kentucky Art Museum and the Headley-Whitney Museum, both in Lexington. The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville opened 21 November 2005. Among Kentucky’s horse-related museums are the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville, and the International Museum of the Horse in Lexington. The John James Audubon Museum is located in Audubon State Park at Henderson. Leading historical sites include Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace at Hodgenville and the Mary Todd Lincoln and Henry Clay homes in Lexington.

35

Communications

In 2004, only 91.4% of all occupied housing units in the state had a telephone. In 2005, Kentucky had 73 major radio stations (15 AM and 58 FM), as well as 29 major television broadcasting stations, with 17 public broadcasting stations. There were 576,850 television households, 65% of which received cable. In 2003, computers were in 58.1% of all households in the state, while 49.6% had access to the Internet.

36

Press

In 2005, Kentucky had 23 daily newspapers (10 morning, 13 evening), and 14 Sunday papers. The leading Kentucky newspapers, with their 2005 daily circulations, were the Louisville Courier-Journal (207,655) and the Lexington Herald-Leader (114,234). Both were morn79

Kentucky

Historical Park, which extends into Tennessee and Virginia. The state operates 17 resort parks (open year-round). The state also operates 24 recreational parks and 22 historic sites. The Kentucky State Fair is held every August at Louisville.

38

Natural Bridge State Resort, located in the Daniel Boone National Forest, is home to the great natural sandstone arch that spans 78 feet (24 meters) in length and 65 feet (20 meters) in height. WWW.KENTUCKYTOURISM.COM.

ing and Sunday papers. Magazines included Kentucky Living and Kentucky Monthly.

37


The economic impact of tourism within the state reached about $10 billion, and supported more than 164,000 travel-related jobs. One of the state’s top tourist attractions is Mammoth Cave National Park, which contains over 365 miles of explored underground passages. Other units of the national park system in Kentucky include Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace in Hodgenville, and Cumberland Gap National 80

Sports

There are no major league professional sports teams in Kentucky. There is a minor league baseball team in Louisville that plays in the AAA International League. There are also two minor league hockey teams in Kentucky that play in the American Hockey League. The first known horse race in Kentucky was held in 1783. The annual Kentucky Derby, first run on 17 May 1875, has become the single most famous event in US thoroughbred racing. Held on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, the Derby is one of three races for three-year-olds constituting the Triple Crown. Keeneland Race Course in Lexington is the site of the Blue Grass Stakes and other major thoroughbred races. The Kentucky Futurity, an annual highlight of the harness racing season, is usually held on the first Friday in October at the Red Mile in Lexington. Rivaling horse racing as a spectator sport is collegiate basketball. The University of Kentucky Wildcats, who play in the Southeastern Conference, have won the NCAA Division I basketball championships six times, and the National Invitation Tournament twice. The University of Louisville Cardinals play in Conference USA. Kentucky Wesleyan, at Owensboro, was the NCAA Division II titleholder seven times, including 1999 and 2001. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Kentucky

Hillerich & Bradsby, makers of the “Louisville Slugger” baseball bat. LOUISVILLE AND JEFFERSON COUNTY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

39

Famous Kentuckians

Kentucky has been the birthplace of one US president, four US vice-presidents, the only president of the Confederacy, and several important jurists, statesmen, writers, artists, and sports figures. Abraham Lincoln, (1809–1865) the 16th president of the United States, was born in Hodgenville. His wife, Mary Todd Lincoln (1818–1882), was a native of Lexington. Kentucky-born US vice-presidents have all been Democrats. The best known were Adlai Stevenson (1835–1914), who served with Grover Cleveland, and Alben W. Barkley (1877–1956) who, before his election with President Harry S Truman in 1948, was a US senator and longtime Senate majority leader. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Frederick M. Vinson (1890–1953) was the only Kentuckian to serve as chief justice of the United States. Noteworthy associate justices were John Marshall Harlan (1833–1911), famous for his dissent from the segregationist Plessy v. Ferguson decision (1896); and Louis B. Brandeis (1856–1941), the first Jew to serve on the Supreme Court and a champion of social reform. A figure prominently associated with frontier Kentucky is the explorer and surveyor Daniel Boone (b.Pensylvania, 1734–1820). Other frontiersmen include Kit Carson (1809–1868) and Roy Bean (1825?–1903). Other personalities of significance include James G. Birney (1792–1857) and Cassius Marcellus Clay (1810–1903), both major anti81

Kentucky

include “Colonel” Harland Sanders (b.Indiana, 1890–1980), founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants. Robert Penn Warren (1905–1989), a novelist, poet laureate, and critic, won the Pulitzer Prize three times and was the first author to win the award in both the fiction and poetry categories. Among Kentuckians well recognized in the performing arts are film innovator D. W. Griffith (David Lewelyn Wark Griffith, 1875– 1948); Academy Award-winning actress Patricia Neal (b.1926); and country music singers Loretta Lynn (b.1932) and her sister, Crystal Gayle (Brenda Gail Webb, b.1951). Kentucky’s sports figures include basketball coach Adolph Rupp (b.Kansas, 1901–1977); shortstop Harold (“Pee Wee”) Reese (1919–1999); football great Paul Hornung (b.1935); and world heavyweight boxing champions Jimmy Ellis (b.1940) and Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay, b.1942). Churchill Downs in Louisville, home of the Kentucky Derby. LOUISVILLE AND JEFFERSON COUNTY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

slavery spokesmen. Clay’s daughter, Laura (1849–1941), and Madeline Breckinridge (1872–1920) were important contributors to the women’s suffrage movement. Carry Nation (1846–1911) was a leader of the temperance movement. During the 1920s, Kentuckian John T. Scopes (1900–1970) gained fame as the defendant in the “monkey trial” in Dayton, Tennessee. Scopes was charged with teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution. Thomas Hunt Morgan (1866–1945), honored for his work in heredity and genetics, and chemist William N. Lipscomb (b.Ohio, 1919) were Nobel Prize winners. Notable businessmen 82

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Deady, Kathleen W. Kentucky Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Lantier, Patricia. Kentucky. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Murray, Julie. Kentucky. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Williams, Suzanne M. Kentucky. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. WEB SITES Commonwealth of Kentucky. Kentucky.gov www. kentucky.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Official Kentucky Department of Travel. Kentucky: Unbridled Spirit. www.kytourism.com (accessed March 1, 2007). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Louisiana State of Louisiana

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named in 1682 for

France’s King Louis XIV. N I CKNAME : The Pelican State. C AP ITAL: Baton Rouge. ENT ERED UNION: 30 April 1812 (18th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the center, a pelican and its young

are as depicted on the flag; the state motto encircles the scene, and the words “State of Louisiana” surround the whole. FLAG: On a blue field, fringed on three sides, a white pelican feeds her three young, symbolizing the state providing for its citizens; the state motto is inscribed on a white ribbon. M OT TO: Union, Justice, and Confidence. SONG: “Give Me Louisiana;” “You are My Sunshine;” “State March Song.” C OLORS: Gold, white, and blue. FLOWER: Magnolia; Louisiana iris (wildflower). TREE: Bald cypress. B IRD: Eastern brown pelican. C RUSTACEAN: Crawfish. IN S ECT: Honeybee. D OG: Catahoula leopard. G E M: Agate. FOSSIL: Petrified palmwood. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Mardi Gras Day, Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, February; Good Friday, Friday before Easter, March or April; Independence Day, 4 July; Huey Long’s Birthday, 30 August, by proclamation of the governor; Labor Day, 1st Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Monday in September; Election Day, 1st Tuesday in November in even-numbered years; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. Legal holidays in Baton Rouge parish also include Inauguration Day, once every four years in January. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the western south-central United States, Louisiana ranks 31st in size among the 50 states. The total area of Louisiana is 47,751 square miles (123,675 square kilometers), including 44,521 square miles (115,309 square kilometers) of land and 3,230 square miles (8,366 square kilometers) of inland water. The state extends 237 miles (381 kilometers) eastwest and 236 miles (380 kilometers) northsouth. Louisiana is shaped roughly like a boot, 83

Louisiana

with the heel in the southwest corner and the toe at the extreme southeast. The state’s total boundary length is 1,486 miles (2,391 kilometers).

2

Topography

Louisiana lies wholly within the Gulf Coastal Plain. The alluvial plains of the Red and Mississippi rivers occupy the north-central third of the state. East and west of these plains are the upland districts, characterized by rolling hills sloping gently toward the coast. The coastal-delta section, in the southernmost portion of the state, consists of the Mississippi Delta and the coastal lowlands. The highest elevation in the state, at 535 feet (163 meters), is Driskill Mountain in Bienville Parish. The lowest point, at 8 feet (2 meters) below sea level, is in New Orleans. Louisiana has the most wetlands of all the states, about 11,000 square miles (28,000 square kilometers) of floodplains and 7,800 square miles (20,200 square kilometers) of coastal swamps, marshes, and estuarine waters. The largest lake, actually a coastal lagoon, is Lake Pontchartrain, with an area of more than 620 square miles (1,600 square kilometers). Toledo Bend Reservoir, an artificial lake along the Louisiana-Texas border, has an area of 284 square miles (736 square kilometers). The most important rivers are the Mississippi, Red, Pearl, Atchafalaya, and Sabine. Louisiana has nearly 2,500 coastal islands.

3

Climate

Louisiana has a relatively constant semitropical climate. The temperature in New Orleans ranges from 53°f (11°c) in January to 82°f (27°c) in July. The all-time high temperature is 114°f (46°c), recorded at Plain Dealing on 10 84

Louisiana Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

4,287,768 -4.1% 2.8% 98.9% 63.7% 32.5% 0.6% 1.3% 0.0% 0.8% 1.1%


Under 18 (26%)

65 and over (12%)

45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City New Orleans Baton Rouge Shreveport Lafayette Lake Charles Kenner Bossier Monroe Alexandria New Iberia

Population

% change 2000–05

454,863 222,064 198,874 112,030 70,555 69,911 60,505 51,914 45,693 32,495

-6.2 -2.5 -0.6 1.6 -1.7 -0.9 7.2 -2.2 -1.4 -0.4



Sabine Lake

TEXAS

RED RIVER

WEBSTER

BoiseVernon W. M. A.

VERNON

Peason Ridge W. M. A.

Sabine N. W. R.

CAMERON

Gulf

Grand Lake

of

White Lake

VERMILION

10

ACADIA

Chicot St. Park

EVANGELINE

Mexico

Rockefeller National Wildlife Refuge

Lacassine N. W. R. Sabine N.W.R.

Lake Charles CameronPrairie Calcasieu N. W. R. Lake

Sam Houston Jones S. P.

CALCASIEU

JEFFERSON DAVIS

BEAUREGARD

West Bay W.M.A.

ALLEN

Paul J. Rainey Wildlife Refuge

LAFAYETTE

49

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Lake Pontchartrain

ST. CHARLES

10

Wisner Wildlife Area

Lake Borgne Biloxi W. M. A. ST. BERNARD

PLAQUEMINES

JEFFERSON

Manchac Wildlife Area New Kenner Orleans

ORLEANS

Ben’s Creek Wildlife Management Area

ST. TAMMANY

Joyce W. M. A.

Sandy Hollow W. M. A.

Salvador Wildlife Area Pointe au Chien Wildlife Area

Houma

55

MISSISSIPPI

WASHINGTON TANGIPAHOA

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

12

LAFOURCHE

ST. JAMES

10

TERREBONNE

ASSUMPTION

ST. MARTIN

LIVINGSTON

ST. HELENA

ASCENSION

Baton Rouge

E EAST BATON ROUG

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Altakansas Island W. M. A.

WEST BATON ROUGE

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20

Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area

Red River W. M. A.

Big Lake Wildlife Area

TENSAS

Tensas R. N. W. R.

MADISON

EAST CARROLL

WEST CARROLL

CONCORDIA

Pomme de Terre W. M. A.

Lafayette

ST. LANDRY

FRANKLIN

Sicily Island Hills W. M. A.

Saline W. M. A. Lake Ophelia N. W. R.

CATAHOULA

Spring Bayou W. M. A.

AVOYELLES

Grand Cole N. W. R.

Alexandria

LA SALLE

Boeuf W. M. A.

CALDWELL

Russell Sage W. M. A.

RICHLAND

Georgia Pacific W. M. A.

MOREHOUSE

Monroe

Ouachita W. M. A.

OUACHITA

Kisatchie Nat’l For.

Catahoula Nat’l Pres.


RAPIDES


Fort Polk Wildlife Management Area

JACKSON

Kisatchie National Forest

GRANT

Union Wildlife Area

Upper Ouachita Nat. Wildlife Ref.

D’Arbonne Nat. Wildlife Ref.

JacksonBienville W. M. A.

20

LINCOLN

Lake Claiborne St. Park

UNION

ARKANSAS

Red Dirt N. W. R.


WINN

BIENVILLE

CLAIBORNE

Toledo Bend NATCHITOCHES Reservoir Sabine W. M. A.

SABINE

R.

ine

DE SOTO

49

Bossier City

Sab

20

Shreveport

Bodcau Wildlife Area

BOSSIER

Pass a Loutre Wildlife Area

Delta N. W. R.

an Ch

25

Breton N. W. R.

Chandeleur Sound

25

50 miles

ALABAMA

50 kilometers

N

Area of Interest


State Capital

Mississippi Sound

0

0

49


City (25,000-100,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

LOUISIANA

Is.

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Louisiana

85

Louisiana

Swamp of the Atchafalaya River. Louisiana has the most wetlands of all the states. LOUISIANA OFFICE OF TOURISM.

August 1936. The all-time low, -16°f (-27°c), was set at Minden on 13 February 1899. New Orleans has an average annual rainfall of 61.6 inches (156 centimeters). Snow falls occasionally in the north, but rarely in the south. During the summer and fall, tropical storms and hurricanes frequently batter the state, especially along the coast. The 2005 hurricane season devastated much of the Gulf region, primarily through Hurricane Katrina. Katrina made landfall at Buras on 29 August 2005 as a Category 4 storm. The combination of high winds and flooding led to levee damage around New Orleans, allowing flood waters to cover about 80% of the city, with depths as high as 20 feet (6.3 meters). One month later, Hurricane Rita made landfall near Johnson’s Bayou as a Category 3 storm. As of 86

early 2006, over 1,300 deaths had been reported as a result of Hurricane Katrina, well over one million people were displaced, and the cost of rebuilding was estimated at over $150 billion.

4

Plants and Animals

Forests in Louisiana consist of four major types: shortleaf pine uplands, pine flats and hills, hardwood forests, and cypress and tupelo swamps. Important commercial trees also include beech, eastern red cedar, and black walnut. Among the state’s wildflowers are the ground orchid and several hyacinths. Spanish moss grows profusely in the southern regions but is rare in the north. Louisiana quillwort and American chaffseed were listed as endangered in 2006. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Louisiana

Louisiana Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,468,976 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,420,711 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44,657 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,099 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,666 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,345 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,212 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,675 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,133 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,504 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 28 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 974 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,608

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.9 . . . . . . . 1.0 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1


Louisiana’s varied habitats—tidal marshes, swamps, woodlands, and prairies—offer a diversity of animals. Deer, squirrel, and bear are hunted as game, while muskrat, mink, and skunk are commercially valuable furbearers. Prized game birds include quail, turkey, and various waterfowl, of which the mottled duck and wood duck are native. Coastal beaches are inhabited by sea turtles. Whales may be seen offshore. Freshwater fish include bass, crappie, and bream. As of April 2006, 23 animal species were on the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s threatened and endangered species list, including the Louisiana black bear, bald eagle, Alabama heelsplitter, and red-cockaded woodpecker. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

5


In 1984, Louisiana consolidated much of its environmental protection efforts into a new state agency—The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Among its responsibilities are maintenance of air and water quality, solid-waste management, hazardous waste disposal, and control of radioactive materials. According to the Louisiana Environmental Action Plan (LEAP to 2000 Project), toxic air pollution, industrial and municipal wastewater discharges, and coastal wetland loss head the list of state residents’ environmental concerns. Louisiana’s problem in protecting its wetlands differs from that of most other states in 87

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that its wetlands are more than wildlife refuges—they are central to the state’s agriculture and fishing industries. Assessment of the environmental impact of various industries on the wetlands has been conducted under the Coastal Zone Management Plan of the Department of Natural Resources. The two largest wildlife refuges in the state are the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, comprising 84,000 acres (34,000 hectares) in Cameron and Vermilion parishes, and the Marsh Island Refuge, 82,000 acres (33,000 hectares) of marshland in Iberia Parish. Both are managed by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. With approximately 100 major chemical and petrochemical manufacturing and refining facilities located in Louisiana, many DEQ programs deal with the regulation of hazardous waste generation, management and disposal, and chemical releases to the air and water. In 2003, Louisiana had 155 hazardous waste sites, 11 of which were included on the National Priorities List in 2006, included in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database. Among the most active citizen’s groups on environmental issues are the League of Women Voters, the Sierra Club (Delta Chapter), and the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN). Curbside recycling programs exist in 28 parishes.

6

Population

In 2005, Louisiana ranked 25th in population in the United States with an estimated total of 4,287,768 residents. Louisiana’s population density in 2004 was 104.2 persons per square mile (40.2 persons per square kilometer). In 2004, the median age was 35.2. In 2005, about 26% of 88

the population was 18 years of age and younger and 12% was 65 and older. New Orleans is the largest city, with a 2005 estimated population of 454,863 (down from 462,269 in 2004), followed by Baton Rouge, 222,064; and Shreveport, 198,874.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, black Americans made up about 32.5% of the population (the second-highest percentage among the 50 states), with a total of 1,451,944 people. They include descendants of “free people of color,” some of whom were craftsmen and rural property owners before the Civil War. Many of these, of mixed blood, are referred to locally as “colored Creoles” and have constituted a black elite in both urban and rural Louisiana. Two groups that have been highly identified with the culture of Louisiana are Creoles and Acadians (also called Cajuns). Both descend primarily from early French immigrants to the state. The Cajuns trace their origins from the rural people from Acadia (Nova Scotia). The first Creoles were city people from France, Nova Scotia, or Hispaniola. The term Creole also applies to the relatively few early Spanish settlers and their descendants. Although Acadians have intermingled with Spaniards and Germans, they still speak a French patois and retain a distinctive culture and cuisine. In 2000, 179,739 residents claimed Acadian ancestry. Also in 2000, 107,738 residents were of Hispanic or Latino descent. There were 25,477 Native Americans and 54,758 Asians, including 24,358 Vietnamese. Pacific Islanders numbered 1,240. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Louisiana

A total of 115,885 Louisianians (2.6% of the population) were foreign born. The largest ancestry groups were from France, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

8

Languages

Louisiana English is predominantly Southern. Notable features of the state’s speech patterns are that the words pen and pin sound the same and, in New Orleans, the so-called Brooklyn pronunciation of bird is /boyd/. A pecan sugar candy is well known as a praline. Louisiana has a large French-speaking area. West of New Orleans the French dialect called Acadian (Cajun) is used as the first language. From it, and from early colonial French, English has taken such words as pirogue (dugout canoe), armoire (wardrobe), and lagniappe (extra gift). In 2000, 3,771,003 Louisiana residents (90.8% of the population five years old and older) spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home (with number of speakers) included French or French Patois (194,314), Spanish or Spanish Creole (105,189), and Vietnamese (23,326).

9

Religions

Spanish missionaries brought Roman Catholicism to Louisiana in the early 16th century. Until the Louisiana Purchase, the public practice of any but the Catholic religion was prohibited, and Jews were entirely banned. Joseph Willis, a mulatto preacher, organized the first Baptist church west of the Mississippi, at Bayou Chicot in 1812. After the Civil War, blacks withdrew from whitedominated churches to form their own religious groups, mainly Baptist and Methodist. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

As of 2004, the Roman Catholic Church was the largest Christian denomination, with 1,312,237 adherents. The leading Protestant denominations (with 2000 membership data) were the Southern Baptist Convention, 768,587; the Assemblies of God, 49,041; and the Episcopal Church, 33,653. The United Methodist Church had 127,059 members in 2004. There were about 16,500 Jews residing in Louisiana in 2000. The Muslim community had about 13,050 members. Voodoo, in some cases blended with Christian ritual, is more widespread in Louisiana than anywhere else in the United States, although the present number of practitioners is impossible to ascertain. Over 1.8 million people (about 41.2% of the population) did not claim any religious affiliation in the 2000 survey.

10

Transportation

New Orleans has long been a major center of domestic and international freight traffic. Several short-run railroads were built in Louisiana during the 1830s. The first of these, and the first rail line west of the Alleghenies, was the Pontchartrain Railroad, which opened, using horse-drawn vehicles, in 1831. By the late 1800s, New Orleans was connected with New York, Chicago, and California. Railroads soon rivaled the Mississippi River in the movement of goods to and from New Orleans. In 2003, there were six Class I line-haul railroads in Louisiana and total railroad mileage was 3,426 route miles (5,515 kilometers). As of 2006, Amtrak provides passenger links with Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York and carries passengers from seven stations through the state. 89

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At the end of 2004, Louisiana had a total of 60,941 miles (98,115 kilometers) of public roads. Also in 2004, there were about 1,926,000 automobiles and 1,747,000 trucks registered in the state and 3,169,627 drivers’ licenses were in force. Early in the nation’s history, the Mississippi River emerged as the principal route for north– south traffic and New Orleans soon became the South’s main port. The advent of the steamboat in 1812 solved the problem of upstream navigation, which previously had required three or four months for a distance that could be covered downstream in 15 days. An important breakthrough in international transportation was the deepening of the channel at the mouth of the Mississippi by means of jetties, the first of which were completed in 1879. The port of New Orleans is served by more than 100 steamship lines, 20 common carrier lines, and about 100 contract carrier barge lines. The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), the first deepwater oil port in the United States, was opened in 1981. Other large ports include Baton Rouge and the Port of Plaquemines. In 2005, Louisiana had 242 private and public airfields. The busiest was the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. In 2004, the airport had 4,839,400 passengers. Louisiana also had 237 heliports and 16 seaplane bases.

11

History

When European exploration and settlement of North America began, Louisiana was inhabited by a number of different Native American groups, including various tribes of the Caddo people, small Tunican-speaking groups, the Atakapa group, and the Chitimacha. The 90

Spaniard Hernando de Soto was probably the first to penetrate the state’s present boundaries, in 1541. Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle reached the mouth of the Mississippi on 9 April 1682, named the land there Louisiana in honor of King Louis XIV, and claimed it for France. In 1714, Louis Juchereau de St. Denis established Natchitoches, the first permanent European settlement in Louisiana; Iberville’s brother, the Sieur de Bienville, established New Orleans four years later. Although Louisiana did not thrive economically under French rule, French culture was firmly implanted there and absorbed by non-French settlers, especially Germans from Switzerland and the Rhineland. In 1762, France ceded Louisiana to Spain. Governed by Spaniards, the colony was much more prosperous. New settlers—including Acadian refugees from Nova Scotia—added to the population. The territory grew to about 50,000 inhabitants by 1800, when Napoleon forced the Spanish government to return Louisiana to France. Three years later, Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States to keep it from falling into the hands of Great Britain. President Thomas Jefferson concluded what was probably the best real estate deal in history, purchasing 800,000 square miles (2,100,000 square kilometers) for $15,000,000 and thus more than doubling the size of the United States at a cost of about three cents per acre. The next year, that part of the purchase south of 33°n was separated from the remainder and designated the Territory of Orleans. When its population reached the level required for statehood in 1810, the people of the territory drew up a constituJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Louisiana

A blue cannon and the Chalmette Monument at Chalmette National Historic Park in New Orleans. © ROBERT HOLMES/ CORBIS.

tion, and Louisiana entered the Union on 30 April 1812.

Confederacy and, after four bloody years, to total defeat.

State

After the Civil War, Radical Republican governments elected by black voters ruled the state, but declining support from the North and fierce resistance from Louisiana whites brought the Reconstruction period to an end. Blacks and their few white allies lost control of state government and, in 1898, blacks were deprived almost entirely of their voting rights by a new state constitution drawn up primarily for that purpose. This constitution also significantly reduced the number of poorer whites who voted in Louisiana elections. Just as before the Civil War, large landowners—combined with New Orleans bankers,

Development

American control of Louisiana was threatened soon afterward when British troops tried to take New Orleans in 1814 but were soundly defeated by a mixed contingent of forces under the command of Andrew Jackson. From 1815 to 1861, Louisiana was one of the most prosperous states in the South, producing sugar and cotton, and raising hogs and cattle. Wealthy planters, whose slaves made up almost half the population, dominated Louisiana politically and economically. When the secession crisis came in 1861, they led Louisiana into the


91

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Aerial view of Hurricane Katrina damage in New Orleans, August 30, 2005. © SMILEY N. POOL/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/CORBIS.

businessmen, and politicians—dominated state government, effectively blocking political and social reform. Not until 1928, with the election of Huey P. Long as governor, did the winds of major change strike Louisiana. The years from 1928 through 1960 could well be called the Long Era. Three Longs dominated state politics for most of the period: Huey, who became governor but was assassinated in 1935; his brother Earl, who served as governor three times; and his son Russell, who became a powerful US senator. From a backward agricultural state, Louisiana evolved into one of the world’s major petrochemical-manufacturing centers. What had been one of the most frugal states became one of the most liberal in wel92

fare spending, care for the aged, highway building, and education. The state could afford these expanding programs because of ever-increasing revenues from oil and gas. In the mid-1980s, the major problems confronting the state were racial and labor tensions, inadequate disposal sites for industrial waste, and (despite important new discoveries) the depletion of oil and gas resources. In 1989, racial tensions took a new turn when white supremacist David Duke, running as a Republican, narrowly won a seat in the Louisiana state legislature. He then ran for the US Senate—with a showing of 44 percent among voters—and, in 1991, for governor. (He was defeated by former governor Edwin Edwards.) In opposing affirmative action, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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Duke appealed to whites’ frustrations with the high unemployment brought on by the collapse of oil prices in the mid- and late-1980s, when the number of jobs in the state declined by 8%. For most of the 1990s, in spite of an increase in service-sector and high-tech jobs, Louisiana had more people living in poverty than any other state. Louisiana had for decades been among the nation’s poorest; the percentage of residents living in poverty in 1998 was 19.1%, making it the second-poorest state in the nation. Other problems confronting the state at the turn of the century included racial tensions, disposing of toxic wastes from the petrochemical industry, depletion of oil and gas resources, and the ongoing struggle to institute good government. On 29 August 2005, Hurricane Katrina landed on the state, in what was one of the worst natural disasters in US history. New Orleans had been evacuated, but some 150,000 people were unable to leave before the storm hit. A day after the storm appeared to have bypassed the city’s center, levees were breached by the storm surge and water submerged the city. The costs of the hurricane and flooding were exceedingly high in terms of both loss of life and economic damage: more than 1,400 people died in Louisiana (80% of them in New Orleans) and damages were estimated to reach $150 billion. Race and class issues also came to the fore, as the majority of New Orleans residents unable to evacuate the city and affected by the catastrophe were poor and black.

12

State Government

Louisiana has had 11 constitutions (more than any other state), the most recent of which went Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Governor Kathleen Blanco stands in front of the state capitol building just weeks before her inauguration in January 2004. AP IMAGES.

into force in 1974. By January 2005, it had been amended 129 times. The state legislature consists of a 39-member senate and a 105-member house of representatives. All legislators are elected for four-year terms. Major elected executive officials include the governor and lieutenant governor (independently elected), secretary of state, attorney general, and treasurer, all elected for four-year terms. To become law, a bill must receive majority votes in both the senate and the house and be 93

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Louisiana Governors: 1812–2007 1812–1816 1816–1820 1820–1824 1824 1824–1828 1828–1829 1829–1830 1830–1831 1831–1835 1835–1839 1839–1843 1843–1846 1846–1850 1850–1853 1853–1856 1856–1860 1860–1862 1862–1864 1864–1865 1864–1865 1865–1867 1867–1868 1868 1868–1872 1872–1873 1873–1877 1877–1880 1880–1881 1881–1888 1888–1892 1892–1900

William Charles Cole Claiborne Dem-Rep Jacques PhilippeVillere Dem-Rep Thomas Bolling Robertson Dem-Rep Henry Schuyler Thibodeaux Dem-Rep Henry Johnson Dem-Rep Pierre Auguste Charles Derbigny Nat-Rep Armand Beauvais Nat-Rep Jacques Dupre Nat-Rep Andre Bienvenu Roman Whig Edward Douglass White, Sr. Whig Andre Bienvenu Roman Whig Alexandre Mouton Democrat Isaac Johnson Democrat Joseph Marshall Walker Democrat Paul Octave Herbert Democrat Robert Charles Wickliffe Democrat Thomas Overton Moore Democrat Gen. George Foster Shepley Military Henry Watkins Allen Democrat Michael Hahn State Rights Free Trader James Madison Wells Democrat Benjamin Franklin Flanders Military-Rep Joshua Baker Military-Dem Henry Clay Warmouth Republican Pinkney Benton Pinchback Republican John McEnery (elected but ruled out) William Pitt Kellogg (de facto) Republican Francis Redding Tillou Nicholls Democrat Louis Alfred Wiltz Democrat Samuel Douglas McEnery Democrat Francis Redding Tillou Nicholls Democrat Murphy James Foster Anti–Lottery-Dem

signed by the governor; or be left unsigned but not vetoed by the governor; or be passed again by two-thirds votes of both houses over the governor’s veto. Appropriation bills must originate in the house but may be amended by the senate. The governor has an item veto on appropriation bills. Constitutional amendments require approval by two-thirds of the elected members of each house and ratification by a majority of the people voting on it at the next general election. The governor’s salary as of December 2004 was $94,532, and the legislative salary was $16,800. 94

1900–1904 1904–1908 1908–1912 1912–1916 1916–1920 1920–1924 1924–1926 1926–1928 1928–1932 1932 1932–1936 1936 1936–1939 1939–1940 1940–1944 1944–1948 1948–1952 1952–1956 1956–1960 1960–1964 1964–1972 1972–1980 1980–1984 1984–1988 1988–1992 1992–1996 1996–2004 2004–

William Wright Heard Newton Crain Blanchard Jared Young Sanders Luther Egbert Hall Ruffin Golson Pleasant John Milliken Parker Henry Luce Fugua Oramel Hinckley Simpson Huey Pierce Long Alvin Olin King Oscar Kelly Allen James Albert Noe Richard Webster Leche Earl Kemp Long Sam Houston Jones James Houston Davis Earl Kemp Long Robert Floyd Kennon Earl Kemp Long James Houston Davis John Julian McKeithen Edwin Washington Edwards David Conner Treen Edwin Washington Edwards Charles Elson Roemer III Edwin Washington Edwards Michael J. Foster Kathleen Blanco

Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat


13

Political Parties

The major political organizations are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, each affiliated with the national party. However, differences in culture and economic interests have made Louisiana’s politics extremely complex. After an extended period of Democratic dominance under the Long family, the 1960s and 1970s saw a resurgence of the Republican Party and the election in 1979 of David C. Treen, the state’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction. However, Treen was succeeded Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Louisiana

Louisiana Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

LOUISIANA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN


PROGRESSIVE

AMERICAN INDEPENDENT

1948 1952

Thurmond (SRD) Stevenson (D)

136,344 345,027

72,657 306,925

204,290 —

3,035 —

— —

1956

*Eisenhower (R)

243,977

329,047

1960 1964 1968

*Kennedy (D) Goldwater (R) Wallace (AI)

1972

*Nixon (R)

UNPLEDGED

1976

*Carter (D)

—

—

407,339 387,068 309,615

44,520 Nat’l. States’ Rights 230,980 169,572 509,225 — 257,535 —

— — —

— — 530,300

AMERICAN

SOC. WORKERS

298,142

686,852

661,365

587,446

44,127

12,169

LIBERTARIAN

COMMUNIST

3,325

7,417

— 10,058

CITIZENS

1980 1984


708,453 651,586

792,853 1,037,299

8,240 1,876

1988

*Bush (R)

717,460

883,702

4,115

1,584 9,502

10,333 —

POPULIST NEW ALLIANCE

18,612

2,355

IND. (PEROT) AMERICA FIRST

1992 1996


815,971 927,837

733,386 712,586

792,344 820,299

927,871 1,102,169

3,155 7,499

211,478 123,293

REFORM


by Democrats Edwin Edwards in 1983 and Charles Roemer in 1987, and Edwards again in 1991. In November 2003, Democrat Kathleen Babineaux Blanco was elected Louisiana’s first female governor. In 2004 there were 2,806,000 registered voters. In 1998, 62% of registered voters were Democratic, 21% Republican, and 16% unaffiliated or members of other parties. Louisiana’s US senators are Republican David Vitter and Democrat Mary Landrieu. Following the 2006 elections Louisiana’s delegation of US representatives consisted of two Democrats and five Republicans. Following those elections, 24 of the state senators were Democrats and 15 were Republicans; 63 of the state representatives were Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

14,356 —

18,545 — CONSTITUTIONAL

20,473 —

5,483 5,203

Democrats, 41 were Republicans, and 1 was an Independent. Twenty-five women were elected to the state legislature in the 2006 elections, or 17.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Louisianans gave Republican George W. Bush 56% of the vote, while Democrat John Kerry received 42%.

14

Local Government

The church districts, called parishes, into which Louisiana was divided in the late 17th century remain the primary political divisions in the state, serving functions similar to those of counties in other states. In 2005 there were 64 parishes, many of them governed by police jury. Other parish officials are the sheriff, clerk 95

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of court, assessor, and coroner. As of 2005, Louisiana also had 302 municipal governments. Prominent local officials include the mayor, chief of police, and a council or board of aldermen. In 2005, there were 78 public school districts in the state.

15

Judicial System

The highest court in Louisiana is the supreme court, with appeals jurisdiction. There are five appeals circuits in the state, each divided into three districts. Each of the state’s district courts serves at least one parish and has at least one district judge, elected for a six-year term. District courts have original jurisdiction in criminal and civil cases. City courts are the principal courts of limited jurisdiction. According to the FBI Crime Index in 2004, Louisiana had a violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) of 638.7 reported incidents per 100,000 people. Crimes against property (burglary, theft/larceny, and motor vehicle theft) in 2004 totaled 4,410.2 reported incidents per 100,000 people. As of 31 December 2004, 36,939 prisoners were in Louisiana’s state and federal prisons. Louisiana has a death penalty law—27 people were executed between 1976 and 5 May 2006. As of 1 January 2006, 85 persons were under sentence of death.

16

Migration

Louisiana was settled by an unusually diverse assortment of immigrants. The Company of the Indies, which administered Louisiana from 1717 until 1731, at first began importing French convicts, vagrants, and prostitutes because of the difficulty of finding willing colonists. Next the com96

pany turned to struggling farmers in Germany and Switzerland, who proved to be more suitable and productive settlers. The importation of slaves from Africa and the West Indies began early in the 18th century. Attracted by generous land grants, perhaps 10,000 Acadians, or Cajuns (people of French descent who had been exiled from Nova Scotia, called Acadia, during the 1740s), migrated to Louisiana after the French and Indian War. They settled in the area of Lafayette and Breaux Bridge and along Bayou Lafourche and the Mississippi River. Beginning in World War II, large numbers of both black and white farm workers left Louisiana and migrated north and west. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had a net loss of 117,000 in domestic migration and a net gain of 25,000 in international migration. In 1998, 2,193 foreign immigrants arrived in Louisiana. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 20,174 and net internal migration was -89,547, for a net loss of 69,373 people.

17

Economy

With the rise of the petrochemical industry, Louisiana’s economy has regained much of the vitality it enjoyed before the Civil War. Today, Louisiana ranks second only to Texas in the value of its mineral products. Louisiana is primarily an industrial state, but its industries are to a large degree based on its natural resources, principally oil, natural gas, water, and timber. Industrial expansion suffered a severe blow in the early 1980s, when the price of oil dropped from $37 a barrel in 1981 to $15 a barrel in 1986. Energy-related industries, such Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Louisiana

as barge-building, machinery-manufacturing, and rig/platform production suffered. In the early 1990s, the chemical industry expanded, but by the late 1990s, a high exchange value of the dollar reversed the chemical industry’s growth. In response, Louisiana built several riverboat casinos and a land-based casino which added many jobs to the economy. Although the economy was negatively impacted by the 2001 national recession, the oil and natural gas industries grew. Offsetting a decline in manufacturing was growth in services. Of Louisiana’s gross state product (GSP) of $152.9 billion in 2004, mining (about 99% of which was oil and gas production) contributed 12.8%, followed by real estate (10% of GSP), and manufacturing (7.5% of GSP).

18

Income

In 2005, Louisiana had a gross state product (GSP) of $166 billion, which ranked the state 24th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of highest GSP. In 2004, Louisiana’s per capita income was $27,297, 43rd in the United States, where the national average was $33,050. The three year average median household income for 2002–04 was $35,523 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 2002–04, 17% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared with 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

A huge and still-growing petrochemical industry has become a dominant force in the state’s economy. Other expanding industries are wood products and, especially since World War II, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

shipbuilding. In 2004, the total value of shipments of manufactured goods was $124.3 billion. Petroleum and coal products manufacturing accounted for the largest share at $53.36 billion, followed by chemical manufacturing at $39.91 billion. The state’s main industrial regions are along the Mississippi River from north of Baton Rouge to New Orleans, and also include the Monroe, Shreveport, Morgan City, and Lake Charles areas.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Louisiana numbered 1,872,700, with approximately 90,100 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.8%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. Some 6% of the labor force was employed in construction; 8.1% in manufacturing; 20.5% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.3% in financial activities; 9.6% in professional and business services; 11.9% in education and health services; 9.6% in leisure and hospitality services; and 21% in government. During the antebellum period, Louisiana had both the largest slave market in the United States (in New Orleans) and the largest slave revolt in the nation’s history, in St. Charles and St. John the Baptist parishes in January 1811. New Orleans also had a relatively large free black population and many of the slaves in the city were skilled workers, some of whom were able to earn their freedom by outside employment. Major efforts to organize Louisiana workers began after the Civil War. In the mid-1880s, the Knights of Labor began to organize the cane workers. The Brotherhood of Timber Workers began organizing in 1910 but had little to show 97

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for their efforts except the scars of violent conflict with the lumber-mill owners. In 2005, 114,000 of Louisiana’s 1,778,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 6.4% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

With a farm income of over $2.1 billion in 2005, Louisiana ranked 34th among the 50 states. Nearly every crop grown in North America can be raised somewhere in Louisiana. In the south are strawberries, oranges, and sweet potatoes; in the southeast, sugarcane; and in the southwest, rice and soybeans. Soybeans are also raised in the cotton-growing area of the northeast. Oats, alfalfa, corn, potatoes, and peaches are among the other crops grown in the north. As of 2004, there were an estimated 27,200 farms covering 7.85 million acres (3.18 million hectares) with an average farm size of 290 acres (117 hectares). In 2004, Louisiana ranked second in the United States in sugar cane production, third in the value of its rice production, and eighth for upland cotton.

22


Cattle are raised mainly in the southeast (between the Mississippi and Pearl rivers), in the north-central region, and in the west. In 2005, there were an estimated 860,000 cattle and calves worth $670.8 million. In 2004, Louisiana had an estimated 16,000 hogs and pigs worth around $1.7 million. Dairy farmers had an estimated 43,000 milk cows, which produced 519 million pounds (236 million kilograms) of milk in 2003. Also during 2003, poultry farm98

ers produced an estimated 7.5 million pounds (3.4 million kilograms) of chicken, which sold for $631,000, and an estimated 487 million eggs worth around $35.9 million.

23

Fishing

In 2004, Louisiana was second behind only Alaska in the size and value of its commercial landings, with nearly 1.1 billion pounds (500 million kilograms) valued at $274.4 million. Leading ports in volume were Empire-Venice (third in the nation), Intracoastal City (fifth in the nation), and Cameron (sixth in the nation). In value, Empire-Venice was sixth in the nation with $60.2 million and Dulac-Chauvin was 11th with $42.8 million. The most important species caught in Louisiana are shrimp, hard blue crab, and oysters. In 2002, the state commercial fleet had 8,874 boats and 2,084 vessels. In 2003, there were 90 processing and 114 wholesale plants in the state. Louisiana produces most of the US crawfish harvest. In 2004, 1,126 crawfish farms covered some 118,250 acres (47,856 hectares), producing 69.5 million pounds (28.1 million kilograms). Catfish are also cultivated in Louisiana, on 38 farms covering some 7,600 acres (3,075 hectares) in 2005. The Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery focuses on paddlefish, striped bass, and pallid sturgeon, but also raises largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish in limited quantities. Louisiana had 639,139 sport fishing license holders in 2004. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Louisiana

24

Forestry

As of 2004, there were 14,017,000 acres (5,673,000 hectares) of forestland in Louisiana, representing almost half the state’s land area and 2% of all US forests. The principal forest types are loblolly and shortleaf pine in the northwest, longleaf and slash pine in the south, and hardwood in a wide area along the Mississippi River. In 2004, more than 99% of Louisiana’s forests were commercial timberland, over 90% of it was privately owned. Lumber production totaled 1.52 billion board feet in 2004. Louisiana has one national forest, Kisatchie, with a gross area of 1,022,373 acres (413,754 hectares) within its boundaries. Gross acreage of National Forest System lands in the state was 2,049,000 acres (829,000 hectares) in 2005. Near the boundaries of Kisatchie’s Evangeline Unit is the Alexander State Forest, established in 1923.

25

Mining

Louisiana’s nonfuel mineral value totaled an estimated $331 million in 2003. The leading mineral commodity, accounting for roughly half of all nonfuel mineral production in 2003, was salt, accounting for about 41% of all nonfuel mineral production (by value) that year. It was followed by construction sand and gravel, crushed stone, industrial sand and gravel, and lime. Louisiana is the leading state in salt and sulfur production. Salt brine is produced in Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Iberville, and Lafourche parishes. Rock salt is produced in Iberia and St. Mary parishes. In 2003, the state ranked 34th in the nation in mineral value. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

26

Energy and Power

In 2000, Louisiana’s total per capita energy consumption was 887 million Btu (223.5 million kilocalories), ranking it second among the 50 states. In 2003, power plants in Louisiana had a total installed capacity (utility and nonutility) of 25.7 million kilowatts. In the same year, total electrical generation was 94.8 billion kilowatt hours. As of 2006, Louisiana had two nuclear power plants: Waterford 3 in St. Charles Parish and River Bend I in West Feliciana Parish. Louisiana produced 228,000 barrels per day of crude oil during 2004, the fourth-highest total among the 31 oil producing states and about 4% of the US total. As of 2004, remaining proven reserves of oil in Louisiana amounted to 427 million barrels, about 2% of the US total and seventh among the 31 oil producing states. Marketed production of natural gas in 2004 was 1.357 trillion cubic feet (38.5 billion cubic meters), leaving proven reserves of 9.58 trillion cubic feet (272.2 billion cubic meters). There were 20,734 producing gas wells in 2004. Energy conservation plans in Louisiana call for development of untapped energy sources, such as the state’s lignite and geothermal reserves.

27

Commerce

In 2002, Louisiana had wholesale sales of $47.1 billion, and retail sales of $41.8 billion. In 2005, Louisiana exported $19.2 billion in merchandise abroad. 99

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28

Public Finance

The budget is prepared by the state executive budget director and submitted annually by the governor to the legislature for amendment and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July through 30 June. Revenues for fiscal year 2004 were $23.73 billion and expenditures were $20.47 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($6.43 billion), public welfare ($4.12 billion), and hospitals ($1.64 billion). Louisiana had a total debt of $10.18 billion, or about $2,259.36 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

In 2005, Louisiana ranked 36th in the nation in terms of combined state and local tax burden, at $1,910 per person. (The national average was $2,192 per person). Louisiana’s individual income tax has three brackets ranging from 2% to 6%. The corporate income tax has five brackets ranging from 4% to 8%. Federal taxes paid are deductible from state taxes for both individual and corporate income taxes. The state’s sales and use tax is levied at 4% with exemptions for food for home consumption, electricity, natural gas and water, and prescription drugs. Parishes and municipalities may impose additional sales taxes up to combined rates of 6.25%. The state imposes a full range of selective sales taxes including excises on motor fuels, tobacco products, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, amusements, parimutuels, public utilities, insurance premiums, and other selected items. Other state taxes include various license fees. The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District and the New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority 100

impose a tax on hotel and motel room occupancy in the greater New Orleans area. In addition, local taxing authorities may impose a tax on hotel and motel room occupancy. Taxes on beer and chain stores contribute to local revenues, as does the property tax. Total state tax collections in Louisiana in 2005 came $8.639 billion, of which 33.1% was generated by the state general sales and use tax, 20% by state excise taxes, 27.7% by the state income tax, 4% by the state corporate income tax, 0.5% by property taxes, and 14.6% by other taxes.

30

Health

In October 2005, Louisiana’s infant mortality rate was 9.5 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate was 9.5 per 1,000 population in 2003. Leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer, accidents and adverse effects, and motor vehicle accidents. Of the population age 18 and older, 23.4% were smokers in 2004. In 2002, Louisiana had the second-highest diabetes death rate in the nation, following West Virginia. The state also had the second-highest homicide death rate, following the District of Columbia. The death rate from HIV infection was 8.1 per 100,000 people. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was at about 22.4 per 100,000 people, the fifth-highest in the nation. Louisiana’s 127 community hospitals had about 17,800 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,177 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, Louisiana had 262 doctors per 100,000 people, and 873 nurses per 100,000 people in 2005. In 2004, there were a total of 2,040 dentists in the state. In Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Louisiana

2004, approximately 19% of the population was uninsured.

31

Housing

The Native Americans of Louisiana built huts with walls made of clay kneaded with Spanish moss and covered with cypress bark or palmetto leaves. The earliest European settlers used split cypress boards filled with clay and moss. A few early 18th-century houses with clay and moss walls remain in the Natchitoches area. Examples of later architectural styles also survive, including buildings constructed of bricks between heavy cypress posts, covered with plaster and plantation houses from the Greek Revival period of antebellum Louisiana. In 2004, Louisiana had 1,919,859 housing units, of which 1,713,680 were occupied. About 66.2% were owner-occupied. An estimated 65.7% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Most units relied on utility gas or electricity for heating. It was estimated that 121,505 units lacked telephone service, 7,424 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 8,581 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.56 people. In 2004, 23,000 privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $95,910. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $902. Renters paid a median of $540 per month.

32

Education

As of 2004, still only 78.7% of adult Louisianians had completed high school, well below the national average of 84%. Some 22.4% had comJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

pleted four or more years of college, below the national average of 26%. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 730,000 in fall 2002 but was expected to drop to 707,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 140,492. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $5.7 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 232,140 students enrolled in college or graduate school. As of 2005, Louisiana had 90 degree-granting institutions. There are 16 public four-year schools, 46 public two-year institutions, and 10 private four-year nonprofit institutions. The center of the state university system is Louisiana State University (LSU), founded at Baton Rouge. LSU also has campuses at Alexandria, Eunice, and Shreveport, and includes the University of New Orleans. Tulane University, founded in New Orleans in 1834, is one of the most distinguished private universities in the South, as is Loyola University, also in New Orleans. Southern University Agricultural and Mechanical System at Baton Rouge (est. 1881) is one of the largest predominantly black universities in the country and has other campuses in New Orleans and Shreveport. Another mainly black institution is Grambling State University (est. 1901). The state Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) organizes student exchanges with Quebec, Belgium, and France and aids Louisianians studying French abroad.

33

Arts

The Louisiana Division of the Arts (est. 1977) is an agency of the state Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. In the aftermath of 101

Louisiana

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita of 2005, the LDOA worked with the Louisiana Partnership for the Arts to assess the impact these disasters had on the art communities. Arts projects are funded in every parish (county) in the state through the LDOA Decentralized Arts Funding Program. In 2005, Louisiana arts organizations received 24 grants totaling $1,150,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities was established in 1971. Ongoing programs include Relic: Readings in Literature and Culture and Prime Time Family Reading Time, an annual program presented through local libraries. New Orleans has long been one of the most important centers of artistic activity in the South. The earliest theaters were French. The American Theater, which opened in 1824, attracted many of the finest actors in America. Showboats traveled the Mississippi and other waterways, bringing dramas, musicals, and minstrel shows to river towns and plantations as early as the 1840s, with their heyday being the 1870s and 1880s. Principal theaters included the New Orleans Theater of the Performing Arts, the Saenger Theater in New Orleans, Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, and the Tulane Theater. Junebug Productions is a black touring company based in New Orleans. Louisiana State University (LSU) at Baton Rouge has theaters for both opera and drama. Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Monroe, Lake Charles, and Hammond are among the cities with little theaters and Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Lake Charles have ballet companies. There are symphony orchestras in most of the larger cities, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) being the best known. Although 102

Hurricane Katrina battered the state, devastating New Orleans in 2005, the LPO returned to the city with a spring concert season during March, April, and May 2006. It is probably in music that Louisiana has made its most distinctive contributions to culture. Jazz was born in New Orleans around 1900. It was the music played by brass bands at carnivals and at black funerals and its immediate precursor was the highly syncopated music known as ragtime. Early jazz in the New Orleans style is called Dixieland. Louis Armstrong pioneered the transformation of jazz from the Dixieland ensemble style to a medium for solo improvisation. Traditional Dixieland may still be heard in New Orleans at Preservation Hall, Dixieland Hall, and the New Orleans Jazz Club. In 2005, many of the buildings that housed these organizations and clubs were either severely damaged or destroyed by the forces of Hurricane Katrina. Despite having to close buildings, groups like the Hall Jazz Band of the Preservation Hall continued touring; the Preservation hall celebrated its 45th anniversary on tour in 2006. Equally distinctive is Cajun music, dominated by the sound of the fiddle and accordion. The French Acadian Music Festival, held in Abbeville, takes place in April. Visual arts in the state flourish, especially in New Orleans, home to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Prompted by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the museum showcased several special exhibits including, Come Hell and High Water: Portraits of Hurricane Katrina Survivors, New Housing Prototypes for New Orleans, and Louisiana Story: A Photographic Journey. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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In 2001, Louisiana had 65 public library systems, with a total of 329 libraries, of which 264 were branches. That year, the public library system had about 10.8 million volumes and a circulation of 18.37 million. The New Orleans Public Library features a special collection on jazz and folk music. The libraries at Grambling State University, Xavier University of Louisiana at New Orleans, and the Amistad Collection at Tulane University have research materials on black American studies. As of 2000, Louisiana had 89 museums, historic sites, and public gardens, as well as 27 art collections. Leading art museums are the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Lampe Gallery in New Orleans, and the R. W. Norton Art Gallery at Shreveport. The art museum of the Louisiana Arts and Science Center at Baton Rouge is located in the renovated Old Illinois Central Railroad Station. The Bayou Folk Museum at Cloutierville is in the restored home of author Kate Chopin. Among the state’s scientific museums are the Lafayette Natural History Museum, Planetarium, and Nature Station, and the Museum of Natural Science in Baton Rouge. Audubon Park and Zoological Gardens are in New Orleans.

35

Communications

As of 2004, 90.9% of Louisiana’s occupied housing units had telephones. By June of that year there were 2,547,153 mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 52.3% of Louisiana households had a computer, and 44.1% had Internet access. In 2005, the state had 77 major radio broadcastJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ing stations (15 AM and 62 FM) as well as 32 television stations.

36

Press

In 2005, Louisiana had a total of 15 morning dailies, 11 evening dailies, and 21 Sunday papers. The principal dailies with their approximate 2005 daily circulations are The New Orleans TimesPicayune (252,799), The Baton Rouge Advocate (87,026), and The Shreveport Times (62,551). Two influential literary magazines originated in the state. The Southern Review was founded at Louisiana State University in the 1930s by Robert Penn Warren and Cleanth Brooks. The Tulane Drama Review, founded in 1955, moved to New York University in 1967 but is still known by its original acronym, TDR.

37


In 2000, there were about 15.4 million visitors to the state of Louisiana. Initial reports for 2001 estimated a total travel-related economic impact of $9 billion, including support for 124,200 jobs. The two most popular activities for tourists are shopping and gambling. New Orleans is one of the major tourist attractions. Known for its fine restaurants, serving such distinctive fare as gumbo, jambalaya, and crayfish, along with an elaborate Frenchinspired haute cuisine, New Orleans also offers jazz clubs, the graceful buildings of the French Quarter, and a lavish carnival called Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”). Beginning on the Wednesday before Shrove Tuesday (preceding Lent), parades and balls, staged by private organizations called krewes, are held almost nightly. 103

Louisiana

A Mardi Gras float decoration. AP IMAGES.

In 2005 Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and surrounding areas, and tourism was virtually eliminated. As of 2006, only the French Quarter of New Orleans was able to support some tourism. A Mardi Gras celebration was held, but it was shortened from its usual month to a week. Among the many other annual events that attract visitors to the state are the Natchitoches Christmas Festival, which includes 170,000 Christmas lights and spectacular fireworks displays. Louisiana has 34 state parks and recreation sites covering a total area of 39,000 acres (15,800 hectares).

38

Sports

Louisiana has two major league professional sports teams: the Saints of the National Football 104

League and the Hornets of the National Basketball Association. The Hornets were formerly located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Both the Saints and Hornets are located in New Orleans. The Super Bowl has been held in New Orleans six times. It has been played in the Louisiana Superdome, the largest indoor arena in the United States. New Orleans also has a minor league baseball team, the Zephyrs, of the AAA Pacific Coast League. In Shreveport, the Captains compete in the AA Texas League. There are several other minor league baseball and hockey teams scattered throughout the state. Horseracing is popular in the state. The principal tracks are the Louisiana Jockey Club at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans and Evangeline Downs at Lafayette. Gambling has long been Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Louisiana

widespread in Louisiana, particularly in the steamboat days, when races along the Mississippi drew huge wagers. From the 1880s to World War I, New Orleans was the nation’s boxing capital. In 1893, the city was the site of the longest bout in boxing history, between Andy Bowen and Jack Burke, lasting 7 hours and 19 minutes—110 rounds— and ending in a draw. The TPC of Louisiana at Fairfield is a newly constructed championship-level golf course that became the home of the PGA’s HP Classic in 2005. In college football, teams from Tulane University and Louisiana State University (LSU) have been successful. The LSU Tigers baseball team won the College World Series four times in the 1990s. The LSU Tigers have had a number of famous basketball alumni, including “Pistol” Pete Maravich and Shaquille O’Neal.

39

Famous Louisianians

Zachary Taylor (b.Virginia, 1784–1850) is the only US president to whom Louisiana can lay claim. Taylor owned a large plantation north of Baton Rouge, which was his residence before his election to the presidency in 1848. Edward Douglass White (1845–1921) served as chief justice of the US Supreme Court. Also prominent in Louisiana history was Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle (b.France, 1643–1687), who was the first to claim the region for the French crown. Jean Étienne Boré (1741– 1820) laid the foundation of the Louisiana sugar industry by developing a process for granulating sugar from cane; Norbert Rillieux (1806–1894), a free black man, developed the much more efficient vacuum pan process of refining sugar. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Biochemist Andrew Victor Schally (b.Poland, 1926) shared the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1977 for his research on hormones. Among other distinguished Louisiana professionals have been historian T. Harry Williams (1909–1979), who won the Pulitzer Prize for his biography of Huey Long; architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838–1886); and heart specialist Michael De Bakey (b.1908). Louisiana’s important writers include George Washington Cable (1844–1925), an early advocate of racial justice; Kate O’Flaherty Chopin (b.Missouri, 1851–1904); playwright and memoirist Lillian Hellman (1905–1984); and novelists Walker Percy (b.Alabama 1916–1990), Truman Capote (1924–1984), Shirley Ann Grau (b.1929), and John Kennedy Toole (1937– 1969). The latter two were both winners of the Pulitzer Prize. Louisianians in the arts include composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829–1869); jazz musicians Jelly Roll Morton (Ferdinand Joseph La Menthe, 1885–1941) and Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong (1900–1971), gained nationwide popularity. Other prominent Louisianians in music are gospel singer Mahalia Jackson (1911– 1972); pianist-singer-songwriter Antoine “Fats” Domino (b.1928); and pop singer Jerry Lee Lewis (b.1935). Louisiana baseball heroes include Hall of Famer Melvin Thomas “Mel” Ott (1909–1958). Terry Bradshaw (b.1948) quarterbacked the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers during the 1970s. Player-coach William F. “Bill” Russell (b.1934) led the Boston Celtics to 10 National Basketball Association championships between 1956 and 1969. Chess master Paul Morphy (1837–1884) was born in New Orleans. 105

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40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Corrick, James A. The Louisiana Purchase. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2000. Gaines, Ann. The Louisiana Purchase in American History. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2000. Kein, Sybil, ed. Creole: The History and Legacy of Louisiana’s Free People of Color. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2000. Lantier, Patricia. Louisiana. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006.

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LeVert, Suzanne. Huey Long: the Kingfish of Louisiana. New York: Facts on File, 1995. LeVert, Suzanne. Louisiana. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. McAuliffe, Emily. Louisiana Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Louisiana. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Louisiana Secretary of State. All Around Louisiana. www.sec.state.la.us/around/all.htm (accessed March 1, 2007). Official Web Site of the State of Louisiana. Louisiana.gov. Available www.state.la.us (accessed March 1, 2007).


Maine State of Maine

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Derived either from the

French for a historical district of France, or from the early use of “main” to distinguish coast from islands. N I CKNAME : The Pine Tree State. C AP ITAL: Augusta. ENT ERED UNION: 15 March 1820 (23rd). O FFICIAL SEAL: Same as the coat of arms. FLAG: The coat of arms is on a blue field, with a yellow fringed border surrounding three sides. C OAT OF ARMS: A farmer and sailor support a shield on which are depicted a pine tree, a moose, and water. Under the shield is the name of the state; above it are the state motto and the North Star. M OT TO: Dirigo (“I direct” or “I lead”). SONG: “State of Maine Song.” FLOWER: White pine cone, tassel; wintergreen (herb). TREE: White pine. A NIMAL: Moose. B IRD: Chickadee. FISH: Landlocked salmon. C RUSTACEAN: Blue crab. IN S ECT: Honeybee. M INERAL: Tourmaline. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Patriots’ Day, 3rd Monday in April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

in November and day following; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the extreme northeastern corner of the United States, Maine is the nation’s most easterly state, the largest in New England, and 39th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Maine is 33,265 square miles (86,156 square kilometers), including 30,995 square miles (80,277 square kilometers) of land and 2,270 square miles (5,879 square kilometers) of inland water. Maine extends 207 miles (333 kilometers) east-west and 322 miles (518 kilometers) north-south. Hundreds of islands dot Maine’s coast. The largest is Mt. Desert Island. Others include Deer Isle, Vinalhaven, and Isle au Haut. 107

Maine

Maine’s total boundary length is 883 miles (1,421 kilometers).

2

Topography

Maine is divided into four main regions: coastal lowlands, the piedmont, mountains, and uplands. Maine’s mountain region, the Longfellow range, is at the northeastern end of the Appalachian Mountain system. This zone contains nine peaks over 4,000 feet (1,200 meters), including Mt. Katahdin, which at 5,267 feet (1,606 meters) is the highest point in the state. The summit of Katahdin marks the northern terminus of the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) Appalachian Trail. Maine’s uplands form a high, relatively flat plateau. The eastern part of this zone is the Aroostook potato-farming region and the western part is heavily forested. Of Maine’s more than 2,200 lakes and ponds, the largest are Moosehead Lake, 117 square miles (303 square kilometers), and Sebago Lake, 13 miles (21 kilometers) by 10 miles (16 kilometers). Of the more than 5,000 rivers and streams, the Penobscot, Androscoggin, Kennebec, and Saco rivers are the most important. The longest river in Maine is the St. John, but it runs for most of its length in the Canadian province of New Brunswick.

3

Climate

Maine has three climatic regions: the northern interior zone, comprising roughly the northern half of the state between Quebec and New Brunswick; the southern interior zone; and the coastal zone. The northern zone is both drier and cooler in all four seasons than either of the other zones, while the coastal zone is more moderate 108

Maine Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

1,321,574 3.7% 0.9% 99.0% 96.6% 0.7% 0.5% 0.8% 0.0% 0.4% 1.0%


Under 18 (22%)

65 and over (14%)

18 to 24 (8%) 45 to 64 (30%) 25 to 44 (26%)

Major Cities by Population City Portland Lewiston Bangor South Portland Auburn Biddeford Augusta Saco Westbrook Waterville

Population

% change 2000–05

63,889 36,050 31,074 23,742 23,602 22,072 18,626 18,230 16,108 15,621

-0.6 1.0 -1.3 1.8 1.7 5.4 0.4 8.4 -0.2 0.1



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Narraguagus Bay

White Mountain National Forest

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NEW HAMPSHIRE

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ANDROSCOGGIN

Lewiston Auburn

CUMBERLAND

Isle au Haut Vinalhaven I. Acadia National Park

Bath Brunswick

Sebago Lake

Deer I.

SAGADAHOC

495

Mt. Desert I.

Muscongus Bay

YORK

Westbrook

Portland S. Portland Saco

Old Orchard Beach

Sanford Biddeford

95


Kittery Point


109

Maine

Bubble Mountain in Acadia National Park. NANCY MARSHALL COMMUNICATIONS.

in temperature year-round than the other two. Annual mean temperatures range from about 40°f (5°c) in the northern zone to 44°f (7°c) in the southern interior and 46°f (8°c) in the coastal zone. Record temperatures for the state are -48°f (-44°c) registered at Van Buren on 19 January 1925, and 105°f (41°c), registered at North Bridgton on 10 July 1911. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 40.2 inches (102 centimeters) in the north to 41.5 inches (105 centimeters) in the southern interior and 45.7 in (116 cm) on the coast. Average annual snowfall is 78 inches (198 centimeters).

4

Plants and Animals

The trees in Maine’s forests are largely softwoods, such as red and white spruces, eastern hemlock, 110

and white and red pine. Important hardwoods include beech, white oak, and black willow. Maine is home to most of the flowers and shrubs common to the north temperate zone, including an important commercial resource, the lowbush blueberry. Maine has 17 rare orchid species. Two species, the small whorled pogonia and the eastern prairie fringed orchid, were classified as threatened plant species as of April 2006. The furbish lousewart was classified as endangered that year. About 30,000 white-tailed deer are killed by hunters in Maine each year, but the herd does not appear to diminish. Moose hunting was banned in Maine in 1935. Other common forest animals include the bobcat, beaver, mink, red fox, and snowshoe hare. Seals and porpoises are found in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maine

Maine Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,274,923. . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,262,276. . . . . . 99.0 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,987. . . . . . . 0.9 White and Black or African American. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,914. . . . . . . 0.2 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,387. . . . . . . 0.4 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,054. . . . . . . 0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182. . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,598. . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115. . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87. . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19. . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245. . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47. . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . 11. . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65. . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68. . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183. . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12. . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 660. . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

coastal waters, along with practically every variety of North Atlantic fish and shellfish, including the famous Maine lobster. Coastal waterfowl include the osprey, great and double-crested cormorants, and herring and great black-backed gulls. Matinicus Rock, an island near Penobscot Bay, is the only known North American nesting site of the common puffin, or sea parrot. In 2006, a total of 11 Maine animal species were classified as threatened or endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, including the bald eagle, piping plover, Atlantic Gulf of Maine salmon, two species of whale, and the leatherback sea turtle. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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The Department of Environmental Protection is the primary state agency for environmental concerns. The Land Use Regulation Commission extends the principles of town planning and zoning to unorganized townships, “plantations,” and numerous coastal islands that have no local government and might otherwise be subject to ecologically unsound development. In 2003, Maine had 59 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 12 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. 111

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Population

In 2005, Maine ranked 40th in population in the United States with an estimated total of 1,321,574 residents. The population is projected to grow to 1.41 million by 2025. The population density for 2004 was 42.7 persons per square mile (16.48 persons per square kilometer). More than half the population lives on less than one-seventh of the land within 25 miles (40 kilometers) of the Atlantic coast, and almost half the state is virtually uninhabited. In 2004, the median age was 40.7 years, the highest median in the country. In 2005, of all Maine residents, 14% were age 65 or older, while 22% were 18 or younger. The largest cities are Portland, Bangor, and Lewsiton-Auburn, all of which have populations under 100,000.

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Ethnic Groups

Maine’s population is primarily Yankee, both in its English and Scotch-Irish origins and in its retention of many of the values and folkways of rural New England. As of the 2000 census, a total of 274,423 claimed English ancestry, followed by 192,901 claiming Irish ancestry, 181,663 claiming French ancestry and 110,344 who claimed Canadian or French-Canadian ancestry. The population of Hispanics and Latinos was 9,360. In 2006, Hispanics and Latinos accounted for 0.9% of the population. The Native American population included 7,098 residents. In 2006, Native Americans accounted for 0.5% of the state’s population. The leading tribes were the Penobscot, the Aristook Band of Micmac, the Passamaquoddy, and the Houlton Band of Maliseets. Maine in 2000 had 6,760 black American residents and 9,111 Asians, including 112

2,034 Chinese, 1,159 Filipinos, and 1,021 Asian Indians. Pacific Islanders numbered 382. There were 36,691 foreign-born residents in the state.

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Languages

Maine English is celebrated as typical Yankee speech. The final /r/ is often absent form a word. A vowel sound between /ah/ and the /a/ is used in words such as car and garden. Maple syrup comes from rock or sugar maple trees in a sap or sugar orchard. Cottage cheese is called curd cheese and pancakes are fritters. Native Algonkian place-names abound, including Saco, Kennebec, and Skowhegan. In 2000, of all Maine residents five years old or older, 92.2% reported speaking only English in the home. About 63,640 residents, or 5.3%, spoke French.

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Religions

In 2004, Maine had about 217,676 Roman Catholics, and an estimated 8,290 Jews in 2000. Leading Protestant denominations were the United Methodist Church, with 31,689 adherents, and the American Baptists USA, with 26,259 members (both as of 2000), and the United Church of Christ with 23,060 followers, as of 2005. The Muslim community had about 800 members. Over 800,000 people (about 63.6% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization.

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Transportation

Railroad development in Maine has declined rapidly since World War II, while passenger service has been nearly dropped altogether. Although Maine had no Class I railroads in 2003, there Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maine

Boats in the harbor in Stonington, Maine. © FRANZ-MARC FREI/CORBIS.

were 7 regional and local railroads that operated on 1,148 miles (1,848 kilometers) of railroad track. As of 2006, Amtrak provided service to four stations in Maine via its Downeaster train that ran from Portland to Boston. About three-quarters of all communities and about half the population depend entirely on highway trucking for the overland transportation of freight. In 2004, Maine had 22,748 miles (36,624 kilometers) of public roads. There were 1.086 million registered motor vehicles, and 984,829 licensed drivers in the same year. The Maine Turnpike and I-95 are the major highways. River traffic has been central to the lumber industry. Maine has 10 established seaports, with Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Portland and Searsport being the main depots for overseas shipping. Portland International Jetport is the largest and most active airport in Maine. In 2004, it had 687,344 passenger boardings. In 2005, Maine had 103 airports, 13 heliports and 37 seaplane bases.

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History

Sometime around 1600, English expeditions began fishing the Gulf of Maine regularly. By 1630, however, there were permanent English settlements on several islands and at nearly a dozen spots along the coast. In 1652, the government of the Massachusetts Bay Colony began absorbing the small Maine settlements, and in 113

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Maine Governors: 1820–2007 1820–1821 1821 1821–1822 1822 1822–1827 1827–1829 1829–1830 1830 1830–1831 1831–1834 1834–1838 1838–1839 1839–1841 1841 1841–1842 1842–1843 1843–1844 1844 1844 1844–1847 1847–1850 1850–1853 1853–1855 1855–1856 1856–1857 1857 1857–1858 1858–1861 1861–1863 1863–1864 1864–1867 1867–1871 1871–1874 1874–1876 1876–1879 1879–1880 1880–1881

William King William Durkee Williamson Benjamin Ames Daniel Rose Albion Keith Parris Enoch Lincoln Nathan Cutler Joshua Hall Johathan Glidden Hunton Samuel Emerson Smith Robert Pinckney Dunlap Edward Kent John Fairfield Richard H. Vose Edward Kent John Fairfield Edward Kavanagh David Dunn John Winchester Dana Hugh Johnston Anderson John Winchester Dana John Hubbard William George Crosby Anson Peaslee Morrill Samuel Wells Hannibal Hamlin Joseph Hartwell Williams Lot Myrick Morrill Israel Washburn, Jr. Abner Coburn Samuel Cony Jushua Lawrence Chamberlain Sidney Perham Nelson Dingley, Jr. Selden Connor Alonzo Garcelon Daniel Franklin Davis

Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Republican Democrat Democrat Nat-Rep Jacksonian Democrat Whig Democrat Democrat Whig Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Whig Maine Law Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican

1691, Maine became a district of Massachusetts. During the first hundred years of settlement, Maine’s economy was based on farming, fishing, trading, and exploitation of the forests. The first naval encounter of the Revolutionary War occurred in Machias Bay, when, on 12 June 1775, angry colonials captured the British armed schooner Margaretta. An expedition through the Maine woods in the fall of 1775 intended to drive the British out of Quebec, but this failed. 114

1881–1883 1883–1887 1887 1887–1889 1889–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901 1901–1905 1905–1909 1909–1911 1911–1913 1913–1915 1915–1917 1917–1921 1921 1921–1925 1925–1929 1929–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1949 1949–1952 1952–1955 1955–1959 1959 1959 1959–1967 1967–1975 1975–1979 1979–1987 1987–1995 1995–2002 2002–

Harris Merrill Plaisted Fusion Frederick Robie Republican Joseph Robinson Bodwell Republican Sebastian Streeter Marble Republican Edwin Chick Burleigh Republican Henry B. Cleaves Republican Llewellyn Powers Republican John Fremont Hill Republican William Titcomb Cobb Republican Bert Manfred Fernald Republican Frederick William Plaisted Republican William Thomas Haines Republican Oakley Chester Curtis Democrat Carl Elias Milliken Republican Frederic Hale Parkhurst Republican Percival Proctor Baxter Republican Ralph Owen Brewster Republican William Tudor Gardiner Republican Louis Jefferson Brann Democrat Lewis Orin Barrows Republican Sumner Sewall Republican Horace Augustus Hildreth Republican Frederick George Payne Republican Burton Melvin Cross Republican Edmund Sixtus Muskie Democrat Robert Nelson Haskell Republican Clinton Amos Clauson Democrat John Hathaway Reed Republican Kenneth M. Curtis Democrat James Bernard Longley Independent Joseph Edward Brennan Democrat John Rettie McKernan, Jr. Republican1995 Angus S. King, Jr. Independent John Baldacci Democrat


Another disaster was a 1779 expedition in which Massachusetts forces, failing to dislodge British troops at Castine, abandoned many of its own ships near the Penobscot River. Popular pressure for separation from Massachusetts mounted after the War of 1812. Admission of Maine to the Union as a free state was joined with the admission of Missouri as a slave state in the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maine

Textile mills and shoe factories came to Maine between 1830 and 1860. After the Civil War, the revolution in papermaking that substituted wood pulp for rags brought a vigorous new industry to the state. By 1900, Maine was one of the leading papermaking states in the United States, and the industry continues to dominate the state today. The rise of tourism and the conflict between economic development and environmental protection have been central in the postwar period. In the 1980s, the state government paid $81.5 million to the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribes. This settled a suit claiming that a 1794 treaty under which the Passamaquoddy handed over most of its land—amounting to the northern two-thirds of Maine—was illegal and had never been ratified by Congress. In the late 1990s, Maine’s economy experienced strong growth, but in the early 2000s, the state’s economy was troubled. By 2003, the state budget was showing a deficit of $24 million. Despite the state’s economic woes, in June 2003, Maine’s governor signed into law a statewide health plan called Dirigo Health. By 2005, plans were being made by the state to deal with the closing of military bases, including the Brunswick Naval Air Station.

only official elected statewide. The governor is limited to two four-year terms. The governor’s veto may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of members present and voting in each legislative chamber. The legislative salary in 2004 was $11,384 for the first year and $8,302 for the second. The governor’s salary as of December 2004 was $70,000.

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State Government

Maine’s constitution was adopted in 1819, and had been amended 169 times as of January 2005. The document sets up a two-house legislature, consisting of a 35-member Senate and a 151-member House of Representatives. The legislature convenes every two years in joint session to elect the secretary of state, attorney general, auditor, and state treasurer. The governor is the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maine Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

MAINE WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 Dewey (R) 111,916 150,234 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 118,806 232,353 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 102,468 249,238 1960 *Eisenhower (R) 102,468 249,238 1960 Nixon (R) 181,159 240,608 1964 *Johnson (D) 262,264 118,701 1968 Humphrey (D) 217,312 169,254 1972 *Nixon (R) 160,584 256,458 1976 Ford (R) 232,279 236,320 1980 *Reagan (R) 220,974 238,522 1984 *Reagan (R) 214,515 336,500 1988 *Bush (R) 243,569 307,131 1992** *Clinton (D) 263,420 206,504 1996** *Clinton (D) 312,788 186,378 2000 Gore (D) 319,951 286,616 2004 Kerry (D) 396,842 330,201 *Won US presidential election. **Independent candidate Ross Perot received 206,820 votes in 1992 and 85,970 votes in 1996.

Political Parties

The Republican Party dominated Maine politics for 100 years after its formation in the 1850s. The rise of Democrat Edmund S. Muskie, elected governor in 1954 and 1956, and to the first of four terms in the US Senate in 1960, signaled a change. Muskie appealed personally to many traditionally Republican voters, but his party’s revival was also the result of demographic 115

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changes, especially an increase in the proportion of French-Canadian voters. In 2002 there were 912,092 registered voters. In 1998, of all registered voters in Maine, 32% were Democrats, 29% Republicans, and 39% unaffiliated or members of other parties. In 2002, Democrat John Baldacci was elected governor; he was reelected in 2006. In 2006 Republican Olympia Snowe won reelection in the US Senate. Republican Susan E. Collins won the seat left vacant by retiring threeterm senator William S. Cohen in 1996 (Collins was reelected in 2002). Cohen, a Republican, went on to serve Democratic president Bill Clinton as Secretary of Defense. Both of Maine’s seats in the US House of Representatives were held by Democrats following the 2006 midterm elections. In 2000, Democrat Al Gore won 49% of the presidential vote and Republican George W. Bush received 44%. In the 2004 election, Democrat John Kerry received 53.4% of the presidential vote to George W. Bush’s 44.6%. Following the 2006 elections, the state house of representatives had 89 Democrats, 60 Republicans, and 2 independents, while the state senate had 18 Democrats and 17 Republicans. Forty-three women were elected in the state legislature in 2006, or 23.1%.

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Local Government

The principal units of local government in 2005 included 16 counties, 22 cities, 282 public school districts, and 222 special districts. In 2000, there were 467 townships. As is customary in New England, the basic instrument of town government is the annual town meeting, with an elective board of selectmen supervising town affairs between meetings. Some of the larger towns 116

employ full-time town managers. Maine’s counties function primarily as judicial districts.

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Judicial System

The highest state court is the Supreme Judicial Court, which has statewide appeals jurisdiction in all civil and criminal matters. The 16-member Superior Court has original jurisdiction in cases involving trial by jury and also hears some appeals. The district courts hear non-felony criminal cases and small claims and juvenile cases. In 2004, Maine’s violent crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) was 103.5 incidents per 100,000 persons (the second-lowest in the United States after North Dakota). As of 31 December 2004, there were 2,024 state and federal prisoners held in Maine. The state has not had a death penalty since 1887, but does provide for a life sentence without parole.

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Migration

Throughout the colonial and early national periods, Maine’s population grew primarily by immigration from elsewhere in New England. About 1830, after agriculture in the state had passed its peak, Maine farmers and woodsmen began moving west. Europeans and French Canadians came to the state at about that time. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had a net loss of 15,000 in domestic migration and a net gain of 3,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, some 5,004 people moved into the state from other countries, while 36,804 moved into the state from other states, for a net gain of 41,808 people. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maine

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Economy

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Industry

Maine’s greatest economic strengths are its forests and waters, yielding wood products, water power, fisheries, and ocean commerce. As of 2005, among the largest industries in the state was paper manufacturing, for which both forests and water power are essential. Maine’s greatest current economic weakness is its limited access to the national transportation network that links major production and manufacturing centers with large metropolitan markets. On the other hand, this relative isolation, combined with the state’s traditional natural assets, has contributed to Maine’s attractiveness as a place for tourism and recreation. Maine’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 totaled $43.336 billion, of which the real estate sector accounted for the largest portion, by value, at 13.4%, followed by manufacturing at 11.9% of GSP. Of the 40,304 businesses that had employees, an estimated 97.5% were small companies.

Manufacturing in Maine has always been related to the forests. From the 17th century through much of the 19th, the staples of Maine industry were shipbuilding and lumber. As of 2005, it was papermaking and wood products, but footwear, textiles and apparel, shipbuilding, and electronic components and accessories are also important items. Maine has the largest paper-production capacity of any state in the nation. There are large papermills and pulpmills in more than a dozen towns and cities. As of 2004, woodrelated industries (paper, lumber, wood products) accounted for about 25% of the value of all manufactured product shipments. In 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in the state was $13.656 billion. Of that total, paper manufacturing accounted for the largest share at $3.601 billion, followed by transportation equipment at $2.019 billion. In that same year, a total of 57,901 people were employed in the state’s manufacturing sector.

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Income

In 2004, Maine ranked 34th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $30,046, compared to the national average of $33,050. For the three-year period 2002 through 2004, the state’s median household income was $39,395, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 12.2% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationwide. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Maine numbered 716,300, with approximately 30,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.2%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In April 2006, early nonfarm employment data indicated that about 5% of the labor force was employed in construction; 9.7% in manufacturing; 20.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.5% in financial activities; 8.3% in professional and business services; 18.4% in educational and 117

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health services; 9.7% in leisure and hospitality services; and 17.1% in government. In 2005, a total of 69,000 of Maine’s 582,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 11.9% of those so employed, and below the national average of 12%.

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Agriculture

Maine’s gross farm income in 2005 was $546 million (43rd in the United States). There were 7,200 farms in 2004, with an estimated 1.37 million acres (554,000 hectares) of land. Maine produces more food crops for human consumption than any other New England state. Maine ranks first in the world in the production of blueberries, producing over 25% of the total blueberry crop and over 50% of the world’s wild blueberries. Maine is also home to the largest bioagricultural firm in the world, which produces breeding stock for the broiler industry worldwide. In New England, Maine ranks first in potato production and second in the production of milk and apples. Nationally, Maine ranks third in maple syrup and seventh in potatoes. The greenhouse/nursery and wild blueberry sectors have also shown steady growth in sales since 1990.

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In 2005, Maine had an estimated 92,000 cattle and calves worth around $101.2 million. Dairy farmers had an estimated 35,000 milk cows, which produced 624 million pounds (283.6 million kilograms) of milk in 2003. Poultry farmers sold an estimated 10.2 million pounds (4.6 million kilograms) of chickens in the same 118

year. South-central Maine is the leading poultry region.

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Fishing

Fishing has been important to the economy of Maine since its settlement. In 2004, Maine landings brought a total of 208.4 million pounds (84.3 million kilograms) with a value of $315.8 million (the third highest value in the nation). Rockland and Portland were main ports. The most valuable Maine fishery product is the lobster. In 2004, Maine led the nation in landings of American lobster for the 23rd consecutive year, with 58.5 million pounds (26.6 million kilograms). Flounder, halibut, scallops, and shrimp were also caught. Maine also was the leading state in soft clams catch, with 2.4 million pounds of meats (1.1 million kilograms) in 2004. In 2003, there were 35 processing and 176 wholesale plants in the state, with a total of about 1,780 employees. The state commercial fleet in 2001 had 5,836 boats and 1,656 vessels. In 2004, Maine had 15 trout farms. The state also has nine inland fish hatcheries and hosts two national fish hatcheries. In 2004, there were 270,698 licensed sports fishing participants in the state.

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Forestry

Maine’s 17.7 million acres (7.2 million hectares) of forest in 2003 contained over 3.6 billion trees and covered 90% of the state’s land area, the largest percentage for any state in the United States. About 16,952,000 acres (6,860,000 hectares) are classified as commercial timberland, over 96% of it privately owned, and half of that by a dozen large paper companies and land manJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maine

aging corporations. Principal commercial hardwood include ash, hard maple, white and yellow birch, beech, and oak; commercially significant softwoods include white pine, hemlock, cedar, spruce, and fir. Total lumber production in 2004 was 964 million board feet, of which 86% was softwood.

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Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Maine in 2003 was estimated to be $100 million. The mining and production of construction materials accounted for the vast majority of the state’s nonfuel mineral production. Construction sand and gravel, and crushed stone, together accounted for about 65% of total nonfuel mineral output by value that year. According to preliminary data, output of construction sand and gravel totaled 9.3 million metric tons, worth $37.9 million, while crushed stone production came to 4.4 million metric tons, and was valued at $26 million. In 2003, portland cement, and dimension granite were also important nonfuel minerals produced in Maine. Gemstone production that same year was valued at $262,000.

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Energy and Power

In 2003, Maine had a total net summer generating capacity of 4.285 million kilowatts, with output that same year of 18.971 billion kilowatt hours. Natural gas-fueled power plants accounted for 49.8% of all power generated, followed by other renewable sources at 20.6% and hydroelectric plants at 16.7%. Maine no longer generates electricity through nuclear power. As of 2003, Maine’s only nuclear plant, the Maine Yankee Atomic Power plant in Wiscasset, was Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

being dismantled after being closed down in 1997. Maine has no proven reserves or production of crude oil, coal, or natural gas.

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Commerce

In 2002, Maine’s wholesale trade sector had sales of $10.3 billion, while the state’s retail sector in that same year had sales of $16.05 billion. Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest portion of retail sales at $3.7 billion, followed by food and beverage stores at $2.7 billion. The value of Maine’s exports amounted to $2.3 billion in 2005.

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Public Finance

Maine’s biennial budget is prepared by the Bureau of the Budget and submitted by the governor to the legislature for consideration. The fiscal year extends from 1 July to 30 June. Total revenues for 2004 were $8.3 billion, while total expenditures were $7.3 billion. The largest general expenditures were for public welfare ($2.286 billion), education ($1.65 billion), and highways ($536 million). The state had a total debt of about $4.6 billion, or $3,531.55 per capita (per person).

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Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, the state’s individual income tax had four brackets ranging from 2% to 8.5%. The corporate income tax ranges from 3.5% to 8.93%. The state sales tax is 5% on most goods, although basic foods are tax exempt if consumed off premises (such as at home). Cigarettes and gasoline are subject to state excise taxes 119

Maine

In 2005, Maine collected $3.071 billion in tax revenues, or $2,323 per person, placing the state 19th out of the 50 states in per capita tax burden, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person. Of the tax revenues raised, 42.3% was generated by the state income tax, followed by sales taxes at 30.4%, and state excise taxes at 13.9%. The state’s corporate income tax accounted for 4.4% of all tax revenues collected.

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Health

In 2003, Maine’s crude death rate was 9.6 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants. As of October 2005, the state’s infant mortality rate was estimated at 6.1 per 1,000 live births. In 2004, about 20.9% of the state’s population were smokers. Maine’s reported AIDS case rate in 2004 stood at around 4.6 per 100,000 people. The death rates from major causes of death in 2002 (per 100,000 people) were: heart disease at 244.9; cancer at 247.7; cerebrovascular disease at 63.6; chronic lower respiratory diseases at 61.1; and diabetes at 31.2. Maine’s 37 community hospitals had about 3,700 beds in 2003. There were 1,009 nurses per 100,000 people in 2005, while in 2004 there were 302 physicians per 100,000 population in 2004. In that same year, Maine had 629 dentists. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,416 per day in 2003. In 2004, about 10% of the state’s population was uninsured.

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Housing

There were an estimated 676,667 housing units in Maine in 2004. Approximately 534,412 of the total units were occupied, with 72.9% being 120

owner-occupied. About 68.9% of all units are single-family, detached homes. Fuel oils and kerosene are the primary heating fuel for most units. It was estimated that 12,214 units lacked telephone service, 3,771 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 3,336 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.39 people. In 2004, a total of 8,800 privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value is $143,182. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,020. Renters paid a median of $582 per month.

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Education

Maine has a long and vigorous tradition of education at all levels, both public and private. In 2004, of Maine residents age 25 and older, 87.1% were high school graduates, and 24.2% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 200,000 in fall 2003, and was expected to drop to 178,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 20,696. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $2.2 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 63,308 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. As of 2005, Maine had 30 degree-granting institutions. Since 1968, the state’s public colleges and universities have been incorporated into a single University of Maine System. The original land grant campus is at Orono. The other major campus in the system is the University of Southern Maine at Portland and Gorham. The state also operates the Maine Maritime Academy at Castine and the Maine Technical College System, comprised of seven technical colleges. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maine

Of the state’s private colleges and professional schools, Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Colby College in Waterville, and Bates College in Lewiston are the best known.

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Arts

Maine has long held an attraction for painters and artists, including Winslow Homer and Andrew Wyeth. The state has many summer theaters, the oldest and most famous of which is at Ogunquit, which celebrated its 74th anniversary in 2006. The Portland Symphony (est. 1923) is Maine’s leading orchestra. Augusta and Bangor also host symphonies. The Maine State Ballet Company is based in Westbrook. The Portland Ballet is also well known in the state. The Bossov Ballet Theatre in Pittsfield is part of a boarding school for high school students looking for rigorous pre-professional training in dance. One of the newest additions to Maine’s cultural life is the Maine Grand Opera Company (est. 2001), based at the Camden Opera House. There are many local theater groups. Some well-known festivals include the Arcady Summer Music Festival (est. 1980), specializing in chamber music, and the annual Bowdoin Summer Music Festival (est. 1964), presented at Bowdoin College in Brunswick. The Maine Arts Commission is an independent state agency funded in part by the Maine State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. The state Department of Educational and Cultural Services has an Arts and Humanities Bureau that provides funds to artists in residence, Maine touring artists, and community arts councils. The Maine Humanities Council, founded in 1975, provides support to about 100 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

nonprofit art organizations each year. Several ongoing reading programs sponsored in part by MHC include Born to Read, for children and youth; New Books, New Readers, for adult learners; and Let’s Talk About It, for adult readers.

34


In 2001, Maine had 280 public libraries, of which 7 were branch libraries. In that same year, the state’s libraries had 5,891,000 volumes and a combined circulation of 8,155,000. Leading libraries included the Maine State Library at Augusta, Bowdoin College at Brunswick, and the University of Maine School of Law. Maine has at least 121 museums and historic sites. The Maine State Museum in Augusta houses collections in history, natural history, anthropology, marine studies, mineralogy, science, and technology. The privately supported Maine Historical Society in Portland maintains a research library and the Wadsworth Longfellow House, the boyhood home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The largest of several maritime museums is in Bath.

35

Communications

In 2004, a total of 96.6% of occupied housing units had telephones, while as of June 2004, there were 610,533 mobile telephone service subscribers. In 2003, of all households in the state, 67.8% had a computer, while 57.9% had access to the Internet. Maine had 33 major commercial radio stations (5 AM, 28 FM) in 2005, along with 11 major television stations. Educational television stations broadcast from Augusta, Biddeford, Calais, Orono, and Presque Isle. 121

Maine

Sand Beach, Acadia National Park. NANCY MARSHALL COMMUNICATIONS.

By 2000, a total of 25,583 Internet domain names had been registered in Maine.

36

Press

In 2005, Maine had seven daily newspapers and four Sunday editions. The most widely read newspapers (with their 2005 circulation) were the Bangor Daily News (mornings, 62,462; weekend, 74,754) and the Portland Press Herald (mornings, 77,788). Maine’s largest Sunday newspaper is the Portland Sunday Telegram (125,858). The capital is served by the Augusta Kennebec Journal (15,167 daily; 14,422 Sundays). Regional interest magazines include Maine Times and Down East 122

37


In 2004, the state of Maine hosted 43 million travelers who spent $13.6 billion dollars. Though Maine is a year-round resort destination, 59% of travelers arrive during the months of July, August, and September. Sightseeing and outdoor activities are the primary tourist attractions. In the summer, the southern coast offers sandy beaches, icy surf, and several small harbors for sailing and saltwater fishing. Northeastward, the scenery becomes more rugged and spectacular, and sailing and hiking are the primary activities. Hundreds of lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams offer opportunities for freshwater bathing, boating, and fishJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maine

ing. Whitewater canoeing lures the adventurous along the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in northern Maine. Maine has always attracted hunters, especially during the fall deer season. Wintertime recreation facilities include nearly 60 ski areas and countless opportunities for cross-country skiing. There are 12 state parks and beaches. Acadia National Park is a popular attraction, along with other wildlife areas, refuges, and forests. The state fair is held at Bangor.

38

Sports

Maine has no major league professional sports team. The Portland Pirates (a minor league hockey team) of the American Hockey League play on their home ice at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland. Minor league baseball’s Sea Dogs of the AA Eastern League play their games at Hadlock Field, which opened in 1994. Harness racing is held at Scarborough Downs and other tracks and fairgrounds throughout the state. Sailing is a popular participant sport with a Windsummer Festival held each July at Boothbay Harbor and a Retired Skippers Race at Castine in August.

39

Famous Mainers

The highest federal officeholders born in Maine were Hannibal Hamlin (1809–1891), the nation’s first Republican vice-president, under Abraham Lincoln; and Nelson A. Rockefeller (1908– 1979), governor of New York State from 1959 to 1973 and US vice-president under Gerald Ford. Margaret Chase Smith (1897–1995) served longer in the US Senate—24 years—than any other woman. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

A statue of Paul Bunyon in Bangor, the lumber capital of the world in the 1880s. MAINE OFFICE OF TOURISM.

Maine claims a large number of well-known reformers and humanitarians: Dorothea Lynde Dix (1802–1887), who led the movement for hospitals for the insane; Elijah Parish Lovejoy (1802–1837), an abolitionist killed while defending his printing press from a proslavery mob in St. Louis, Missouri; and Harriet Beecher Stowe (b.Connecticut, 1811–1896), whose novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) was written in Maine. Other important writers include poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882) and Kate Douglas Wiggin (1856–1923), author of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869–1935) and Edna St. Vincent 123

Maine

Millay (1892–1950) were both Pulitzer Prizewinning poets. E. B. (Elwyn Brooks) White (1899–1985), New Yorker essayist and author of the children’s classic Charlotte’s Web, maintained a home in Maine, which inspired much of his writing. Winslow Homer (b.Massachusetts, 1836–1910) had a summer home at Prouts Neck, where he painted many of his seascapes. Joan Benoit-Samuelson (b.1957), famous distance runner during the 1980s, was born in Cape Elizabeth.

Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Maine. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. Dornfeld, Margaret. Maine. New York: Benchmark Books, 2001. Gale, Robert L. A Sarah Orne Jewett Companion. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999. McAuliffe, Emily. Maine Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Maine. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006.

40

WEB SITES Official Website of the State of Maine. Maine.gov. www.state.me.us (accessed March 1, 2007). Visit New England. Maine. www.visit-maine.com (accessed March 1, 2007).

Bibliography

BOOKS Beem, Edgar Allen. Maine: the Spirit of America. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2000.

124


Maryland State of Maryland

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for Henrietta

Maria, queen consort of King Charles I of England. N I CKNAME : The Old Line State and the Free State. C AP ITAL: Annapolis. ENT ERED UNION: 28 April 1788 (7th).

A shield bearing the arms of the Calverts and Crosslands is surmounted by an earl’s coronet and a helmet and supported by a farmer and fisherman. The state motto (originally that of the Calverts) appears on a scroll below. The circle is surrounded by the Latin legend Scuto bonæ voluntatis tuæ; coronasti nos, meaning “With the shield of thy favor hast thou compassed us”; and “1632,” the date of Maryland’s first charter. OBVERSE: Lord Baltimore is seen as a knight in armor on a charger. The surrounding inscription, in Latin, means “Cecilius, Absolute Lord of Maryland and Avalon New Foundland, Baron of Baltimore.” FLAG: Bears the quartered arms of the Calvert and Crossland families (the paternal and maternal families of the founders of Maryland). M OT TO: Fatti maschii, parole femine (Manly deeds, womanly words). SONG: “Maryland, My Maryland.” FLOWER: Black-eyed Susan. TREE: White oak. C RUSTACEAN: Blue crab. B IRD: Baltimore oriole. FISH: Rockfish. IN S ECT: Baltimore checkerspot butterfly. R EPT ILE: Diamondback terrapin. D OG: Chesapeake Bay retriever. O FFICIAL SEAL:

REVERSE:


B E V E R A G E : Milk. S P O RT: Jousting. L E G A L H O L I D AY S : New Year’s Day, 1 January;

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 12 October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November plus one day; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located on the eastern seaboard of the United States in the South Atlantic region, Maryland ranks 42nd in size among the 50 states. The state’s total area is 10,460 square miles (27,092 square kilometers), including 9,837 square miles (25,478 square kilometers) of land and 623 125

Maryland

square miles (1,614 square kilometers) of inland water. The state extends 199 miles (320 kilometers) east-west and 126 miles (203 kilometers) north-south. The total boundary length of Maryland is 842 miles (1,355 kilometers), including a coastline of 31 miles (50 kilometers). Important islands in Chesapeake Bay, off Maryland’s Eastern Shore (part of the Delmarva Peninsula), include Kent, Bloodsworth, South Marsh, and Smith.

2

Topography

Three distinct regions characterize Maryland’s terrain. The first and major area is the coastal plain, which is divided by the Chesapeake Bay into Eastern and Western shores. The Piedmont Plateau to the west is a broad, rolling upland with several deep gorges. Farther west is the Appalachian Mountain region, containing the state’s highest hills. Backbone Mountain in westernmost Maryland is the state’s highest point, at 3,360 feet (1,024 meters). A few small islands lie in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland’s dominant waterway. Principal rivers include the Potomac, the Patapsco, the Patuxent, and the Susquehanna. The state has 23 rivers and other bays, as well as many lakes and creeks, none of any great size.

3

Climate

Despite its small size, Maryland has a diverse climate. Temperatures vary from an annual average of 48°f (9°c) in the extreme western uplands to 59°f (15°c) in the southeast, where the climate is moderated by Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The mean temperature for Baltimore ranges from 33°f (1°c) in January to 78°f (25°c) 126

Maryland Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

5,615,727 6.0% 5.8% 98.3% 61.5% 28.7% 0.3% 4.7% 0.0% 3.1% 1.7%


Under 18 (26%)

65 and over (11%)

45 to 64 (26%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Baltimore Frederick Gaithersburg Rockville Bowie Hagerstown Annapolis Salisbury College Park Greenbelt

Population

% change 2000–05

635,815 57,907 57,698 57,402 53,878 38,326 36,300 26,295 25,171 22,242

-2.4 9.7 9.7 21.1 7.2 4.5 1.3 10.7 2.1 3.7



Maryland

PENNSYLVANIA

ALLEGANY

Swallow Falls State Park

WASHINGTON

FREDRICK

CARROLL

81 Hagerstown

BALTIMORE

Cunningham Falls State Park Antietam Nat. Battlefield

CECIL

HARFORD

Gunpowder Falls State Park

95

NEW JERSEY

R.

Cumberland Green Ridges S. F.

Savage River State Forest

a nn ha ue sq Su

GARRETT

83

Elk Neck St. Park

Frederick

695

70

Baltimore

270

Gaithersburg

QUEEN ANNES

ANN ARUNDEL

MONTGOMERY

Ft. Meade Mil. Res.

Rockville

WEST VIRGINIA

KENT

Aberdeen Proving Ground

HOWARD

E. Neck I. Natíl Wildlife Ref.

College Park

Annapolis

CAROLINE

Martinak St. Park

Bowie

WASHINGTON D.C.

TALBOT

95

Doncaster St. For. ST MARYS

DORCHESTER

peake

CHARLES

a Ches

CALVERT

Cedarville St. Forest

Bay

PRINCE GEORGES

Blackwater N.W.R.

Salisbury

er Tangi

St. Maryís River S. P. Potomac R. Martin Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

Sound

VIRGINIA

WICOMICO

SOMERSET

WORCESTER

Pocomoke St. For.

Assateague Island National Seashore

MARYLAND Explanation Point of Interest City (25,000-100,000 people) City (more than 100,000 people) State Capital

95



Area of Interest

N 0 0

20 20



127

Maryland

in July. The record high temperature for the state is 109°f (43°c), set on 10 July 1936 in Cumberland and Frederick counties. The record low is -40°f (–40°c), set on 13 January 1912 at Oakland. Annual precipitation averages 49 inches (124 centimeters) in the southeast, but only 36 inches (91 centimeters) in the Cumberland areas west of the Appalachians. As much as 100 inches (254 centimeters) of snow falls in western Garrett County, while 8–10 inches (20–25 centimeters) is the average annual snowfall for the Eastern Shore.

4

Plants and Animals

Maryland’s three life zones (coastal plain, piedmont, and Appalachian) mingle wildlife characteristics of both the North and South. Most of the state lies within a hardwood belt in which red and white oaks, yellow poplar, and beech are represented. Shortleaf and loblolly pines are the leading softwoods. Honeysuckle, Virginia creeper, and wild raspberry are also common. Wooded hillsides are rich with such wildflowers as trailing arbutus, early blue violet, and wild rose. Seven plant species were listed as threatened or endangered in 2006, including Canby’s dropwort, sandplain gerardia, northeastern bulrush, and harperella. The white-tailed (Virginia) deer, eastern cottontail, and raccoon, among others, are native to Maryland, although urbanization has sharply reduced their habitat. Common small mammals are the woodchuck, eastern chipmunk, and gray squirrel. Birds include the cardinal, chestnut-sided warbler, and rose-breasted grosbeak. Among saltwater species, shellfish— especially oysters, clams, and crabs—have the 128

greatest economic importance. As of 2006, 18 Maryland animal species were listed as threatened or endangered, including the Indiana bat, Maryland darter, bald eagle, Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel, three species of whale, and five species of turtle.

5


The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) serves as the state’s primary environmental protection agency. MDE has broad regulatory, planning, and management responsibility for water quality, air quality, solid and hazardous waste management. MDE also plays a pivotal role in Maryland’s initiatives to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is responsible for the management, enhancement, and preservation of the state’s living and natural resources. Utilizing an ecosystem approach to land, waterway, and species management, DNR programs and services support the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, sustainable populations of fishery and wildlife species, and an integrated network of public lands and open space. The Maryland Environmental Service, a quasi-public agency, contracts with local governments to design, construct, finance, and operate wastewater treatment plants, water supply systems, and recycling facilities. In 2003, Maryland had 168 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 17 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maryland

Maryland Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,296,486 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,192,899 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95,262 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19,270 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10,388 White and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15,660 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 793 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20,812 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . .6,488 Black or African American and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,330 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 840 Black or African American and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10,920 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 70 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 796 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 930 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,827 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8,325

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.0 . . . . . . . 1.8 . . . . . . . 0.4 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.3 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.4 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.2 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.2


6

Population

In 2005, Maryland ranked 19th in population in the United States with an estimated total of 5,615,727 residents. It is projected that the population will reach 6.2 million by 2015 and 6.7 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 572.3 persons per square mile (220.9 persons per square kilometer), the fifth highest among the states. The median age in 2004 was 36.8. In 2005, about 11% of all residents were 65 or older while 26% were 18 or younger. Baltimore is the state’s only major city, with a 2005 estimated population of 635,815. The next-largest city is Frederick, with a 2005 population of 57,907. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, the largest racial minority in the state was the black Americans, with about 1,477,411 residents. Nearly onethird of all black Marylanders lived in the city of Baltimore. Hispanics and Latinos, mostly from Puerto Rico and Central America, numbered 227,000. The total Asian population was estimated at 210,929 and included 39,155 Koreans, 49,400 Chinese, 26,608 Filipinos, 6,620 Japanese, and 16,744 Vietnamese. Pacific Islanders numbered 2,303. Foreign-born residents numbered 518,315, representing about 9.8% of the total popula129

Maryland

tion. Native Americans, including Eskimos and Aleuts, were estimated at 15,423.

8

Languages

The state’s diverse terrain has contributed to unusual diversity in its basic speech. Proximity to Virginia and access to southeastern and central Pennsylvania helped to create a language mixture that now is dominantly Midland and yet reflects earlier ties to Southern English. Regional features occur as well. Special terms in the northeast are pavement (sidewalk) and baby coach (baby carriage). In the north and west are poke (bag) and sick on the stomach. In the southern portion are found light bread (white bread) and curtain (shade). East of Chesapeake Bay are mosquito hawks (dragonflies) and paled fences (picket fences). In 2000, 4,322,329 residents, or 87% of the population five years old or older, spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, with the number of speakers, included Spanish, 230,829; French, 42,838; Chinese, 41,883; and Korean, 32,937.

9

Religions

Maryland was founded as a haven for Roman Catholics; but in 1692, Anglicanism (now the Episcopal Church) became the official religion of the colony. The state constitution of 1776, however, placed all Christian faiths on an equal footing. As of 2000, there were 952,389 Roman Catholics in Maryland. Adherents of the major Protestant denominations (with 2000 data) included United Methodists, 297,729; Southern Baptists, 142,401; Evangelical Lutherans, 130

103,644; and Episcopalians, 81,061. In 2000, there were an estimated 216,000 Jews and about 52,867 Muslims. The same year, there were about 32 Buddhist congregations and 26 Hindu congregations. Over 3 million people (about 56.7% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

Maryland’s first railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O), was started in 1828. In 1835, it provided the first passenger train service to Washington, DC, and Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia). By 1857, the line was extended to St. Louis and its freight capacity helped build Baltimore into a major center of commerce. Today CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern are the Class I railroads operating in the state, along with one regional, five Local, and two switching and terminal railroads. As of 2003, total rail miles in Maryland amounted to 1,153 miles (1,856 kilometers). The Maryland Transportation Department’s Railroad Administration subsidizes four commuter lines in western Maryland and on the Eastern Shore. As of 2006, Amtrak operated six stations. The Maryland Mass Transit Administration inaugurated Baltimore’s first subway line on 21 November 1983. In 1984, the Washington, DC, mass transit system was extended to the Maryland suburbs, including Bethesda and Rockville. As of 2004, there were 30,809 miles (49,602 kilometers) of public roadway. The major toll road is the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway (I-95), linking Baltimore with Wilmington, Delaware, and the New Jersey Turnpike. There were 3,594,251 licensed drivers and some Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maryland

The Pride of Baltimore II under sail in Annapolis. MARYLAND TOURISM.

4,150,000 motor vehicles registered in Maryland in 2004. The Delaware and Chesapeake Canal, linking Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River, opened in 1829. In 2006, the major port was at Baltimore. There are 145 airports in Maryland. The Department of Transportation operates Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) Airport, the major air terminal in the state, which also serves the Washington, DC, area. Another 76 airfields (69 heliports, 1 STOLport—Short Take-Off and Landing, and 6 seaplane bases) also served the state in 2005.

11

History

The Indian tribes living in the region that was to become Maryland were Algonkian-speakJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ers, including the Accomac, Susquehannock, and Piscataway. Although the Algonkian tribes hunted for much of their food, many (including the Susquehannock) also had permanent settlements where they cultivated corn (maize) and other crops. European penetration of the Chesapeake region began early in the 16th century, with the expeditions of Giovanni da Verrazano of Florence and the Spaniard Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón. Captain John Smith was the first English explorer of Chesapeake Bay (1608) and produced a map of the area that was used for years. Twenty years later, George Calvert received from King Charles I a land grant that embraced not only present-day Maryland but also the present State of Delaware, a large part of Pennsylvania, and the valley between the north 131

Maryland

Fort McHenry (on Baltimore’s waterfront), birthplace of the national anthem. MARYLAND TOURISM.

and south branches of the Potomac River. When he died in 1632, the title passed to his son, Cecilius Calvert, Second Baron Baltimore, who named the region Maryland after Charles I’s queen, Henrietta Maria. Calvert established the first settlement two years later as a refuge for persecuted Roman Catholics. In 1689, with Protestants in power both in England and Maryland, the British crown took control of the province away from the Catholic Calverts, and in 1692, the Church of England became Maryland’s established religion. The Fourth Baron Baltimore regained full hereditary rights—but only because he had embraced the Protestant faith. Rule by the Calvert family through their legitimate heirs continued until the eve of the American Revolution. 132

Statehood After some initial hesitancy, Maryland

cast its lot with the Revolution and sent approximately 20,000 soldiers to fight in the war. On 28 April 1788, it became the seventh state to ratify the federal Constitution. By the early 19th century, Baltimore, founded in 1729, was already the state’s major center of commerce and industry. The city and harbor were the site of extended military operations during the War of 1812. It was during the bombardment of Ft. McHenry in 1814 that Francis Scott Key, detained on the British frigate, composed “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which became the US national anthem in March 1931. After the War of 1812, Maryland history was marked by the continued growth of Baltimore and increasing division over immigration, slavJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maryland

ery, and secession, which the Maryland house of delegates rejected in 1861. Throughout the Civil War, Maryland was largely occupied by Union troops because of its strategic location. Marylanders fought on both sides during the war, and one major battle took place on Maryland soil—the Battle of Antietam (1862), during which a Union army thwarted a Confederate thrust toward the north, but at an enormous cost to both sides. The state’s economic activity increased during Reconstruction, as Maryland, and especially Baltimore, played a major role in rebuilding the South. Maryland’s economic base gradually shifted from agriculture to industry, with shipbuilding, steelmaking, and the manufacture of clothing and shoes leading the way. The decades between the Civil War and World War I were also notable for the philanthropic activities of such wealthy businessmen as Johns Hopkins and George Peabody, who endowed some of the state’s most prestigious cultural and educational institutions. Democrat Albert C. Ritchie won election to the governorship in 1919 and served in that office until 1935, stressing local issues, states’ rights, and opposition to prohibition. Post-War Period The decades since World War

II have been marked by significant population growth. The state has witnessed the passage of open housing and equal opportunity laws to protect Maryland’s black citizens. It has also been rocked by political scandal. Perhaps the most significant occurrence was the redevelopment of Baltimore, which, though still the hub of the state’s economy, had fallen into decay. Much of Baltimore’s downtown area and harbor were revitalized by urban renewal projects in the late 1970s and 1980s. Although Maryland’s Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

economy declined less than those of other states during the recession of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the state suffered from reductions in the defense and technology industries. Nevertheless, service industry employment, primarily in the Baltimore-Washington, DC corridor, gave Maryland the fifth-highest state income in the country as of the mid-1990s. Federal government and high-tech employment accounted for many of these jobs. As of 2004, Maryland had the third-highest median household income among the states. Maryland had the sixth-lowest poverty rate in the nation in 2004. Maryland’s 370-year history of tobacco farming appeared to be drawing to a close in 2000. The crop that had settled the Chesapeake had become risky, with the tobacco industry under attack for the health hazards of its products. The state had by 2003 implemented a tobacco buyout program, whereby the state agreed to pay farmers $1 per pound of tobacco that they would sell for the following 10 years. Farmers agreed to plant alternative crops instead of tobacco. The environmental cleanup of Chesapeake Bay, begun in the mid-1980s, continued into the 21st century. The Bay was threatened by an April 2000 oil spill into the Patuxent River, which flows into the Chesapeake. The cleanup continued into the mid-2000s.

12

State Government

The general assembly, Maryland’s legislative body, consists of two branches: a 47-member senate and a 141-member house of delegates. All legislators serve four-year terms. Executives elected statewide are the governor and lieutenant governor (who run jointly), the comptroller of 133

Maryland

Maryland Governors: 1775–2007 1775–1777 1777–1779 1779–1782 1782–1785 1785–1788 1788–1791 1791–1792 1792 1792–1794 1794–1797 1797–1798 1798–1801 1801–1803 1803–1806 1806–1809 1809 1809–1811 1811–1812 1812–1816 1816–1819 1819 1819–1922 1822–1826 1826–1829 1829–1830 1830–1831 1831 1831–1833 1833–1836 1836–1839 1839–1842 1842–1845 1845–1848 1848–1851 1851–1854 1854–1858 1858–1862

Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Thomas Johnson Thomas S. Lee William Paca William Smallwood John Eager Howard Federalist George Plater Federalist James Brice Federalist Thomas Sim Lee Federalist John Hoskins Stone Federalist John Henry Federalist Benjamin Ogle Federalist John Francis Mercer Dem-Rep Robert Bowie Dem-Rep Robert Wright Dem-Rep James Butcher Dem-Rep Edward Lloyd Dem-Rep Robert Bowie Dem-Rep Levin Winder Federalist Charles Carnan Ridgely Federalist Charles Goldsborough Federalist Samuel Sprigg Dem-Rep Samuel Stevens, Jr. Dem-Rep Joseph Kent Dem-Rep Daniel Martin Anti–Jacksonian Thomas King Carroll Jacksonian Daniel Martin Anti–Jacksonian George Howard Anti–Jacksonian James Thomas Anti–Jacksonian Thomas Ward Veazey Whig William Grason Democrat Francis Thomas Democrat Thomas George Pratt Whig Philip Francis Thomas Democrat Enoch Louis Lowe Democrat Thomas Watkins Ligon Democrat Thomas Holliday Hicks American

the Treasury, and the attorney general. All serve four-year terms. Bills passed by majority vote of both houses of the assembly become law when signed by the governor, or if left unsigned for six days while the legislature is in session or for 30 days if the legislature has adjourned. The only exception is the budget bill, which becomes effective immediately upon legislative passage. The governor’s 134

1862–1866 1866–1869 1869–1872 1872–1874 1874–1876 1876–1880 1880–1884 1884–1885 1885–1888 1888–1892 1892–1896 1896–1900 1900–1904 1904–1908 1908–1912 1912–1916 1916–1920 1920–1935 1935–1939 1939–1947 1947–1951 1951–1959 1959–1967 1967–1969 1969–1977 1977–1979 1979 1979–1987 1987–1995 1995–2002 2002–2006 2006–

Augustus Williamson Bradford Union-Rep Thomas Swann Union-Dem Oden Bowie Democrat William Pinkney Whyte Democrat James Black Groome Democrat John Lee Carroll Democrat William Thomas Hamilton Democrat Robert Milligan McLane Democrat Henry Lloyd Democrat Elihu Emory Jackson Democrat Frank Brown Democrat Lloyd Lowndes, Jr. Republican John Walter Smith Democrat Edwin Warfield Democrat Austin Lane Crothers Democrat Phillips Lee Goldsborough Republican Emerson Columbus Harrington Democrat Albert Cabell Ritchie Democrat Harry Whinna Nice Republican Herbert Romulus O’Conor Democrat William Preston Lane, Jr. Democrat Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin Republican John Millard Tawes Democrat Spiro Theodore Agnew Republican Marvin Mandel Democrat Lee Blair III Democrat Marvin Mandel Democrat Harry R. Hughes Democrat William Donald Schaefer Democrat Parris N. Glendening Democrat Robert Ehrlich Republican Martin O’Malley Democrat

Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep Union Democrat – Union-Dem Union Republican – Union-Rep

vetoes may be overridden by three-fifths votes in both houses. The governor’s salary as of December 2004 was $135,000 and the legislative salary was $31,509.

13

Political Parties

In 2004 there were 3,105,000 registered voters. In 1998, 58% of registered voters were Democratic, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maryland

Maryland Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

MARYLAND WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

DEMOCRAT

STATE’S RIGHTS SOCIALIST

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

Dewey (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)

286,521 395,337 372,613 565,808 730,912

294,814 499,424 559,738 489,538 385,495

9,983 7,313 — — —

2,467 — — — —

2,941 — — — —

1968

Humphrey (D)

538,310

517,995

—

—

1972 1976


505,781 759,612

829,305 672,661

18,726 —

— —

— —

1980 1984 1988

Carter (D) *Reagan (R) *Bush (R)

726,161 787,935 826,304

680,606 879,918 876,167

— — 5,115

14,192 5,721 6,748

1992 1996


988,571 966,207

707,094 681,530

2,786 —

4,715 8,765

281,414 115,812

LIBERTARIAN

REFORM

1,144,088 1,334,493

813,827 1,024,703

53,768 —

5,310 6,094

4,248 —

AMERICAN IND.

178,734 AMERICAN

LIBERTARIAN

— — — IND. (PEROT)


20% Republican, and 12% unaffiliated or members of other parties. Maryland was one of the few states carried by President Jimmy Carter in the November 1980 presidential election, but four years later the state went for President Ronald Reagan in the national Republican landslide. In 2000, Maryland gave 57% of its vote to Democrat Al Gore and 40% to Republican George W. Bush. In 2004, Democratic challenger John Kerry won 55.7% of the vote to incumbent President Bush’s 44.6%. Revelations of corruption afflicted both major parties during the 1970s. In 1973, Republican Spiro T. Agnew, then vice president of the United States, was accused of taking bribes while he was Baltimore County executive and then governor. Agnew resigned from the vice-presidency on 10 October 1973. His guberJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

natorial successor, Democrat Marvin Mandel, was convicted of mail fraud and racketeering in 1977. He served 20 months of a 36-month prison sentence before receiving a presidential pardon in 1981. In 1994, the governor’s race was one of the closest in Maryland history. Democrat Parris N. Glendening, three-term Prince George’s county executive, defeated Ellen R. Sauerbrey, Republican leader of the Maryland House, by a mere 5,993 votes. Glendening was reelected by a comfortable margin in 1998. Republican Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. was elected in 2002. Ehrlich was defeated by Democrat Martin O’Malley in 2006. Democrat Barbara Mikulski was reelected US senator in 2004, and Democrat Ben Cardin was elected senator in 2006, replacing the seat formerly held by Paul Sarbanes, who 135

Maryland

decided not to run for a sixth term. His son, John Sarbanes, won the seat for Maryland’s third congressional district in 2006, the district that Paul Sarbanes represented prior to his election as senator. As of the November 2006 elections, Maryland’s congressional delegation consisted of six Democrats and two Republicans. Following the 2006 elections, there were 33 Democrats and 14 Republicans in the state senate, and 106 Democrats and 35 Republicans in the state house. Sixty-seven women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 35.6%, the highest percentage in the nation.

14

Local Government

As of 2005 there were 24 counties and 157 municipal governments in Maryland. Most counties had charter governments, with (in most cases) elected executives and county councils, and other rural counties had elected boards of county commissioners. Baltimore is the only city in Maryland not contained within a county. It provides the same services as a county, and shares in state aid according to the same allocation formulas. The city (not to be confused with Baltimore County, which surrounds the city of Baltimore but has its county seat at Towson) is governed by a mayor and city council. Other cities and towns are each governed by a mayor and a council, town commissioners, or council and a manager, depending on the local charter. In 2005, Maryland had 25 public school systems. 136

15

Judicial System

The court of appeals, the state’s highest court, comprises a chief judge and six associate judges. Most criminal appeals are decided by the court of special appeals, consisting of a chief judge and 12 associate judges. District courts handle all criminal, civil, and traffic cases. Appeals are taken to one of eight judicial circuit courts. According to the FBI Crime Index for 2004, Maryland had a violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) of 700.5 reported incidents per 100,000 population (third highest in the nation). Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/theft, and motor vehicle theft) totaled 3,640.2 reported incidents per 100,000 people. There were 23,285 prisoners in state and federal prisons as of 31 December 2004. Maryland has a death penalty, with eight persons being held under the sentence of death as of 1 January 2006.

16

Migration

During the 19th century, Baltimore ranked second only to New York as a port of entry for European immigrants. First to come were the Germans, followed by the Irish, Poles, East European Jews, and Italians. A significant number of Czechs settled in Cecil County during the 1860s. After the Civil War, many blacks migrated to Baltimore, both from rural Maryland and from southern states. Since World War II, both the Baltimore metropolitan area and the Maryland part of the metropolitan Washington, DC, area have experienced rapid growth while the inner cities have lost population. Between 1990 and 1998, Maryland had a net loss of 49,000 in domestic Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maryland

migration and a net gain of 118,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 108,972 and net internal migration was 9,752, for a net gain of 118,724 people.

17

Economy

Although manufacturing output continues to rise, the biggest growth areas in Maryland’s economy are government, construction, trade, and services. Maryland employees are the best educated in the nation, with more than one-third of those over age 25 possessing a bachelor’s degree in 2000. Manufacturing has shifted towards high technology, information, and health-related products. With the expansion of federal employment in the Washington metropolitan area during the 1960s and 1970s, many US government workers settled in suburban Maryland, primarily Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. Construction and services in those areas expanded accordingly. Between 1982 and 1992, the number of jobs grew 24% in Maryland, somewhat above the national average of 21% for that period. However, from 1992 to 2000, Maryland lost 17% of its federal employment in Washington, DC. Fishing and agriculture (primarily dairy and poultry farming) on the Eastern Shore and coal mining in Garrett and Allegheny counties are also important areas of the economy. Although manufacturing output grew from 1997 to 2001, its share of gross state product declined. In contrast, services and wholesale and retail trade grew as a percentage of gross state product (GSP). As of 2004, real estate accounted for the largest portion of GSP at 15.2%, followed by professional and technical services (9.9%), and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

health and social services (7.3%). The GSP that year was $227.9 billion.

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Income

In 2005, Maryland had a gross state product (GSP) of $245 billion, the 15th highest nationwide. In 2004, Maryland had a per capita (per person) income of $39,631, fifth highest in the nation. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $56,763, compared to the national average of $44,473. During the same period, an estimated 8.6% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared with 12.4% among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

19

Industry

Baltimore is an important manufacturer of automobiles and parts, steel, and instruments. Manufacturing is led by the printing and publishing industry, the food industry, the machinery industry, and the chemical industry. Value of shipments by manufacturers in 2004 was $36.48 billion. About one-third of all manufacturing activity takes place in the city of Baltimore, followed by Baltimore County, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County. Maryland is the headquarters of Lockheed Martin (aerospace), Marriott International (hospitality), Black and Decker (tools), and Giant Food.

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Labor

As of April 2006, the civilian labor force in Maryland numbered 2,997,700, with approximately 105,700 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.5%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 137

Maryland

2006, 7.3% of the labor force was employed in construction; 5.3% in manufacturing; 18.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.2% in financial activities; 15% in business and professional services; 14% in education and health services; 9% in leisure and hospitality services; and 18.2% in government. The Baltimore Federation of Labor was formed in 1889 and by 1900, the coal mines had been organized by the United Mine Workers. In 1902, Maryland passed the first workers’ compensation law in the United States. It was declared unconstitutional in 1904 but was subsequently revived. In 2005, some 337,000 of Maryland’s 2,530,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 13.3% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

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Agriculture

Maryland ranked 36th among the 50 states in agricultural income in 2005, with estimated receipts of $1.66 billion, about 41% of that in crops. In 2004, the state had about 12,100 farms covering 2,050,000 acres (830,000 hectares). Until the Revolutionary War, tobacco was the state’s only cash crop. In 2004, Maryland produced an estimated 1.87 million pounds (848,218 kilograms) of tobacco. Corn and cereal grains are grown mainly in southern Maryland. Main crops include soybeans, wheat, and barley. Commercial vegetables, cultivated primarily on the Eastern Shore, were valued at $36.6 million in 2004. Fruits are also cultivated. 138

22


The Eastern Shore is an important dairy and poultry region. Cattle are raised in north-central and western Maryland, while the central region is notable for horse breeding. In 2003, poultry farmers produced an estimated 6.4 million pounds (2.9 million kilograms) of chickens and 1.37 billion pounds (0.63 billion kilograms) of broilers for around $494.7 million. Also in 2003, Maryland farmers produced an estimated 813 million eggs worth around $46.2 million. An estimated 1.2 billion pounds (0.6 billion kilograms) of milk was produced in 2003 from 78,000 dairy cows. Maryland farms and ranches had an estimated 235,000 cattle and calves worth around $237 million in 2005. In 2004, there were an estimated 26,000 hogs and pigs, worth $2.6 million.

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Fishing

In 2004, Maryland had a total commercial catch of 49.5 million pounds (22.5 million kilograms), valued at $49.2 million. Maryland is a leading source of oysters, clams, and crabs. About 19% of the nation’s supply of hard blue crabs comes from Maryland. Ocean City is the state’s leading fishing port. In 2003, the state had 17 processing and 58 wholesale plants with a total of about 1,417 employees. In 2001, the commercial fleet had at least 32 vessels. The Fisheries Administration of the Department of Natural Resources monitors fish populations and breeds and implants oysters. It also stocks inland waterways with finfish. The state has five cold water and four warm water Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maryland

hatcheries. Maryland had 362,181 licensed sport anglers in 2004.

24

Forestry

Maryland’s 2,566,000 acres (1,139,000 hectares) of forestland covers about 40% of the state’s land area. More than 90% of that (2,372,000 acres/961,570 hectares) was classified as commercial forest and 90% of it was privately owned. Hardwoods predominate, with red and white oaks and yellow poplar among the leading hardwood varieties. Lumber production in 2004 was 272 million board feet. Forest management and improvement lie within the jurisdiction of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service.

25

Mining

The estimated value of nonfuel mineral production in Maryland in 2003 was $382 million. Maryland ranked 33rd among the states in national nonfuel mineral production value. Crushed stone, cement (portland and masonry), and crushed sand and gravel together accounted for over 95% of the state’s total nonfuel mineral value. According to preliminary figures in 2003, portland cement was the leading nonfuel mineral commodity, totaling 1.9 million tons (valued at $143 million), followed by crushed stone (output 21.8 million metric tons, valued at $138 million), and construction sand and gravel (11.4 million metric tons, $78.1 million). Maryland also produces significant quantities of dimension stone. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

26

Energy and Power

In 2003, Maryland’s installed electrical capacity (utility and nonutility) was 12.47 million kilowatts. Production of electricity exceeded 52.24 billion kilowatt hours in the same year. More than 99% of the generating capacity was privately owned and about 57.3% of the state’s electricity was produced by coal-fired plants. Maryland has one nuclear power generating facility, the Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant in Lusby. In 2003 it produced about 18.9% of the state’s electricity. In 2000, Maryland’s total per capita energy consumption was 287 million Btu (72.3 million kilocalories), ranking it 40th among the 50 states. Coal, Maryland’s lone fossil fuel resource, is mined in Allegheny and Garrett counties, along the Pennsylvania border. Recoverable coal reserves in 2001 were estimated at 17 million tons. The 2004 output of 19 coal mines totaled 5.2 million tons. Marketed production of natural gas totaled 48 million cubic feet (1.36 million cubic meters) in 2003.

27

Commerce

Maryland had 2002 wholesale sales of $60.6 billion; retail sales totaled $60.0 billion. Most of the state’s retail facilities are located in the Baltimore metropolitan area and Montgomery and Prince George’s counties surrounding Washington, DC. Foreign exports of Maryland products totaled $7.1 billion in 2005. While most exports still go to such markets as Canada and Europe, strong inroads have been made in targeted trade areas of Latin America and Asia. 139

Maryland

28

Public Finance

The state budget is prepared by the Department of Budget and Management and is submitted annually by the governor to the general assembly for amendment and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. The estimated revenues for the fiscal year 2004 were $28.39 billion and expenditures were $25.34 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($7.36 billion), public welfare ($5.49 billion), and highways ($1.65 billion). The outstanding state debt exceeded $13.6 billion, or $2,445.74 per capita (per person).

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Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, individual income taxes in Maryland ranged from 2% to 4.75% on a fourbracket schedule. The corporate income tax rate was 7%. The state general sales and use tax was 5% with exemptions for food and other basic items. No local sales taxes are permitted. The state also imposes a full array of excise taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, public utilities, alcoholic beverages, amusements, pari-mutuels, and other selected items. Maryland has enacted its own estate tax at a maximum rate of 10%. Other state taxes include property taxes including a motor vehicle use tax, various license and franchise fees, and stamp taxes. All county and some local governments levy property taxes. The counties also tax personal income. Local income tax rates have a cap of 3.1%. In 2002, localities collected 43.6% of total state and local taxes. The state collected $13.49 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 41.9% came from individual 140

income taxes, 21.4% from the general sales tax, 17.7% from selective sales taxes, 6% from corporate income taxes, 3.9% from property taxes, and 9% from other taxes. In 2005, Maryland ranked 14th among the states in terms of state and local tax burden.

30

Health

As of October 2005, the infant mortality rate was 8.2 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate was 8.1per 1,000 population in 2003. The leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular diseases. Death from diabetes mellitus and HIV were higher than the national rates in 2000. The death rate from HIV infection was 11.2 per 100,000 people, the second-highest rate in the country, after the District of Columbia. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was about 26.1 per 100,000 people, the fourth-highest rate in the nation. Among persons ages 18 and older, 19.5% were smokers in 2004. Maryland’s 51 community hospitals had about 11,600 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,571 per inpatient day in 2003. There were 389 doctors per 100,000 people in 2004, and 875 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. The state had 4,169 dentists in 2004. In 2004, approximately 14% of the population was uninsured. Maryland’s two medical schools are at Johns Hopkins University, which operates in connection with the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and at the University of Maryland, both located in Baltimore. Federal health centers located in Bethesda include the National Institutes of Health and the National Naval Medical Center. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maryland

31

Maryland has sought to preserve many of its historic houses, especially in Annapolis, which has several ornate mansions. Block upon block of two-story brick row houses fill the older parts of Baltimore, and stone cottages built to withstand rough winters are still found in the western counties. There were an estimated 2,250,339 housing units in Maryland in 2004, of which 2,077,900 were occupied; 69.5% were owner-occupied. About 51.9% of all units are single-family, detached homes. Most units rely on utility gas and electricity for heating. It was estimated that 61,901 units lacked telephone service, 6,034 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 5,885 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.61 people. In 2004, 27,400 privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $216,529. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,406. Renters paid a median of $837 per month.

As of fall 2002, there were 300,269 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In the same year. Maryland had 63 degree-granting institutions in 2005. The state’s public four-year institutions include the University of Maryland System, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. The 16 community colleges are two-year, open-admission institutions with courses and programs leading to certificates and associate degrees, as well as career-oriented and continuing education/community service programs. The state provides funding to independent colleges and universities in Maryland under a statutory formula. St. John’s College in Annapolis is known for its unique program that includes study of the ancient Greek and Latin classics in their original languages. The US Naval Academy is also in Annapolis. Private career schools in Maryland provide job preparatory training for students in a wide variety of fields, including business, computers, travel, truck driving, mechanics, electronics, allied health, cosmetology, and barbering.

32

33

Housing

Education

As of 2004, 87.4% of all Marylanders had completed high school and 35.2% had at least four years of college, far surpassing the national average of 26%. Maryland students must pass state competency exams in order to graduate from high school. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 867,000 in fall 2002 and is expected to drop to 858,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 149,253. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $8.7 billion. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Arts

Although close to the arts centers of Washington, DC, Maryland has its own cultural attractions. Center Stage in Baltimore is the designated state theater of Maryland and the Olney Theatre in Montgomery County is the official state summer theater. The state’s leading orchestra is the Baltimore Symphony. Baltimore is also the home of the Baltimore Opera Company and its jazz clubs were the launching pads for such musical notables as Eubie Blake, Ella Fitzgerald, and Cab Calloway. Annapolis hosts a symphony, an opera 141

Maryland

Graduates of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis celebrate by throwing their hats into the air. JIM WATSON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES.

company, and the Ballet Theatre of Maryland. The National Ballet (est. 1948) is the oldest professional ballet company in the state. One of the newest additions to the arts community is the Maryland Symphony Orchestra in Hagerstown, established in 1982. The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore is one of the nation’s most distinguished music schools. Both the Maryland Ballet Company and Maryland Dance Theater are nationally known. The Maryland State Arts Council was established in 1967. The Maryland Humanities Council (MHC) was founded in 1973. Ongoing programs of the MHC include Family Matters, a family-oriented reading and discussion group, and History Matters!, which promotes heritage tourism. The state makes arts education avail142

able to nearly 170,000 schoolchildren. There are about 1,000 state and 25 local arts associations in Maryland.

34


In 2001, Maryland had 24 public library systems and 175 libraries, of which 158 were branches. The system also had 19 bookmobiles and over 15.3 million volumes and a combined circulation of over 46.59 million. The center of the state library network is the Enoch Pratt Free Library in the city of Baltimore, founded in 1886. Each county also has its own library system. The largest academic libraries are those of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the University of Maryland at College Park. Maryland is also Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maryland

the site of several federal libraries, including the National Agricultural Library, the National Library of Medicine, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Library. Of the approximately 147 museums and historic sites in the state, major institutions include the US Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis and Baltimore’s Museum of Art and Maritime Museum. The latter’s Peale Museum is the oldest museum building in the United States. Important historic sites include Ft. McHenry National Monument and Shrine in Baltimore (inspiration for “The Star-Spangled Banner”) and Antietam National Battlefield Site near Sharpsburg.

35

Communications

In 2004, some 93.4% of Maryland’s occupied housing units had telephones. Additionally, by June of that year, there were 3,575,747 mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 66% of Maryland households had a computer and 59.2% had Internet access. The state had 12 major AM and 35 major FM radio stations in 2005. Maryland has 13 major television stations, including public broadcasting stations in Annapolis, Baltimore, Frederick, Hagerstown, Oakland, and Salisbury. Maryland also receives the signals of many Washington, DC, broadcast stations. The Baltimore area had almost one million television households, 68% of which received cable.

36

Press

The Baltimore Sun, founded in 1837, reached its heyday after 1906, when H. L. Mencken (1880– 1956) became a staff writer. Mencken, who was also an important editor and critic, helped found Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the American Mercury magazine in 1924. As of 2005, Maryland had 10 morning and 3 afternoon dailies, and 9 Sunday papers. The most influential newspaper published in Baltimore is the Sun (daily, 280,717; Sunday, 454,045). The Washington Post is also widely read in Maryland.

37


In 2004, the state hosted over 21 million travelers. Total travel expenditures for 2001 were about $8.5 billion, which included support for about 105,400 travel-related jobs. Attractions include parks, historical sites, and a national seashore (Assateague Island). Annapolis, the state capital, is the site of the US Naval Academy. On Baltimore’s waterfront are monuments to Francis Scott Key and Edgar Allan Poe, historic Ft. McHenry, and many restaurants serving the city’s famed crab cakes and other seafood specialties. Ocean City is the state’s major seaside resort and there are many resort towns along Chesapeake Bay. The Office of Tourism promotes such historical attractions as the Civil War, War of 1812, and National Road. It also is expanding investment in multi-cultural tourism, sports marketing, and nature tourism. There are 19 state parks with camping facilities and 10 recreation areas.

38

Sports

Maryland has two major league professional sports teams: the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball and the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The Ravens (formerly the Browns) moved from Cleveland after the 1995 season and play in a downtown stadium near Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The 143

Maryland

Oriole Park is home to the Baltimore Orioles baseball team. JERRY DRIENDL/GETTY IMAGES.

NFL’s Washington Redskins play in the Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in Landover, but are still considered to be a team from the District of Columbia. There are several minor league baseball teams in the state, including teams in Bowie, Frederick, Delmarva, and Hagerstown. Ever since 1750, when the first Arabian thoroughbred horse was imported by a Maryland breeder, horse racing has been a popular state pastime. The major tracks are Pimlico (Baltimore), Bowie, and Laurel. Pimlico is the site of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of racing’s Triple Crown. Harness racing is held at Ocean Downs in Ocean City. Quarter horse racing takes place at several tracks throughout the state; and several steeplechase events, including the prestigious Maryland Hunt Cup, are held annually. In collegiate basketball, the University of Maryland won the NCAA Championship in 2002 and the National Invitation Tournament in 1972. The Maryland women’s basketball team won the National Championship in 2006. Morgan State University took the NCAA Division II title in 1974. Another major sport is lacrosse. Johns Hopkins University, the Naval 144

Academy, and the University of Maryland all have performed well in intercollegiate competition. Every weekend from April to October, Marylanders compete in jousting tournaments held in four classes throughout the state. In modern jousting, designated as the official state sport, horseback riders attempt to pick up small rings with long, lancelike poles. The state championship is held in October. Babe Ruth was one of many star athletes to be born in the state.

39

Famous Marylanders

Maryland has produced no US presidents; its lone vice president was Spiro Theodore Agnew (1918–1996), who served as governor of Maryland before being elected as Richard Nixon’s vice-president in 1968. Reelected with Nixon in 1972, Agnew resigned the vice-presidency in October 1973 after a federal indictment had been filed against him. Roger Brooke Taney (1777–1864) was US chief justice when the Supreme Court heard the Dred Scott case in 1856, ruling that Congress could not exclude slavery from any territory. As counsel for the National Association for the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maryland

Advancement of Colored People, Thurgood Marshall (1908–1993) argued the landmark Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation case before the Supreme Court in 1954. President Lyndon Johnson appointed him to the Court 13 years later. Lawyer and poet Francis Scott Key (1779– 1843) wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner”—now the national anthem—in 1814. The prominent abolitionists Frederick Douglass (Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, 1817?–1895) and Harriet Tubman (1820?–1913) were born in Maryland. Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton (b.New York, 1774–1821), canonized by the Roman Catholic Church in 1975, was the first nativeborn American saint. Benjamin Banneker (1731–1806), a free black, assisted in surveying the new District of Columbia and published almanacs from 1792 to 1797. Financier-philanthropist Johns Hopkins (1795–1873) was a Marylander. Peyton Rous (1879–1970) won the 1966 Nobel Prize for physiology-medicine. Maryland’s best-known modern writer was H(enry) L(ouis) Mencken (1880–1956), a Baltimore newspaper reporter who was also a gifted social commentator, political wit, and student of the American language. Edgar Allan Poe (b.Massachusetts, 1809–1849), known for his poems and eerie short stories, died in Baltimore. Novelist-reformer Upton Sinclair (1878–1968) was born there, as was Emily Price Post (1873– 1960), who wrote about social etiquette. Other writers associated with Maryland include Leon Uris (1924–2003) and John Barth (b.1930). Most notable among Maryland actors are Edwin Booth (1833–1893) and his brother John Wilkes Booth (1838–1865), notorious as the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) is shown here in a Civil War photograph taken by the Mathew Brady Studio for the US Army. Poe, known for his eerie short stories, died in Baltimore. NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

George Herman “Babe” Ruth (1895–1948), arguably the greatest baseball player of all time, was born in Baltimore. Other prominent ballplayers include Robert Moses “Lefty” Grove (1900–1975) and Cal Ripken Jr. (Calvin Edwin Ripken Jr., b.1960).

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Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Maryland. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Cohen, Richard M., and Jules Witcover. A Heartbeat Away: The Investigation and Resignation of Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. 145

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New York: Viking, 1974. Coleman, Brooke. The Colony of Maryland. New York: PowerKids Press, 1999. DuBois, Muriel L. Maryland Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Lough, Loree. Lord Baltimore: English Politician and Colonist. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2000. Murray, Julie. Maryland. Edina, MN: Abdo

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Publishing, 2006. Rauth, Leslie. Maryland. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. WEB SITES Government of the State Maryland. maryland.gov/ portal/server.pt? (accessed March 1, 2007). Maryland Office of Tourism. www.mdisfun.org (accessed March 1, 2007).


Massachusetts Commonwealth of Massachusetts

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Derived from the name

of the Massachusett Native American tribe that lived on Massachusetts Bay; the name is thought to mean “at or about the Great Hill.” N I CKNAME : The Bay State. C AP ITAL: Boston. ENT ERED UNION: 6 February 1788 (6th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Same as the coat of arms, with the inscription Sigillum Reipublicæ Massachusettensis (Seal of the Republic of Massachusetts). FLAG: The coat of arms on a white field. C OAT OF ARMS: On a blue shield, a Native American depicted in gold holds in his right hand a bow, in his left an arrow pointing downward. Above the bow is a five-pointed silver star. The crest shows a bent right arm holding a broadsword. Around the shield beneath the crest is a banner with the state motto in green. M OT TO: Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem (By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty). SONG: “All Hail to Massachusetts;” “Massachusetts” (folksong). FLOWER: Mayflower (ground laurel). TREE: American elm. A NIMAL: Right whale (marine mammal); morgan horse (horse). B IRD: Chickadee. FISH: Cod. IN S ECT: Ladybug. D OG: Boston terrier. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

G E M: Rhodonite. F O S S I L : Theropod dinosaur tracks. MI N E R A L : Babingtonite. R O C K O R S T O N E : Roxbury puddingstone; granite;

Plymouth Rock (historical rock). B E V E R A G E : Cranberry juice. L E G A L H O L I D AY S : New Year’s Day, 1 January;

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Patriots’ Day, 3rd Monday in April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, appointed by the governor, customarily the 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. Legal holidays in Suffolk County include Evacuation Day, 17 March; and Bunker Hill Day, 17 June. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

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Massachusetts

1

Location and Size

Located in the northeastern United States, Massachusetts is the fourth largest of the six New England states. It ranks 45th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Massachusetts is 8,284 square miles (21,456 square kilometers), of which land comprises 7,824 square miles (20,265 square kilometers) and inland water occupies 460 square miles (1,191 square kilometers). Massachusetts extends about 190 miles (306 kilometers) east-west and 110 miles (177 kilometers) north-south. Two important islands lie south of the state’s fishhook-shaped Cape Cod peninsula: Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. The Elizabeth Islands, southwest of Cape Cod and northwest of Martha’s Vineyard, consist of 16 small islands separating Buzzards Bay from Vineyard Sound. The total boundary length of Massachusetts is 515 miles (829 kilometers), including a general coastline of 192 miles (309 kilometers).

2

Topography

Massachusetts is divided into four topographical regions: coastal lowlands, interior lowlands, dissected uplands, and residuals of ancient mountains. The coastal lowlands extend about 30–50 miles (48–80 kilometers) inland from the Atlantic Ocean and include Cape Cod and the offshore islands. The northern shoreline of the state is characterized by rugged high slopes, but at the southern end, along Cape Cod, the ground is flatter and covered with grassy heaths. The Connecticut River Valley, characterized by red sandstone, curved ridges, meadows, and good soil, is the main feature of west-central Massachusetts. East of the Connecticut River 148

Massachusetts Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

6,437,193 1.4% 7.9% 98.6% 83.4% 5.9% 0.2% 4.7% 0.0% 4.4% 1.4%


65 and over (13%)

Under 18 (23%)

45 to 64 (26%)

18 to 24 (8%)

25 to 44 (30%)

Major Cities by Population City Boston Worcester Springfield Lowell Cambridge Brockton New Bedford Fall River Quincy Lynn

Population

% change 2000–05

559,034 175,898 151,732 103,111 100,135 94,632 93,102 91,802 90,250 88,792

-5.1 1.9 -0.2 -2.0 -1.2 0.3 -0.7 -0.1 2.5 -0.3




90

Bash Bish Falls St. Park

Beartown St. Forest

Bousquet Ski Area

Pittsfield

Pittsfield St. Forest

Mt. Greylock State Res.

BERKSHIRE

HAMPDEN

Springfield

84

Oakham St. Forest

395

Worcester

190

Leominster

Great Meadows Nat. Wildlife Ref.

Lowell

Lowell Nat. Hist. Park

93

ESSEX

95

Peabody

Lawrence

Haverhill

RHODE ISLAND

Blackstone St. Forest

90

295

NORFOLK

New Bedford

Fall River

Dighton Rock St. Park

195

495

Martha’s Vineyard

25


Nantucket Sound

Cape Cod Bay

Wellfleet Harbor

Cape Cod

NANTUCKET

Nantucket I.

Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge

Cape Cod National Seashore


25

N

Area of Interest


State Capital


City (25,000-100,000 people)

Chappaquiddick I.

Nomans Land National Wildlife Refuge

DUKES

0

0

95

BARNSTABLE

Plymouth Bay

Washburn Island St. Park

Myles Standish St. Forest

Buzzards Bay

PLYMOUTH

Brockton

Taunton

BRISTOL

93

Quincy

SUFFOLK

Attleboro

95

95

Cape Ann

Massachusetts Bay

NORFOLK CO.

Beverly

Gloucester

Ipswich Bay

Parker River Nat. Wildlife Ref.

Woburn Salem Lynn Melrose 495 Minute Man Nat. Hist. Park Malden Everett Medford Great Meadows Wachusett Nat. Revere Somerville Wildlife Ref. Reservoir Cambridge Chelsea Boston Marlborough Waltham Bay Boston 290 Newton

MIDDLESEX

Fitchburg

Ashburnham St. Forest

Quabbin Reservoir

WORCESTER

Chicopee Springfield Armory National Historic Site

Holyoke

Erving St. Forest

Conne ticut R .

CONNECTICUT

Westfield

Northampton

91

Mohawk Trail St. Forest

Worthington St. Forest

HAMPSHIRE

FRANKLIN

VERMONT

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Point of Interest

Explanation

MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts

149

NEW YORK

Massachusetts

Valley are the eastern uplands, an extension of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. In western Massachusetts, the Taconic Range and Berkshire Hills (which extend southward from the Green Mountains of Vermont) are characterized by numerous hills and valleys. Mt. Greylock, close to the New York border, is the highest point in the state, at 3,487 feet (1,064 meters). There are more than 4,230 miles (6,808 kilometers) of rivers in the state. The Connecticut River, the longest, runs southward through westcentral Massachusetts. The Deerfield, Westfield, Chicopee, and Millers rivers flow into it. Other rivers of note include the Charles, the Mystic, the Taunton, the Blackstone, the Housatonic, and the Merrimack. Over 1,100 lakes dot the state. The largest, the artificial Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts, covers 24,704 acres (9,997 hectares). The largest natural lake is Assawompset Pond in southern Massachusetts, occupying 2,656 acres (1,075 hectares). Hilly Martha’s Vineyard is roughly triangular in shape, as is Nantucket Island to the east. The Elizabeth Islands are characterized by broad, grassy plains.

3

Climate

Although Massachusetts is a relatively small state, there are significant climatic differences between its eastern and western sections. The entire state has cold winters and moderately warm summers. The Berkshires in the west have both the coldest winters and the coolest summers. Normal temperatures for Pittsfield in the Berkshires are 21°f (-5°c) in January and 67°f (19°c) in July. The interior lowlands are several degrees warmer in both winter and summer. The coastal sections are the warmest areas of the state. Normal tem150

peratures for Boston are 30°f (-1°c) in January and 74°f (23°c) in July. The record high temperature in the state was 107°f (42°c) registered at Chester and New Bedford ion 2 August 1975. The record low was -35°f (-37°c), registered at Chester on 12 January 1981. Precipitation ranges from 39 to 46 inches (99 to 117 centimeters) annually. The average snowfall for Boston is 40.9 inches (103 centimeters), with the range in the Berkshires considerably higher. Boston’s average wind speed is 13 miles per hour (21 kilometers per hour).

4

Plants and Animals

Maple, birch, beech, hemlock, larch, and other tree species cover the Massachusetts uplands. Common shrubs include rhodora, mountain laurel, and shadbush. Various ferns grow throughout the state. Typical wild flowers include several varieties of orchid, lily, and goldenrod. In 2006, the northeastern bulrush, sandplain gerardia, and small whorled pogonia were listed as threatened or endangered. Common native mammals include the white-tailed deer, river otter, mink, and porcupine. Among the Bay State’s 336 resident bird species are the mallard, ring-necked pheasant, downy woodpecker, and song sparrow. Native inland fish include brook trout, chain pickerel, and yellow perch. Native amphibians include the Jefferson salamander, red-spotted newt, eastern American toad, gray tree frog, and bullfrog. Common reptiles are the snapping turtle and northern water snake. The Cape Cod coasts are rich in a variety of shellfish, including clams, mussels, shrimps, and oysters. As of 2006, some 20 animal species were classified as threatened or endangered, including the American burying Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,349,097 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,203,092 . . . . . . 97.7 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138,177 . . . . . . . 2.2 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,459 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,754 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,769 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,664 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48,948 . . . . . . . 0.8 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,747 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,469 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 915 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,362 . . . . . . . 0.4 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 727 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 68 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,330 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,084 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,395 . . . . . . . 0.1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,486 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,828 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

beetle, the bald eagle, puma, shortnose sturgeon, five species of whale, and four species of turtle.

5


All environmentally related programs are administered by the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) and its five agencies: the Department of Environmental Management (DEM); the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement (DFWELE); the Department of Food and Agriculture (DFA); and the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC). Since disposal of treated sewage sludge in Boston Harbor was halted in 1991, and with Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

improved sewage treatment, the harbor is now markedly cleaner. In 1988, 10% of the flounder caught in Boston Harbor had liver tumors caused by toxic chemicals. As of 1993, no flounder tested had tumors. With the adoption of Massachusetts acid rain legislation in 1985, sulfur dioxide output from Massachusetts sources has been cut by 17%. In 2003, Massachusetts had 411 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 31 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2005, Massachusetts ranked 13th in the United States in population with an estimated 151

Massachusetts

total of 6,437,193 residents. In 2004, the population density was 818.2 persons per square mile (315.9 persons per square kilometer), making Massachusetts the third most densely populated state. The median age in 2004 was 38.1. In 2005, about 13% of all residents were 65 or older while about 23% were 18 or younger. The state’s largest city is Boston, which ranked 24th among the largest US cities in 2005 with a population of 559,034. Other large cities (with their 2005 populations) are Worcester, 175,898, and Springfield, 151,732. More than two-thirds of all state residents live in the Greater Boston area, which had an estimated metropolitan population of 4,424,649 in 2004.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, there were 343,454 black Americans in Massachusetts, representing 5.4% of the population (that percentage stood at 5.9% in 2006). Blacks constituted more than 25% of Boston’s population. The state also had 428,729 Hispanics and Latinos, predominantly of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent. The total Asian population was estimated at 238,124. Of these, there were 84,392 Chinese, 33,962 Vietnamese, 19,696 Cambodians, 17,369 Koreans, and 10,539 Japanese. Pacific Islanders numbered 2,489. The Native American population, including Eskimos and Aleuts, totaled 15,015. Cape Cod has settlements of Portuguese fishermen, as does New Bedford. As of 2000, the largest groups of people claiming a single ancestry were the Irish (about 22.5% of the population), Italians (13.5%), English (11.4%), French (8%), Polish (5.1%), and Portuguese (4.4%). Also in 2000, about 772,983 residents, or 12.2% of the state’s population, were foreign-born. 152

8

Languages

Massachusetts English is generally classified as Northern, but early migration up the Connecticut River created special variations within the eastern half of the state. Eastern Massachusetts speakers are likely to have the /ah/ sound in the beginning of orange and to pronounce on and fog with the same vowel as in form. A few place-names—such as Massachusetts itself, Chicopee, and Naukeag— are borrowed from the Algonkian-speaking Native American tribes. In 2000, 81.3% of the population five years of age or older spoke only English at home. Other principal languages spoken at home, and number of speakers, were Spanish, 370,011; Portuguese, 159,809; French, 84,484; Chinese, 71,412; and Italian, 59,811.

9

Religions

Both the Pilgrims, who landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620, and the Puritans, who formed the Massachusetts Bay Company in 1629, came to the land to escape harassment by the Church of England. These early communities were based on strict religious principles and forbade the practice of differing religions. Religious tolerance was included in the Charter of 1692, to protect the Baptists, Anglicans, and Catholics who had arrived in the colony. As of 2004, there were 3,033,367 Roman Catholics in Massachusetts, representing nearly half of the total population. The Roman Catholic Church faced a challenge in the early 2000s, and Cardinal Bernard F. Law, Archbishop of Boston, was among top church officials affected. Law stepped down as archbishop in December 2002 after widespread criticism of his handling of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Massachusetts

charges that priests sexually abused children and allegations of cover-ups. The largest Protestant denominations were the United Church of Christ, with 89,264 adherents in 2005; the Episcopal Church, 98,963 in 2000; the American Baptists (USA), 52,716 (2000); and the United Methodist Church, 64,028 (2000). The second largest religious affiliation is Judaism, with about 275,000 adherents in 2000. The Muslim population the same year was about 41,497 people. There were about 57 Buddhist congregations and 20 Hindu congregations throughout the state. About 35% of the population did not specify a religious affiliation. Although small, the Church of Christ, Scientist is significant to the state’s history. Its first house of worship was founded in 1879 in Boston by Mary Baker Eddy, who, four years earlier, had published the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. In Boston, the church continues to publish an influential newspaper, the Christian Science Monitor.

10

Transportation

The first rail line in the United States, a threemile (five-kilometer) stretch from the Neponset River to the granite quarries in Quincy, was built in 1826. The first steam railroad in New England, connecting Boston and Lowell, was completed seven years later. As of 2003, 10 railroads transported freight through Massachusetts. That year, the state had 1,255 rail miles (2,020 kilometers) of railroad. As of 2006, Boston was the northern terminus of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, linking New England with Washington, DC, via New York City and Philadelphia. East–west serJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

vice from Boston to Chicago is also provided by Amtrak. Commuter service is coordinated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), formed in 1964 to consolidate bus, commuter rail, high-speed trolley, and subway services to the 79 cities and towns in the Greater Boston area. The Boston subway, which began operation in 1897, is the oldest subway system in the United States. Boston also is one of the few cities in the country with an operating trolley system. About 40% of all Bostonians commute to work by public transportation, the second-highest percentage in the nation, following New York City. In 2004, 35,783 miles (57,610 kilometers) of public roadways crisscrossed the state. The major highways, which extend from and through Boston like the spokes of a wheel, include I-95, the Massachusetts Turnpike (I90), I-93, State Highway 3 to Cape Cod, and State Highway 24 to Fall River. The other major road in the state is I-91, which runs north–south through the Connecticut River Valley. In 2004, about 5,532,000 motor vehicles were registered in the state, of which 3,486,000 were automobiles, approximately 1,898,000 were trucks, and 11,000 were buses. There also were 137,000 motorcycles. The state issued 4,645,857 driver’s licenses in 2004. Because it is the major American city closest to Europe, Boston is an important shipping center for both domestic and foreign cargo. All port activity of the Port of Boston is under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Port Authority, which also operates Logan International Airport and Hanscom Field in Bedford. Other important ports are Fall River and Salem. 153

Massachusetts

The building housing Quincy Market, the most-visited site in Boston, was constructed in the 1800s. © JAMES CORRIGAN/ EPD PHOTOS.

There were 76 airports and 137 heliports in Massachusetts in 2005. Logan International, near Boston, is the busiest airport in the state, with 12,758,020 passengers in 2004.

11

History

When English settlers arrived in present-day Massachusetts, they encountered five main Algonkian tribes: the Nauset, a fishing people on Cape Cod; the Wampanoag in the southeast; the Massachusetts in the northeast; the Nipmuc in the central hills; and the Pocumtuc in the west. In the wake of John and Sebastian Cabot’s voyages (1497 and following), fishermen from 154

England, France, Portugal, and Spain began fishing off the Massachusetts coast. Within 50 years, fur trading with the Native Americans was established. Permanent English settlement, which would ultimately destroy the Algonkian peoples, began in 1620 when a small band of Puritans left their temporary haven at Leiden in the Netherlands to start a colony in the northern part of Virginia lands, near the Hudson River. Their ship, the Mayflower, was blown off course by an Atlantic storm, and they landed on Cape Cod before settling in an abandoned Wampanoag village they called Plymouth. Ten years later, a much larger Puritan group settled the Massachusetts Bay Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Massachusetts

Colony, to the north in Salem. Between 1630 and 1640, about 20,000 English people, chiefly Puritans, settled in Massachusetts with offshoots moving to Connecticut and Rhode Island. Farming soon overtook fishing and fur trading in economic importance. After the trade in beaver skins was exhausted, the remaining Native American tribes were devastated in King Philip’s War (1675–76). Shipbuilding and Atlantic commerce brought added prosperity to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1692, Massachusetts and the colony of Plymouth were merged under a new charter. During the 18th century, settlement spread across the entire colony. Boston, the capital, attained a population of 15,000 by 1730. Colonial government provided more advantages than drawbacks for commerce, and supply contracts during the French and Indian War enriched the colony’s economy. But the postwar recession after 1763 was accompanied by a new imperial policy that put pressure on Massachusetts as well as other colonies. From 1765, when Bostonians violently protested the Stamp Act, Massachusetts was in the forefront of the resistance. By December 1773, when East India Company tea was dumped into Boston harbor to prevent its taxation, most of the colony was committed to resistance. When Parliament retaliated for the Tea Party by closing the port of Boston in 1774, Massachusetts was ready to rebel. Battle began at Lexington and Concord on 19 April 1775. By this time, Massachusetts had the backing of the Continental Congress. For Massachusetts, the battlefield experience of the Revolution was largely confined to 1775, after which the fighting shifted southward. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Statehood Massachusetts entered the Union on

6 February 1788. Federalist policies—supporting a strong central government—were dominant, and they were supported by the Whigs in the 1830s and the Republicans from the late 1850s. This political alignment reflected the importance to the state of national commercial and industrial development, as Massachusetts lacked the resources for strong agricultural development. At Waltham, Lowell, and Lawrence the first large-scale factories in the United States were erected. Massachusetts became a leader in industries including textiles, metalworking, shoes and leather goods, and shipbuilding. By the 1850s, steam engines and clipper ships were both Bay State products. The industrial development of Massachusetts was accompanied by a literary and intellectual flowering centered in Concord, the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and a cluster of others who became known as transcendentalists. Abolitionism found some of its chief leaders in Massachusetts. Post–Civil War In the years following the Civil

War, Massachusetts emerged as an urban industrial state. Its population, fed by immigrants from England, Scotland, Germany, and especially Ireland, grew rapidly in the middle decades of the century. Later, between 1880 and 1920, another wave of immigrants came from French Canada, Italy, Russia, Poland, Scandinavia, Portugal, Greece, and Syria. Still later, between 1950 and 1970, black southerners and Puerto Ricans settled in the cities. The Massachusetts economy, relatively stagnant between 1920 and 1950, revived in the second half of the 20th century through a combination of university talent, investment, a skilled 155

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Governors: 1775–2007 1775–1780 1780–1785 1785–1787 1787 1787–1793 1793–1797 1797–1799 1799–1800 1800–1807 1807–1808 1808–1809 1809–1810 1810–1812 1812–1816 1816–1823 1823–1825 1825 1825–1834 1834–1835 1835–1836 1836–1840 1840–1841 1841–1843 1843–1844 1844–1851 1851–1853 1853–1854 1854–1855 Whig 1855–1858 1858–1861 1861–1866 1866–1869 1869–1872 1872–1874 1874–1875 1875–1876 1876–1879 1879–1880 1880–1883 1883–1884 1884–1887 1887–1890 1890–1891

Council of State John Hancock James Bowdoin Thomas Cushing John Hancock Samuel Adams Increase Sumner Moses Gill Caleb Strong James Sullivan Levi Lincoln Christopher Gore Elbridge Gerry Caleb Strong John Brooks William Eustis Marcus Morton Levi Lincoln, Jr. John Davis Samuel Turell Armstrong Edward Everett Marcus Morton John Davis Marcus Morton George Nixon Briggs George Sewel Boutwell John Henry Clifford Emory Washburn

— Dem-Rep Federalist Federalist — Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Federalist Dem-Rep Federalist Federalist Republican Republican Nat-Rep Whig Indep-Whig Whig Democrat Whig Democrat Whig Democrat Whig

Henry Joseph Gardner Know Nothing Nathaniel Prentice Banks Republican John Albion Andrew Republican Alexander Hamilton Bullock Republican William Claflin Republican William Barrett Washburn Republican Thomas Talbot Republican William Gaston Democrat Alexander Hamilton Rice Republican Thomas Talbot Republican John Davis Long Republican Benjamin Franklin Butler Dem/Green George Dexter Robinson Republican Oliver Ames Republican John Quincy Adams Brackett Republican

work force, and political clout. As the old industries and the mill cities declined, new high-technology manufacturing developed in Boston’s suburbs, led by electronics and defense-related industries. White-collar employment and mid156

1891–1894 1894–1896 1896–1900 1900–1903 1903–1905 1905–1906 1906–1909 1909–1911 1911–1914 1914–1916 1916–1919 1919–1921 1921–1925 1925–1929 1929–1931 1931–1935 1935–1937 1937–1939 1939–1945 1945–1947 1947–1949 1949–1953 1953–1957 1957–1961 1961–1963 1963–1965 1965–1969 1969–1975 1975–1979 1979–1983 1983–1991 1991–1996 1996–2002 2002–2006 2006–

William Eustis Russell Frederic Thomas Greenhalge Roger Wolcott Winthrop Murray Crane John Lewis Bates William Lewis Douglas Curtis Guild, Jr. Eben Sumner Draper Eugene Noble Foss David Ignatius Walsh Samuel Walker McCall John Calvin Coolidge Channing Harris Cox Alvan Tufts Fuller Frank G. Allen Joseph Buell Ely James Michael Curley Charles Francis Hurley Leverett Saltonstall Maurice Joseph Tobin Robert Fiske Bradford Paul Andrew Dever Christian Archibald Herter Foster Furcolo John Anthony Volpe Endicott Peabody John Anthony Volpe Francis Williams Sargent Michael Stanley Dukakis Edward J. King Michael Stanley Dukakis William Floyd Weld Argeo Paul Cellucci Mitt Romney Deval L. Patrick

Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat

Democratic/Greenbacker – Dem/Green Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep National Republican – Nat-Rep

dle-class suburbs flourished, though run-down mill towns and Yankee dairy farms and orchards still dotted the landscape. In the 1970s and early 1980s, a revolution in information technology and increased defense Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Massachusetts

Massachusetts State House. © DAVID SAILORS/CORBIS.

spending fueled a high-technology boom which centered on new manufacturing firms outside Boston along Route 128. Unemployment dropped from 12% in 1978 to 4% in 1987. However, with the beginnings of a nationwide recession in 1989, the Massachusetts economy declined dramatically, losing 14% of its total jobs in three years. The state’s economic woes were increased by the collapse in the late 1980s of risky real estate ventures. By the mid-1990s, the Massachusetts economy was in the midst of a vigorous upturn, due largely to the strength of its leading industries, including software and mutual funds. In 1998, the state’s per capita (per person) income was the third highest in the nation. In 2004, per capJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ita income was $41,801, second highest in the nation behind Connecticut. Despite that record, the thriving economy came to an abrupt halt in 2001, as the United States entered a recession marked by a large increase in job losses. In 2003, Massachusetts had a $3 billion budget deficit. In November 2003, the Massachusetts supreme court became the first state supreme court to rule that same-sex marriages were legal. Massachusetts became the first state to legally allow gay marriages to take place on 17 May 2004. A ban on smoking in the workplace, including in bars and restaurants—private clubs and cigar bars excepted—came into effect in July 2004. 157

Massachusetts

Boston’s multibillion-dollar highway project, dubbed the “Big Dig,” was in its final stages in early 2007. However, in July 2006, a ceiling section of a tunnel segment under South Boston collapsed, killing a woman riding as a passenger in a car. In early 2006, Governor Mitt Romney signed a law that will require all Massachusetts residents to purchase health insurance by 1 July 2007.

12

State Government

The Massachusetts constitution of 15 June 1780 is, according to the state, the oldest written constitution in the world still in effect. As of January 2005, it had been amended 120 times. The legislature of Massachusetts, known as the General Court, is composed of a 40-member senate and 160-member house of representatives, all of whom are elected every two years. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected jointly every four years. The governor appoints all state and local judges, as well as the heads of the ten executive offices. Other elected officials include the attorney general, secretary of the commonwealth, and treasurer. To win passage, a bill must gain a majority vote of both houses of the legislature. After a bill is passed, the governor has ten days in which to sign it, return it for reconsideration (usually with amendments), veto it, or refuse to sign it (“pocket veto”). A veto may be overridden by a two-thirds majority in both houses. The governor’s salary as of December 2004 was $135,000, and the legislative salary was $53,379.93. 158

13

Political Parties

Democrats have, for the most part, dominated state politics in Massachusetts since 1928, when the state voted for Democratic presidential candidate Alfred E. Smith—the first time the Democrats won a majority in a Massachusetts presidential election. In 1960, John F. Kennedy, who had been a popular US senator from Massachusetts, became the first Roman Catholic president in US history. Since then the state has voted for all Democratic presidential candidates except Republican Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. In 1972, it was the only state carried by Democrat George McGovern. Massachusetts chose its native son, Democratic Governor Michael Dukakis, for president in 1988 and voted again for a Democrat in the next four elections: in 1992 and 1996 Massachusetts elected Bill Clinton, in 2000 voted for Al Gore, and in 2004 state voters gave native son John Kerry 53.4% of the vote to incumbent President George W. Bush’s 44.6%. In 2004 there were approximately 3,973,000 registered voters. In 1998, 37% of registered voters were Democratic, 13% Republican, and 50% unaffiliated or members of other parties. In 2006, Democrat Deval Patrick was elected governor, the first African-American elected governor of Massachusetts, and only the second in US history. The US Senate seats were held by Democrats Edward (“Ted”) Kennedy and John Kerry in 2006. The US House delegation following the 2006 elections consisted entirely of ten Democrats. Following those elections, the Massachusetts state senate had 35 Democrats and 5 Republicans while the state house of representatives had 141 Democrats and 19 Republicans. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

MASSACHUSETTS WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

SOCIALIST LABOR

PROGRESSIVE

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

*Truman (D) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)

1,151,788 1,083,525 948,190 1,487,174 1,786,422

909,370 1,292,325 1,393,197 976,750 549,727

5,535 1,957 5,573 3,892 4,755

38,157 4,636 — — —

1968

Humphrey (D)

1,469,218

766,844

6,180

87,088

SOC. WORKERS

AMERICAN

10,600 8,138

2,877 7,555

AMERICAN IND.

1972 1976

McGovern (D) *Carter (D)

1,332,540 1,429,475

1,112,078 1,030,276

1980 1984

*Reagan (R) *Reagan

1,048,562 1,239,600

1,054,213 1,310,936

21,311 —

1988

Dukakis (D)

1,401,415

1,194,635

24,251

LIBERTARIAN

— — NEW ALLIANCE

9,561 IND. (PEROT)

1992 1996


1,318,639 1,571,763

805,039 718,107

2000 Gore (D) 2004 Kerry (D) *Won US presidential election.

1,616,487 1,803,800

878,502 1,071,109

9,021 20,426

630,731 227,217

LIBERTARIAN

Fifty-one women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 25.5%.

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Local Government

As of 2005, Massachusetts had 14 counties, 45 cities, 306 townships, 349 public school districts, and 403 special districts. In most counties, executive authority is vested in commissioners elected to four-year terms. All Massachusetts cities are governed by mayors and city councils. Towns are governed by selectmen, who are usually elected to either one or two-year terms. Town meetings—a carryover from the colonial period—still take place regularly. By state law, to be designated a city, a place must have at least 12,000 residents. Towns with more than 6,000 inhabitants may hold representative town meetings that are limited to elected officials. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

15

16,366 15,022

173,564 —

Judicial System

The supreme judicial court, composed of a chief justice and six other justices, is the highest court in the state. It has appeals jurisdiction in matters of law and also advises the governor and legislature on legal questions. The superior courts, actually the highest level of trial court, have a chief justice and 79 other justices. These courts hear law, equity, civil, and criminal cases, and make the final determination in matters of fact. The appeals court, consisting of a chief justice and 13 other justices, hears appeals of decisions by district and municipal courts. Other court systems in the state include the land court, probate and family court, housing court, and juvenile court. Massachusetts had a total violent crime rate (murder, rape, 159

Massachusetts

robbery, aggravated assault) of 458.8 reported cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2004. That year, crimes against property (burglary, larceny/ theft, and motor vehicle theft) totaled 2,459.7 reported incidents per 100,000 people. As of 31 December 2004, there were 10,144 prisoners in state and federal correctional institutions in Massachusetts. Massachusetts does not have a death penalty.

16

Migration

Massachusetts was founded by the migration of English religious groups to its shores and for over a century their descendants dominated all activity in the state. The first non-English to enter Massachusetts in significant numbers were the Irish, who migrated in vast numbers during the 1840s and 1850s. Other ethnic groups—such as the Scottish, Welsh, Germans, and Poles—were also entering the state at this time. During the late 1880s and 1890s, another wave of immigrants—from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Russia, and Greece—arrived. Irish and Italians continued to enter the state during the 20th century. The only significant migration from other areas of the United States to Massachusetts has been the influx of southern blacks since World War II. According to census estimates, between 1990 and 1998, the black population grew from 300,000 to 395,000 persons, mostly in the Boston area. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had a net loss of 237,000 in domestic migration and a net gain of 135,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 162,674 and net internal migration was 236,415, for a net loss of 73,741 people. 160

17

Economy

From its beginnings as a farming and seafaring colony, Massachusetts became one of the most industrialized states in the country in the late 19th century and, more recently, a leader in the manufacture of high-technology products. Fueled in part by a dramatic increase in the Pentagon’s budget that focused on sophisticated weaponry, as well as by significant advances in information technology, high-technology companies rose up around the outskirts of Boston in the 1970s and early 1980s. Wholesale and retail trade, transportation, and public utilities also prospered. In the late 1980s, the boom ended. The minicomputer industry failed to innovate at the same pace as its competitors as the market became increasingly crowded, and defense contractors suffered from cuts in military spending. Between 1988 and 1991, jobs in both high-technology and non-high technology manufacturing declined by 17%. In addition, the early 1980s had also seen the rise of real estate ventures which collapsed at the end of the decade when the market became saturated. Unemployment rose to 9% in 1991. The economy recovered in the 1990s, as several banks started new lending programs; unemployment was 4% in 1997. Massachusetts benefited from the information technology (IT) and stock market booms of the 1990s. However, Massachusetts was the hardest hit among New England economies in the collapse of the “dot.com” bubble in the national recession of 2001. As of 2004, real estate accounted for largest portion of gross state product (GSP), at 13.6% of GSP, followed by manufacturing (10.9% of GSP), and healthcare and social assistance (8.2% Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Massachusetts

of GSP). GSP in 2004 was approximately $317.8 billion.

18

Income

In 2005, Massachusetts had a gross state product (GSP) of $329 billion, 13th highest in the nation. In 2004, Massachusetts ranked third among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $42,176. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $52,354, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 2002–04, an estimated 9.8% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Massachusetts is an important manufacturing center. Significant concentrations of industrial machinery employment are in Attleboro, Wilmington, Worcester, and the Springfield area. Much of the manufacturing industry is located along Route 128. This is a superhighway that circles Boston, from Gloucester in the north to Quincy in the south, and is unique in its concentration of high-technology enterprises. The state’s future as a manufacturing center depends on its continued preeminence in the production of computers, optical equipment, and other sophisticated instruments. Among the major computer manufacturers in the state are Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard, and Data General in Westboro. In 2004, the value of all products manufactured in the state was $76.5 billion. Of that total, computer and electronic product manufacturing accounted for $20.7 billion, followed by chemiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

cal manufacturing at $9.25 billion, food manufacturing at $6.05 billion, and fabricated metal product manufacturing at $5.8 billion.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Massachusetts numbered 3,338,600, with approximately 163,900 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.9%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. As of April 2006, 4.4% of the labor force was employed in construction; 9.4% in manufacturing; 17.7% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.9% in financial activities; 14.5% in professional and business services; 18.4% in education and health services; 9.1% in leisure and hospitality services; and 12.7% in government. Some of the earliest unionization efforts took place in Massachusetts in the early 1880s, particularly in the shipbuilding and construction trades. However, the most important trade unions to evolve were those in the state’s textile and shoe industries. After the turn of the century, the state suffered a severe decline in manufacturing, and employers sought to cut wages to make up for lost profits. This resulted in a number of strikes by both the United Textile Workers and the Boot and Shoe Workers Union. The largest strike of the era was at Lawrence in 1912, when textile workers (led by a radical labor group, the Industrial Workers of the World) closed the mills, and the mayor called in troops in an attempt to reopen them. Although the textile and shoe businesses are no longer major employers in the state, the United Shoe Workers of America, the Brotherhood of Shoe and Allied Craftsmen, the United Textile Workers, and the Leather Workers 161

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International Union of America have their headquarters in Massachusetts. Massachusetts was one of the first states to enact child labor laws. Massachusetts was also the first state to enact minimum wage guidelines (1912). In 2005, some 402,000 of the state’s 2,886,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 13.9% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

As of 2004, there were 6,100 farms in Massachusetts, covering 520,000 acres (210,000 hectares). Farming was mostly limited to the western Massachusetts counties of Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire, and southern Bristol County. Total agricultural income for 2005 was estimated at $390 million (47th of the 50 states), of which crops provided 76%. Although the state is not a major farming area, it is the second-largest producer of cranberries in the United States, after Wisconsin. Cranberry production for 2004 was 180.4 million pounds (81.8 million kilograms), about 28% of the US total. Other crops include corn for silage, hay, and tobacco.

22


Massachusetts is not a major producer of livestock. The state had 48,000 cattle and calves, worth around $52.8 million in 2005, and an estimated 12,000 hogs and pigs worth $1.3 million in 2004. Also during 2003, poultry farmers sold 863,000 pounds (392,000 kilograms) of chickens, and the state produced an estimated 73 million eggs, worth around $4.8 million. An estimated 19,000 milk cows produced 332 mil162

lion pounds (151 million kilograms) of milk in 2003. During 2003, the state produced around 1.8 million pounds (0.8 million kilograms) of turkeys worth $2.7 million.

23

Fishing

The early settlers earned much of their income from the sea. The first shipyard in Massachusetts opened at Salem Neck in 1637 and, during the years before independence, the towns of Salem, Newburyport, Plymouth, and Boston were among the colonies’ leading ports. For much of the 19th century, Nantucket and, later, New Bedford were the leading US whaling centers. Whaling declined in importance in the 1920s. The fishing ports of New Bedford and Gloucester were among the busiest in the United States in 2004. New Bedford ranked first in the nation in catch value at $206.5 million and seventh in the nation for catch volume at 175.1 million pounds (79.6 million kilograms). Gloucester was 12th in the nation in catch value ($42.7 million) and 10th in volume (113.3 million pounds/51.5 million kilograms). In 2004, Massachusetts ranked second in the nation for total commercial catch value at $326.1 million. The total catch volume that year was 336.9 million pounds (153.1 million kilograms). The quahog catch of 14.1 million pounds (6.4 million kilograms) was the second largest in the nation. The lobster catch was also the second largest with 11.3 million pounds (5.1 million kilograms), valued at $51.5 million. Massachusetts was the leading producer of sea scallops with 28.1 million pounds (12.8 million kilograms). In 2003, there were 232 fish processing and wholesale plants with an annual average Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Massachusetts

of 4,504 employees in the state. The commercial fleet had about 5,235 boats and vessels in 2001. The state’s long shoreline and many rivers make sport fishing a popular pastime for both deep-sea and freshwater fishermen. In 2004, there were 203,139 fishing license holders.

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Forestry

Forestry is a minor industry in the state. Forested lands cover about 3,126,000 acres (1,265,000 hectares), 76% of which are private lands. Wooded areas lost to urbanization in recent years have been offset by the conversion of inactive agricultural areas into forests. Red oak and white ash are found in the west. Specialty products include maple syrup and Christmas trees. The wood and paper products industries require more pulp than the state currently produces. Massachusetts has the sixth-largest state park system in the nation, with 38 state parks and 74 state forests totaling some 273,000 acres (110,000 hectares). There are no national forests in Massachusetts.

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Massachusetts 2003 was estimated at $186 million. Crushed stone and construction sand and gravel are the state’s two leading mineral commodities. According to preliminary figures, in 2003 there were an estimated 13.2 million metric tons of crushed stone and 111.4 million metric tons of sand and gravel produced. Other mineral commodities produced include common clay, lime, and peat; industrial sand and gravel; and dimension stone. Nationally, the state ranked fifth in dimension stone in 2003. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Industrial minerals processed or manufactured in the state include abrasives, graphite, gypsum, perlite, and vermiculite.

26

Energy and Power

In 2000, the state’s total per capita energy consumption was 271 million Btu (68.3 million kilocalories), ranking it 42nd among the 50 states. In 2003, about 48.38 billion kilowatt hours of electric power (utility and nonutility) were generated in state and total installed capacity was over 13.87 million kilowatts. Almost all generating capacity in the state is privately owned. As of 2006, Massachusetts had one operating nuclear plant, the single-unit Pilgrim plant in Plymouth. There are also four pumped-storage hydroelectric plants and 45 conventional hydroelectric generators. Boston Edison supplies electricity to the city of Boston. The rest of the state is served by 13 other companies, although a few municipalities do generate their own power. Power companies are regulated by the Department of Public Utilities, which establishes rates and monitors complaints from customers. Massachusetts has no proven oil or coal reserves. Oil exploration off the coast of Cape Cod began in 1979. The state consumes, but does not produce, natural gas. In 2004, about 373 billion cubic feet (10.5 billion cubic meters) of natural gas were delivered. Private researchers and the state have established demonstration projects for solar energy systems and other alternatives to fossil fuels.

27

Commerce

The machinery and electrical goods industries are important components of the state’s wholesale 163

Massachusetts

View of Boston across the Charles River. © KEVIN FLEMING/CORBIS.

trade, along with motor vehicle and automotive equipment, and paper and paper products. State wholesale sales totaled $127.1 billion in 2002; retail sales were $73.9 billion. Foreign exports of Massachusetts products totaled $22.04 billion in 2005 (10th in the United States).

$38.4 billion. The largest general expenditures were for public welfare ($10.5 billion), education ($7.58 billion), and highways ($3 billion). The total debt of the state government was more than $50.9 billion, or $7,957.10 per capita (per person).

28

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Public Finance

The Massachusetts budget is prepared by the Executive Office of Administration and Finance and is presented by the governor to the legislature for revision and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. The estimated revenues for the 2004 fiscal year were $41.6 billion and expenses were 164

Taxation

The state levies a 12% tax on interest, dividends, and short-term capital gains; a 5% tax rate on capital gains from assets held between one and two years; a 2% rate on capital gains from assets held longer than that, and a flat 5.3% rate in on all other taxable personal income. The corporate income tax rate is 9.5%. Commercial banks and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Massachusetts

other banking and trust companies pay a 10.5% tax on net income while savings and loans organizations pay 10.91%. Sales tax is 5%, but such necessities as food, clothing, and home heating fuel are exempt. There is also a wide array of state and local selective (excise) taxes, including a room occupancy tax, a motor vehicle excise tax, taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, alcoholic beverages, amusements, parimutuels, and other selected items. Other state taxes include various license fees, a deeds tax, and a small property tax. Most property taxes are collected at the local level. The state collected $18.015 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 53.8% came from individual income taxes, 21.6% from the general sales tax, 10.5% from selective sales taxes, 7.4% from corporate income taxes, and 6.7% from other taxes. In 2005, Massachusetts ranked seventh among the states in terms of state and local tax burden, which amounted to $2,815 per person.

30

Health

As of October 2005, the infant mortality was 5 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate was 8.8 per 1,000 population. The major causes of death were heart diseases, cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases, diabetes, accidents and adverse effects, and suicide. Among persons ages 18 and older, 18.4% were smokers. The rate of HIV-related deaths stood at 3.6 per 100,000 population. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was about 8.8 per 100,000 population. Programs for treatment and rehabilitation of alcoholics are administered by the Division of Alcoholism of the Department of Health, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

under the Executive Office of Human Services. The Division of Communicable Disease Control operates venereal disease clinics throughout the state and provides educational material to schools and other groups. The Division of Drug Rehabilitation administers drug treatment from a statewide network of hospital agencies and selfhelp groups. The state also runs a lead-poisoning prevention program. The state’s 79 community hospitals had about 16,000 beds in 2003. That year, the average expense for community hospital care was $1,631 per inpatient day. In 2004, 11% of the population was uninsured; in 2006, the state passed requiring all residents to purchase health insurance by 1 July 2007. In 2004, Massachusetts had 451 doctors per 100,000 people, and 1,201 nurses per 100,000 people in 2005; these rates are some of the highest healthcare worker-population rates in the nation. In 2004, there were a total of 5,143 dentists in the state. Four prominent medical schools are located in the state: Harvard Medical School, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, and the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine.

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Housing

The state’s older housing stock reflects the state’s colonial heritage and its ties to English architectural traditions. Two major styles are common: the colonial style, typified by a wood frame, two stories, center hall entry, and center chimney; and the Cape Cod, one-story houses built by fishermen, with shallow basements, shingled roofs, clapboard fronts, and unpainted shingled 165

Massachusetts

sides weathered gray by the salt air. Many new houses are still built in these styles. As of 2004, there were an estimated 2,672,061 housing units in the state, of which 2,435,421 were occupied; 64.6% were owneroccupied. About 52.5% of all housing units were single-family, detached homes. About 37.1% of all units were built before or during 1939. Nearly 42% of all units rely on utility gas for heating and 33.6% use fuel oil or kerosene. It was estimated that 50,724 units lacked telephone service, 7,775 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 10,402 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.55 people. In 2004, some 22,500 new housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $331,200, the fourth highest in the United States. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,645. Renters paid a median of $852 per month.

32

Education

Massachusetts has a long history of support for education. The Boston Latin School opened in 1635 as the first public school in the colonies. Harvard College was founded in 1636 as the first college in the United States. The drive for quality public education in the state was intensified through the efforts of educator Horace Mann, who during the 1830s and 1840s was also a leading force for the improvement of school systems throughout the United States. Today the state boasts some of the most highly regarded private secondary schools and colleges in the country. In 2004, 86.9% of state residents age 25 or older were high school graduates and 36.7% had completed four or more years of college. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 983,000 in 166

fall 2002 and was expected to drop to 919,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $11.7 billion, or $10,693 per student, the sixth highest among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The early years of statehood saw the development of private academies, where the students could learn more than the basic reading and writing skills that were taught in the town schools at the time. Some of these private preparatory schools remain, including such prestigious institutions as Andover, Deerfield, and Groton. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 totaled 134,708. As of fall 2002, there were 431,224 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Massachusetts had 122 degree-granting institutions. The major public university system is the University of Massachusetts, with campuses at Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell, and a medical school at Worcester. The state has a total of 15 public colleges and universities, while the Massachusetts Board of Regional Community Colleges has 16 campuses. Harvard University, which was established in Cambridge originally as a college for clergymen and magistrates, has grown to become one of the country’s premier institutions. Also located in Cambridge is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT. Mount Holyoke College, the first US college for women, was founded in 1837. Other prominent private schools are Amherst College, Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis University, Clark University, Hampshire College, the New England Conservatory of Music, Northeastern University, Smith College, Tufts University, Wellesley College, and Williams College. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Massachusetts

Sculptor Nancy Schon of Newton created this depiction of Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Boston Public Garden in 1987. The sculpture is based on the Caldecott Medal winning book Make Way for Ducklings (1941) by Robert McCloskey. EPD PHOTOS.

33

Arts

Boston is the center of artistic activity in Massachusetts. The city is the home of several small theaters, some of which offer previews of shows bound for Broadway. Well-known local theater companies include the American Repertory Theatre and the Huntington Theatre. Of the regional theaters scattered throughout the state, the Williamstown Theater in the Berkshires and the Provincetown Theater on Cape Cod are especially noteworthy. The Boston Symphony, one of the major orchestras in the United States, was founded in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1881. Emmanuel Church in Boston’s Back Bay is known for its early music concerts and chamber music by first-rate local and internationally known performers is presented at the New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall and other venues throughout the city. During the summer, the Boston Symphony is the main attraction of the Berkshire Music Festival at Tanglewood in Lenox. An offshoot of the Boston Symphony, the Boston Pops Orchestra, gained fame under the conductorship of Arthur Fiedler. Its mixture of popular, jazz, and light symphonic music continued under the direction of Fiedler’s successors, John Williams and Keith Lockhart. Boston is 167

Massachusetts

also the headquarters of the Boston Lyric Opera. Prominent in the world of dance are the Boston Ballet Company and the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in the Berkshires. Ploughshares, a literary journal published through Emerson College in Boston, has become well known nationally as a showplace for new writers. The Massachusetts Cultural Council provides grants and services to support public programs in the arts, sciences, and the humanities. The Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities was founded in 1974. In 1979, Massachusetts became the first state to establish a lottery solely for funding the arts.

34


The first public library in the United States was established in Boston in 1653. As of the fiscal year ending June 2001, Massachusetts had 371 public library systems, with a total of 490 libraries, of which 119 were branches. The system served 351 towns and cities, and had over 30.4 million volumes. The major city libraries are in Boston, Worcester, and Springfield. The Boston Athenaeum, with 650,000 volumes, is the most noteworthy private library in the state. Harvard University’s library system is one of the largest in the world, with 14.3 million volumes in 1999. Other major academic libraries are those of Boston University, the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), Smith College, and Boston College. In 2000, the state had over 344 museums. Boston houses a number of important museums, among them the Museum of Fine Arts with vast holdings of artwork. These include extensive Far East and French impressionist collections and 168

American art and furniture; the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Museum of Science. Other museums of note are the Whaling Museum in New Bedford, the Bunker Hill Museum near Boston, and the National Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Plymouth Plantation in Plymouth is a recreation of life in the 17th century and Old Sturbridge Village, a working historical farm, displays 18th- and 19th-century artifacts.

35

Communications

The first American post office was established in Boston in 1639 and Alexander Graham Bell first demonstrated the telephone in Boston in 1876. As of 2004, 93.4% of the state’s occupied housing units had telephones. In addition, by June of that year, there were 3,919,139 mobile phone subscribers. As of 2003, 64.1% of Massachusetts households had a computer, and 58.1% had Internet access. The state had 32 major AM stations and 64 major FM stations in 2005, as well as 10 major television stations. In Boston, WGBH is a major producer of programming for the Public Broadcasting Service. In 2000, the Boston metropolitan area had 2,210,580 television-owning households, 80% of which received cable.

36

Press

Publishing milestones that occurred in the state include the first book printed in the English colonies (Cambridge, 1640); the first regularly issued American newspaper, the Boston News-Letter (1704); and the first published American novel, William Hill Brown’s The Power of Sympathy (Worcester, 1789). During the mid-1840s, two Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Massachusetts

noted literary publications made their debut, the North American Review and the Dial, the latter under the editorial direction of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller. As of 2005, there were 32 daily newspapers in the state (including 14 morning, 18 evening). The Boston Globe, the most widely read newspaper in the state, has won numerous awards for journalistic excellence on the local and national levels. The Christian Science Monitor is highly respected for its coverage of national and international news. Major newspapers and their average daily circulations in 2005 were the Boston Globe (451,471), the Boston Herald (240,759), and the Christian Science Monitor (60,723). The Atlantic (which began publishing in 1857), Harvard Law Review, Harvard Business Review, and New England Journal of Medicine are other influential publications. Massachusetts is also a center of book publishing, with more than 100 publishing houses, including Little, Brown and Company; Houghton Mifflin; Merriam-Webster; and Harvard University Press.

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In 2004, there were over 31.2 million travelers to and within the state. The travel industry supports over 125,300 jobs. The greater Boston area was the most popular area for tourists in 2006. A trip to the city might include visits to such old landmarks as the Old North Church, the USS Constitution, Paul Revere’s House, and such newer attractions as the John Hancock Observatory, the skywalk above the Prudential Tower, Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall, and Copley Place. Boston Common, one Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

of the oldest public parks in the country, is the most noteworthy municipal park. About 19% of all trips are made to Cape Cod (Barnstable County). Among its many attractions are beaches, fishing, good dining spots, artists’ colonies with arts and crafts fairs, antique shops, and summer theaters. Beaches, fishing, and quaint villages are also the charms of Nantucket Island and Martha’s Vineyard. The Berkshires are the summer home of the Berkshire Music Festival at Tanglewood and the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Lee. Essex County on the North Shore of Massachusetts Bay offers many seaside towns and the art colony of Rockport. Its main city, Salem, contains the Witch House and Museum as well as Nathaniel Hawthorne’s House of Seven Gables. Middlesex County, to the west of Boston, holds the university city of Cambridge as well as the battlegrounds of Lexington and Concord. In Concord are the homes of Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Louisa May Alcott. Norfolk County, south of Boston, has the homes of three US presidents: John Adams and John Quincy Adams in Quincy and John F. Kennedy in Brookline. Plymouth County offers Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Plantation, and a steam-train ride through some cranberry bogs. Massachusetts has about 79 state parks.

38

Sports

There are five major league professional sports teams in Massachusetts: the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball, the New England Patriots of the National Football League, the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association, the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League, and the New England Revolution of 169

Massachusetts

Young girls perform a traditional Irish dance during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Boston. AP IMAGES.

Major League Soccer. The Celtics are the winningest team in NBA history. They have won the championship 16 times, including the seemingly unbeatable record of eight consecutive titles from 1959 to 1966. The Bruins won the Stanley Cup five times. Additionally, there are minor league hockey teams in Springfield, Worcester, and Lowell. Suffolk Downs in East Boston features thoroughbred horse racing. Harness racing takes place at the New England Harness Raceway in Foxboro. Dog racing can be seen at Raynham Park in Raynham, Taunton Dog Track in North Dighton, and Wonderland Park in Revere. Probably the most famous amateur athletic event in the state is the Boston Marathon, a race of more than 26 miles (42 kilometers) held every 170

Patriots’ Day (third Monday in April). It attracts many of the world’s top long-distance runners. During the summer, a number of boat races are held. Rowing is also popular. Each October this traditional sport is celebrated in a regatta on the Charles River among college students in the Boston/Cambridge area. In collegiate sports, the University of Massachusetts has become a nationally ranked basketball power; Boston College has appeared in 12 bowl games and the annual Harvard–Yale football game is one of the traditional rites of autumn.

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Famous Bay Staters

Massachusetts has produced an extraordinary collection of public figures and leaders Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Massachusetts

of thought. Its four US presidents were John Adams (1735–1826), a signer of the Declaration of Independence; his son John Quincy Adams (1767–1848); John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917– 1963), and George Herbert Walker Bush (b.1924). Great jurists influential in Massachusetts include US Supreme Court Justices Joseph Story (1779–1845); Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841– 1935); Louis D. Brandeis (b.Kentucky, 1856– 1941); and Felix Frankfurter (b.Austria, 1882– 1965). David Souter (b.1939), was appointed as a Supreme Court justice in 1990. Literary genius has flourished in Massachusetts. In the 17th century, the colony was the home of poets Anne Bradstreet (1612– 1672) and Edward Taylor (1645–1729) and of the theologian Cotton Mather (1663–1728). During the 1800s, Massachusetts was the home of novelists Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804– 1864), Louisa May Alcott (b.Pennsylvania, 1832–1888), and Henry James (b.New York, 1843–1916); essayists Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) and Henry David Thoreau (1817– 1862); and poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (b.Maine, 1807–1882) and Emily Dickinson (1830–1886). Among 20th-century notables are novelist and short-story writer John Cheever (1912–1982); and poets Robert Lowell (1917–1977), Anne Sexton (1928–1974), and Sylvia Plath (1932–1963). Henry James’s elder brother, William (b.New York, 1842–1910), pioneered psychology; and George Santayana (b.Spain, 1863–1952), philosopher and author, grew up in Boston. Mary Baker Eddy (b.New Hampshire, 1821–1910) founded the Church of Christ, Scientist, during the 1870s. Reformers have abounded in Massachusetts, especially in the 19th century. William Lloyd Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Women’s rights activist Susan B. Anthony was born in Massachusetts. EPD PHOTOS.

Garrison (1805–1879) was an outstanding abolitionist. Margaret Fuller (1810–1850), and Susan Brownell Anthony (1820–1906) were leading advocates of women’s rights. Horace Mann (1796–1859) led the fight for public education; and Mary Lyon (1797–1849) founded Mount Holyoke, the first women’s college in the United States. The 20th century reformer and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) leader William Edward Burghardt (W. E. B.) Du Bois (1868– 1963) was born in Great Barrington. Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990) was a composer and conductor of worldwide fame. Arthur Fiedler (1894–1879) was the celebrated conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Composers include William Billings (1746–1800) and 171

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Alan Hovhaness (1911–2000). Louis Henri Sullivan (1856–1924) was an important architect. Painters include John Singleton Copley (1738–1815), James Whistler (1834–1903), and Winslow Homer (1836–1910). Among the notable scientists associated with Massachusetts are Samuel F. B. Morse (1791– 1872), inventor of the telegraph; Elias Howe (1819–1867), inventor of the sewing machine; and Robert Hutchins Goddard (1882–1945), a physicist and rocketry pioneer. Massachusetts was the birthplace of television journalists Mike Wallace (b.1918) and Barbara Walters (b.1931). Massachusetts-born show business luminaries include director Cecil B. DeMille (1881–1959); actors Walter Brennan (1894–1974), Jack Haley (1901–1979), Bette Davis (1908–1984), and Jack Lemmon (1925– 2001); and singers Donna Summer (b.1948) and James Taylor (b.1948). Outstanding among Massachusetts-born athletes was world heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano (Rocco Francis Marchegiano, 1925–1969), who retired undefeated in 1956.

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40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Deetz, James. The Times of Their Lives: Life, Love, and Death in Plymouth Colony. New York: W.H. Freeman, 2000. Fairley, Melissa. Massachusetts. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Leotta, Joan. Massachusetts. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. LeVert, Suzanne. Massachusetts. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Massachusetts Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Murray, Julie. Massachusetts. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of Massachusetts. New York: PowerKids Press, 2000. WEB SITES Massachusetts Historical Society. www.masshist. org/welcome (accessed March 1, 2007). Official Website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mass.gov. www.mass.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Visit New England. Massachusetts. www.visitmassachusetts.com (accessed March 1, 2007).


Michigan State of Michigan

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Possibly derived from the

Fox Indian word mesikami, meaning “large lake.” N I CKNAME : The Wolverine State. C AP ITAL: Lansing. ENT ERED UNION: 26 January 1837 (26th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The coat of arms surrounded by the

words “The Great Seal of the State of Michigan” and the date “A.D. MDCCCXXXV.” (1835, the year the state constitution was adopted). FLAG: The coat of arms centered on a dark blue field, fringed on three sides. C OAT OF ARMS: In the center, a shield depicts a peninsula on which a man stands, at sunrise, holding a rifle. At the top of the shield is the word “Tuebor” (I will defend), beneath it the state motto. Supporting the shield are an elk on the left and a moose on the right. Over the whole, on a crest, is an American eagle beneath the US motto, E pluribus unum. M OT TO: Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice (If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you). SONG: “Michigan, My Michigan” (unofficial). FLOWER: Apple blossom. TREE: White pine. B IRD: Robin. FISH: Trout. R EPT ILE: Painted turtle. G E M: Chlorastrolite (Isle Royale Greenstone). R OCK OR STONE: Petoskey stone. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November plus one day; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT; 6 AM CST = noon

GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the eastern north-central United States, Michigan is the third-largest state east of the Mississippi River and ranks 23rd in size among the 50 states. The total area of Michigan (excluding Great Lakes waters) is 58,527 square miles (151,585 square kilometers), of which land takes up 56,954 square miles (147,511 square kilometers) and inland water 1,573 square miles 173

Michigan

(4,074 square kilometers). The state consists of the Upper Peninsula adjoining three of the Great Lakes (Superior, Huron, and Michigan) and the Lower Peninsula, projecting northward between Lakes Michigan, Erie, and Huron. Michigan has islands in Lakes Superior, Huron, and Michigan, and also in the St. Mary’s and Detroit Rivers. The state’s total boundary length is 1,673 miles (2,692 kilometers). The total freshwater shoreline is 3,121 miles (5,023 kilometers).

2

Topography

Michigan’s two peninsulas are generally level land masses, including flat lowlands in the eastern portion of both peninsulas, higher land in the western part of the Lower Peninsula, and hilly uplands in the Upper Peninsula. The state’s highest point, at 1,979 feet (603 meters), is Mt. Arvon, in Baraga County. The state’s lowest point, 572 feet (174 meters), is found in southeastern Michigan along Lake Erie. Michigan’s political boundaries extend into four of the five Great Lakes (all but Lake Ontario), giving the state jurisdiction over portions of these lakes. In addition, Michigan has about 35,000 inland lakes and ponds, the largest of which is Houghton Lake, on the Lower Peninsula, with an area of 31 square miles (80 square kilometers). The state’s leading river is the Grand, about 260 miles (420 kilometers) long, flowing through the Lower Peninsula into Lake Michigan. Other major rivers of the Lower Peninsula include the Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Saginaw, and Huron. Most major rivers in the Upper Peninsula (including the longest, the Menominee) flow southward into Lake Michigan. Tahquamenon Falls, in the 174

Michigan Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

10,095,643 1.6% 3.8% 98.4% 80.0% 14.0% 0.6% 2.3% 0.0% 1.5% 1.6%


Under 18 (25%)

65 and over (12%)

45 to 64 (26%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Detroit Grand Rapids Warren Sterling Heights Flint Lansing Ann Arbor Livonia Dearborn Westland

Population

% change 2000–05

886,671 193,780 135,311 128,034 118,551 115,518 113,271 97,977 94,090 85,623

-6.8 -2.0 -2.1 2.9 -5.1 -3.0 -0.7 -2.6 -3.8 -1.1



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175

Michigan

The Sleeping Bear Dunes overlook Lake Michigan. COPYRIGHT © 2006 BY KELLY A. QUIN.

eastern part of the Upper Peninsula, is the largest of the state’s more than 150 waterfalls. Most of the many islands belonging to Michigan are located in northern Lake Michigan and in Lake Huron. In northern Lake Michigan, Beaver Island is the largest, while Drummond Island, off the eastern tip of the Upper Peninsula, is the largest island in the northern Lake Huron area.

3

Climate

Michigan has a temperate climate with welldefined seasons. The warmest temperatures and longest frost-free period are found most generally in the southern part of the Lower Peninsula. 176

Detroit’s temperatures range from 23°f (-5°c) in January to 72°f (22°c) in July. Colder temperatures prevail in the more northerly regions. Sault Ste. Marie has temperature ranges from 13°f (-11°c) in January to 64°f (18°c) in July. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the state was -51°f (-46°c), registered at Vanderbilt on 9 February 1934. The all-time high of 112°f (44°c) was recorded at Mio on 13 July 1936. Both sites are located in the interior of the Lower Peninsula, away from the moderating influence of the Great Lakes. Detroit has an average annual precipitation of 32.9 inches (83.6 centimeters). Rainfall tends to decrease as one moves northward. The greatest snowfall is found in the extreme northJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Michigan

Michigan Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,938,444 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,746,028 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180,824 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35,461 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47,122 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,599 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,497 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51,880 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,436 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,360 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 453 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,138 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 954 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 83 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,062 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 936 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,625 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,592

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.1 . . . . . . . 1.8 . . . . . . . 0.4 . . . . . . . 0.5 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.5 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1


ern areas where cloud cover created by cold air blowing over the warmer Lake Superior waters causes frequent heavy snow along the northern coast. Lake Michigan’s water temperatures create a snow belt along the west coast of the Lower Peninsula. Cloudy days are more common in Michigan than in most states, in part because of the condensation of water vapor from the Great Lakes. The southern half of the Lower Peninsula is an area of heavy thunderstorm activity. Tornados occur from late spring through early summer.

4

Plants and Animals

Maple, birch, hemlock, aspen, spruce, and fir trees predominate in the Upper Peninsula. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Maple, birch, aspen, pine, and beech are common in the lower. Elms have largely disappeared because of disease. The white pine (the state tree) and red pine have been replaced in cutover lands by aspen and birch. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cranberries are among the fruit-bearing plants and shrubs that grow wild in many areas of the state, as do mushrooms and wild asparagus. The state flower is the apple blossom. Wild flowers also abound, with as many as 400 varieties found in a single county. As of April 2006, eight Michigan plant species were listed as threatened or endangered, including the American hart’stongue fern, dwarf lake iris, Michigan Monkeyflower, and Eastern prairie fringed orchid. 177

Michigan

Despite intensive hunting, the deer population remains high. Other game animals include the common cottontail, snowshoe hare, and raccoon. In addition to the raccoon, important native furbearers are the river otter and the beaver. Moose are now confined to Isle Royale, as are nearly all the remaining wolves, which once roamed throughout the state. More than 300 types of birds have been observed. The robin is the state bird. Ruffed grouse, bob-white quail, and various ducks and geese are hunted extensively. The most notable bird is Kirtland’s warbler, which nests only in a 60-square mile (155 square kilometer) section of jack-pine forest in north-central Michigan. Reptiles include the massasauga, the state’s only poisonous snake. Whitefish, perch, and lake trout (the state fish) are native to the Great Lakes, while perch, bass, and pike are found in inland waters. Rainbow and brown trout have been introduced, and in the late 1960s, the state successfully introduced several species of salmon. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 13 Michigan animals as threatened or endangered. These included the Indiana bat, two species of beetle, two species of butterfly, the gray wolf, bald eagle, piping plover, and Kirkland’s warbler.

5


The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is responsible for the administration of hundreds of programs affecting every aspect of the environment. The mission of the department is to conserve and develop the state’s natural resources and to protect and enhance the state’s environmental quality in order to provide clean 178

air, clean water, productive land, and healthy life. Additionally, the department seeks to provide quality recreational opportunities to the people of Michigan through the effective management of state recreational lands and parks, boating facilities, and population of fish and wildlife. In 2003, Michigan had 343 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 66 of which were on the National Priorities List, as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2005, Michigan ranked eighth in population in the Untied States with an estimated total of 10,095,643 residents. The population is projected to reach 10.71 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 178.5 persons per square mile (68.9 persons per square kilometer). Also in 2004, the median age was 36.6. In 2005, 12% of all residents were 65 or older, while 25% were 18 or younger. About half the population was concentrated in the Detroit metropolitan area. The 2005 population in Detroit was estimated at 866,671, placing the city as the 11th largest city in the country. Although Detroit’s population has been steadily shrinking since it reached about 1.85 million in 1950, the metropolitan population has continued to grow. In 1995, the Detroit metropolitan area had 4.3 million. In 2004 it stood at 4.49 million. Other Michigan cities with their 2005 populations include Grand Rapids, 193,780; Warren, 135,311; Sterling Heights, 128,034; Flint, 118,551; Lansing (the capital), 115,518; and Ann Arbor, 113,271. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Michigan

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, there were 58,479 American Indian residents in the state, including Eskimos and Aleuts. The Ottawa, Ojibwa, and Potawatomi have been principal groups with active tribal organizations. American Indians accounted for 0.6% of the state’s population in 2004. The black population in 2000 totaled about 1,412,742. In 2006 they accounted for 14.0% of the state’s population. There were also 323,877 Hispanics and Latinos living in the state, of whom 220,769 were of Mexican descent. In 2006, Hispanics and Latinos accounted for 3.8% of the state’s residents. The state’s Asian population had a total number of 176,510 people, including 54,631 Asian Indians, 17,377 Filipinos, 33,189 Chinese, 20,886 Koreans, 11,288 Japanese, and 13,673 Vietnamese. Asians in 2006 accounted for 2.3% of the state’s resident population. Pacific Islanders numbered 2,692. Although state residents of first- or secondgeneration European descent are decreasing in number, there are still active ethnic groups in many cities. Detroit continues to have numerous well-defined ethnic neighborhoods and Hamtramck, a city surrounded by Detroit, is still dominated by its Polish population. Frankenmuth is the site of an annual German festival. In the Upper Peninsula, the Finnish culture dominates in rural areas. In the iron and copper mining regions, descendants of immigrants from Cornwall in England and persons of Scandinavian background predominate. The 2000 census found that 523,589 state residents (5.3% of the population) were foreign born. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

8

Languages

Except for the huge industrial area in southeastern Michigan, English in the state is remarkably uniform in its retention of the major Northern dialect features of upper New York and western New England. Common are such Northern terms as pail, wishbone, darning needle (dragonfly), and mouth organ (harmonica). Common also are such pronunciations as the /ah/ vowel in fog and on and the /aw/ vowel in forest and orange. Southern blacks have introduced a regional variety of English in the southeast that has become a controversial educational concern. In this dialect pen and pin sound alike. The loss of /r/ after a vowel means that words such as cart and cot also sound alike. In 2000, of the state’s population five years old or older, 91.6% spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, with the number of speakers, included Spanish, 246,688; Arabic, 75,412; German, 52,366; Polish, 40,372; and French, 38,914.

9

Religions

The Roman Catholic Church was the only organized religion in Michigan until the 19th century. Detroit’s St. Anne’s parish, established in 1701, is the second-oldest Catholic parish in the country. The Lutheran denomination was introduced by German and Scandinavian immigrants. Dutch settlers were affiliated with the Reformed Church in America. In 2004, Michigan had 2,265,286 Roman Catholics. Among Protestant denominations, the largest groups were the Missouri Synod Lutherans, with about 244,231 adherents (2000 data), and the United Methodists, with 179

Michigan

The Mackinac Bridge in Mackinac City. PHOTOGRAPH BY GARY BASSETT.

about 171,916 adherents, in 2004. Evangelical Lutherans numbered about 160,836 adherents in 2000, while the Christian Reformed Church had about 112,711 members and the Presbyterian Church USA had 104,471 that same year. The Seventh Day Adventists, who had their world headquarters in Battle Creek from 1855 to 1903, numbered 37,712 in 2000. The Jewish community had about 110,000 members. Over 5.7 million people (about 58% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization. 180

10

Transportation

Michigan’s inhabitants have always depended heavily on the Great Lakes for transportation. Although extensive networks of railroads and highways now reach into all parts of the state, the Great Lakes remain major avenues of commerce. The first railroad company in the Midwest was chartered in Michigan in 1830 and six years later the Erie and Kalamazoo, operating between Toledo, Ohio, and Adrian, became the first railroad in service west of the Appalachians. In 2003, Class I railroad trackage totaled 2,752 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Michigan

miles (4,430 kilometers) out of a total of 4,495 miles (7,236 kilometers). Most railroad passenger service is provided by Amtrak. As of 2006, Amtrak provided service to 23 stations in the state, connecting them to Chicago. Freight is carried by the state’s 23 railroads, of which four are Class I. Railroads have been used only to a limited degree in the Detroit area as commuter carriers. As of 2004, the state had 122,382 miles (197,035 kilometers) of roads. Major expressways included I-94 (Detroit to Chicago), I-96 (Detroit to Grand Rapids), and I-75 (from the Ohio border to Sault Ste. Marie). In 2004, there were about 4.632 million registered passenger cars, around 3.613 million trucks, some 10,000 buses, and about 227,000 motorcycles. Licensed drivers numbered 7,103,404 during the same year. The completion in 1957 of the Mackinac Bridge, the fourth-longest suspension span in the world, eliminated the major barrier to easy movement between the state’s two peninsulas. The International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie, the Blue-Water Bridge at Port Huron, the Ambassador Bridge at Detroit, and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel all link Michigan with Canada. The opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959 made it possible for a large number of oceangoing vessels to dock at Michigan ports. In 2004, major ports were at Detroit, Presque Isle, Escanaba, and Calcite. The Ford Airport at Dearborn in the 1920s had one of the first air passenger facilities and was the base for some of the first regular airmail service. In 2005, the state had 381 airports, 95 heliports, 2 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing), and 7 seaplane bases. The state’s major Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

airport is Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, with 17,046,178 passenger boardings in 2004.

11

History

In the early 17th century, when European exploration began, Michigan’s Lower Peninsula was practically uninhabited. The Algonkian-speaking Ojibwa and Menomini inhabited portions of the Upper Peninsula. Other groups, including the Winnebago, Sioux, and Huron, later settled in the area. For two centuries after the first Europeans came to Michigan, the Native Americans remained a vital force in the area’s development, providing furs for trade and serving as potential allies in wars between rival colonial powers. However, after the War of 1812, when the fur trade declined and the possibility of war receded, the value of the Indians to the white settlers diminished. Between 1795 and 1842, tribal lands in Michigan were ceded to the federal government, and the Huron, Miami, and many Potawatomi were removed from the area. The first European explorer known to have reached Michigan was a Frenchman, Etienne Brulé, who explored the Sault Ste. Marie area around 1620. Missionary and fur trading posts— and, later, military forts—were established at Sault Ste. Marie by Father Jacques Marquette in 1668. In 1701, Antoine Laumet de la Mothe Cadillac founded a permanent settlement at the site of present-day Detroit. Following France’s defeat in the French and Indian War, and an unsuccessful Native American rebellion, the British were in firm control of the area by 1764. They continued to occupy it until 13 years after the American Revolution was ended by the Treaty of Paris in 181

Michigan

The Grand Traverse Lighthouse, located at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, has safely guided ships for 150 years. COPYRIGHT © 2006 BY KELLY A. QUIN.

1783, which gave Michigan and other territories to the United States. In the summer of 1796, the United States took possession of Michigan. Statehood However, during the War of 1812, the

British captured Detroit, holding the settlement until September 1813, when it was recaptured. But full American control of Michigan would not take place until the Treaty of Ghent was signed at the end of 1814. With the opening in 1825 of the Erie Canal, settlers for the first time pushed into the interior of southern Michigan. By 1833, Michigan had attained a population of 60,000 qualifying it for statehood. After the 182

settlement of boundary disputes with Indiana and Ohio—including the so-called Toledo War, in which no one was killed—Michigan became part of the Union on 26 January 1837. In July 1854, antislavery Democrats joined with members of the Whig and Free-Soil parties to organize Michigan’s Republican Party, which swept into office that year, and except for rare exceptions, controlled the state until the 1930s. Approximately 90,000 Michigan men served in the Union army, taking part in all major actions of the Civil War. Michigan grew rapidly in economic importance. Agriculture sparked the initial growth of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Michigan

the new state and was responsible for its rapid increase in population. By 1850, the southern half of the Lower Peninsula was filling up. Less than two decades later, exploitation of vast pine forests in northern Michigan had made the state the top lumber producer in the United States. Settlers were also attracted to the area by the discovery of rich mineral deposits. Industrialization Toward the end of the 19th

century, new opportunities in manufacturing opened up. The sudden popularity of Ransom E. Olds’s Oldsmobile inspired a host of Michigan residents to produce similar practical, relatively inexpensive automobiles. By 1904, Detroit’s Cadillac (initially a cheap car), the first Fords, and the Oldsmobile made Michigan the leading automobile producer in the country—and, later, in the world. Industrialization brought with it urbanization. The census of 1920 for the first time showed a majority of the state’s people living in towns and cities. Nearly all industrial development was concentrated in the southern third of the state, particularly the southeastern Detroit area. The northern two-thirds of the state, where nothing took up the slack left by the decline in lumber and mining output, steadily lost population and became increasingly troubled economically. The onset of the depression of the 1930s had devastating effects in Michigan. The market for automobiles collapsed. By 1932, half of Michigan’s industrial workers were unemployed. The ineffectiveness of the Republican state and federal governments during the crisis led to a landslide victory for the Democrats. Factory workers, driven by the desire for greater job security, joined the recruiting campaign launched by Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the new Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). By 1941, the United Automobile Workers (UAW) had organized the entire auto industry, and Michigan had been converted to a strongly pro-union state. By the mid-1950s, the Democrats controlled practically all statewide elective offices. However, Republicans maintained their control of the legislature and frustrated the efforts of Democratic administrations to institute social reforms. In the 1960s, as a result of US Supreme Court rulings, the legislature was reapportioned. This shifted a majority of legislative seats into urban areas and enabled the Democrats generally to control the legislature since that time. 1980s–2000s The nationwide recession of the

early 1980s hit Michigan harder than most other states because of its effect on the auto industry. Auto makers had already suffered heavy losses as a result of their inability to foresee the decline of the big luxury cars and because of the increasing share of the American auto market captured by foreign, mostly Japanese, manufacturers. During the late 1970s and the first two years of the 1980s, US automakers were forced to lay off hundreds of thousands of workers, tens of thousands of whom left the state. Many smaller businesses, dependent on the auto industry, closed their doors, adding to the unemployment problem. When Governor James J. Blanchard took office in 1983, he was faced with the immediate tasks of saving Michigan from bankruptcy and reducing the unemployment rate, which had averaged more than 15% in 1982 (60% above the US average). The new governor was forced to institute budget cuts totaling $225 million and to lay off thousands of government workers. 183

Michigan

Michigan Governors: 1835–2007 1835–1840 1840–1841 1841 1842–1846 1846–1847 1847 1848–1850 1850–1851 1852–1853 1853–1854 1855–1858 1859–1860 1861–1864 1865–1868 1869–1872 1873–1876 1877–1880 1881–1882 1883–1884 1885–1886 1887–1890 1891–1892 1893–1896 1897–1900 1901–1904

Stevens Thomson Mason William Woodbridge James Wright Gordon John Stewart Barry Alpheus Felch William L. Greenly Epaphroditus Ransom John Stewart Barry Robert McClelland Andrew Parsons Kinsley Scott Bingham Moses Wisner Austin Blair Henry Howland Crapo Henry Porter Baldwin John Judson Bagley Charles Miller Croswell David Howell Jerome Josiah William Begole Russell Alexander Alger Cyrus Gray Luce Edward Baruch Winans John Tyler Rich Hazen Stuart Pingree Aaron Thomas Bliss

Democrat Whig Whig Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Fusion Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican

Also, at his urging, the state legislature increased Michigan’s income tax by 38%. By May 1984, Michigan’s unemployment rate dropped to 11.3%, but the state faced the difficult task of restructuring its economy to lessen its dependence on the auto industry. By the late 1980s, there were signs of success. Less than 25% of wage earners worked in factories in 1988, a drop from 30% in 1978. Despite continued layoffs and plant closings by auto manufacturers between 1982 and 1988, Michigan added half a million more jobs than it lost. The state established a $100 million job-retraining program to upgrade the skills of displaced factory workers, and contributed $5 million to a joint job-training program created by General Motors and the United Automobile Workers. 184

1905–1910 1911–1912 1913–1916 1917–1920 1921–1926 1927–1930 1931–1932 1933–1934 1935–1936 1937–1938 1939 1939–1940 1941–1942 1943–1946 1947–1948 1949–1960 1961–1962 1963–1969 1969–1983 1983–1991 1991–2002 2002–

Fred Maltby Warner Chase Salmon Osborn Woodbridge Nathan Ferris Albert Edson Sleeper Alexander Joseph Groesbeck Fred Warren Green Wilber Marion Brucker William Alfred Comstock Frank Dwight Fitzgerald Francis William Murphy Frank Dwight Fitzgerald Luren Dudley Dickenson Murray Delos Van Wagoner Harry Francis Kelly Kim Sigler Gerhard Mennen Williams John Burley Swainson George Wilcken Romney William Grawn Milliken James Johnston Blanchard John Engler Jennifer Granholm

Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat

Despite moves to modernize and diversify the state’s economy, by the mid-1990s Michigan remained heavily dependent upon the automobile industry, which produced 28% of all motor vehicles manufactured within the United States. By 1999, Michigan’s economy was on the rise. Unemployment that year dropped to 3.8%, but new challenges had arisen by 2000, regarding the state’s educational system, the preservation of farmland from urban sprawl, and in the cleanup and conservation of the Great Lakes system in cooperation with neighboring states and Canada. In 2002, the Democrats retook the governorship, with the election of Jennifer Granholm, Michigan’s first woman governor. Granholm pledged balance the state’s budget and create a region that would attract technology companies Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Michigan

Michigan Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

MICHIGAN WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

PROHIBITION

1948

Dewey (R)

1,003,448

1,038,595

46,515

6,063

13,052

SOC. WORKERS

1952 1956


1,230,657 1,359,898

1,551,529 1,713,647

1960 1964


1,687,269 2,136,615

1,620,428 1,060,152

1968

Humphrey (D)

1,593,082

1,370,665

3,922 —

655 —

10,331 6,923

1,718 1,704

4,347 3,817

2,029

1,762

4,099

SOC. LABOR

AMERICAN IND.

331,968 AMERICAN

1972

*Nixon (R)

1,459,435

1,961,721

2,437

1,603

PEOPLE’S

1976

Ford (R)

1,696,714

1,893,742

1980 1984


1,661,532 1,529,638

1,915,225 2,251,571

1988

*Bush (R)

1,675,783

1,965,486

63,321 LIBERTARIAN

3,504

1,804

CITIZENS

COMMUNIST

11,930 1,191

3,262 —

5,406 41,597 10,055

NEW ALLIANCE WORKERS LEAGUE

2,513

1,958

18,336

IND. (PEROT) TISCH IND. CITIZENS

1992 1996


1,871,182 1,989,653

1,554,940 1,481,212

824,813 336,670

8,263 —

2000 2004

Gore (D) Kerry (D)

2,179,418 2,479,183

1,953,139 2,313,746

— —

84,165 5,325

10,175 27,670

GREEN

16,711 10,552

*Won US presidential election

to Michigan, mainly biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms. Granholm was reelected in 2006.

12

State Government

The legislature consists of a senate with 38 members, elected for terms of 4 years, and a house of representatives with 110 members, elected for terms of 2 years. Legislation may be adopted by a majority of each house, but to override a governor’s veto, a two-thirds vote of the members of each house is required. Elected executive officials include the governor and lieutenant governor (who run jointly), secretary of state, and attorney general, all serving four-year terms. The governor is limited to two consecutive terms. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Legislative action is completed when a bill has been passed by both houses of the legislature and signed by the governor. A bill also becomes law if not signed by the governor after a 14-day period when the legislature is in session. The governor may stop passage of a bill by vetoing it or, if the legislature adjourns before the 14-day period expires, by refusing to sign it. The governor’s salary, as of December 2004 was $177,000, and the legislative salary was $77,400.

13

Political Parties

From its birth in 1854 through 1932, the Republican Party dominated state politics. But 185

Michigan

the problems caused by the Great Depression in the 1930s revitalized the Democratic Party and made Michigan a strong two-party state. Most labor organizations, led by the powerful United Automobile Workers union, have generally supported the Democratic Party since the 1930s. But in recent years, moderate Republicans have had considerable success in attracting support among previously Democratic voters. Ronald Reagan won 49% of the state’s popular vote in 1980 and 59% in 1984. Michigan elected Republican George H. W. Bush in 1988, but voted for Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996 and Al Gore in 2000. In the latter election, Gore received 51% of the vote and Republican George W. Bush trailed with 47% of the vote. In 2004, John Kerry received 51% of the vote to George W. Bush’s 48%. In November 2002, Democrat Jennifer Granholm became Michigan’s first female governor. She was reelected in 2006. In 2004 there were 7,164,000 registered voters. There is no party registration in the state. The state’s senators are Democrat Carl Levin and Democrat Debbie Stabenow. After the 2006 elections, the state’s 15-member US House delegation consisted of six Democrats and nine Republicans. On the state level, following the 2006 elections, there were 17 Democrats and 21 Republicans in the senate, and 58 Democrats and 52 Republicans in the house. Thirty women were elected to the state legislature in 2006; they represented 20.3% of the total.

14

Local Government

In 2005 there were 83 counties, 533 municipal governments, 734 public school districts, and 366 special districts. In 2002 there were also 1,242 townships. Each county is administered 186

by a county board of commissioners. Executive authority is vested in five officers elected for fouryear terms: the sheriff, prosecuting attorney, treasurer, clerk, and registrar of deeds. Some counties place overall administrative responsibility in the hands of a county manager or administrator. Most cities establish their own form of government under an adopted charter. Some charters provide for the election of a mayor; other cities have chosen the council-manager system. Township government, its powers strictly limited by state law, consists of a supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and up to four trustees.

15

Judicial System

Michigan’s highest court is the state supreme court, consisting of seven justices elected for eight-year terms. The chief justice is elected by the members of the court. The high court hears cases on appeal from lower state courts and also administers the state’s entire court system. Unless the supreme court agrees to review a court of appeals ruling, the latter’s decision is final. The major trial courts in the state as of 1999 were the circuit courts. The circuit courts have original jurisdiction in all felony criminal cases, civil cases involving sums of more than $10,000, and divorces. A special division of the circuit court was created in 1998 to better serve families and individuals. Circuit courts also hear appeals from lower courts and state administrative agencies. Probate courts have original jurisdiction in cases involving juveniles and dependents, and also handle wills and estates, adoptions, and commitments of the mentally ill. In 2004, Michigan’s violent crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) was 490.2 incidents Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Michigan

per 100,000 population. There were 48,883 prisoners in state or federal correctional facilities as of 31 December 2004. In 1846, Michigan became the first state to abolish the death penalty, and subsequent efforts to reinstate it have failed as of 2006.

16

Migration

The earliest European immigrants were the French and English. The successive opening of interior lands for farming, lumbering, mining, and manufacturing proved an irresistible attraction for hundreds of thousands of immigrants after the War of 1812, principally Germans, Canadians, English, Irish, and Dutch. During the second half of the 19th century, lumbering and mining opportunities in northern Michigan attracted large numbers of Cornishmen, Norwegians, Swedes, and Finns. The growth of manufacturing in southern Michigan at the end of the century brought many Poles, Italians, Russians, Belgians, and Greeks to the state. After World War II, many more Europeans immigrated to Michigan, plus smaller groups of Mexicans, other Spanish-speaking peoples from Latin America, and large numbers of Arabicspeaking peoples, particularly in Detroit, who by the late 1970s were more numerous there than in any other US city. Between 1990 and 1998, Michigan had a net loss of 190,000 in domestic migration and a net gain of 87,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 122,901, while net domestic migration for the same period was -165,084, for a net loss of 42,183. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

17

Economy

Michigan’s dependence on automobile production has caused grave and persistent economic problems since the 1950s. Michigan’s unemployment rates in times of recession have far exceeded the national average, since auto sales are among the hardest hit in such periods. Although the state was relatively prosperous during the record automotive production years of the 1960s and 1970s, the high cost of gasoline and the encroachment of imports on domestic car sales had disastrous effects by 1980. By that time it became apparent that the state’s future economic health required greater diversification of industry. Agriculture, still dominant in the rural areas of southern Michigan, remains an important element in the state’s economy. In northern Michigan, forestry and mining continue, but generally at levels far below earlier boom periods. By the early 1990s, both the trade and service sectors employed more people than the manufacturing industry. In 2002, Michigan’s economy lagged behind that of the nation. The gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $372.169 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for the largest portion at 20.4% of GSP, followed by the real estate sector at 11.5%, and professional and technical services at 7.7% of GSP. Of the state’s 213,104 businesses that had employees, 98.4% were small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, Michigan ranked 23rd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $32,079, which 187

Michigan

Ford Motor Company plant in Wixom, Michigan. AP IMAGES.

was below the national average of $33,050. The three-year average median household income for 2002 through 2004 was $44,476, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 12.1% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

19

Industry

The rise of the auto industry in the early 20th century completed the transformation of Michigan into one of the most important manufacturing areas in the world. In 2004, the total shipment value of all products manufactured in the state was $220.454 billion. Of that total, the transportation equipment manufacturing sector that 188

same year accounted for $111.568 billion, or 50.6%, followed by machinery manufacturing at $17.549 billion, and fabricated metal product at $14.024 billion. In 2004, motor vehicles and equipment accounted for 39.4% of the state’s manufacturing payroll. The Detroit metropolitan area is the state’s major industrial region, which includes not only a heavy concentration of auto-related plants, but also major steel, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries, among others. In 2004, Michigan’s manufacturing sector employed 651,947 people. Of that total, some 202,998 were employed in the transportation equipment manufacturing sector. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Michigan

20

Labor

In April 2006, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in Michigan numbered 5,157,600, with approximately 369,500 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 7.2%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. For that same date, early figures for nonfarm employment showed that: construction accounted for 4.3% of the labor force; 15% was in manufacturing; 18.1% was in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5% in finance activities; 13.6% in professional and business services; 13% in educational and health services; 9.4% in leisure and hospitality services; and 15.3% in government. Michigan’s most powerful and influential industrial union since the 1930s has been the United Automobile Workers (UAW). Its national headquarters is in Detroit. The union has been a dominant force in the state Democratic Party. The successful sit-down strike by the United Automobile Workers against General Motors in 1936–37 marked the first major victory of the new Congress of Industrial Organizations. Since then, a strong labor movement has provided manufacturing workers in Michigan with some of the most favorable working conditions in the country. In recent years, as government employees and teachers have been organized, unions and associations representing these groups have become increasingly influential. Certain crafts and trades were organized in Michigan in the 19th century, with one national labor union, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, founded in 1863, but efforts to organize workers in the lumber and mining industries were generally unsuccessful. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

In 2005, a total of 880,000 of Michigan’s 4,288,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 20.5% of those so employed, compared to the national average that year of 12%.

21

Agriculture

In 2005, Michigan’s agricultural income was estimated at over $3.9 billion, placing Michigan 22nd among the 50 states. About 60% came from crops and the rest from livestock and livestock products. Dairy products, nursery products, cattle, corn, and soybeans were the principal commodities. In 2004, the state ranked second in output of tart cherries, third in apples, and fourth in prunes and plums. The southern half of the Lower Peninsula is the principal agricultural region, while the area along Lake Michigan is a leader in fruit growing. Potatoes are profitable in northern Michigan, while eastern Michigan (the “Thumb” area near Lake Huron) is a leading bean producer. The Saginaw Valley leads the state in sugar beets. The south-central and southeastern counties are major centers of soybean production. Leading field crops in 2004 included corn for grain, soybeans, and wheat. Output of commercial apples totaled 720 million pounds (327 million kilograms).

22


The same areas of southern Michigan that lead in crop production also lead in livestock and livestock products, except that the northern counties are more favorable for dairying than for crop production. 189

Michigan

In 2005, there were an estimated 1,010,000 cattle and calves, valued at $1.07 billion. The state had an estimated 940,000 hogs and pigs in 2004, valued at $103.4 million. In 2003, dairy farmers had an estimated 302,000 milk cows which produced around 6.36 million pounds (2.89 million kilograms) of milk. Poultry farmers produced nearly 1.89 billion eggs, valued at around $93.7 million.

or were reforested in the 20th century. Lumber production was 844 million board feet in 2004. State and national forests covered 6.9 million acres (2.8 million hectares), or about onefifth of the state’s land area.

25

Mining

In 2004, the commercial catch was 8.4 million pounds (3.8 million kilograms) valued at $6.2 million. Principal species landed were silver salmon and alewives. Sport fishing continues to flourish and is one of the state’s major tourist attractions. A state salmon-planting program, begun in the mid1960s, has made salmon the most popular game fish for Great Lakes sport fishermen. The state has also sought, through breeding and stocking programs, to bring back the trout, which was devastated by an invasion of lamprey. In 2004, the state issued 1,171,742 sport fishing licenses. There are three national fisheries in Michigan.

Nonfuel mineral production in Michigan was valued at an estimated $1.35 billion in 2003. The state ranked seventh nationally in value of nonfuel minerals produced during the same year. Michigan was first nationally in magnesium chloride produced, and ranked second in the production of peat, industrial sand and gravel, bromine, and iron ore. It ranked third in construction sand and gravel, and potash; fourth in portland cement; and seventh in salt, and eighth in masonry cement. According to preliminary figures, in 2003, the state produced 70 million metric tons of construction sand and gravel. Crushed stone production that year totaled 41.2 million metric tons. The state also produced small quantities of copper, silver, and other mineral specimens for sale to collectors and museums.

24

26

23

Fishing

Forestry

In 2004, Michigan’s forestland totaled 19.3 million acres (7.8 million hectares), or more than half the state’s total land area. Approximately 96% of it was classified as timberland, and about two-thirds of it was privately owned. The major forested regions are in the northern two-thirds of the state, where great pine forests enabled Michigan to become the leading lumber-producing state in the last four decades of the 19th century. These cutover lands regenerated naturally 190

Energy and Power

In 2003, Michigan’s total net summer generating capacity was 30.450 million kilowatts, while total electric power output that same year was 111.347 billion kilowatt hours. Most power (60.9%) was produced by coal-fired steam units, followed by nuclear-powered units at 25.1%, and natural gas-fired generators at 10.2%. Oil-fired plants, hydroelectric sources and other renewable energy sources accounted for the remainder. As of 2006, Michigan had three operating Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Michigan

nuclear power plants, the Donald C. Cook plant in Berrion County, the Enrico Fermi plant near Detroit, and the Palisades facility near South Haven. The two major electric utilities are Detroit Edison, serving the Detroit area and portions of the eastern part of the Lower Peninsula, and Consumers Power, serving most of the remainder of the Lower Peninsula. Rates of the utility companies are set by the Public Service Commission. Michigan is dependent on outside sources for most of its fossil fuel needs. Petroleum production in 2004 totaled 18,000 barrels per day. Marketed natural gas production in that same year totaled 259.681 billion cubic feet (7.37 billion cubic meters). In 2004, the state’s proven crude oil reserves were 53 million barrels, while proven reserves (as of 31 December 2004) of dry or consumer-grade natural gas totaled 3.091 trillion cubic feet (87.8 billion cubic meters). Bituminous coal reserves (estimated at 127.7 million tons) remain in southern Michigan, but production is negligible. In 2004, there was no recorded coal output.

27

Commerce

In 2002, Michigan’s wholesale trade sector had sales of $165.9 billion, while the state’s retail trade sector had sales that year of $109.3 billion. In the retail sector for 2002, motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest portion of sales at $31.7 billion, followed by food and beverage stores at $13.1 billion, and building material/garden equipment and supplies dealers at $9.4 billion. With its ports open to oceangoing vessels through the St. Lawrence Seaway, Michigan is a major exporting Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

and importing state for foreign as well as domestic markets. Exports of Michigan’s manufactured goods totaled $37.5 billion in 2005, ranking the state fifth in the United States.

28

Public Finance

The state constitution requires the governor to submit a budget proposal to the legislature each year. This executive budget, prepared by the Department of Management and Budget, is reviewed, revised, and passed by the legislature. The fiscal year extends from 1 October to 30 September. In 2004, total revenues were $57.46 billion, while total expenditures for that year were $46.5 billion. The largest general expenditures in 2004 were for education ($20.34 billion), public welfare ($9.95 billion), and health ($3.35 billion). The total state debt that year was $20.959 billion, or $2,074.42 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

In 2005, Michigan collected $24.340 billion in tax revenues, or $2,405 per person, placing the state 15th among the 50 states in per capita tax burden, compared to the national average of $2,192. Sales taxes accounted for the largest portion at 33.2%, followed by personal income taxes at 28.4%, selective sales taxes at 14.2%, property taxes at 8.8%, corporate income taxes at 7.8%, and other taxes at 7.5%. As of 1 January 2006, the state had a single personal income tax bracket of 3.9%. The state sales and use tax is 6% on most retail purchases. However food is exempt if consumed off premises (such as at home). The state also imposes excise taxes on cigarettes and gasoline. 191

Michigan

Downtown Detroit skyline. COPYRIGHT © 2006 BY KELLY A. QUIN.

30

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality rate was estimated at 7.7 per 1,000 live births. The crude death rate in 2003 was 8.6 per 1,000 population. Major causes of death (per 100,000 people in 2002) included heart disease at 265.3, cancer at 198.8, cerebrovascular diseases at 57.8, chronic lower respiratory diseases at 44.1, and diabetes at 27.7. The HIV-related death rate was 2.4 per 100,000 population. The AIDS case rate in 2004 was at about 6.5 per 100,000 people. About 23.2% of the state’s residents were smokers as of 2004. Michigan’s 144 community hospitals had about 25,800 beds in 2003. In 2004, Michigan had 289 physicians for every 100,000 people, and a total of 6,039 dentists in that same year. In 2005, there were 804 nurses per 100,000 population. The average expense for community hos192

pital care was $1,382 per day. In 2004, about 11% of the state’s population were uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 4,433,482 housing units in Michigan, of which 3,923,135 were occupied. Michigan that year ranked second in the country (after Minnesota) for the number of units (74%) that were owner-occupied. About 70.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Most homes rely on utility gas for heating. It was estimated that 218,182 units lacked telephone service, while 8,787 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 12,705 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The Average household size was 2.51 people. In 2004, a total of 54,700 privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $145,177. The median Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Michigan

monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,137. Renters paid a median of $628 per month.

32

Education

Historically, Michigan has strongly supported public education, which helps account for the fact that the percentage of students attending public schools is one of the highest in the United States. In 2004, of Michigan residents age 25 and older, 87.9% were high school graduates and 24.4% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 1,786,000 in fall 2003 and is expected to drop to 1,728,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $19.2 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 160,049. A large percentage of private-school enrollment was in Catholic schools. Lutherans, Seventh-Day Adventists, and Reformed and Christian Reformed churches also maintain schools. As of fall 2002, there were 605,835 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Michigan had 110 degree-granting institutions. The oldest state school is the University of Michigan, originally established in Detroit in 1817. Its Ann Arbor campus was founded in 1835. Other public universities are Michigan State University and Wayne State University. Among the state’s private colleges and universities, the University of Detroit Mercy, a Jesuit school, is one of the largest. Kalamazoo College (founded in 1833), Albion College (1835), Hope College (1866), and Alma College (1886) are some of the oldest private liberal arts colleges in the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

33

Arts

Michigan’s major center of arts and cultural activity is the Detroit area. The city’s refurbished Orchestra Hall is the home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, as well as chamber music concerts and other musical events. The Music Hall and the Masonic Auditorium present a variety of musical productions. The Fisher Theater is the major home for Broadway productions, and the Detroit Cultural Center supports a number of cultural programs. The new Detroit Opera House is sponsored by the Michigan Opera Theatre. Nearby Meadow Brook, in Rochester, has a summer music program. Successful summer theaters include the Cherry County Playhouse at Traverse City, and the Star Theater in Flint. Programs relating to the visual arts tend to be academically centered. The University of Michigan, Michigan State, Wayne State, and Eastern Michigan University have notable art schools. The Cranbrook Academy of Arts, which was created by the architect Eliel Saarinen, is a significant art center and the Ox-bow School at Saugatuck is also outstanding. The Ann Arbor Art Fair, begun in 1960, is the largest and most prestigious summer outdoor art show in the state, hosting more than 500,000 annual attendees. The Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck and the touring Ann Arbor Film Festival promote the art of independent filmmaking. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1914, is nationally known. Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo have regional orchestras that perform on a part-time, seasonal basis. The National Music Camp at Interlochen is a popular destination for young musicians during the summer and a prestigious private high school for the arts year round. 193

Michigan

There are local ballet and opera groups in Detroit and in a few other communities. Michigan’s best-known contribution to popular music was that of Berry Gordy Jr., whose Motown recording company in the 1960s popularized the “Detroit sound” and featured such artists as Diana Ross and the Supremes, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Aretha Franklin, the Four Tops, the Temptations, and Stevie Wonder, among many others. In the 1970s however, Gordy moved his operations to California. The Michigan Council for the Arts supports many programs throughout the state with federal and state funding. The Michigan Humanities Council was founded in 1974. One of its ongoing programs is the Great Outdoors Culture Tour, which includes performing artists and cultural interpreters/educators.

34


As of September 2001, Michigan had a total of 654 libraries, of which 278 were branches. In that same year, the state’s libraries held 27.188 million volumes, with a circulation of 51,773,000. The largest public library is the Detroit Public Library, which includes the National Automotive History Collection and the E. Azalia Hackley Collection, a notable source for material pertaining to African Americans in the performing arts, especially music. Among academic libraries, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor is one of the best; in 1980, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library was opened on the university campus. The Detroit Institute of Arts is the largest art museum in the state and has an outstanding collection of African art. The Kalamazoo Institute of Art, the Flint Institute of Art, the

194

Grand Rapids Art Museum, and the Hackley Art Gallery in Muskegon are important art museums. In 1996 the world’s largest museum of African American history was established in Detroit. A major Holocaust Memorial Center is located in the West Bloomfield Hills area of metropolitan Detroit. The Detroit Historical Museum heads the more than 229 museums in the state. In Dearborn, the privately run Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village are leading tourist attractions.

35

Communications

In 2004, of all occupied housing units in the state, 93.7% had telephones, and in June of that year, there were 5.43 million wireless telephone service subscribers. In 2003, computers were in 59.9% of all Michigan homes, while 52% had access to the Internet. In 2005, Michigan had 62 major AM radio stations and 110 major FM stations. Radio station WWJ, originally owned by the Detroit News, began operating in 1920 as one of the country’s first commercial broadcasting stations, and the News also started Michigan’s first television station in 1947. As of 2005 there were 33 major television stations in the state. In the Detroit area, 68% of 1,855,500 television households had cable, while in the Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek area, 62% of 671,320 television households had cable. By 2000, a total of 145,596 Internet domain names had been registered in Michigan.


Michigan

36

The state’s oldest paper still being published is the Detroit Free Press, founded in 1831. In 2005, there were 48 daily newspapers in Michigan and 27 Sunday editions published in the state. The leading newspapers (and their 2004 circulation rates) are the Detroit News (510,736 daily; 710,036 Sunday), the Grand Rapids Press (138,126 daily; 189,690 Sunday), and the Flint Journal (84,313 daily; 102,154 Sunday).

Park, the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore). A wild African-style village covering 70 acres (28.3 hectares) at the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek features giraffes, zebras, and ostrich, plus a variety of endangered African species roaming freely on the grassy savannah. State-operated facilities include 64 parks and recreational areas with 172,343 acres (69,747 hectares), and state forests and wildlife areas totaling 4,250,000 acres (1,720,000 hectares).

37

38

Press


In 2003, a total of 150,000 people were employed in Michigan’s tourist industry. The opportunities offered by Michigan’s water resources are the number one attraction. No part of the state is more than 85 miles (137 kilometers) from one of the Great Lakes, and most of the population lives only a few miles away from one of the thousands of inland lakes and streams. Historic attractions have been heavily promoted in recent years, following the success of Dearborn’s Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. Tours of Detroit automobile factories and other industrial sites, such as Battle Creek’s breakfast-food plants, are also important attractions. The Spirit of Ford, a 50,000 square-foot center in Dearborn, offers a “behind the scenes” look at how the automaker designs, engineers, tests, and produces cars and trucks. Camping and recreational facilities are provided by the federal government at three national forests, comprising 2.8 million acres (1.1 million hectares). Three facilities are operated by the National Park Service (Isle Royale National


Sports

Michigan has five major league professional sports teams, all of them centered in Detroit: the Tigers of Major League Baseball, the Lions of the National Football League, the Pistons of the National Basketball Association, the Shock of the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the Red Wings of the National Hockey League. The state also has minor league hockey teams in Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Motor City, Muskegon, Kalamazoo, Plymouth, Port Huron and Saginaw, and minor league baseball teams in Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, and Traverse City. Horse racing, Michigan’s oldest organized spectator sport, is controlled by the state racing commissioner, who regulates thoroughbred and harness racing seasons at tracks in the Detroit area and at Jackson. Auto racing is also popular in Michigan. The state hosts four major races, the Detroit Grand Prix, the Michigan 500 Indy car race, and two NASCAR Nextel Cup races. Interest in college sports centers on the football and basketball teams of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, which

195

Michigan

Gerald R. Ford, the 38th US president, grew up in Grand Rapids. EPD PHOTOS/LBJ PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY.

usually are among the top-ranked teams in the country. The Michigan State basketball team won the NCAA tournament in 2000. Other annual sporting events include the Snowmobile Poker Runs in St. Ignace, and in July, the yacht races from Chicago and Port Huron to Mackinac Island.

39

Famous Michiganians

Only one Michiganian has held the offices of US president and vice president: Gerald R. Ford (Leslie King Jr., b.Nebraska, 1913–2006), the 38th US president, who was appointed to the vice presidency by Richard M. Nixon in 1973 upon the resignation of Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. When Nixon resigned on 9 August 196

1974, Ford became president, the first to hold that post without having been elected to high national office. Two Michiganians have served as associate justices of the Supreme Court: Henry B. Brown (b.Massachusetts, 1836–1913), author of the 1896 segregationist decision in Plessy v. Ferguson; and Frank Murphy (1890–1949), who also served as US attorney general and was a notable defender of minority rights during his years on the court. Another justice, Potter Stewart (1915– 1985), was born in Jackson but appointed to the Supreme Court from Ohio. Other Michiganians who have held high federal office include Robert S. McNamara (b.California, 1916), Secretary of Defense; and W. Michael Blumenthal (b.Germany, 1926), Secretary of the Treasury. Detroit’s first black mayor, Coleman A. Young (b.Alabama, 1918– 1997), promoted programs to revive the city’s tarnished image while in office (1974–93). The most famous figure in the early development of Michigan is Jacques Marquette (b.France, 1637–1675). Laura Haviland (b.Canada, 1808– 1898) was a noted leader in the fight against slavery and for black rights, while Lucinda Hinsdale Stone (b.Vermont, 1814–1900) and Anna Howard Shaw (b.England, 1847–1919) were important in the women’s rights movement. Nobel laureates from Michigan include diplomat Ralph J. Bunche (1904–1971), winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950; and Glenn T. Seaborg (1912–1999), Nobel Prize winner in chemistry in 1951, and for whom element 106, seaborgium, is named. In the business world, William C. Durant (b.Massachusetts, 1861–1947), Henry Ford (1863–1947), and Ransom E. Olds (b.Ohio Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Michigan

1864–1950) are the three most important figures in making Michigan the center of the American auto industry. Ford’s grandson, Henry Ford II (1917–1987), was the dominant personality in the auto industry from 1945 through 1979. Two brothers, John Harvey Kellogg (1852–1943) and Will K. Kellogg (1860–1951), helped make Battle Creek the center of the breakfast-food industry. Pioneer aviator Charles A. Lindbergh (1902–1974) was born in Detroit. Among prominent labor leaders in Michigan were Walter Reuther (b.West Virginia, 1907– 1970), president of the United Automobile Workers, and his controversial contemporary, James Hoffa (b.Indiana, 1913–1975?), president of the Teamsters Union, whose disappearance and presumed murder remain a mystery. The best-known literary figures who were either native or adopted Michiganians include Ring Lardner (1885–1933), master of the short story; Edna Ferber (1885–1968), best-selling novelist; Howard Mumford Jones (1892–1980), critic and scholar; and Bruce Catton (1899– 1978), Civil War historian. Other prominent Michiganians past and present include Frederick Stuart Church (1842– 1924), painter; Albert Kahn (b.Germany, 1869– 1942), innovator in factory design; and (Gottlieb) Eliel Saarinen (b.Finland, 1873–1950), architect and creator of the Cranbrook School of Art. Malcolm X (Malcolm Little, b.Nebraska, 1925– 1965) developed his black separatist beliefs while living in Lansing. Popular entertainers born in Michigan include Danny Thomas (Amos Jacobs, 1914– 1991); Ed McMahon (b.1923); Julie Harris (b.1925); Ellen Burstyn (Edna Rae Gilhooley, b.1932); Della Reese (Dellareese Patricia Early, b.1932); William “Smokey” Robinson (b.1940); Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Diana Ross (b.1944); Bob Seger (b.1945); Stevie Wonder (Stevland Morris, b.1950); and Madonna (Madonna Louise Ciccone, b.1959); along with film director Francis Ford Coppola (b.1939). Among sports figures who had notable careers in the state were Joe Louis (Joseph Louis Barrow, b.Alabama, 1914–1981), heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949; “Sugar Ray” Robinson (1921–1989), who held at various times the welterweight and middleweight boxing titles; and baseball Hall-of-Famer Al Kaline (b.Maryland, 1934), a Detroit Tigers star. Basketball star Earvin “Magic” Johnson (b.1959), who broke Oscar Robertson’s record for most assists, was born in Lansing.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Brill, Marlene Targ. Michigan. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2007. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Dubois, Muriel L. Michigan. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. McAuliffe, Emily. Massachusetts Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Murray, Julie. Michigan. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Wittenberg, Eric J., ed. One of Custer’s Wolverines: the Civil War Letters of Brevet Brigadier General James H. Kidd, 6th Michigan Infantry. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 2000. WEB SITES Official Portal for the State of Michigan. Michigan. gov. www.michigan.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Michigan Official Tourism Site. travel. michigan.org (accessed March 1, 2007 197

Minnesota State of Minnesota

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Derived from the Sioux

Indian word minisota, meaning “sky-tinted waters.” N I CKNAME : The North Star State. C AP ITAL: St. Paul. ENT ERED UNION: 11 May 1858 (32nd). O FFICIAL SEAL: A farmer, with a powder horn and

musket nearby, plows a field in the foreground, while in the background, before a rising sun, a Native American on horseback crosses the plains; pine trees and a waterfall represent the state’s natural resources. The state motto is above, and the whole is surrounded by the words “The Great Seal of the State of Minnesota 1858.” Another version of the seal in common use shows a cowboy riding across the plains. FLAG: On a blue field bordered on three sides by a gold fringe, a version of the state seal is surrounded by a wreath with the statehood year (1858), the year of the establishment of Ft. Snelling (1819), and the year the flag was adopted (1893). Five clusters of gold stars and the word “Minnesota” fill the outer circle. M OT TO: L’Etoile du Nord (The North Star). SONG: “Hail! Minnesota.” FLOWER: Pink and white lady slipper. TREE: Red (Norway) pine. B IRD: Common loon. FISH: Walleye. IN S ECT: Monarch butterfly. G E M: Lake Superior agate. B EVERAGE: Milk. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November plus one day; Christmas Day, 25 December. By statute, schools hold special observances on Susan B. Anthony Day, 15 February; Arbor Day, last Friday in April; Minnesota Day, 11 May; Frances Willard Day, 28 September; Leif Erikson Day, 9 October. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the western north-central United States, Minnesota is the largest Midwestern state and ranks 12th in size among the 50 states, with a total area of 84,402 square miles (218,601 square kilometers), of which land accounts for 79,548 square miles (206,029 square kilometers) 199

Minnesota

and inland water 4,854 square miles (12,572 square kilometers). The state extends 406 miles (653 kilometers) north-south and 358 miles (576 kilometers) east-west. Its boundary length totals 1,783 miles (2,870 kilometers).

2

Topography

Minnesota consists mainly of flat prairie. There are rolling hills and deep river valleys in the southeast. The northeast, known as Arrowhead Country, is more rugged and includes the Vermilion Range and the Mesabi Range. Eagle Mountain, in the extreme northeast, rises to a height of 2,301 feet (702 meters), the highest point in the state. The surface of nearby Lake Superior, 601 feet (183 meters) above sea level, is the state’s lowest elevation. With more than 15,000 lakes and extensive wetlands, rivers, and streams, Minnesota has more inland water than any other state except Alaska. Some of the inland lakes are quite large, including Lower and Upper Red Lake, 451 square miles (1,168 square kilometers); Mille Lacs, 207 square miles (536 square kilometers); and Leech Lake, 176 square miles (456 square kilometers). A total of 2,212 square miles (5,729 square kilometers) of Lake Superior lies within Minnesota’s jurisdiction. Lake Itasca, in the northwest, is the source of the Mississippi River, which drains about threefifths of the state and forms part of the eastern boundary with Wisconsin. The Minnesota River, which flows across the southern part of the state, joins the Mississippi at the Twin Cities. The Red River forms much of the boundary with North Dakota. 200

Minnesota Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

5,167,101 5.0% 3.6% 98.5% 88.0% 4.0% 1.1% 3.6% 0.0% 1.8% 1.5%


Under 18 (25%)

65 and over (12%)

45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (29%)

Major Cities by Population City Minneapolis St. Paul Rochester Duluth Bloomington Plymouth Brooklyn Park St. Cloud Eagan Coon Rapids

Population

% change 2000–05

372,811 275,150 94,950 84,896 81,164 69,701 68,550 65,792 63,665 62,417

-2.6 -4.2 10.7 -2.3 -4.7 5.8 1.7 11.3 0.2 1.3



Minnesota

CANADA Red Lake Indian Reservation Northwest Angle State Forest Lake of the Woods

KITTSON

ROSEAU

Ro se au

R.

Lake Bronson State Park Beltrami Island State Forest MARSHALL

Voyageurs National Park

LAKE OF THE WOODS KOOCHICHING BELTRAMI

Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge Upper Red Lake POLK

Pine Island State Forest

ST. LOUIS

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Nett Lake Indian Reservation

PENNINGTON

RED LAKE

Koochiching State Forest

Chippewa National Forest

Red

Red Lake Indian Reservation

COOK LAKE

Lower Red Lake

R.

CLEARWATER

Superior National Forest

Superior National Forest

ITASCA

Grand Portage Indian Reservation

Bear Head Lake State Park

White Earth Indian Reservation NORMAN

M

MAHNOMEN

sh ar

CLAY

NORTH DAKOTA

CASS

HUBBARD

R.

BECKER

Lake Superior

Leech Lake Indian Reservation

Itasca St. Park

Whiteface River St. Park Savanna State For.

Fond du Lac Indian Res.

AITKIN

Moorhead

Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge

94

Savanna Portage State Park

CROW WING

WADENA

Gooseberry Falls State Park

Duluth

CARLTON OTTER TAIL

WILKIN

Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Lyons St. Forest

Maplewood State Park

Wealthwood S. F.

TODD

Mille Lacs Lake

PINE

35 Banning State Park

GRANT

Lake Carlos St. Park

DOUGLAS

TRAVERSE

MINNESOTA

KANABEC

MORRISON

St. Croix State Park

MILLE LACS

Explanation

Birch Lakes St. Forest

Point of Interest

BENTON STEVENS

STEARNS

POPE

City (25,000-100,000 people)

ISANTI

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge

St. Cloud

94

BIG STONE


SHERBURNE

Mi

ssi

SWIFT

KANDIYOHI

Sibley State Park

Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge LAC QUI PARLE

s si

pp

iR

MEEKER

ANOKA

Blaine WASHMaple Fridley INGTON Grove RAMSEY

CHIPPEWA

HENNEPIN

M

LINCOLN

inn

LYON

eso ta R

.

N

CARVER

Minnetonka Bloomington Burnsville

RENVILLE


William O’Brien St. Park

Roseville

Minneapolis YELLOW MEDICINE

94

.

WRIGHT

MC LEOD

State Capital

CHISAGO

LE SUEUR

Eagan

0

DAKOTA

Apple Valley

SCOTT

SIBLEY

St. Paul Frontenac State Park

0

25 25

5

0 miles

50 kilometers

RICE

NICOLLET

BROWN PIPESTONE

MURRAY

ROCK

NOBLES

Blue Mounds State Park

JACKSON

Sakatah Lake St. Park

Flandrau S. P. BLUE EARTH

COTTONWOOD

. sR ne oi sM De

SOUTH DAKOTA

REDWOOD

WATONWAN

Kilen Woods S. P.

MARTIN

WASECA

35

WABASHA

STEELE

Mankato

FARIBAULT

GOODHUE

Rice Lake S. P. FREEBORN

90

Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge

DODGE

WINONA OLMSTED

Rochester

Winona HOUSTON

MOWER FILLMORE

WISCONSIN

Lake Louise State Forest Richard J Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest

IOWA


201

Minnesota

3

Climate

Minnesota has a continental climate with cold, often frigid winters and warm summers. Normal daily mean temperatures range from 12°f (-11°c) in January to 74°f (23°c) in July in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis–St. Paul. The lowest temperature recorded in the state of Minnesota was -60°f (-51°c) at Tower on 2 February 1996. The highest recorded temperature, 114°f (46°c), occured at Moorhead on 6 July 1936. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 19 inches (48 centimeters) in the northeast to 31 inches (79 centimeters) in the southeast. Heavy snowfalls occur from November to April, averaging 30 inches (76 centimeters) in the southeast and 70 inches (178 centimeters) in the northwest. Blizzards hit Minnesota on an average of twice each winter. There are an average of 18 tornadoes per year in the state, mostly in the south.

4

Plants and Animals

Minnesota is divided into three main life zones: the wooded lake regions of the north and east, the prairie lands of the west and southwest, and a transition zone in between. Oak, maple, elm, birch, pine, ash, and poplar still thrive, although much of the state’s woodland has been cut down since the 1850s. Common shrubs include thimbleberry, sweetfern, and several varieties of honeysuckle. There are 1,500 native flowering plants, including prairie phlox and blazing star. Pink and white lady’s-slipper is the state flower. Three plant species were listed as threatened in 2006, including Leedy’s roseroot, prairie bushclover, and western prairie fringed orchid; the 202

Minnesota dwarf trout lily was listed as endangered that year. Among Minnesota’s common mammals are the opossum, little brown bat, striped and spotted skunks, ground squirrels (also known as the Minnesota gopher), raccoon, and white-tailed deer. The western meadowlark, Brewer’s blackbird, and Carolina wren are among the 240 resident bird species. Minnesota’s many lakes are filled with such game fishes as walleyed pike, northern pike, and rainbow trout. The two poisonous snakes in the state are the timber rattler and the massasauga. Classification of rare, threatened, and endangered species is delegated to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Among rare species noted by the department are the white pelican, short-eared owl, rock vole, pine marten, American elk, woodland caribou, lake sturgeon, and paddlefish; threatened species include the bobwhite quail and piping plover. In 2006, nine species were listed as threatened or endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, including the gray wolf, bald eagle, piping plover, Topeka shiner, and Higgins’ eye pearlymussel.

5


Minnesota divides its environmental programs among three agencies: the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Office of Environmental Assistance. The Conservation Department, created in 1931, evolved into the present Department of Natural Resources, which is responsible for the management of forests, fish and game, public lands, minerals, and state parks and waters. The department’s Soil and Water Conservation Board has jurisdiction over the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Minnesota

Minnesota Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,919,479 One race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,836,737 Two races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77,732 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17,700 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18,793 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11,966 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 852 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12,015 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . .2,413 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,057 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6,054 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 812 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 50 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 675 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,920 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,091 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,010

. . . . .100.0 . . . . . .98.3 . . . . . . .1.6 . . . . . . .0.4 . . . . . . .0.4 . . . . . . .0.2 ....... — . . . . . . .0.2 ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1 ....... — . . . . . . .0.1


state’s 92 soil and water conservation districts. A separate Pollution Control Agency enforces air and water quality standards and oversees solid waste disposal and pollution-related land-use planning. The Environmental Quality Board coordinates conservation efforts among various state agencies. To control the state’s solid waste stream, Minnesotans have established 488 curbside recycling programs. In 1997, the state had some 9.5 million acres (3.8 million hectares) of wetlands. The Wetlands Conservation Act of 1991 set the ambitious goal of no wetland loss in the future. In 2003, Minnesota had 81 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Agency’s database, 24 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2005, Minnesota ranked 21st in population among the 50 states with an estimated total of 5,167,101 residents. The population is projected to reach 6.8 million by 2025. In 2004, the state’s population density was 64.1 persons per square mile (24.7 persons per square kilometer). In 2005, approximately 25% of all residents were 18 years of age and younger and 12% were 65 and older. The median age was 36.6 in 2004. Minneapolis had an estimated 372,811 residents in 2004, while St. Paul had 275,150 people. 203

Minnesota

Dancers at the Red Lake Native American Pow Wow. The two historic nations in Minnesota were the Dakota and the Ojibwa, or Chippewa. © MINNESOTA OFFICE OF TOURISM.

7

Ethnic Groups

Germans and Scandinavians are the largest groups of first- and second-generation Minnesotans of European origin, The state has more ethnic Norwegians than any other and is second in number of ethnic Swedes (California is first). As of the 2000 census, there were 54,967 Native Americans in Minnesota. Besides those living on reservations and in villages, a cluster of Indian urban dwellers (chiefly Ojibwa) lived in St. Paul. There were 171,731 black Americans in the state, representing about 4% of the population, There were also 141,968 Asian residents, including 41,800 Hmong, 18,824 Vietnamese, 16,887 Asian Indians, 16,060 Chinese, 12,584 204

Koreans, and 9,940 Laotians. Pacific Islanders numbered 1,979. The Hispanic and Latino population had 143,382 residents, about 2.9% of the population. As of 2000, there were about 260,463 foreign-born residents of Minnesota, or about 5.3% of the population.

8

Languages

English in the state is basically Northern, with minor infiltrations of Midland terms. Among older residents, traces of Scandinavian and Eastern European pronunciation persist. Minnesotans call the grass strip between street and sidewalk the boulevard and a rubber band a rubber binder. Many say they cook coffee when Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Minnesota

they brew it. Many younger speakers pronounce caller and collar alike. In 2000, 91.5% of the population age five years old or older spoke only English at home. Other leading languages spoken at home were Spanish, 132,066; Miao/Hmong, 41,673; German, 35,072; African languages, 24,747; and Vietnamese, 16,503.

9

Religions

Minnesota’s first Christian church was organized by Presbyterians in Ft. Snelling in 1835; the first Roman Catholic church, the Chapel of St. Paul, was dedicated in 1841 at a town then called Pig’s Eye but now known by the same name as the chapel. In 2004, Roman Catholics numbered 1,185,980. As of 2000, Protestant groups were predominant with the largest denominations being the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with 853,448 adherents, and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, with 203,863 adherents. In 2004, the United Methodist Church had 83,755 adherents. Other Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Baptist denominations were also somewhat prominent. The Episcopal Church had 30,547 adherents in 2000. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in 2006 had 27,524 members. There were about 42,000 adherents to Judaism and 12,300 adherents of Islam in 2000. Over 1.8 million people (about 38.3% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization in 2000. Minnesota is the headquarters for three national Lutheran religious groups: the American Lutheran Church, the Church of the Lutheran Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The headwaters of the Mississippi River at Itasca State Park. © MINNESOTA OFFICE OF TOURISM.

Brethren, and the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations.

10

Transportation

The development of an extensive railroad network after the Civil War was a key factor in the growth of lumbering, iron mining, wheat growing, and other industries. By 2003, Minnesota had a total of 5,923 rail miles (9,536 kilometers). Amtrak serves Minneapolis–St. Paul en route from Chicago to Seattle/Portland. The national Greyhound bus line was founded in Hibbing in 1914. Minnesota had 131,937 miles (212,418 kilometers) of public roads and streets in 2004. I-35 links Minneapolis–St. Paul with Duluth, and 205

Minnesota

I-94 connects the Twin Cities with Moorhead and Fargo, North Dakota. In 2004, there were approximately 2,490,000 registered automobiles, 2,046,000 trucks, and some 7,000 buses. There were 3,083,007 licensed drivers in that year. The first settlements grew up around major river arteries, especially in the southeast. Early traders and settlers arrived first by canoe or keelboat, later by steamer. The port of DuluthSuperior, at the western terminus of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway (officially opened in 1959) is a major stop. The ports of Minneapolis and St. Paul are also significant. As of 2005, the state had 384 airports, 77 seaplane bases, 58 heliports, and 1 STOLport (Short Take-Off and Landing). Minneapolis–St. Paul International is the state’s largest and busiest airport, with 17,482,627 passengers in 2004.

11

History

At the time of European penetration in the 17th and early 18th centuries, the two principal Native American nations were the Dakota and, after 1700, the Ojibwa. The first Europeans whose travels through the region have been documented were Pierre Esprit Radisson and his brother-in-law, Médart Chouart, Sieur de Groseilliers, who probably reached the interior of northern Minnesota in the 1650s. In 1679, Daniel Greysolon, Sieur Duluth, formally claimed the region for King Louis XIV of France. In the two centuries before statehood, French, English, and American explorers, fur traders, and missionaries came to Minnesota. Competition for control of the upper Mississippi Valley ended with the British victory in the 206

French and Indian War, which placed the portion of Minnesota east of the Mississippi under British control. The land west of the Mississippi was ceded by France to Spain in 1762. Although the Spanish paid little attention to their northern territory, the British immediately sent in fur traders and explorers. US Claims There was little activity in the

region during the Revolutionary War, and for a few decades afterward, the British continued to pursue their interests there. After the War of 1812, the US Congress passed an act curbing British participation in the fur trade. Under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, Minnesota east of the Mississippi became part of the Northwest Territory. Most of western Minnesota was acquired by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The Red River Valley became a secure part of the United States after an agreement with England on the northern boundary was reached in 1818. In 1819, a military post was established on land acquired from the Dakota by Lieutenant Zebulon Pike, on a bluff overlooking the junction of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. For three decades, Ft. Snelling served as the principal center of civilization in Minnesota and the key frontier outpost in the northwest. Beginning in 1837, a series of treaties with the Dakota and Ojibwa transferred large areas of tribal land to the US government, cutting off the profitable relationship between fur traders and Native Americans and opening the land for lumbering, farming, and settlement. In 1849, the Minnesota Territory was established, and in 1851 the legislature named St. Paul as the capital. As lumbering grew and additional treaties Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Minnesota

A lighthouse shines a welcome to ships on Lake Superior. DULUTH CVB/SEAQUEST PHOTOGRAPHY.

opened up more land, the population boomed, reaching a total of more than 150,000 by 1857. Statehood On 11 May 1858, Minnesota offi-

cially became the 32d state. In the first presidential election in which Minnesota participated, Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate, easily carried the state. When the Civil War broke out, Minnesota was the first state to answer Lincoln’s call for troops. In all, Minnesota supplied more than 20,000 men to fight for the Union. More challenging to the defense of Minnesota was the Dakota uprising of 1862, led by chief Little Crow, in which more than 300 whites and an unknown number of Native Americans were Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

killed. In the aftermath, 38 Dakota captives were hanged and the Dakota remaining in Minnesota were removed to reservations in Nebraska. Also during 1862, Minnesota’s first railroad joined St. Anthony (Minneapolis) and St. Paul with 10 miles (16 kilometers) of track. The railroads soon ushered in an era of large-scale commercial farming. Wheat provided the biggest cash crop, as exports rose from 2 million bushels in 1860 to 95 million in 1890. Meanwhile, the falls of St. Anthony (Minneapolis) became the major US flourmilling center. By 1880, 27 Minneapolis mills were producing more than 2 million barrels of flour annually. Despite these signs of prosperity, discontent grew among Minnesota farm207

Minnesota

ers, who were plagued by high railroad rates and damaging droughts. The first national farmers’ movement, the National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, was founded in 1867 by a Minnesotan, Oliver H. Kelley, and spread more rapidly in Minnesota than in any other state. Industrialization Most immigrants during the

1860s and 1870s settled on the rich farmland of the north and west, but after 1880 the cities and industries grew more rapidly. When iron ore was discovered in the 1880s in the sparsely settled northeast, even that part of the state attracted settlers, many of them immigrants from eastern and southern Europe. Before the turn of the century, Duluth had become a major lake port, and by the eve of World War I, Minnesota had become a national iron-mining center. The economic picture changed after the war. Facing the depletion of their forests and an agricultural depression, Minnesotans adapted to the new realities in various ways. Farmers planted corn, soybeans, and sugar beets along with wheat, and new food-processing industries developed. In 1948, for the first time, the dollar value of all manufactured products exceeded total cash farm receipts. Later were added business machines, electronics, computers, and other high-technology industries. Economic disruption and the growth of cities and industries encouraged challenges to the Republican leadership from Democrats and third parties. John Johnson, a progressive Democratic governor first elected in 1904, was especially active in securing legislation to regulate the insurance industry. His successor, Republican Adolph Eberhart, promoted numerous progressive measures, including one establishing direct 208

primary elections. The Farmer-Labor Party had many electoral successes in the 1920s and reached its peak with the election of Floyd B. Olson to the governorship in 1930. Olson introduced a graduated income tax and other progressive measures, but his death in office in 1936 was a crippling blow to the party. In 1938, the Republicans recaptured the governorship with the election of Harold E. Stassen. However, a successful merger of the Farmer-Labor and Democratic parties was engineered in 1943–44. After World War II, Hubert Humphrey (later a US vice-president) and his colleagues Orville Freeman, Eugene McCarthy, and Eugenie Anderson emerged as leaders of this new coalition. Their political heir, Walter Mondale, was vice-president in 1977–81 but, as the Democratic presidential candidate in 1984, lost the election in a Republican landslide, carrying only his native state and the District of Columbia. Into the 21st Century In the 1990s, Minnesota

continued its economic diversification as service industries, including finance, insurance, and real estate, became increasingly important. Though Minnesota, led by the Twin Cities, enjoyed an unprecedented decade of economic prosperity, it was generally acknowledged that agriculture across the Great Plains was in crisis by the end of the decade. Many farmers’ problems were made worse by weather conditions. In 1998, Minnesota’s agricultural producers suffered from the worst drought since the 1930s. As a result of the severe flooding of the Mississippi River in 1993, almost half of Minnesota’s counties were designated as disaster areas. Again in 1997, some of the most Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Minnesota

Minnesota Governors: 1858–2007 1858–1860 1860–1863 1863–1864 1864–1866 1866–1870 1870–1874 1874–1876 1876–1882 1882–1887 1887–1889 1889–1893 1893–1895 1895–1899 1899–1901 1901–1905 1905–1909 1909–1915 1915 1915–1921 1921–1925 1925–1931

Henry Hastings Sibley Democrat Alexander Ramsey Republican Henry Adoniram Swift Republican Stephen Miller Republican William Rogerson Marshall Republican Horace Austin Republican Cushman Kellogg Davis Republican John Sargent Pillsbury Republican Lucius Frederick Hubbard Republican Andrew Ryan McGill Republican William Rush Merriam Republican Knute Nelson Republican David Marston Clough Republican John Lind Popularist Democrat Samuel Rinnah Van Sant Republican John Albert Johnson Democrat Adolph Olson Eberhart Republican Winfield Scott Hammond Democrat Joseph Alfred Arner Burnquist Republican Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus Republican Theodore Christianson Republican

severe flooding in the century occurred in the Red River and Minnesota River valleys. Professional wrestler Jesse Ventura was elected governor as the Reform Party candidate in 1998. He later aligned himself with the Independence Party of Minnesota. Republican Tim Pawlenty was elected governor in 2002. In 2003, the state faced the largest budget deficit in its history, at $4.2 billion. However, by 2005 Pawlenty had balanced the state’s budget. Under Pawlenty’s leadership, an overhaul of the state’s education standards, welfare reform, lawsuit reform, and a large transportation package were passed. Pawlenty won reelection in 2006.

12

State Government

The Minnesota legislature consists of a 67-member senate and a 134-member house of representatives. Senators serve four years and representatives two years. The governor and lieutenant Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1931–1936 1936–1937 1937–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947–1951 1951–1955 1955–1961 1961–1963 1963–1967 1967–1971 1971–1976 1976–1979 1979–1983 Republican 1983–1991 1991–1999 1999–2002 2002–

Floyd Bjornstjerne Olson Farmer Laborite Hjalmar Petersen Farmer Laborite Elmer Austin Benson Farmer Laborite Harold Edward Stassen Republican Edward John Thye Republican Luther Wallace Youngdahl Republican Clyde Elmer Anderson Republican Orville Lothrop Freeman D.F.L. Elmer Lee Andersen Republican Karl Fritjof Rolvaag D.F.L. Harold LeVander Republican Wendell Richard Anderson D.F.L. Rudolph George Perpich D.F.L. Albert Harold Quie Independent Rudolph George Perpich Arne Carlson Jesse Ventura Tim Pawlenty

D.F.L. Republican Reform Republican

Democrat Farmer Labor – D.F.L.

governor are jointly elected for four-year terms. Other constitutional officers are the secretary of state, auditor, and attorney general, all serving for four years. Once a bill is passed by a majority of both houses, the governor may sign it, veto it in whole or in part, or pocket-veto it by failing to act within 14 days of adjournment. A twothirds vote of both houses is sufficient to override a veto. Constitutional amendments require the approval of a majority of both houses of the legislature and are subject to ratification by the electorate. As of December 2004, the legislative salary was $31,140, and the governor’s salary was $120,311

13

Political Parties

The two major political parties are the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) and 209

Minnesota

Minnesota Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

MINNESOTA WINNER

DEMOCRAT1

REPUBLICAN2

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

SOCIALIST LABOR3

1948 1952


692,966 608,458

483,617 763,211

27,866 2,666

4,646 —

2,525 2,383

1956 1960 1964

*Eisenhower (R) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)

617,525 779,933 991,117

719,302 757,915 559,624

— — —

1,098 3,077 1,177

1968

Humphrey (D)

857,738

658,643

—

—

SOC. WORKERS

2,080 962 2,544 AMERICAN IND.

PEOPLE’S

1972

*Nixon (R)

802,346

898,269

2,805

68,931 AMERICAN

4,261

31,407

4,149

13,592

LIBERTARIAN

1976

*Carter (D)

1,070,440

819,395

3,529

CITIZENS

1980 1984

Carter (D) Mondale (D)

954,173 1,036,364

873,268 1,032,603

31,593 2,996

1988

Dukakis (D)

1,109,471

962,337

5,109

1992

*Clinton (D)

1,020,997

747,841

3,373

8,406 1,219

6,136 —

MINN. PROG.

SOCIALIST WORKERS

5,403

2,155

IND. (PEROT)

CONSTITUTION

562,506

3,363 GREEN (NADER)

1996

*Clinton (D)

1,120,438

766,476

8,271

257,704

24,908

REFORM

2000 Gore (D) 1,168,266 1,109,659 2004 Kerry (D) 1,445,014 1,346,695 *Won US presidential election. 1 Called Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in Minnesota. 2 Since 1976, called Independent-Republican in Minnesota. 3 Appeared as Industrial Government Party on the ballot.

the Republican Party (until 1995 called the Independent-Republican Party). The Republican Party dominated Minnesota politics from the 1860s through the 1920s, except for a period around the turn of the century. The DFL, formed in 1944 by merger between the Democratic Party and the Farmer-Labor Party, rose to prominence in the 1950s under US Senator Hubert Humphrey. Minnesota is famous as a breeding ground for presidential candidates, who include Republican Governor Harold Stassen (1948, 1952, and later years); and Democrats Vice President Hubert Humphrey (1968), US Senator Eugene McCarthy (1968, 1976), and Walter Mondale 210

5,282 4,639

22,166 —

1,022 —

(1976, 1980, 1984). Mondale was chosen in 1976 by Jimmy Carter as his vice-presidential running mate; he again ran with Carter in 1980, when the two lost their bid for reelection. In the 1984 election, Minnesota was the only state to favor the Walter Mondale-Geraldine Ferraro ticket. In the 2000 elections Democrat Al Gore carried the state with 48% of the vote. Republican George W. Bush earned 46%. In 2004, Democratic challenger John Kerry won 51% of the vote to President Bush’s 48%. In 1990, after serving four terms, Democrat Rudy Perpich lost the governorship to Independent-Republican Arne Carlson, who was reelected in 1994. Minnesota’s voters stunned Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Minnesota

the nation in 1998 when they elected Reform Party candidate Jesse Ventura, a former professional wrestler, as governor. After gaining office, Ventura switched allegiances to the Independence Party of Minnesota. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, won the governorship in 2002 and was narrowly reelected in 2006. In 2006, Democrat Amy Klobuchar was elected to the US Senate. In 2002 Democratic senator Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash along with his wife and daughter. Republican Norm Coleman won Wellstone’s Senate seat in 2002, defeating Walter Mondale, who stepped in to run after Wellstone’s death. Following the 2006 elections, Minnesota’s delegation to the US House was composed of five Democrats and three Republicans. Following those elections, there were 44 Democrats and 23 Republicans serving in the Minnesota state senate. Party representation in the state house consisted of 85 Democrats and 49 Republicans. Sixty-three women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 31.3%.

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Local Government

Minnesota is divided into 87 counties, 1,793 townships (more than any other state) 854 municipal governments, 415 public school districts, and 403 special districts. Each of Minnesota’s counties is governed by a board of commissioners. Other elected officials include the auditor, treasurer, recorder, and sheriff. Regional development commissions, or RDCs, prepare and adopt regional development plans and review applications for loans and grants. The mayor-council system is the most common form of city government. Townships are governed by a board of supervisors and other officials. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

15

Judicial System

Minnesota’s highest court is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and six associate justices. The district court, divided into 10 judicial districts, is the principal court of original jurisdiction. County courts, operating in all counties of the state except two, exercise civil jurisdiction in cases where the amount in contention is $5,000 or less, and criminal jurisdiction in preliminary hearings and misdemeanors. They also hear cases involving family disputes, and have joint jurisdiction with the district court in divorces, adoptions, and certain other proceedings. The probate division of the county court system presides over guardianship and incompetency proceedings and all cases relating to the disposing of estates. Crime rates are generally below the national average. In 2004, Minnesota’s total violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 people was 269.6. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/theft, and motor vehicle theft) that year totaled 3,039 reported incidents per 100,000 people. Federal and state correctional institutions had a total population of 8,758 as of 31 December 2004. Minnesota has no death penalty law.

16

Migration

A succession of migratory waves began in the 17th and 18th centuries with the arrival of the Dakota and Ojibwa, among other Indian groups, followed during the 19th century by New England Yankees, Germans, Scandinavians, and finally southern and eastern Europeans. Especially since 1920, new arrivals from other states and countries have been relatively few. 211

Minnesota

Between 1990 and 1998, Minnesota had net gains of 71,000 in domestic migration and 47,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 70,800 and net internal migration was 16,768, for a net gain of 54,032 people.

17

Economy

Furs, wheat, pine lumber, and high-grade iron ore were once the basis of Minnesota’s economy. As these resources diminished, however, the state turned to wood pulp, dairy products, corn and soybeans, taconite, and manufacturing, often in such food-related industries as meat-packing, canning, and the processing of dairy products. The leading sources of income in Minnesota have shifted again in recent years. Manufacturing remains central to the state’s economy, but finance, real estate, and insurance have also come to play a dominant role. Government and trade activities rose significantly between the late 1960s and early 1980s, while the role played by manufacturing and construction declined. By the mid-1990s, private goods-producing industries accounted for 28% of the state’s economic output, while private services-producing industries contributed 61%. Minnesota’s economy grew at a robust rate at the end of the 1990s—it stood at 8.5% in 2000. But in the 2001 national recession, the growth rate dropped to 1%. In 2002, employment declined more rapidly than in the nation as a whole because of the large share of Minnesota workers in areas most affected by the national slowdown: manufacturing, information technology, and airline industries. On the other hand, Minnesota escaped the drought conditions that 212

afflicted many other states in 2002. The dairy industry has suffered in recent years, however. As of 2004, manufacturing accounted for 13.7% of gross state product (GSP), followed by the real estate sector at 11.1% of GSP, and healthcare and social assistance at 7.8% of GSP. Minnesota’s GSP in 2004 was $223.8 billion, and $233 billion in 2005.

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Income

In 2005, Minnesota ranked 17th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a gross domestic product (GSP) of $233 billion. In 2004, Minnesota had a per capita (per person) income of $36,184, eighth-highest in the nation. The three-year median household income for 2002–04 was $55,914, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 2002–04, about 7% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

In the early 20th century, canning and meatpacking were among the state’s largest industries. While food and food products remain important, the state’s economy has diversified significantly from its early beginnings. Minnesota now has high-technology industries such as computermanufacturing, scientific instruments, and medical products as well as resource-based industries such as food products and wood products. The total value of shipments by manufacturers in 2004 exceeded $88.4 billion, with food products accounting for the largest share, at $16.8 billion. Industry is concentrated in the state’s southeast region, especially in the Twin Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Minnesota

Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul) area. Among the well-known national firms with headquarters in Minnesota are 3M (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing), General Mills, Honeywell, and Hormel Foods.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Minnesota numbered 2,946,100, with approximately 119,600 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.1%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. As of April 2006, 4.7% of the labor force was employed in construction; 12.5% in manufacturing; 19.3% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.6% in financial activities; 11.3% in professional and business services; 14.2% in education and health services; 9.1% in leisure and hospitality services; and 15.2% in government. The history of unionization in the state includes several long and bitter labor disputes, notably the Iron Range strike of 1916, the Teamsters’ strike of 1934, and the Hormel strike of 1985–86. The Knights of Labor were the dominant force of the 1880s. The next decade saw the rise of the Minnesota State Federation of Labor, whose increasing political influence bore fruit in the landmark Workmen’s Compensation Act of 1913 and the subsequent ascension of the Farmer-Labor Party. In 2005, approximately 392,000 of Minnesota’s 2,494,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 15.7% of those so employed. The national average is 12%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

21

Agriculture

Cash receipts from farm marketings totaled over $9 billion in 2005, placing Minnesota sixth among the 50 states. For 2004, Minnesota ranked first in the production of sugar beets, and sweet corn and green peas for processing; second in spring wheat; third in alfalfa hay; fourth in corn, oats, soybeans, and flaxseed; and sixth in barley and durum wheat. As of 2004, the state had 79,800 farms, covering 27,600,000 acres (11,200,000 hectares), or 51% of the state’s total land area. The average farm had 346 acres (140 hectares). The main farming areas are in southern Minnesota, where corn, soybeans, and oats are important, and in the Red River Valley along the western border, where wheat, barley, sugar beets, and potatoes are among the chief crops. Agribusiness is Minnesota’s largest basic industry, with about one-fourth of the state’s labor force employed in agriculture or agriculture-related industries, most notably food processing.

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Excluding the northeast, livestock raising is dispersed throughout the state, with cattle concentrated particularly in west-central Minnesota and in the extreme southeast and hogs along the southern border. In 2005, the state had an estimated 2.4 million cattle and calves, valued at nearly $2.3 billion. The state had 6.5 million hogs and pigs, valued at $780 million in 2004. Minnesota produced more turkey in 2003 than any other state: 1.2 billion pounds (0.55 billion kilograms), worth $425.3 million. Also during 2003, the state produced 13.8 million pounds (6.3 million 213

Minnesota

kilograms) of sheep and lambs, which brought in a total of nearly $13.3 million. The state’s total of 8.3 billion pounds (4 billion kilograms) of milk outproduced all but five states in 2003. Production of broilers in 2003 was 228.5 million pounds (103.4 million kilograms), worth around $77.7 million; and egg output in the same year was 2.9 billion, worth $146.4 million.

23

Fishing

Commercial fishermen in 2004 landed 323,000 pounds (146,800 kilograms) of fish, valued at $187,000. The catch included herring and smelts from Lake Superior, whitefish and yellow pike from large inland lakes, and carp and catfish from the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. In 2001, the commercial fleet had about 25 boats and vessels. Sport fishing attracts some 1.5 million anglers annually to the state. Fishing streams are stocked with trout, bass, pike, muskellunge, and other fish by the Division of Fish and Wildlife of the Department of Natural Resources. In 2004, there were 1467,677 sports fishing licenses issued in the state.

24

Forestry

Forests, which originally occupied two-thirds of Minnesota’s land area, have been depleted by lumbering, farming, and forest fires. As of 2004, forestland covered 16,230,000 acres (6,568,000 hectares), or over 30% of the state’s total land area. Most of the forestland is in the north, especially in Arrowhead Country in the northeast. Of the 14,723,000 acres (5,958,000 hectares) of commercial timberland, less than half 214

is privately owned and more than one-third is under state, county, or municipal jurisdiction. In 2004, lumber production totaled 265 million board feet, 45% hardwoods and 55% softwoods. Over half of the timber that is harvested is used in paper products and about one-third for wood products. Mills that process raw logs account for half of all forest and forest-product employment in Minnesota. The state’s two national forests are Superior (2,094,946 acres/847,825 hectares) and Chippewa (666,541 acres/269,749 hectares). The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, promotes effective management of the forest environment and seeks to restrict forest fire occurrence to 1,100 fires annually, burning no more than 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) in all. More than 3 million acres (1.2 million hectares) are planted each year with trees by the wood fiber industry, other private interests, and federal, state, and county forest services— more than enough to replace those harvested or destroyed by fire, insects, or disease.

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Minnesota in 2003 was estimated to be about $1.23 billion. Iron ore, Minnesota’s leading mineral commodity, accounted for $969 million of this total mineral value. Minnesota in 2003 was the nation’s to producer of iron ore, third in peat, and sixth in construction sand and gravel. Iron ore is found along a belt that runs through Itasca and St. Louis counties. The estimated value of construction sand and gravel was $188 million in 2003. The estimated value of crushed stone was Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Minnesota

$57.3 million. Michigan’s output of common clays and dimension stone is also significant.

26

Energy and Power

Minnesota produced 55.05 billion kilowatt hours of electricity (utility and nonutility) in 2003, when total installed capacity reached 11.48 million kilowatts. Most plants were coalfired. There are two nuclear power plants (at Monticello, and at the Prairie Island facility). In 2000, Minnesota’s total per capita energy consumption was 343 million Btu (86.4 million kilocalories), ranking it 25th among the 50 states. Minnesota’s 7 million acres (2.8 million hectares) of peat lands, the state’s only known fossil fuel resource, constitute nearly half of the US total (excluding Alaska). If burned directly, these fuel-quality peat deposits could add to Minnesota’s energy needs.

27

Commerce

Access to the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and the Atlantic Ocean, as well as to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, helps make Minnesota a major marketing and distribution center for the upper Midwest. The state’s wholesale sales totaled $108.3 billion in 2002; retail sales were $60.01 billion. Exports to foreign countries amounted to $14.71 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The state budget is prepared by the Department of Finance and submitted biennially by the governor to the legislature for amendment and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Revenues for 2004 were $29.7 billion and expenditures were $28.8 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($9.8 billion), public welfare ($8.04 billion), and highways ($1.8 billion). The state’s outstanding debt totaled $6.6 billion, or $1,307.76 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

As of 2006, corporate income tax is at a flat rate of 9.8%. Personal income tax rates were on a three-bracket schedule ranging from 5.35% to 7.85%. The state of Minnesota also levies a 6.5% state sales tax, with local-option sales taxes permitted up to 1%. Food, medicines and other basics are exempted. The state also imposes a full array of excise taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, public utilities, alcoholic beverages, amusements, parimutuels, and many other selected items. Other state taxes include per ton severance taxes (for taconite, iron sulphides, agglomerate, and semitaconite), various license fees, and stamp taxes. In Minnesota’s classified property tax system, commercial, industrial, and rental properties are taxed at considerably higher rates than owned homes. Minnesota’s “circuit breaker” system refunds property tax payments to homeowners and renters whose residential property taxes are high relative to their income. Total state tax collections in Minnesota in 2005 were $15.8 billion, of which 39.9% was generated by the state income tax, 26.5% by the state general sales and use tax, 15.3% by state excise taxes, 3.9% by property taxes, 5.9% by the state corporate income tax, and 8.5% by 215

Minnesota

other taxes. In 2005, Minnesota ranked sixth among the states in terms of state and local tax burden, at $3,094 per capita (per person), compared with the national average of $2,192 per capita.

University of Minnesota, which became the first US institution to offer graduate education in surgery and other branches of clinical medicine.

30

In 2004, Minnesota had 2,212,701 housing units, of which 2,054,900 were occupied. Minnesota had the highest rate of homeownership in the nation with 75.3% of all housing units being owner-occupied. About 68% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Most units relied on utility gas and electricity for heating. It was estimated that 53,332 units lacked telephone service, 9,065 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 9,270 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.41 people. In 2004, 41,800 new units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $181,135. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,260. Renters paid a median of $673 per month.

Health

Shortly after the founding of Minnesota Territory, the soothing landscape and cool, bracing climate were trumpeted as a haven for retirees and for those afflicted with malaria or tuberculosis. As of October 2005, the infant mortality rate was of 5.2 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 7.1 per 1,000 population. About 20.6% of Minnesota residents were smokers. The death rates per 100,000 population for heart disease and cerebrovascular disease in 2002 were 171.4 and 53.9 respectively. HIV-related deaths occurred at a rate of 1.1 per 100,000 population. Minnesota’s 131 community hospitals had about 16,400 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,109 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, only 9% of Minnesota residents were uninsured, the lowest percentage in the country. In 2004, Minnesota had 283 doctors per 100,000 residents, and 962 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005. In 2004, there were 3,069 dentists in the state. The Mayo Clinic, developed by Drs. Charles H. and William J. Mayo in the 1890s and early 1900s, was the first private clinic in the United States and became a world-renowned center for surgery. Today it is owned and operated by a selfperpetuating charitable foundation. The separate Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, founded and endowed by the Mayo brothers in 1915, was affiliated with the 216

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32

Housing

Education

Minnesota has one of the best-supported systems of public education in the United States. In 2004, 92.3% of Minnesotans age 25 or older were high school graduates and 32.5% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 847,000 in fall 2002 but is expected to drop to 826,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 93,935. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $8.6 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 323,791 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Minnesota

Minnesota had 113 degree-granting institutions. The state university system has campuses at Bemidji, Mankato, Marshall, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Moorhead, St. Cloud, and Winona; there is also a community college system, and a statewide network of area vocational-technical institutes. The University of Minnesota (founded as an academy in 1851) has campuses in the Twin Cities, Duluth, Morris, and Crookston. The state’s oldest private college, Hamline University in St. Paul, was founded in 1854 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. There are more than 20 private colleges, many of them with ties to Lutheran or Roman Catholic religious authorities. Carleton College, at Northfield, is a notable independent institution.

prehensive literary centers. Milkweed Editions is a well-known, award-winning, nonprofit literary publisher of books on cultural diversity, environmental stewardship, poetry, and literature for adults and children in the middle grades. State and regional arts groups as well as individual artists are supported by grants administered through the Minnesota State Arts Board, an 11-member panel appointed by the governor. The state offers arts education to about 50,000 schoolchildren, with approximately 2,500 teachers participating in the programs. The Minnesota Humanities Commission was founded in 1971.

33

In 2001, Minnesota had an estimated 140 public library systems, with a total of 359 libraries, of which 232 were branches. The same year, the total number of books and audiovisual items was over 14.4 million items and total circulation reached more than 43.8 million. The largest single public library system is the Minneapolis Public Library and Information Center. The leading academic library, with over 5.7 million volumes, is maintained by the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis. There are more than 164 museums and historic sites. In addition to several noted museums of the visual arts, Minnesota is home to the Mayo Medical Museum at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. In May 1996, the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post opened its doors. Historic sites include the boyhood home of Charles Lindbergh in Little Falls and the Sauk Centre home of Sinclair Lewis.

Arts

The Ordway Music Theater which has two concert halls, opened in St. Paul in January 1985. The Ordway is the home of the Minnesota Orchestra, the Minnesota Opera Company, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. In 1999, the Ordway received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to use interactive videoconferencing technology to develop an “electronic field trip” accessible to student audiences across the state. The St. Olaf College Choir, at Northfield, has a national reputation. The Guthrie Theater, founded in Minneapolis in 1963, is one of the nation’s most prestigious repertory companies; it moved to a new complex overlooking the Mississippi River in 2006. The Minnesota Ballet is based in Duluth. Literary arts are active in the state. The Loft, founded in 1974 in Minneapolis, is considered to be one of the nation’s largest and most comJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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217

Minnesota

New Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. AP IMAGES.

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Communications

As of 2004, 97.1% of Minnesota’s occupied housing units had telephones. By June of that year, there were 2,832,079 mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 67.9% of Minnesota households had a computer, and 61.6% had Internet access. As of 2005 there were 135 major radio stations—33 AM and 102 FM—and 20 major television stations. The Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area had approximately 1,481,050 television households, 54% of which received cable in 1999.

36

Press

In April 1982, Minneapolis’s two daily newspapers were merged into the Minneapolis Star Tribune. As of 2005, the state had 15 morn218

ing dailies, 10 evening dailies, and 15 Sunday papers. The leading dailies, with their daily circulations in 2005, are the Minneapolis Star Tribune (381,094), the St. Paul Pioneer Press (191,264), and the Duluth News-Tribune (46,460). As of 2005, some 333 weekly newspapers were being published in Minnesota. Among the most widely read magazines published in Minnesota were Family Handyman, appearing 11 times a year; Catholic Digest, a religious monthly; and Snow Goer, published six times a year for snowmobile enthusiasts.

37


In 2004, the state hosted about 28.6 million travelers, with about 50% of all tourist activity involving Minnesota residents touring their own state. About 11.7 million visitors were from out Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Minnesota

of state. Shopping was the most popular tourist activity for out-of-state visitors. Total travel expenditures for 2004 reached about $9.2 billion, which included support for over 233,000 jobs. With its lakes and parks, ski trails and campsites, and historical and cultural attractions, Minnesota provides ample recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike. Besides the museums, sports stadiums, and concert halls in the big cities, Minnesota’s attractions include the 220,000-acre (80,000-hectare) Voyageurs National Park, near the Canadian border; Grand Portage National Monument, in Arrowhead Country, a former fur-trading center with a restored trading post; and Lumbertown USA, a restored 1870s lumber community. The US Hockey Hall of Fame is in Eveleth. The state maintains and operates 66 parks, 9,240 miles (14,870 kilometers) of trails, 10 scenic and natural areas, 5 recreation areas, and 18 canoe and boating routes. Minnesota also has 288 primary wildlife refuges. Many visitors hunt deer, muskrat, squirrel, beaver, duck, pheasant, and grouse. Others enjoy boating each year on Minnesota’s scenic waterways. Winter sports have gained in popularity, and many parks are now used heavily all year round. Snowmobiling and cross-country skiing has rapidly accelerated in popularity.

38

Sports

There are five major league professional sports teams in Minnesota: the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball, the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League, the Minnesota Lynx of the Women’s National Basketball Association, the Minnesota Timberwolves Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

of the National Basketball Association, and the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League. In collegiate sports, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers compete in the Big Ten Conference. The university is probably best known for its ice hockey team, which won the NCAA title three times during the 1970s and again in 2002 and 2003, and supplied the coach, Herb Brooks, and many of the players for the gold medal–winning US team in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Other annual sporting events include the John Beargrease Sled Dog Race between Duluth and Grand Marais in January or early February and auto racing at the Brainerd International Raceway in July and August. Alpine and crosscountry skiing are popular.

39

Famous Minnesotans

No Minnesotan has been elected to the US presidency, but several have sought the office, including two who served as vice-president. Hubert Horatio Humphrey (b.South Dakota, 1911–1978) was vice-president under Lyndon Johnson and a serious contender for the presidency in 1960, 1968, and 1972. Humphrey’s protégé, Walter Frederick “Fritz” Mondale (b.1928)—after serving as vice-president under Jimmy Carter (and as Carter’s running mate in his unsuccessful bid for reelection in 1980)— won the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984. Warren Earl Burger (1907–1995) of St. Paul was named chief justice of the US Supreme Court in 1969. Three other Minnesotans have served on the court: Pierce Butler (1866–1939); William O. Douglas (1898–1980); and Harry A. Blackmun (b.Illinois, 1908–1997). 219

Minnesota

The first woman ambassador in US history was Eugenie M. Anderson (b.Iowa, 1909–1997). The Mayo Clinic was founded in Minnesota by Dr. William W. Mayo (b.England, 1819– 1911) and developed through the efforts of his sons, Drs. William H. (1861–1939) and Charles H. (1865–1939) Mayo. Oil magnate J. Paul Getty (1892–1976) was a Minnesota native, as was Richard W. Sears (1863–1914), founder of Sears, Roebuck. The first US citizen ever to be awarded the Nobel Prize for literature was Sinclair Lewis (1885–1951), whose novel Main Street (1920) was modeled on life in his hometown of Sauk Centre. Prominent literary figures besides Sinclair Lewis include F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896– 1940), well known for his classic novel The Great Gatsby. Cartoonist Charles Schulz (1922–2000) and radio personality and author Garrison Keillor (b.1942), were both born in Minnesota. Minnesota-born entertainers include Judy Garland (Frances Gumm, 1922–1969), Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman, b.1941), and Jessica Lange (b.1949). In 1961 Minnesotan Roger Maris (1934–1985) set the record for the most home runs hit in a baseball season; his record stood until 1998. Other notable athletes

220

from Minnesota are Olympic swimmer Tracy Caulkins (b.1963), baseball great Roger Maris (1934–1985), and basketball star Kevin McHale (b.1957).

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Gedatus, Gustav Mark. Minnesota. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Hintz, Martin. Minnesota. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. McAuliffe, Bill. Minnesota Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Sateren, Shelley Swanson, ed. A Civil War Drummer Boy: the Diary of William Bircher, 1861–1865. Mankato, MN: Blue Earth Books, 2000. Uschan, Michael V. Jesse Ventura. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2001. WEB SITES Minnesota Office of Tourism. Explore Minnesota. www.exploreminnesota.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Minnesota. Minnesota North Star: Official Website for the State of Minnesota. www.state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/home. do?agency=NorthStar (accessed March 1, 2007).


Mississippi State of Mississippi

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Derived from the Ojibwa

Indian words misi sipi, meaning “great river.” N I CKNAME : The Magnolia State. C AP ITAL: Jackson. ENT ERED UNION: 10 December 1817 (20th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The seal consists of the coat of arms

surrounded by the words “The Great Seal of the State of Mississippi.” FLAG: Crossed blue bars, on a red field, bordered with white and emblazoned with 13 white stars—the motif of the Confederate battle flag—cover the upper left corner. The field consists of three stripes of equal width, blue, white, and red. C OAT OF ARMS: An American eagle clutches an olive branch and a quiver of arrows in its talons. M OT TO: Virtute et armis (By valor and arms). SONG: “Go, Mississippi.” FLOWER: Magnolia. TREE: Magnolia. A NIMAL: White-tailed deer (mammal); porpoise (water mammal). B IRD: Mockingbird; wood duck (waterfowl). FISH: Largemouth or black bass. IN S ECT: Honeybee. FOSSIL: Prehistoric whale. R OCK OR STONE: Petrified wood. B EVERAGE: Milk. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthdays of Robert E. Lee and Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Confederate Memorial Day, last Monday in April; Memorial Day and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Jefferson Davis’s Birthday, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day and Armistice Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the eastern south-central United States, Mississippi ranks 32nd in size among the 50 states. The total area of Mississippi is 47,689 square miles (123,514 square kilometers), of which land takes up 47,233 square miles (122,333 square kilometers) and inland water 456 square miles (1,181 square kilometers). Mississippi’s maximum east-west extension is 188 miles (303 kilometers). Its greatest north-south distance is 352 miles (566 kilometers). The total boundary length of Mississippi 221

Mississippi

is 1,015 miles (1,634 kilometers). Several small islands lie off the coast.

2

Topography

Mississippi lies entirely within two lowland plains: the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, popularly known as the Delta, and the Gulf Coastal Plain. Mississippi’s generally hilly landscape ascends from sea level at the Gulf of Mexico to reach its maximum elevation, 806 feet (246 meters), at Woodall Mountain, in the extreme northeastern corner of the state. The state’s largest lakes, Grenada, Sardis, Enid, and Arkabutla, are all manmade. Numerous smaller lakes, called oxbow lakes because of their curved shape, extend along the western edge of the state. Once part of the Mississippi River, they were formed when the river changed its course. Mississippi’s longest inland river, the Pearl, flows about 490 miles (790 kilometers) from the eastern center of the state to the Gulf of Mexico. The Big Black River, some 330 miles (530 kilometers) long, begins in the northeast and cuts diagonally across the state. The Yazoo flows 189 miles (304 kilometers) southwest to the Mississippi just above Vicksburg.

3

Climate

Mississippi has short winters and long, humid summers. Summer temperatures vary little from one part of the state to another, averaging around 80°f (27°c). During the winter, however, because of the temperate influence of the Gulf of Mexico, the southern coast is much warmer than the north. In January, Biloxi averages 52°f (11°c), while Oxford averages 41°f (5°c). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Mississippi 222

Mississippi Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

2,910,540 2.3% 1.5% 99.1% 60.8% 36.5% 0.4% 0.8% 0.0% 0.6% 0.9%


Under 18 (26%)

65 and over (13%)

45 to 64 (24%) 18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City Jackson Gulfport Biloxi Hattiesburg Southaven Greenville Meridian Tupelo Olive Branch Clinton

Population

% change 2000–05

177,977 72,464 50,209 47,176 38,840 38,724 38,605 35,673 27,964 26,017

-3.4 1.9 -0.9 5.4 34.0 -7.0 -3.4 4.3 32.8 11.4



Mississippi

TENNESSEE

MARSHALL

DE SOTO

BENTON

ALCORN

TUNICA

TISHOMINGO

J. P. Coleman S. P.

TIPPAH PRENTISS

Holly Springs National Forest

TATE

Tishomingo S. P. UNION

John W. Kyle S. P.

PANOLA

LEE

LAFAYETTE

ITAWAMBA PONTOTOC

BOLIVAR

QUITMAN

Holly Springs National Forest

Winterville Mounds St. Park LEFLORE GRENADA CARROLL

Tombigbee St. Park

CALHOUN

YALOBUSHA

TALLAHATCHIE

ARKANSAS

Trace St Park

George P. Cossar S. P.

COAHOMA

Tupelo

MONROE

CHICKASAW

Tombigbee National Forest

Hugh White St. Park

CLAY

WEBSTER

MONTGOMERY

SUNFLOWER

OKTIBBEHA

WASHINGTON

LOWNDES

Morgan Brake N. W. R.

Greenville Leroy Percy S. P. Yazoo N. W. R.

HUMPHREYS

CHOCTAW

Columbus L. Lowndes St. Park

Tombigbee National Forest

55 ATTALA

HOLMES

NOXUBEE

Noxubee N. W. R.

Hillside N. W. R.

SHARKEY ISSAQUENA YAZOO

Legion St. Park

WINSTON

Holmes County St. Park NESHOBA

LEAKE

KEMPER

MADISON

Panther Swamp N. W. R.

Choctaw Ind. Res.

Delta Natíl For.

SCOTT

WARREN

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

HINDS

20

Meridian

20

Jackson

Rocky Springs

LOUISIANA

Roosevelt RANKIN S. P.

Clinton

JASPER

CLAIBORNE

COPIAH

SIMPSON

SMITH

CLARKE

Clarkco S. P.

Bienville National Forest

55 JEFFERSON

COVINGTON

WAYNE

JONES

De Soto National Forest

LAWRENCE LINCOLN

ADAMS

Natchez S. P.

FRANKLIN

JEFFERSON DAVIS

59 LAMAR

AMITE

WILKINSON

Homochitto National Forest

MISSISSIPPI

PIKE

MARION

FORREST

PERRY

Hattiesburg

WALTHALL

GREENE

Percy Quinn S. P. PEARL RIVER

Explanation

ALABAMA

Vicksburg

GEORGE STONE

Point of Interest

De Soto National Forest

City (20,000-100,000 people)

JACKSON

City (more than 100,000 people) HARRISON

State Capital

55


HANCOCK

Area of Interest

10 Gulf- Biloxi Pascagoula port

Buccaneer St. Park

N 0 0

25 25

Miss. Sandhill Crane N.W.R.

Golden Islands National Seashore



Gulf of Mexico

223

Mississippi

was -19°f (-28°c) at Corinth on 30 January 1966. The highest temperature, 115°f (46°c), was set on 29 July 1930 at Holly Springs. Precipitation in Mississippi increases from north to south. The north-central region averages 53 inches (135 centimeters) of precipitation a year. The coastal region averages 62 inches (157 centimeters) annually. Some snow falls in northern and central sections. Mississippi lies in the path of hurricanes moving northward from the Gulf of Mexico during the late summer and fall. Two tornado alleys cross Mississippi from the southwest to northeast, one from Vicksburg to Oxford and the other from McComb to Tupelo.

4

Plants and Animals

Post and white oaks, hickory, and magnolia grow in the forests of the uplands. Various willows and gums (including the tupelo) are in the Delta and longleaf pine is in the Piney Woods. Wildflowers include the black-eyed Susan and Cherokee rose. In April 2006, Price’s potato-bean was listed as a threatened plant species. The Louisiana quillwort, pondberry, and American chaffseed were listed as endangered. Common among the state’s mammals are the opossum, armadillo, and coyote. Birds include varieties of wren, thrush, and hawk, along with numerous waterfowl and seabirds. Black bass, perch, and mullet are common freshwater fish. Rare species in Mississippi include the hoary bat, American oystercatcher, mole salamander, pigmy killifish, Yazoo darker, and five species of crayfish. In 2006, a total of 30 animal species were listed as threatened or endangered, including the American and Louisiana black bears, eastern 224

indigo snake, Indiana bat, Mississippi sandhill crane, bald eagle, Mississippi gopher frog, brown pelican, red-cockaded woodpecker, five species of sea turtle, and the bayou darter.

5


The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) is responsible for environmental regulatory programs in the state, excluding the drinking water program, and the regulation of noncommercial oil field waste disposal. MDEQ regulates surface and groundwater withdrawals through its Office of Land and Water Resources and surface mining reclamation through its Office of Geology. All other environmental regulatory programs are administered through MDEQ’s Office of Pollution Control. MDEQ implements one of the premier Pollution Prevention programs in the nation. In 2003, Mississippi had 83 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, three of which were on the National Priorities List, as of 2006. In 1996, wetlands accounted for 13% of the state’s lands. The Natural Heritage Program identifies and inventories priority wetlands.

6

Population

In 2005, Mississippi ranked 31st in population among the 50 states with an estimated total of 2,910,540 residents. The population is projected to reach 3.01 million by 2015 and 3.06 million by 2025. In 2004, the population density was 61.9 persons per square mile (23.9 persons per square kilometer). In that same year, the median age of all residents was 34.9. In 2005, of all resiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Mississippi

Mississippi Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,844,658 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,824,637 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,382 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,462 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,259 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,402 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,885 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,372 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 802 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 785 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 13 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,639

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 99.3 . . . . . . . 0.6 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1


dents in the state, 13% were 65 or older, and 26% were 18 or younger. Mississippi is one of the most rural states in the United States. Mississippi’s largest city, Jackson, had an estimated 2005 population of 177,977. The Jackson metropolitan area that year had an estimated population of 517,275. Other major cities include Gulfport, 72,464, and Biloxi, 50,209.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, the state had 1,746,099 whites, 1,033,809 blacks, 39,569 Hispanics and Latinos, 11,652 Native Americans, and 667 Pacific Islanders. There were also Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

18,626 Asians, that same year, including 5,387 Vietnamese and 2,608 Filipinos. Mississippi had the lowest percentage of foreign-born residents in the country with 39,908 people, or 1.4% in 2000.

8

Languages

English in the state is largely Southern, with some South Midland speech in northern and eastern Mississippi. The absence of the final /r/ sound in a word is typical. South Midland terms in northern Mississippi include tow sack (burlap bag), snake doctor (dragonfly), and stone wall (rock fence). In the eastern section are found jew’s harp (harmonica) and croker sack (burlap 225

Mississippi

bag). Southern speech in the southern half features the terms gallery for porch and mosquito hawk for dragonfly. Louisiana French has contributed armoire for wardrobe. In 2000, of all Mississippi residents five years old and older, 96.4% spoke only English in the home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of people who spoke them, included Spanish, 50,515, and French, 10,826.

9

Religions

Protestants have dominated Mississippi since the late 18th century. The Baptists are the leading denomination and many adherents are fundamentalists. Partly because of the strong church influence, Mississippi was among the first states to enact prohibition and among the last to repeal it. In 2000, the two principal Protestant denominations were: the Southern Baptist Convention, with 916,440 adherents, and the United Methodist Church with 189,149 adherents in 2004. There were about 124,150 Roman Catholics in 2004. In 2000, there were an estimated 3,919 Muslims, and about 1,400 Jews. Over 1.2 million people (about 45.4% of the population) did not claim any religious affiliation.

10

Transportation

At the end of 2003, there were 2,658 miles (4,279 kilometers) of mainline railroad track in the state. Class I railroads included the Burlington Northern, CSX, Illinois Central Gulf, Kansas City Southern, and Norfolk Southern lines. As of 2006, rail passenger service was provided by Amtrak via its City of New Orleans train, which 226

connected six cities in Mississippi with Chicago and New Orleans, and the Crescent, which connected four cities in the state with New Orleans and Atlanta. In 2004, Mississippi had 74,129 miles (119,347 kilometers) of public roads. Major interstate highways are I-55, I-59, I-20, I-220, I-10, and I-110. Mileage of four-lane highways is increasing daily under a “pay-as-you-go” public works program passed by the Mississippi legislature in 1987 to provide a four-lane highway within 30 minutes or 30 miles (48 kilometers) of every citizen in the state. In 2004, there were 1,896,008 licensed drivers in Mississippi and 1.159 million registered motor vehicles, including 1.113 million automobiles and 815,000 trucks. Mississippi’s ports and waterways serve a surrounding 16-state market. Mississippi has two deepwater seaports, Gulfport and Pascagoula, both located on the Gulf of Mexico. Other ports located on the Gulf include Port Bienville in Hancock County, and Biloxi in Harrison County. The Mississippi River flows along the western border of the state, linking the Gulf of Mexico to inland river states as far away as Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Mississippi is the largest commercial river in the country and the third-largest river system in the world. It carries the majority of the nation’s inland waterway tonnage. Mississippi River ports within the states are at Natchez, Vicksburg, Yazoo County, Greenville, and Rosedale. To the east of Mississippi lies the TennesseeTombigbee (Tenn-Tom) Waterway, completed in 1984, which links the Tennessee and Ohio rivers with the Gulf of Mexico. The Tenn-Tom Waterway’s overall length is 232 miles (373 kiloJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Mississippi

meters). Five local ports are located on the waterway: Yellow Creek, Itawamba, Amory, Aberdeen, and Columbus-Lowndes County. In 2005, there were 191 airports in Mississippi, 51 heliports, and 1 STOLport (Short Take-Off and Landing). The state’s main airport is Jackson-Evers International Airport. In 2004, the airport had 639,947 passenger boardings.

11

History

Upon the appearance of the first Spanish explorers in the early 16th century, Mississippi’s Native Americans numbered some 30,000 and were divided into 15 tribes. Soon after the French settled in 1699, however, only three large tribes remained: the Choctaw, the Chickasaw, and the Natchez. The French destroyed the Natchez in 1729–30 in retaliation for the massacre of a French settlement. Spaniards, of whom Hernando de Soto in 1540–41 was the most notable, explored the area that is now Mississippi in the first half of the 16th century. The French explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, entered the lower Mississippi Valley in 1682 and named the entire area Louisiana in honor of the French King, Louis XIV. Soon the French opened settlements at Biloxi Bay (1699), Mobile (1702), Natchez (1716), and finally New Orleans (1718). After losing the French and Indian War, France ceded Louisiana to Spain, which ceded the portion of the colony east of the Mississippi to England, which governed the new lands as West Florida. During the Revolutionary War, Spain once again seized West Florida, which it continued to rule almost to the end of the century, although the United States claimed the region after 1783. The US Congress organized the Mississippi Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Territory in 1798. The territory’s large size convinced Congress to organize the eastern half as the Alabama Territory in 1817. Congress then offered admission to the western half, which became the nation’s 20th state—Mississippi— on 10 December. State Development After the opening of fertile

Choctaw and Chickasaw lands for sale and settlement in the 1820s, cotton agriculture increased. Slavery was used to make farming profitable. As the profitability and number of slaves increased, so did attempts by ruling white Mississippians to justify slavery morally, socially, and economically. After Lincoln’s election to the US presidency, Mississippi became, on 9 January 1861, the second southern state to secede. Union forces maneuvered before Vicksburg for more than a year before Grant besieged the city and forced its surrender on 4 July 1863. Along with Vicksburg went the western half of Mississippi. Of the 78,000 Mississippians who fought in the Civil War, nearly 30,000 died. Reconstruction was a tumultuous period during which the Republican Party encouraged blacks to vote and hold political office, while the native white Democrats resisted full freedom for their former slaves. The era from the end of Reconstruction (1875) to World War II was a period of economic, political, and social stagnation for Mississippi. White Mississippians discriminated against blacks through segregation laws and customs and a new state constitution that removed the last vestiges of their political rights. Mississippi’s agricultural economy, dominated by cotton and tenant farming, provided little economic opportunity for landless black farm workers. According to the Tuskegee 227

Mississippi

The cemetery at Vicksburg National Military Park where soldiers from the Battle of Vicksburg are buried. © ETHEL DAVIES/ ROBERT HARDING WORLD IMAGERY/CORBIS.

Institute, 538 blacks were lynched in Mississippi between 1883 and 1959, more than in any other state. The Great Depression of the 1930s drove the state’s agricultural economy to the brink of disaster. In 1932, cotton sank to five cents a pound, and one-fourth of the state’s farmland was forfeited for nonpayment of taxes. World War II brought the first prosperity in a century to Mississippi. The war stimulated industrial growth and agricultural mechanization. By the early 1980s, Mississippi had become an industrial state. Post-War Politics Politics in Mississippi have also changed considerably since World War II. 228

Within little more than a generation, legal segregation was destroyed, and black people exercised full political rights for the first time since Reconstruction. However, the “Mississippi Summer” campaign that helped win these rights also resulted in the abduction and murder of three civil rights activists in June 1964, in Philadelphia, Mississippi. As of 1990, the Mississippi Legislature was nearly 23% black in a state in which blacks constitute 33% of the population. In 1998, African Americans accounted for 36% of the state’s population. In 1987, Mississippi elected a young reformist governor, Ray Mabus, who enacted the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Mississippi

nation’s largest teacher pay increase in 1988. Nevertheless, teacher salaries in 1992, were still, on average, the second-lowest in the nation. Democratic Governor Ronnie Musgrove, elected in 2000, was able to win additional teacher pay increases from the legislature in 2001. Improving the educational system was a state priority in the mid-2000s. Former chairman of the Republican National Committee, Haley Barbour, was elected governor in 2003. Barbour launched “Momentum Mississippi,” a long-range economic development strategy group composed of the state’s business and community leaders. In 2005, he introduced comprehensive education reform legislation to reward teacher and school performance, reduce state bureaucracy, and strengthen discipline in the state’s public schools. Southern Mississippi was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. A 30-foot (10-meter) storm surge came ashore, destroying 90% of buildings along the Biloxi-Gulfport coastline. Casino barges were washed ashore, and about 800,000 people suffered power outages in Mississippi in the aftermath of the storm. Mississippi is one of the nation’s poorest states. This only exacerbated the problems facing residents as they tried to rebuild their lives and homes in Katrina’s aftermath.

12

State Government

Mississippi’s two-chamber legislature includes a 52-member Senate and a 122-member House of Representatives. All state legislators are elected to four-year terms. The governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer, state auditor, commissioner of insurance, and the commissioner of agriculture and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

commerce are independently elected for fouryear terms. The governor is limited to two consecutive terms. The governor’s vote can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the members of both legislative chambers. The legislative salary in 2004 was $10,000, and the governor’s salary was $122,160.

13

Political Parties

Mississippi was traditionally a Democratic state during most of the period since the end of Reconstruction. However, its Democratic Party splintered along racial lines. During the 1950s and early 1960s, the segregationist White Citizens’ Councils were so widespread and influential in the state as to rival the major parties in political importance. In 1980, Ronald Reagan edged Jimmy Carter by a plurality of fewer than 12,000 votes. In 1984, however, Reagan won the state by a landslide, polling 62% of the vote. In the 2000 election, Republican George W. Bush won 57% of the vote and Democrat Al Gore received 42%. In 2004, President Bush won 59.6% of the vote, while John Kerry won 39.6%. In 2003, Haley Barbour, a Republican, was elected to the state governorship. As of 2006, Mississippi’s two senators, Thad Cochran and Trent Lott, were also Republicans. Following the 2006 midterm elections, the state’s delegation to the US House of Representatives consisted of two Democrats and two Republicans. Following the 2006 elections, the state senate comprised 27 Democrats, 23 Republicans, and 2 Independents, while in the state’s house there were 74 Democrats, 46 Republicans, and 2 Independents. Twenty-four women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 13.8%. In 229

Mississippi

ate justices. A new court of appeals was created in 1995. It consists of one chief judge, two presiding judges, and seven judges. The principal trial courts are the circuit courts, which try both civil and criminal cases. Small-claims courts are presided over by justices of the peace, who need not be lawyers. In 2004, Mississippi’s violent crime rate (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) was 295.1 incidents per 100,000 population. There were 20,983 prisoners in state and federal prisons in Mississippi as of 31 December 2004. The death penalty was reinstated in 1977, with lethal injection the sole method of execution. As of 1 January 2006, there were 65 inmates on death row. The Mississippi state capitol building in Jackson. AP IMAGES.

2002 there were 1,754,560 registered voters. There is no party registration in the state.

14

Local Government

Each of Mississippi’s 82 counties are divided into five districts, each of which elects a member to the county board of supervisors. As of 2005, Mississippi had 296 municipal governments. Most cities, including most of the larger ones, have a mayor and a city council, but some smaller cities are run by a commission or by a city manager. In 2005, there were 152 public school districts, and 458 special districts.

15

Judicial System

The Mississippi supreme court consists of a chief justice, two presiding justices, and eight associ230

16

Migration

In the late 18th century, most Mississippians were immigrants from other parts of the South and predominantly of Scotch-Irish descent. The opening of lands ceded by the Indians beginning in the 1820s brought tens of thousands of settlers into northern and central Mississippi. After the Civil War, there was little migration into the state, but much out-migration, mainly of blacks. The exodus from Mississippi was especially heavy during the 1940s and 1950s, when at least 720,000 people, nearly three-quarters of them black, left the state. During the 1960s, between 267,000 and 279,000 blacks departed while net white out-migration came to an end. Black out-migration slowed considerably during the 1970s. Between 1990 and 1998, Mississippi had net gains of 43,000 in domestic migration and 6,000 in international migration. In the period 2000– Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Mississippi

Mississippi Governors: 1817–2007 1817–1820 1820–1822 1822–1825 1825–1826 1826 1826–1832 1832–1833 1833 1833–1835 1835–1836 1836–1838 1838–1842 1842–1844 1844–1848 1848–1850 1850–1851 1851 1851–1852 1852–1854 1854 1854–1857 1857–1859 1859–1863 1863–1865 1865 1865–1868 1868–1870 1870–1871 1871–1874 1874–1876 1876–1882 1882–1890 1890–1896

David Holmes George Poindexter Walter Leake Gerard Chittoque Brandon David Holmes Gerard Chittoque Brandon Abram Marshall Scott Charles Lynch Hiram George Runnels John Anthony Quitman Charles Lynch Alexander Gallatin McNutt Tilghman Mayfield Tucker Albert Gallatin Brown Joseph W. Matthews John Anthony Quitman John Isaac Guion James Whitfield Henry Stuart Foote John Jones Pettus John Jones McRae William McWillie John Jones Pettus Charles Clark William Lewis Sharkey Benjamin Grubb Humphreys Adelbert Ames James Lusk Alcorn Ridgley Ceylon Powers Adelbert Ames John Marshall Stone Robert Lowry John Marshall Stone

Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Republican Jacksonian Dem-Rep Jacksonian Nat-Rep Whig Jacksonian Democrat Whig Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Provisional Democrat Military Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat

05, net international migration was 10,653 people, while net domestic migration was -10,578, for a net gain of 75 people.

17

Economy

Once the social turmoil of the 1950s and early 1960s had subsided, the impressive industrial growth of the immediate postwar years resumed. By the mid-1960s, manufacturing—attracted to the state, in part, because of low wage rates and a weak labor movement—surpassed farming as a source of jobs. During the following decade, the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1896–1900 1900–1904 1904–1908 1908–1912 1912–1916 1916–1920 1920–1924 1924–1927 1927–1928 1928–1932 1932–1936 1936–1940 1940–1943 1943–1944 1944–1946 1946–1952 1952–1956 1956–1960 1960–1964 1964–1968 1968–1972 1972–1976 1976–1980 1980–1984 1984–1988 1988–1992 1992–2000 2000–2004 2004–

Anselm Joseph McLaurin Andrew Houston Longino James Kimble Vardaman Edmond Favor Noel Earl LeRoy Brewer Theodore Gilmore Bilbo Lee Maurice Russell Henry Lewis Whitfield Heron Dennis Murphree Theodore Gilmore Bilbo Martin Sennett Conner Hugh Lawson White Paul Burney Johnson Herron Dennis Murphree Thomas Lowry Bailey Fielding Lewis Wright Hugh Lawson White James Plemon Coleman Ross Robert Barnett Paul Burney Johnson, Jr. John Bell Williams William Lowe Waller Charles Clifton Finch William Forrest Winter William A. Allain Ray Mabus, Jr. Kirk Fordice Ronnie Musgrove Haley Barbour

Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican


balance of industrial growth changed somewhat. The relatively low-paying garment, textile, and wood-products industries, based on cotton and timber, grew less rapidly than a number of heavy industries, including transportation equipment, and electric and electronic goods. The debut of casino gambling in the state in 1992 stimulated Mississippi’s economy. Still, Mississippi remains a poor state. Mississippi’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $76.166 billion. Of that amount, manufacturing accounted for the largest share at 15.9% of GSP. It was followed by the 231

Mississippi

Mississippi Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

MISSISSIPPI WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN


SOCIALIST WORKERS

LIBERTARIAN

1948 1952


19,384 172,553

4,995 112,966

167,538 —

— —

— —

1956

Stevenson (D)

144,453

60,683

—

—

— —

— —

—

—

2,458 2,805

— 2,788

2,402 —

2,240 —

4,702 2,336 3,329

IND. (PEROT)

NEW ALLIANCE

85,626 52,222

2,625 —

INDEPENDENT

42,961 UNPLEDGED

1960 1964

Byrd** Goldwater (R)

108,362 52,616

73,561 356,512

1968

Wallace (AI)

150,644

88,516

116,248 — AMERICAN IND.

415,349 AMERICAN

1972 1976


126,782 381,309

505,125 366,846

1980 1984 1988


429,281 352,192 363,921

441,089 582,377 557,890

1992 1996

Bush (R) Dole (R)

400,258 394,022

487,793 439,838

11,598 6,678 WORKERS’ WORLD

2,154 2,809

PROGRESSIVE (NADER)

2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 404,614 572,844 8,122 613 2,009 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 458,094 684,981 — — 1,793 * Won US presidential election. ** Unpledged electors won plurality of votes and cast Mississippi’s electoral votes for Senator Harry F. Byrd of Virginia.

real estate sector at 9.4%, and by healthcare and social assistance at 7.2%. Of the 54,117 businesses in Mississippi that had employees, an estimated 96.8% were small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, Mississippi ranked 51st among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $24,518, compared to the national average of $33,050. Median household income for the three-year period 2002 through 2004 was $33,659, compared to the national average of $44,473. For that same period, an estimated 17.7% of the 232

state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

In 2004, the shipment value of all goods manufactured in Mississippi totaled $43.862 billion. Of that total, transportation equipment manufacturing accounted for the largest share at $7.694 billion, followed by food manufacturing at $5.798 billion, and chemical manufacturing at $4.832 billion. In 2004, a total of 169,947 people were employed in the state’s manufacturing sector. Of that total, food manufacturing accounted for the largest portion at 28,815, followed by furniture Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Mississippi

Aerial view of the Nissan manufacturing plant that opened in Canton in May 2003. Five models, including the Altima and the Quest minivan, are manufactured there. COURTESY OF MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

and related products manufacturing at 26,292 people, and transportation equipment manufacturing at 25,689.

turing, 15.5%; trade, transportation, and pub-

20

10.8%; leisure and hospitality services, l0.2%;

Labor

In April 2006, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in Mississippi numbered 1,314,300, with approximately 101,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 7.7%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. According to nonfarm employment data released in April 2006, construction accounted for 4.8% of the labor force; manufacJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

lic utilities, 19.8%; professional and business services, 7.9%; education and health services, and government, 21.4%. Data was not available for financial activities. In 2005, a total of 77,000 of Mississippi’s 1,089,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 7.1% of those employed, up from 4.9% in 2004, but still below the national average of 12%. 233

Mississippi

21

Agriculture

In 2005, Mississippi ranked 26th among the states in income from agriculture, with marketings of over $3.85 billion. Crops accounted for $1.24 billion, with livestock and livestock products at $2.61 billion. The history of agriculture in the state is dominated by cotton, which from the 1830s through World War II was Mississippi’s principal cash crop. During the postwar period, however, as mechanized farming replaced the sharecropper system, agriculture became more diversified. During the period 2000–04, Mississippi ranked third in cotton and fourth in rice production among the 50 states. Federal estimates for 2004 showed some 42,200 farms with a total area of 11 million acres (4.5 million hectares. The richest soil is in the Delta, where most of the cotton is raised. Livestock has largely taken over the Black Belt, a fertile area in the northwest.

22


Cattle are raised throughout the state, though principally in the Black Belt and Delta regions. The main chicken-raising area is in the eastern hills. In 2005, there were around 1.07 million cattle and calves, valued at $834.6 million. In 2004, there were around 315,000 hogs and pigs, valued at $34.6 million. Mississippi is a leading producer of broilers, ranking fifth in 2003, with some 4.3 billion pounds (2 billion kilograms) of broilers worth $1.51 billion, were produced that year. 234

23

Fishing

In 2004, Mississippi ranked ninth among the 50 states in size of commercial fish landings, with a total of 183.7 million pounds (83.5 million kilograms) valued at $43.8 million. Of this total, 162.8 million pounds (74 million kilograms) were landed at Pascagoula-Moss Point, the nation’s eighth-largest port for commercial landings. Shrimp and blue crab made up the bulk of the commercial landings. The saltwater catch also includes mullet and red snapper. The freshwater catch is dominated by buffalo fish, carp, and catfish. In 2003, the state had 35 processing and 31 wholesale plants employing about 2,706 people. In 2002, the commercial fishing fleet had 1,365 boats and vessels. Mississippi is one of the leading states in catfish farming, mostly from ponds in the Yazoo River basin. There are 410 catfish farms in operation. In 2004, the state issued 369,252 sport fishing licenses. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks operates 21 fishing lakes.

24

Forestry

Mississippi had approximately 18,605,000 acres (7,529,000 hectares) of forested land in 2004, about 60% of the state’s total land area. Six national forests extend over 1.1 million acres (445,000 hectares). The state’s most heavily forested region is the Piney Woods in the southeast. Of the state’s total commercial timberland, 90% is privately owned. Some of this land was also used for agricultural purposes (grazing). Lumber production in 2004 totaled 2.74 billion board feet (sixth in the United States). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Mississippi

25

Mining

Mississippi’s nonfuel mineral production in 2003 was valued at $174 million. Construction sand and gravel was the leading nonfuel mineral in 2003, accounting for about 40% of the state’s total nonfuel mineral production, by value, followed by fuller’s earth, crushed stone, portland cement, and industrial sand and gravel. According to preliminary figures for 2003, the state produced 12.8 million metric tons of construction sand and gravel, and 2.5 million metric tons of crushed stone. By volume, Mississippi ranked second among the states in the production of fuller’s earth, third in bentonite, and fourth in ball clay.

26

Energy and Power

In 2003, Mississippi’s net summer electric power generating capacity stood at 17.282 million kilowatts, with total production in that same year at 40.148 billion kilowatt hours. The largest portion of all electricity generated came from coal-fired plants at 42.5%, with nuclear power generation accounting for 27.2% of output, and natural gas plants accounting for 23.6%. The remaining output came from plants using other renewable sources, petroleum, or other types of gases. As of 2006, the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, built by Mississippi Power Company in Claiborne County, was the state’s sole nuclear power facility. Mississippi is a major petroleum producer. As of 2004, the state ranked 14th in proven reserves and 13th in output among the 31 oil producing states. In that same year, the state had 1,412 producing wells. Production of crude oil in 2004 averaged 47,000 barrels per day, while the state Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

had proven reserves of 178 million barrels, that year. Natural gas production by Mississippi in 2004 totaled 145.692 billion cubic feet (4.13 billion cubic meters). As of 31 December 2004, the state’s proven reserves of consumer-grade natural gas stood at 995 billion cubic feet (28.2 billion cubic meters). Most production comes from the south-central part of the state. In 2004, Mississippi had only one producing coal mine. Production that year totaled 3.586 million tons.

27

Commerce

In 2002, Mississippi’s wholesale trade sector had sales of $19.2 billion, while the state’s retail trade sector that year had sales of $25.01 billion. Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest portion of retail sales in 2002 at $6.4 billion, followed by general merchandise stores at $5.1 billion. Exports of goods produced in Mississippi totaled $4 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

Two state budgets are prepared each year, one by the State Department of Finance and Administration, which represents the governor’s office, and one by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, which represents the legislature. Both are submitted to the legislature for reconciliation and approval of a final plan. The fiscal year runs from 1 July through 30 June. Total revenues for 2004 were $15.35 billion, while total expenditures that year totaled $14.33 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($4.3 billion), public welfare ($4.04 billion), and highways ($1.01 billion). The state’s 235

Mississippi

outstanding debt in 2004 was $4.27 billion, or $1,473.62 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

The state income tax for both individuals and corporations ranges from 3% to 5%. Mississippi also imposes severance taxes on oil, natural gas, timber and salt. A 7% retail sales tax is levied, with local-option sales taxes permitted only up to 0.25%. The state also imposes a full array of excise taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, public utilities, alcoholic beverages amusements, pari-mutuels, and many other selected items. Other state taxes include various license fee and state property taxes, though most property taxes are collected at the local level. The state collected $5.432 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 47.6% came from the general sales tax, 21.6% from individual income taxes, 17.2% from selective sales taxes, and 5.2% from corporate income taxes. The remainder came from property and various other taxes. In 2005, Mississippi ranked 39th among the states in terms of combined state and local tax burden, which amounted to $1,860 per person, compared to the per capita national average of $2,192.

30

Health

In October 2005, Mississippi’s infant mortality rate was estimated at 9.6 per 1,000 live births, the second-highest in the United States (followed by the District of Columbia). The overall rate of death in 2003 stood at 9.9 per 1,000 population. Leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respi236

ratory diseases, and diabetes. Mississippi had the nation’s third-highest death rates from heart disease and homicides, as well as one of the highest accidental death rates. The HIV-related death rate was 6.4 per 100,000 population. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was around 16.5 per 100,000 people. In that same year, about 24.4% of the state’s population were smokers. Mississippi’s 93 community hospitals had about 13,000 beds in 2003. In 2005 there were 889 nurses per 100,000 people, while in 2004, there were 182 physicians per 100,000 population, and 1,159 dentists in the state. The average expense for community hospital care was $882 per day in 2003. In 2004, approximately 18% of the state’s adult population had no health insurance.

31

Housing

In 2004, Mississippi had 1,221,240 housing units, of which 1,074,503 were occupied, and 69.6% were owner-occupied. About 69.4% of all units were single-family, detached homes, while 13.7% were mobile homes. Utility gas and electricity were the most common energy sources to all units. It was estimated that 92,908 units lacked telephone service, 8,325 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 9,387 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.61 people. In 2004, a total of 14,500 privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $79,023, the second lowest in the country (above Arkansas). The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $843. Renters paid a median of $529 per month. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Mississippi

32

Education

In 2004, of all Mississippians age 25 and older, 83% had completed high school, while only 20.1% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Mississippi’s reaction to the US Supreme Court decision in 1954 mandating public school desegregation was to repeal the constitutional requirement for public schools and to foster the development of segregated private schools. In 1964, the state’s schools did begin to integrate. In 1982, a system of free public kindergartens was established for the first time. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 489,000 in fall 2003 and is expected to total 469,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 49,729. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $3.4 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 147,077 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Mississippi had 40 degree-granting institutions including 9 public 4-year institutions, 17 public 2-year institutions, and 11 nonprofit private 4-year schools. Important institutions of higher learning in Mississippi include the University of Mississippi (established in 1844), Mississippi State University, and the University of Southern Mississippi. Predominantly black institutions include Tougaloo College, Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, and Mississippi Valley State University.

33

Arts

Jackson has two ballet companies, a symphony orchestra, and two opera companies. Opera South, an integrated but predominantly black Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

company, presents free operas during its summer tours, and two major productions yearly. The Mississippi Opera instituted a summer festival during its 1980/81 season. There are local symphony orchestras in Meridian, Starkville, Tupelo, and Greenville. Professional theaters in the state include the Sheffield Ensemble in Biloxi and the New Stage in Jackson. The Greater Gulf Coast Arts Center has been very active in bringing arts programs into the coastal area. A distinctive contribution to US culture is the music of black sharecroppers from the Delta, known as the blues. The Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale has an extensive collection documenting blues history. The annual Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival is held in Greenville. The Mississippi Arts Commission oversees many arts programs throughout the state.

34


As of September 2001, there were 237 libraries in the state, of which 189 were branches. In that same year, the state’s libraries had 5.6 million volumes, and a total circulation of 8.898 million. In the Vicksburg-Warren County Public Library are collections on the Civil War, state history, and oral history. Tougaloo College has special collections of African materials, civil rights papers, and oral history. The Gulf Coast Research Library of Ocean Springs has a marine biology collection. There are 65 museums, including the distinguished Mississippi State Historical Museum at Jackson, the Mississippi Blues Museum at Clarksdale, and the Lauren-Rogers Museum of Art in Laurel. Beauvoir, Jefferson Davis’s home at 237

Mississippi

Biloxi, is a state shrine and includes a museum. The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson has been designated as the state’s official natural science museum by the legislature. In Meridian is a museum devoted to country singer Jimmie Rodgers. The Mississippi governor’s mansion, said to be the second-oldest executive residence in the United States, is a National Historical Landmark.

35

Communications

In 2004, only 89.6% of the state’s occupied housing units had telephones, the second-lowest rate in the United States. In June of that same year, Mississippi had over 1.4 million wireless telephone service subscribers. In 2003, computers were in 48.3% of all households in the state, while 38.9% had access to the Internet. In 2005, the state had 64 major operating radio stations (7 AM, 57 FM), and 14 major television stations. A total of 17,234 Internet domain names had been registered in Mississippi by the year 2000.

36

Press

In 2005, Mississippi had 23 daily newspapers, which included 8 morning dailies and 15 evening dailies. In addition there were 18 Sunday papers in the state. The state’s leading newspaper is the Jackson Clarion–Ledger, with a weekday circulation of 94,938 (107,865 Sunday) in 2004. A monthly, Mississippi Magazine, is published in Jackson.

37


In 2004, there were 30 million overnight travelers in Mississippi, with about 83% of all visitors traveling from out of state. In 2002, total travel 238

Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner lived in this home in Oxford, Mississippi, for 32 years. AP IMAGES.

expenditures reached about $6.4 billion, which supported more than 126,500 travel-related jobs. Among Mississippi’s major tourist attractions are its riverboat casinos, mansions and plantations, of which many of the latter two are located in the Natchez area. At Greenwood is the Florewood River Plantation, a museum re-creating 19th-century plantation life. The Natchez Trace Parkway, Gulf Islands National Seashore, and Vicksburg National Military Park attract the most visitors annually. There are also 6 national forests and 24 state parks. In 2005, many of the state’s attractions were damaged by Hurricane Katrina, and as of 2006, had not fully recovered. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Mississippi

38

Sports

Although there are no professional major league sports teams in Mississippi, Jackson does have a minor league baseball team, the Senators, of the Central League. There is also a minor league hockey team in Biloxi, as well as teams in Jackson and Tupelo. The University of Mississippi has long been prominent in college football. “Ole Miss” teams have won six bowl games. The Ole Miss Rebels play in the Southeastern Conference, as do the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The University of Southern Mississippi is a member of Conference USA. Other annual sporting events of interest include the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo, held in Jackson in February, and the Southern Farm Bureau Classic, held in Madison in October and November.

39

Jefferson Davis (b .Kentucky, 1808–1889) was president of the Confederacy from 1861 until the defeat of the South in 1865. EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

Famous Mississippians

Mississippi’s most famous political figure, Jefferson Davis (b.Kentucky, 1808–1889), was president of the Confederacy from 1861 until the defeat of the South in 1865. Imprisoned for two years after the Civil War (though never tried), Davis lived the last years of his life at Beauvoir, an estate on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar (b.Georgia, 1825– 1893), who served as Confederate minister to Russia, was appointed secretary of the interior in 1885 and later named to the US Supreme Court. Some of the foremost authors of 20th-century America had their origins in Mississippi. Supreme among them is William Faulkner (1897–1962), whose novels included such classics as The Sound and the Fury (1929) and Light Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

in August (1932). Faulkner received two Pulitzer Prizes, and in 1949 was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. Richard Wright (1908–1960), a powerful writer and leading spokesperson for the black Americans of his generation, is best remembered for his novel Native Son (1940) and for Black Boy (1945), an autobiographical account of his Mississippi childhood. Other native Mississippians of literary renown (and Pulitzer Prize winners) are Eudora Welty (1909–2001); Tennessee Williams (Thomas Lanier Williams, 1911–1983); and playwright Beth Henley (b.1952). Other Mississippi authors are Shelby Foote (1916– 2005); Walker Percy (b.Alabama, 1916–1990); and Willie Morris (1934–1999). 239

Mississippi

Among the state’s numerous musicians are Leontyne Price (Mary Violet Leontine Price, b.1927), a distinguished opera soprano born in Laurel, Mississippi; famous blues singers Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield, 1915–1983); John Lee Hooker (1917–2001); and Riley “B. B.” King (b.1925). Mississippi’s contributions to music also include Jimmie Rodgers (1897– 1933), Bo Diddley (Ellas McDaniels, b.1928), Conway Twitty (1933–1994), and Charley Pride (b.1939). Elvis Presley (1935–1977), born in Tupelo, was one of the most popular singers in US history. Other entertainers from Mississippi include Muppet creator Jim Henson (1936– 1990) and Oprah Winfrey (b.1954). Football greats Walter Payton (1954–1999) and Jerry Rice (b.1962), along with boxing legend Archie Moore (1916–1998), were born and raised in Mississippi.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Ballard, Michael B. Civil War Mississippi: A Guide. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2000.

240

Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Mississippi. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Gibson, Karen Bush. Mississippi Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Harmon, Daniel E. La Salle and the Exploration of the Mississippi. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2000. Isaacs, Sally Senzell. Life on a Southern Plantation. Chicago: Heinemann, 2001. Lourie, Peter. Mississippi River: A Journey Down the Father of Waters. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, 2000. Mudd-Ruth, Maria. The Mississippi River. New York: Benchmark Books, 2001. Murray, Julie. Mississippi. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Siebert, Diane. Mississippi. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2001. WEB SITES Mississippi Welcome Centers. Mississippi. www. visitmississippi.org (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Mississippi. Mississippi.gov. www. mississippi.gov/index.jsp (accessed March 1, 2007).


Missouri State of Missouri

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Probably derived from

the Iliniwek Indian word missouri, meaning “owners of big canoes.” N I CKNAME : The Show Me State. C AP ITAL: Jefferson City. ENT ERED UNION: 10 August 1821 (24th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The coat of arms is surrounded by the words “The Great Seal of the State of Missouri.” FLAG: Three horizontal stripes of red, white, and blue, with the coat of arms encircled by 24 white stars on a blue band in the center. C OAT OF ARMS: Two grizzly bears stand on a scroll inscribed with the state motto and support a shield portraying an American eagle and a constellation of stars, a grizzly bear on all fours, and a crescent moon, all encircled by the words “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.” Above are a six-barred helmet and 24 stars; below is the Roman numeral MDCCCXX (1820), when Missouri’s first constitution was adopted. M OT TO: Salus populi suprema lex esto (The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law). SONG: “Missouri Waltz.” FLOWER: White Hawthorn blossom. TREE: Flowering dogwood. B IRD: Bluebird. IN S ECT: Honeybee. FOSSIL: Crinoid. M INERAL: Galena. R OCK OR STONE: Mozarkite (chert or flint rock). LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

in January; Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Harry S. Truman’s Birthday, 8 May; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. Though not a legal holiday, Missouri Day, the 3rd Wednesday in October, is commemorated in schools each year. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the western north-central United States, Missouri ranks 19th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Missouri is 69,697 square miles (180,516 square kilometers), of which land takes up 68,945 square miles (178,568 square kilometers) and inland water 752 square miles 241

Missouri

(1,948 square kilometers). Missouri extends 284 miles (457 kilometers) east-west and 308 miles (496 kilometers) north-south. The total boundary length of Missouri is 1,438 miles (2,314 kilometers).

2

Topography

Missouri is divided into four major land regions: the dissected Till Plains, lying north of the Missouri River; the Osage Plains, covering the western part of the state; the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, in the southeastern corner; and the Ozark Plateau, which comprises most of southern Missouri and extends into northern Arkansas and northeastern Oklahoma. The Ozarks contain Taum Sauk Mountain, which at 1,772 feet (540 meters) is the highest elevation in the state. Along the St. Francis River, near Cardwell, is the state’s lowest point, 230 feet (70 meters). Missouri has more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) of navigable waterways. The Mississippi and Missouri rivers, the two largest in the United States, form the state’s eastern border and part of its western border. The White, Grand, Chariton, St. Francis, Current, and Osage are among the state’s other major rivers. The largest lake is the artificial Lake of the Ozarks, covering a total of 93 square miles (241 square kilometers). Missouri’s exceptional number of caves and caverns were formed during the last 50 million years through the erosion of limestone and dolomite by melting snows.

3

Climate

Missouri Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

5,842,713 4.4% 2.6% 98.5% 84.5% 11.2% 0.4% 1.4% 0.1% 1.0% 1.4%


65 and over (13%)

Under 18 (24%)

45 to 64 (26%)

18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Kansas City St. Louis Springfield Independence Columbia Lee’s Summit St. Joseph O’Fallon St. Charles St. Peters

Population

% change 2000–05

444,965 344,362 150,298 110,208 91,814 80,338 72,661 69,694 62,304 54,209

0.8 -1.1 -0.8 -2.7 8.6 13.6 -1.8 51.0 3.3 5.5


Missouri has a continental climate with considerable local and regional variation. The average 242


Missouri

MISSOURI Explanation Point of Interest

IOWA

City (25,000-100,000 people) City (more than 100,000 people) State Capital U.S. Interstate Route

70

HARRISON

N

Wakonda S. P.

SHELBY

.

RANDOLPH

ou ri

Gladstone JACKSON

ouri Miss

HOWARD

BOONE

SALINE

PETTIS

JOHNSON

COOPER

Graham Cave S. P.

70

Columbia

Katy Trail S. P.

Knob Noster St. Park

d an Gr S.

CASS BATES

OSAGE

COLE

Jefferson City

BENTON

e

c

MILLER

Montrose Wildlife Area

R.

ad on

ST. CLAIR CAMDEN

BARTON

Prairie St. Park

CEDAR

DALLAS

Florissant

R.

St. Louis ST. LOUIS

JEFFERSON

use

44 PHELPS

WASHINGTON

Mark Twain N. F.

R.

mes era M

LACLEDE

r ou

R.

CRAWFORD

Lake of the Ozarks S. P. Ha-Ha PULASKI Tonka S. P.

POLK

Big

STE. GENEVIEVE

R.

PERRY

ST. FRANCOIS

DENT

Stockton Lake

55

IRON

Ft. Leonard Wood

MADISON DADE

REYNOLDS

LAWRENCE

44

Joplin

Springfield

CHRISTIAN NEWTON

DOUGLAS

nt re ur

WRIGHT

Mark Twain Nat’l Forest

JASPER

Mark Twain N. F.

C

WEBSTER

GREENE

TEXAS

SHANNON

R. Ozark National Scenic Riverways

WAYNE

STODDARD

Table Rock L.

RIPLEY

OZARK

OREGON


Eleven Pt. Nat’l Scenic R.

MISSISSIPPI NEW MADRID

Mark Twain N. F. DUNKLIN

BUTLER

R.

OKLAHOMA

57

Mingo Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

Mark Twain Nat’l Forest TANEY

tle R. Lit


SCOTT

CARTER

HOWELL

CAPE GIRARDEAU

Cape Girardeau

BOLLINGER

Mark Twain N. F.

STONE

BARRY

MC DONALD

ss

Mi

FRANKLIN

e urb Bo

MARIES

HICKORY

ST. CHARLES

i

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Clarence Cannon Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

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25

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Swan Lake National Wildlife Ref.

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CHARITON CARROLL

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Long Branch S. P.

0

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Wallace St. Park

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Squaw Creek Nat’l Wildlife Ref. HOLT

PUTNAM

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ARKANSAS TENNESSEE


243

Missouri

annual temperature is 50°f (10°c) in the northwest, and about 60°f (16°c) in the southeast. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Missouri was -40°f (-40°c) at Warsaw on 13 February 1905. The hottest temperature, 118°f (48°c), was recorded at Warsaw and Union on 14 July 1954. The heaviest precipitation is in the southeast, where rainfall averages 48 inches (122 centimeters) per year. The northwest usually receives about 35 inches (89 centimeters) of rain per year. Annual snowfall averages 20 inches (51 centimeters) in the north and 10 inches (25 centimeters) in the southeast. Springtime is the peak tornado season.

4

Plants and Animals

Common trees of Missouri include the shortleaf pine, scarlet oak, peachleaf willow, pecan, and dogwood (the state tree). Various types of wild grasses proliferate in the northern plains region. Missouri’s state flower is the hawthorn blossom. Other wildflowers include Queen Anne’s lace, meadow rose, and white snakeroot. The American elm, common throughout the state, is considered endangered because of Dutch elm disease. In 2006, there were eight threatened or endangered plant species, including the decurrent false aster, running buffalo clover, pondberry, Missouri bladderpod, and western prairie fringed orchid. Native mammals include the common cottontail, muskrat, and white-tailed deer. The state bird is the bluebird. Other common birds are the cardinal and solitary vireo. A characteristic amphibian is the plains leopard frog. Native snakes include garter, ribbon, and copperhead. Bass, carp, perch, jack salmon (walleye), and 244

crayfish abound in Missouri’s waters. The chigger, a minute insect, is a notorious pest. In 2006, 17 species were listed as threatened or endangered in Missouri, including three species of bat (Ozark big-eared, gray, and Indiana), bald eagle, pallid sturgeon, gray wolf, and three varieties of mussel.

5


Missouri’s principal environmental protection agencies are the Department of Conservation and the Department of Natural Resources. The State Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority, within the Department of Natural Resources, is empowered to offer financial aid to any individual, business, institution, or governmental unit seeking to meet pollution control responsibilities. An important environmental problem is soil erosion. The state loses 71 million tons of topsoil each year. In 2003, Missouri had 503 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 26 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. In 1996, it had 643,000 acres (260,000 hectares) of wetlands, or about 1.4% of the state’s lands.

6

Population

In 2005, Missouri ranked 18th in population among the 50 states with an estimated total of 5,842,713 residents. The population is projected to reach 5.7 million by 2005 and 6.3 million by 2025. In 2004, the population density was at 83.5 persons per square mile (32.2 persons per square kilometer). The median age in 2004 was Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Missouri

Missouri Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,595,211 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,513,150 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77,339 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,566 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27,998 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,387 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,192 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,957 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,161 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,109 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,678 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 57 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,166 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,722

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.5 . . . . . . . 1.4 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.5 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1


37.3. In 2005, about 13% of all residents were 65 and older while 24% were 18 and younger. More than half of all residents live in urban areas. The largest cities and their 2005 populations were Kansas City, 444,965, and St. Louis, 344,362.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, Missouri had 629,391 black American residents. There were also 118,592 Hispanics and Latinos, including 77,887 of Mexican ancestry. The total Asian population was 61,595, including 13,667 Chinese, 7,735 Filipinos, 6,767 Koreans, 3,337 Japanese, and 12,169 Vietnamese. Pacific Islanders numbered 3,178. The Native American population Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

included 25,076 residents. Of those Europeans claiming descent from one specific ancestry group, 1,313,951 were German, 528,935 English, and 711,995 Irish. The state had 151,196 foreignborn residents in 2000.

8

Languages

Northern and North Midland speakers settled north of the Missouri River and in the western border counties, bringing the Northern terms pail and sick to the stomach and the North Midland terms fishworm (earthworm), gunnysack (burlap bag), and sick at the stomach. South of the Missouri River, and notably in the Ozark Highlands, South Midland dominates with a few Southern forms, especially in the cotton-grow245

Missouri

ing floodplain of the extreme southeast. Wait on (wait for), light bread (white bread), and pullybone (wishbone) are terms specific to this area, as are redworm (earthworm), towsack (burlap bag), and snap beans (string beans). In the eastern half of the state, a soft drink is generally called soda or sody. In the western half, a soft drink is called pop. In 2000, some 94.9% of state residents five years old or older spoke only English at home. Of those who claimed to speak another language at home, the leading languages and number of speakers were Spanish, 110,752; German, 30,680; and French, 30,680.

9

Religions

The first permanent Roman Catholic church was built about 1755 at St. Genevieve. Baptist preachers crossed the Mississippi River into Missouri in the late 1790s. The state’s first Methodist church was organized about 1806. Conservative Lutheran immigrants from Germany organized the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in 1847. In 2004, Missouri had 844,102 Roman Catholics. The next largest religious groups were the Southern Baptist Convention, with 797,732 adherents in 2000; the United Methodist Church, 176,022 adherents in 2004; the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, 140,315 adherents in 2000; and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 105,583 in 2000. In 2000, the estimated number of Jews was 62,315 and Muslims numbered about 19,359. About 2.7 million people (48.3% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization. 246

10

Transportation

Centrally located, Missouri is the leading US transportation center. Both St. Louis and Kansas City are hubs of rail, truck, and airline transportation. In 2003, there were 4,791 rail miles (7,713 kilometers) of track in the state. In 2006, Amtrak provided passenger train service running directly from Chicago to St. Louis and to Kansas City, en route to San Antonio and Los Angeles, to 11 stations in Missouri. A two-level cantilever bridge—the first in the world to have a steel superstructure—spanning the Mississippi at St. Louis was dedicated on 4 July 1874. In 2004, there were 125,923 miles (202,736 kilometers) of public roads in Missouri. The main interstate highways were I70, I-44, I-55, I-35, and I-29. In 2004, there were some 4,855,000 motor vehicles registered in the state, including 2,690,000 passenger cars, 2,084,000 trucks, and 4,000 buses. There were 4,047,652 driver’s licenses in force during the same year. The Mississippi and Missouri rivers have long been important transportation routes. Pirogues, keelboats, and flatboats plied these waterways for more than a century before the first steamboat, the New Orleans, traveled down the Mississippi in 1811. The Mississippi still serves considerable barge traffic, making metropolitan St. Louis an active inland port area. Pioneering aviators in Missouri organized the first international balloon races in 1907 and the first US-sponsored international aviation meet in 1910. Five St. Louis pilots made up the earliest US Army air corps, and a barnstorming pilot named Charles A. Lindbergh, having spent a few years in the St. Louis area, had the backing of businessmen from that city when he flew Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Missouri

his Spirit of St. Louis across the Atlantic in 1927. As of 2006, Kansas City International Airport and Lambert-St. Louis Municipal Airport were among the busiest airports in the country.

11

History

When the first Europeans arrived in the late 17th century, most of the few thousand Native Americans living in Missouri belonged to two main linguistic groups: Algonkian-speakers, mainly the Sauk, Fox, and Iliniwek (Illinois) in the northeast; and a Siouan group, including the Osage, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and other tribes, to the south and west. The flood of white settlers into Missouri after 1803 forced the Native Americans to move into Kansas and into what became known as Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). During the 1820s, the US government negotiated treaties with the Osage, Sauk, Fox, and Iowa tribes whereby they surrendered all their lands in Missouri. By 1836, few Native Americans remained. The first Europeans to pass through land that was eventually included within Missouri’s boundaries were Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet, who in 1673 passed the mouth of the Missouri River on their journey down the Mississippi. Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, claimed the entire Mississippi Valley for France in 1682. Missouri passed into Spanish hands with the rest of the Louisiana Territory in 1762. In 1764, the French fur trader Pierre Laclède established a trading post on the present site of St. Louis. Although the Spanish did not attempt to settle Missouri, they did allow Americans to migrate freely into the territory. Spanish authorities granted free land to the new settlers, relaxed Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

their restrictions against Protestants, and welcomed slave-holding families from southern states. Spanish rule ended abruptly in 1800 when Napoleon forced Spain to return Louisiana to France. Included in the Louisiana Purchase, Missouri then became part of the United States in 1803. Statehood Missouri was part of the Louisiana

Territory until 1 October 1812, when the Missouri Territory (including present-day Arkansas) was established. A flood of settlers between 1810 and 1820 more than tripled Missouri’s population from 19,783 to 66,586, leading Missourians to petition the US Congress for statehood as early as 1818. But Congress, divided over the slavery issue, withheld permission for three years, finally approving statehood for Maine and Missouri under the terms of the Missouri Compromise (1820), which sanctioned slavery in the new state but banned it in the rest of the former Louisiana Territory north of Arkansas. Missouri became the 24th state on 10 August 1821. Aided by the advent of steamboat travel on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, settlers continued to arrive in the new state, whose population surpassed one million by 1860. There was a great deal of proslavery sentiment in the state, and thousands of Missourians crossed into neighboring Kansas in the mid-1850s to help elect a proslavery government in that territory. During the Civil War, Missouri remained loyal to the Union, though not without difficulty, supplying some 110,000 soldiers to the Union and 40,000 to the Confederacy. At a constitutional convention held in January 1865, Missouri became the first slave state to free all blacks. 247

Missouri

The Modern Era In addition to conflicts caused

by the Republican Reconstruction government, the 1870s saw a period of lawlessness, typified by the exploits of Jesse and Frank James, that earned Missouri the epithet of the “robber state.” Of more lasting importance were the closing of the frontier in Missouri, the decline of the fur trade and steamboat traffic, and the rise of the railroads. The state’s economy increasingly shifted from agriculture to industry, and Missouri’s rural population declined from about three-fourths of the total in 1880 to less than one-third by 1970. Although the overall importance of mining declined, Missouri remained the world’s top lead producer, and the state has emerged as second only to Michigan in US automobile manufacturing. Postwar prosperity was threatened beginning in the 1960s by the deterioration of several cities, notably St. Louis, which lost 47% of its population between 1950 and 1980. Both St. Louis and Kansas City undertook urban renewal programs to cope with the serious problems of air pollution, traffic congestion, crime, and substandard housing. During the early 1980s, millions of dollars in federal, state, and private funds were used to rehabilitate abandoned and dilapidated apartment buildings and houses. Missouri was affected by the farm crisis of the 1980s, and many farms in the state failed. With the weakening of trade restrictions, the state’s industries also suffered during this period. However, Missouri’s economy improved in the 1990s, initially at a rate that outpaced much of the country. Due largely to the weak US economy in the early 2000s, Missouri’s unemployment rate rose to 5.8% in July of 2003, albeit below the national average of 6.2%. However, 248

from September 2004 to September 2005, the state’s unemployment rate declined from 5.9% to 4.8%, when it stood below the national average of 5.1%. In the spring and summer of 1993, Missouri was hit by devastating floods. Over half of the state was declared a disaster area and 19,000 people were evacuated from their homes. Damage to the state was estimated at $3 billion. In 2000, the state’s popular governor, Mel Carnahan, died in a plane crash while running for the US Senate. He was replaced as governor by Democrat Bob Holden. Republican Matt Blunt was elected governor in 2004. He campaigned on a platform pledging to make education the state’s top priority, to reform the state’s social welfare programs, to address the state’s health care crisis, to improve the entrepreneurial climate, and to hold the line on taxes.

12

State Government

Missouri’s current constitution has been in force since 1945, and it had a total 105 amendments as of January 2005. A reorganization of state government took place in 1974, which replaced some 90 independent agencies with 13 cabinet departments and the Office of Administration. The legislative branch, or general assembly, consists of a 34-member senate and a 163-seat house of representatives. Senators are elected to staggered four-year terms; representatives for two. The state’s elected executives are the governor and lieutenant governor (who run separately), secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and attorney general. All serve four-year terms. A bill becomes law when signed by the governor within 15 days of legislative passage. A twothirds vote by both houses is required to overJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Missouri

Missouri Governors: 1820–2007 1820–1824 1824–1825 1825–1826 1826–1832 1832–1836 1836–1841 1841–1844 1844–1845 1845–1848 1848–1852 1852–1856 1856–1857 1857 1857–1861 1861 1861–1864 1864 1865–1869 1869–1871 1871–1873 1873–1875 1875–1877 1877–1881 1881–1885 1885–1887 1887–1889 1889–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901

Alexander McNair Dem-Rep Frederick Bates Democrat Abraham J. Williams Dem-Rep John Miller Jacksonian Daniel Dunklin Democrat Lilburn W. Boggs Democrat Thomas Reynolds Democrat Meredith Miles Marmaduke Democrat John Cummins Edwards Democrat Austin Augustus King Democrat Sterling Price Democrat Trusten Polk Democrat Hankock Lee Jackson Democrat Robert Marcellus Stewart Democrat Claiborne Fox Jackson Democrat Hamilton Rowan Gamble Unionist Willard Preble Hall Unionist Thomas Clement Fletcher Union-Rep Joseph Washington McClurg Republican Benjamin Gratz Brown Liberal-Rep Silas Woodson Democrat Charles Henry Hardin Democrat John Smith Phelps Democrat Thomas Theodore Crittenden Democrat John Sappington Marmaduke Democrat Albert Pickett Morehouse Democrat David Rowland Francis Democrat William Joel Stone Democrat Lon Vest Stephens Democrat

ride a gubernatorial veto. Constitutional amendments require a majority vote of both houses of the legislature and ratification by the voters. The legislative salary as of December 2004 was $31,561, and the governor’s salary was $120,087.

13

Political Parties

Except for the Civil War and Reconstruction periods, the Democratic Party held the governorship from the late 1820s to the early 1900s. The outstanding figures of 20th century Missouri politics were both Democrats: Thomas Pendergast, the Kansas City political boss; and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1901–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925 1925–1929 1929–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1949 1949–1953 1953–1957 1957–1961 1961–1965 1965–1973 1973–1977 1977–1981 1981–1985 1985–1993 1993–2000 2000–2004 2004–

Alexander Monroe Dockery Joseph Wingate Folk Herbert Spencer Hadley Elliot Woolfolk Major Frederich D. Gardner Arthur Mastik Hyde Samuel Aaron Baker Henry Stewart Caulfield Guy Brasfield Park Lloyd Crow Stark Forrest C. Donnell Phil Matthew Donnelly Forrest Smith Philip Matthew Donnelly James Thomas Blair, Jr. John Montgomery Dalton Warren E. Hearnes Christopher S. Bond Joseph P. Teasdale Christopher S. Bond John Ashcroft Mel Eugene Carnahan Bob Holden Matt Blunt

Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican

Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep Liberal Republican – Liberal-Rep Union Republican – Union-Rep

Harry S. Truman, who began his political career as a Jackson County judge in the Kansas City area and in 1945 became the 33rd president of the United States. Between 1980 and 1988, the state voted consistently for Republican presidential candidates. However, in 1992 and 1996 Democrat Bill Clinton carried the state. In the 2000 elections, Missouri returned to favoring the Republican candidate. George W. Bush won 50% of the vote and Democrat Al Gore received 47%. In the 2004 presidential election, President Bush garnered 53.4% of the vote to Democratic challenger John Kerry’s 46.1%. Republican Matt Blunt was elected governor in 2004. Republican 249

Missouri

Christopher Bond was first elected US senator in 1986 and reelected in 1992, 1998, and 2004. Democrat Claire McCaskill was elected senator in 2006 in a closely watched race, defeating incumbent Republican Jim Talent. Following the 2006 elections, four of the state’s representatives to the US House were Democrats and five were Republicans. In the state senate following those elections, there were 13 Democrats and 21 Republicans; in the state house, there were 71 Democrats and 92 Republicans. Forty-two women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 21.3%. In 2004, there were 4,194,000 registered voters in the state; there is no party registration in the state.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, Missouri had 115 counties, 946 municipalities, 524 school districts, and 1,514 special districts. In 2002, there were also 312 townships. Elected county officials generally include commissioners, a public administrator, prosecuting attorney, sheriff, assessor, and treasurer. The city of St. Louis, which is administratively independent of any county, has an elected mayor, a comptroller, and a board of aldermen (including the president). Most other cities are governed by an elected mayor and council. The state was the first in the union to grant home rule to cities.

15

Judicial System

The supreme court, the state’s highest court, consists of seven judges and three commissioners. The court of appeals consists of 32 judges in three districts. The circuit courts are the only trial courts and have original jurisdiction over 250

all cases and matters, civil and municipal. Many circuit courts have established municipal divisions, presided over by judges paid locally. The 2004 violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the state was 490.5 per 100,000 people. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/theft, and motor vehicle theft) totaled 3,903.5 reported incidents per 100,000 people. As of 31 December 2004, there were 31,081 inmates in Missouri federal and state prisons. Missouri has a death penalty law, and from 1976 through 5 May 2006, had executed 66 persons. As of 1 January 2006, 53 prisoners were under sentence of death.

16

Migration

Missouri’s first European immigrants, French fur traders and missionaries, began settling in the state in the early 18th century. Under Spain, Missouri received few Spanish settlers but many immigrants from the eastern United States. During the 19th century, newcomers continued to arrive from the South and the East slaveowning southerners (with their black slaves) as well as New Englanders opposed to slavery. They were joined by a wave of European immigrants, notably Germans and, later, Italians. By 1850, one out of three St. Louis residents was German-born. The dominant intrastate migration pattern has been the concentration of blacks in the major cities, especially St. Louis and Kansas City, and the exodus of whites from those cities to the suburbs and, more recently, to small towns and rural areas. Between 1990 and 1998, Missouri had net gains of 94,000 in domestic migration and 34,000 in international migration. In the period Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Missouri

Missouri Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

MISSOURI WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

*Truman (D) *Eisenhower (R) Stevenson (D) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)

917,315 929,830 918,273 972,201 1,164,344

655,039 959,429 914,289 962,218 653,535

3,998 — — — —

2,222 — — — —

1968 1972 1976

*Nixon (R) *Nixon (R) Carter (D)

791,444 698,531 998,387

811,932 1,154,058 927,443

1980 1984


931,182 848,583

1,074,181 1,274,188

1988

*Bush (R)

1,001,619

1,084,953

434

AMERICAN IND.

206,126 — —

— — —

LIBERTARIAN

SOC. WORKERS

14,422 —

1,515 — NEW ALLIANCE

6,656 IND. (PEROT)

1992 1996


1,053,873 1,025,935

811,159 890,016

7,497 10,522

518,741 217,188


1,111,138 1,259,171

1,189,924 1,455,713

7,436 9,831

38,515 —

GREEN

2000–05, net international migration was 42,690, and net internal migration was 26,979, for a net gain of 69,669 people.

17

Economy

Missouri’s central location and access to the Mississippi River contributed to its growth as a commercial center. The state’s economy is diversified, with manufacturing, farming, trade, tourism, services, government, and mining as prime sources of income. Today, automobile and aerospace manufacturing are the state’s leading industries, while soybeans and meat and dairy products are the most important agricultural commodities. The state’s historic past, varied physical terrain, and modern urban attractions—notably the Gateway Arch in St. Louis—have made tourism a growth industry in recent decades. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Manufacturing output fell in the late 1990s and early 2000s, while output from financial services, including insurance and real estate, increased. In addition to being negatively affected by the 2001 national recession, Missouri was afflicted by drought conditions in 2002. In 2004, Missouri’s gross state product (GSP) was $203.29 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for the largest share ($31.48 billion, or 15.4% of GSP), followed by the real estate sector at $19.53 billion (9.6% of GSP), and healthcare and social assistance at $15.15 billion (7.4% of GSP).

18

Income

In 2005, Missouri had a gross state product (GSP) of $216 billion, 20th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, 251

Missouri

Missouri ranked 31st among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $30,475; the national average was $33,050. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $43,988 compared to the national average of $44,473. During the same period, 10.9% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

The leading industry groups, by value of shipments, are transportation equipment (mainly automobiles, aircraft, and rockets and missiles); food and food products; chemicals; electric and electronic equipment; and fabricated metal products. Shipments by Missouri manufacturers during 2004 amounted to $102.8 billion. McDonnell Douglas, with headquarters in St. Louis, is a leading manufacturer of aerospace products, including all the Mercury and Gemini space capsules, DC-9 and DC-10 commercial jet aircraft, and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

20

Labor

As of April 2006, the civilian labor force in Missouri numbered 3,057,200, with approximately 141,700 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.6%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In April 2006, 5.2% of the labor force was employed in construction; 11% in manufacturing; 19.8% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6% in financial activities; 11.7% in professional and business services; 13.5% in education and health services; 10% in leisure and hospitality services; and 15.6% in government. 252

As early as the 1830s, journeyman laborers and mechanics in St. Louis, seeking higher wages and shorter hours, banded together to form trade unions and achieved some of their demands. Attempts to establish a workingman’s party were unsuccessful, however, and immigration during subsequent decades ensured a plentiful supply of cheap labor. Union activity increased in the 1870s, partly because of the influence of German socialists. The Knights of Labor took a leading role in the labor movement from 1879 to 1887, the year that saw the birth of the St. Louis Trades and Labor Assembly. The Missouri State Federation of Labor was formed in 1891, at a convention in Kansas City. By 1916, the state had 915 unions. Union activity in Missouri declined in the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, 290,000 of Missouri’s 2,532,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 11.5% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

In 2004, Missouri had 106,000 farms (second in the United States) covering 30.1 million acres (12.2 million hectares). Missouri’s agricultural income reached $5.57 billion in 2005, 15th among the 50 states. In 2004, Missouri was fourth among the states in grain sorghum production, fifth in soybean, and sixth in rice production. Soybean production is concentrated mainly in the northern counties and in the extreme southeast, with Mississippi County a leading producer. Stoddard County is a major source for corn and wheat production, as is New Madrid for grain sorghum. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Missouri

In 2004, farmers harvested 223.2 million bushels of soybeans, 466 million bushels of corn, 48.4 million bushels of wheat, 15.7 million bushels of grain sorghum, 820,000 bales of cotton, and 9.4 million tons of hay. Tobacco, oats, rye, apples, peaches, grapes, watermelons, and various seed crops are also grown in commercial quantities.

22


In Missouri, hog raising is concentrated north of the Missouri River, cattle raising in the western counties, and dairy farming in the southwest. In 2005, Missouri farms and ranches had an estimated 4.5 million cattle and calves, valued at $3.8 billion. In 2004, there were around 2.9 million hogs and pigs, valued at $246.5 million. During 2003, Missouri farmers produced 816.2 million pounds (371 million kilograms) of turkey (ranked third in the nation), valued at around $285.7 million. Also in 2003, poultry farmers produced 1.9 million eggs, valued at $100 million. The state’s 129,000 milk cows yielded nearly 1.9 million pounds (0.86 million kilograms) of milk in 2003.

23

Fishing

Commercial fishing takes place mainly on the Mississippi, Missouri, and St. Francis rivers. Sport fishing is enjoyed throughout the state, but especially in the Ozarks, whose waters harbor walleye, rainbow trout, bluegill, and largemouth bass. In 2004, Missouri issued 844,318 sport fishing licenses. The Neosho National Fish Hatchery stocks rainbow trout to Lake Taneycomo, as well as sites in Kansas and Iowa. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

There are eleven state hatcheries, four of which include trout parks.

24

Forestry

At one time, Missouri’s forests covered 30 million acres (12 million hectares), more than twothirds of the state. As of 2004, Missouri had 15,010,000 acres (6,075,000 hectares) of forestland (about 30% of the land area in the state), of which more than 95% was commercial forest, 82% of it privately owned. Most of Missouri’s forestland is in the southeastern third of the state. Of the commercial forests, approximately three-fourths are of the oak/ hickory type; shortleaf pine and oak/pine forests comprise about 5%, while the remainder consists of cedar and bottomland hardwoods. Missouri leads the United States in the production of charcoal, red cedar novelties, gunstocks, and walnut bowls and nutmeats; railroad ties, hardwood veneer and lumber, wine and bourbon casks, and other forest-related items are also produced. Lumber production in 2004 totaled 575 million board feet, 97% of it hardwoods. Conservation areas managed by the Forestry Division are used for timber production, wildlife and watershed protection, hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes. Missouri’s one national forest, Mark Twain in the southeast, encompassed 1,489,000 acres (603,000 hectares) of National Forest System lands as of 2005.

25

Mining

Nonfuel mineral production in Missouri was estimated at over $1.29 billion in 2003. In the same year, crushed stone, portland cement, lead, 253

Missouri

year. Coal-fired plants accounted for 85.1% of all power production and nuclear plants for 11.1%. Fossil fuel resources are limited. Reserves of bituminous coal totaled 6 billion tons in 1998, but only a small portion (3 million tons) was considered recoverable. About 578,000 tons were mined in 2004, all from three surface mines. Small quantities of crude petroleum are also produced commercially. In 2004, production was 241 barrels per day. In 2000, Missouri’s total per capita energy consumption was 296 million Btu (74.6 million kilocalories), ranking it 38th among the 50 states.

27 The St. Louis Gateway Arch. AP IMAGES.

and lime accounted for 88% of the total value. Crushed stone, by value, has been Missouri’s leading nonfuel mineral commodity since 1997. Portland cement and lead were the state’s second and third top minerals in 2003. In 2003, Missouri was the nation’s top lead producer, contributing well over half the lead produced in the United States. The state also ranked first in lime and fire clay production, third in zinc and fuller’s earth, fifth in portland cement and crushed stone, and sixth in silver. Missouri ranked eighth nationally in nonfuel mineral value.

26

Energy and Power

Missouri’s electric power plants had an installed generating capacity (utility and nonutility) of 19.9 million kilowatts in 2003. Electrical output totaled 87.2 billion kilowatt hours in the same 254

Commerce

Missouri has been one of the nation’s leading trade centers ever since merchants in Independence began provisioning wagon trains for the Santa Fe Trail. The state’s wholesale sales totaled $95.6 billion in 2002; retail sales were $61.8 billion. Foreign exports of Missouri products exceeded $10.4 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The Missouri state budget is prepared by the Office of Administration’s Division of Budget and Planning and submitted annually by the governor to the general assembly for amendment and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. The revenues for 2004 were $26.3 billion and expenditures were $22.0 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($6.8 billion), public welfare ($5.6 billion), and highways ($1.8 billion). The debt of Missouri state Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Missouri

government was $16.2 billion, or $2,815.69 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

Missouri’s 10-bracket personal income tax schedule ranges from 1.5% to 6%. Individuals may deduct up to $5,000 of federal taxes paid from their state liability. The corporate tax rate is 6.25% of net income, with 50% of federal corporate taxes paid deductible. The basic state sales tax is 4.225%, but is lowered to 1.225% for food and beverages. Prescription drugs are exempt. Local-option sales taxes can reach up to 4.5%. The state also imposes a full array of excise taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, public utilities, alcoholic beverage, amusements, and other selected items. Other state taxes include an assessment on surface mining, various license fees and franchise taxes, and state property taxes, although most property taxes are collected locally. Property and sales taxes are the leading sources of local revenue. The state collected $9.544 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 42.1% came from individual income taxes, 31.8% came from the general sales tax, 16.4% from selective sales taxes, 2.3% from corporate income taxes, 0.2% from property taxes, and 7.2% from other taxes. In 2005, Missouri ranked 46th among the states in terms of per capita (per person) tax burden, at $1,645 per capita. The national average was $2,192 per capita.

30

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality rate in Missouri was 7.6 per 1,000 live births. The overJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

all death rate was 9.7 per 1,000 population in 2003, one of the highest in the country. Deaths from heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, accidents and adverse effects, and motor vehicle accidents were all above the national rate. About 24.1% of Missouri residents were smokers. The rate of death from HIV-related infection stood at 2.2 per 100,000 population. A total of 9,654 AIDS cases was reported in Missouri through 2001. Missouri’s 119 community hospitals had about 19,300 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,403 per inpatient day in 2003. As of 2004, there were 241 doctors per 100,000 residents and 940 nurses per 100,000 residents. In 2004, at least 12% of Missouri’s adult population was uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, Missouri had an estimated 2,564,340 housing units, of which 2,309,205 were occupied; 70.8% were owner-occupied. About 69.3% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Utility gas and electricity were the most common energy sources for heating. It was estimated that 89,522 units lacked telephone services, 11,971 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 12,264 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.42 people. In 2004, 32,800 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $117,033. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $954. Renters paid a median of $567 per month. 255

Missouri

32

Education

Although the constitution of 1820 provided for the establishment of public schools, it was not until 1839 that the state’s public school system became a reality through legislation creating the office of state superintendent of common schools and establishing a permanent school fund. Missouri schools were officially segregated from 1875 to 1954, when the US Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. The state’s school segregation law was not taken off the books until 1976. In 2004, an estimated 87.9% of all Missourians 25 years of age or older were high school graduates and 28.1% had obtained bachelor’s degrees or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 924,000 in fall 2002 but expected to drop to 910,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 119,812. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $7.8 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 348,146 students enrolled in college or graduate school. Missouri has 14 public 4-year schools, 20 public 2-year schools, and 54 private institutions of higher education. The University of Missouri, established in 1839, was the first state-supported university west of the Mississippi River. It has four campuses: Columbia, Kansas City, Rolla, and St. Louis. Lincoln University, a public university for blacks until segregation ended in 1954, is located in Jefferson City. There are five regional state universities and three state colleges. Two leading independent universities, Washington and St. Louis, are located in St. Louis, as is the Concordia Seminary, an affiliate of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. 256

33

Arts

Theatrical performances are offered throughout the state, mostly during the summer. In Kansas City, productions of Broadway musicals and light opera are staged at the Starlight Theater, which seats 7,860 in an open-air setting. The Missouri Repertory Theater, on the University of Missouri campus in Kansas City, also has a summer season. In St. Louis, the 12,000-seat Municipal Opera puts on outdoor musicals. The Goldenrod, built in 1909 and said to be the largest showboat ever constructed (seating capacity 289), is used today for vaudeville, melodrama, and ragtime shows. Other notable playhouses are the 8,000-seat Riverfront Amphitheater in Hannibal and the 344-seat Lyceum Theater in Arrow Rock (population 89). Leading orchestras are the St. Louis Symphony and Kansas City Symphony. Independence, Liberty, Columbia, Kirksville, St. Joseph, and Springfield also have orchestras. The Opera Theatre of St. Louis and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City are distinguished musical organizations. Springfield has a regional opera company. Between World Wars I and II, Kansas City was the home of a thriving jazz community that included Charlie Parker and Lester Young. Leading bandleaders of that time were Benny Moten, Walter Page, and Count Basie. Country music predominates in rural Missouri in places like the Ozark Opry at Osage Beach. There are over 40 performing venues in Branson. There are about 350 arts associations and over 50 local associations in Missouri. The state provides arts education in all of the approximately 550 public school districts. In 1994, the Missouri General Assembly established the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Missouri

Missouri Cultural Trust, a state endowment for the arts, with the goal of building it into a $200 million operational endowment in 10 years. The Trust is one of only a few such trusts in the nation and the only one that receives dedicated annual tax revenues. The Missouri Humanities Council sponsors an annual weeklong summer history festival on various themes. The festival is generally held in a different community each year.

34


In June 2001, Missouri had 150 public library systems with a total of 363 libraries, of which 216 were branches. That year, the state’s public libraries had a combined book stock of 18.7million and a circulation of 38.7 million. The Missouri State Library, in Jefferson City, is the center of the state’s interlibrary loan network. The University of Missouri-Columbia has the leading academic library. The federally-administered Harry S. Truman Library and Museum is at Independence. Missouri has well over 162 museums and historic sites. The William Rockhill Nelson Gallery/Atkins Museum of Fine Arts in Kansas City and the St. Louis Art Museum both house distinguished general collections. The Mark Twain Home and Museum in Hannibal has a collection of manuscripts and other memorabilia. Also notable are the Pony Express Stables Museum, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis Center Museum of Science and Natural History, and McDonnell Planetarium. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

35

Communications

The first experiment in airmail service took place at St. Louis in 1911; Charles Lindbergh was an airmail pilot on the St. Louis-Chicago route in 1926. As of 2004, about 93.7% of all state households had telephone service. By June of that year, there were 2,859,953 mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 60.7% of Missouri households had a computer and 53% had Internet access. The voice of a US president was heard over the air for the first time on 21 June 1923, when Warren G. Harding gave a speech in St. Louis. As of 2005, there were 36 major commercial AM stations and 97 major FM stations in service. There were also 25 major television stations. The St. Louis area had 1,114,370 television households, but only 56% of those received cable in 1999. Kansas City had a 65% subscription rate in 802,580 television households.

36

Press

Many Missouri journalists have achieved national recognition. The best known is Samuel Clemens (later Mark Twain), who started out as a “printer’s devil” in Hannibal at the age of 13. Hungarian-born Joseph Pulitzer created the St. Louis Post–Dispatch in 1878 and established the Pulitzer Prizes, which annually honor journalistic and artistic achievement. As of 2005, Missouri had 13 morning newspapers, 29 evening dailies, and 23 Sunday papers. The leading dailies with their 2005 daily circulations were the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (286,310) and the Kansas City Star (275,747). Periodicals include the St. Louis-based Sporting News, a popular bimonthly publication for baseball fans; 257

Missouri

Busch Stadium houses the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. AP IMAGES.

and VFW Magazine, put out monthly in Kansas City by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

37


In 2004, the state hosted about 37.7million domestic travelers, with 69% of all visitors coming from out-of-state. Total travel revenues were at about $8.3 billion dollars and the industry supported over 284,916 jobs. The most popular vacation areas are the St. Louis region (40% of all visits) and the Kansas City area (23%).The principal attraction in St. Louis is the Gateway Arch. At 630 feet (192 meters) it is the tallest man-made national monument in the United States. In the Kansas City area are the Truman Sports Complex, Jesse 258

James’s birthplace near Excelsior Springs, and Harry Truman’s hometown of Independence. Branson is considered the “Live Music Show Capital of the World.” Memorabilia of Mark Twain are housed in and around Hannibal. The birthplace and childhood home of George Washington Carver is in Diamond. The Lake of the Ozarks, with 1,375 miles (2,213 kilometers) of shoreline, is one of the most popular vacation spots in mid-America. Other attractions are the Pony Express Stables and Museum at St. Joseph and the “Big Springs Country” of the Ozarks, in the southeast. Missouri has 27 state parks. Lake of the Ozarks State Park is the largest, covering 16,872 acres (6,828 hectares). There are also 27 historic sites. State parks and historic sites covered Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Missouri

Horse racing has a long history in Missouri. In 1812, St. Charles County sportsmen held two-day horse races. By the 1820s, racetracks were laid out in nearly every city and in crossroads villages. In collegiate sports, the University of Missouri competes in the Big Twelve Conference.

39

Missouri’s most popular author is Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835–1910), whose Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) evoke his boyhood in Hannibal. EPD PHOTOS.

105,000 acres (43,050 hectares). Hunting and fishing are popular recreational activities.

38

Sports

There are six major league professional sports teams in Missouri: the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball, the Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams of the National Football League, the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League, and the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer. The Rams moved to St. Louis from Los Angeles after the 1994 season and now play in the 66,000-seat Trans World Dome, which opened in 1995. They won the Super Bowl in 2000. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Famous Missourians

Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) has been the only native-born Missourian to serve as US president or vice president. Missouri’s best-known senator was Thomas Hart Benton (b.North Carolina, 1782–1858), who championed the interests of Missouri and the West for 30 years. Meriwether Lewis (b.Virginia, 1774–1809) and William Clark (b.Virginia, 1770–1838) explored Missouri and the West during 1804– 06. Lewis later served as governor of Louisiana Territory, with headquarters at St. Louis, and Clark was governor of Missouri Territory from 1813 to 1821. Dred Scott (b.Virginia, 1795– 1858), a slave owned by a Missourian, figured in a Supreme Court decision that set the stage for the Civil War. Missourians with unsavory reputations include such desperadoes as Jesse James (1847–1882), his brother Frank (1843–1915), and Cole Younger (1844–1916), also a member of the James gang. Distinguished scientists include agricultural chemist George Washington Carver (1864– 1943) and astronomer Edwin P. Hubble (1889– 1953). Charles A. Lindbergh (b.Michigan 1902– 1974) was a pilot and aviation instructor in the St. Louis area during the 1920s before winning worldwide acclaim for his solo New York-Paris flight. 259

Missouri

Prominent Missouri businessmen include Joseph Pulitzer (b.Hungary, 1847–1911), who established the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (1878) and later endowed the journalism and literary prizes that bear his name; and James Cash Penney (1875–1971), founder of the J. C. Penney Company. Noteworthy journalists from Missouri include newspaper and magazine editor William M. Reedy (1862–1920) and television newscaster Walter Cronkite (b.1916). Missouri’s most popular author is Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835–1910). Poet-critic T(homas) S(tearns) Eliot (1888–1965), awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1948, was born in St. Louis but became a British subject in 1927. Other Missouri-born poets include Sara Teasdale (1884–1933), Marianne Moore (1887–1972), and Langston Hughes (1902–1967). Distinguished painters who lived in Missouri include James Carroll Beckwith (1852–1917). Among the state’s important musicians are ragtime pianist-composer Scott Joplin (b.Texas, 1868–1917); composer-critic Virgil Thompson (1896–1989); and jazzman Coleman Hawkins (1907–1969). Missouri-born entertainers include actors Vincent Price (1911–1993), and Edward Asner (b.1929); actresses Jean Harlow (Harlean Carpenter, 1911–1937), Betty Grable (1916– 1973), and Shelley Winters (1922–2006); actress-dancer Ginger Rogers (1911–1995); and film director John Huston (1906–1984). In popular music, the state’s most widely known singer-songwriter is Charles “Chuck” Berry (b.California, 1926), whose works had a powerful influence on the development of rock music. 260

St. Louis Cardinals stars who became Hall of Famers include Jerome Herman “Dizzy” Dean (b.Arkansas, 1911–1974), Stanley Frank “Stan the Man” Musial (b.Pennsylvania, 1920), Robert “Bob” Gibson (b.Nebraska, 1935), and Louis “Lou” Brock (b.Arkansas, 1939). Among the native Missourians who achieved stardom in the sports world are baseball manager Charles Dillon “Casey” Stengel (1890–1975), catcher Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra (b.1925), sportscaster Joe Garagiola (b.1926), and golfer Tom Watson (b.1949).

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bennett, Michelle. Missouri. New York: Benchmark Books, 2001. Boekhoff, P. M. Missouri. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Crawford, Mark. Confederate Courage on Other Fields: Four Lesser-known Accounts of the War Between the States. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2000. Gaskell, Richard. The Missouri State Fair: Images of a Midwestern Tradition. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2000. Gibson, Karen Bush. Missouri Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. McAuliffe, Emily. Missouri Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Missouri. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Government of Missouri. Show-me Missouri. www. state.mo.us (accessed March 1, 2007). Missouri Division of Tourism. Missouri: Have You visit MO Lately? www.missouritourism.org (accessed March 1, 2007). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Montana State of Montana

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Derived from the Latin

word meaning “mountainous.” N I CKNAME : The Treasure State. C AP ITAL: Helena. ENT ERED UNION: 8 November 1889 (41st). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the lower center are a plow and

a miner’s pick and shovel; mountains appear above them on the left, the Great Falls of the Missouri River on the right, and the state motto on a banner below. The words “The Great Seal of the State of Montana” surround the whole. FLAG: A blue field, fringed in gold on the top and bottom borders, surrounds the center portion of the official seal, with “Montana” in gold letters above the coat of arms. M OT TO: Oro y Plata (Gold and silver). SONG: “Montana.” FLOWER: Bitterroot. TREE: Ponderosa pine. A NIMAL: Grizzly bear. B IRD: Western meadowlark. FISH: Black-spotted (cutthroat) trout. G E M: Yogo sapphire and Montana agate. FOSSIL: Duck-billed dinosaur. G RASS: Bluebunch wheatgrass. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; State Election Day, 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

November in even-numbered years; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the northwestern United States, Montana is the largest of the eight Rocky Mountain states and ranks fourth in size among the 50 states. The total area of Montana is 147,046 square miles (380,849 square kilometers), of which land takes up 145,388 square miles (376,555 square kilometers) and inland water 1,658 square miles (4,294 square kilometers). The state’s maximum east-west extension is 570 miles (917 kilometers). Its extreme northsouth distance is 315 miles (507 kilometers). Its total boundary length is 1,947 miles (3,133 kilometers). 261

Montana

2

Topography

Montana has an approximate mean elevation of 3,400 feet (1,000 meters). The Rocky Mountains cover the western two-fifths of the state, with the Bitterroot Range along the Idaho border. The high, gently rolling Great Plains occupy most of central and eastern Montana. The highest point in the state is Granite Peak, at an elevation of 12,799 feet (3,904 meters). The lowest point, at 1,800 feet (549 meters), is in the northwest, where the Kootenai River leaves the state at the Idaho border. The Continental Divide passes through the western part of the state. Ft. Peck Reservoir is Montana’s largest body of inland water, covering 375 square miles (971 square kilometers). Flathead Lake is the largest natural lake. The state’s most important rivers are the Missouri and the Yellowstone.

3


944,632 4.7% 2.2% 98.3% 90.6% 0.5% 6.0% 0.6% 0.1% 0.5% 1.7%


65 and over (13%)

Under 18 (22%)

18 to 24 (10%)

45 to 64 (29%)

25 to 44 (26%)

Climate

The Continental Divide separates the state into two distinct climatic regions. The west generally has a milder climate than the east, where winters can be especially harsh. Montana’s maximum daytime temperature averages 27°f (-2°c) in January and 85°f (29°c) in July. The all-time low temperature in the state, -70°f (-57°c) at Rogers Pass on 20 January 1954, is also the lowest temperature ever recorded in the continental United States. The all-time high, 117°f (47°c), was set at Medicine Lake on 5 July 1937. Great Falls receives an average annual precipitation of 15 inches (38 centimeters), but much of north-central Montana is arid. About 58.5 inches (148.6 centimeters) of snow descends on Great Falls each year. 262

Montana Population Profile

Major Cities by Population City Billings Missoula Great Falls Bozeman Butte-Silver Bow Helena Kalispell Havre Anaconda-Deer Lodge Miles

Population

% change 2000–05

98,721 62,923 56,338 33,535 32,282 27,383 18,480 9,390 8,948 8,162

9.9 10.3 -0.6 21.9 -4.8 6.2 29.9 -2.4 -5.0 -3.8




MINERAL

94

0

0

Lolo Nat’l For.

Bitterroot Nat’l For.

25

50 miles

50 kilometers

25

N

Area of Interest


State Capital


City (10,000-50,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

RAVALLI

MISSOULA

Missoula

GLACIER

BEAVERHEAD

Glacier Nat’l Park

Flathead Indian Res.

Kalispell

Flathead Nat’l For.

MONTANA

IDAHO

SANDERS

Kootenai Nat’l For.

FLATHEAD

Beaverhead National Forest

15

90

CHOUTEAU

Bozeman

GALLATIN

Havre

WHEATLAND

Gallatin National Forest

Gallatin Nat’l For.

SWEET GRASS

Lewis and Clark Nat’l Forest

Yellowstone National Park

PARK

MEAGHER

Gallatin Nat’l For.

Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

JUDITH BASIN

Lewis and Clark Nat’l For.

Great Falls

R. uri sso Mi

Rocky Boys Indian Res.

HILL

CANADA LIBERTY

Benton Lake National Wildlife Ref.

BROADWATER

CASCADE

15

Beaverhead Nat’l Forest

MADISON

JEFFERSON

Helena

LEWIS AND CLARK

Butte SILVER BOW

Beaverhead Nat’l For.

Anaconda

DEER LODGE

GRANITE

POWELL

Flathead Nat’l For.

PONDERA TETON

Blackfeet Indian Res.

TOOLE

CARBON

YELLOWSTONE

Bighorn Canyon Nat’l Rec. Area

Billings

VALLEY

BIG HORN

Little Bighorn Battlefied National Mon.

94

TREASURE

ROSEBUD

WYOMING

Crow Indian Reservation

90

GARFIELD

Charles M. Russell Fort Peck Lake Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

Bowdoin National Wildlife Ref.

PHILLIPS

PETROLEUM

MUSSELSHELL

STILLWATER

GOLDEN VALLEY

Lewis and Clark National Forest

FERGUS

Fort Belknap Indian Res.

BLAINE

POWDER RIVER

R.

Custer National Forest

ne to ws llo Ye

CUSTER

DAWSON

RICHLAND

Custer National Forest

CARTER

FALLON

WIBAUX

ROOSEVELT

Medicine Lake National Wildlife Ref.

SHERIDAN

Fort Peck Indian Reservation

PRAIRIE

MC CONE

DANIELS

NORTH DAKOTA SOUTH DAKOTA

LINCOLN

Montana

263

Montana

4

Plants and Animals

The subalpine region, in the northern Rocky Mountains, is rich in wildflowers during a short midsummer growing season. The plants of the montane zone consists largely of coniferous forests, principally alpine fir, and a variety of shrubs. The plains are characterized by an abundance of grasses, cacti, and sagebrush species. Three plant species were threatened as of April 2006: Ute ladies’-tresses, Spalding’s catchfly, and water howellia. Game animals of the state include elk, moose, pronghorn antelope, and mountain goat. Notable among the amphibians is the axolotl. Rattlesnakes and other reptiles occur in most of the state. As of 2006, eleven species were listed as threatened or endangered, including the grizzly bear, black-footed ferret, Eskimo curlew, two species of sturgeon, the gray wolf, and the whooping crane.

5


Montana’s major environmental concerns are management of mineral and water resources and reclamation of strip-mined land. In 2003, Montana had 71 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 14 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. Only a tiny fraction of the state’s lands are wetlands. The Water Quality Bureau of the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences is responsible for managing wetlands. 264

6

Population

In 2005, Montana ranked 44th in population in the United States with an estimated total of 944,632 residents. The population is projected to reach 999,489 by 2015 and 1.03 million by 2025. In 2004, Montana’s population density of 6.4 persons per square mile (2.47 persons per square kilometer) was one of the lowest in the country. In 2005, 13% of the all residents were 65 years of age and older, while 22% were 18 and younger. The median age was about 39.6 in 2004. The largest metropolitan area in 2005 was Billings, with an estimated 98,721 residents. The Missoula metropolitan area had an estimated population of 62,923.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, there were approximately 56,068 Native Americans in Montana, of whom the Blackfeet and Crow are the most numerous. In 2006, American Indians accounted for 6.0% of the state’s population. In 2000, there were also 2,692 black Americans and 4,691 Asians. In 2006, blacks accounted for 0.5% of the population, while Asians accounted for 0.6%. There were 18,081 Hispanic or Latino residents in 2000, accounting for 2% of the population. In 2006, Hispanic or Latino residents accounted for 2.2% of the state’s population. In 2000, a total of 16,396 residents in Montana were foreign born. Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Mexico were the leading places of origin. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Montana

Montana Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .902,195 One race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .886,465 Two races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15,003 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,016 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9,116 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,710 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,945 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 34 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 727

. . . . .100.0 . . . . . .98.3 . . . . . . .1.7 . . . . . . .0.1 . . . . . . .1.0 . . . . . . .0.2 ....... — . . . . . . .0.2 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1


8

Languages

English in Montana fuses Northern and Midland features, with the Northern influence declining from east to west. In 2000, the number of Montanans who spoke only English at home was 803,031, representing about 95% of the resident population five years of age or older. Other languages spoken at home, and number of speakers, included Spanish, 12,953; German, 9,416; and various Native American languages, 9,234.

9

Religions

In 2000, there were nearly an equal number of Protestants and Roman Catholics within Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the state. In 2004, there were about 103,351 adherents to the Roman Catholic faith. Leading Protestant denominations (with 2000 data) were the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 50,287; the United Methodist Church, 17,993; Assemblies of God, 16,385; the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, 15,441 and the Southern Baptist Convention, 15,318. There were about 850 Jews and 614 Muslims in the state in 2000. In 2006, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints (Mormons) reported a statewide membership of 13,384 adherents. About 493,703 people (55% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization in 2000. 265

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10

Transportation

Montana’s first railroad, the Utah and Northern, entered the state in 1880. Today, Montana is served by two Class I railroads (the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, and the Union Pacific), plus two regional railroads, and two local railroads, operating on 3,291 miles (5,326 kilometers) of track. As of 2006, Amtrak operated one long-distance route (Chicago–Seattle/Portland) through the state, which served 12 stations. Because of its large size, small population, and difficult terrain, Montana was slow to develop a highway system. In 2004, the state had 69,452 miles (111,817 kilometers) of public roads, streets, and highways. There were about 1.031 million registered motor vehicles in that same year, including some 427,000 automobiles, around 555,000 trucks, and some 1,000 buses. There were 712,880 licensed drivers in 2004. Montana had 241 airports, 31 heliports, 2 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing), and 2 seaplane bases in 2005. The leading airport is Billings-Logan International Airport, which had 395,086 passenger boardings in 2004.

11

History

Montana’s first European explorers were probably French traders and trappers from Canada who arrived during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was not until 1803, however, that the written history of Montana began. In that year, the Louisiana Purchase gave the United States most of Montana, and the Lewis and Clark expedition, dispatched by President Thomas Jefferson in 1804, added the rest. Soon afterwards, the first American trappers, traders, and settlers entered Montana. 266

The fur trade dominated Montana’s economy until 1858, when gold was discovered east of the present-day community of Drummond, bringing with it a temporary gold boom. In 1863, the eastern and western sectors of Montana were joined as part of Idaho Territory. On 26 May 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Organic Act, which created the Montana Territory. The territorial period was one of rapid and profound change. By the time Montana became a state on 8 November 1889, the remnants of Montana’s Native American culture had been largely confined to federal reservations, following the surrender of the Nez Perce tribe to federal forces. As the Native American threat subsided, cattle ranchers wasted little time in putting the seemingly limitless open range to use. The “hard winter” of 1886/87, when perhaps as many as 362,000 head of cattle starved, marked the end of a cattle frontier based on the “free grass” of the open range and taught the stockmen the value of a secure winter feed supply. Modern Times Construction of Montana’s rail-

road system between 1880 and 1909 breathed new life into mining as well as the livestock industry. By 1890, the Butte copper pits were producing more than 40% of the nation’s copper requirements. The struggle to gain financial control of the enormous mineral wealth of Butte Hill led to the “War of the Copper Kings,” whose victor, Anaconda Copper Mining, practically controlled the press, politics, and governmental processes of Montana until the 1940s and 1950s. The railroads also brought an invasion of agricultural homesteaders. Montana’s populaJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Montana

The Last Stand Monument commemorates those who died in the Battle of Little Bighorn (1876). © CONNIE RICCA/ CORBIS.

tion doubled between 1900 and 1920, while the number of farms and ranches increased form 13,000 to 57,000. Drought and a sharp drop in wheat prices after World War I brought an end to the homestead boom. Conditions worsened with the drought and depression of the early 1930s. Then the New Deal—enormously popular in Montana—helped revive farming and silver mining, and financed irrigation and other public works projects. The decades since the end of World War II have seen moderate growth in Montana’s population, economy, and social services. Although Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

manufacturing developed slowly, the state’s fossil fuels industry grew rapidly during the national energy crisis of the 1970s. However, production of coal, crude oil, and natural gas leveled off after the crisis and even declined in the early 1980s. In 1983 the Anaconda Copper Mining Company shut down its mining operations in Butte. Farm income declined in the late 1980s as a result of falling prices, drought, and insect damage. By the early 1990s, growth in manufacturing and construction and recovery in agriculture improved the state’s economy. Nevertheless, the state had the eighth-highest unemployment rate in the nation, 5.2% as of 1999. US Senator Max Baucus urged a special session of the state legislature to address unemployment and convened a Montana Economic Development Summit in June 2000. By September 2005, the state’s economic picture improved, with unemployment falling to 4.5%. However the number of Montana residents living below the federal poverty line remained high at 14.3% in 2004. Tourism, air quality, and wildlife in parts of Montana were affected by forest fires. In 1988 forest fires burned for almost three months in Yellowstone National Park, and some Montana residents had to be evacuated from their homes. In 2000, Montana was again among the states afflicted by raging wildfires. By the end of July, 3.5 million acres had burned across the West. In August 2003, wildfires burned more than 400,000 acres, an area large enough to cover about half of Rhode Island. In 1992 Montana’s delegation to the US House of Representatives was reduced from two members to one, based on the results of the 1990 Census. As of the 2004 election, the state was still represented in the US House of Representatives by a single member. In that election, Democrat 267

Montana

The state legislature consists of 50 senators, elected to staggered four-year terms, and 99 representatives, who serve for two years. Elected officers of the executive branch include the governor and lieutenant governor (who run jointly), secretary of state, attorney general, auditor, and superintendent of public instruction. Each serves a four-year term. To become law, a bill must pass both houses by a simple majority and be signed by the governor, or remain unsigned for five days, or be passed over the governor’s veto by a two-thirds vote of both houses. In 2004, legislators received $78.60 per day during regular legislative sessions, while the governor received $93,089 per year, as of December 2004.

13

The statue Montana sits atop the dome of the Montana state capitol building in Helena. AP IMAGES.

Brian Schweitzer retook the governorship, which had been held by Republicans since 1988.

12

State Government

Montana’s original constitution, dating from 1889, was revised by a 1972 constitutional convention, effective in 1973. That document had been amended 30 times by January 2005. 268

Political Parties

Since statehood, Democrats have generally dominated in contests for the US House and Senate, while Republicans led in elections for state and local offices, and in national presidential campaigns (except during the New Deal years). In 2000, Montanans gave Republican George W. Bush 58% and Democrat Al Gore 34%. In 2004, President Bush took 59% of the vote, compared to 39% for challenger John Kerry. Democrat Brian Schweitzer became governor in 2004. Democratic challenger Jon Tester defeated incumbent senator Conrad Burns, a Republican, in the 2006 US Senate race. Democrat Max Baucus won reelection to his seat in the US Senate in 2002. The state’s sole seat in the US House was retained by a Republican in the 2006 election. Following the 2006 midterm elections, there were 24 Republicans and 26 Democrats in the state senate, while there were 50 Democrats, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Montana

49 Republicans, and 1 Independent in the state house. Thirty-seven women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 24.7%. In 2004 there were 638,000 registered voters in Montana. The state does not require party registration.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, Montana had 56 counties, 129 municipalities, 592 special districts, and 453 public school districts. Typically, elected county officials consist of three county commissioners, an attorney, a sheriff, a clerk and recorder, school superintendent, treasurer, assessor, and coroner.

15

Judicial System

Montana’s highest court, the Montana Supreme Court, consists of a chief justice and six associate justices. District courts are the courts of general jurisdiction. There are 37 district court judges. Justice of the peace courts are essentially county courts whose jurisdiction is limited to minor civil cases, misdemeanors, and traffic violations. Montana’s violent crime (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) rate in 2004 was 293.8 incidents per 100,000 people. The state has a death penalty, for which lethal injection is the sole method of execution. However, the state rarely enforces the death penalty. Between 1976 and 5 May 2006, only two people have been executed. As of 1 January 2006, there were four inmates on death row. There were 3,877 inmates in Montana’s state and federal prisons as of 31 December 2004. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Montana Governors: 1889–2007 1889–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901 1901–1908 1908–1913 1913–1921 1921–1925 1925–1933 1933–1935 1935–1937 1937–1941 1941–1949 1949–1953 1953–1961 1961–1965 1965–1969 1969–1973 1973–1981 1981–1989 1989–1993 1993–2000 2000–2004 2004–

16

Joseph Kemp Toole Democrat John Ezra Rickards Republican Robert Burns Smith Populist, Democrat Joseph Kemp Toole Democrat Edwin Lee Norris Democrat Sam Vernon Stewart Democrat Joseph Moore Dixon Republican John Edward Erickson Democrat Frank Henry Cooney Democrat William Elmer Holt Democrat Roy Elmer Ayers Democrat Samuel Clarence Ford Republican John Woodrow Bonner Democrat John Hugo Aronson Republican Donald Grant Nutter Republican Tim M. Babcock Republican Forest Howard Anderson Democrat Thomas Lee Judge Democrat Ted Schwinden Democrat Stan Stephens Republican Marc Francis Racicot Republican Judy Martz Republican Brian Schweitzer Democrat

Migration

Montana’s first great migratory wave brought Indians from the east during the l7th and 18th centuries. The gold rush of the 1860s, and a land boom between 1900 and 1920 resulted in surges of white settlement. The economically troubled 1920s and 1930s produced a severe wave of outmigration that continued through the 1960s. The trend began reversing between 1970 and 1980. Between 1990 and 1998, Montana had net gains of 48,000 in domestic migration and 3,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 2,141, while net domestic migration for that same period was 18,933 people, giving the state a net gain of 21,074 people. 269

Montana

Montana Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

MONTANA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 *Truman (D) 119,071 96,770 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 106,213 157,394 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 116,238 154,933 1960 Nixon (R) 134,891 141,841 1964 *Johnson (D) 164,246 113,032 1968 *Nixon (R) 114,117 138,835 1972 *Nixon (R) 120,197 183,976 1976 Ford (R) 149,259 173,703 1980 *Reagan (R) 118,032 206,814 1984 *Reagan (R) 146,742 232,450 1988 *Bush (R) 168,936 190,412 1992** *Clinton (D) 154,507 144,207 1996** Dole (R) 167,922 179,652 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 137,126 240,178 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 173,710 266,063 *Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 107,225 votes in 1992 and 55,229 votes in 1996.

17

Economy

Agriculture, mining, and lumbering traditionally dominated Montana’s economy. In the early 21st century, tourism was of increasing importance. A lawsuit with the federal government over the federal lands that have supplied much of the state’s timber has placed the timber industry’s future in question. Employment in the services industries overtook manufacturing and mining during the 1990s. Business, engineering, and health services stimulated the economy, in addition to tourism. The state economy was little affected by the national recession of 2001, and employment increased in construction, financial, and general services, and fell slightly in manufacturing, transportation, and utilities in 2002. Farming in Montana was hard-hit by drought conditions in the early 2000s. Wheat crop yields in 2002 were the lowest since 1988. 270

Montana’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $27.482 billion, of which real estate accounted for the largest share of GSP at $3.229 billion or 11.7%. It was followed by healthcare and social assistance at 9% of GSP, and construction at 5.9% of GSP. Of the 33,801 businesses that have employees, 97.8% are small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, Montana ranked 42nd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $27,657, compared to the national average of $33,050. Montana’s median household income for the three-year period 2002 through 2004 was $35,201, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 14.3% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Montana’s major manufacturing industries process raw materials from mines, forests, and farms. In 2004, the total shipment value of all products manufactured in the state totaled $6.468 billion. Of that total, wood product manufacturing accounted for the largest share at $960.445 million, followed by food manufacturing at $666.718 million, and nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing at $216.365 million. In 2004, a total of 17,311 people were employed in Montana’s manufacturing sector. Of that total, the wood product manufacturing sector accounted for the largest portion, with 4,109 workers, followed by food manufacturJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Montana

ing at 2,464, and miscellaneous manufacturing at 1,447.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in Montana numbered 502,800, with approximately 18,300 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.6%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. April 2006 data for nonfarm employment showed that about 6.9% of the labor force was employed in construction; 4.5% in manufacturing; 4.5% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5% in financial activities; 8.4% in professional and business services; 13% in leisure and hospitality services; and 20.2% in government. Data was unavailable for education and healthcare services. In 2005, a total of 42,000 of Montana’s 391,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union. This represented 10.7% of those so employed, and was below the national average of 12%.

21

Agriculture

Montana’s farms numbered 28,000 in 2004. Farm income totaled almost $2.38 billion in 2005. In 2004, Montana was the nation’s thirdleading wheat producer. Other major crops were barley (third in the United States), sugarbeets (sixth), and hay. Oats, potatoes, flax, and dry beans are also grown.

22


In 2005, Montana’s farms and ranches had around 2.4 million cattle and calves, valued at $2.5 million. There were an estimated 165,000 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

hogs and pigs, valued at $18.2 million in 2004. During 2003, Montana farmers produced around 24.6 million pounds (11.2 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs that grossed $22.6 million in income.

23

Fishing

Montana’s designated fishing streams offer some 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers) of good to excellent freshwater fishing. In 2004, the state issued 379,252 sport fishing licenses. Montana is home to the Creston and Ennis National Fish Hatcheries as well as the Bozeman Fish Technology Center and the Bozeman Fish Health Center. Creston specializes in rainbow trout, westslope cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon, and bull trout. Ennis works as part of the National Broodstock Program, producing about 20 million rainbow trout eggs annually for research facilities, universities and federal, state and tribal hatcheries in 23 states.

24

Forestry

In 2004, a total of 23,500,000 acres (9,510,000 hectares) in Montana were classified as forestland. There were 11 national forests, comprising 16,932,447 acres (6,852,561 hectares) in 2005. The lumbering industry produced 1.09 billion board feet in 2004.

25

Mining

The estimated value of nonfuel mineral production for Montana in 2003 was $492 million. Metallic minerals accounted for 63% of the state’s total nonfuel mineral production by value. Montana ranked 26th nationally in the value of nonfuel minerals produced. 271

Montana

Gold was Montana’s leading mineral by value in 2003, followed by platinum, construction sand and gravel, cement (portland and masonry), and bentonite. Montana is the only state to produce primary platinum and palladium. The state is first in the production of talc; second in bentonite; fourth in gold, zinc and lead, and seventh in silver. According to preliminary figures, production and value in 2003 included construction sand and gravel, 18 million metric tons ($81.9 million); palladium, 14,600 kilograms ($98.3 million); and platinum, 4,100 kilograms ($86.5 million)

26

Energy and Power

In 2003, Montana generated 26.268 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, of which 64.9% came from coal-fired plants, 33.1% from hydropower, and 1.5% from petroleum-fueled plants. Total net summer generating capacity was 5.210 million kilowatts in 2003. In 2004, the state produced an average of 68,000 barrels per day of crude oil. Proven reserves in that same year totaled 364 million barrels. Marketed natural gas production in 2004 totaled 96.762 billion cubic feet (2.74 billion cubic meters), with proven reserves of consumer-grade natural gas of 995 billion cubic feet (28.2 billion cubic meters), as of 31 December 2004. In 2004, Montana had six producing coal mines (five surface operations and one underground). In that same year, coal output totaled 39.989 million tons. Recoverable coal reserves totaled 1.14 billion tons in 2004. 272

27

Commerce

In 2002, Montana’s wholesale trade sector had sales totaling $7.2 billion, while the retail trade sector had sales of $10.1 billion. Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest portion of retail sales at $ 2.7 billion, followed by general merchandise stores at $1.6 billion, and food and beverage stores at $1.3 billion. In 2005, Montana’s foreign exports totaled $710 million.

28

Public Finance

The Montana state budget is prepared biennially by the Office of Budget and Program Planning and submitted by the governor to the legislature for amendment and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. In 2004, Montana had total revenues of $5.45 billion, while total expenditures that year totaled $4.69 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($1.377 billion), public welfare ($762 million), and highways ($537 million). The state’s debt in 2004 totaled $3.048 billion, or $3,288.96 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, Montana had a sevenbracket personal income tax that ranged from 1% to 6.9%. The corporate income tax was a flat rate of 6.75%. There is no state sales and use tax, but Montana imposes excise taxes covering such products as motor fuels, and tobacco products. There are also state and local property taxes. The state collected $1.788 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 39.9% came from individual income taxes, 25.5% from selective sales taxes, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Montana

10.4% from state property taxes, and 5.5% from corporate income taxes. The per capita (per person) tax burden in 2005 amounted to $1,910, compared to the national average of $2,192, which ranked the state 35th among the 50 states in terms of individual tax burden.

30

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality rate was estimated at 6.7 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate was 9.2 per 1,000 people in 2003. Major causes of death were heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and diabetes. About 20.3% of the population were smokers in 2004. Montana has one of the lowest AIDS rates in the country. In 2004, the state’s AIDS case rate was about 0.8 per 100,000 people. Montana’s 53 community hospitals had about 4,300 beds in 2003. In 2005, Montana had 800 nurses per 100,000 population, while in 2004, there were 224 physicians per 100,000 population, and a total of 513 dentists in the state. The average expense for community hospital care was $733 per day. In 2004, about 19% of Montana’s residents were uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, Montana had an estimated 423,262 housing units, of which 368,530 were occupied, and 68.5% were owner-occupied. About 69.8% of all units were single-family, detached homes, while about 12.8% were mobile homes. Utility gas and electricity were the most common energy sources for heating. It was estimated that 18,156 units lacked telephone service, 1,780 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 2,143 lacked Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.45 people. In 2004, a total of 5,000 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $119,319. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $974. Renters paid a median of $520 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, of all Montana residents age 25 and older, 91.9% were high school graduates and 5.5% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 147,000 in fall 2003, and expected to total 141,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 8,924. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $1.2 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 45,111 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Montana had 23 degree-granting institutions. The University of Montana has campuses at Missoula, Montana Tech, and Western Montana College. Montana State University encompasses the Bozeman, Billings, and Northern campuses.

33

Arts

The state capitol in Helena is home to Charles Russell’s mural Lewis and Clark Meeting the Flathead Indians. Orchestras are based in Billings and Bozeman. The Equinox Theater Company is also a popular attraction in Bozeman. The Montana Arts Council supports many programs with state and federal funds. The Montana Committee for the Humanities (MCH) was founded in 1972. In 2000, the MCH spon273

Montana

sored its first annual Montana Festival of the Book in downtown Missoula, bringing together writers, readers, and entertainers from across the state.

34


In 2001, Montana had 107 public libraries, of which 28 were branches. The combined book stock of all Montana public libraries was 2.625 million volumes and their combined circulation was 4.8 million. Distinguished collections include those of the University of Montana (Missoula) and Montana State University (Bozeman). Among the state’s 74 museums are the Montana Historical Society Museum in Helena, the World Museum of Mining in Butte, and the Museum of the Plains Indian in Browning. The C. M. Russell Museum in Great Falls honors the work of Charles Russell, whose mural Lewis and Clark Meeting the Flathead Indians adorns the capitol in Helena. Other fine art museums include the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, the Yellowstone Art Center at Billings, and the Missoula Museum of the Arts.

35

Communications

In 2004, of all the state’s households, 93.5% had telephone service, and as of December 2003, there were 373,947 wireless telephone service subscribers. In 2003, computers were in 59.5% of all Montana households, while 50.4% had Internet access. There were 43 major commercial radio stations (14 AM, 29 FM) in 2005, and 16 major television stations. A total of 15,300 Internet domain names were registered in Montana in 2000. 274

36

Press

As of 2005, Montana had eight morning dailies, three evening dailies, and seven Sunday newspapers. The leading papers and their circulations were the Billings Gazette (47,105 mornings, 52,434 Sundays), the Great Falls Tribune (33,434 mornings, 36,763 Sundays), and the Missoulian (30,466 mornings, 34,855 Sundays).

37


In 2002, about 10 million nonresident travelers spent $1.8 billion dollars on visits to the state. The tourist industry sponsors over 33,500 jobs for the state. Many tourists seek out the former gold rush camps, ghost towns, and dude ranches. Scenic wonders include Glacier National Park in the northwest, and Yellowstone National Park, which also extends into Idaho and Wyoming. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is another popular destination.

38

Sports

Although there are no professional major league sports teams in Montana, there are minor league baseball teams in Billings, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula. The University of Montana Grizzlies and Montana State University Bobcats both compete in the Big Sky Conference. Skiing is a very popular participation sport. The state has world-class ski resorts in Big Sky. Other annual sporting events include the SeeleyLincoln 100/200 Dog Sled Race between Seely Lake and Lincoln in January, and many rodeos statewide. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Montana

39

Famous Montanans

Prominent national officeholders from Montana include US Senator Thomas Walsh (b.Wisconsin, 1859–1933), who directed the investigation that uncovered the Teapot Dome scandal; Jeannette Rankin (1880–1973), the first woman member of Congress and the only US representative to vote against American participation in both world wars. Crazy Horse (1849?–1877) led a Sioux-Cheyenne army in battle at Little Big Horn. The town of Bozeman is named for explorer and prospector John M. Bozeman (b.Georgia, 1835–1867). Creative artists from Montana include Alfred Bertram Guthrie Jr. (b.Indiana, 1901– 1991), author of The Big Sky and the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Way West; and Charles Russell (b.Missouri, 1864–1926), Montana’s foremost painter and sculptor. Hollywood stars Gary Cooper (Frank James Cooper, 1901–1961) and Myrna Loy (1905–1993) were also from Montana.


40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bennett, Clayton. Montana. New York: Benchmark Books, 2001. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Montana. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. George, Charles. Montana. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. Murray, Julie. Montana. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Sateren, Shelley Swanson. Montana Facts and Symbols. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Sullivan, Gordon. Beautiful America’s Montana. Woodburn, OR: Beautiful America, 2000. WEB SITES State of Montana. mt.gov: Montana’s Official State Website. mt.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Travel Montana, Department of Commerce, and State of Montana. Montana: Big Sky Country. www.visitmt.com/index.htm (accessed March 1, 2007).

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Nebraska State of Nebraska

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Derived from the Oto

Indian word nebrathka, meaning “flat water” (for the Platte River). N I CKNAME : The Cornhusker State. C AP ITAL: Lincoln. ENT ERED UNION: 1 March 1867 (37th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Agriculture is represented by a farmer’s cabin, sheaves of wheat, and growing corn; the mechanic arts, by a blacksmith. Above is the state motto; in the background, a steamboat plies the Missouri River and a train heads toward the Rockies. The scene is surrounded by the words “Great Seal of the State of Nebraska, March 1st 1867.” FLAG: The great seal appears in the center, in gold and silver, on a field of blue. M OT TO: Equality Before the Law. SONG: “Beautiful Nebraska.” FLOWER: Goldenrod. TREE: Western cottonwood. A NIMAL: White-tailed deer. B IRD: Western meadowlark. IN S ECT: Honeybee. G E M: Blue agate. FOSSIL: Mammoth. R OCK OR STONE: Prairie agate. G RASS: Little bluestem. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Arbor Day, last Friday in April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving, 4th Thursday in November and following Friday; Christmas Day, 25 December. Other days for special observances include Pioneers’ Memorial Day, 2nd Sunday in June; Nebraska Czech Day, 1st Sunday in August; and American Indian Day, 4th Monday in September. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT; 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the western north-central United States, Nebraska ranks 15th in size among the 50 states. The total area of the state is 77,355 square miles (200,349 square kilometers), of which land takes up 76,644 square miles (198,508 square kilometers) and inland water 711 square miles (1,841 square kilometers). Nebraska extends about 415 miles (668 kilometers) from east to 277

Nebraska

west and 205 miles (330 kilometers) from north to south. The boundary length of Nebraska totals 1,332 miles (2,143 kilometers).

2

Topography

Most of Nebraska is prairie, since more than twothirds of the state lies within the Great Plains. The elevation slopes upward gradually from east to west, from a low of 840 feet (256 meters) in the southeast to 5,424 feet (1,654 meters) in Kimball County. The Sand Hills of the northcentral plain is an unusual region of sand dunes anchored by grasses that cover about 18,000 square miles (47,000 square kilometers). The Sand Hills region is dotted with small natural lakes, but in the rest of the state, the main lakes are artificial. The Missouri River forms the eastern part of the northern boundary of Nebraska. Three rivers cross the state from west to east: the wide, shallow Platte River; the Niobrara River; and the Republican River.

3

Climate

Nebraska has a continental climate with highly variable temperatures. The central region has a normal monthly maximum of 76°f (24°c) in July and a minimum of 22°f (-6°c) in January. The record low for the state is -47°f (-44°c), registered in Morrill County on 12 February 1899. The record high of 118°f (48°c) was recorded at Minden on 24 July 1936. Normal yearly precipitation ranges from 17 inches (43 centimeters) in the west to 30 inches (76 centimeters) in the southeast. Snowfall in the state varies from about 21 inches (53 centimeters) in the southeast to about 45 inches (114 centimeters) in the northwest corner. Blizzards, drought, and wind278

Nebraska Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

1,768,331 3.3% 7.2% 98.5% 89.6% 4.0% 0.8% 1.5% 0.0% 2.6% 1.5%


65 and over (13%)

Under 18 (25%)

45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City Omaha Lincoln Bellevue Grand Island Kearney Hastings Fremont North Platte Norfolk Columbus

Population

% change 2000–05

414,521 239,213 47,334 44,546 28,958 25,437 25,314 24,324 23,946 20,909

6.3 6.0 6.7 3.7 5.6 5.7 0.6 1.9 1.8 -0.3




0

0

Explanation

25

25

50 miles

50 kilometers

N

Area of Interest


State Capital


City (10,000-100,000) people

DUNDY

Rock Creek St. Rec. Area

Enders Res. St. Rec. Area

Champion Lake St. Rec. Area

R.

Swanson Res. St. Rec. Area

Trenton Dam

North Platte

RED WILLOW

Red Willow Res. St. Rec. Area

FRONTIER

Sutherland St. Rec. Area

HITCHCOCK

HAYES

80

FURNAS

DAWSON

GOSPER

. Kearney

HARLAN

FRANKLIN

KEARNEY

Ft. Kearney Sandy State Channel St. Rec. Area Rec. Area

PHELPS

R.

NUCKOLLS

DLD State Rec. Area

CLAY

HAMILTON

Pl

te at

MERRICK

NANCE

BOONE

KANSAS

WEBSTER

Hastings

ADAMS

Grand Island

HALL

Sherman Res. State Rec. Area

HOWARD

GREELEY

Pibel Lake State Rec. Area

WHEELER

Ravenna Lake St. Rec. Area

SHERMAN

VALLEY

Fort Hartsuff St. Hist. Park

Calamus Res. S. R. A.

GARFIELD

BUFFALO

R

CHASE

PERKINS

S. Platte

M. Lou p R. Victoria Springs Arnold Lake St. Rec. Area State Rec. Area CUSTER

ou

Point of Interest

DEUEL

LINCOLN

LOGAN

L S.

80

COLORADO

Lodgepole R.

KEITH

Lake McConaughy St. Rec. Area

MC PHERSON

LOUP

p

NEBRASKA

Oliver Res. State Rec. Area

Ash Hollow St. Hist. Park

ARTHUR

.

CHEYENNE

Crescent Lake Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

BLAINE

CEDAR

80

THAYER

Alexandria Lakes S. R. A.

JEFFERSON

Blue River St. Rec. Area

SALINE

Fremont

CASS

PAWNEE

JOHNSON

IOWA

Verdon Lake St. Rec. Area

RICHARDSON

Indian Cave State Park

NEMAHA

Bellevue

Omaha

Riverview Marina St. Rec. Area

Platte River St. Park

Papillion

SARPY

DOUGLAS

WASHINGTON

OTOE

Beatrice

Rockford Lake St. Rec. Area

GAGE

Lincoln

LANCASTER

Two Rivers St. Rec. Area

SAUNDERS

BURT

THURSTON

DAKOTA

DODGE

CUMING

SEWARD

BUTLER

Rock Cr. Station St. Hist. Pk. and St. Rec. Area

FILLMORE

YORK

POLK

COLFAX

STANTON

Norfolk

Columbus

PLATTE

MADISON

Ponca S.P.

DIXON

Winnebago Indian Reservation

WAYNE

Lewis and Clark Lake St. Rec. Area

Willow Creek St. Rec. Area

PIERCE

Santee Indian Reservation ANTELOPE

KNOX

R.

KIMBALL

N. Pla t Bridgeport te R. State Rec. Area

THOMAS

Nebraska Nat’l For.

R.

uri

Wildcat Hills State Rec. Area

Dismal R.

HOOKER

rara

Atkinson Lake St. Rec. Area

rn R.

ho

Elk

Niob

s so

BANNER

GRANT

Long Lake St. Rec. Area

ROCK

HOLT

BOYD

Mi

Scotts Bluff Nat’l Mon.

GARDEN

Long Pine St. Rec. Area

R

MORRILL

N. L oup R.

BROWN

KEYA PAHA

Valentine National Wildlife Ref. Keller Park St. Rec. Area

Fort Niobrara N.W.R.

Boardman R.

Samuel R. Mc Kelvie Nat’l For.

Cottonwood Lake St. Rec. Area

Snake R.

CHERRY

us

Scottsbluff

Walgren Lake State Rec. Area . ra R bra Nio

SHERIDAN

Box Butte Res. State Rec. Area

Nebraska Nat’l For.

R.

am

SCOTTS BLUFF

BOX BUTTE

W

e hit

DAWES

C al

SIOUX

Agate Fossil Beds Nat’l Mon.

Oglala National Grassland

SOUTH DAKOTA

Nebraska

279

MISSOURI

WYOMING

Nebraska

Chimney Rock on the Oregon Trail. NEBRASKA DIVISION OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM.

storms have plagued Nebraskans throughout their history.

4

Plants and Animals

Nebraska’s deciduous forests are generally oak and hickory. Conifer forests are dominated by western yellow (ponderosa) pine. Slough grasses, needlegrasses, western wheatgrass, and buffalo grass are found in the prairies. Common Nebraska wildflowers include wild rose, columbine, and sunflower. Three plant species were threatened as of 2006, Ute ladies’-tresses, western prairie fringed orchid, and Colorado butterfly plant. The blowout penstemon was listed as endangered that same year. Common mammals native to the state include the pronghorn sheep, white-tailed and 280

mule deer, and coyote. There are more than 400 kinds of birds, the mourning dove and the western meadowlark (the state bird) among them. Carp, catfish, and trout are fished for sport. Rare animal species include the least shrew, least weasel, and bobcat. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed nine animal species as threatened or endangered, including the American burying beetle, bald eagle, whooping crane, black-footed ferret, Topeka shiner, pallid sturgeon, and Eskimo curlew.

5


The Department of Environmental Quality was established in 1971 to protect and improve the quality of the state’s water, air, and land resources. In 2003, Nebraska had 255 hazardous waste sites Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nebraska

Nebraska Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,711,263 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,687,310 . . . . . . 98.6 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,591 . . . . . . . 1.3 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,651 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,285 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,344 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,057 . . . . . . . 0.4 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 669 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 15 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,362 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 12 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. The state has three wetlands of international importance as migrational and breeding grounds for waterfowl and nongame birds. While these areas are protected, the state has lost about 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) of wetlands since pre-European settlement times.

6

Population

In 2005, Nebraska ranked 38th in population in the United States with an estimated total of 1,768,331residents. The population is projected to reach 1.78 million by 2015 and 1.81 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

22.7 persons per square mile (8.76 persons per square kilometer). The median age of the state’s population was 36 for that same year. In 2005, of all Nebraska residents, 13% were 65 or older, while 25% were 18 or younger. The largest cities in 2005 were Omaha, with an estimated population of 414,521, and Lincoln, with 239,213 residents.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, the population of Nebraska included 94,425 Hispanics and Latinos, 68,541 black Americans, 21,931 Asians, and 836 Pacific Islanders. There were 14,896 Native Americans residing in the state, primarily from the Omaha, Winnebago, and Santee Sioux 281

Nebraska

tribes. Among those of European descent who reported at least one specific ancestry 661,133 were German, 163,651 were English, 229,805 were Irish, 93,286 were Czech, and 84,294 were Swedish. About 74,638 residents, or 4.4% of the total population, were foreign born. In 2006, black Americans accounted for 4.0% of the state’s population, while 1.5% were Asian, and 7.2% were Hispanic or Latino.

8

Languages

Nebraska English is almost pure North Midland, except for slight South Midland and Northern influences. A few words, mostly food terms like kolaches (fruit-filled pastries), are derived from the language of the large Czech population. Usual pronunciation features cot and caught as soundalikes and a strong final /r/. Fire sounds almost like far, and our like are. Greasy is pronounced greezy. In 2000, of the resident population five years old or older, 92.1% spoke only English at home. The number of residents who spoke other languages at home included Spanish, 77,655 and German, 8,865.

9

Religions

Nebraska’s religious history derives from its patterns of immigration. German and Scandinavian settlers tended to be Lutheran, while Irish, Polish, and Czech immigrants were mainly Roman Catholic. Methodism and other Protestant religions were spread by settlers from other Midwestern states. Although Protestants outnumber Catholics, the Roman Catholic Church was the largest single Christian denomination in the state with 282

about 376,843 adherents in 2004. As of 2000, Lutherans constituted the largest Protestant group with 117,419 adherents of the Missouri Synod, while there were 128,570 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and 5,829 belonged to the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. In 2004, a total of 84,337 people were United Methodists. In 2000, there were 39,420 Presbyterians–USA. The Jewish population was estimated at 7,100 in 2000, and Muslims numbered about 3,115. There were 704,403 people (about 41% of the population) who were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

Nebraska’s development was profoundly influenced by two major railroads, the Union Pacific and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, both of which were major landowners in the state in the late 1800s. As of 2003, these railroads still operated in the state. In that same year, there were 11 railroads operating in Nebraska, with 3,548 miles (5,712 kilometers) of track in the state. As of 2006, Amtrak provided east-west service to Chicago or Emeryville/San Francisco, to five stations in Nebraska In 2004, the state’s road system totaled 93,245 miles (150,124 kilometers), and is dominated by Interstate 80, the major east–west route, and the largest public investment project in the state’s history. A total of 1.678 million motor vehicles were registered in 2004, of which 829,000 were automobiles and about 820,000 were trucks. A total of 1,315,819 people held driver’s licenses in that same year. In 2005, there were 266 airports in the state, along with 36 heliports and 1 seaplane base. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nebraska

A tornado touches down less than two miles from this farm. AP IMAGES.

Eppley Airfield, Omaha’s airport, is by far the busiest in the state, with 1,892,379 passenger boardings in 2004.

11

History

By 1800, the Pawnee, Ponca, Omaha, and Oto tribes, along with several others, were living in what became present-day Nebraska. The area was claimed by both Spain and France and was French territory at the time of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, when it came under US jurisdiction. During the first half of the 19th century, the area was explored by Lewis and Clark, Zebulon Pike, and others. Military forts were established in the 1840s to protect travelers from attack by Native Americans. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

established the Nebraska Territory, which assumed its present shape in 1861. Still sparsely populated, Nebraska escaped the violent clash over slavery that afflicted Kansas. From 1860 to the late 1870s, however, western Nebraska was a battleground for US soldiers and Native Americans, who were moved to reservations in Nebraska, South Dakota, and Oklahoma by 1890. Statehood Settlement of Nebraska Territory was

rapid, escalated by the Homestead Act of 1862, under which the US government provided 160 acres (65 hectares) to a settler for a small fee. On 1 March 1867, Nebraska became the 37th state to join the Union. Farming and ranching developed as the state’s two main enterprises. However, by 1890, depressed farm prices, high railroad 283

Nebraska

Nebraska Governors: 1867–2007 1867–1871 1871–1873 1873–1875 1875–1879 1879–1883 1883–1887 1887–1891 1891 1891–1892 1892–1893 1893–1895 1895–1899 1899–1901 1901 1901–1903 1903–1907 1907–1909 1909–1911 1911–1913 1913–1917 1917–1919 1919–1923

David C. Butler Republican William Hartford James Republican Robert Wilkinson Furnas Republican Silas Garber Republican Albinus Nance Republican James William Dawes Republican John Milton Thayer Republican James E. Boyd Democrat John Milton Thayer Republican James E. Boyd Democrat Lorenzo Crounse Republican Silas Alexander Halcomb Populist William Amos Poynter Fusion Charles Henry Dietrich Republican Ezra Perin Savage Republican John Hopwood Mickey Republican George Lawson Sheldon Republican Ashton Cockayne Shallenberger Democrat Chester Hardy Aldrich Republican John Henry Morehead Democrat M. Kieth Neville Democrat Samuel Roy McKelvie Republican

shipping charges, and rising interest rates were hurting the state’s farmers, and a drought in the 1890s worsened their plight. When the dust storms of the 1930s began, thousands of people fled Nebraska for the West Coast. The onset of World War II, however, brought prosperity in many areas. Military airfields and war industries were placed in the state because of its safe inland location, bringing industrial growth that extended well into the postwar years. Much of the new industry developed since that time is agriculture-related, including the manufacture of farm machinery and irrigation equipment. Farm output and income increased dramatically into the 1970s. Many farmers took on large debt burdens to finance expanded output, with their credit supported by strong farm-product prices and exports. When prices began to fall in the early 1980s, many found themselves in 284

1923–1925 1925–1929 1929–1931 1931–1935 1935–1941 1941–1947 1947–1953 1953–1955 1955–1959 1959–1960 1960–1961 1961–1967 1967–1971 1971–1979 1979–1983 1983–1987 1987–1991 1991–1999 1999–2005 2005–

Charles Wayland Bryan Adma McMullen Arthur J. Weaver Charles Wayland Bryan Robert LeRoy Cochran Dwight Palmer Griswold Val Frederick Demar Peterson Robert Berkey Crosby Victor Emanuel Anderson Ralph Gilmour Brooks Dwight Willard Burney Frank Brenner Morrison Norbert Theodore Tiemann John James Exon Charles Thone Robert Kerrey Kay A. Orr Earl Benjamin Nelson Michael Johanns Dave Heineman

Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican

trouble. A 1982 state constitutional amendment prohibits the sale of land used for farming or ranching to anyone other than a Nebraska family farm corporation. The average farm income in Nebraska rose more than 10% between 1989 and the mid1990s. Farms in the state were fewer in number by the late 1990s, but they were larger and more mechanized. But farmers were struggling again by June 2000, when drought struck and most of the corn crop was lost. Some areas of the state had received no substantial rain in a year. The previous autumn and winter were the driest on record. Water conservation to avoid depletion of the state’s aquifers for irrigation purposes remained a major priority into 2004, as the state faced its fifth straight year of severe drought conditions. Although the state’s farm sector was being hit by drought and falling farm prices, Nebraska’s Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nebraska

nonfarm sector saw the growth of small industries and tourism, which acted to bolster the state’s economy. In January 2005, Lieutenant Governor Dave Heineman became governor, following the resignation of Governor Mike Johanns, who left to become the US Secretary of Agriculture. In the 2006 election, Heineman retained the governorship.

12

State Government

Nebraska’s legislature is unique among the states. It is a single-chamber body of 49 members not elected by political party. Members go by the title of senator, and are elected for four-year terms. In 2002, there was one African American and one Latino senator serving in the state legislature. Elected executives are the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and attorney general. They all serve four-year terms. The governor is limited to two consecutive terms, after which the governor is ineligible to serve in office for four years. A bill becomes law when passed by a majority of the legislature and signed by the governor. If the governor does not approve, the bill is returned with objections, and a three-fifths vote of the legislature is required to override a veto. A bill automatically becomes law if the governor does not take action within five days after receiving it. The legislative salary in 2004 was $12,000 and the governor’s salary was $85,000. The current state constitution was adopted in 1875. As of January 2005, it had been amended 222 times. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nebraska Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

NEBRASKA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 Dewey (R) 224,165 264,774 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 188,057 421,603 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 199,029 378,108 1960 Nixon (R) 232,542 380,553 1964 *Johnson (D) 307,307 276,847 1968 *Nixon (R) 170,784 321,163 1972 *Nixon (R) 169,991 406,298 1976 Ford (R) 233,692 359,705 1980 *Reagan (R) 166,424 419,214 1984 *Reagan (R) 187,866 460,054 1988 *Bush (R) 259,235 397,956 1992** Bush (R) 217,344 344,346 1996** Dole (R) 236,761 363,467 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 231,780 433,862 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 254,328 512,814 * Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 174,687 votes in 1992 and 71,278 votes in 1996.

13

Political Parties

In 2004 there were 1,160,000 registered voters. In 1998, 37% of registered voters were Democratic, 49% Republican, and 14% unaffiliated or members of other parties. In the 2000 presidential election, Republican candidate George W. Bush secured 63% of the vote while Democrat Al Gore received a 33% share. In the 2004 presidential election, Bush carried the state with 66% of the vote to John Kerry’s 33%. In the 2006 elections, Democrat Ben Nelson was reelected to the US Senate, while Republican Chuck Hagel was reelected to the US Senate in 2002. In that same year, Republican Mike Johanns was reelected governor. However in January 2005, Lieutenant Governor Dave Heineman became governor after Johanns resigned to become the US Secretary of Agriculture. Heineman was elected governor in his own right in 2006. 285

Nebraska

In the 2006 election, all three of the state’s seats in the US House of Representatives were won by Republicans. Nebraska’s unicameral state legislature is nonpartisan. Twelve women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 24.5%.

14

Local Government

In 2005, Nebraska had 93 counties, 531 municipalities, and 575 public school districts. In 2002, the state had 446 townships. Municipalities are governed by a mayor (or city manager) and a council. Counties are administered by elected boards of supervisors or commissioners.

15

Judicial System

The state’s highest court is the Nebraska Supreme Court, which consists of a chief justice and six other justices. Below the supreme court are the district courts, which are the trial courts of general jurisdiction. County courts handle criminal misdemeanors and civil cases involving less than $5,000. Nebraska’s crime rate is well below the national average. In 2004, the state’s rate for violent crime (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) was 308.7 incidents per 100,000 people. As of 31 December 2004, a total of 4,130 prisoners were being held in Nebraska’s state and federal prisons. Nebraska has a death penalty law, for which electrocution is the sole method of execution. As of 1 January 2006, there were 10 inmates on death row.

16

Migration

The pioneers who settled Nebraska in the 1860s consisted mainly of Civil War veterans from the 286

North and foreign-born immigrants. The Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fee railroads, which sold land to the settlers, actively recruited immigrants in Europe. Germans were the largest group to settle in Nebraska, then Czechs from Bohemia, and Scandinavians from Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. The Irish came to work on the railroads in the 1860s and stayed to help build the cities. Another wave of Irish immigrants in the 1880s went to work in the packinghouses of Omaha. The city’s stockyards also attracted Polish workers. By the 1900 census, over one-half of all Nebraskans were either foreign-born or the children of foreign-born parents. For much of the 20th century, Nebraska was in a period of out-migration. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had net gains of 2,000 in domestic migration and 14,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 22,199, while net domestic migration was -26,206, for a net loss of 4,007 people.

17

Economy

Agriculture remains the backbone of Nebraska’s economy. Cattle, corn, hogs, and soybeans lead the state’s list of farm products, and the largest portion of the state’s workforce is either directly employed in agriculture as farm workers, or indirectly as workers in the farm equipment and food processing industries. However in more recent years, the state has attempted to diversify its economy and has been successful in attracting new business, in large part because of its location near western coal and oil deposits. Nebraska’s agricultural sector has been deeply affected by consolidation, technical Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nebraska

advances in farming and transportation, and a prolonged drought. As of 2004, the drought was in its fifth consecutive year. Although water conservation was imposed to avoid depletion of the state’s aquifers, it appears likely that the state is facing long-term water shortages. In addition to the drought, the state’s rural counties have been steadily losing population since the 1970s, a trend that increased in the 1990s. In 2002, of the state’s 93 counties, 66 had lost population. Nebraska’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $68.183 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for the largest share of GSP at $8.305 billion, or 12.1%, and was followed by real estate at 8.6% of GSP, and by health care and social assistance at 7.2%. Of the 46,161 businesses in Nebraska that had employees, 96.8% were small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, Nebraska ranked 21st among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $32,341, compared to the national average of $33,050. For period 2002–04, the median household income was $44,623 compared to the national average of $44,473. In that same period, 9.9% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Nebraska has a small but growing industrial sector. In 2004, the shipment value of all goods manufactured in the state was $34.433 billion. Of that total, food manufacturing accounted for the largest portion at $19.037 billion, followed by machinery manufacturing at $2.061 billion, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

and transportation equipment manufacturing at $2.034 billion.

20

Labor

In 2004, a total of 99,706 people were employed in the state’s manufacturing sector, of which food manufacturing accounted for the largest portion at 36,190. The largest portion of the state’s manufacturing is concentrated in the Omaha metropolitan area. Other industrial centers are Lincoln, and in the portion of the Sioux City, Iowa metropolitan area that is in Nebraska. In April 2006, the labor force in Nebraska numbered 988,200, with approximately 33,700 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.4%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In April 2006, nonfarm employment data showed that about 4.9% of the labor force was employed in construction; 10.9% in manufacturing; 21.2% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.9% in financial activities; 10.4% in professional and business services; 13.7% in educational and health services; 8.5% in leisure and hospitality services; and 17.1% in government. In 2005, a total of 69,000 of Nebraska’s 830,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union, representing 8.3% of those so employed, compared to the national average of 12%.

21

Agriculture

With total cash receipts from farm marketings at over $11.2 billion in 2005, Nebraska ranked fourth among the 50 states. About $7.3 billion of all farm marketings came from livestock pro287

Nebraska

duction, and $3.9 billion from cash crops. In 2004, corn accounted for 22% of farm receipts. Crop production in 2004 (in bushels) included: corn, 1.3 billion; sorghum grain, 33.6 million; wheat, 61 million; oats, 3.7 million; and barley, 162,000. Hay production was 6.1 million tons; and potato production, 9.3 million hundredweight, (422 million kilograms). In the period 2000–04, Nebraska ranked third among the states in the production of corn and sorghum for grain, and fifth in sorghum for beans. Nebraska farms still tend to be owned by single persons or families rather than by large corporations. The strength of state support for the family farm was reflected in the passage of a 1982 constitutional amendment, initiated by petition, prohibiting the purchase of Nebraska farm and ranch lands by any group other than a Nebraska family farm corporation.

22


In 2005, Nebraska ranked third behind Texas and Kansas in the total number of cattle on farms (6.35 million), including 61,000 milk cows. Nebraska farmers had around 2.85 million hogs and pigs, valued at $313.5 million in 2004. During 2003, the state produced an estimated 10.3 million pounds (4.7 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs, which grossed $10.8 million in income for Nebraska farmers. Dairy products included 1.13 billion pounds (0.51 billion kilograms) of milk produced.

23

Fishing

Commercial fishing is negligible in Nebraska. The US Fish and Wildlife Service maintains 87 public fishing areas. In 2004, the state issued 288

176,619 fishing licenses. There are five state hatcheries producing a variety of stock fish that include largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, channel catfish, yellow perch, walleye, trout, and tiger musky

24

Forestry

Arbor Day, now observed throughout the United States, originated in Nebraska in 1872 as a way of encouraging tree planting in the sparsely forested state. Forestland occupies 1,275,000 acres (516,000 hectares), or 2.6% of the state. Ash, boxelder, hackberry, cottonwood, honey locust, red and bur oaks, walnut, elm, and willow trees are common to eastern and central Nebraska, while ponderosa pine, cottonwood, eastern red cedar, and Rocky Mountain juniper prevail in the west. The state’s two national forests, Nebraska and Samuel R. McKelvie, are primarily grassland and are managed for livestock grazing. In 2005, the National Forest Service maintained 257,628 acres (104,262 hectares) of forestland. Lumber production in 2004 totaled 15 million board feet.

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Nebraska in 2003 was estimated at $94.2 million. All minerals produced in Nebraska, with the exception of gemstones, were basic construction materials. Most clay mining occurs in the southeast region, but sand and gravel mining takes place throughout the state. Industrial sand was used in the production of glass and had some applications outside of construction activities. In 2003, the top minerals were, in descending order of value, cement (portland and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nebraska

masonry), crushed stone, and construction sand and gravel.

26

Energy and Power

Nebraska is the only state with an electric power system owned by the public through regional, cooperative, and municipal systems. The state’s net summer generating capacity in 2003 was 6.685 million kilowatts. Total electricity output in that same year was 30.455 billion kilowatt hours. Electricity from coal accounted for 68.8% of the total (20.954 billion kilowatt hours), followed by nuclear power at 26.3% (7.996 billion kilowatt hours), and hydropower at 3.2%. The remaining 1.7% came from natural gas or oil fired plants, and from other renewable fuel sources. As of 2006, there were two operating nuclear power plants in Nebraska, the Cooper plant in Brownsville and the Fort Calhoun Station near Omaha. Crude oil production for 2004 in Nebraska averaged 8,000 barrels per day. In that same year Nebraska had proven crude oil reserves of 15 million barrels. In 2004, marketed natural gas production in Nebraska totaled 1.454 billion cubic feet (0.041 billion cubic meters). Nebraska has no commercial coal industry, nor any crude oil refineries.

27

Commerce

In 2002, Nebraska’s wholesale trade sector had sales totaling $26.1 billion, while the state’s retail trade sector that year had sales totaling $20.2 billion. Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest share of retail sales in 2002, at $5.07 billion, followed by genJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

eral merchandise stores at $2.8 billion, and food and beverage stores at $2.4 billion. Nebraska’s exports of goods produced within the state totaled $3 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The Nebraska state budget is prepared by the Budget Division of the Department of Administrative Services and is submitted annually by the governor to the legislature. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Total revenues for the year 2004 were $8.3 billion, while total expenditures that year were $6.979 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($2.3 billion), public welfare ($1.899 billion), and highways ($595 million). The state’s outstanding debt in 2004 was $1.949 billion, or $1,115.36 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, Nebraska had a state personal income tax with tax brackets ranging between 2.56% to 6.84%. The corporate tax rate ranges from 5.58% to 7.81%. The state sales tax rate was 5.5%. Food consumed off premises (such as at home) is exempt from the sales tax. Local sales taxes range from 0 to 1.5%. The state imposes excise taxes on gasoline and on cigarettes. Property taxes are collected locally and by the state. The state collected $3.797 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 36.7% came from individual income taxes, 39.9% from the general sales tax, 12% from selective sales taxes, 5.2% from corporate income taxes, 0.1% from property taxes, and 6% from other types of taxes. In 2005, Nebraska ranked 24th among the states in 289

Nebraska

terms of its combined state and local tax burden, which came to $2,158 per person, compared to the national average of $2,192.

30

Health

In 2004, authorization was given to build 10,900 new privately owned units. The median home value was $106,656. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,051. Renters paid a median of $547 per month.

In October 2005, Nebraska’s infant mortality rate was estimated at 5.7 per 1,000 live births. The crude death rate in 2003 was 8.9 per 1,000 population. Major causes of death in 2002 were heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and diabetes. About 20.2% of the state’s residents were smokers in 2004. The rate of HIV-related deaths was 1.2 per 100,000. The reported AIDS case rate in 2004 was around 3.9 per 100,000 people. University Hospital and the University of Nebraska Medical Center are in Omaha. Nebraska’s 85 community hospitals in 2003 had about 7,500 beds. In 2004, there were 243 physicians per 100,000 people, and a total of 1,114 dentists in Nebraska. In 2005, the state had 936 nurses per 100,000 population. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,043 per day. In 2004, about 11% of Nebraskans were uninsured.

32

31

33

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 757,743 housing units in Nebraska, of which 687,456 were occupied, and 68.4% were owner-occupied. About 73.8% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Utility gas and electricity were the most common heating energy sources. It was estimated that 35,566 units lacked telephone service, 1,426 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 3,513 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.47 people. 290

Education

In 2004, of all Nebraskans age 25 and older, 91.3% were high school graduates and 24.8% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 282,000 in fall 2003, and was expected to rise to 285,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 39,454 students. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $2.6 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 116,737 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Nebraska had 39 degree-granting institutions, including 7 public four-year colleges, 16 nonprofit, private 4-year colleges and universities, and 8 public 2-year schools. The University of Nebraska is the state’s largest postsecondary institution, with campuses in Kearney, Lincoln, and Omaha.

Arts

The 15-member Nebraska Arts Council (NAC), appointed by the governor, is empowered to receive federal and state funds, and to plan and administer statewide and special programs in all the arts. Affiliation with the Mid-America Arts Alliance allows the council to help sponsor national and regional events. The Nebraska Humanities Council, founded in 1972, sponsors two annual festivals: The Great Plains Chautauqua and the Nebraska Book Festival. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nebraska

A librarian at the Nebraska State Library shows off a bookcase with a secret door the leads to a small balcony on the south side of the state capitol building. AP IMAGES.

The Omaha Theater Company for Young People sponsors a number of theatrical performances, as does as the Omaha Theater Ballet Company. The Omaha Symphony was founded in 1921, and Opera Omaha was founded in 1958. The Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln sponsors a wide variety of dance, theater, and musical programs.

books and 2,471 periodical subscriptions in 9 branches. The state had 107 museums in 2000. The Roslyn Art Museum in Omaha is the state’s leading museum. Other important museums include the Nebraska State Museum of History, the Stir Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island, and the University of Nebraska State Museum.

34

35


As of December 2001, the state had 289 libraries, of which 17 were branches. For that same period, there were a total of 6 million volumes and a total circulation of 11.36 million. The Omaha public library system had 916,560 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Communications

In 2004, about 95.7% of the state’s occupied housing units had telephones. In June of that same year, there were 984,355 wireless telephone service subscribers, while 66.1% of all households in the state had a computer and 291

Nebraska

55.4% had access to the Internet, in 2003. In 2005, there were 52 major FM and 19 major AM radio stations in operation. There were eight major network TV stations. A total of 23,752 Internet domain names were registered in the state by 2000.

36

Press

In 2005, Nebraska had 6 morning dailies, 12 evening dailies, and 6 Sunday newspapers. The leading newspaper in 2005 was the Omaha World–Herald, with a daily circulation that year of 192,607 and a Sunday circulation of 242,964. The Lincoln Journal–Star had a daily circulation of 74,893 and a Sunday circulation of 84,149.

37


Tourism is Nebraska’s third largest source of outside revenue (after agriculture and manufacturing). In 2004, the state hosted about 19.6 million travelers. Total travel expenditures came to $2.9 billion. The industry supports nearly 43,000 jobs. The 8 state parks, 9 state historical parks, 12 federal areas, and 55 recreational areas are main tourist attractions. Fishing, swimming, picnicking, and sightseeing are the principal activities. The most attended Nebraska attractions in 2002 were: Omaha’s Henry Dourly Zoo (1,420,556 visitors), Cabala’s in Sidney (1,025,000), Eugene T. Mahoney State Park (1,100,000), Lake McDonough State Recreation Area (859,624), Fort Robinson State Park (357,932), Roslyn Art Museum (186,646), Strategic Air and Space Museum (173,889), the Great Platte River Road

292

Archway Monument (163,000), University of Nebraska State Museum (133,343), and Scotts Bluff National Monument (111,293).

38

Sports

There are no professional major league sports teams in Nebraska. Minor league baseball’s Omaha Golden Spikes play in the AAA Pacific Coast League. Equestrian activities, including racing and rodeos, are also popular. Pari-mutuel racing is licensed by the state. Major annual sporting events are the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) College Baseball World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium, and the River City Roundup and Rodeo, both held in Omaha. The most popular spectator sport is college football. The University of Nebraska Cornhuskers compete in the Big 12 football conference. The Cornhuskers have won numerous bowl games, including the Fiesta Bowl in 1996 and 2000, and the Alamo Bowl in 2001.

39

Famous Nebraskans

Nebraska was the birthplace of only one US president, Gerald R. Ford (Leslie King Jr., 1913– 2006). William Jennings Bryan (b.Illinois, 1860–1925), a US representative from Nebraska, served as secretary of state and was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for president three times. Native American leaders important in Nebraska history include Oglala Sioux chiefs Red Cloud (1822–1909) and Crazy Horse (1849?–1877), and Ponca chief Standing Bear (1829–1908). Father Edward Joseph Flanagan (b.Ireland, 1886–1948) was the founder of Boys


Nebraska

Town, a home for underprivileged youth. Two native Nebraskans became Nobel laureates in 1980: Lawrence R. Klein (b.1920) in economics and Val L. Fitch (b.1923) in physics. Writers associated with Nebraska include Willa Cather (b.Virginia, 1873–1947), who used the Nebraska frontier setting of her childhood in many of her writings, and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1922; Mari Sandoz (1896–1966), who wrote of her native Great Plains; and author Tillie Olsen (1912–2007). Composer-conductor Howard Hanson (1896–1982), born in Wahoo, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1944. Nebraskans important in entertainment include actor-dancer Fred Astaire (Fred Austerlitz, 1899–1984); actors Henry Fonda (1905–1982), and Marlon Brando (1924–2004); and television star Johnny Carson (b.Iowa, 1925–2005).


40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Nebraska. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. Heinrichs, Ann. Nebraska. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. McAuliffe, Emily. Nebraska Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Nebraska. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Nichols, John. Big Red: The Nebraska Cornhuskers Story. Mankato, MN: Creative Education, 1999. WEB SITES Nebraska Division of Travel and Tourism. Nebraska, possibilities...endless. visitnebraska.org (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Nebraska. Nebraska.gov: The Official Website of Nebraska. www.state.ne.us (accessed March 1, 2007).

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Table of Contents

Reader’s Guide vi Guide to State Articles x Nevada 1 New Hampshire 17 New Jersey 33 New Mexico 57 New York 75 North Carolina 109 North Dakota 135 Ohio 151 Oklahoma 177 Oregon 195 Pennsylvania 215 Rhode Island 241 South Carolina 257 South Dakota 277 Glossary 295 Abbreviations & Acronyms 300

v

Nevada State of Nevada

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for the Sierra

Nevada mountain range, nevada meaning “snowcovered” in Spanish. N I CKNAME : The Silver State; the Sagebrush State; the Battle-born State. C AP ITAL: Carson City. ENT ERED UNION: 31 October 1864 (36th). O FFICIAL SEAL: A quartz mill, ore cart, and mine tunnel symbolize Nevada’s mining industry. A plow, sickle, and sheaf of wheat represent its agricultural resources. In the background are a railroad, a telegraph line, and a sun rising over the snowcovered mountains. Encircling this scene are 36 stars and the state motto. The words “The Great Seal of the State of Nevada” surround the whole. FLAG: On a blue field, two sprays of sagebrush and a golden scroll in the upper lefthand corner frame a silver star with the word “Nevada,” below the star and above the sprays; the scroll, reading “Battle Born,” recalls that Nevada was admitted to the Union during the Civil War. M OT TO: All for Our Country. SONG: “Home Means Nevada.” FLOWER: Sagebrush. TREE: Single-leaf piñon; Bristlecone pine. A NIMAL: Desert bighorn sheep. B IRD: Mountain bluebird. FISH: Lahontan cutthroat trout. R EPT ILE: Desert tortoise. FOSSIL: Ichthyosaur. R OCK OR STONE: Sandstone. G RASS: Indian ricegrass. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

L E G A L H O L I D AY S : New Year’s Day, 1 January;

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Nevada Day, last Friday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Family Day, Friday after Thanksgiving; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 4 AM PST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada in the western United States, Nevada ranks seventh in size among the 50 states. The total area of Nevada is 110,561 square miles (286,352 square kilometers), with land comprising 109,894 square miles (284,624 square kilometers) and inland water covering 667 1

Nevada

square miles (1,728 square kilometers). Nevada extends 320 miles (515 kilometers) from east to west and 483 miles (777 kilometers) from north to south. The total boundary length of Nevada is 1,480 square miles (2,382 kilometers).

2

Topography

Almost all of Nevada is part of the Great Basin, a plateau characterized by isolated mountain ranges and arid basins. The mountain ranges generally stretch from north to south. Chief among them are the Schell Creek, Ruby Toiyabe, and Carson (within the Sierra Nevada). Nevada’s highest point is Boundary Peak, 13,140 feet (4,007 meters), in the southwest. Nevada has a number of large lakes and several large saltwater marshes known as sinks. The largest lake is Pyramid, with an area of 188 square miles (487 square kilometers), in the west. Nevada shares Lake Tahoe with California. The state shares Lake Mead, created by Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, with Arizona. The streams of the Great Basin frequently disappear during dry spells; many of them flow into local lakes or sinks without reaching the sea. The state’s longest river, the Humboldt, flows for 290 miles (467 kilometers) through the northern half of the state into the Humboldt Sink. The Walker, Truckee, and Carson rivers drain the western part of the Nevada. The canyon carved by the mighty Colorado, the river that forms the extreme southeastern boundary of the state, is the site of Nevada’s lowest elevation, 479 feet (146 meters). 2

Nevada Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

2,495,529 24.9% 23.7% 96.9% 76.1% 7.2% 1.2% 5.8% 0.5% 6.2% 3.0%


Under 18 (26%)

65 and over (11%)

45 to 64 (24%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (30%)

Major Cities by Population City Las Vegas Henderson Reno North Las Vegas Sparks Carson Elko Boulder Mesquite Fernley

Population

% change 2000–05

545,147 232,146 203,550 176,635 82,051 56,062 16,685 15,177 13,523 11,342

13.9 32.4 12.8 52.9 23.7 6.9 -0.1 1.4 44.0 NA



Nevada

OREGON WASHOE

IDAHO

HUMBOLDT

ELKO

Charles Sheldon Antelope Range

Charles Sheldon Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

Duck Valley Ind. Res.

Lye Creek St. Rec. Area

Humboldt National For.

Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Natural Area

Humboldt Nat’l For.

Jack Creek State Rec. Area

80 EUREKA

PERSHING

Elko

S. Fork S. R. A.

LANDER

Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation

Humboldt National Forest Rush Marsh State Rec. Area

Reese R

.

Rye Patch Sate Rec. Area . tR ld bo m u Humboldt H Wildlife Mgmt. Area

Te-Moak Ind. Res.

Goshute Ind. Res.

Ruby Valley National Wildlife Ref.

CHURCHILL

WHITE PINE

80

UTAH

Sparks STOREY

Toiyabe National Forest

Reno

Carson City

ORMSBY

Lake Tahoe Nevada St. Park

Lahontan S. R. A.

Stillwater Wildlife Mgmt. Area

Humboldt National Forest

Walker River Indian Res.

DOUGLAS

Toiyabe Nat’l For.

MINERAL

Mormon Station St. Hist. Park

Desert Creek S. R. A.



NYE

Walker Lake St. Rec. Area Toiyabe Nat’l For.

Berlin Ichthyosaur State Park

Cave Lake St. Pk. Currant Creek State Rec. Area

Peavine Cr. S. R. A. Toiyabe National Forest

LINCOLN

Humboldt National Forest

ESMERALDA

Spring Valley State Park Saulsbury Wash St. Rec. Area

NEVADA

Great Basin Nat’l Pk.


White R.

LYON

Inyo National Forest

Echo Canyon State Rec. Area

Nellis U.S.A.F. Range

Explanation

Cathedral Gorge State Park

Point of Interest

Kershaw Ryan State Park

Desert National Wildlife Range


Beaver Dam St. Park


80

Area of Interest CLARK

Death Valley Nat’l Mon.

15

N 25

0 0

25

Valley of Fire St. Park

50 miles


N. Las Vegas

Lake Mead N. R. A.

Las Vegas Spring Mtn.

50 kilometers

Ranch St. Park

Henderson Boulder City

CALIFORNIA


Lake Mead National Rec. Area

ARIZONA

Cottonwood Cove S. R. A.

3

Nevada

Pyramid Lake, north of Reno. NEVADA COMMISSION ON TOURISM.

3

Climate

Nevada’s climate is sunny and dry. The normal daily temperature at Reno ranges from 32°f (0°c) in January to 70°f (21c) in July. Normal daily temperatures in Las Vegas are 44°f (7°c in January and 85°f (29°c) in July. The all-time high, 125°f (52°c), was set at Laughlin on 29 June 1994. The record low was -50°f (-46°c), set at San Jacinto on 8 January 1937. Nevada is the driest state in the United States, with overall average annual precipitation of less than 4 inches (10 centimeters) in Las Vegas, and about 7 inches (17.8 centimeters) in Reno. Snowfall is abundant in the mountains, 4

reaching 60 inches (152 centimeters) a year on the highest peaks.

4

Plants and Animals

Various species of pine, such as the single-leaf piñon (the state tree), dominate Nevada’s woodlands. Creosote bush is common in southern Nevada, as are many kinds of sagebrush throughout the state. Wildflowers include shooting star and white and yellow violets. In 2006, there were eight plant species listed as threatened or endangered, including Amargosa niterwort and steamboat buckwheat. Native mammals include the black bear, pronghorn antelope, Rocky Mountain elk, cotJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nevada

Nevada Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,998,257 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,921,829 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70,693 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,680 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,740 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,013 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,112 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,202 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,243 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,259 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,248 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . 123 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 914 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,522 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,513 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,735

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 96.2 . . . . . . . 3.5 . . . . . . . 0.4 . . . . . . . 0.5 . . . . . . . 0.6 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 1.3 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.3


tontail rabbit, and river otter. Grouse and partridge are among the leading game birds. Trout, salmon, and whitefish thrive in Nevada waters. Rare and protected reptiles are the Gila monster and desert tortoise. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 25 Nevada animal species as threatened or endangered, including the desert tortoise, six species of dace, three species of pupfish, woundfin, and three species of chub.

5


Preservation of the state’s clean air, scarce water resources, and no longer abundant wildlife are the major environmental challenges facing Nevada. The Department of Fish and Game sets quotas Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

on the hunting of deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, and other game animals. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has broad responsibility for environmental protection, state lands, forests, and water and mineral resources. The Division of Environmental Protection within the department has primary responsibility for the control of air pollution, water pollution, waste management, and groundwater protection. In 2003, Nevada had 33 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, one of which was on the National Priorities List as of 2006. Although wetlands cover only about 1% of the mainly barren state, 5

Nevada

2005, about 11% of residents were 65 and older while 26% were 18 and younger. As of 2005, about 90% of all residents live in cities. Las Vegas, the largest city, had an estimated 545,147 residents in 2005. Other major cities with their 2005 estimated populations were Henderson, 232,146, and Reno, 203,550.

7

Joshua tree in southern Nevada. NEVADA COMMISSION ON TOURISM.

they are some of the most valuable lands in the state. Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance.

6

Population

In 2006, Nevada ranked 35th in population in the United States with an estimated total of 2,495,529 residents. The population is projected to reach 3.8 million or higher by 2025. In 2005, the population density was about 21.3 persons per square mile (8.2 persons per square kilometer). In 2004, the median age was 35.1 years. In 6

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, there were 135,477 black American residents in Nevada, representing about 7% of the population. The Native American population was 26,420 at the 2000 census. Major tribes included the Washo, Northern Paiute, Southern Paiute, and Shoshoni. Hispanics and Latinos numbered 393,970, including 285,764 Mexicans. About 316,593 residents (15.8%) were foreign born. In 2006, it was estimated that black Americans accounted for about 7.2% of the population. The same year, estimates indicated that 1.2% of residents were Native Americans, 23.7% were Hispanic or Latino, and 5.8% were Asian.

8

Languages

Midland and Northern English dialects are intermixed in Nevada. In 2000, 76.9% of the resident population five years old or older spoke only English at home. Other principal languages and the number of speakers were Spanish, 299,947, and Tagalog, 29,476.

9

Religions

In 2004, Nevada had 607,926 Roman Catholics, a significant increase from 331,844 members in 2000. The second-largest single denomination Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nevada

was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) with 165,498 adherents in 2006. Major Protestant groups (with membership information from 2000) included Southern Baptists, 40,233; Assemblies of God, 22,699; Evangelical Lutherans, 10,663; and United Methodists, 10,452. Also in 2000, there were an estimated 77,100 Jews living in Nevada. Muslims numbered about 2,291 and there were about 1,124 adherents to the Baha’i faith. About 1.3 million people (about 65.7% of the population) did not claim any religious affiliation.

10

Transportation

As of 2003, Nevada had 2,009 rail miles (3,234 kilometers) of railroads. Amtrak provides passenger service across northern Nevada en route from Chicago to Oakland. In 2003, there were 33,977 miles (54,702 kilometers) of public roads and streets. In 2004, there were 1.3 million registered vehicles, 633,000 of which were automobiles, 622,000 trucks, and 2,000 buses. Licensed drivers numbered 1,548,097. The major highways, I-80 and I-15, link Salt Lake City with Reno and Las Vegas, respectively. There were 99 airports and 32 heliports in 2005. The leading commercial air terminals are McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas (19,943,025 passengers enplaned in 2004) and Reno-Tahoe International Airport (2,478,179 passengers in 2004).

11

History

Four principal Native American groups have inhabited Nevada: Southern Paiute, Northern Paiute, Shoshoni, and Washo. Probably the first white explorer to enter the state was the Spanish Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

priest Francisco Garces, in 1776. Nevada’s first permanent white settlement, Mormon Station (later Genoa), was founded in 1851 in what is now western Nevada, a region that became part of Utah Territory the same year. (The southeastern tip of Nevada was assigned to the Territory of New Mexico.) Farming and ranching communities were established in the northwest. A separate Nevada Territory was established on 2 March 1861. Only three years later, on 31 October 1864, Nevada achieved statehood. The state’s development during the rest of the century was determined by the discovery of the Comstock Lode, an immense concentration of silver and gold which attracted thousands of fortune seekers and established the region as a thriving mining center. The lode’s rich ores were exhausted in the late 1870s, and Nevada slipped into a 20-year depression. Nevada’s economy revived following new discoveries of silver at Tonopah in 1902 and gold at Goldfield in 1904. A second great mining boom followed, bolstered and extended by major copper discoveries in eastern Nevada. Progressive politics in this pre-World War I period added recall, referendum, and initiative amendments to the state constitution and brought about the adoption of women’s suffrage (1914). 1920s to 1990s The 1920s were a time of eco-

nomic decline. Mining fell off and not even the celebrated divorce trade, centered in Reno, was able to compensate. During the 1930s, the hard times of the depression were alleviated by federal public works projects, most notably the construction of the Hoover (Boulder) Dam and by state laws that aided the divorce business and legalizing gambling. 7

Nevada

Nevada Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

NEVADA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 *Truman (D) 31,290 29,357 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 31,688 50,502 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 40,640 56,049 1960 *Kennedy (D) 54,880 52,387 1964 *Johnson (D) 79,339 56,094 1968 *Nixon (R) 60,598 73,188 1972 *Nixon (R) 66,016 115,750 1976 Ford (R) 92,479 101,273 1980 *Reagan (R) 66,666 155,017 1984 *Reagan (R) 91,655 188,770 1988 *Bush (R) 132,738 206,040 1992** *Clinton (D) 189,148 175,828 1996** *Clinton (D) 203,974 199,244 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 279,978 301,575 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 397,190 418,690 * Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate, Ross Perot, received 132,580 votes in 1992 and 43,986 votes in 1996.

Gambling grew rapidly after World War II, becoming by the mid-1950s not only the mainstay of Nevada tourism but also the state’s leading industry. Revelations during the 1950s and 1960s that organized crime had infiltrated the casino industry led to a state and federal crackdown and the imposition of new state controls. From the 1960s through the 1990s, Nevada was the fastest growing of the 50 states. Much of its growth was associated with expansion of the gambling industry—centered in the casinos of Las Vegas and Reno—and of the military. In the 1980s, Nevada tried to reduce its dependence on gambling by diversifying its economy. In an attempt to attract new businesses, particularly in high-technology industries, the state promoted such features as its absence of state corporate or personal income taxes, inexpensive real estate, low wages, and its ready access by air or land to California. 8

In the early 1990s, Nevada was the only state reporting an increase in manufacturing jobs. Meanwhile Las Vegas continued to prosper, expanding its offerings to attract new visitors. During the decade, several extravagant new hotel and casino complexes opened, many of them featuring amusement parks and other family-oriented entertainment. The booming Las Vegas economy helped push Nevada unemployment to an all-time low of 3.1% in December 1999, one-half a percentage point below the prior record of 3.6% set in 1962. Nevada residents were opposed to the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste disposal site, first proposed by Congress in 1987. While work had begun at the site, 75 miles (80 kilometers) north of Las Vegas, the future of the project remained in question. In 2002 President George W. Bush approved the plan to use Yucca Mountain as the nation’s nuclear waste disposal site. The Nevada governor vetoed the project, but this veto was overridden by the US Congress. Nevada filed suits in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, but these were dismissed by judges in 2004. As of 2005, the federal government was going ahead with its storage of nuclear waste underground at Yucca Mountain. Most Nevadans still opposed the plan.

12

State Government

The state legislature consists of a senate with 21 members, each elected to a four-year term; and a house of representatives with 42 members, each serving two years. Executive officials elected statewide include the governor and lieutenant governor (who run separately), secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, and comptroller. They all serve four-year terms. A two-thirds vote Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nevada

of the elected members of each house is required to override a governor’s veto. In 2004, the legislative salary was $130 per day during regular legislative sessions and the governor’s salary was $117,000.

13

Political Parties

Since World War II neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have dominated state politics, which are basically conservative. As of 2004, there were 1,094,000 registered voters. In the 2000 presidential election, Nevadans elected Republican George W. Bush with 49% of the vote, giving Democrat Al Gore 46%. In 2004, Bush received 50.5% of the vote while the Democratic challenger, John Kerry, received 47.9%. Nevada is represented in the US Congress by one Democratic senator, Harry Reid, and one Republican senator, John Ensign. Nevada’s representatives in the US House include two Republicans and one Democrat. Republican James Arthur (Jim) Gibbons was elected governor in 2006. Following the 2006 midterm elections, there were 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats in the state senate, and 27 Democrats and 15 Republicans in the state house. Twentyone women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 33.3%.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, Nevada was subdivided into 17 counties and 19 other municipalities. The state had 17 public school districts that year. Elected county officials include commissioners, public administrator, district attorney, and sheriff. Most Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nevada Governors: 1864–2007 1864–1871 1871–1879 1879–1883 1883–1887 1887–1890 1890–1891 1891–1895 1895–1896 1896–1903 1903–1908 1908–1911 1911–1915 1915–1923 1923–1927 1927–1934 1934–1935 1935–1939 1939–1947 1947–1951 1951–1959 1959–1967 1967–1971 1971–1979 1979–1983 1983–1989 1989–1999 1999–2006 2006–

Henry Goode Blasdel Republican Lewis Rice Bradley Democrat John Henry Kinkead Republican Jewett William Adams Democrat Charles Clark Stevenson Republican Francis Jardine Bell Republican Roswell Keyes Colcord Republican John Edward Jones Silver Democrat Reinhold Sadler Silver Republican John Sparks Silver Democrat Denver Sylvester Dickerson Sil. Democrat Tasker Lowndes Oddie Republican Emmett Derby Boyle Democrat James Graves Scrugham Democrat Fred Bennett Balzar Republican Morley Isaac Griswold Republican Richard Kirman, Sr. Democrat Edward Peter Carville Democrat Vail Montgomery Pittman Democrat Charles Hinton Russell Republican Grant Sawyer Democrat Paul Dominique Laxalt Republican Donald Neil O’Callaghan Democrat Robert Frank List Republican Richard Hudson Bryan Democrat Robert Joseph Miller Democrat Kenny Guinn Republican James Arthur Gibbons Republican

municipalities use the mayor-council system of government.

15

Judicial System

Nevada’s supreme court consists of a chief justice and six other justices. There are 51 district court judges organized into nine judicial districts. The state’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 615.9 per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property were reported at a rate of about 4,206 per 100,000 people. There were 11,365 inmates in state and federal prisons in June December 2004. Nevada has a death penalty law and has executed 12 people between 1976 and 5 May 2006. As of 1 January 2006, 83 persons were on death row. 9

Nevada

16

Migration

In 1870, about half of Nevada’s population consisted of foreign immigrants, among them Chinese, Italian, Swiss, British, Irish, German, and French Canadian. Between 1990 and 1998, Nevada had net gains of 397,000 in domestic migration and 45,000 in international migration. A significant number of international immigrants come from Mexico. For the period 2000–05, net international migration was 66,098 and net internal migration was 270,945 for a net gain of 337,043 people.

17

Economy

Nevada has a dry climate and a shortage of usable land for farming, but it has a wealth of mineral resources—gold, silver, copper, and other metals. Mining remains important, though it has been overshadowed since World War II by tourism and gambling, which generate more than 50% of the state’s income. Legalized gambling alone produces nearly half of Nevada’s tax revenues. The state economy experienced very high growth rates in the late 1990s and into the early 2000s. Although the national recession of 2001 caused the growth rate to slow to 4.9%, this rate was well above the national average. Job growth in Nevada has taken place in the services, retail trade, government, and construction areas of the economy. In 2004, an estimated 10,483 new businesses were established while 9,012 businesses were closed.

18

Income

In 2005, Nevada had a gross state product (GSP) of $100 billion, ranking 31st among the 10

50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Nevada ranked 18th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $33,787; the national average was $33,050. The average median household income for 2002–04 was $46,984 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 10.1% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

19

Industry

Industry in Nevada is limited but diverse, producing communications equipment, pet food, chemicals, and sprinkler systems, among other products. The total value of shipments by manufacturers in 2004 was $9.5 billion.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the labor force in Nevada numbered 1,264,900. Approximately 52,300 workers were unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.1%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, about 11.5% of the labor force was employed in construction; 3.8% in manufacturing; 17.6% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.2% in financial activities; 12.2% in professional and business services; 6.8% in education and health services; 26.2% in leisure and hospitality services, and 11.5% in government. In 2005, some 145,000 of Nevada’s 1,051,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 13.8% of those so employed. The national average was 12%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nevada

21

Agriculture

Agricultural income in 2005 totaled $478 million (45th in the United States), of which $172 million was from crops and $306 million from livestock and animal products. Chief crops in 2004 included 960,000 bushels of wheat, 1.48 million tons of hay, and 2,881,000 hundredweight of potatoes. Nevada’s barley crop in 2004 was 210,000 bushels. Virtually all of the state’s cropland requires irrigation.

22


In 2005, Nevada ranches and farms had 500,000 cattle and calves, valued at $450 million. In 2003, the state produced 2.5 million pounds (1.1 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs which brought in around $4 million in gross income. In 2004, the shorn wool production was an estimated 510,000 pounds (231,800 kilograms). Nevada’s total milk yield in 2003 was 485 million pounds (220 million kilograms) from 26,000 milk cows.

23

Fishing

There is no commercial fishing industry in Nevada. The state has four fish culture facilities that produce about 430,000 pounds of trout annually. The Lahontan National Fish Hatchery also distributes cutthroat trout within the state. In 2004, Nevada issued 124,408 sport fishing licenses.

24

Forestry

Nevada in 2004 had 9,767,000 acres (3,953,000 hectares) of forestland. In 2005, four national forests had 5,841,209 acres (2,363,937 hectares) Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

View of the silver-mining town of Tonopah. Nevada leads the nation in the production of silver. NEVADA COMMISSION ON TOURISM.

in the National Forest System. Less than 2% of all forested land in Nevada was classified as commercial timberland.

25

Mining

In 2003, the value of nonfuel mineral production in Nevada was estimated at $2.9 billion. Gold production was 476,198 pounds (216,000 kilograms) in 2003 and silver production was 643,749 pounds (292,000 kilograms). The state’s mines provided 81% of the nation’s gold and about 24% of all silver. Nevada remained the leading state in the production of gold, silver, barite, and diatomite. It was the sole producer 11

Nevada

38, while the other two were added in 1944 and 1961. In 2004, total oil production was 1,000 barrels per day. In 2003, marketed gas production totaled 6 million cubic feet (170,400 cubic meters).

27

Commerce

Wholesale sales in 2002 totaled $16.5 billion; retail sales, $26.9 billion. Exports in 2005 totaled $3.9 billion.

28

Aerial view of Hoover Dam. NEVADA COMMISSION ON TOURISM.

of lithium carbonate minerals and mined magnesite, which is used in making refractories and magnesia. Nevada also ranked third in gypsum, fifth in perlite, sixth in gemstones, and seventh in lime. Nevada ranked second among the states in 2003 for overall production value of nonfuel minerals.

26

Energy and Power

About 33.1 billion kilowatt hours of electrical power were produced in 2003. Hoover Dam, anchored in the bedrock of Black Canyon east of Las Vegas, is the state’s largest hydroelectric installation, with an installed capacity of 1,039,000 kilowatts in 2003. The first six of the dam’s eight turbines began operation in 1936– 12

Public Finance

The budget is prepared biennially by the Budget Division of the Department of Administration and submitted by the governor to the legislature, which has unlimited power to change it. Total revenues for 2004 were $10.1 billion and expenditures were $8.6 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($3 billion), public welfare ($1.2 billion), and highways ($893 million). The total state debt was $3.6 billion or $1,546.20 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

Nevada has no individual or corporate income tax. Almost 78% of state-level tax collections come from general and selective sales (excise) taxes. Nevada levies a 6.5% state sales and use tax. Additional local taxes on retail sales can reach as high as 1%. There is a full array of state motor fuels, tobacco products, and other selected items. Other state taxes include various license and franchise fees, state property taxes, severance taxes, and stamp taxes. The state collected $5 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 45% came from the general sales tax, 33.6% from selective sales taxes, and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nevada

Aerial view of Las Vegas at night. © LINDSAY HEBBERD/CORBIS.

3% from state property taxes. In 2005, Nevada ranked 28th among the states in per capita tax burden, which amounted to $2,075 per person, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person.

30

54; and diabetes, 15.8. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported at 3.5 per 100,000. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 13.1 per 100,000.

Health

In 2005, the infant mortality rate was 5.3 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 8 per 1,000 population, with heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases the leading causes of death. Death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 203.4; cancer, 181.1; cerebrovascular diseases, 44.9; chronic lower respiratory diseases, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nevada’s 24 community hospitals had 4,300 beds in 2003. There were 196 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 579 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were 1,123 dentists in the state. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,608 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, at least 19% of residents in Nevada were uninsured. 13

Nevada

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 976,446 housing units, of which 871,915 were occupied; 61.2% were owner-occupied. About 54.6% of all units were single-family, detached dwellings; 18.6% were in buildings containing 3–9 units. Over 1,700 units were listed in a category of boats, RVs, vans, etc. Utility gas and electricity were the most common heating energy sources. It was estimated that 41,658 units lacked telephone service, 3,041 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 3,683 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.64 people. In 2004, about 44,600 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $202,937. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,274, while renters paid a median of $787 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, about 86.3% of Nevada residents age 25 and older were high school graduates and 24.5% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 369,000 in fall 2002. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 18,219. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $3.2 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 95,671 students enrolled in college or graduate school, nearly all of them in the University of Nevada system, which has campuses in Las Vegas and Reno. In 2005, Nevada had 15 degree-granting institutions, including Sierra Nevada College. 14

33

Arts

Major exhibits are sponsored by the Las Vegas Arts League and the Sierra Arts Foundation in Reno. The Nevada Opera, Reno Chamber Orchestra, and the Nevada Festival Ballet are all based in Reno. The Las Vegas Philharmonic, founded in 1998, has quickly become one of the largest arts organizations in the state. The Western Folklife Center in Elko presents an annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering in the last week of January. The Nevada State Council on the Arts handles state and federal funding for arts programs. There are approximately 200 arts associations in Nevada and 15 local arts associations. The Nevada Humanities council sponsors annual programs that include Chautauquas (gatherings) in Reno, Boulder City and Lake Tahoe, and the Vegas Valley Book Festival. In 2005, Nevada arts organizations received six grants totaling $673,300 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded four grants totaling $532,792 for state programs.

34


In 2001, Nevada had 23 public library systems, with a total of 87 libraries. The library systems had a combined book and serial publication stock of 4.3 million volumes and a circulation of 10.2 million. The University of Nevada had 956,282 books in its Reno campus library system and 861,362 at Las Vegas. The Nevada State Library in Carson City had 76,445 volumes. There are about 29 museums and historic sites, including the Nevada State Museum Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Nevada

in Carson City, the museum of the Nevada Historical Society in Reno, and the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society in Las Vegas.

35

Communications

In 2004, 92.2% of Nevada’s occupied housing units had telephones. The same year, there were about 1.3 million mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, about 61.3% of all households had a personal computer and 55.2% had access to the Internet. In 2005, broadcast facilities comprised 27 major radio stations (7 AM, 20 FM) and 12 network television stations. In 2000, at least two large cable television systems served the Las Vegas and Reno areas. A total of 72,183 Internet domain names were registered in the state.

36

Press

In 2005, the state had four morning newspapers, four evening papers, and four Sunday papers. The leading newspaper was the Las Vegas Review– Journal, with a daily circulation of 159,507 and a Sunday circulation of 218,624. The Reno Gazette–Journal, with a daily circulation of 66,409 and Sunday circulation of 82,745, is the most influential newspaper in the northern half of the state. The regional interest Nevada magazine is published six times a year.

37


Tourism remains Nevada’s most important industry, employing over 228,000 people. In 2005, approximately 51.1 million travelers visited the state. About 25 million people visited state and national parks. The Nevada Commission on Tourism has branch offices in Japan, the United Kingdom, and Seoul, Korea. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tourists flock to “Vegas” for gambling and for the top rate entertainers who perform there. Other Nevada attractions are Pyramid Lake and Lake Tahoe. There are 21 state parks and recreation areas. Lake Mead National Recreation Area attracts 43% of all park visitors (totaling over 24 million people in 1999). Grand Canyon National Park is the second most popular park destination, with 18% of all parks visitors.

38

Sports

There are no major league professional sports teams in Nevada. Las Vegas has a minor league baseball team, the 51s, in the AAA Pacific Coast League. Las Vegas and Reno have hosted many professional boxing title bouts. Golfing and rodeo are also popular. The basketball team at the University of Nevada–Las Vegas, the Runnin’ Rebels, won the National Championship in 1990. Other annual sporting events include the Greens.com Open (golf ) at Reno-Tahoe in Reno in August, the Invensys Classic (golf ) at Las Vegas in October, the Nationals Finals Rodeo staged in Las Vegas each December, and the Carsdirect. com 400 at Las Vegas in March.

39

Famous Nevadans

Nevadans who have held important federal offices include Raymond T. Baker (1877–1935) and Eva B. Adams (1908–1991), both directors of the US Mint. Prominent US senators have been James W. Nye (b.New York, 1815–1876), also the only governor of Nevada Territory; and William M. Stewart (b.New York, 1827–1909), author of the final form of the 15th Amendment to the US Constitution. Probably the most 15

Nevada

significant state historical figure is George Wingfield (b.Arkansas, 1876–1959), a mining millionaire who exerted great influence over Nevada’s economic and political life in the early 20th century. Among the nationally recognized personalities associated with Nevada is Howard R. Hughes (b.Texas, 1905–1976), an aviation entrepreneur who became a casino and hotel owner and wealthy recluse in his later years. Leading creative and performing artists have included operatic singer Emma Nevada (Emma Wixon, 1862–1940); painter Robert Caples (1908–1979); and, among writers, Dan DeQuille (William Wright, b.Ohio, 1829– 1898); Lucius Beebe (b.Massachusetts, 1902– 1966); and Walter Van Tilburg Clark (b.Maine, 1909–1971). Tennis great Andre Agassi (b.1970) was born in Las Vegas, and continues to make his home there.

16

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Nevada. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Gibson, Karen Bush. Nevada Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Heinrichs, Ann. Nevada. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003. Murray, Julie. Nevada. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Stefoff, Rebecca. Nevada. New York: Benchmark Books, 2001. Stein, R. Conrad. Nevada. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. WEB SITES Nevada Commission on Tourism. Nevada: Wide Open. www.travelnevada.com (accessed March 1, 2007). Nevada Legislature. Nevada Facts. www.leg.state. nv.us/General/FACTS.cfm (accessed March 1, 2007).


New Hampshire State of Hampshire

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for the English

county of Hampshire. N I CKNAME : The Granite State. C AP ITAL: Concord. ENT ERED UNION: 21 June 1788 (9th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the center is a broadside view

of the frigate Raleigh; in the left foreground is a granite boulder; in the background is a rising sun. A laurel wreath and the words “Seal of the State of New Hampshire 1776” surround the whole. FLAG: The state seal, surrounded by laurel leaves with nine stars interspersed, is centered on a blue field. EMBLEM: Within an elliptical panel appears a replica of the Old Man of the Mountain, with the state name above and motto below. M OT TO: Live Free or Die. SONG: “Old New Hampshire.” FLOWER: Purple lilac. TREE: White birch. A NIMAL: White-tailed deer. B IRD: Purple finch. IN S ECT: Ladybug; Karner blue (butterfly). G E M: Smoky quartz. SP ORT: Skiing. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Civil Rights Day and Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, Tuesday following 1st Monday in November in even-numbered years; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November plus the day after; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in New England in the northeastern United States, New Hampshire ranks 44th in size among the 50 states. The total area of New Hampshire is 9,279 square miles (24,033 square kilometers), including 8,993 square miles (23,292 square kilometers) of land and 286 square miles (741 square kilometers) of inland water. The state has a maximum extension of 93 miles (150 kilometers) from east to west and 180 miles (290 kilometers) from north to south. The state’s total boundary line is 555 miles (893 kilometers). The three southernmost Isles of Shoals in the Atlantic belong to New Hampshire. 17

New Hampshire

2

Topography

New Hampshire is generally hilly, rocky, and in many areas densely wooded. The three major regions of New Hampshire are the coastal lowland in the southeast; the New England Uplands, covering most of the south and west; and the White Mountains (part of the Appalachian chain) in the north. The latter includes Mount Washington, which at 6,288 feet (1,918 meters) is the highest peak in the northeastern United States. There are some 1,300 lakes and ponds, of which the largest is Lake Winnipesaukee, covering 70 square miles (181 square kilometers). Principal rivers include the Connecticut (forming the border with Vermont), Merrimack, Piscataqua, and Saco. Near the coast are the nine rocky Isles of Shoals, three of which belong to New Hampshire. The Old Man of the Mountain was once one the state’s distinctive geographic features. It was a rock formation resembling the profile of a man’s face jutting from the edge of a cliff in Franconia Notch State Park. Discovered in 1805, it later became part of the State Emblem. However, the rocks fell from the cliff on 3 May 2003.

3

Climate

New Hampshire has wide variations in daily and seasonal temperatures. Summers are short and cool and winters are long and cold. The temperature in Concord ranges from 21°f (-6°c) in January to 70°f (21°c) in July. The record low temperature was -46°f (-43°c), set at Pittsburgh on 28 January 1925. The all-time high was 106°f (41°c), set at Nashua on 4 July 1911. 18

New Hampshire Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

1,314,895 6.4% 2.2% 99.0% 95.4% 0.8% 0.4% 1.8% 0.0% 0.6% 1.0%


65 and over (12%)

Under 18 (24%)

45 to 64 (28%)

18 to 24 (8%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Manchester Nashua Concord Rochester Dover Keene Portsmouth Laconia Claremont Lebanon

Population

% change 2000–05

109,691 87,321 42,336 30,004 28,486 22,778 20,674 17,060 13,388 12,606

2.5 0.8 4.1 5.4 6.0 1.0 -0.5 4.0 1.8 0.3



New Hampshire

ian R.

COOS

Second Lake

In d

CANADA

First Connecticut Lake

Lake Francis

ect icu tR .

Coleman State Park

Co nn

Nash Stream State Forest


ggin R. dro sco An

NEW YORK

Berlin

GRAFTON

Mt. Washington

93

MAINE VERMONT


White Mountain National Forest CARROLL

White Lake State Park

Lebanon

Lake Winnipesaukee

BELKNAP

Cardigan State Park SULLIVAN

Laconia

89 STRAFFORD

Claremont

Winslow State Park rr Me

lls Fa Salmon

Connec ticut

R.

MERRIMACK

Rochester

R.

Pillsbury State Park Charlestown

Concord

Explanation

Somersworth

Bear Brook State Park

Point of Interest

ROCKINGHAM

CHESHIRE

Pawtuckaway State Park


93


Keene

Area of Interest

Miller State Park

Dover

Great Bay

HILLSBOROUGH

City (10,000-50,000 people)

R.

ack im

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Portsmouth

Manchester Derry

Monadnock Pisgah State Park State Park

93

N

95

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Nashua 0 0

15 15


MASSACHUSETTS


19

New Hampshire

Annual precipitation at Concord averages 37.6 inches (95.5 centimeters). The average snowfall in the mountains is more than 100 inches (254 centimeters) per year. In Concord, annual snowfall is about 65 inches (165 centimeters). The strongest wind ever recorded, other than during a tornado, was 231 miles per hour (372 kilometers per hour), occurring on Mount Washington on 12 April 1934.

4

Plants and Animals

New Hampshire supports an abundance of elm, maple, beech, oak, pine, and fir trees. Among wildflowers, three orchids are considered rare. In 2006, three New Hampshire plant species were listed as threatened or endangered: the small whorled pogonia was threatened and Jesup’s milk-vetch and Northeastern bulrush were endangered. Among native New Hampshire mammals are the white-tailed deer, muskrat, beaver, porcupine, and snowshoe hare. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed nine animal species as threatened or endangered, including the Karner blue butterfly, bald eagle, dwarf wedgemussel, finback whale, and leatherback sea turtle.

5


State agencies concerned with environmental protection include the Fish and Game Department, the Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED), and the Department of Environmental Services (DES). DRED oversees the state’s forests, lands and parks. DES was created in 1987 to protect the environmental quality of air, groundwater, surface waters, and solid waste. 20

In 2003, New Hampshire had 91 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 20 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2005, New Hampshire ranked 41st in population among the 50 states with an estimated total of 1,314,895 residents. The population is projected to reach 1.58 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 144.9 persons per square mile (55.9 persons per square kilometer). Also in 2004, the median age was 39.1 years. In 2005, about 12% of all residents were 65 and older while 24% were 18 and younger. Leading cities include Manchester, with 109,691 residents in 2005, Nashua, 87,321, and Concord (the capital), with 42,336 residents in 2005.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, 223,026 New Hampshire residents were of English ancestry, 180,947 were of French descent, and 180,947 were Irish. There are also about 127,153 French Canadians. Nearly 20,489 residents were Hispanic, 15,931 were Asians, 9,035 residents were black Americans, 2,964 were Native Americans, and 371 were Pacific Islanders. About 54,154 people, or 4.4% of the total population, were foreign born. In 2006, estimates indicated that 2.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% was Asian, and 0.8% was black American. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,235,786. . . . . .100.0 One race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,222,572. . . . . . .98.9 Two races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,427. . . . . . . .1.0 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,086. . . . . . . .0.2 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,107. . . . . . . .0.3 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,435. . . . . . . .0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167. . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,526. . . . . . . .0.2 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154. . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111. . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14. . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289. . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69. . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . 5. . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81. . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63. . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294. . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26. . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 787. . . . . . . .0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

8

Languages

New Hampshire speech is essentially Northern. Regional terms include luckybone (wishbone) and eavespouts (gutters). Canadian French is heard in the northern region. In 2000, 91.7% of all state residents aged five and above spoke only English at home. About 39,551 residents spoke French at home and 18,647 spoke Spanish.

9

Religions

The first settlers of New Hampshire were Separatists, precursors of the modern Congregationalists (United Church of Christ) and their first church was probably built around Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1633. The first Episcopal church was built in 1638 and the first Quaker meetinghouse was built in 1701. In 2004, Roman Catholics were the largest single Christian denomination with about 327,353 adherents. In 2005, the United Church of Christ had 25,794 members. Other leading Protestant denominations (with 2000 membership data) include the United Methodist Church, 18,927; the American Baptist Churches–USA, 16,359; and the Episcopal Church, 16,148. There were about 10,020 Jews and 3,782 Muslims throughout the state. About 52.3% of the population was not counted as members of any religious organization. 21

New Hampshire

10

Transportation

New Hampshire’s first railroad, between Nashua and Lowell, Massachusetts, was chartered in 1835 and opened in 1838. Two years later, Exeter and Boston were linked by rail. In 2003, the state had 473 rail miles (761 kilometers). In 2003, the state had a total of 15,628 miles (25,161 kilometers) of roads. The main north– south highway is I-93. As of 2004, there were 668,000 automobiles, 491,000 trucks, 66,000 motorcycles, and 1,000 buses registered in the state, as well as 985,775 licensed drivers. New Hampshire had 51 airports, 67 heliports, and 9 seaplane bases. The main airport is Manchester Municipal Airport, which had 1,973,142 enplanements in 2004. Portsmouth is the state’s primary port.

11

History

When the first Europeans arrived in present-day New Hampshire, its Native American inhabitants, called Pennacook, were organized in a loose confederation centered along the Merrimack Valley. The coast of New England was explored by Dutch, English, and French navigators throughout the 16th century. The first English settlement was established along the Piscataqua River in 1623. From 1643 to 1680, New Hampshire was a province of Massachusetts, and the boundary between them was not settled until 1740. By 1760, the Pennacook had been forced out of the region. By the first quarter of the 18th century, Portsmouth, the provincial capital, had become a thriving commercial port. Although nearly 18,500 New Hampshire men enlisted in the Revolutionary War, no battle was fought within 22

its boundaries. New Hampshire was the first of the original 13 colonies to establish an independent government—on 5 January 1776, six months before the Declaration of Independence. During the 19th century, as overseas trade became less important to the New Hampshire economy, shoe and textile mills were built. These were established principally along the Merrimack River. So great was the demand for workers in these mills that immigrant labor was imported during the 1850s. A decade later, French Canadian workers began pouring south from Quebec. Although industry thrived, agriculture did not. New Hampshire hill farms could not compete against Midwestern farms. The population in farm towns dropped, and the people who remained began to cluster in small village centers. The 20th Century World War I marked a turn-

ing point for New Hampshire industry. As wartime demand fell off, the state’s old textile mills were unable to compete with newer cotton mills in the South, and New Hampshire’s mill towns became as depressed as its farm towns. Only in the north, the center for logging and paper manufacturing, did state residents continue to enjoy moderate prosperity. The collapse of the state’s railroad network spelled further trouble for the slumping economy. The growth of tourism aided the rural areas primarily, as old farms became spacious vacation homes for “summer people,” who in some cases paid the bulk of local property taxes. During the 1960s, New Hampshire’s economic decline began to reverse, except in agriculture. In the 1970s and early 1980s, Boston’s urban sprawl, interstate highway construction, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Hampshire

and low New Hampshire taxes encouraged people and industry—notably high-technology businesses—to move into southern New Hampshire. The state’s population almost doubled between 1960 and 1988, from 606,921 to 1.1 million. The rise in population strained government services, prompted an increase in local taxes, and provoked concern over the state’s vanishing open spaces. In September 2000, New Hampshire Chief Justice David Brock faced an unprecedented trial on multiple charges, resulting in his impeachment. Brock was the first New Hampshire official impeached in 210 years. However, he resigned before the trial and was acquitted in October 2000. Like other New England states in the early 2000s, New Hampshire faced record-breaking budget deficits. Republican governor Craig Benson vetoed the 2003 two-year budget passed by the state legislature. Benson said the budget would increase the deficit and raise taxes. Democrat John Lynch, who was inaugurated as New Hampshire’s governor in January 2005, put his attention to improving education, reducing health care costs, protecting the environment, and creating good jobs. Lynch began his second term in January 2007.

12

State Government

New Hampshire’s constitution, adopted in 1784 and revised in 1792, is the second-oldest state governing document still in effect. Every 10 years, the people vote on a question of calling a convention to revise it. The constitution had been amended 143 times by January 2005. The General Court—the state legislature— consists of a 24-member senate and a 400-seat Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

house of representatives (larger than that of any other state). Legislators serve two-year terms. The only executive elected statewide is the governor, who serves for two years and who is assisted by a five-member executive council, which must approve all administrative and judicial appointments. A bill becomes law if signed by the governor, if passed by the legislature and left unsigned by the governor for five days while the legislature is in session, or if a governor’s veto is overridden by two-thirds of the legislators present in each house. State legislators were paid $200 for their terms ($100 per year) and the governor’s salary was $96,060 in 2004.

13

Political Parties

New Hampshire has almost always gone with the Republican presidential nominee in recent decades, but the Democratic and Republican parties have been much more evenly balanced in local and state elections. New Hampshire’s presidential primary, the second state primary of the campaign season after Iowa, places New Hampshirites in the political spotlight every four years. In the 1992 presidential election, New Hampshire voters defied their tradition and chose Democrat Bill Clinton over Republican incumbent George H. W. Bush by a scant 6,556 votes. Clinton carried the state again in 1996. In the 2000 elections, Republican George W. Bush received 48% of the votes and Democrat Al Gore received 47%. In 2004, Bush won 40.3% of the vote, but the Democratic challenger John Kerry won 49%. As of 2006, both of New Hampshire’s US senators, Judd Gregg and John Sununu, were Republicans. Following the 2006 midterm elec23

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Governors: 1776–2007 1776–1785 1785–1786 1786–1788 1788–1789 1789 1789–1790 1790–1794 1794–1805 1805–1809 1809–1810 1810–1812 1812–1813 1813–1816 1816–1819 1819–1923 1823–1824 1824–1827 1827–1828 1828–1829 1829–1830 1830–1831 1831 1831–1834 1834–1836 1836–1839 1839–1842 1842–1844 1844–1846 1846–1847 1847–1849 1849–1852 1852–1854 1854–1855 1855–1857 1857–1859 1859–1861 1861–1863 1863–1865 1865–1867 1867–1869 1869–1871 1871–1872 1872–1874 1874–1875 1875–1877 1877–1879 1879–1881 1881–1883 1883–1885

Meshesh Weare John Langdon John Sullivan John Langdon John Pickering John Sullivan Federalist Josiah Bartlett Dem-Rep John Taylor Gilman Federalist John Langdon Dem-Rep Jeremiah Smith Federalist John Langdon Dem-Rep William Plumer Dem-Rep John Taylor Gilman Federalist William Plumer Dem-Rep Samuel Bell Dem-Rep Levi Woodbury Dem-Rep David Lawrence Morrill Republican Benjamin Pierce Jacksonian John Bell Nat-Rep Benjamin Pierce Jacksonian Matthew Harvey Jacksonian Joseph Morrill Harper Jacksonian Samuel Dinsmoor Jacksonian William Badger Democrat Isaac Hill Jacksonian John Page Democrat Henry Hubbard Democrat John Hardy Steele Democrat Anthony Colby Whig Jared Warner Williams Democrat Samuel Dinsmoor, Jr. Democrat Noah Martin Democrat Nathaniel Bradley Baker Democrat Ralph Metcalf Know Nothing William Haile Republican Ichabod Goodwin Whig Republican Nathaniel Springer Berry Republican Joseph Albree Gilmore Republican Frederick Smyth Unionist Walter Harriman Republican Onslow Stearns Republican James Adams Weston Democrat Ezekiel Albert Straw Republican James Adams Weston Democrat Person Colby Cheney Republican Benjamin Franklin Prescott Republican Nathaniel Head Republican Charles Henry Bell Republican Samuel Whitney Hale Republican

tions, Democrats held both US House seats. In 2006, Democrat John Lynch was reelected gov24

1885–1887 1887–1889 1889–1891 1891–1893 1893–1895 1895–1897 1897–1899 1899–1901 1901–1903 1903–1905 1905–1907 1907–1909 1909–1911 1911–1913 1913–1915 1915–1917 1917–1919 1919–1921 1921–1923 1923–1925 1925–1927 1927–1929 1929–1931 1931–1935 1935–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1949 1949–1953 1953–1955 1955–1959 1959–1963 1963–1967 1967–1973 1973–1979 1979–1982 1982 1982 1982–1983 1983–1989 1989–1993 1993–1997 1997–2002 2002–2004 2004–

Moody Currier Charles Henry Sawyer David Harvey Goodell Hiram Americus Tuttle John Butler Smith Charles Albert Busiel George Allen Ramsdell Frank West Rollins Chester Bradley Jordan Nahum Josiah Batchelder John McLane Charles Miller Floyd Henry Brewer Quinby Robert Perkins Bass Samuel Demeritt Felker Rolland Harty Spaulding Henry Wilder Keyes John Henry Bartlett Albert Oscar Brown Fred Herbert Brown John Gilbert Winant Huntley Nowel Spaulding Charles William Tobey John Gilbert Winant Henry Styles Bridges Francis Parnell Murphy Robert Oscar Blood Charles Milby Dale Sherman Adams Hugh Gregg Lane Dwinell Wesley Powell John William King Walter Rutherford Peterson Meldrim Thomson, Jr. Hugh J. Gallen Robert B. Monier William Michael Gardner Vesta M. Roy John Henry Sununu Judd Alan Gregg Stephen Merrill Jeanne Shaheen Craig Benson John Lynch

Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat


ernor. The New Hampshire state senate following the 2006 elections had 14 Democrats and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Hampshire

10 Republicans, and the state house had 239 Democrats and 161 Republicans. One hundred twenty-nine women won election to the state legislature in 2006, or 30.4%.

14

Local Government

New Hampshire has 10 counties, each governed by three commissioners. Other elected county officials include the sheriff, attorney, treasurer, and registrar of deeds. As of 2005, New Hampshire also had 13 municipalities, 221 townships, 178 public school districts, and 148 special districts. Most municipalities have elected mayors and councils. The basic unit of town government is the traditional town meeting.

15

Judicial System

The state’s highest court, the supreme court, consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. The main trial court is the superior court. The state’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 167 per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property were reported at a rate of about 2,040 per 100,000 people. In December 2004, there were 2,448 inmates in state and federal prisons. New Hampshire imposes the death penalty but had executed only one person since 1930 as of 2006. As of 1 January 2006, there were no inmates under sentence of death.

16

Migration

From the time of the first European settlement until the middle of the 19th century, the population of New Hampshire was primarily of British origin. Subsequently, immigrants from Quebec and from Ireland, Italy, and other countries began arriving in significant numbers. New Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Hampshire’s population growth since 1960 has been fueled by migrants from other states. Between 1990 and 1998, New Hampshire had net gains of 19,000 in domestic migration and 6,000 in international migration. In the period 1995–2000, 162,250 people moved into the state and 134,347 moved out, for a net gain of 27,903, many of whom came from Massachusetts. For the period 2000–05, net international migration was 11,107 and net internal migration was 40,861 for a net gain of 51,968 people.

17

Economy

New Hampshire is one of the most industrialized states in the United States, ranking well above the national median in the proportion of the labor force employed in manufacturing. Between 1977 and 1982, manufacturing employment rose 13%, to 107,500, as many high-technology firms moved into the southern portion of the state. Since World War II, tourism has been one of the state’s fastest growing sources of income. Coming into the 21st century, the state’s economy was booming, posting annual growth rates of 8.2% in 1998, 7% in 1999, and 9.3% in 2000. However, due to the large growth of information technology related jobs in southern New Hampshire in the 1990s, this was the region of New England that saw the greatest fall in personal income in 2000–02. In 2004, there were about 4,865 new businesses established while 5,401 businesses were closed. 25

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

NEW HAMPSHIRE WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 Dewey (R) 107,995 121,299 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 106,663 166,287 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 90,364 176,519 1960 Nixon (R) 137,772 157,989 1964 *Johnson (D) 182,065 104,029 1968 *Nixon (R) 130,589 154,903 1972 *Nixon (R) 116,435 213,724 1976 Ford (R) 147,635 185,935 1980 *Reagan (R) 108,864 221,705 1984 *Reagan (R) 120,347 267,050 1988 *Bush (R) 163,696 281,537 1992** *Clinton (D) 209,040 202,484 1996** *Clinton (D) 246,214 196,532 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 266,348 273,559 2004 Kerry (D) 340,511 331,237 * Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 121,337 votes in 1992 and 48,390 votes in 1996.

18

Income

In 2005, New Hampshire had a gross state product (GSP) of $56 billion, ranking 39th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, New Hampshire ranked seventh among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $36,616; the national average was $33,050. The average median household income for 2002–04 was $57,352 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 5.7% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

19

Industry

The value of shipments by manufacturers in 2004 was over $15 billion. Of that total, computer and electronic equipment accounted for 26

the largest share at $3.9 billion. It was followed by machinery at $1.8 billion and fabricated metal products at $1.6 billion.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in New Hampshire numbered 735,300. Approximately 24,700 workers were unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.4%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, 4.8% of the labor force was employed in construction; 12% in manufacturing; 22.1% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.3% in financial activities; 9.5% in professional and business services; 15.7% in education and health services; 9.9% in leisure and hospitality services, and 13.9% in government. In 2005, some 65,000 of New Hampshire’s 627,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 10.4% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

Only Rhode Island and Alaska generate less income from farming than New Hampshire. Farm income in 2005 was $168 million, 56% of which was in crops. In 2004, there were about 3,400 farms occupying about 450,000 acres (182,000 hectares). Leading crops are hay and commercial apples.

22


Dairy and poultry products are the mainstays of New Hampshire’s agriculture. In 2003, the state had 16,000 milk cows, with a total milk yield of 305 million pounds (139 million kilograms). Poultry items included 1,183,000 pounds Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Hampshire

2004, the state issued 143,835 sport fishing licenses.

24

Forestry

New Hampshire had 4,824,000 acres (1,952,000 hectares) of forestland in 2004, of which 4,503,000 acres (1,822,000 hectares) were considered suitable for commercial use. Of that total, 83% was privately owned. Forests cover about 84% of New Hampshire. Lumber production in 2004 was 232 million board feet.

25

Mining

(536,599 kilograms) of chickens, sold for $28,000; 132,000 pounds (59,874 kilograms) of turkey, valued at $224,000, and 43 million eggs, valued at $3.2 million.

The value of nonfuel mineral production in New Hampshire in 2003 was estimated to be $63.9 million. Construction sand and gravel remained the state’s most important nonfuel mineral in 2003, accounting for about 69% of total value. According to preliminary figures, the state mined 9.1 million metric tons of construction sand and gravel and 3.89 million metric tons of crushed stone. Dimension stone and gemstones are collected by hobbyists. Sand and gravel are mined in every county and dimension granite is quarried in Hillsborough, Merrimack, and Coos counties.

23

26

Maple sugaring is a popular activity as the sap begins to run. CANDACE COCHRANE, STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE TOURISM.

Fishing

New Hampshire’s commercial catch in 2004 consisted of 21.9 million pounds (about 10 million kilograms), worth $8.8 million. Most of the catch includes cod and lobster. In 2003, the state had 3 processing and 20 wholesale plants with about 497 employees. The commercial fleet in 2001 had about 580 boats and vessels. The state sponsors six hatcheries. The Nashua National Fish Hatchery is also located in the state. In Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Energy and Power

In 2003, about 43% of the state’s electricity came from nuclear power, 19.3% came from gas-fired plants, and 18.2% came from coal-fired plants. The remainder came from hydroelectric and petroleum-fired plants. Power production (utility and nonutility) totaled 21.5 billion kilowatt hours in 2003. As of 2003, the Seabrook nuclear power plant had a capacity of 1,159 megawatts and was the largest reactor in New England. New 27

New Hampshire

Hampshire has no proven reserves or production of crude oil or natural gas.

person, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person.

27

30

Commerce

New Hampshire’s wholesale sales totaled $13.7 billion for 2002; retail sales were $20.8 billion. Foreign exports of goods totaled $2.5 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The New Hampshire state budget is drawn up biennially by the Department of Administrative Services and then submitted by the governor to the legislature for amendment and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Revenues for 2004 were $6.1 billion and total expenditures were $5.6 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($1.6 billion), public welfare ($1.4 billion), and highways ($374 million). The state debt was $5.8 billion, or about $4,537.42 per capita.

29

Taxation

New Hampshire has no state general sales tax. Income tax is limited to dividend and interest income only. The state does levy a flat 8.5% corporate income tax on net corporate income. The state also imposes excise taxes on motor fuels tobacco products, and other selected items. Most property taxes are collected locally. The state collected $2 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 34.9% came from the selective sales taxes, 19.4% from state property taxes, and 23.6% from corporate net income taxes. Other taxes accounted for the remainder. In 2005, New Hampshire ranked 48th among the states in terms of per capita tax burden at $1,544 per 28

Health

In 2005, infant mortality stood at 5.4 per 1,000 live births. The crude death rate in 2003 was 7.5 per 1,000 population. As of 2002, death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 217.7; cancer, 198.3; cerebrovascular diseases, 49.2; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 45.3; and diabetes, 24.4. As of 2004, about 21.6% of residents were smokers. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 3.2 per 100,000. New Hampshire’s 28 community hospitals had 2,800 beds in 2003. There were 267 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 932 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were about 795 dentists in the state. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,389 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, at least 11% of New Hampshire’s residents were uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were 575,671 housing units in New Hampshire, 491,589 of which were occupied; 72.6% were owner-occupied. About 62.8% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Fuel oil and kerosene were the most common heating energy sources. It was estimated that 8,724 units lacked telephone service, 2,770 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 2,725 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.57 people. In 2004, some 8,700 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Hampshire

median home value was $216,639. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,472, while renters paid a median of $810 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, 90.8% of New Hampshire residents age 25 and older were high school graduates and 35.4% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher, surpassing the national average of 26%. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 208,000 in fall 2002. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 23,692. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $2.1 billion. As of fall 2002, there were 68,523 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, New Hampshire had 25 degree-granting institutions. The best known institution of higher education is Dartmouth College, which originated in Connecticut in 1754 as Moor’s Indian Charity School and was established at Hanover in 1769. When the state of New Hampshire attempted to amend Dartmouth’s charter to make the institution public in the early 19th century, the US Supreme Court handed down a precedent-setting ruling prohibiting state violation of contract rights. The University of New Hampshire, the leading public institution, was founded at Hanover in 1866 and relocated at Durham in 1891. The university also has a campus in Manchester. Other colleges include Franklin Pierce College, Keene State College, and Southern New Hampshire University.

33

Arts

Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College features musical events throughout the year. Theater Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

by the Sea at Portsmouth presents classical and modern plays and there is a year-round student theater at Dartmouth. Ballet groups include Ballet New England in Portsmouth, City Center Ballet in Lebanon, Granite State Ballet Company in Nashua, and Petit Papillon in Concord. Opera groups include the Granite State Opera in Temple, Opera North in Hanover, and OPERAFEST! of NH, based at the Adams Memorial Opera House in Derry. Classical music groups include the Nashua Chamber Orchestra, the Nashua Symphony Orchestra, the Granite State Symphony in Concord, Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra in Meredith, the New England Wind Ensemble in Franklin, and the New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra and New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra (both in Manchester). The New Hampshire Music Festival in Center Harbor serves as a year-round educational institute and performing arts center and sponsors an annual summer festival featuring the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra. Monadnock Music in Peterborough is an organization sponsoring a variety of musical programs, including an annual summer festival featuring the Monadnock Chorus and Orchestra. New Hampshire’s poet laureate for 2006– 09 is Patricia Fargnoli. The artist laureate as of 2006 was James Aponovich, an internationally acclaimed still-life painter and teacher at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts supports many arts programs with state and federal funding. New Hampshire has about 275 statewide arts associations and 8 local arts councils. The New Hampshire Humanities Council sponsors a number of ongoing programs and an annual summer Chautauqua. 29

New Hampshire

In 2005, New Hampshire arts organizations received seven grants totaling $682,100 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded eight grants totaling $743,861 for state programs.

34


In 2001, New Hampshire had 229 public library systems with a total book and serial publication stock of 5.5 million volumes and a combined circulation of 8.6 million volumes. Leading academic and historical collections include the Dartmouth College Baker Memorial Library in Hanover, the New Hampshire State Library, the New Hampshire Historical Society Library, and the University of New Hampshire Ezekiel W. Diamond Library. Among the more than 76 museums and historic sites are the Museum of New Hampshire History in Concord and the Franklin Pierce Homestead in Hillsboro. The Old Man of the Mountain in Franconia Notch State Park contains images and stories about the rock formation that was a popular tourist site until it was damaged by rockslides in 2003.

35

Communications

In 2004, 96.4% of New Hampshire’s occupied housing units had telephones. The same year, there were about 686,746 mobile phone subscribers. In 2005, the state had 32 major radio stations (7 AM, 25 FM) and 5 television stations. State residents also receive broadcasts from neighboring Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine. In 2003, about 71.5% of all households had a personal computer and 65.2% had access to 30

the Internet. A total of 38,887 Internet domain names were registered in the state in 2000.

36

Press

In 2005, New Hampshire had eight morning newspapers, four evening newspapers, and eight Sunday papers. The best known newspaper in the state is Manchester’s The Union–Leader (59,384 daily and 81,144 Sunday), published by conservative William Loeb until his death in 1981. In the capital, the Concord Monitor circulates 20,107 papers daily and 22,747 on Sundays. The Dover Foster’s Daily Democrat has a circulation of 22,720 for its weekday evening edition and 27,728 for the Sunday edition. The Nashua Telegraph has a circulation of 25,566 daily and 32,672 Sundays.

37


Tourism is a major part of the economy of New Hampshire. It has been estimated that the industry brings in revenues of about $8.6 billion per year and sponsors over 65,000 jobs. Skiing, camping, hiking, and boating are the main outdoor attractions. Other attractions include Strawbery Banke, a restored village in Portsmouth; Daniel Webster’s birthplace near Franklin; and the Mount Washington Cog Railway.

38

Sports

There are no major league professional sports teams in New Hampshire. Major national and international skiing events are frequently held in the state, as are such other winter competitions as snowmobile races and the Annual World Championship Sled Dog Derby in Laconia. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Hampshire

Each summer tourists flock to the resort hotels in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. © JAMES CORRIGAN/EPD PHOTOS.

Thoroughbred, harness, and greyhound racing are warm weather spectator sports. The annual Whaleback Yacht Race is held in early August. Dartmouth College competes in the Ivy League and the University of New Hampshire belongs to the America East Conference, both Division I-AA Conferences. The New Hampshire International Speedway, which opened in Loudon in 1994, plays host to a NASCAR Winston Cup stock car race in July and September.

39

Famous New Hampshirites

Born in Hillsboro, Franklin Pierce (1804–1869) was the only US chief executive to come from Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Hampshire, serving from 1853 to 1857 as the nation’s 14th president. Henry Wilson (Jeremiah Jones Colbath, 1812–1875), US vice president from 1873 to 1875, was a native of Farmington. US Supreme Court chief justices Salmon P. Chase (1808–1873) and Harlan Fiske Stone (1872–1946) were New Hampshirites. US cabinet members from New Hampshire included Henry Dearborn (1751–1829), secretary of war; and Daniel Webster (1782–1852), secretary of state. Josiah Bartlett (b.Massachusetts, 1729– 1795) was a physician, governor, and signer of the Declaration of Independence. 31

New Hampshire

Other figures of note are educator Eleazar Wheelock (b.Connecticut, 1711–1779), the founder of Dartmouth College; the founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy (1821– 1910); George Whipple (1878–1976), winner of the 1934 Nobel Prize for physiology/medicine; and labor organizer and US Communist Party leader Elizabeth Gurley Flynn (1890–1964). Horace Greeley (1811–1872), Charles Dana (1819–1897), Alice Brown (1857–1948), and J(erome) D(avid) Salinger (b.New York, 1919) are among the prose writers and editors who have lived in New Hampshire. Poets include Edward Arlington Robinson (b.Maine, 1869– 1935). More recent celebrities include astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr. (1923–1998).

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Dubois, Muriel L. New Hampshire Facts and

32

Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Harris, Patricia. New Hampshire: The Spirit of America. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2000. Heinrichs, Ann. New Hampshire. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. Murray, Julie. New Hampshire. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Stacker, Ann P., and Nancy C. Hefferman. Short History of New Hampshire. Grantham, NH: Thompson and Rutter, 1985. Stein, R. Conrad. New Hampshire. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. Thomas, William. New Hampshire. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of New Hampshire. New York: PowerKids Press, 2000. WEB SITES New Hampshire Division of Travel & Tourism Development. New Hampshire. www.visitnh. gov/ (accessed March 1, 2007). State of New Hampshire. Welcome to NH.gov. www.nh.gov/ (accessed March 1, 2007). Visit New England. New Hampshire. www.visitnewhampshire.com/ (accessed March 1, 2007).


New Jersey State of New Jersey

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for the British

Channel Island of Jersey. N I CKNAME : The Garden State. C AP ITAL: Trenton. ENT ERED UNION: 18 December 1787 (3rd). O FFICIAL SEAL: The coat of arms surrounded by the

words “The Great Seal of the State of New Jersey.” FLAG: The coat of arms on a buff field. C OAT OF ARMS: In the center is a shield with three

plows, symbolic of agriculture. A helmet above indicates sovereignty, and a horse’s head atop the helmet signifies speed and prosperity. The state motto and the date “1776” are displayed on a banner below. M OT TO: Liberty and Prosperity. SONG: “I’m from New Jersey” (unofficial). C OLORS: Buff and Jersey blue. FLOWER: Violet. TREE: Red oak; dogwood (memorial tree). A NIMAL: Horse. B IRD: Eastern goldfinch. IN S ECT: Honeybee. SHELL: Knobbed whelk. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February (sometimes observed on a Friday or Monday closest to this date); Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Good Friday, Friday before Easter, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Monday in October; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the northeastern United States, New Jersey is the smallest of the Mid-Atlantic states and ranks 46th among the 50 states. The total area of New Jersey is 7,787 square miles (20,168 square kilometers), of which 7,468 square miles (19,342 square kilometers) are land and 319 square miles (826 square kilometers) are inland waters. New Jersey extends 166 miles (267 kilometers) from north to south and 57 miles (92 kilometers) from east to west. New Jersey’s total boundary length is 480 miles (773 kilometers), including a general coastline of 130 miles (209 33

New Jersey

kilometers). Numerous barrier islands lie off the Atlantic coast.

2

Topography

Although small, New Jersey has considerable physical variety. In the extreme northwest corner of the state are the Appalachian Valley and the Kittatinny Ridge and Valley, containing High Point, the state’s highest point, at 1,803 feet (550 meters) above sea level. To the east and south is the highlands region, including the Ramapo Mountains. East of the highlands is a flat area broken by the high ridges of the Watchungs and Sourlands and—most spectacularly—by the Palisades, rising some 500 feet (150 meters) above the Hudson River. The Atlantic Coastal Plain claims the remaining two-thirds of the state. Its most notable feature is the Pine Barrens, 760 square miles (1,968 square kilometers) of pitch pines and white oaks. Sandy Hook, a peninsula more than five miles (eight kilometers) long, extends northward into the Atlantic from Monmouth County. Major rivers include the Delaware, forming the border with Pennsylvania, and the Passaic, Hackensack, and Raritan. The largest natural lake is Lake Hopatcong, about 8 miles (13 kilometers) long.

3

Climate

Most of New Jersey has a moderate climate with cold winters and warm, humid summers. In Atlantic City, the temperatures ranges from 32°f (0°c) in January to 75°f (23°c) in July. Statewide, the record high temperature is 110°f (43°c), set in Runyon on 10 July 1936. The record low, 34

New Jersey Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

8,724,560 3.7% 15.3% 98.5% 69.9% 13.3% 0.2% 7.3% 0.0% 7.8% 1.5%


65 and over (13%)

Under 18 (25%)

45 to 64 (26%)

18 to 24 (8%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Newark Jersey Paterson Elizabeth Trenton Camden Clifton Passaic East Orange Union

Population

% change 2000–05

280,666 239,614 149,843 125,809 84,639 80,010 79,922 68,338 68,190 65,128

2.6 -0.2 0.4 4.3 -0.9 0.1 1.6 0.7 -2.3 -2.9



CONNECTICUT

New Jersey

NEW YORK SUSSEX

High Point State Park

Hudson R.

Delaware Water Gap Nat’l Rec. Area

PASSAIC

BERGEN MORRIS

Fair Lawn Paramus Hackensack 80 Clifton Garfield ESSEX Passaic Fort Lee 280 West New York Kearney E. Orange Union City HUDSON Newark Hoboken

WARREN

Paterson

80

287 Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge SOMERSET

UNION

HUNTERDON

Jersey City

Elizabeth

78

Westfield

Bayonne

Linden

Round Valley State Park

Plainfield

Rahway

287

Perth Amboy

New Brunswick

PENNSYLVANIA

Gateway National Recreation Area

MIDDLESEX

95 MERCER

95

MONMOUTH

Trenton

Long Branch

295

195 OCEAN

BURLINGTON

276

Fort Dix Mil. Res.

295


Lebanon St. Forest

Camden CAMDEN

GLOUCESTER

Wharton St. Forest

SALEM

Barnegat National Wildlife Refuge

Killcohook National Wildlife Refuge Parvin St. Park ATLANTIC

Great Bay

CUMBERLAND

Vineland

Little Egg Inlet

eR ar law De

Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge

Millville

NEW JERSEY

. Belleplain State Forest

Explanation

Atlantic City

Great Egg Harbor Inlet

CAPE MAY

Point of Interest City (25,000-100,000 people)

Carson’s Inlet State Park


MARYLAND

95

Delaware Bay


Hereford Inlet

DELAWARE

N

Cape May Point State Park

0 0


15 15


35

New Jersey

Sandcastles on the beach in Atlantic City. ATLANTIC CITY CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY.

-34°f (-37°c), was set in River Vale on 5 January 1904. Precipitation is plentiful, averaging 46 inches (117 centimeters) annually. Snowfall totals about 16 inches (41 centimeters) per year. Occasional hurricanes and violent spring storms have damaged beachfront property over the years and floods along northern New Jersey rivers, especially in the Passaic River basin, are not uncommon. A serious drought occurs on an average of once every 15 years.

4

Plants and Animals

Birch, beech, and elm all grow in the state, along with 20 varieties of oak. Common shrubs include the spicebush and mountain laurel. Common wildflowers include meadow rue, butterflyweed, and black-eyed Susan. In 2006, six plant species 36

were listed as threatened or endangered, including the American chaffseed and small whorled pogonia. Among mammals native to New Jersey are the white-tailed deer, black bear, and raccoon. The herring gull and sandpiper are common shore birds, while the robin, cardinal, and Baltimore oriole are frequently sighted inland. Anglers prize the northern pike and various species of bass, trout, and perch. Declining or rare animals include the whippoorwill, hooded warbler, eastern hognose snake, northern red salamander, and northern kingfish. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 16 animal species as threatened or endangered, including four species of turtle, the Indiana bat, bald eagle, shortnose sturgeon, roseate tern, and three species of whale. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Jersey

New Jersey Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,414,350 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,200,595 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203,207 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,611 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,428 White and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,701 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,261 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88,184 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,167 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,784 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . 1,397 Black or African American and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,831 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,338 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 78 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,501 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,293 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,243 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,390 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,548

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 97.5 . . . . . . . 2.4 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 1.0 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1


5


Laws and policies regulating the management and protection of New Jersey’s environment and natural resources are administered by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The proximity of the populace to industrial plants and to the state’s expansive highway system makes air pollution control a special concern in the state. New Jersey has one of the most comprehensive air pollution control programs in the United States, maintaining a network of 105 air pollution monitoring stations, as well as 60 stations that monitor just for particulates and 10 monitoring radiation. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The DEP reported that a 1984 review of water quality in the state showed that water quality degradation had been halted and the quality of streams had been stabilized or improved. Some rivers in highly urbanized areas, however, were still severely polluted. Approximately 1,500 treatment facilities discharge waste water into New Jersey’s surface and groundwaters. Nearly 80% of these facilities comply with the requirements of federal and state clean water laws. Mandatory recycling programs exist throughout the state. New Jersey’s toxic waste cleanup program is among the most serious in the United States. In 2003, New Jersey had 551 hazardous waste sites 37

New Jersey

listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 113 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. New Jersey was the first state to begin a statewide search for sites contaminated by dioxin, a toxic byproduct in the manufacture of herbicides. Since 1961, the state has bought more than 240,000 acres (97,000 hectares) under a “Green Acres” program for conservation and recreation. Additionally, Green Acres is assisting nonprofit conservation groups in acquiring over 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares).

6

Population

In 2006, New Jersey ranked 11th (down from 10th in 2005) population among the 50 states with an estimated total of 8,724,560 residents. The population is projected to reach 9.6 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 1,175.60 persons per square mile (453.89 persons per square kilometer), making New Jersey the most densely populated state in the country. In 2004, the median age was 37.8 years. In 2005, about 13% of all residents were 65 or older while 25% were 18 or younger. The state’s entire population is classified as living in metropolitan areas, a distinction claimed by no other state. Newark, the state’s largest city, had an estimated 280,666 inhabitants in 2005. Populations of other New Jersey cities in 2005 were Jersey City, 239,614; Paterson, 149,843; and Elizabeth, 125,809.

7

Ethnic Groups

New Jersey is one of the most ethnically diverse states in the nation. According to the 2000 cen38

sus, 1,476,327 New Jerseyites (about 17.5% of the state’s population) were of foreign birth. The leading countries of origin were Italy, Cuba, India, and Germany. As of 2001, New Jersey had the third-highest percentage of foreign-born residents among the 50 states, surpassed only by California and New York. In 2000, the largest ethnic minority in the state was black Americans, with about 1,141,821 people (13.6% of the population). The Hispanic and Latino population had 1,117,191 people (about 13.3% of the total population), including 366,788 Puerto Ricans, 77,337 Cubans, and smaller Spanish-speaking groups of Colombians and Dominicans. The estimated number of Asians living in New Jersey was 480,276, including 169,180 Asian Indians, 85,245 Filipinos, 100,355 Chinese, 65,349 Koreans, and 14,672 Japanese. Native Americans, including Eskimos and Aleuts, numbered 19,492. A group known as the Ramapough Mountain People claim to be descendants of Dutch settlers, black slaves, British and German soldiers, and Leni-Lenape and Tuscarora Native Americans. They live in the Ramapo hills near Ringwood and Mahwah.

8

Languages

English in New Jersey is rather evenly divided north and south between Northern and Midland dialects. Special characteristics of New York metropolitan-area speech occur in the northeast portion, such as the absence of /r/ after a vowel. Dominant in the southern half are the terms run (small stream), baby coach (baby carriage), and eel worm (earthworm). Heard also are keg rhyming with bag, scarce with fierce, spook with book, and haunted with panted. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Jersey

In 2000, 74.5% of the resident population five years old or older spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home with number of speakers were Spanish, 967,741; Italian, 116,365; Chinese, 84,345; Polish, 74,663; Portuguese, 72,870; Tagalog, 66,851; Korean, 55,340; and Gujarati, 47,324. Place names borrowed from the native Leni-Lanape tribe include Passaic, Totowa, and Piscataway.

9

Religions

New Jersey has a long history of religious tolerance. Dutch immigrants founded a Reformed Church in 1662. Puritans came from New England and Long Island, Congregationalists from Connecticut, and Baptists from Rhode Island. Quakers settled in Shrewsbury and western New Jersey during the early 1670s. The state’s first synagogue was established in 1848, in Newark. About the only religion not tolerated by New Jerseyites was Catholicism. The first Catholic parish was not organized until 1814 and laws excluding Catholics from holding office were on the books until 1844. In 2004, Roman Catholics constituted New Jersey’s single largest religious group, with 3,479,158 adherents. The next largest group is Jewish, with Jews numbering about 468,000 in 2000. The largest Protestant denomination (with 2000 data) was the United Methodist Church, with 140,133 adherents, followed by the Presbyterian Church USA, with 119,735; the Episcopal Church, 91,964; and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 79,264. There were about 120,724 Muslims in the state. Nearly 3.5 million people (about 42.3% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization. Passaic is the headquarters of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the Byzantine-Ruthenian Rite of the Byzantine Catholic Church.

10

Transportation

In the mid-1820s, Hoboken engineer John Stevens built the first steam locomotive operated in the United States. Over the protests of the dominant stagecoach operators, his son Robert obtained a charter in 1830 for the Camden and Amboy Railroad. The line opened in 1834, and six years later it held a monopoly on the lucrative New York–Philadelphia run. As of 2003, the major freight operations were run by CSX and Northfolk Southern. That year, there were 2,798 route miles (4,504 kilometers) of track in the state. In addition, there were one regional, one Canadian, six local, and six switching and terminal railroads operating in the state. As of 2006, daily Amtrak trains linked Newark, Trenton, and four other New Jersey cities along the main eastern rail corridor. But the bulk of interstate passenger traffic consists of commuters to New York and Philadelphia on trains operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PA) and the Port Authority Transit Corp. (PATCO), a subsidiary of the Delaware River Port Authority. The New Jersey Transit Corporation, called NJ TRANSIT, is a public corporation charged with coordinating and improving bus and rail services throughout the state. It is the nation’s third largest pubic transit agency, providing 223 million passenger trips annually. It operates 711 daily trains on 11 rail lines, and 2,027 buses on 236 routes throughout the state. It also owns and operates the Newark City Subway, a light rail system providing service through downtown Newark. 39

New Jersey

Drivers on the New Jersey Turnpike pass an oil refinery. AP IMAGES.

Although associated more with the West, the first stagecoach service began in New Jersey, as part of a New York–Philadelphia trek that took some five days in 1723. For a time, colonial law required towns along the way to provide taverns for the passengers and it was not uncommon for coach operators who were also tavern owners to find some way to prolong the journey an extra night. In 2004, there were 38,122 miles (61,376 kilometers) of public roads in the state. The major highways are the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway. There were some 6,218,000 registered vehicles in the state in 2004, including 3,974,000 automobiles, 2,076,000 trucks, and 19,000 buses. There were 5,799,532 licensed drivers in the same year. Twenty-seven bridges cross the Delaware River, connecting New Jersey with Pennsylvania 40

and Delaware. At the gateway to New York Harbor, there are ports at Elizabeth and Newark. There are private piers in Jersey City and Bayonne. The Ports of Philadelphia and Camden, Inc., headquartered in Philadelphia, operate facilities along the Delaware River. The port facility at Paulsboro is the most active in the state, followed by the Camden ports. The state’s early aviation centers were Lakehurst and Newark. Lakehurst was the scene of the 6 May 1937 crash of the Hindenburg, a disaster that killed 26 people and spelled the end of commercial airship flights in the United States. Newark International Airport has become the state’s busiest, with 15,827,675 passengers in 2004. It was the 12th busiest airport in the United States that year. Statewide in 2005, there Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Jersey

were 119 airports, 256 heliports, and 13 seaplane bases.

11

History

The first known inhabitants of what is now New Jersey were the Leni-Lenape (meaning “Original People”). Members of the Algonquian language group, the Leni-Lenape were a peaceful agricultural people who believed in monogamy, educated their children in the simple skills needed for wilderness survival, and maintained the tradition that a pot of food must always be warm on the fire to welcome all strangers. The first European explorer to reach New Jersey was Giovanni da Verrazano, who sailed into what is now Newark Bay in 1524. Henry Hudson, an English captain sailing under a Dutch flag, landed at Sandy Hook Bay in 1609, establishing a Dutch claim to the New World. In 1660, Hollanders founded New Jersey’s first town, called Bergen (now part of Jersey City). Native American lands were gained through a series of treaties. Ravaged by the introduction of guns, alcohol, and smallpox, only a few hundred of the “Original People” remained a century later. England assumed control of the region in 1664. Eventually, the land passed into the hands of governing groups in two provinces called East Jersey and West Jersey. East Jersey was settled mainly by Puritans from Long Island and New England; West Jersey was settled by Quakers from England. The split cost the colony dearly in 1702, when Queen Anne united East and West Jersey but placed them under New York rule. The colony did not get its own “home rule” until 1738. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Statehood During the American Revolution,

the colony was about equally divided between Revolutionists and Loyalists. However, in June 1776, the colony sent five delegates to the Continental Congress, all of whom voted for the Declaration of Independence. Two days before the Declaration was proclaimed, New Jersey adopted its first state constitution. George Washington and his battered troops made their winter headquarters in the state three times during the first four years of the war, and five major battles were fought in the state. At the end of the war, Princeton became the temporary capital of the United States until 1783. With many of its pathway towns ravaged by the war, the state stagnated until railroads and canals brought new life in the 1830s and set it on a course of urbanization and industrialization. The coal brought in on railroad cars freed industry from waterpower; factories sprang up wherever the rails went. The Hudson County waterfront, eastern terminus for most of the nation’s railway systems, became the most important railroad area in the United States. The Civil War split New Jersey bitterly. As late as the summer of 1863, after the Battle of Gettysburg, many state “peace Democrats” were urging the North to make peace with the Confederacy. The state, however, sent its full quota of troops into service throughout the conflict. Most importantly, New Jersey factories poured forth streams of munitions and other equipment for the Union army. At war’s end, political leaders stubbornly opposed the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the US Constitution, and blacks were not permitted to vote in the state until 1870. 41

New Jersey

Industry During the last decades of the 19th cen-

tury, New Jersey developed a reputation for factories capable of making the components necessary for thousands of manufacturing enterprises. In 1873, Isaac M. Singer opened a huge sewing machine plant at Elizabeth that employed 3,000 persons. Twentieth-century wars stimulated New Jersey’s industries further. During World War I, giant shipyards at Newark, Kearny, and Camden made New Jersey the nation’s leading shipbuilding state. The Middlesex County area refined 75% of the nation’s copper, and nearly 75% of US shells were loaded in the state. World War II revived the shipbuilding and munitions industries. Paterson became the nation’s foremost airplane engine manufacturing center. Training and mobilization centers at Fort Dix and Camp Kilmer moved millions of soldiers into the front lines. Urbanization The US Census Bureau termed

New Jersey officially “urban” in 1880, when the state population rose above one million for the first time. New Jersey has experienced many of the problems of urbanization. Its cities have declined; traffic congestion from commuters streaming into urban areas to work is intense. The suburbs acutely know the problems of urban growth: increased needs for schools, police and fire protection, sewers, and road maintenance, along with rising taxes. The state has not surrendered to its problems, however. Voters since 1950 have passed a wide variety of multimillion dollar bond issues to establish or rebuild state colleges. Rutgers, the state university, was rapidly expanded. Funds have been allocated for the purchase and development of new park and forest lands. Large 42

bond issues financed the construction of highways, reservoirs, and rapid transit systems. In the 1970s and early 1980s, New Jersey experienced a recession. The unemployment rate climbed to almost 10%, and over 270,000 people left the state. The state’s cities were hit particularly hard, suffering both from the loss of manufacturing jobs and from a flight of retailing to suburban malls. While the state lost over 200,000 manufacturing jobs, it gained 670,000 jobs in service industries, and the economy recovered in the 1980s. The rise in employment centered on such industries as services, transportation, and construction. By the early 1990s, the economy was contracting again before entering a period of recovery toward the end of the decade. By 1999 unemployment had dropped to 4.6%. Observers credited the recovery of the 1990s in part to a skilled workforce that attracted pharmaceutical, biotechnology, electronics, and other hightech firms to the state. Tax and economic incentives also helped bring business to the state. The state ranked second in the nation in per capita personal income ($33,953) and had the second lowest poverty rate (8.6%) in 1998. However, the state faced a severe budget crisis from 2002– 05. Nevertheless, the state’s per capita (per person) personal income in 2004 was $41,332, third in the nation behind Connecticut and Massachusetts. In 1998, New Jersey’s area increased by 24.2 acres following a US Supreme Court ruling that awarded the Garden State most of Ellis Island. In September 1999 New Jersey experienced one of the worst natural disasters in its history; Hurricane Floyd damaged more than 8,000 homes and destroyed several hundred more. A Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Jersey

federal aid package was approved in July 2000 to aid the hurricane victims. Politics Since the end of World War II, New

Jersey has had no predictable political pattern. It gave huge presidential majorities to Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower and Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson, and narrowly supported Democrat John F. Kennedy. The state favored Republican Gerald Ford over Democrat Jimmy Carter by a small margin, gave two big majorities to Republican Ronald Reagan, favored Democrat Bill Clinton in the 1990s, and favored Democrat Al Gore over George W. Bush in 2000. New Jersey gave its 15 electoral votes to John Kerry in 2004, in a 53% to 46% margin over George W. Bush. In 1978 Democrat Bill Bradley, former Princeton University and New York Knickerbockers basketball star, was elected to the US Senate; Bradley was reelected in 1984 and 1990, but did not run in 1996. In 2006, New Jersey was represented in the US Senate by Frank R. Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both Democrats. Governor Thomas Kean, a Republican who served from 1983–89, helped to improve the public image of New Jersey, long perceived as dominated by smoke-belching factories and troubled cities. Kean was succeeded by Democrat Jim Florio, whose tax increases, which took effect just at the time the New Jersey economy had begun to waver, angered voters. In 1993, Florio lost his bid for reelection to Republican Christine Todd Whitman, the state’s first woman governor. As soon as she took office, Whitman implemented a 5% tax cut and pushed through another 10% cut as part of her budget package in 1993. Whitman Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

won a second term in the 1996 election. In 2001, she was appointed by President George W. Bush to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); she resigned in 2003. Democrat Richard J. Codey, former state senate president, became acting governor in November 2004 after Governor James E. McGreevey resigned before his term expired. In the November 2005 gubernatorial election, former US Senator Jon S. Corzine, a Democrat, was elected governor. Corzine took office in 2006.

12

State Government

The state legislature consists of a 40-member senate and an 80-member general assembly. New Jersey is one of four states (the others are Maine, New Hampshire, and Tennessee) in which the governor is the only elected administrative official. Given broad powers by the state constitution, the governor appoints the heads, or commissioners, of the major state departments with the advice and consent of the senate. A bill may be introduced in either house of the legislature. Once passed, it goes to the governor, who may sign it, return it to the legislature with recommendations for change, or veto it in its entirety. A two-thirds majority in each house is needed to override a veto. The legislative salary as of December 2004 was $49,000 and the governor’s salary was $157,000.

13

Political Parties

Sweeping reforms—including a corrupt practices act, a primary election law, and increased support for public education—were implemented during the two years (1911–13) that Woodrow 43

New Jersey

The golden dome of the New Jersey state capitol building in Trenton shines behind pink cherry blossoms. AP IMAGES.

Wilson, a Democrat, served as New Jersey’s governor. Between 1913 and 1985, Democrats held the statehouse almost two-thirds of the time. In 2004, there were 5,009,000 registered voters. In 1998, 25% of registered voters were Democratic, 19% Republican, and 56% unaffiliated or members of other parties. Following the 2006 statewide elections, the state senate contained 22 Democrats and 18 Republicans, while the general assembly consisted of 49 Democrats and 31 Republicans. Twenty-three women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 19.2%. In the 2000 presidential voting, Democrat Al Gore won 56% of the vote, while Republican 44

George W. Bush won 41%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democratic challenger John Kerry won 52.7% of the vote to incumbent President George W. Bush’s 46.5%. In 1993, New Jersey elected its first woman as governor, Republican Christine Todd Whitman. Democrat James McGreevey was elected New Jersey’s governor in 2001; he resigned in 2004 and was succeeded by state senate president Richard Codey. In the November 2005 gubernatorial election, Codey decided not to run for a full term, and former US Senator Jon S. Corzine, a Democrat, was elected governor. Democrat Robert Menendez was appointed by Corzine to fill the US Senate seat he left vacant Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Jersey

New Jersey Governors: 1776–2007 1776–1790 1790 1790–1793 1793 1793–1801 1801–1802 1802–1803 1803–1812 1812–1813 1813–1815 1815 1815–1817 1817–1829 1829–1832 1832–1833 1833 1833–1836 1836–1837 1837–1843 1843–1844 1845–1848 1848–1851 1851–1854 1854–1857 1857–1860 1860–1863 1863–1866 1866–1869 1869–1872 1872–1875 1875–1878 1878–1881 1881–1884 1884–1887 1887–1890 1890–1893 1893–1896 1896–1898 1898

William Livingston Elisha Lawrence William Paterson Thomas Henderson Richard Howell Joseph Bloomfield John Lambert Joseph Bloomfield Aaron Ogden William Sandford Pennington William Kennedy Mahlon Dickerson Isaac Halstead Williamson Peter Dumont Vroom Samuel Lewis Southard Elias P. Seeley Peter Dumont Vroom Philemon Dickerson William Pennington Daniel Haines Charles Creighton Stratton Daniel Haines George Franklin Fort Rodman McCamley Price William Augustus Newell Charles Smith Olden Joel Parker Marcus Lawrence Ward Theodore Fitz Randolph Joel Parker Joseph Dorsett Bedle George Brinton McClellan George Craig Ludlow Leon Abbett Robert Stockton Green Leon Abbett George Theodore Werts John Williams Griggs Foster MacGowan Voorhees

Federalist Federalist Federalist Federalist Federalist Republican Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Federalist Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Republican Federalist Democrat Republican Whig Democrat Democrat Dem-Rep Democrat Whig Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican

when he became governor in January 2006, and Menendez won that Senate seat in his own right in November 2006. Democrat Frank Lautenberg, first elected to the Senate in 1982, and reelected in 1988 and 1994, returned to the Senate in 2002 after having retired in 2000. Following the 2006 midterm elections, the state’s delegation to the US House of Representatives consisted of seven Democrats and six Republicans. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1898–1899 1899–1902 1902–1905 1905–1908 1908–1911 1911–1913 1913 1913–1914 1914–1917 1917–1919 1919–1920 1920 1920–1923 1923–1926 1926–1929 1929–1932 1932–1935 1935 1935 1935–1938 1938–1941 1941–1944 1944–1947 1947–1954 1954–1962 1962–1970 1970–1974 1974–1982 1982–1990 1990–1994 1994–2001 2001 2001–2004 2004–2006 2006–

David Ogden Watkins Foster MacGowan Voorhees Franklin Murphy Edward Casper Stokes John Franklin Fort Thomas Woodrow Wilson James Fairman Fielder Leon R. Taylor James Fairman Fielder Walter Evans Edge William Nelson Runyon Clarence Edwards Case Edward Irving Edwards George Sebastian Silzer Arthur Harry Moore Morgan Foster Larson Arthur Harry Moore Clifford R. Powell Horace Griggs Prall Harold Giles Hoffman Arthur Harry Moore Charles Edison Walter Evans Edge Alfred Eastlack Driscoll Robert Baumle Meyner Richard Joseph Hughes William Thomas Cahill Brendan Thomas Byrne Thomas H. Kean James Joseph Florio Christine Todd Whitman Donald T. DeFrancesco James McGreevey Richard Codey Jon S. Corzine

Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat


14

Local Government

As of 2005, New Jersey had 21 counties, 324 municipal governments, 604 public school districts, and 276 special districts. In 2002, there were 242 townships. Counties are divided into classes by population and location. These classes determine the number of members on the main county governing body (the board of freehold45

New Jersey

New Jersey Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 NEW JERSEY WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

PROHIBITION

SOCIALIST LABOR

1948 Dewey (R) 1952 *Eisenhower (R)

895,455 1,015,902

981,124 1,373,613

42,683 5,589

10,521 8,593

10,593 —

3,354 5,815

1956 *Eisenhower (R)

850,337

1,606,942

—

9,147

6,736

— —

— —

4,262 7,075

YEAR

CONSTITUTION

5,317 CONSERVATIVE

1960 1964


1,385,415 1,867,671

1,363,324 963,843

1968

*Nixon (R)

1,264,206

1,325,467


PEACE & FREEDOM

262,187

8,084 PEOPLE’S

1972 1976 1980

*Nixon (R) Ford (R) *Reagan (R)

1,102,211 1,444,653 1,147,364

1,845,502 1,509,688 1,546,557

— 7,716 8,203

6,784

AMERICAN

5,355

34,378

US LABOR

LIBERTARIAN

4,544

1,650 —

9,449 20,652

3,686 2,198

6,416

—

WORKERS WORLD

1984 1988

*Reagan (R) * Bush (R)

1,261,323 1,320,352

1,933,630 1,743,192

—

8,404

NEW ALLIANCE

PEACE & FREEDOM

5,139

9,953

CONSUMER

8,421

IND. (PEROT)

1992

*Clinton (D)

1,436,206

1,356,865

3,513

3,454 IND. (BRADFORD)

521,829

6,822

4,749

GREEN (NADER)

1996

*Clinton (D)

1,652,329

1,103,078

—

262,134

14,763

32,465

LIBERTARIAN

2000 Gore (D) 1,788,850 2004 Kerry (D) 1,911,430 * Won US presidential election.

1,284,173 1,670,003

ers) which administers county and state programs. County officers include the clerk, sheriff, and prosecutor. Cities, boroughs, and towns may employ the mayor-council system, council-manager system, commission system, or other forms of their own devising. Cities, too, are classed by population and location into four classes. The budgets of all local units are supervised by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, which also offers municipal aid programs. 46

94,554 —

15

1,880 —

6,312 4,514

844 —

Judicial System

The supreme court, the state’s highest, consists of six associate justices and a chief justice, who is also the administrative head of the state court system. As the court of highest authority, the supreme court hears appeals on constitutional questions and of certain cases from the superior court, which comprises three divisions: chancery, law, and appellate. The chancery division has original jurisdiction over general equity cases, most probate cases, and divorce actions. All other origiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Jersey

nal cases are tried within the law division. The appeals division hears appeals from the chancery and law divisions, from lower courts, and from most state administrative agencies. A state tax court, empowered to review local property tax assessments, equalization tables, and state tax determinations, has been in operation since 1979. Municipal court judges hear minor criminal matters, motor vehicle cases, and violations of municipal ordinances. In 2004, New Jersey had a total violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) of 355.7 reported incidents per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/ theft, and motor vehicle theft) that year totaled 2,429.2 reported incidents per 100,000 people. Prisoners under jurisdiction of state and federal correctional authorities in New Jersey numbered 26,757 as of 31 December 2004. A death penalty by lethal injection was established in 1982, although as of 5 May 2006, the sentence had yet to be imposed. As of 1 January 2006, 13 persons were under sentence of death in New Jersey.

16

Migration

New Jersey’s first white settlers were colonial migrants: the Dutch from New Amsterdam, Swedes from west of the Delaware River, and Puritans from New England and Long Island. Not until the rapid industrial growth of the mid-1800s did New Jersey attract great waves of immigrants. Germans and Irish were the first to arrive. The late 1800s and early 1900s brought newcomers from Eastern Europe, including many Jews, and a much larger number of Italians to the cities. More recently, migration from Puerto Rico and Cuba has been substantial. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

From World War I on, there has been a steady migration of blacks from Southern states. Black as well as Hispanic newcomers settled in major cities just as whites were departing for the suburbs. New Jersey’s suburbs were also attractive to residents of New York City, Philadelphia, and other adjacent areas, who began a massive move to the state just after World War II. Between 1990 and 1998, New Jersey had a net loss of 350,000 in domestic migration and a net gain of 360,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 290,194 and net internal migration was -194,901, for a net gain of 95,293 people.

17

Economy

Petroleum refining, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, food processing, apparel, fabricated metals, electric and electronic equipment, and other machinery are all important. But the state is more noteworthy for the diversity of its manufacturers than for any dominant company or product. The service sector of the economy, led by wholesale and retail trade, continued to grow rapidly during the 1990s. The heaviest concentrations of jobs are in and near metropolitan New York and Philadelphia. Fresh market vegetables are the leading source of farm income. Economic growth during the late 1990s was robust. Although the national recession of 2001 resulted in a slowdown in the economy, employment losses for the state as a whole started later and were milder than for the nation as a whole. New Jersey’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $416.05 billion, of which the real estate sector accounted for the largest share at $65.6 billion (15.7% of GSP), followed by manufacturing ($45.35 billion, or 10.9% of GSP), 47

New Jersey

In 2005, New Jersey had a gross state product (GSP) of $431 billion, eighth highest in the nation. In 2004, New Jersey ranked fourth among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $41,626 (the national average was $33,050). The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $56,772, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same 2002–04 period, 8.2% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationwide.

trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.9% in financial activities; 14.6% in professional and business services; 13.9% in education and health services; 8.4% in leisure and hospitality services; and 15.8% in government. Although migrant workers are still employed at south Jersey tomato farms and fruit orchards, the number of farm workers coming into the state is declining with the increased use of mechanical harvesters. In 2005, 791,000 of New Jersey’s 3,868,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 20.5% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

19

21

and professional and technical services ($33.65 billion, or 8% of GSP).

18

Income

Industry

In 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in the state was $94.12 billion. That year, the leading industrial categories were chemical and allied products ($26.9 billion), petroleum and coal products manufacturing ($12.2 billion) food manufacturing ($9.48 billion), computer and electronic product manufacturing ($6.1 billion), and fabricated metal product manufacturing ($5.24 billion). Nearly every major US corporation has facilities in the state.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in New Jersey numbered 4,501,800, with approximately 231,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.1%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In April 2006, 4.2% of the labor force was employed in construction; 7.8% in manufacturing; 21.4% in 48

Agriculture

New Jersey is a leading producer of fresh fruits and vegetables. Its total farm income was $862 million in 2005. In 2004, it ranked fourth in cranberries, spinach, and lettuce, and eighth in fresh market tomatoes. About 820,000 acres (332,000 hectares) were contained in 9,900 farms in 2004. The major farm counties are: Warren for grain and milk production, Gloucester and Cumberland for fruits and vegetables, Atlantic for blueberries, Burlington for nursery production and berries, Salem for processing vegetables, and Monmouth for nursery and equine. In 2004, leading crops were bell peppers, cabbage, sweet corn, tomatoes, and head lettuce. New Jersey farmers also produced 56,440 tons of vegetables for processing. Fruit crops in 2004 included apples, peaches, cranberries, and strawberries. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Jersey

22


In 2005, New Jersey had an estimated 44,000 cattle and calves, valued at $48.8 million. During 2004, New Jersey farmers had an estimated 11,000 hogs and pigs valued at $1.3 million. In 2003, poultry farmers produced 686,000 million pounds (312 million kilograms) of turkey, 3 million pounds (1.4 million kilograms) of chickens, and 556 million eggs. The state’s total milk yield was 216 million pounds (98.1 million kilograms) in 2003.

23

Fishing

In 2004, New Jersey had a commercial fish catch of 185.6 million pounds (84.3 million kilograms) worth $139.4 million, the eighth-highest catch value in the nation. Cape May–Wildwood had the 15th-highest value and 13th-largest volume of all US ports, bringing in 97.5 million pounds (44.3 million kilograms) of fish, worth $68.1 million. Clams, scallops, swordfish, tuna, squid, lobster, and flounder are the most valuable species. The state ranked second in the nation for volume of Atlantic mackerel landings. The state led the nation in landings of surf clams and quahogs. In 2003, there were 15 processing and 83 wholesale plants in the state with about 2,050 employees. The commercial fleet in 2001 had 397 vessels. The US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior maintains a total of 190,000 acres (76,900 hectares) at 12 different sites with boating access. The state stocks over 1.8 million fish per year to lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. The Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery and the Pequest Trout Hatchery are major suppliers. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Recreational fishermen catch finfish and shellfish along the Atlantic coast and in the rivers and lakes of northern New Jersey. In 2004, the state issued 169,418 sport fishing licenses.

24

Forestry

Over 42% of New Jersey’s land area, or 1,876,000 acres (759,000 hectares), was forested in 2004. Of that total, 1,228,000 acres (521,000 hectares) were classified as commercial timberland, most of it privately owned. The forests of New Jersey are important for their function in conservation and recreation. Harvested wood contributes to specialty markets and quality veneer products. State forests cover 382,000 acres (155,000 hectares).

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in New Jersey in 2003 was estimated to be $272 million. According to preliminary figures, 22.5 million metric tons of crushed stone were produced in 2003. Other mineral resources mined or recovered included construction sand and gravel, industrial sand and gravel, common and fire clays, greensand marl. New Jersey continued to be the only state that produced greensand marl, also known as the mineral glauconite, which is processed and sold mainly as a water-softening filtration medium to remove soluble iron and manganese from well water. A secondary use is as an organic conditioner for soils.

26

Energy and Power

Although it contains some of the largest oil refineries in the United States, New Jersey produces 49

New Jersey

little of its own energy, importing much of its electric power and virtually all of its fossil fuels. In 2003, there were 37 electric generating plants in New Jersey. Installed capacity (utility and nonutility) totaled 18.6 million kilowatts. Power production amounted to 57.4 billion kilowatt hours. In 2000, New Jersey’s total per capita energy consumption was 322 million Btu (81.1 million kilocalories), ranking it 33rd among the 50 states. New Jersey had three nuclear power stations in operation in 2006: Hope Creek in Lower Alloways Township; Oyster Creek plant at Forked River; and the Salem Creek plant near Salem. Nuclear generating stations accounted for 51.8% of the electric power generated in the state in 2003.

27

Commerce

With one of the nation’s busiest ports and many regional distribution centers, New Jersey is an important commercial state. Wholesale sales for 2002 totaled $256.9 billion; retail sales were $102.1 billion. In 2005, New Jersey exported $21.08 billion of its own manufactures to foreign countries. Leading exports were chemicals, electronics, and industrial machinery. Most exports went to Canada, Japan, the UK, and Mexico.

28

Public Finance

The annual budget, prepared by the Treasury Department’s Division of Budget and Accounting, is submitted by the governor to the legislature for approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. The revenues for 2004 were $50.58 billion and expenditures were $46.45 billion. The 50

largest general expenditures were for education ($12.12 billion), public welfare ($8.59 billion), and highways ($2.38 billion). The public debt of state government was $35.77 billion, or $4,118.62 per person.

29

Taxation

New Jersey’s personal income tax is the largest single source of revenues. The 6% retail sales tax is the second largest. The personal income tax schedule has six brackets ranging from 1.4% to 8.97%. The corporate tax is a flat rate of 9%. The state also imposes a full array of excise taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, and many other products and services. There are no local sales taxes. Other state taxes include various license and franchise fees, stamp taxes, and state property taxes. Most property taxes are collected locally. The state collected $22.93 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 35.9% came from individual income taxes, 28.6% came from the general sales tax, 15.8% from selective sales taxes, 9.7% from corporate income taxes and 10.1% from other taxes. In 2005, New Jersey ranked 10th among the states in terms of combined state and local tax burden, which amounted to $2,631 per capita (per person). The national average was $2,192.

30

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality rate in New Jersey was 4.9 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate stood at 8.5 per 1,000 inhabitants. The leading causes of death in the state were heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, accidents, motor vehicle accidents, and suicide. Among Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Jersey

persons ages 18 and older, 18.8% were smokers. The HIV-related death rate was 8.9 per 100,000 population. A total of 43,824 AIDS cases had been reported through 2001. New Jersey’s 78 community hospitals had about 22,800 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,411 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, New Jersey had 333 doctors per 100,000 residents, and 928 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005. In 2002, approximately 15% of New Jersey’s residents were uninsured. The state’s only medical school, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, is a public institution that combines three medical schools, one dental school, a school of allied professions, and a graduate school of biomedical sciences.

31

Housing

Poor housing was at least one of the causes of the Newark riots in 1967. As a result, the state established the Department of Community Affairs to coordinate existing housing aid programs and establish new ones. In 2004, the state had an estimated 3,414,739 housing units, of which 3,134,481 were occupied; 68.1% were owneroccupied. About 54.6% of all units were singlefamily, detached homes. Nearly 60% of the entire housing stock was built before 1969. Utility gas is the most common heating energy source, followed by fuel oil and kerosene. It was estimated that 98,620 units lacked telephone service, 10,054 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 16,364 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.71 people. In 2004, some 36,900 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

median home value was $291,294, the fifth highest in the country. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,847, while renters paid a median of $877, the second-highest rate in the country, after California.

32

Education

In 2004, 87.6% of residents over age 25 were high school graduates and 34.6% had college degrees. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 1,367,000 in fall 2002 and is expected to reach 1,415,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $20.8 billion or $12,981 per student, the highest in the nation. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 204,732. As of fall 2002, there were 361,733 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. In 2005, New Jersey had 58 degree-granting institutions. Rutgers, the state university, began operations as Queen’s College in 1766 and was placed under state control in 1956. Altogether, New Jersey has 14 public four-year colleges, 19 two-year community colleges, and 21 private colleges. The major private university in the state and one of the nation’s leading institutions is Princeton University, founded in 1746. Other major private universities are Seton Hall (1856), Stevens Institute of Technology (1870), and Fairleigh Dickinson (1942).

33

Arts

Around the end of the 19th century, New Jersey towns, especially Atlantic City and Newark, were tryout centers for shows bound for Broadway. The New Jersey Theater Group, a service orga51

New Jersey

nization for nonprofit professional theaters, was established in 1978. There are several theaters in the state that are members of the statewide Theater Group, including the Tony Award-winning McCarter Theater at Princeton and Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn. Ft. Lee was once the state’s motion picture capital. The first silent film, The Great Train Robbery, was shot there. New Jersey’s early preeminence in cinema, an era that ended with the rise of Hollywood, stemmed partly from the fact that the first motion picture system was developed by Thomas Edison at Menlo Park in the late 1880s. The state created the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission in 1977. In 1796, William Dunlap of Perth Amboy wrote the libretto for The Archers, the first American opera to be commercially produced. There are over 60 professional and community orchestras throughout the state. The leading orchestra is the New Jersey Symphony, which makes its home in the new New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. There are other symphony orchestras in Plainfield and Trenton. The New Jersey State Opera performs in Newark’s Symphony Hall, while the Opera Festival of New Jersey makes its home in Lawrenceville. Noteworthy dance companies include the American Repertory Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, and the Nai Ni Chen Dance Company. The jazz clubs of northern New Jersey and the seaside rock clubs in Asbury Park have helped launch the careers of many local performers. Famous stars perform in the casinos and hotels of Atlantic City. 52

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts supports arts programs with state and federal funds. The New Jersey Council for the Humanities was founded in 1973.

34


In 2001, New Jersey had 309 public library systems with a total of 458 libraries, 149 of which were branches. The public library systems that year housed 31 million volumes and had a total circulation of 49,171,000. The Newark Public Library was the largest municipal system with over 1.45 million volumes and 10 branches. Princeton University’s library is the largest in the state, with over 4.9 million volumes and 34,182 periodical subscriptions. It is distinguished by special collections on African American studies, art and archaeology, economics, and international affairs, among many others. Rutgers University ranked second with 3.2 million volumes. New Jersey has more than 177 museums, historic sites, botanical gardens, and arboretums. Among the most noteworthy museums are the New Jersey Historical Society in Newark and Princeton University’s Art Museum and Museum of Natural History. Also of interest are Grover Cleveland’s birthplace in Caldwell; the Campbell Museum in Camden (featuring the soup company’s collection of bowls and utensils); and one of the most popular attractions, the Edison National Historic Site, formerly the home and workshop of Thomas Edison, in West Orange. In 1984, the grounds at the Skylands section of Ringwood State Park were designated as the official state botanical garden. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Jersey

35

Communications

Telstar, the first communications satellite, was developed by researchers at Bell Labs in Holmdel, Whippany, and Murray Hill. Three Bell Labs researchers shared the Nobel Prize in physics (1956) for developing the transistor, a device that has revolutionized communications and many other fields. In 1876, at Menlo Park, Thomas Edison invented the carbon telephone transmitter, a device which made the telephone commercially feasible. In 2004, about 95% of the state’s occupied housing units had telephones. That year there were 6,326,459 mobile telephone subscribers. As of 2003, about 65.5% of New Jersey households had a computer and 60.5% had Internet access. Because the state lacks a major television broadcasting outlet, New Jerseyites receive more news about events in New York City and Philadelphia than in their own towns and cities. In 2005 there were 60 major radio stations (8 AM, 52 FM) and 7 television stations. In 1978, in cooperation with public television’s WNET (licensed in Newark but operated in New York), New Jersey’s public stations began producing the state’s first nightly newscast.

36

Press

Several newspapers, most notably the Newark Star–Ledger, have amassed considerable circulation. But none has been able to muster statewide influence of the nearby New York Times or Philadelphia Inquirer, both of which are read widely in the state. In 2005, there were 18 morning dailies, 1 evening, and 15 Sunday papers. Most of the largest papers are owned by Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

either Gannett Company, Inc. (of Virginia) or Advance Publications (of New York). As of 2005, the leading papers and their daily circulations were are the Newark Star–Ledger (400,042), the Hackensack Record (176,177), and the Neptune-Asbury Park Press (160,399). Numerous scholarly and historical books have been published by the university presses of Princeton and Rutgers. Periodicals published in New Jersey include Home, New Jersey Monthly, Personal Computing, and Tiger Beat.

37


Tourism is a leading industry in New Jersey. In 2005, there were about 72.2 million visitors to the state. The Jersey shore has been a popular attraction since 1801, when Cape May began advertising itself as a summer resort. Of all the shore resorts, the largest has long been Atlantic City, which by the 1890s was the nation’s most popular resort city. By the early 1970s, however, the city’s only claims to fame were the Miss America pageant and the game of Monopoly, whose standard version uses its street names. In an effort to restore Atlantic City to its former luster and revive its economy, New Jersey voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1976 to allow casinos in the resort. Some 33 million people now visit Atlantic City annually. State attractions include 10 ski areas in northwestern New Jersey, canoeing and camping at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, three national wildlife refuges, 31 public golf courses, and 30 amusement parks, including Great Adventure in central Jersey. New Jersey’s inland lakes, trout streams, and saltwater fishing facilities are popular with anglers. 53

New Jersey

Tourists enjoy a ride in a horse-drawn carriage at Cape May. AP IMAGES.

38

Sports

New Jersey is historically significant in the births of two major national sports. Princeton and Rutgers played what is claimed to be the first intercollegiate football game on 6 November 1869 at New Brunswick. The first game of what we know today as baseball was also played in New Jersey at the Elysion Field in Hoboken between the Knickerbockers and the New York Nine on 19 June 1846. New Jersey did not have a major league professional team until 1976, when the New York Giants of the National Football League moved across the Hudson River into the newly com54

pleted Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands Sports Complex at East Rutherford. The NFL’s New York Jets began playing their home games at the Meadowlands in 1984. The Continental Airlines Arena, located at the same site, is the home of the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association and the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. The Devils won the Stanley Cup in 1995, 2000, and 2003. The Meadowlands is also the home of a dual thoroughbred and harness racing track. Other racetracks are Garden State Park (Cherry Hill), Monmouth Park (Oceanport), and Atlantic City Race Course for thoroughbreds; and Freehold Raceway for harness racing. Auto racing is featured at speedways in Bridgeport, East Windsor, and New Egypt. Trenton has a minor league baseball team, the Thunder, in the Eastern League. New Jersey has several world class golf courses, including Baltusrol, the site of seven US Opens and the 2005 PGA Championship. Numerous championship boxing matches have been held in Atlantic City. Other annual sporting events include the New Jersey Offshore Grand Prix Ocean Races held at Point Pleasant Beach in July and the National Marbles Tournament in Wildwood.

39

Famous New Jerseyites

While only one native New Jerseyite, (Stephen) Grover Cleveland (1837–1908), has been elected president of the United States, the state can also properly claim (Thomas) Woodrow Wilson (b.Virginia, 1856–1924), who spent most of his adult life there. Elected governor of New Jersey in 1910, Wilson pushed through a series of sweeping reforms before entering the White House in 1913. Wilson’s two presidential Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Jersey

terms were marked by his controversial decision to declare war on Germany and his unsuccessful crusade for US membership in the League of Nations after World War I. Two vice presidents hail from New Jersey: Aaron Burr (1756–1836) and Garret A. Hobart (1844–1899). Burr, born in Newark and educated at what is now Princeton University, is best remembered for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel at Weehawken in 1804. Important historical figures include Molly Pitcher (Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley, 1754?– 1832), a heroine of the American Revolution, and Zebulon Pike (1779–1813), the noted explorer. One of the world’s most prolific inventors, Thomas Alva Edison (b.Ohio, 1847–1931) patented over 1,000 devices from workshops at Menlo Park and West Orange. Theoretical physicist Albert Einstein (b.Germany, 1879– 1955), winner of a Nobel Prize in 1921, spent his last decades in Princeton. General Norman Schwarzkopf (b.1934) was commander of US forces during the Persian Gulf War. The state’s traditions in the arts began in colonial times. Patience Lovell Wright (1725– 1786) of Bordentown was America’s first recognized sculptor. Authors after the Revolution included James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851), one of the nation’s first novelists; and Stephen Crane (1871–1900), famed for The Red Badge of Courage (1895). Quite a number of prominent 20th-century writers were born in or are associated with New Jersey including William Carlos Williams (1883– 1963), Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997); Norman Mailer (b.1923); John McPhee (b.1931); Philip Roth (b.1933); Imamu Amiri Baraka (Leroi Jones, b.1934) and Peter Benchley (b.New York, 1940). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Notable 19th century artists were Asher B. Durand (1796–1886) and George Inness (b.New York, 1825–1894). The best known 20th-century artist associated with New Jersey was Ben Shahn (1898–1969); cartoonist Charles Addams (1912–1988) was born in Westfield. Noted photographers born in New Jersey include Alfred Stieglitz (1864–1946) and Dorothea Lange (1895–1965). Important composers were Lowell Mason (b.Massachusetts, 1792–1872), called the “father of American church music,” and Milton Babbitt (b.Pennsylvania, 1916), long active at Princeton. Popular singers include Francis Albert “Frank” Sinatra (1915–1998); Sarah Vaughan (1924–1990); Dionne Warwick (b.1941); Paul Simon (b.1942); and Bruce Springsteen (b.1949). Jazz musician William “Count” Basie (1904–1984) was born in Red Bank. Other celebrities native to New Jersey are actors Jack Nicholson (b.1937); Michael Douglas (b.1944); Meryl Streep (b.1948); and John Travolta (b.1954). Comedians Lou Costello (1906–1959), Jerry Lewis (b.1926), and Clerow “Flip” Wilson (1933–1998) were also born in the state. Michael Chang (b.1972), 1989 French Open tennis champion, was born in Hoboken.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Heinrichs, Ann. New Jersey. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003. Moragne, Wendy. New Jersey. New York: Benchmark Books, 2000. Murray, Julie. New Jersey. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Sateren, Shelley Swanson. New Jersey Facts and 55

New Jersey

Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. WEB SITES New Jersey Commerce, Economic Growth & Tourism Commission. New Jersey: Visitnj.

56

org. www.state.nj.us/travel (accessed March 1, 2007). State of New Jersey. Official Web Site for the State of New Jersey. www.state.nj.us (accessed March 1, 2007).


New Mexico State of New Mexico

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Spanish explorers in 1540

called the area “the new Mexico.” N I CKNAME : Land of Enchantment. C AP ITAL: Santa Fe. ENT ERED UNION: 6 January 1912 (47th). O FFICIAL SEAL: An American bald eagle with

extended wings grasps three arrows in its talons and shields a smaller eagle grasping a snake in its beak and a cactus in its talons (the emblem of Mexico, and thus symbolic of the change in sovereignty over the state). Below the scene is the state motto. The words “Great Seal of the State of New Mexico 1912” surround the whole. FLAG: The sun symbol of the Zia Indians appears in red on a yellow field. M OT TO: Crescit eundo (It grows as it goes). SONG: “O Fair New Mexico;” “Así es Nuevo México.” FLOWER: Yucca (Our Lord’s Candles). TREE: Piñon pine. A NIMAL: Black bear. B IRD: Roadrunner (chaparral bird). FISH: Cutthroat trout. G E M: Turquoise. FOSSIL: Coelophysis dinosaur. V E GETABLE: Chile and frijoles (pinto beans). LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; President’s Day, day after Thanksgiving; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

New Mexico is located in the southwestern United States. One of the eight Rocky Mountain states, it ranks fifth in size among the 50 states, with an area of 121,593 square miles (314,926 square kilometers), of which land comprises 121,335 square miles (314,258 square kilometers) and inland water 258 square miles (668 square kilometers). New Mexico extends about 352 miles (566 kilometers) from east to west and 391 miles (629 kilometers) from north to south. Its total boundary length is 1,434 miles (2,308 kilometers). 57

New Mexico

2

Topography

The Continental Divide extends from north to south through central New Mexico. The northcentral part of the state lies within the Southern Rocky Mountains, the northwest forms part of the Colorado Plateau, and the eastern two-fifths of the state falls on the western fringes of the Great Plains. Major mountain ranges include the Southern Rockies, the Chuska Mountains in the northwest, and the Caballo, San Andres, San Mateo, Sacramento, and Guadalupe ranges in the south and southwest. The highest point in the state is Wheeler Peak, at 13,161 feet (4,014 meters). The lowest point, 2,842 feet (867 meters), is at Red Bluff Reservoir. Major rivers include the Rio Grande, San Juan, Pecos, and Gila. The largest bodies of inland water are the Elephant Butte and Conchas reservoirs, both created by dams. The Carlsbad Caverns, the largest known subterranean labyrinth in the world, penetrate the foothills of the Guadalupes in the southeast. The caverns embrace more than 37 miles (60 kilometers) of connecting chambers and corridors and are famed for their stalactite and stalagmite formations.

3

Climate

New Mexico has a climate that ranges from arid to semiarid with a wide range of temperatures. Average January temperatures vary from about 35°f (2°c) in the north to about 55°f (13°c) in the southern and central regions. July temperatures range from about 78°f (26°c) at high elevations, to around 92°f (33°c) at lower elevations. The record high temperature for the state is 122°f (50°c), set on 27 July 1994 at Lakewood. The 58

New Mexico Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

1,954,599 7.5% 43.6% 96.8% 69.5% 1.9% 9.6% 1.2% 0.1% 14.5% 3.2%


65 and over (12%)

Under 18 (26%)

45 to 64 (26%) 18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (26%)

Major Cities by Population City Albuquerque Las Cruces Santa Fe Rio Rancho Roswell Farmington Alamogordo Clovis Hobbs Carlsbad

Population

% change 2000–05

494,236 82,671 70,631 66,599 45,199 43,161 36,245 33,357 29,006 25,300

10.2 11.3 13.5 28.7 -0.2 14.0 1.9 2.1 1.2 -1.3



New Mexico

NEW MEXICO Explanation Point of Interest City 10,000-100,000 people) City (more than 100,000 people) State Capital

COLORADO


40

Area of Interest

N 0

UTAH

25

0

SAN JUAN

Farmington

Carson Nat’l Forest

Jicarilla Apache Ind. Res.

Capulin Volcano Nat’l Monument Carson National Forest

Navajo Indian Reservation

50 miles

50 kilometers

UNION

COLFAX

TAOS

RIO ARRIBA

San Juan R.

25

OKLAHOMA

Kiowa National Grasslands

MORA HARDING

SANDOVAL MC KINLEY

25

Santa Fe National Forest

Santa Fe Gallup

Cibola National Forest

Kiowa National Grasslands

LOS ALOMOS SAN MIGUEL

Las Vegas

Cibola Nat’l For.

40 Rio Rancho

CIBOLA

Conchas L.

Santa Fe National Forest

QUAY

BERNAlILLO

Albuquerque

SANTA FE

GUADALUPE

40 TORRANCE

s

Laguna Indian Isleta VALENCIA Ramah Res. Indian Navajo Acoma Ind. Res. Indian Res. Res.

R.

CATRON

ARIZONA

co Pe

Zuni Indian Reservation

CURRY DE BACA

SOCORRO

Cibola Nat’l For.

Apache National Forest

Clovis

Ft. Sumner State Memorial ROOSEVELT

LINCOLN

Portales

Cibola Nat’l For.

CHAVES

White Sands Missle Range

Lincoln National Forest

25 Gila National Forest

LEA

Roswell

SIERRA

Elephant Butte Reservior

GRANT

Mescalero Apache Ind. Res.

OTERO

Gila National Forest

EDDY

White Alamogorda Sands Nat’l Mon.

DONA ANA

Silver City

Hobbs

Artesia

HIDALGO

Ri o

LUNA

Carlsbad

Las Cruces Deming

e and Gr

10

R.


MEXICO


Fort Bliss Military Reservation

Lincoln National Forest

Carlsbad Caverns Nat’l Park

TEXAS

59

New Mexico

Shiprock rises from the terrain in northwestern New Mexico. The 1700-foot volcanic plume is renowned not just for its rugged beauty, but also for its legends and the spiritual power it is said to possess. Shiprock is a sacred site to the Navajo people. COURTESY OF THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM.

record low, -50°f (-46°c), was set on 1 February 1951 at Gavilan. Average annual precipitation in the desert city of Albuquerque is 9.5 inches (24 centimeters). At high elevations, the average annual precipitation is over 20 inches (50 centimeters). Thunderstorms are common in the summer. Snow is much more frequent in the north than in the south. Albuquerque gets about 10 inches (25 centimeters) of snow per year while the northern mountains receive up to 100 inches (254 centimeters).

4

Plants and Animals

New Mexico is divided into six life zones, with vegetation varying from desert shrubs and grasses 60

to ponderosa pine and oak woodlands, and from mixed conifer and aspen forests to tundra wildflowers. The yucca is the state flower. Thirteen plant species were listed as threatened or endangered in 2006, including Sacramento prickly poppy, Moncos milk-vetch, and two species of cacti. Native animals included pronghorn antelope, javelina, elk, wild turkey, black bear, hairy woodpecker, bighorn sheep, and ermine. Among notable desert insects are the tarantula, centipede, and vinegarroon. The coatimundi, Baird’s sparrow, and brook stickleback are among rare animals. In April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 28 New Mexican animal species as threatened or endangered, including two species Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Mexico

New Mexico Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,819,046 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,752,719 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63,377 White; Black or African-American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,568 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,567 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,185 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35,391 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,060 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,719 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 92 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,006 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,144 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,950

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 96.4 . . . . . . . 3.5 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.6 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 1.9 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.2


of bat, whooping crane, bald eagle, southwestern willow flycatcher, Mexican spotted owl, three species of shiner, and razorback sucker.

5


State environment agencies include the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), the Environmental Improvement Board, the Water Quality Control Commission, and the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. As the state’s leading environmental agency, the NMED’s mission is to preserve, protect, and perpetuate New Mexico’s environment for present and future generations. The NMED is comprised of 4 divisions, 14 bureaus, 4 districts, and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

17 field offices. Each entity is responsible for different areas and functions of environmental protection (or administrative support) concerning air, water, and land resources. In 2003, New Mexico had 120 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 12 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. New Mexico had 482,000 acres (195,058 hectares) of wetlands, which are located primarily in the eastern and northern areas of the state.

6

Population

In 2005, New Mexico ranked 36th in population out of the 50 states, with an estimated total 61

New Mexico

an estimated population of almost twice that. Las Cruces had a 2005 population of 82,671, and Santa Fe (the capital), 70,631.

7

The Navajo Nation, one of the largest Native American tribes in the United States, has more than 230,000 enrolled tribal members and reservation boundaries extending into Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. COURTESY OF THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM. PHOTOGRAPHER MARK NOHL.

of 1,954,599 residents. The population is projected to reach 2 million by 2015 and 2.1million by 2025. In 2004 the state had a population density of 15.7 persons per square mile (6.06 per square kilometer). In that same year, the median age was 35.8 years. Of all residents in 2005, 12% were 65 years old or older, while 26% were 18 or younger. In 2005, an estimated 494,236 people lived in Albuquerque, while the metropolitan area had 62

Ethnic Groups

New Mexico has two large minorities: American Indians and Hispanics. In 2000, the estimated American Indian population was 173,483, which was 9.5% of the total state population. In 2006, American Indians accounted for 9.6% of the population. New Mexico’s Navajo population was recorded as 67,397 in 2000. In the same year, the Zuni lands had a population of 7,758 and the Acoma reservation had 2,802 residents. There are two Apache reservations, nineteen Pueblo villages, and lands allotted to other tribes. New Mexico’s Hispanic population is descended from Spanish-speaking peoples who lived in the area before the territory was annexed by the United States. In 2000, Hispanics and Latinos (including a small number of immigrants from modern Mexico) numbered 765,386 or 42.1% of the total state population. In 2006, Hispanics and Latinos accounted for 43.6% of the state’s residents. As of 2000, there were an estimated 19,255 Asians, 1,503 Pacific Islanders, and 34,343 black Americans lived in the state. In 2006, black Americans accounted for 1.9% of the population, while Asians accounted for 1.2%, and Pacific Islanders 0.1%.

8

Languages

New Mexico has large Native American and Spanish-speaking populations. Numerous Spanish borrowings include vigas (rafters) in the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Mexico

northern half and canales (gutters) in the Rio Grande Valley. New Mexico English is a mixture of dominant Midland, with Northern, Southern, and South Midland features in some areas. In 2000, of the resident population five years of age and older, 63.5% spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of speakers, included Spanish at 485,681; Navajo at 68,788; and various Native American languages at 26,880.

9

Religions

The first religions in New Mexico were practiced by the Pueblo and Navajo. Franciscan missionaries arrived in 1540 and the first Roman Catholic church in the state was built in 1598. The first Baptist missionaries arrived in 1849, the Methodists came in 1850, and the Mormons arrived in 1877. In 2004, Roman Catholics numbered around 435,244 in the state. Among Protestants in 2000, there were 132,675 Southern Baptists, 22,070 members of Assemblies of God, 18,985 members of Churches of Christ, and 13,224 Presbyterians (USA). In 2004 there were 39,865 United Methodists. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported about 61,862 members in 2006. In 2000, the Jewish population was estimated at 10,500, while Muslim congregations had 2,604 adherents, that year. About 761,218 people (about 41.8% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization in 2000.

10

Transportation

In 2004, New Mexico had 64,004 miles (103,046 kilometers) of public roads and streets. In that Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

same year, there were about 1.539 million motor vehicles registered in the state, of which about 681,000 were automobiles, some 820,000 were trucks, around 36,000 were motorcycles, and about 2,000 were buses. New Mexico in 2003, had 2,388 miles (3,844 kilometers) of railroad track, with up to 94% belonging to Class I railroads. The main rail lines serving the state are the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe. As of 2006, Amtrak provided passenger to five stations via its Chicago to Los Angeles Southwest Chief train, and via its New Orleans to Los Angeles train, the Sunset Limited. In 2005, New Mexico had 150 airports, 25 heliports, and 1 seaplane base. Albuquerque International is the state’s main airport. In 2004, the airport had 3,079,172 passenger boardings.

11

History

There were Native Americans living in present-day New Mexico when the first Europeans arrived, including the Pueblo people, living initially along the upper Rio Grande; the Navajo, farmers and sheepherders; and the Apache, a more nomadic and warlike group who later posed a threat to all newcomers who arrived during the Spanish, Mexican, and American periods. Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led the earliest major European expedition to New Mexico, beginning in 1540, 80 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. In 1599, Don Juan de Oñate established the settlement of San Gabriel. In 1610, the Spanish moved their center of activity to Santa Fe, dominating New Mexico for more than two centuries. In 1821, Mexico gained its independence from Spain, and New Mexico came under Mexican rule until the 63

New Mexico

Adobe buildings. Adobe is a mixture of clay and straw that is shaped into bricks and then dried in the sun. © COREL CORPORATION.

Mexican-American War, 25 years later. The area officially became a part of the United States with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo in 1848. New Mexico became a US territory as part of the Compromise of 1850. An increasing number of people traveling on the Santa Fe Trail—in use since the early 1820s to carry goods between Independence, Missouri, and Santa Fe—were Americans seeking a new home in the Southwest. Native New Mexicans resisted, sometimes violently, the efforts of new nonHispanic residents to take over lands assigned to them during the earlier Spanish and Mexican periods. The so-called Lincoln County War of 1878–81, a range war pitting cattle ranchers against merchants and involving, among others, 64

William H. Bonney (Billy the Kid), helped give the territory an image of lawlessness, seemingly unfit for statehood. Statehood Despite the turmoil, New Mexico

began to make substantial economic progress. In 1879, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad entered the territory. By the end of the 19th century, disputes with the area’s Native Americans had finally been resolved. New Mexico finally became a state on 6 January 1912, under President William H. Taft. The decade of the 1920s was characterized by the discovery and development of new resources, including potash salts and petroleum reserves. A period of prosperity ended with the onset of the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Mexico

Great Depression, but World War II revived the economy. Scientists working at Los Alamos ushered in the Atomic Age with the explosion of the first atomic bomb at White Sands Proving Ground in June 1945. The remarkable growth of the so-called Sunbelt during the postwar era has been most noticeable in New Mexico. Newcomers from many parts of the country have moved to the state, a population shift with profound social, cultural, and political consequences. As of 2000, Hispanics accounted for over 42% of the state’s population. New Mexico has the highest percentage of Hispanic and Native Americans among the fifty states, and they exercise political influence. In 1982, former state attorney general Toney Anaya, a Democrat, became the only Hispanic state governor in the United States. Defense-related industries were a mainstay of New Mexico’s economy through the 1970s and 1980s. Income from this sector declined in the early 1990s due to reductions in military spending, but decline was offset by the growth in nonmilitary production such as Intel’s Rio Rancho plant, which is one of the world’s largest computer chip factories. Tourism and space and nuclear research also contributed to New Mexico’s economy through the 1990s. New Mexico’s leaders struggled with two persistent problems into the 2000s—poverty and crime. In 1998, with 20.4% of its residents living below the poverty level (the highest percentage in the nation), the state’s children were found to be suffering the most. More than one in four children in New Mexico was poor, posing the immediate problems of hunger and malnutrition, lack of education, and a strain on the public health system. Government figures in 1998 showed the state ranked as the most vioJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

lent in the nation, with 961 crimes per 100,000 residents. Another major issue involved the state’s public education system. Debate centered on proposed voucher legislation that would help parents pay for private schools. Opponents argued that money spent on vouchers would be better spent on reducing class size, increasing teacher pay, and improving early childhood education. In 2002, Bill Richardson won the governorship for the Democrats by a solid majority. An experienced politician, Richardson by 2005 had made progress on such issues as school reform, taxation, job creation, and water projects.

12

State Government

The legislature consists of a 42-member senate and a 70-member house of representatives. Senators serve four-year terms, and House members serve two-year terms. The executive branch consists of 10 elected officials, including the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, attorney general, and commissioner of public lands. They are elected for fouryear terms. The governor’s veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority of the members of each legislative chamber. Legislators do not receive a salary from the state. The governor’s salary as of December 2004 was $110,000. New Mexico’s constitution was drafted in 1910, approved by the voters in 1911 and went into effect in 1912. As of January 2005, the 1912 constitution has been amended 151 times. 65

New Mexico

New Mexico Governors: 1912–2007 1912–1916 1917 1917–1918 Republican 1919–1920 1921–1922 1923–1924 1925–1926 1927–1930 1931–1933 1933–1934 1935–1938 1939–1942 1943–1944 1947–1950 1951–1954 1955–1956 1957–1958 1959–1960 1961–1962 1962 1963–1966 1967–1970 1971–1975 1975–1979 1979–1983 1983–1987 1987–1991 1991–1995 1995–2002 2002–

13

William C. McDonald Democrat Ezequiel Cabeza DeBaca Democrat Washington Ellsworth Lindsey Octaviano Amrosio LarrazoloRepublican Merritt Cramer Mechem Republican James Fielding Hinkle Democrat Arthur Thomas Hannett Democrat Richard Charles Dillon Republican Arthur Seligman Democrat Andrew W. Hockenhull Democrat Clyde Tingley Democrat John Esten Miles Democrat John Joseph Dempsey Democrat Thomas Jewett Mabry Democrat Edwin Leard Mechem Republican John Field Simms, Jr. Democrat Edwin Leard Mechem Republican John Burroughs Democrat Edwin Leard Mechem Republican Thomas Felix Bolack Republican John M. Campbell Democrat David Francis Cargo Republican Bruce King Democrat Raymond S. Apodaca Democrat Bruce King Democrat Toney Anaya Democrat Garrey Edward Carruthers Republican Bruce King Democrat Gary Johnson Republican Bill Richardson Democrat

Political Parties

Democrats hold a large lead in voter registration—53% of voters were registered Democrats and 33% were registered Republicans as of 1998. Nevertheless, New Mexico has been a “swing state” in US presidential elections since it entered the Union. In 2000, Democrat Al Gore beat Republican George W. Bush by a mere 366 votes out of 615,000 cast. However, in the 2004 presidential election, Bush won the state with 50% of the vote to John Kerry’s 49%. New Mexico’s senators following the 2006 midterm elections were Democrat Jeff Bingaman 66

(reelected that year) and Republican Peter Domenici, who was elected to his sixth term in 2002. Following the midterm elections of 2006, one Democrat and two Republicans had been elected to the US House of Representatives. Following the 2006 elections, there were 24 Democrats and 18 Republicans in the state senate, and 42 Democrats and 28 Republicans in the state house. Thirty-five women were elected to the state legislature, or 31.3%. Governor Bill Richardson, Democrat, was first elected in 2002 and reelected in 2006. He had previously served as a representative to the US Congress, ambassador to the United Nations, and secretary of energy under President Bill Clinton.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, there were 33 counties in New Mexico. Each was governed by commissioners elected for two-year terms. In that same year, there were 101 municipalities, 89 public school districts, and 628 special districts. Among the Native Americans, governors are elected from each village to form an unofficial coalition called the All-Indian Pueblo Council. Each Apache tribe elects its own president. The Navajo elect a chairperson, vice chairperson, and council members for each chapter.

15

Judicial System

The judicial branch consists of a supreme court, an appeals court, district courts, probate courts, magistrate courts, and other inferior courts as created by law. The New Mexico Supreme Court is composed of a chief justice and 4 associate justices. The Appeals Court is composed of 10 judges, all of whom are elected to eight-year Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Mexico

New Mexico Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

NEW MEXICO WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

1948 1952


105,210 105,349

79,896 131,477

1,037 225

1956 1960 1964

*Eisenhower (R) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)

106,098 156,027 194,017

146,788 153,733 132,838

1968

*Nixon (R)

130,081

169,692

CONSTITUTION

364 570 1,217 AMERICAN IND.

25,737 AMERICAN

1972

*Nixon (R)

141,084

235,606

8,767 SOC. WORKERS

1976

Ford (R)

201,148

211,419

2,462 LIBERTARIAN

1980 *Reagan (R) 167,826 250,779 1984 *Reagan (R) 201,769 307,101 1988 *Bush (R) 244,497 270,341 1992** *Clinton (D) 261,617 212,824 1996** *Clinton (D) 273,495 232,751 2000 Gore (D) 286,783 286,417 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 376,930 370,942 * Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 91,895 votes in 1992 and 32,257 votes in 1996.

terms. The state’s 33 counties are divided into 13 judicial districts, served by 72 district judges. District courts have unlimited general jurisdiction and are commonly referred to as trial courts. They also serve as courts of review for decisions of lower courts and administrative agencies. In 2004, New Mexico had a violent crime (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) rate of 687.3 incidents per 100,000 persons. New Mexico imposes the death penalty, but as of 5 May 2006, had only executed one person since 1976. There were only two inmates on death row as of 1 January 2006.

16

Migration

Prior to statehood, the major influx of migrants came from Texas and Mexico. Wartime prosperJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

4,365 4,459 3,268 1,615 2,996 2,058 2,382

ity during the 1940s brought a wave of migrants from other states into New Mexico. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had net gains of 55,000 in domestic migration and 36,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 27,974, while net domestic migration was 9,527, for a net gain of 37,501 people.

17

Economy

New Mexico was primarily an agricultural state until the 1940s, when military activities assumed major economic importance. Major industries include manufacturing, petroleum, and food. Tourism also continues to flourish. New Mexico relies to a great extent on the public area of its economy, which accounted for over 18% of the gross state product in 2001 compared to the national average of 12%. Growth 67

New Mexico

in services, the government, transportation, and utilities areas of the economy offset losses in mining, manufacturing, and construction in the early years of the 21st century. In 2004, New Mexico’s gross state product (GSP) was $61 billion, of which real estate accounted for the largest portion of GSP at $7.105 billion or 11.6%, followed by manufacturing at 8.9%, and health care and social assistance at 6.7% of GSP. Of the 42,241 businesses in the state that had employees, an estimated 96.1% were small companies.

ing at 3,875, and miscellaneous manufacturing at 3,248. More than half of the state’s manufacturing jobs are located in the Albuquerque area.

20

Labor

In 2004, New Mexico ranked 48th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $26,184, compared to the national average of $33,050. Median household income for the period 2002– 04 was $37,587 compared to the national average of $44,473. In the same period, an estimated 17.5% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

In April 2006, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in New Mexico numbered 958,000, with approximately 41,100 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. Employment data for April 2006 showed that about 6.9% of the labor force was employed in construction; 4.5% in manufacturing; 17.1% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 4.2% in financial activities, 11.4% in professional and business services; 13% in educational and health services; 10.2% in leisure and hospitality services; and 24.7% in government. In 2005, a total of 63,000 of New Mexico’s 777,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union, representing 8.1% of those so employed, compared to the national average of 12%.

19

21

18

Income

Industry

The shipment value of all products manufactured in the state in 2004 was $17.392 billion. Of that total, computer and electronic product manufacturing accounted for the largest share at $9.714 billion, followed by food manufacturing at $1.669 billion, and miscellaneous manufacturing at $976.981 million. In 2004, a total of 32,927 people were employed in the state’s manufacturing sector, of which computer and electronic product manufacturing was the largest at 9,352 employees, followed by food manufactur68

Agriculture

The first farmers of New Mexico were the Pueblo Native Americans, who raised corn, beans, and squash. Wheat and barley were introduced from Europe, and indigo and chilies came from Mexico. In 2005, New Mexico’s total farm marketings were $2.67 billion. About 25% came from crops and 75% from livestock products. Leading crops included hay and wheat. The state also produced corn for grain and potatoes. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Mexico

22


Meat animals, especially cattle, represent the bulk of New Mexico’s agricultural income. In 2005, there were nearly 1.5 million cattle and calves, valued at $1.64 billion. In 2004, there were an estimated 2,500 hogs and pigs, valued at $275,000 on New Mexico farms. During 2003, state farms and ranches produced around 7.6 million pounds (3.4 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs, which brought in a gross income of some $7.7 million. The main stock-raising regions are in the east, northeast, and northwest.

23

Fishing

There is no commercial fishing in New Mexico. In 2004, the state issued 205,291 sport fishing licenses. The native cutthroat trout is prized by sport fishermen, however, and numerous species have been introduced into state lakes and reservoirs. The federal government sponsors two fish hatcheries and technology centers in New Mexico, in Dexter and Mora. The Dexter center is the only facility in the nation dedicated to studying and distributing endangered fish for restocking in waters where they naturally occur. The center has worked with 14 imperiled fish species including the razorback sucker, Colorado squawfish, Guzman beautiful shiner, bonytail chub, and the Yaqui catfish.

24

Forestry

Lumber production was 111 million board feet in 2002. Although lumbering ranks low as a source of state income, the forests of New Mexico are of crucial importance because of the role they play in water conservation and recreation. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

In 2004, there were 16,680,000 acres (670,000 hectares) of forestland, or more than 20% of New Mexico’s land area. Of that total, 9,522,000 acres (3,854,000 hectares) were federally owned or managed, and 825,000 acres (334,000 hectares) were owned by the state. Privately owned lands accounted for 6,331,000 acres (2,562,000 hectares).

25

Mining

In 2003, mineral production by New Mexico was valued at $533 million, placing the state at 25th in the nation. In 2003, New Mexico’s top minerals by value were potash and copper, followed by construction sand and gravel, cement (portland and masonry), and crushed stone. Together, these minerals accounted for about 90% of all mineral production. By volume, the state continued to lead the country in the production of perlite, potash, and zeolite in 2003. The state ranked third in copper, mica, and pumice output, and fifth in molybdenum. The vast majority of the potash is used as a soil amendment in agriculture. The remainder is used in industry for such things as manufacturing television tubes, chinaware, soaps, and synthetic rubber.

26

Energy and Power

New Mexico is a major producer of oil and natural gas and has significant reserves of low-sulfur bituminous coal. In 2003, total net summer generating capability was 6.289 million kilowatts, with total production that same year at 32.735 billion kilowatt hours. Of the total produced, 88% came from coal-fired plants, with natural-gas fired plants 69

New Mexico

accounting for 10.7% of output. The remaining production came from other renewable sources, hydroelectric generation, and petroleum-fired plants. Most of New Mexico’s natural gas and oil fields are located in the southeastern counties of Eddy, Lea, and Chaves, and in the northwestern counties of McKinley and San Juan. In 2004, crude oil production averaged 176,000 barrels per day. There were proven reserves in that same year of 669 million barrels. Marketed natural gas production in 2004 totaled 1.632 trillion cubic feet (46.36 billion cubic meters). Proven reserves of natural gas totaled 18.5 trillion cubic feet (525.7 billion cubic meters). In 2004, New Mexico’s four operating coal mines mined 19.565 million tons of coal.

27

Commerce

In 2002, New Mexico’s wholesale trade sector had sales totaling $8.9 billion, while the state’s retail trade sector that same year, had sales totaling of $18.3 billion. Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest share of retail sales at $4.7 billion, followed by general merchandise stores at $3.3 billion, and gasoline stations at $2.09 billion. New Mexico’s foreign exports totaled $2.5 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The governor of New Mexico submits a budget annually to the legislature for approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Total revenues for 2004 were $11.8 billion, while total expenditures in that same year were $11.02 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($3.8 billion), public welfare 70

($2.49 billion), and highways ($633 million). New Mexico had a total outstanding debt of $5.4 billion, with a per capita (per person) debt of $2,843.56.

29

Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, New Mexico’s personal income tax schedule had four tax brackets ranging from 1.7% to 5.3%. The corporate tax rate ranged from 4.8% to 7.6%. The state levies a gross receipts tax on goods and services of 5%, which is in addition to local rates that reached to 2.25%. Food purchased for consumption off premises (such as at home) is also taxed. The state also imposes excise taxes on gasoline and on cigarettes. The state collected $4.471 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 34.8% came from the general sales tax, 24.3% from individual income taxes, 13.7% from selective sales taxes, 5.4% from corporate income taxes, and 20.8% from other taxes. In that same year, New Mexico ranked 20th among the states in terms of combined state and local tax burden, which amounted to $2,319 per capita (per person), compared to the national average of $2,192 per person.

30

Health

In October 2005, New Mexico’s infant death rate was 5.8 per 1,000 live births. The crude death rate in 2003 stood at 7.9 deaths per 1,000 population. As of 2002, major causes of death in New Mexico were heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and diabetes. In 2004, 20.3% of all state residents were smokers. The rate of death from HIV-related infections was 1.9 per 100,000 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Mexico

The plaza in Old Town, Albuquerque. RON BEHRMANN.

population. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was around 9.6 per 100,000 residents. New Mexico’s 37 community hospitals had about 3,700 beds in 2003. In 2004, there were 238 physicians per 100,000 population, and a total of 832 dentists. In 2005, there were 579 nurses per 100,000 people in New Mexico. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,563 per day. In 2004, approximately 22% of New Mexico’s residents were uninsured, the second highest percentage in the country (after Texas).

31

Housing

In 2004, New Mexico had an estimated 825,540 housing units, of which 711,827 were occupied, and 69.3% were owner-occupied. About 37.6% Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

of all housing units in New Mexico were built from 1970 to 1989. Around 62.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes; and about 16% were mobile homes. Utility gas and electricity were the most common heating energy sources. It was estimated that 40,178 units lacked telephone service, 9,673 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 10,186 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.62 people. In 2004, a total of 12,600 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $110,788. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $935, while renters paid a median of $546 per month. 71

New Mexico

32

Education

In 2004, of all New Mexicans age 25 and older, 82.9% were high school graduates. About 25.1% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 318,000 in fall 2003 and was expected to reach 338,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $2.8 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 22,416. As of fall 2002, there were 120,997 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. In 2005, New Mexico had 42 degree-granting institutions. The leading public institutions are the University of New Mexico, with its main campus at Albuquerque, and New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.

33

Arts

New Mexico is a state rich in Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and contemporary art. Major exhibits can be seen at the University of New Mexico Art Museum in Albuquerque, and the Art Museum of the Harwood Foundation in Taos. Taos itself is an artists’ colony of renown. The Santa Fe Opera, one of the nation’s most distinguished regional opera companies, has its season during July and August. The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra (est. 1932, also called the Albuquerque Symphony Orchestra) and the Orchestra Chorus present a variety of musical programs from classical to pops. The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival began in 1972. New Mexico Arts, the state’s arts commission, has contributed funding to promote multicultural arts programs that reflect the Spanish and Native American cultural influences of 72

the area. The New Mexico Endowment for the Humanities was founded in 1972.

34


In 2001, there were 101 public libraries in New Mexico, of which 21 were branches. Collectively, the public library system had a combined total of over 4.13 million volumes and a circulation of 7.7 million. The largest municipal library is the Albuquerque Public Library. The largest university library is that of the University of New Mexico. There is a scientific library at Los Alamos and a law library at Santa Fe. New Mexico has 109 museums. Noteworthy museums include the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology at Albuquerque and the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. The Institute of American Indian Arts Museum is also in Santa Fe. Historic sites include the Palace of the Governors (1610), the oldest US capital and probably the nation’s oldest public building. The Aztec Ruins National Monument and the Gila Cliff Dwellings Monument are also noteworthy.

35

Communications

In 2004, about 91.4% of the state’s occupied housing units had telephones. That same year, there were 939,091 wireless telephone service subscribers. In 2003, computers were in 53.9% of all households in the state, while 44.5% had access to the Internet. In 2005 there were 5 major AM and 37 major FM radio stations. There were also nine major network television stations in that same year. The Albuquerque-Santa Fe area had 568,650 television households, 57% of which Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New Mexico

had cable. A total of 29,730 Internet domain names were registered in the state in 2000.

serves in New Mexico’s San Juan basin, including a 2,720-acre (1,100-hectare) “fossil forest.”

36

38

Press

The first newspaper published in New Mexico was El Crepsculo de la Libertad (Dawn of Liberty), a Spanish-language paper established in Santa Fe in 1834. The Santa Fe Republican, established in 1847, was the first English-language newspaper. In 2005, there were 18 daily newspapers (including 9 morning and 9 evening) and 13 Sunday newspapers in the state. The leading dailies and their approximate circulation rates in 2004 included the Albuquerque Journal, 107,306 daily, 151,146 Sundays; and the Santa Fe New Mexican, 24,667 daily, 26,812 Sundays. La Herencia (est. 1994) and Tradicin Revista are magazines devoted to regional Hispanic history, art, and culture.

37


In 2002, the state hosted about 11.5 million travelers. About 28.6% of all trips were instate travel by residents. The most popular vacation area was the Albuquerque-Santa Fe region (with 22.9% of all visitors), followed by Taos. Shopping, outdoor activities, and historical sites were the most popular attractions. Hunting, fishing, camping, boating, and skiing are among the many outdoor attractions. The state has a national park—Carlsbad Caverns— and 13 national monuments, including Aztec Ruins, Chaco Canyon, and Gila Cliff Dwellings. Roswell, the site of an alleged UFO crash in 1947, is also popular with tourists. In 1984, the US House of Representatives designated 27,840 acres (11,266 hectares) of new wilderness preJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Sports

New Mexico has no professional major league sports teams, but Albuquerque does have a minor league baseball team in the AAA Pacific Coast League. Thoroughbred and quarter horse racing with pari-mutuel betting is an important spectator sport. Sunland Park, south of Las Cruces, has a winter long schedule. From May to August there is racing and betting at Ruidoso Downs, Sun Ray Park, and the Downs at Albuquerque. The Lobos of the University of New Mexico compete in the Mountain West Conference, while the Aggies of New Mexico State belong to the Big West Conference. Other annual sporting events include the Great Overland Windsail Race in Lordsburg in June, the Silver City RPCA Wild, Wild West Rodeo Week in Gila in June, and the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque in October.

39

Famous New Mexicans

Among the earliest Europeans to explore New Mexico were Francisco Vásquez de Coronado (b.Spain, 1510–1554) and Juan de Oñate (b.Mexico, 1549?–1624?), the founder of New Mexico. Army scout and trapper Christopher Houston “Kit” Carson (b.Kentucky, 1809– 1868) made his home in Taos. Among the more notorious of the frontier figures in New Mexico was Billy the Kid (William H. Bonney, b.New York, 1859–1881). New Mexico has attracted many artists and writers. Painters Bert G. Phillips (b.New York, 73

New Mexico

1868–1956) and Ernest Leonard Blumenschein (b.Ohio 1874–1960) started the famous Taos art colony in 1898. The most famous person to take up residence there was English novelist D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930). New Mexico’s best known artist is Georgia O’Keeffe (b.Wisconsin, 1887–1986). Entertainers born in the state include John Denver (1943–1998) and Demi Moore (b.1962). Other prominent persons who have made New Mexico their home include Pulitzer Prizewinning editorial cartoonist Bill Mauldin (1921–2003) and novelist N. Scott Momaday (b.Oklahoma, 1934); and golfer Nancy Lopez (b.California, 1957). Auto racer Al Unser, Sr. (b.1939) was born in Albuquerque.

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40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Heinrichs, Ann. New Mexico. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. Murray, Julie. New Mexico. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Sateren, Shelley Swanson. New Mexico Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Weiss-Malik, Linda S. New Mexico. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. WEB SITES New Mexico Tourism Department. New Mexico: Land of Enchantment. www.newmexico.org (accessed March 1, 2007). State of New Mexico. Welcome to the New Mexico. www.newmexico.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).


New York State of New York

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for the Duke of

York (later King James II) in 1664. N I CKNAME : The Empire State. C AP ITAL: Albany. ENT ERED UNION: 26 July 1788 (11th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The coat of arms surrounded by the

words “The Great Seal of the State of New York.” FLAG: Dark blue with the coat of arms in the center. C OAT OF ARMS: Liberty and Justice stand on either

side of a shield showing a mountain sunrise. Above the shield is an eagle on a globe. In the foreground are a three-masted ship and a Hudson River sloop, both representing commerce. Liberty’s left foot has kicked aside a royal crown. Beneath the shield is the state motto. M OT TO: Excelsior (Ever upward). SONG: “I Love New York.” FLOWER: Rose. TREE: Sugar maple. A NIMAL: Beaver. B IRD: Bluebird. FISH: Brook or speckled trout. G E M: Garnet. FOSSIL: Sea scorpion (Eurypterus remipes). B EVERAGE: Milk. FR UIT: Apple. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February, sometimes observed on the Friday closest to this date; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; General Election Day, 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the northeastern United States, New York State is the largest of the three Mid-Atlantic states and ranks 30th in size among the 50 states. The total area of New York is 49,108 square miles (127,190 square kilometers), of which land takes up 47,377 square miles (122,707 square kilometers) and the remaining 1,731 square miles (4,483 square kilometers) consists of inland water. New York’s width is about 320 miles (515 kilometers) from east to west, not including 75

New York

Long Island, which extends an additional 118 miles (190 kilometers) southwest–northeast. The state’s maximum north–south extension is about 310 miles (499 kilometers).Two large islands lie off the state’s southeast corner: Long Island and Staten Island (a borough of New York City). Including these two islands, the total boundary length of New York State is 1,430 miles (2,301 kilometers). Long Island, with an area of 1,396 sq mi (3,616 sq km), is the largest island belonging to one of the 48 contiguous states.

2

Topography

Two upland regions, the Adirondack Mountains and the Appalachian Highlands, dominate the topography of New York State. The Adirondacks cover most of the northeast and occupy about one-fourth of the state’s total area. The Appalachian Highlands, including the Catskill Mountains and Kittatinny Mountain Ridge (or Shawangunk Mountains), extend across the southern half of the state, from the Hudson River Valley to the basin of Lake Erie. Between these two upland regions, and also along the state’s northern and eastern borders, lies a network of lowlands, including the Great Lakes Plain; the Hudson, Mohawk, Lake Champlain, and St. Lawrence valleys; and the coastal areas of New York City and Long Island. The state’s highest peaks are found in the Adirondacks: Mount March, 5,344 feet (1,629 meters), and Algonquin Peak, 5,114 feet (1,559 meters). Nestled among the Adirondacks are many scenic lakes, including Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Lake George. The region is also the source of the Hudson and Ausable rivers. Lesser upland regions of New York include the Hudson Highlands, projecting into the Hudson Valley; 76

New York Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

19,306,183 1.7% 16.2% 98.5% 67.1% 15.3% 0.4% 6.7% 0.0% 9.0% 1.5%


65 and over (13%)

Under 18 (24%)

45 to 64 (26%)

18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)


Population

% change 2000–05

New York City Buffalo Rochester Yonkers Syracuse Albany New Rochelle Mount Vernon Schenectady Utica

8,143,197 279,745 211,091 196,425 141,683 93,523 72,967 67,924 61,280 59,336

1.7 -4.4 -4.0 0.2 -3.8 -2.2 1.1 -0.7 -0.9 -2.2




25

50 miles

90

Allegany St. Park

ALLEGANY

Letchworth State Park

WYOMING

90

GENESEE

LIVINGSTON

390

ONTARIO

Stony Brook St. Park

YATES

ee

TIOGA

ONEIDA

BROOME

81

CORTLAND

90

84

Troy

Taconic St. Park

COLUMBIA

90

Cherry Plain S. P.

Lindenhurst

Hither Hills St. Park


National Seashore

SUFFOLK

Shinnecock Indian Res.

CONNECTICUT

495 Seatuck N. W. R. Hempstead Wertheim N. W. R. FreeFire Island port NASSAU

NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS

VERMONT

nd d Sou Islan Long

Gateway Long Beach N.R.A. Valley Stream

KINGS

QUEENS

684

WESTCHESTER

Bear Mtn. S. P.

PUTNAM

James Baird St. Park

Poughkeepsie

Yonkers New Rochelle Mount Vernon

RENSSELAER

WASHINGTON

DUTCHESS

87

ROCKLAND

White Plains

NEW JERSEY

R.

New York

ORANGE

Newburgh

Catskill Park

GREENE

87

Schenectady

Albany

ALBANY

SCHENECTADY

Saratoga Springs

SARATOGA

WARREN

ESSEX

Lake Champlain

CLINTON

Harriman St. Park

ULSTER

SCHOHARIE

MONTGOMERY

FULTON

Adirondack Park

Lake Superior St. Park

SULLIVAN

FRANKLIN

St. Regis Ind. Res.

HAMILTON

Gilbert Lake St. Park 88

OTSEGO

HERKIMER

DELAWARE

Hunts Pond S. P.

Utica

Rome

Binghamton

CHENANGO

MADISON

St. Park

Oneida Lake Verona Beach

81

Whitestone Gulf St. Park

Watertown

e nc

LEWIS

e wr La

Ft. Drum Mil. Res.

. St

R.

ST. LAWRENCE

Delaware

PENNSYLVANIA

Elmira

Ithaca

TOMPKINS

Cayuga Lake

Long Point S. P.

CHEMUNG

ONONDAGA

OSWEGO

JEFFERSON

Syracuse Auburn

Lodi Point S. P.

SENECA

SCHUYLER

Seneca Lake

Pinnacle St. Park

STEUBEN

Rochester

WAYNE CAYUGA

CANADA

Lake Ontario

MONROE

nes

Ge

Jamestown

Chautauqua Lake

CATTARAUGUS

Cattaraugus Indian Res.

Buffalo

ERIE

ORLEANS

Golden Hill St. Park

Niagra Falls N. Tonawanda

NIAGARA

50 kilometers

CHAUTAUQUA

25

N

Area of Interest


State Capital

Lake Erie

0

0

81


City (25,000-100,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

NEW YORK

New York

R.

77

New York

the Taconic Range, along the state’s eastern border; and Tug Hill Plateau, set amid the lowlands just west of the Adirondacks. Three lakes, Erie, Ontario, and Champlain, form part of the state’s borders. New York contains some 8,000 inland lakes. The largest lake wholly within the state is Oneida, with an area of 80 square miles (207 square kilometers). The 11 Finger Lakes are long and narrow, fanning southward from a line that runs roughly from Syracuse westward to Geneseo. New York’s longest river is the Hudson, extending for a distance of 306 miles (492 kilometers). The Mohawk River flows into the Hudson north of Albany. The major rivers of central and western New York, the Black, Genesee, and Oswego, all flow into Lake Ontario. Rivers defining the state’s borders are the St. Lawrence in the north, the Poultney in the east, the Delaware in the southeast, and the Niagara in the west. Along the Niagara River, Niagara Falls forms New York’s most spectacular natural feature. The falls are both a leading tourist attraction and a major source of hydroelectric power.

and an average of 47°f (8°c) in the winter. In Buffalo, the normal maximum temperature is 57°f (13°c) and the normal minimum is 40°f (4°c). The record low temperature for the state is -52°f (-47°c), recorded at Stillwater Reservoir in the Adirondacks on 9 February 1934 and at Old Forge on 18 February 1979. The record high is 108°f (42°c), registered at Troy on 22 July 1926. Annual precipitation ranges from over 50 inches (127 centimeters) in the higher elevations to about 30 inches (76 centimeters) in the areas near Lake Ontario and Lake Champlain, and in the lower half of the Genesee River Valley. New York City has an annual mean snowfall of 28 inches (71 centimeters). Buffalo receives about 91 inches (231 centimeters) of snow per year and Syracuse receives about 114 inches (289 centimeters).Tornadoes are rare, but hurricanes and tropical storms sometimes cause heavy damage to Long Island.

3

New York has about 150 species of trees. These include laurel magnolia, sweet gum, and hop trees near the Atlantic shore; oak, hickory, and chestnut in the Hudson and Mohawk valleys and the Great Lakes Plain; and birch, beech, and commercially valuable maple on the Appalachian Plateau and in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. The bulk of the Adirondacks and Catskills are covered with balsam fir, mountain ash, and white pine, as well as maple and other species. Spruce, balsam fir, and mountain ash rise to the timberline. Apple trees and other fruit-bearing species are important in western New York and the Hudson Valley.

Climate

Although New York lies entirely within the humid continental zone, there is much variation from region to region. The three main climatic regions are the southeastern lowlands, which have the warmest temperatures and the longest season between frosts; the uplands of the Catskills and Adirondacks, where winters are cold and summers cool; and the snow belt along the Great Lakes Plain, one of the snowiest areas of the United States. In New York City, temperatures range from an average of 63°f (17°c) in the summer 78

4

Plants and Animals


New York

New York Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,976,457 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,386,275 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .559,491 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61,887 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31,114 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47,061 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,063 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213,842 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . .20,500 Black or African American and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12,984 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . .5,088 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94,969 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9,036 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . 395 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11,066 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,246 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40,639 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4,601 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30,691

. . . . .100.0 . . . . . .96.9 . . . . . . . 2.9 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.2 ....... — . . . . . . . 1.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.5 ....... — ....... — . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.2 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.2


Common meadow flowers include several types of rose (the state flower), along with Queen Anne’s lace, goldenrod, and black-eyed Susan. Indian pipe, bunchberry, and goldthread flourish in the forests, while cattails grow along the Hudson and rushes cover the Finger Lakes shallows. In 2006, five plant species were listed as threatened or endangered, including the sandplain gerardia, American hart’s-tongue fern, and Leedy’s roseroot. Some 600 species of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles are found in New York, of which more than 450 species are common. Mammals found in abundance include woodchuck, squirrel, muskrat, and raccoon. The deer population has been estimated at as high as Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

500,000, making them pests and causing millions of dollars annually in crop damage. More than 260 bird species have been observed. The most common year-round residents are the crow, hawk, and several types of woodpecker. Summer visitors include the bluebird (the state bird). Water snakes and grass snakes are common. There are 210 known species of fish; 130 species are found in the Hudson, 120 in the Lake Ontario watershed. Freshwater fish include species of perch, bass, and trout (the state fish). Of insect varieties, the gypsy moth has been singled out as an enemy in periodic state-run pest-control programs. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 20 animal species as threatened or endan79

New York

gered, including the Indiana bat, Karner blue butterfly, piping plover, bald eagle, shortnose sturgeon, three species of whale, and five species of turtle.

5


All state environmental programs are run by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), established in 1970. The department oversees pollution control programs, monitors environmental quality, manages the forest preserves, and administers fish and wildlife laws. The chief air quality problem areas are Buffalo, where levels of particles (especially from the use of coke in steelmaking) are high, and New York City, where little progress has been made in cutting carbon monoxide emissions from motor vehicles. Despite air quality efforts, acid rain has been blamed for killing fish and trees in the Adirondacks, Catskills, and other areas. Water problems include continued dumping of sewage and industrial wastes into New York Bay and Long Island Sound, sewage overflows into the Lower Hudson, industrial dumping in the Hudson Valley, nuclear wastes in West Valley in Cattaraugus County, and contamination of fish in Lake Erie. Toxic pollutants, such as organic chemicals and heavy metals, appear in surface and groundwater to an extent not yet fully assessed. In 2003, New York had 485 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 86 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. A 1982 law requires a deposit on beer and soft drink containers sold in the state, to encourage the return and recycling of bottles and cans. 80

Wetlands covered 2.5 million acres of the state as of 2000. About one-half of the 160 species identified as endangered or threatened by the Department of Environmental Conservation are wetlands-dependent.

6

Population

In 2006, New York ranked third in population in the United States with an estimated total of 19,306,183 residents. The population is projected to reach 19.5 million by 2015. In 2004, the state’s population density was 407.2 persons per square mile (157.2 persons per square kilometer). Also in 2004, the median age was 37.3 years. In 2005, about 13% of all residents were 65 years old or older while 24% were 18 or younger. In 2005, New York City was the largest city in both the state and the country with an estimated total of 8,143,197 residents. Other leading cities, with their 2005 populations were Buffalo, 279,745; Rochester, 211,091; Yonkers, 196,425; and Syracuse, 141,683. Albany, the state capital, had an estimated population of 93,523 in 2005.

7

Ethnic Groups

The ethnic diversity of the state is reflected in such Manhattan neighborhoods as Harlem, Chinatown, Little Italy, and “Spanish,” or East, Harlem, with its large Puerto Rican concentration. New immigrants still tend to form ethnic communities, often in the outer boroughs, such as Asians and South Americans in certain parts of Queens and Russian Jews in south Brooklyn. Outside New York City there are also important ethnic enclaves in the Buffalo metropolitan area, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

with its large populations of Polish and Italian origin. As of the 2000 census, New York had the largest black American population among the 50 states and second-largest Asian population. The state also had the second-highest percentage of foreign-born residents. Also in 2000, New York had 82,461 Native American residents, primarily from seven tribes: the Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and Tuscarora nations; the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe; and the Tonawanda Band of Senecas. The black American population of New York State was 3,014,385 as of 2000, which was about 16% of the state’s population. The population of Hispanics and Latinos was 2,867,583 people, or about 16% of the state population. Of the Hispanics, about 1,050,293 were Puerto Ricans. Cubans, Dominicans, Colombians, Central Americans, and Mexicans were also present in growing numbers, including a large but undetermined number of illegal immigrants. In 2000, the Asian population of the state was estimated at 1,044,976 people, including 424,774 Chinese, 251,724 Asian Indians, 119,846 Koreans, 81,681 Filipinos, 37,279 Japanese, and 23,818 Vietnamese. New York City has the second-largest Chinatown in the United States. Pacific Islanders numbered 8,818. In 2000, there were 3,868,133 foreign-born New Yorkers, which was about 20.4% of the total state population. Among persons who reported at least one specific ancestry group, 2,122,620 were German, 2,737,146 were Italian, 2,454,469 were Irish, 1,140,036 were English, 986,141 were Polish, and 460,261 were Russian. A large numbers of European Jewish immigrants have chosen not to identify their country of origin. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

As of 2006, estimates indicate the 15.3% of residents were black Americans, 16.2% were Hispanic or Latino, and 6.7% were Asian.

8

Languages

Although the speech of metropolitan New York has its own characteristics, in the state as a whole the Northern dialect predominates. Regional variations distinguish the speech of such areas as the Hudson Valley, the eastern part of the state, and the Niagara peninsula. In the New York City area, many speakers pronounce bird almost as if it were /boyd/ and do not sound the /r/ after a vowel. New Yorkers stand on line (instead of in line) while waiting to buy a huge sandwich they call a hero, and may even pronounce Long Island with an inserted /g/ as /Long Giland/. From the high proportion of New York Yiddish speakers have come such terms as schlock, schmaltz, and chutzpah. Place names such as Manhattan, Adirondack, and Chautauqua were borrowed from the Iroquois. Serious communication problems have arisen in New York City, especially in the schools, because of the major influx since World War II of Spanish speakers from the Caribbean region and, more recently, of Asians. These are in addition to the ever present large numbers of speakers of other languages. As a result, schools in some areas have emphasized teaching English as a second language. According to the 2000 census, 72% of all New Yorkers five years of age or older spoke only English at home. Other principal languages and the number of speakers were Spanish, 2,416,126; Chinese, 374,627; Italian, 294,271; Russian, 218,765; French, 180,809; French Creole, 81

New York

View of downtown Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge, © JOSE FUSTE RAGA/CORBIS.

114,747; Yiddish, 113,514; Polish, 111,730; and Korean, 102,105.

9

Religions

Before the 1800s, Protestant sects dominated the religious life of New York. The first Jews were permitted to settle in New Amsterdam in 1654. Full religious freedom was not permitted until the constitution of 1777. There was no Roman Catholic church in upstate New York until 1797. Many Protestant churches took part enthusiastically in the abolitionist movement, and the blacks who fled northward out of slavery formed their own Protestant churches and church organizations. 82

As of 2004, New York had 7,761,801 Roman Catholics. In 2000, there were 1,653,870 adherents of Jewish congregations. Leading Protestant denominations included United Methodists, with 403,362 adherents; Episcopalians, 201,797; Presbyterians (USA), 162,227; and Evangelical Lutherans, 169,329. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported a statewide membership of about 69,682 in 2006. There were about 223,968 members of Muslim congregations in 2000. That year, there were also about 121 Buddhist congregations and 83 Hindu congregations statewide. A wide variety of religiousnationalist sects and cults exist, including the World Community of Islam in the West (also called the Nation of Islam or Black Muslims), Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

the Hare Krishna group, and the Unification Church of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. About 39.6% of the population was not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

In 2003, New York had 4,879 miles (7,855 kilometer) of track. In the same year, there were 2 Class I lines, 2 Canadian lines, 4 regional, 20 local, and 7 switching and terminal railroads. Today, much of New York’s rail network is operated by Conrail, a federally assisted private corporation that also provides commuter service up the Hudson and to New Jersey and Connecticut. Conrail is now owned by CSX Transportation and Norfolk & Southern Railroad. Amtrak owns and operates lines along the eastern corridor from Boston through New York City to Washington, DC, stopping at 25 stations. New York City’s Penn Station is the busiest station in the entire Amtrak system. The Long Island Railroad, an important commuter carrier, is run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which also operates the New York City subways. Construction of the New York City subway system began in 1900 and service started on 27 October 1904. The route network is about 230 miles (370 kilometers) long, of which 137 miles (220 kilometers) are underground. The only other mass transit rail line in the state is Buffalo’s 6.4 miles (10.3 kilometers) of light rail system, of which 5.2 miles (8.4 kilometers) are underground. In 1984, regular trolley service resumed in Buffalo for the first time since 1950, running through the downtown shipping district. Cities served by municipal, county, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

or metropolitan area bus systems are Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Elmira, and Syracuse. In 2004, about 11 million motor vehicles were registered in New York State, including 8.4 million automobiles, 25,000 buses, and 2.3 million trucks. In addition 169,000 motorcycles were registered. As of 2004, the state had 113,341 miles (182,479 kilometers) of public roads and highways. The major toll road, and the nation’s longest toll superhighway, is the Thomas E. Dewey Thruway, operated by the New York State Thruway Authority, which extends 559 miles (900 kilometers) from just outside New York City to Buffalo and the Pennsylvania border in southwestern New York. Toll free expressways include the Adirondack Northway (I-87) and the North–South Expressway (I-81). A number of famous bridges and tunnels connect the five boroughs of New York City with each other and with New Jersey. The Verrazano– Narrows Bridge, opened to traffic in 1964, spans New York Harbor between Brooklyn and Staten Island. Equally famous, and especially renowned for their beauty, are the Brooklyn Bridge (1883), which was the city’s first suspension bridge, and the George Washington Bridge (1931). The Holland (1927) and Lincoln (1937–57) tunnels under the Hudson River link Manhattan with New Jersey. Important links among the five boroughs include the Triborough Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, Queensboro Bridge, Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, Throgs Neck Bridge, Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, and Queens-Midtown Tunnel. The Staten Island Ferry conveys passengers and autos between the borough and lower Manhattan. Off the Hudson River, one of the country’s major arteries, are the main elements of the New York Barge Canal System: the Erie Canal, linking 83

New York

the Atlantic with Lake Erie, and New York City with Buffalo; the Oswego Canal, connecting the Erie Canal with Lake Ontario; the Cayuga and Seneca Canal, connecting the Erie Canal with Cayuga and Seneca lakes; and the Champlain Canal, extending the state’s navigable waterways from the Hudson to Lake Champlain. Buffalo, on Lake Erie, is the most important inland port. Albany is the major port on the Hudson River and Port Jefferson serves the Long Island Sound. It would be difficult to exaggerate the historic and economic importance of New York Harbor—haven for explorers, point of entry for millions of refugees and immigrants, and the nation’s greatest seaport until recent years, when it was surpassed by Greater New Orleans and Houston in terms of cargo tonnage. The entire port is under the jurisdiction of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In 2005, New York State had 582 airfields, including 397 airports, 167 heliports, and 18 seaplane bases. By far the busiest airports in the state are John F. Kennedy International and La Guardia both in New York City. The Greater Buffalo International Airport is the largest in the state outside New York City.

11

History

In 1570, after European explorers had discovered New York but before the establishment of any permanent European settlements, the main Iroquois tribes—the Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca, Cayuga, and Mohawk—established the League of the Five Nations. For the next 200 years, members of the League generally kept peace among themselves but made war on other tribes, using not only traditional weapons but also the guns 84

they were able to get from the French, Dutch, and English. In 1715, a sixth nation joined the League—the Tuscarora, who had fled the British in North Carolina. For much of the 18th century, the Iroquois skillfully balanced competing French and British interests. The first European known to have entered New York Harbor was the Florentine navigator Giovanni da Verrazano, on 17 April 1524. The Frenchman Samuel de Champlain began exploring the St. Lawrence River in 1603. Six years later, English mariner Henry Hudson, in the service of the Dutch East India Company, entered New York Bay and sailed up the river that would later bear his name. The first permanent Dutch settlement was established in 1624, and New Amsterdam was founded in 1626, when Peter Minuit bought Manhattan (from the Native American word manahatin, “hill island”) from the Native Americans for goods worth—as tradition has it—about $24. Though small and weak, the Dutch colony—named New Netherland—was an annoyance to the English, interfering with their trade monopoly and forming a political barrier between New England and two other English colonies, Maryland and Virginia. In 1664, King Charles II claimed “all the land from the west side of the Connecticutte River to the East Side of De La Ware Bay” for his brother, the Duke of York and Albany (the future King James II), and the English took control after a peaceful surrender by the Dutch. New Netherland became New York, and remained an English colony for the next 112 years, except for a period in 1673 when Dutch rule was briefly restored. British Control The first decades under the English were stormy. Leadership of the colony Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

changed hands several times, reflecting political instability in England itself, as James became king and was then deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The succeeding decades were marked by conflict between the English and French and by the rising power of the provincial assembly in relations with the British crown. In 1756, the English were determined to drive the French out of the region once and for all, defeating them decisively in 1760. The Treaty of Paris (1763), ending the French and Indian War, ceded almost all territory east of the Mississippi to England. The signing of the Treaty of Paris was followed by English attempts to tighten control over the colonies, in New York as elsewhere. In 1774, after Paul Revere brought news of the Boston Tea Party to New York City, British tea was also dumped into that city’s harbor. Nearly one-third of all battles during the Revolutionary War took place on New York soil. The action there began when troops under Ethan Allen captured Fort Ticonderoga in May 1775. The following year, George Washington’s forces were driven from Long Island and Manhattan by the British, and New York City remained in British hands for the rest of the war. British General John Burgoyne was defeated in October 1777 at Saratoga, in a battle that is often considered the turning point of the war. Washington marched into New York City on 25 November 1785, the day the British evacuated their forces. Statehood On 6 February 1778, New York had

become the second state to ratify the Articles of Confederation. After much debate, in which Federalist Alexander Hamilton played a leading role, the state ratified the US Constitution (with amendments) on 26 July 1788. New York City Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

served as the seat of the US government from 11 January 1785 to 12 August 1790, and the first US president, George Washington, was inaugurated in the city on 30 April 1789. The end of the War of 1812 signaled an era of major economic expansion for the state, which was receiving large numbers of migrants from New England. New York was the site of the early 19th century’s most ambitious engineering project: construction of the Erie Canal. Ground was broken for the canal in 1817, and the first vessels passed through the completed canal in 1825. The textile industry had established itself by the mid-1820s, and the dairy industry was thriving. Commercial progress during this period was matched by social and cultural advancement. New York City became a center of literary activity during the 1820s. Slavery was abolished as of 4 July 1827, and New Yorkers soon took the lead in the growing antislavery movement. The first women’s rights convention in the United States was held in Seneca Falls in 1848. Also during the 1840s, the state saw the first of several great waves of European immigration. 1860 to 1930 The majority of New Yorkers voted for Abraham Lincoln in the presidential election of 1860, and New Yorkers were among the readiest recruits to the Union side in the Civil War. Enthusiasm for the conflict waned during the next two years, leading to civil unrest when the military draft reached New York City on 11 July 1863. But New York was not a wartime battleground, and overall the war and Reconstruction were very good for business.

The decades after the Civil War ushered in an era of extraordinary commercial growth, accom85

New York

panied by political corruption. This was the Gilded Age, during which entrepreneurs became multimillionaires and New York was transformed from an agricultural state to an industrial giant. The key to this transformation was the development of the railroads. The boom period for railroad construction reached its high point after 1867, when “Commodore” Cornelius Vanderbilt took over the New York Central. During the century’s last two decades, corporate names that today are household words began to emerge: Westinghouse Electric in 1886; General Electric (as Edison Electric) in 1889; Eastman Kodak in 1892. In 1882, another native New Yorker, John D. Rockefeller, formed the Standard Oil Trust. Although the trust would eventually be broken up, the Rockefeller family would help shape New York politics for many decades to come. The period immediately following the Civil War also marked a new high in political influence for the Tammany Society (or “Tammany Hall”), headed by Democrat William March “Boss” Tweed, who effectively dominated New York City by buying votes and bribing legislators from 1857 until his exposure by the press in 1871. However, New York also produced outstanding and upright political leaders—many of whom went on to national prominence—during the nation’s second century. Grover Cleveland, though born in New Jersey, became mayor of Buffalo, then governor of New York, and finally the 22nd US president in 1885. Theodore Roosevelt was governor of New York, became US vice president, and finally president of the United States in 1901. In 1910, Charles Evans Hughes resigned the governorship to become an associate justice of the US Supreme Court. He also served as secretary of 86

state, and in 1930 was appointed chief justice of the United States. Alfred E. Smith was four times elected governor and in 1928 became the first Roman Catholic candidate to be nominated by a major party for the presidency of the United States. That year saw the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) as governor of New York. 1930s to 1990s The 1930s, a period of depression, ushered in a new wave of progressive government. From 1933 until 1945, FDR was in the White House. Roosevelt’s successor as governor was Herbert H. Lehman, whose Little New Deal established the basic pattern of present state social welfare policies. The mayor of New York City at this time was the colorful and popular Fiorello H. La Guardia.

The decades since World War II saw extraordinary expansion of New York social services, including construction of the state university system, but also a decline in the state’s industry. The greatly increased scale of government in the 1970s brought on a financial crisis unheard of in its scope and implications. The city’s short-term debt grew from nearly zero to about $6 billion between 1970 and 1975. Eventually a package totaling $4.5 billion in aid was needed to avoid bankruptcy. From the late 1970s through the late 1980s, New York enjoyed an economic boom, especially in finance, insurance, real estate, and construction. Prosperity did not reach all sectors of the economy or the population, however. Manufacturing jobs declined by 30%. By 1984, 25% of the residents of New York City lived below the poverty level. The collapse of the stock market in October of 1987, in which the market plunged 36% in two months, signaled the end Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

of the boom and the beginning of a recession. Unemployment peaked in 1992, but by 1994 a recovery was underway. The boom economy of the late 1990s boosted the stock market. In 1998 New York had the fourth-highest per capita income in the nation ($31,679) but it also had more people living below the poverty level than 45 other states, again indicating prosperity had not reached into all sectors. In November 1999 Governor Pataki signed the Jobs 2000 bill, committing up to $566 million to development of high-technology industries. The 1990s witnessed a revitalization of New York City as Mayor Rudolph Giuliani led efforts to empty the streets of blight. Continuing a trend begun under Mayor David Dinkins, the city’s murder rate for 1998 was the lowest in 35 years. The 1990s witnessed the settlement of lawsuits surrounding Love Canal in Buffalo, where leaking chemical wastes in the 1970s and early 1980s had prompted the state and federal governments to pay families to move from the area. The Occidental Petroleum Corporation agreed to pay $98 million in damages for dumping hazardous wastes at Love Canal, ending 16 years of lawsuits. In March 2000 the state sold two nuclear plants for a total of $967 million. It was the largest privatization of state assets in New York history. Transportation in and around New York City was the focus of the statehouse and legislature in 2000. Governor George Pataki and New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, a fellow Republican, cleared the way for the construction of a $200-million cargo hub for the world’s largest ocean carrier (Maersk Sealand) and reopened Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the possibility that the World Trade Center, which the Port Authority still controlled, could be turned over to a private developer. The possibility of privatizing the World Trade Center was eliminated on 11 September 2001, when terrorists took control of two commercial airplanes and flew them into the two towers, destroying both buildings and killing more than 2,750 people. New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani was praised for his effective handling of the crisis. Republican Michael Bloomberg was elected mayor in 2001, and reelected in 2005. In 2003, Berlin-based architect Daniel Libeskind’s design for rebuilding “Ground Zero” (the site of the demolished World Trade Center) was accepted. Following a decline of the stock market on Wall Street and the US recession in the early 2000s, New York was plagued with economic woes. In 2003, the state faced a budget deficit of $10 billion. Although the economy began to improve in 2004 and 2005, the state still faced a budget gap of $4.2 billion in 2005–06.

12

State Government

New York has had four constitutions, adopted in 1777, 1822, 1846, and 1895. The 1895 constitution was extensively revised in 1938 and the document had been amended 216 times as of January 2005. The legislature consists of a 62-member senate and 150-member assembly. Senators and assembly members serve two-year terms and are elected in even-numbered years. Either senators or assembly members may introduce or amend a bill. To pass, a bill requires a majority vote in both houses. A two-thirds majority is required to override the governor’s veto. The state’s only 87

New York

New York Governors: 1775–2007 1775–1780 1777 1777–1795 1780–1783 1783 1777–1795 1795–1801 1801–1804 1804–1807 1807–1817 1817 1817–1822 1823–1824 1825–1828 1828 1829 1829–1832 1833–1838 1839–1842 1843–1844 1845–1846 1847–1848 1849–1850 1851–1852 1853–1854 1855–1856 1857–1858 1859–1862 1863–1864 1865–1868 1869–1872 1873–1874 1875–1876 1877–1879

William Tryon Pierre Van Cortlandt George Clinton James Robertson Andrew Elliot George Clinton Dem-Rep John Jay Federalist George Clinton Dem-Rep Morgan Lewis Federalist Daniel D. Tompkins Dem-Rep John Taylor Dem-Rep DeWitt Clinton Republican Joseph Christopher Yates Dem-Rep DeWitt Clinton Dem-Rep Nathaniel Pitcher Dem-Rep Martin Van Buren Jeffer-Rep Enos Thompson Throop Jacksonian William Learned Marcy Jacksonian William H. Seward Whig William C. Bouck Democrat Silas Wright, Jr. Jacksonian John Young Whig Hamilton Fish Whig Washington Hunt Whig Horatio Seymour Democrat Morton Holley Clark Whig/Free–Soiler John Alsop King Republican Edwin Dennison Morgan Republican Horatio Seymour Democrat Reuben Eaton Fenton Republican John Thompson Hoffman Democrat John Adams Dix Republican Samuel Jones Tilden Democrat Lucius Robinson Democrat

elected executives are the governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller, and attorney general. Each serves a four-year term. A bill becomes law when passed by both houses of the legislature and signed by the governor. While the legislature is in session, a bill may also become law if the governor fails to act on it within ten days of its receipt. The governor may veto a bill or, if the legislature has adjourned, may kill a bill simply by taking no action on it for 30 days. 88

1880–1882 1883–1885 1885–1891 1892–1894 1895–1896 1897–1898 1899–1900 1901–1904 1905–1906 1907–1910 1910 1911–1912 1913 1913–1914 1915–1918 1919–1920 1921–1922 1923–1928 1929–1932 1933–1942 1942 1943–1954 1955–1958 1959–1973 1973–1975 1975–1983 1983–1995 1995–2007 2007–

Alonzo B. Cornell Stephen Grover Cleveland David Bennett Hill Roswell Pettibone Flower Levi Parsons Morton Frank Swett Black Theodore Roosevelt Benjamin Baker Odell, Jr. Frank Wayland Higgins Charles Evans Hughes Horace White John Alden Dix William Sulzer Martin Henry Glynn Charles Seymour Whitman Alfred Emanuel Smith Nathan Lewis Miller Alfred Emanuel Smith Franklin Delano Roosevelt Herbert Henry Lehman Charles Poletti Thomas Edmund Dewey William Averell Harriman Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller Malcolm Wilson Hugh Leo Carey Mario Matthew Cuomo George E. Pataki Eliot L. Spitzer

Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat

Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep Jeffersonian Republican – Jeffer-Rep

In 2004, the legislative salary was $79,500 and the governor’s salary was $179,000.

13

Political Parties

In 2004, there were 11,837,000 registered voters. In 1998, 47% of registered voters were Democrats, 29% were Republicans, and 24% were unaffiliated or with other parties. The Democratic power base was—and has remained—the big cities, especially New York City. The Republican Party’s support comes Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

New York Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 NEW YORK WINNER

DEMOCRAT

LIBERAL1

1948 Dewey (R) 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 1960 *Kennedy (D)

2,557,642 2,687,890 2,458,212 3,423,909

222,562 416,711 292,557 406,176

2,841,163 3,952,815 4,340,340 3,446,419

509,559 64,211 — —

1964

4,570,670

342,432

2,243,559

—

YEAR

REPUBLICAN PROGRESSIVE2

SOCIALIST

SOCIALIST WORKERS

40,879 2,664 — —

2,675 2,212 — 14,319

SOC. LABOR

*Johnson (D)

6,118

3,228

8,432

11,851

4,530

7,797

AMERICAN IND.3

1968

Humphrey (D)

3,066,848

311,622

3,007,932

358,864

CONSERVATIVE

1972

*Nixon (R)

2,767,956

183,128

3,824,642

368,136

4

LIBERTARIAN

1976

*Carter (D)

3,244,165

145,393

2,825,913

2724,878

12,197

6,996

RIGHT TO LIFE

1980

*Reagan (R)

2,728,372

467,801

2,637,700

256,131

1984

*Reagan (R)

3,001,285

118,324

3,376,519

288,244

52,648

24,159

11,949

—

NEW ALLIANCE

1988 19925

Dukakis (D) *Clinton (D)

3,255,487 3,346,894

92,395 97,556

2,838,414 2,041,690

243,457 177,000

12,109 13,451

15,845 15,472

NADER

19965 *Clinton (D) 3,649,630 106,547 1,738,707 183,392 12,220 2000 Gore (D) 4,107,697 — 2,403,374 244,030 — 2004 Kerry (D) 4,314,280 — 2,962,567 — 99,875 * Won US presidential election. 1 Supported Democratic candidate except in 1980, when John Anderson ran on the Liberal line. 2 Ran in the state as the American Labor Party. 3 Appeared on the state ballot as the Courage Party. 4 Supported Republican candidate. 5 Independent candidate Ross Perot received 1,090,721 votes in 1992 and 503,458 votes in 1996.

from the state’s rural counties, the smaller cities and towns, and the New York City suburbs (although not so much as in earlier decades). Minor parties have sometimes meant the difference between victory and defeat for major party candidates in state and national elections. James Buckley, of New York’s Conservative Party, was elected to the US Senate in 1970. In the November 1980 presidential elections, Republican nominee Ronald Reagan (with Conservative Party backing) won the state’s 41 electoral votes. Reagan carried the state again in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

15,472 1,789 2,405

1984, despite the presence on the Democratic ticket of US Representative Geraldine Ferraro of Queens as the running mate of Walter Mondale. New Yorkers chose Democratic nominees Michael Dukakis, Bill Clinton, and Al Gore in 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000, respectively. In 2000, Al Gore captured 60% of the vote while the challenger, Republican George W. Bush, won 35% of the vote. In 2004, the Democratic challenger, John Kerry, won 57.8% of the vote to the incumbent George, W. Bush’s 40.5%. 89

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Democrat Mario M. Cuomo was defeated in his run for a fourth term as governor in November 1994 by Republican George Pataki. Pataki was elected to a third term in 2002. In 2006, Democrat Eliot Spitzer was elected governor. In 2006, New York’s US senators were Democrats Charles Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Following the 2006 midterm elections, New York’s delegation to the US House of Representatives included 23 Democrats and 6 Republicans. Republicans held 34 seats in the state senate while Democrats held 27; there was 1 Independent. In the state assembly there were 105 Democrats and 45 Republicans. Fortyseven women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 22.2%. In November 1993, New York City Mayor David Dinkins, a Democrat and New York’s first black mayor (in office since 1990), was defeated by a Republican, Rudolph Giuliani. Giuliani was legally barred from seeking a third term and billionaire media tycoon Michael Bloomberg won the mayoral contest in 2001. Bloomberg was reelected in 2005.

14

Local Government

The state constitution, endorsing the principle of home rule, recognizes many different levels of local government. In 2005, New York had 62 counties, 616 municipal governments, 1,135 special districts, and 703 public school districts. In 2002, there were 929 townships. With the exception of some counties within New York City, each county has a county attorney and a district attorney, a sheriff, a treasurer, and other officers. Cities are contained within counties, with one outstanding exception: New York City is 90

made up of five counties, one for each of its five boroughs. Traditionally, counties are run by an elected board of supervisors or county legislature; however, a growing number of counties have vested increased powers in a single elected county executive. Towns are run by a town board. The most important board member is the town supervisor, who is the board’s presiding officer and acts as town treasurer. A group of people within a town or towns may also incorporate themselves into a village, with their own elected mayor and elected board of trustees. Some villages have administrators or managers. The constitution grants the state legislature the power to decide which taxes the local governments may levy and how much debt they may incur. New York City is governed by a mayor and city council, but much practical power resides in the Board of Estimate. On this board sit the city’s three top elected officials—the mayor, comptroller, and City Council president. The board also includes the five borough presidents. New York City government is further complicated by the fact that certain essential services are provided not by the city itself but by independent “authorities.” The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, along with the Metropolitan Transit Authority are administered by the state government rather than the city.

15

Judicial System

New York’s highest court is the court of appeals, in Albany, with appeals jurisdiction only, consisting of a chief judge and six associate judges. Below the court of appeals is the supreme court, which consists of 570 justices in 12 judicial districts. The supreme court of New York State Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

does not sit as one body; instead, most supreme court justices are assigned original jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters, while 56 justices are assigned to one of the court’s appeals divisions. The New York court of claims, which sits in Albany, consists of judges appointed by the governor to nine-year terms, along with judges sitting as acting supreme court justices in felony trials. This special trial court hears civil cases involving claims by or against the state. Outside New York City, each county has its own county court to handle criminal cases, although some are delegated to be handled by lower courts. Many counties have a surrogate’s court to handle such matters as wills and estate, and each county has its own family court. A county’s district attorney has authority in criminal matters. Most cities (including New York City) have their own court systems. Village police justices and town justices of the peace handle minor violations and other routine matters. The state’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 441.6 per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property were reported at a rate of about 2,198.6 per 100,000 people. In December 2004, 63,751 inmates were in state and federal facilities. New York abolished the death penalty in 1965 and reestablished it in 1995. However, on 24 June 2004, New York’s death penalty statute was declared unconstitutional. The last execution in the state took place in 1963. As of 1 January 2006, only one inmate remained on death row.

16

Migration

Since the early 1800s, New York has been the primary port of entry for Europeans coming to the United States. The Statue of Liberty, dedicated in 1886 and beckoning “your tired, your poor, / Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” to the shores of America, was often an immigrant’s first glimpse of America. The first stop for some 20 million immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was Ellis Island, where they were processed, often given Americanized names, and sent onward to an uncertain future. The first great wave of European immigrants arrived in the 1840s, impelled by the potato famine in Ireland. The next two great waves of European immigration—Eastern European Jews and Italians—overlapped. Vast numbers of Jews began arriving from Eastern Europe during the 1880s. The flood of Italians began during the 1800s as well. Yankees from New England made up the first great wave of domestic migration. Most of the migrants who came to New York between 1790 and 1840 were Yankees. There was a slow, steady migration of African Americans from slave states to New York before the Civil War, but massive black migration to New York, and especially to New York City, began during World War I and continued well into the 1960s. The third great wave of domestic migration came after World War II, from Puerto Rico. Many other Caribbean natives—especially Dominicans, Jamaicans, and Haitians—followed. The fourth and most recent domestic migratory trend is unique in New York history—the net outward migration from New York to other states. In 1998, 96,559 foreign immigrants entered New York, the second-highest total of any state (surpassed only by California). In the period 1995–2000, some 726,477 people moved into the state and 1,600,725 moved out, for a net loss of 874,248. Of those who left the state, about 308,230 went to Florida, 206,979 went to New 91

New York

Jersey, 112,214 went to Pennsylvania, 100,727 went to North Carolina, and 95,952 went to California. The largest immigration came from New Jersey, with 97,584 people moving to New York. For the period 2000–05, net international migration was 667,007 and net internal migration was -1,001,100 for a net loss of 334,093 people.

17

Economy

New York State cannot be economically healthy if New York City does not remain so. The city’s manufacturing industries and its skilled laborers, however, have been emigrating to the suburbs and to other states since World War II. Between 1969 and 1976, the city lost 600,000 jobs. In 1975, short-term aid from Congress, the state government, and the labor union pension funds were needed to save the city from default. The early 1980s saw New York’s fortunes on the rise. A shift in dependence from manufacturing to services, and particularly to finance, helped the state and New York City weather the 1981–82 recession. In 1983, the state’s three largest industrial and commercial employers (excluding public utilities) were all banks based in New York City. Financial services led the city’s economic expansion during the 1980s, adding 100,000 jobs from 1980 to 1987. The expanding economy moved New York from 10th place in per capita (per person) income in 1980 to 5th place in 1990, when the state’s per capita income reached $21,073. New York’s economy not only grew during the 1980s but also underwent a restructuring. Manufacturing witnessed a decline in its share of total employment from 20% in 1980 to 14% 92

in 1990. Business-related, healthcare, education, and social services, however, grew 52% during the decade. Employment rose steadily during the 1990s and economic growth was robust moving into the 21st century. Even with the effects of the 2001 national recession and the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, the state economy grew by a rate of 3.5%. Employment growth in the state lagged behind the nation as a whole during 2001–02, but was close to the national average by the end of 2002. New York City’s rate of job losses, however, continued to exceed the state and the nation. The state’s manufacturing sector, which had been declining for decades, fell from 10.8% of the gross state product in 1997 to 9.4% in 2001. In 2002, the highest percentages of manufacturing job losses were in the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. In 2004, an estimated 62,854 new businesses were established while 64,013 businesses closed.

18

Income

In 2005, New York had a gross state product (GSP) of $963 billion, ranking third among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2001, New York ranked sixth among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $38,264; the national average was $33,050. The average median household income for 2002–04 was $44,228 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 14.4% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

19

Industry

Until the 1970s, New York was the nation’s foremost industrial state, ranking first in practically every general category. By 1982, however, it ranked third in value of shipments and new spending. In 1995, New York ranked sixth in value of shipments, at $162.9 billion. Important industries are instruments and related products, industrial machinery and equipment, electronic and electric equipment, printing and publishing, and textiles. The Buffalo region, with its excellent transport facilities and abundant power supply, is the main center for heavy industry in the state. Light industry is distributed throughout the state. Rochester is especially well known for its photographic (Kodak), optical equipment, and office machines. The state’s leadership in electronic equipment is in large part attributable to the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), a leading US industrial corporation. The presence of two large General Electric plants has long made Schenectady a leader in the manufacture of electric machinery. New York City excels not only in the apparel and publishing trades but also in food processing, meatpacking, chemicals, leather goods, metal products, and many other manufacturers. In addition, the city serves as headquarters for many large industrial corporations whose manufacturing activities often take place entirely outside New York. Large US industrial corporations and many of the world’s banking conglomerates have headquarters in New York City. In 2004, the shipment value of products manufactured in the state amounted to over $146 billion. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

20

Labor

At the beginning of the 20th century, working conditions in New York were among the worst in the country. The flood of immigrants into the labor market and the absence of labor laws to protect them led to the development in New York City of cramped, ill-lit, poorly ventilated, unhealthy factories, the sweatshops for which the garment industry became notorious. Since that time working conditions in the garment factories have improved, primarily through the efforts of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union and, later, its sister organization, the Amalgamated Clothing and Textiles Workers Union. In April 2006, the labor force in New York numbered 9,516,800, with approximately 467,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.9%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. In 2006, 3.8% of the labor force was employed in construction; 6.5% in manufacturing; 17.5% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 8.4% in financial activities; 12.7% in professional and business services; 18.2% in education and health services; 7.8% in leisure and hospitality services, and 17.3% in government. In 2005, some 2,090,000 of New York’s 8,008,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 26.1% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

New York ranked 28th in farm income in 2005, with cash receipts from farming at over $3.5 billion. About 62% came from livestock products, 93

New York

mostly dairy goods. In 2004, the state ranked second in apples; third in the production of corn for silage, third in production of cauliflower, fourth in tart cherries and snap beans, and ninth in oats. New York remains an important dairy state, but urbanization has reduced its overall agricultural potential. In 2004, there were only 36,000 farms, with 7.6 million acres (3.1 million hectares). The west-central part of the state is the most intensively farmed. Chautauqua County, in the extreme southwest, leads the state in grape production, while Wayne County along Lake Ontario leads in apples and cherries. The dairy industry is concentrated in the St. Lawrence Valley; grain growing dominates the plains between Syracuse and Buffalo. Potatoes are grown mostly in Suffolk County, on eastern Long Island. Leading field crops in 2004 included hay, corn, oats, and wheat. Farms in 2004 also produced 941,010 tons of vegetables. Leading vegetable crops were cabbage, onions, sweet corn, and snap beans. State vineyards produced 145,000 tons of grapes for wine and juice in 2004, while the apple crop totaled 1.1 billion pounds (498.9 million kilograms).

22


The St. Lawrence Valley is the state’s leading cattle region, followed by the Mohawk Valley and Wyoming County in western New York. The poultry industry is more widely dispersed. In 2005, an estimated 1.41 million cattle and calves were worth around $1.73 billion. There were an estimated 84,000 hogs and pigs, worth $8.4 million in 2004. During 2003, around 14.6 million pounds (6.6 million kilograms) of chickens were 94

produced, worth $5.1 million, and 13.3 million pounds (6 million kilograms) of turkey, worth $4.8 million. New York is a leading dairy state. In 2003, New York was third in the United States in milk production with 11.9 million pounds (5.4 million kilograms) of milk from 671,000 milk cows. Also during 2003, New York farmers produced around 3 million pounds (1.4 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs, which brought in around $2.7 million in gross income. The state produced around 1.05 billion eggs, valued at $56.3 million in 2003. Duck raising is an industry of local importance on Long Island.

23

Fishing

Fishing, though an attraction for tourists and sport fishers, plays only a marginal role in the economic life of the state. In 2004, the Atlantic commercial catch in New York was 33.7 million pounds (15.3 million kilograms), valued at $46.4 million. The Great Lakes commercial catch the same year was 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms) valued at $11,000. Important species for commercial use are clams and oysters. In 2004, the state ranked second in the nation (after New Jersey) in volume of surf clams (6.8 million pounds/3.1 million kilograms). Soft clams amounted to 234,000 pounds (106,000 kilograms). Virtually all of New York’s commercial fishing takes place in the Atlantic waters off Long Island. Montauk, on the eastern end of Long Island, is the state’s leading fishing port. In 2003, there were 6 processing and 271 wholesale plants in the state with about 2,154 employees. Pollution and poor wildlife management have seriously endangered the state’s commercial Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

and sport fishing in the ocean, rivers, and lakes. Commercial fishing in the rivers for five species—black crappie, brown bullhead, carp, goldfish, and pumpkinseed—was banned in 1985. Also banned in 1985 was commercial fishing for striped bass in New York Harbor and along both shores of western Long Island. In recent decades, the Department of Environmental Conservation has taken an active role in restocking New York’s inland waters. The US Fish and Wildlife Service distributes large numbers of Atlantic salmon fingerlings as well as lake, rainbow, and brook trout fry throughout the state. There are 12 state hatcheries producing over 1 million pounds (over 453,000 kilograms) of fish per year, including brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, lake trout, steelhead, chinook salmon, coho salmon, landlocked salmon, walleye, muskellunge, and tiger muskellunge. In 2004, the state issued 983,812 sport fishing licenses.

24

Forestry

About 61% of New York’s surface area is forestland. The most densely forested counties are Hamilton, Essex, and Warren in the Adirondacks, and Delaware, Greene, and Ulster in the Catskills. The total forested area was about 18,432,000 acres (7,459,000 hectares) in 2004, of which 15,389,000 acres (6,228,000 hectares) were classified as commercial forest, meaning they were available for the harvest of wood products such as sawn logs, veneer, and pulpwood or firewood. In 2004, lumber production totaled 480 million board feet. Finger Lakes National Forest, the only national forest within the state, covered 16,211 acres (6,560 hectares) in 2005. The state Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Department of Environmental Conservation manages about 3,000,000 acres (1,200,000 hectares) in the Catskills and Adirondacks as forest preserves and an additional 800,000 acres in state forests and Wildlife Management Areas (where timber harvesting is allowed as part of the management plan).

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in New York in 2003 was estimated to be $978 million. About 98% of the total value came from industrial minerals and mineral products, primarily crushed stone, salt, construction sand and gravel, Portland cement, and wollastonite. According to preliminary figures, the value of crushed stone in 2003 was $358 million; salt, $190 million; construction sand and gravel, $171 million; and common clays, $7.9 million. Other commodities produced included gypsum and peat. Major uses of wollastonite (a type of calcium silicate) are as a filler in ceramic tile, marine wallboard, paint, plastics, and refractory liners in steel mills.

26

Energy and Power

Electrical output in 2003 totaled nearly 137.6 billion kilowatt hours. Electric bills for New York City are the highest in the nation and customers in Buffalo and Rochester also pay above the national median. Sales of public and private electric power totaled 144 billion kilowatt hours in 2003. About 29.6% of all electrical power produced came from nuclear power generation, 20.5% came from natural gas generation, and 17.6% came from hydroelectric plants. Coal and petroleum fueled plants accounted for the rest. 95

New York

27

Commerce

In 2002, New York had wholesale sales that totaled $343.6 billion; retail sales were $178 billion. The state’s long border with Canada, its important ports on lakes Erie and Ontario, and its vast harbor on New York Bay ensure it a major role in US foreign trade. About onefourth of the country’s waterborne imports and exports pass through the New York Customs District (which includes New York City, Albany, and Newark and Perth Amboy, N.J.). Exports of goods originating within the state totaled $50.4 billion in 2005, third among the states.

28 Children cooling off in the Washington Square Park Fountain. LARRY WHITE.

In 2006, there were four operating nuclear power stations in the state: the James A. Fitzpatrick and the Nile Mile Point plants, both near Oswego; the Indian Point plant in Westchester County; and the Robert E. Ginna plant near Rochester. As of 2004, output of crude oil averaged 464 barrels per day. The same year, marketed gas production totaled 36.1 billion cubic feet (1.02 billion cubic meters). The largest hydroelectric plant in the state is the Niagara Power Project, which had a capacity of 2.4 million kilowatts in 2006. The New York side of the St. Lawrence River Power Project had a capacity of over 900,000 kilowatts in the same year. 96

Public Finance

New York State has the second-largest budget (behind California) of all the states. The New York State budget is prepared by the Division of the Budget and submitted annually by the governor to the legislature for amendment and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 April to 31 March. The state revenues for 2004 were $136.5 billion and expenditures were $132.8 billion. The largest general expenditures were for public welfare ($41.1 billion), education ($31.3 billion) and health ($5.2 billion). The total state debt in New York was $95.7 billion, or $4,963.94 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

In 2003, New York ranked 11th among the states in terms of per capita tax burden at about $2,607 per person, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person. Personal income tax is the state’s largest source of revenue. The five-bracket Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

personal income tax schedule ranges from 4% to 6.85%. The basic corporate tax is 7.5%. The general sales tax rate was 4.25%. Local governments impose additional sales taxes ranging from 0 to 4.5%. The state also imposes a full array of excise taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, and other selected items. Property taxes are collected by cities and counties, but not by the state government. The state collected about $50.1 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 56% came from individual income taxes, 21.9% came from the general sales tax, 10.3% from selective sales taxes, 5.5% from corporate income taxes, and 6.3% from other taxes.

30

Health

The state has some of the finest hospital and medical education facilities in the United States, but it also has large numbers of the needy with serious health problems. In 2005, the infant death rate stood at 5.8 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 8.1 deaths per 1,000 residents. As of 2002, the death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 295.8; cancer, 191.4; cerebrovascular diseases, 39.8; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 36.4; and diabetes, 20.5. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported at 10.3 per 100,000, representing the third-highest rate in the country (following the District of Columbia and Maryland). In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 39.7 per 100,000, the second-highest rate in the country (following the District of Columbia). About 19.9% of the population were smokers in 2004. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York’s 207 community hospitals had 64,700 beds in 2003. There were 401 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 854 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were a total of 14,498 dentists in the state. The average expense for hospital care was $1,402 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, at least 15% of New York’s residents were uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, the state had an estimated 7,819,359 housing units, of which 7,087,566 were occupied. The state ranked fourth in the nation for the highest number of housing units (following California, Texas, and Florida). An estimated 3,259,092 units, or 41.6%, were located in New York City. The housing stock in New York is relatively old. About 33.7% of all units in the state were built before or during 1939; about 49.7% were built between 1940 and 1979. In New York City, 83% of all housing units were built before 1960; in Buffalo, 73% of all units were built before 1939. Statewide in 2004, 42.3% of all units were single-family, detached homes. In New York City, however, only 9% were single, detached units. About 46.9% of New York City housing units are located in buildings of 20 units or more. New York State had the second lowest percentage of owner-occupied housing in the country, at 55.6% in 2004 (only the District of Columbia was lower). It was estimated that 140,133 units in New York City lacked telephone service, 19,137 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 20,630 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Statewide, about 247,421 units lacked telephone service, 32,130 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 211,862 lacked complete kitchen facilities. 97

New York

In 2004, 53,500 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value for the state was $220,981. The median home value in New York City was $373,176. The statewide median monthly cost for mortgage owners statewide was $1,525; renters paid a median of $796 per month. In New York City, the median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,920; renters paid a median of $856 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, 85.4% of New Yorkers age 25 and older were high school graduates. About 30.6% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 2,888,000 in fall 2002. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $42.5 billion, the second-highest among the 50 states. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 458,079 students. As of fall 2002, there were 1,107,270 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. In 2005, New York had 309 degree-granting institutions, including 45 public four-year schools, 35 public two-year schools, and 163 nonprofit, private four-year schools. There are two massive public university systems: the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY). Established in 1948, SUNY is one of the largest university systems in the country. University centers include Buffalo, Albany, and Binghamton. The City University of New York was created in 1961. Under an open enrollment policy adopted in 1970, every New York City resident with a high school diploma is guaranteed the chance to earn a college degree within the CUNY sys98

tem (which CUNY campus the student attends is determined by grade point average). The oldest private university in the state is Columbia University, founded in New York City as Kings College in 1754. Also part of Columbia are Barnard College (all women) and Columbia University Teachers College. Other major private institutions are Cornell University in Ithaca, Fordham University in Manhattan and the Bronx, New York University in Manhattan, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, St. John’s University in Queens, Syracuse University, and the University of Rochester. Among the state’s many smaller but highly distinguished institutions are Hamilton College, the Juilliard School, the New School for Social Research, Rockefeller University, Sarah Lawrence College, Vassar College, and Yeshiva University. The US Military Academy is located in West Point.

33

Arts

New York City is the cultural capital of the state and leads the nation in both the creative and the performing arts. The state’s foremost arts center is Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, in Manhattan. Facilities at Lincoln Center include Avery Fisher Hall, which is the home of the New York Philharmonic; the Metropolitan Opera House, where the Metropolitan Opera Company performs; and the New York State Theater, which presents both the New York City Opera and the New York City Ballet. Also at Lincoln Center are the Julliard School and the Library and Museum of the Performing Arts. The best known arts center outside New York City is the Saratoga Performing Arts Center at Saratoga Springs. During the summer, the Saratoga Center presents performances by Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

The sunken plaza at Rockefeller Center in New York City has a gilded statue of Prometheus by sculptor Paul Manship. © JAMES CORRIGAN/EPD PHOTOS.

the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Artpark, a state park at Lewiston, has a 2,324-seat theater for operas and musicals and offers art exhibits during the summer. Classical music, opera, and plays are performed at the Chautauqua Festival, which has been held every summer since 1874. In addition to its many museums, New York City has more than 350 galleries devoted to the visual and plastic arts. The city’s most famous arts district is Greenwich Village, which still holds an annual outdoor art show. After the 1950s many artists moved to SoHo (Manhattan on the West Side between Canal and Houston Streets), NoHo (immediately north of Houston Street), Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the East Village, and Tribeca. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, abstract painters including Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Willem de Kooning helped make the city a center of the avant garde. New York has enjoyed a vigorous poetic tradition throughout its history, most notably with the works of Walt Whitman and through Hart Crane’s mythic vision of the city in his long poem The Bridge. The emergence of New York City as the center of the US publishing and communications industries fostered the growth of a literary marketplace, attracting writers from across the country and the world. Early New York novelists included Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, 99

New York

Exterior view of Radio City Music Hall. LARRY WHITE.

and Herman Melville. Among the many who made their home in the city in the 20th century were Thomas Wolfe and Norman Mailer. The growth of the Broadway stage made New York City a vital forum for playwriting, songwriting, and theatrical production. There are more than 35 Broadway theaters in midtown Manhattan presenting full-scale, sometimes lavish productions with top notch performers. “Off Broadway” productions are often of high professional quality, though typically in smaller theaters outside the midtown district.. New York’s leading symphony orchestra is the New York Philharmonic, whose history dates back to the founding of the Philharmonic 100

Society of New York in 1842. Among the principal conductors of the orchestra have been Gustav Mahler and Leonard Bernstein. Leading US and foreign orchestras and soloists appear at both Avery Fisher Hall and Carnegie Hall. Important orchestras outside New York City include the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Rochester Philharmonic, and the Eastman Philharmonia, the orchestra of the Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester). New York City is one of the world centers of ballet. Of special renown is the New York City Ballet. Many other ballet companies, including the American Ballet Theatre and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, make regular appearances in New York. Rochester, Syracuse, Cooperstown, Chautauqua, and Binghamton have opera companies and Lake George has an opera festival. Jazz and popular artists perform at more than 60 nightspots in New York City. The New York State Council on the Arts supports numerous arts programs through state and federal funding, as does the New York Council for the Humanities. In 2005, New York arts organizations received 440 grants totaling over $16.2 million from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded 124 grants totaling $13.4 million for state programs.

34


In 2001, the state of New York had 750 public library systems, with a total of 1,089 libraries. In that same year, the state’s public library system had 78,546,000 volumes of books and serial publications and a total circulation of 126,796,000. The leading public library systems were the New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

Queens Borough Public Library, and the Buffalo and Erie County system. Chartered in 1895, the New York Public Library (NYPL) is the most complete municipal library system in the world. The library’s main building, at 5th Avenue and 42nd St., is one of the city’s best known landmarks. The NYPL is a repository for every book published in the United States. The NYPL also operates the Library and Museum of the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center; the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; and the Science, Industry, and Business Library that opened in May 1996. The libraries at Columbia University and Cornell University rank among the world’s major libraries. There are about 671 museums in New York State. In addition, there are about 579 sites of historic importance maintained by local historical societies. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has more than one million art objects and paintings from virtually every period and culture. The Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (the latter designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in a distinctive spiral pattern) are also in New York City. The Jewish Museum, the Museum of the American Indian, and the museum and reference library of the Hispanic Society of America specialize in cultural history. The sciences are represented by the American Museum of Natural History, famed for its dioramas of humans and animals in natural settings and for its massive dinosaur skeletons. The Museum of the City of New York, the New York Aquarium, the Hayden Planetarium, the New York Botanical Garden, and New York Zoological Society Park (Bronx Zoo), are also of interest. The New York State Museum in Albany Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

contains natural history collections and historical artifacts. Buffalo has several museums of note, including the Albright-Knox Art Gallery (for contemporary art), the Buffalo Museum of Science, and the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society museum. Among the state’s many other fine museums, the Everson Museum of Art (Syracuse), the Rochester Museum and Science Center, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (Cooperstown), and the Corning Museum of Glass deserve special mention. Buffalo, New Rochelle, Rochester, Syracuse, and Utica have zoos.

35

Communications

As of 2004, 94.5% of New York’s occupied housing units had telephones. The same year, there were about 9.9 million mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, about 60% of all households had a personal computer and 53.3% had access to the Internet. A total of 589,963 Internet domain names were registered in the state in the year 2000; the second highest number of all states. In 2005, New York State had 58 major AM stations and 181 major FM stations. New York City operates its own radio stations, WNYCAM and FM, devoted largely to classical music and educational programming. There were 46 major television stations in the state in 2005. The city is the headquarters for most of the major US television networks, including the American Broadcasting Company (ABC, now part of Walt Disney), CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System, owned by Viacom Westinghouse Corp.), National Broadcasting Company (NBC, part of General 101

New York

Niagara Falls, one of New York’s major tourist attractions. © NYS DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Electric), and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). As of 2000, the New York metropolitan area had 6,874,990 television households, 74% of which received cable. The Buffalo region had 621,460 television homes, with a 77% cable subscription rate.

36

Press

New York is the center of the US newspaper, magazine, and book publishing industries. All of New York City’s major newspapers have claims to fame. The New York Times, the nation’s “newspaper of record,” is highly influential in political and cultural circles and widely circulated to US libraries. The New York Post, founded in 1801, is the oldest US newspaper published continu102

ously without changing its name. The Wall Street Journal, published Monday through Friday, is a major nationwide news source, presenting mostly business news in four regional editions. In 2005, the Times Sunday edition was the number one Sunday newspaper in the nation, based on circulation figures. The same year, the Wall Street Journal, the Times, the New York Daily News, the Long Island Newsday, and the Post were among the top thirteen largest daily newspapers in the nation. In 2005, New York had 37 morning newspapers, 23 evening papers, and 38 Sunday editions. Leading papers in New York City, with their average daily circulations in 2005 included the Wall Street Journal (1,780,605), New York Times (1,121,057), the Daily News (715,052), the New York Post (481,860), and Newsday (481,816). Leading papers outside New Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

York City include the Buffalo News (196,429), the Albany Times–Union (100,628), and the Syracuse Post–Standard (118,926). There are two Spanish dailies published in New York City: El Diario la Prensa, with a circulation of 50,019 daily and 34,636 Sundays; and Hoy, with a circulation of 49,681 daily and 25,465 Sundays. The leading newspaper chain is the Gannett Company (headquarters in Virginia). Other groups include Ogden Newspapers, Inc.(West Virginia), Hearst Newspapers (New York), and Johnson Newspaper Corp. (New York). All the major news agencies have offices in New York City, and the Associated Press has its headquarters there. Many leading US magazines are published in New York City, including the news magazines Time and Newsweek, and business journals Fortune, Forbes, and Business Week. Reader’s Digest is published in Pleasantville. The New Yorker carries up-to-date listings of cultural events and exhibitions in New York City, and its journalism, criticism, fiction, and cartoons have long made it a literary standard-bearer for the entire nation. New York magazine was the model for a new type of state and local magazine. Another weekly, the Village Voice became the model for a host of alternative or “underground” newspapers. New York City is also the center of the nation’s book publishing industry and home to such publishers as McGraw–Hill, Simon & Schuster (part of Viacom), Random House (part of Bertelsmann), and HarperCollins (part of News Corp.). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

37


New York State is a popular destination for both domestic and foreign travelers, with New York City as the primary destination. In 2001, there were 35.2 million visitors to New York City, including 5.7 million international visitors. A typical visit to New York City might include a boat ride to the Statue of Liberty; visits to the Empire State Building, the United Nations headquarters, Rockefeller Center, and the New York Stock Exchange; walking tours of the Bronx Zoo, Chinatown, and the theater district; and a sampling of the city’s many museums, restaurants, shops, and shows. Second to New York City as a magnet for tourists comes Long Island, with its beaches, racetracks, and other recreational facilities. Attractions of the Hudson Valley include the US Military Academy (West Point), the Franklin D. Roosevelt home at Hyde Park, and Bear Mountain State Park. North of Hudson Valley is Albany, with its massive government center, often called the Empire State Plaza; Saratoga Springs, home of an arts center, racetrack, and spa; and the Adirondack region, with its forest preserve, summer and winter resorts, and abundant hunting and fishing. Scenic sites in central New York include the resorts of the Catskills and the scenic marvels of the Finger Lakes region. Farther west lie the Genesee Valley and Letchworth State Park; and Buffalo and Niagara Falls. South of the Niagara Frontier is the Southwest Gateway, among whose dominant features are Chautauqua Lake and Allegany State Park, the state’s largest. 103

New York

Yankee Stadium. LARRY WHITE.

38

Sports

New York has 11 major league professional sports teams: the New York Yankees and the New York Mets of Major League Baseball; the New York Giants, the New York Jets (although both the Giants and Jets play at stadiums in New Jersey), and the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League; the New York Knickerbockers (usually called the Knicks) of the National Basketball Association; the New York Islanders, the New York Rangers, and the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League; the New York Liberty of the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the Red Bull New York of the Major League Soccer. The state also has 13 minor league baseball teams and 6 minor league hockey teams. 104

Horse racing is important to New York State, both as a sports attraction and because of the tax revenues that betting generates. The main thoroughbred racetracks are Aqueduct in Queens, Belmont in Nassau County, and the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs. Belmont is the home of the Belmont Stakes, one of the three jewels in the Triple Crown of US racing. Saratoga Springs also has a longer harness racing season at its Saratoga Equine Sports Center facility. The top track for harness racing is Monticello Raceway (in the Catskills) New York City hosts several major professional tennis tournaments every year, including the US Open in Flushing Meadows, the Last Minute Travel.com Masters (men) in Central Park, and the Chase Championships of the WTA Tour (women) at Madison Square Garden. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

Among other professional sports facilities, the Watkins Glen automobile racetrack was once the site of a Grand Prix race every October. It now hosts a NASCAR Nextel Cup race in August. Lake Placid, an important winter sports region, hosted the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics and continues to host amateur winter sports competitions, such as bobsled racing and ski jumping. New York City’s Madison Square Garden is a leading venue for professional boxing and hosts many other sporting events. In collegiate sports, basketball is perhaps most popular. Historically, the City College of New York produced many nationally ranked teams. St. John’s University and Syracuse University have also produced nationally prominent teams. The US Military Academy at West Point (Army) has won college football national championships. Hockey and lacrosse are popular sports at the collegiate level and have been well represented by New York colleges and universities. In 1978, New York became the first state to sponsor a statewide amateur athletic event, the Empire State Games. More than 50,000 athletes now compete for a place in the finals, held each summer. The Winter Games, held each February in Lake Placid, hosts more than 1,000 athletes. The New York City marathon, which is held in late October or early November, has become one of the largest, most prestigious marathons in the world. Other annual sporting events include the Adirondack Hot Air Balloon Festival in Glens Falls in September and the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City in February. The Baseball Hall of Fame is located in Cooperstown. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

39

Famous New Yorkers

New York State has been the home of five US presidents, eight US vice presidents (three of whom also became president), many statesmen of national and international repute, and a large number of writers and entertainers. Martin Van Buren (1782–1862), the eighth US president, became governor of New York in 1828. He was elected to the vice presidency as a Democrat under Andrew Jackson in 1832, and succeeded Jackson in the election of 1836. The 13th US president, Millard Fillmore (1800–1874), was elected vice president under Zachary Taylor in 1848. He became president in 1850 when Taylor died. New York’s other US presidents had more distinguished careers. Grover Cleveland (1837– 1908) served as mayor of Buffalo and as governor of New York before his election to his first presidential term in 1884. He was again elected president in 1892. Theodore Roosevelt (1858– 1919), a Republican, was elected governor in 1898. He won election as vice president under William McKinley in 1900, and became the nation’s 26th president after McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo in 1901. Reelected in 1904, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for helping to settle a war between Russia and Japan. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR, 1882– 1945), a fifth cousin of Theodore Roosevelt, was elected governor of New York in 1928 and served until 1932, when US voters chose him as their 32nd president. Reelected in 1936, 1940, and 1944, FDR is the only president ever to have served more than two full terms in office. Roosevelt guided the United States through the Great Depression and World War II, and his 105

New York

Julia Ward Howe (1819–1910), daughter of a wealthy banker, was a poet, suffragist, and abolitionist. In 1908 she became the first woman elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters (1908). She is best remembered as the author of “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” set to the tune of the anti-slavery song, “John Brown’s Body.” EPD PHOTOS.

New Deal programs greatly enlarged the federal government’s role in social welfare. Two well known US vice presidents, though not born in New York, were New Yorkers by the time they reached the White House: Aaron Burr (1756–1836) and Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (1908–1979). Two native New Yorkers have become chief justices of the United States: John Jay (1745–1829) and Charles Evans Hughes (1862–1948). Ruth Bader Ginsberg (b.1933) 106

was President Bill Clinton’s first appointment to the Supreme Court. Governors who made important contributions to the history of the state include Alfred E. Smith (1873–1944); Herbert H. Lehman (1878–1963); W. Averell Harriman (1891– 1986), who also held many US diplomatic posts; and Thomas E. Dewey (1902–1971). One of the best known and best loved mayors in New York City history was Fiorello H. La Guardia (1882– 1947), a reformer who held the office from 1934 to 1945. Native New Yorkers have won Nobel prizes in every category. Winners of the Nobel Peace Prize besides Theodore Roosevelt were Elihu Root in 1912 and Frank B. Kellogg in 1929. The lone winner of the Nobel Prize for literature was playwright Eugene O’Neill (1888–1953) in 1936. The chemistry prize was awarded to William Howard Stein (1911–1980) in 1972. Melvin Schwartz (b.New York City, 1932) was a co-recipient of the 1988 Nobel Prize in physics. New Yorkers awarded the Nobel Prize for physiology/medicine include Rosalyn Sussman Yalow (b.1921) in 1977, and Hamilton O. Smith (b.1931) in 1978. The Nobel Prize for economic science was won by Milton Friedman (1912– 2006) in 1976. New York is also the birthplace of national labor leader George Meany (1894–1980) and economist Walter Heller (1915–1987). Other distinguished state residents were Mormon leader Brigham Young (b.Vermont, 1801–1877), botanist Asa Gray (1810–1888), inventor-entrepreneur George Westinghouse (1846–1914), and Jonas E. Salk (1914–1995), developer of the poliomyelitis vaccine. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

New York

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (known as FDR) was born in Hyde Park. He was elected governor of New York in 1928, seven years after contracting poliomyelitis, a disease that left his legs paralyzed. Determined not to let his disability stop his political career, he learned to stand wearing leg braces. In 1932, he became the 33rd president of the United States, defeating incumbent Herbert Hoover in a landslide (472 electoral votes to 59). EPD PHOTOS/NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

Writers born in New York include the storyteller and satirist Washington Irving (1783– 1859); poets Walt Whitman (1819–1892) and Ogden Nash (1902–1971); and playwrights Eugene O’Neill (1888–1953), Arthur Miller (1915–2005), and Neil Simon (b.1927). Two of America’s greatest novelists were New Yorkers: Herman Melville (1819–1891) and Henry James (1843–1916). Broadway is the showcase of American drama and the birthplace of the American musical theater, whose pioneers include Jerome Kern (1885–1945), Oscar Hammerstein II (1895– Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1960), Richard Rodgers (1902–1979), Alan Jay Lerner (1918–1986), and Stephen Sondheim (b.1930). Porgy and Bess, by George Gershwin (1898–1937), raised the musical to its highest artistic form. Other important US composers who were New Yorkers include Irving Berlin (b.Russia, 1888–1989), Aaron Copland (1900– 1990), Elliott Carter (b.1908), and William Schuman (1910–1992). Among many prominent sports figures born in New York are first baseman Lou Gehrig (1903–1941), football coach Vince Lombardi (1913–1970), pitchers Sanford “Sandy” Koufax 107

New York

(b.1935) and Orel Leonard Hershiser IV (b.1958), and basketball stars Kareem AbdulJabbar (Lew Alcindor, b.1947) and Julius Erving (b.1950).

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Heinrichs, Ann. New York. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003. Kids’ New York. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2000.

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McAuliffe, Emily. New York Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Mezzanotte, Jim. New York. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Murray, Julie. New York. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Schomp, Virginia. New York. 2nd ed. New York: Benchmark Books, 2006. WEB SITES New York State Government. New York State. www. state.ny.us (accessed March 1, 2007). New York State Tourism. I Love NY: The Official New York State Tourism Website. www.iloveny. state.ny.us (accessed March 1, 2007).


North Carolina State of North Carolina

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named in honor of King

Charles I of England. N I CKNAME : The Tarheel State; Old North State. C AP ITAL: Raleigh. ENT ERED UNION: 21 November 1789 (12th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Liberty, clasping a constitution and

holding aloft on a pole a liberty cap, stands on the left, while Plenty sits besides a cornucopia on the right; behind them, mountains run to the sea, on which a three-masted ship appears. “May 20, 1775” appears above the figures; the words “The Great Seal of the State of North Carolina” and the state motto surround the whole. FLAG: Adjacent to the fly of two equally sized bars, red above and white below, is a blue union containing a white star in the center, flanked by the letters N and C in gold. Above and below the star are two gold scrolls, the upper one reading “May 20th 1775,” the lower one “April 12th 1776.” M OT TO: Esse quam videri (To be rather than to seem). SONG: “The Old North State.” FLOWER: Dogwood. TREE: Long leaf pine. A NIMAL: Gray squirrel (mammal). B IRD: Cardinal. FISH: Channel bass. IN S ECT: Honeybee. R EPT ILE: Eastern box turtle. D OG: Plott hound. G E M: Emerald. R OCK OR STONE: Granite. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

B E V E R A G E : Milk. V E G E TA B L E : Sweet Potato. S H E L L : Scotch bonnet. L E G A L H O L I D AY S : New Year’s Day, 1 January;

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Good Friday, Friday before Easter, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November and the day following; Christmas Day, 25 December and the day following. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the southeastern United States, North Carolina ranks 28th in size among the 50 states. The total area of North Carolina is 52,669 square miles (136,413 square kilometers), of which land accounts for 48,843 square miles 109

North Carolina

(126,504 square kilometers) and inland water 3,826 square miles (9,909 square kilometers). North Carolina extends 503 miles (810 kilometers) from east to west and 187 miles (301 kilometers) from north to south. The total boundary line of North Carolina is 1,270 miles (2,044 kilometers), including a general coastline of 301 miles (484 kilometers).

2

Topography

North Carolina’s three major topographic regions include the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the Piedmont Plateau, and the Appalachian Mountains. The Outer Banks, narrow islands of shifting sandbars, screen most of the coastal plain from the ocean. Treacherous navigation conditions and numerous shipwrecks have inspired the name “Graveyard of the Atlantic” for the shoal waters off Cape Hatteras. Near the ocean, the outer coastal plain is very flat and often swampy. This region contains all the natural lakes in North Carolina, the largest being Lake Mattamuskeet (67 square miles/174 square kilometers), followed by lakes Phelps and Waccamaw. The inner coastal plain is more elevated and better drained. Infertile sand hills mark its southwestern section, but the rest of the region constitutes the state’s principal farming country. The Piedmont is a rolling plateau of red clay soil roughly 150 miles (240 kilometers) wide. The Blue Ridge, a steep escarpment that parallels the Tennessee border, divides the plateau from North Carolina’s westernmost region, containing the highest and most rugged portion of the Appalachian chain. The two major ranges are the Blue Ridge Mountains, which average 3,000– 4,000 feet high (900–1,200 meters), and the Great Smoky Mountains, which have 43 peaks 110

North Carolina Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

8,856,505 10.1% 6.3% 98.5% 71.4% 21.0% 1.3% 1.7% 0.0% 3.1% 1.5%


65 and over (12%)

Under 18 (25%)

45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (8%)

25 to 44 (30%)

Major Cities by Population City Charlotte Raleigh Greensboro Durham Winston-Salem Fayetteville Cary Wilmington High Point Asheville

Population

% change 2000–05

610,949 341,530 231,962 204,845 193,755 129,928 106,439 95,476 95,086 72,231

13.0 23.7 3.6 9.5 4.3 7.4 12.6 25.9 10.8 4.9




CLAY

RUTHERFORD

MC DOWELL

POLK

HENDERSON

26 Pisgah Nat’l For. TRANSYLVANIA

HAYWOOD

JACKSON

GEORGIA

MACON

E. Cherokee Indian Res.

Asheville

40 LINCOLN

Lake Norman

85

STANLY

ANSON

Concord

CABARRUS

Charlotte

RANDOLPH

LEE

RICHMOND

SCOTLAND

Bladen Lakes St. For.

BLADEN

CUMBERLAND

Fayetteville

SAMPSON

C COLUMBUS

R.

a pe a Fe r R . Cape Fear

Wilmington

PENDER

DUPLIN

M

Croatan Nat’l For.

NEW HANOVER

CU RR M DE IT N U

DARE

Hatteras Is.

Mackay Is. Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

Portsmouth Is. Raleigh Bay

95

0

0 25

25


N

Area of Interest


State Capital


City (25,000-100,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

NORTH CAROLINA

Cape Lookout

Cape Lookout National Seashore

CARTERET

Cape Hatteras National Lake Mattamuskeet Seashore Nat’l Wildlife Ref. Cape Swanquarter Hatteras Nat’l Wildlife Ref. Ocracoke Is.

HYDE

CK

emarle Sound TYRRELL

Alb

PERQUIMANS

WASHINGTON

PAMLICO

Camp Lejeune U.S.M.C.

Jacksonville

R.

CRAVEN

BEAUFORT

MARTIN

Ne use JONES

ml

PITT

BE

Chow an

CA

Dismal Swamp Nat’l Wildlife Ref. GATES

HERTFORD

BERTIE

ico R. Greenville

CO

ONSLOW

LENOIR

Kinston


BRUNSWICK

40

GE

GREENE

Wilson WAYNE

ED

Rocky Mount WILSON

Goldsboro

JOHNSTON

uth So

95

ROBESON

HOKE

HARNETT

Cary

NASH

95

Medoc Mtn. St. Park FRANKLIN

VANCE

Durham WAKE Raleigh

Raven Rock St. Park

Chapel Hill

Fort Bragg Military Res.

MOORE MONTGOMERY

CHATHAM

Greensboro

High Point

Uwharrie Nat. For.

DAVIDSON

Kannapolis

ROWAN

MECKLEN- UNION BURG

77

DAVIE

SOUTH CAROLINA

GASTON CLEVELAND Gastonia

South Mts. S. P.

Hickory CATAWBA

CALDWELL BURKE

IREDELL

85

HALIFAX

Pa

Nantahala National Forest

CHEROKEE

GRAHAM

SWAIN

MADISON

ALEXANDER

DURHAM

WARREN

NORTHAMPTON

R.

BUNCOMBE

YANCEY

ORANGE

Burlington

ALAMANCE

PERSON GRANVILLE

AN OW CH

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

TENNESSEE

GUILFORD

CASWELL

e ok

Winston-Salem

FORSYTH

Hanging Rock St. Park YADKIN

ROCKINGHAM

R.

AVERY

R.

STOKES

an

kin Yad

WILKES

SURRY

Ro

WATAUGA

ALLEGHANY

VIRGINIA

NK TA UO SQ PA

MITCHELL

Pisgah National Forest

New River St. Park

ASHE

WEST VIRGINIA

North Carolina

111

North Carolina

higher than 6,000 feet (1,800 meters). Several smaller chains intersect these two ranges; one of them, the Black Mountains, contains Mount Mitchell, 6,684 feet (2,039 meters), the tallest peak east of the Mississippi River. No single river basin dominates North Carolina. The Hiwassee, Little Tennessee, French Broad, Watauga, and New rivers flow from the mountains westward to the Mississippi River system. East of the Blue Ridge, the Chowan, Roanoke, Tar, Neuse, Cape Fear, Yadkin, and Catawba drain the piedmont and coastal plain. The largest artificial lakes are Lake Norman on the Catawba, Lake Gaston on the Roanoke, and High Rock Lake on the Yadkin.

3

Climate

North Carolina has a humid, subtropical climate. Winters are short and mild, while summers are usually very sultry. Spring and fall are distinct and refreshing periods of transition. In most of the state, temperatures rarely go above 100°f (38°c) or fall below 10°f (-12°c), but differences in altitude and proximity to the ocean create significant local variations. Average January temperatures range from 36°f (21°c) to 48°f (9°c). Average July temperatures range from 68°f (20°c) to 80°f (27°c). The coldest temperature ever recorded in North Carolina was -34°f (-37°c), registered on 21 January 1985 on Mount Mitchell. The hottest temperature, 110°f (43°c), occurred in Fayetteteville on 21 August 1983. In the southwestern section of the Blue Ridge, moist southerly winds rising over the mountains drop more than 80 inches (203 centimeters) of precipitation per year. The piedmont region gets between 44 and 48 inches (112 to 122 centimeters) of precipitation per year, while the coastal 112

plain receives about 44 to 56 inches (112 to 142 centimeters) of rain annually. Average winter snowfalls vary from 50 inches (127 centimeters) on Mount Mitchell to only a trace amount at Cape Hatteras. During late summer and early autumn, the eastern region is vulnerable to high winds and flooding from hurricanes.

4

Plants and Animals

North Carolina has approximately 300 species and subspecies of trees and almost 3,000 varieties of flowering plants. Sea oats predominate on the dunes and saltmeadow and cordgrass in the marshes. Blackwater swamps support dense areas of cypress and gum trees. Kudzu—a vine introduced from Japan in the 1930s to combat erosion—is a less attractive feature of the landscape. In the mountains, deciduous forests contain Carolina hemlock, sugar maple, yellow birch, and other species, including the common trees of the piedmont. Spruce and fir dominate the high mountain peaks. In 2006, 27 plant species were listed as threatened or endangered, including Blue Ridge goldenrod, bunched arrowhead, Heller’s blazingstar, Virginia spiraea, seabeach amaranth, and rough-leaved loosestrife. The white-tailed deer is the principal big game animal of North Carolina, and the black bear is a tourist attraction in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Beavers are the state’s principal furbearers. The largest native carnivore is the bobcat. North Carolina game birds include the mourning dove, wild turkey, and many varieties of duck and goose. Trout and smallmouth bass flourish in North Carolina’s clear mountain streams, while catfish, pickerel, and perch thrive in fresh water elsewhere. The sounds and surf of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Carolina

North Carolina Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,049,313 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,946,053 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96,203 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18,690 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19,403 White and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12,046 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,069 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22,414 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . .6,088 Black or African American and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,430 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 594 Black or African American and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,876 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 773 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . 161 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,605 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 909 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,676 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7,057

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.7 . . . . . . . 1.2 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — ....... — . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . . 0.1


the coast yield channel bass, striped bass, and bluefish to anglers. The American alligator is protected by the state and has returned in large numbers to eastern swamps and lakeshores. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 30 animal species as threatened or endangered, including Indiana and Virginia big-eared bats, bald eagle, red-cockaded woodpecker, four species of whale, and five species of sea turtle.

5


North Carolina’s citizens and officials worked actively (along with those in Tennessee) to establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the 1920s, the same decade that saw the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

establishment of the first state agency for wildlife conservation. The Coastal Management Act of 1974 mandated comprehensive land-use planning for estuaries, wetlands, beaches, and adjacent areas of environmental concern. Air quality in most of North Carolina is good, although the industrialized areas of the piedmont and mountains experience pollution from vehicle exhausts and coal-fired electric generating plants. Water quality ranges from extraordinary purity in numerous mountain trout streams to serious pollution in major rivers and coastal waters. Soil erosion and municipal and industrial waste discharges have drastically increased the level of dissolved solids in some piedmont streams, while runoffs from live113

North Carolina

stock pastures and nitrates leached from fertilized farmland have overstimulated the growth of algae in slow-moving eastern rivers. Pollution also has made certain areas of the coast unsafe for commercial shellfishing. About 5.7 million acres (2.3 million hectares) of the state are wetlands. Since 1997 the North Carolina Wetlands Partnership has overseen wetlands conservation. About 70% of North Carolina’s rare and endangered plants and animals are considered wetland-dependent. The Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources, the state’s main environmental agency, issues licenses to industries and municipalities and seeks to enforce clean air and water regulations. In 2003, North Carolina had 311 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 31 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006.

6

Population

In 2006, North Carolina ranked tenth in population in the United States with an estimated total of 8,856,505 residents. The population is projected to reach 11.4 million by 2025. In 2004, the population density was 175.4 persons per square mile (67.7 persons per square kilometer). Also in 2004, the median age was 36 years. In 2005, about 12% of all residents were 65 years old or older while 25% were 18 or younger. Most North Carolinians live in and around small and medium-sized cities and towns, many of which are concentrated in the Piedmont Crescent, between Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh. Leading cities in 2005 were Charlotte, 610,949; Raleigh, 341,530; Greensboro, 114

231,962; Durham, 204,845; and WinstonSalem, 193,755.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, there were 99,551 Native Americans (including Eskimos and Aleuts) living in North Carolina. The Lumbee of Robeson County and the surrounding area are the major Native American group. Their origins are mysterious, but they are probably descended from many small tribes that banded together in the Lumber River swamps in the 18th century. The Lumbee have no language other than English, have no traditional tribal culture, and are not recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Haliwa, Waccamaw Siouan, Coharie, and Person County Native Americans are smaller groups in eastern North Carolina. The only North Carolina Native Americans with a reservation, a tribal language and culture, and federal recognition are the Cherokee. In 2000, there were 1,737,545 black Americans in North Carolina (about 21.6% of the total population). There were 113,689 Asians, including 26,197 Asian Indians, 18,984 Chinese, 15,596 Vietnamese, 12,600 Koreans, 9,592 Filipinos, and 7,093 Hmong. Pacific Islanders numbered 3,983. The estimated Hispanic and Latino population was 378,963 (4.7% of the state total). North Carolina’s white population is descended mostly from English settlers and from Scottish, Scotch-Irish, and German immigrants who came to the country during the 18th century. In 2000, the foreign-born population was about 430,000 people, mostly from Germany, the United Kingdom, and Mexico. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Carolina

8

Languages

Many regional language features are widespread, but others sharply distinguish the western half of the state from the eastern coastal plain. Terms common to South Midland and Southern speech occur throughout the state, including bucket (pail), spicket (spigot), pullybone (wishbone), ground squirrel (chipmunk), and polecat (skunk). Distinct to the western region are snake feeder (dragonfly), blinds (roller shades), poke (paper bag), and a little piece (a short distance). Along the coast, peanuts are goobers and a screech owl is a shivering owl. In 2000, 92% of the population five years of age and older spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home and the number of speakers included Spanish, 378,942; French, 33,201; and German, 28,520.

9

Religions

The Church of England was the established church of colonial North Carolina. The Moravians, a German sect, founded the town of Salem (later merging with Winston to become Winston-Salem) in 1766. Methodist circuit riders and Separate Baptist missionaries won thousands of converts among blacks and whites, strengthening their appeal in the Great Revival of 1801. As of 2000, the majority of people were Protestant. The churches of the Southern Baptist Convention reported 1,512,058 adherents in 2000. In 2004, the United Methodist Church claimed 529,272 members, and the Presbyterian Church USA had 203,647 in 2000. The next largest Protestant denominations in 2000 were the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

with 88,830 adherents; the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), 81,037; the Episcopal Church, 80,068; the United Church of Christ, 50,088; and the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, 50,265. In 2004, the state had 319,492 Roman Catholics. In 2000, there were an estimated 25,545 Jews and about 20,137 Muslims. There are still about 18,180 Moravians in the state. Over 4.3 million people (about 54.6% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

In 2003, there were 3,344 route miles (5,383 kilometers) of rail track in North Carolina. Two Class I railroads operate in the state, along with 13 local and eight switching and terminal lines. The Carolinian and Piedmont, both state-owned trains, provide daily, roundtrip passenger service between Charlotte and Raleigh. The Carolinian also offers continuing service to the Northeast. Amtrak provides passenger service to most large North Carolina cities. In 2004, North Carolina had 102,666 miles (165,529 kilometers) of public roads. There were approximately 6,195,000 motor vehicles registered in the same year, including 3,627,000 automobiles, 2,458,000 trucks, and 10,000 buses. Licensed drivers numbered 6,122,137 in 2004. The major interstate highways are I-95 and I-85. There are nine types of public transportation currently operating in North Carolina: human service transportation, rural general public transportation, urban transit, regional transit, vanpool and carpool programs, intercity buses, intercity rail passenger service, pupil transportation, and passenger ferry service. There are 17 115

North Carolina

Bodie Island Lighthouse. PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM, AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT.

publicly owned urban transit systems operating in the state. More than three million North Carolinians have access to rural public transportation services operating in approximately 45 counties and towns. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway follows sounds, rivers, and canals down the entire length of eastern North Carolina. The state ferry system, the second largest in the nation, transports more than 23 million passengers and 820,000 vehicles each year. Twenty-four ferry vessels move passengers and vehicles between the state’s coastal communities. Seventeen of the vessels feature the colors and seals of North Carolina’s public and private colleges and universities to promote the 116

ferry system. There are major ports at Morehead City and Wilmington. North Carolina had 305 airports in 2005. The state’s two busiest airports are CharlotteDouglas International and Raleigh-Durham International. Other major airports are at Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Kinston, Raleigh/Durham, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem.

11

History

When Europeans arrived on the North Carolina coast, Native American tribes inhabiting the region included the Roanoke Hatteras and the Cherokee along the coast and Tuscarora farJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Carolina

ther inland. There also were Siouan, Iroquoian, and Algonquian groups there. Contact with Europeans brought disease and magnified warfare and enslavement, which had long been practiced among the various tribes. By 1838, the federal government, responding in part to the demands of land-hungry whites, forcibly removed most of the Cherokee to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) along what became known as the Trail of Tears. European penetration began when Giovanni da Verrazano, a Florentine navigator in French service, discovered the North Carolina coast in 1524. The Spanish entered the region later in the century but made no permanent contribution to the colonization of North Carolina. Sixty years after Verrazano’s voyage, an expedition was sent to gather information about the region. Sir Walter Raleigh later sponsored a colony on Roanoke Island, founded in 1587 under John White as governor. During a trip by White to gather supplies in England (with his return delayed due to the threat posed by the Spanish Armada), all the Roanoke Island settlers had disappeared. The fate of this “Lost Colony” has never been satisfactorily explained. In 1629, Charles I granted the territory then called Carolana to his attorney general, Sir Robert Heath, who made no attempt to settle it. After Charles II became king in England in 1660, he thanked eight of his supporters through the Carolina Charter of 1663, which made them lords of the new province. British Rule The lords divided Carolina into

three counties and appointed a governor for each one. From the beginning, relations between the settlers and their newly imposed government were stormy. In 1711, Cary’s Rebellion Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Statue of General Greene in Greensboro. ROBERT CAVIN, RCMS PHOTOGRAPHY.

was touched off by laws passed against the colony’s Quakers. During the confusion, Tuscarora Native Americans launched a war against the settlers but were defeated by 1713. South Carolina officially split off in 1712 and received a royal governor in 1721. In 1729, North Carolina became a royal colony. In the decades that followed, thousands of new settlers poured in; by 1775 the population had swelled to 345,000, making North Carolina the fourth most populous colony. Western settlers practiced self-sufficient farming, but eastern North Carolinians used slave labor to carve out rice and tobacco plantations. The eastern-dominated colonial assembly often rejected proposals ben117

North Carolina

eficial to western interests while passing laws favorable to their own. When England tightened its colonial administration, North Carolinians joined their fellow colonists in protests against the Stamp Act and similar measures. In April 1776, the North Carolina provincial congress resolved in favor of American independence, the first colonial representative body to do so. General Charles Cornwallis invaded the state from South Carolina in the fall of 1780. Pursuing the elusive American army under General Nathanael Greene, Cornwallis won a costly victory at Guilford Courthouse in March 1781 but finally succumbed to a trap set at Yorktown, Virginia, by an American army and a French fleet.

Confederate side. North Carolina became the last state to withdraw from the Union, joining the Confederacy on 20 May 1861. North Carolina provided more troops to the Confederacy than any other state, and its losses added up to more than one-fourth of the total for the entire South, but support for the war was mixed. North Carolina became a haven for deserters from the front lines in Virginia. At the war’s end, General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered the last major Confederate army to General William T. Sherman at Bennett House (on the western edge of Durham) on 26 April 1865. After the Civil War Reconstruction marked

North Carolina waited until November 1789 to ratify the US Constitution. The state did not share in the general prosperity of the early federal period. It had given up its lands beyond the Great Smokies, and thousands of North Carolinians migrated to the new western territories. Poor transportation facilities hampered efforts to expand commercial agriculture, and illiteracy remained widespread.

a bitter political and social struggle in North Carolina. United in the Conservative Party, most of the prewar slaveholding elite fought to preserve as much as possible of the former system, but a Republican coalition of blacks and nonslaveholding white Unionists instituted democratic reforms. Election of a Conservative governor in 1876 and the removal of federal troops in 1877 signaled the end of the Reconstruction era.

In 1835, as a result of reforms in the state constitution, the political climate changed. North Carolina initiated a program of state aid to railroads and other public works, and established the first state-supported system of common schools in the South. When South Carolina and six other states seceded and formed the Confederate States of America in 1861, North Carolina refused to join, trying instead to work for a peaceful settlement of the issues. After the outbreak of hostilities at Fort Sumter in South Carolina, however, public opinion swung to the

Once in power, the Conservatives—or Democrats, as they renamed themselves— enacted legislation to guarantee the power of landlords over tenants and sharecroppers. They cooperated with the consolidation of railroads under Northern ownership, and supported a massive drive to build cotton mills on the swiftly flowing streams of the piedmont. By 1880, industry had surpassed its prewar level. As the Industrial Revolution gained ground in North Carolina, small farmers protested their steadily worsening condition. The Populist Party

Statehood

118


North Carolina

expressed their demands for reform, and for a brief period in the 1890s shared power with the Republican Party in the Fusion movement. In 1900, voters elected conservative Democrat Charles Brantley Aycock governor and approved a constitutional amendment that barred all illiterates from voting, except for those whose ancestors had voted before 1867. In the decades after Aycock’s election, an alliance of business interests and moderate-to-conservative Democrats dominated North Carolina politics. The industrial trio of textile, tobacco, and furniture manufacturers, joined by banks and insurance companies, controlled the state’s economy. The Republican Party shriveled to small pockets of minor activity scattered around the state as blacks were forced out of the electorate. Political leaders emphasized fiscal responsibility, honest government, state assistance to aid economic growth, a tolerable level of social services, and a relative absence of racist extremism. After World War II In the years since World War II, North Carolina has taken its place in the booming Sunbelt economy. The development of Research Triangle Park—equidistant from the educational facilities of Duke University (Durham), North Carolina State University (Raleigh), and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—has provided a home for dozens of scientific laboratories for government and business. Between 1987 and 1990, more manufacturing plants came to North Carolina than to any other state, and an increase in the state’s per capita (per person) income moved it from 44th to 34th nationally.

Identification of the Democratic Party in the early 1970s with liberal causes and with opposiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

tion to the Vietnam War helped the conservative wing of the Republican Party gain popularity. In 1972, North Carolina elected its first Republican US senator (Jesse A. Helms) and governor (James E. Holshouser, Jr.) since Fusion days, and Republican strength has continued to build. In 1990, Harvey Gantt, the liberal black mayor of Charlotte, challenged Helms in his bid for reelection to a fourth term. Helms, a conservative member of the Senate, accused Gantt of supporting quotas which would give preference to minorities over more-qualified whites. Helms won by a margin of 8% of the vote. The eastern shores of North Carolina were hit by a succession of hurricanes in September 1999. Weeks of rainfall that followed storms made for the worst flooding in the state’s history. In January 2000, the same region was blanketed in record snowfalls. By July 2000, the federal government had approved more than $1 billion in aid to the state, but the conditions had permanently destroyed the livelihoods of thousands of farmers. The health hazards of smoking, state and federal excise taxes, and ongoing lawsuits combined to cut cigarette production. This hurt both the tobacco farmers and the cigarette manufacturers in the state. The funds from the national tobacco settlement were used to support educational and job training programs and provide help for farmers. In the 2000s, the state focused on such issues as job creation, by bringing more highskilled and high-tech jobs to the state; providing a quality transportation system for all of North Carolina; enacting strong Patients Bill of Rights legislation; helping seniors cope with the high costs of prescription drugs; promoting land and 119

North Carolina

The state capitol building in Raleigh. NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM.

water conservation; and providing a strong environmental enforcement program.

12

State Government

Under the 1971 constitution, the North Carolina General Assembly consists of a 50-member senate and a 120-member house of representatives. All members of the North Carolina General Assembly serve two-year terms. North Carolina’s chief executive has powers of appointment, supervision, veto, and budgetary recommendation. The governor and lieutenant governor run separately. The voters also elect a secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, and other executives to four-year terms. Bills become law when they have passed three readings in each house of the North Carolina General Assembly, and take effect 60 days after 120

adjournment. A three-fifths vote of the members of both legislative chambers is needed to override the governor’s veto. Constitutional amendments may be proposed by a convention called by a two-thirds vote of both houses and a majority of the voters, or may be submitted directly to the voters by a three-fifths consent of each house. In either case, the proposed amendments must be ratified by a popular majority before becoming part of the constitution. The legislative salary as of December 2004 was $13,951 and the governor’s salary was $121,391.

13

Political Parties

The Conservative Party, representing a coalition of pre-Civil War Democrats and former Whigs, became the Democratic Party after winning the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Carolina

North Carolina Governors: 1776–2007 1776 1776 1776–1780 1780–1781 1781–1782 1782–1785 1785–1787 1787–1789 1789–1792 1792–1795 1795–1798 1798–1799 1799–1802 1802–1805 1805–1807 1807–1808 1808–1810 1810–1811 1811–1814 1814–1817 1817–1820 1820–1821 1821–1824 1824–1827 1827–1828 1828–1830 1830–1832 1832–1835 1835–1836 1836–1841 1841–1845 1845–1849 1849–1851 1851–1854 1854–1855 1855–1859 1859–1861 1861–1862

Samuel Ashe Willie Jones Richard Caswell Abner Nash Thomas Burke Alexander Martin Richard Caswell Samuel Johnston Federalist Alexander Martin Federalist Richard Dobbs Spaight, Sr. Anti–Federalist Samuel Ashe Anti–Federalist William Richardson Davie Federalist Benjamin Williams Dem-Rep James Turner Republican Nathaniel Alexander Dem-Rep Benjamin Williams Dem-Rep David Stone Dem-Rep Benjamin Smith Dem-Rep William Hawkins Republican Democrats William Miller Dem-Rep John Branch Dem-Rep Jesse Franklin Dem-Rep Gabriel Holmes Dem-Rep Hutchins Gordon Burton Federalist James Iredell Dem-Rep John Owen Dem-Rep Montford Stokes Democrat David Lowry Swain Whig Richard Dobbs Spaight, Jr. Democrat Edward Bishop Dudley Whig John Motley Morehead Whig William Alexander Graham Whig Charles Manly Whig David Settle Reid Democrat Warren Winslow Democrat Thomas Bragg Democrat John Willis Ellis Democrat Henry Toole Clark Democrat

governorship in 1876; from that time and for most of the 20th century, North Carolina was practically a one-party state. Republican presidential candidates picked up strength in the 1950s and 1960s and have carried the state since Richard Nixon’s election in 1968, except for 1976, when Jimmy Carter claimed it. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush won 56% of the vote in the presidential Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1862–1865 1865 1865–1868 1868–1870 1870–1874 1874–1877 1877–1879 1879–1885 1885–1889 1889–1891 1891–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901 1901–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925 1925–1929 1929–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1949 1949–1953 1953–1954 1954–1961 1961–1965 1965–1969 1969–1973 1973–1977 1977–1985 1985–1993 1993–2001 2001–

Zebulon Baird Vance William Woods Holden Jonathan Worth William Woods Holden Tod Robinson Caldwell Curtis Hooks Brogden Zebulon Baird Vance Thomas Jordan Jarvis Alfred Moore Scales Daniel Gould Fowle Thomas Michael Holt Elias Carr Daniel Lindsay Russell Charles Brantley Aycock Robert Brodnax Glenn William Walton Kitchin Locke Craig Thomas Walter Bickett Cameron A. Morrison Angus Wilton McLean Oliver Max Gardner John Christoph Ehringhaus Clyde Roark Hoey Joseph Melville Boughton Robert Gregg Cherry William Kerr Scott William Bradley Umstead Luther Hartwell Hodges Terry Sanford Dan Killian Moore Robert Walter Scott James Eubert Holshouser, Jr. James Baxter Hunt, Jr. James Grubbs Martin James Baxter Hunt, Jr. Michael F. Easley

Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Greenbacker Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat


election, and Democrat Al Gore won 43%. In 2004, Bush again won 56% of the popular vote in North Carolina, to Democrat John Kerry’s 44%. In 1996, Jesse Helms was reelected to the Senate, defeating black mayor Harvey Gantt in a rematch of their bitterly contested race of 1992. Helms subsequently announced he would not run for reelection in 2002, and Republican Elizabeth H. Dole won his Senate seat. Democrat 121

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North Carolina Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

NORTH CAROLINA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN


PROGRESSIVE

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

*Truman (D) Stevenson (D) Stevenson (D) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)

459,070 652,803 590,530 713,136 800,139

258,572 558,107 575,069 655,420 624,841

69,652 — — — —

3,915 — — — —

1968

*Nixon (R)

464,113

627,192

—

AMERICAN IND.

496,188 AMERICAN

1972

*Nixon (R)

438,705

1,054,889

—

25,018

LIBERTARIAN

1976 1980 1984

Carter (D) *Reagan (R) *Reagan (R)

927,365 875,635 824,287

741,960 915,018 1,346,481

2,219 9,677 3,794

1988

*Bush (R)

890,167

1,237,258

1,263

1992 1996

Bush (R) Dole (R)

1,114,042 1,107,849

1,134,661 1,225,938

5,171 8,740

5,607 — — NEW ALLIANCE

5,682 IND. (PEROT)

357,864 168,059

LIBERTARIAN

2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 1,257,692 1,631,163 13,891 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 1,525,849 1,961,166 11,731 *Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 91,895 votes in 1992 and 32,257 votes in 1996.

John Edwards, a trial lawyer, defeated one-term Republican Lauch Faircloth in the 1998 Senate race. Edwards was John Kerry’s running mate as vice president in 2004. The Senate seat Edwards vacated was won by Republican Richard Burr in 2004. Democrat Mike Easley won the governorship in 2000; he was reelected in 2004. As of 15 November 2006, seven Democrats and six Republicans had been elected to the US House of Representatives. Following the 2006 election, the state assembly had 68 Democrats and 52 Republicans, and there were 19 Republicans and 31 Democrats in the state senate. Thirtynine women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 22.9%. In 2004, there were approx122

__ __

imately 5,537,000 registered voters. In 1998, 53% of registered voters were Democratic, 34% Republican, and 14% unaffiliated or members of other parties.

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Local Government

As of 2005, North Carolina had 100 counties, 541 municipalities, 319 special districts, and 120 public school systems. Counties are the primary governmental units for most citizens. All counties are led by boards of commissioners; more than half the counties employ a county manager. Counties are subdivided into townships, but these do not exercise any independent government functions. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Carolina

County and municipal governments share many functions, but the precise distribution of authority varies in each case. Most cities use the council-manager form of government, with council members elected from the city at large.

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Judicial System

North Carolina’s general court of justice is a unified judicial system that includes appeals courts (supreme court and court of appeals) and trial courts (superior court and district courts). The state’s highest court, the supreme court, consists of a chief justice and six associate justices. It hears cases from the court of appeals as well as certain cases from lower courts. The court of appeals is comprised of 12 judges. Superior courts, in 44 districts, have original jurisdiction in most major civil and criminal cases. District courts try misdemeanors, civil cases involving less than $5,000, and all domestic cases. In 2004 North Carolina’s violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 persons was 447.8. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/ theft, and motor vehicle theft) that year totaled 4,160.2 reported incidents per 100,000 population. North Carolina had 35,434 prisoners in state and federal institutions as of 31 December 2004. North Carolina punishes crime severely. From 1976 through 5 May 2006, the state carried out 42 executions. As of 1 January 2006, there were 190 persons under sentence of death.

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Migration

For most of the state’s history, more people have moved away every decade than have moved into the state. Before 1890, the emigration rate was Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

higher among whites than among blacks; since then, the reverse has been true. Between 1940 and 1970, more blacks left North Carolina than moved into the state, mostly seeking homes in the North and West. After 1970, however, black out-migration abruptly slackened as economic conditions in eastern North Carolina improved. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had net gains of 501,000 in domestic migration and 49,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 158,224 and net internal migration was 232,448, for a net gain of 390,672 people.

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Economy

North Carolina’s economy was dominated by agriculture until the closing decades of the 19th century, with tobacco the major cash crop; today, tobacco is still the central factor in the economy of the coastal plain. The biggest employers in the state are the textile and furniture industries. Since the 1950s, state government has made a vigorous effort to recruit outside investment and to improve the state’s industrial mix. The greatest industrial growth, however, has come not from wholly new industries but from fields related to industries that were firmly established. Apparel manufacture spread across eastern North Carolina during the 1960s as an extension of the textile industry, and other new firms produce chemicals and machinery for the textile and furniture business. The rise in the unemployment rate in North Carolina was higher than that of the nation as a whole during the recession of 2001 and its aftereffects, due in large measure to layoffs in manufacturing. 123

North Carolina

In 2004, North Carolina’s gross state product (GSP) was $336.4 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for $72.3 billion, or 21.4% of GSP. Manufacturing was followed by the real estate sector, at $32.8 billion (9.7% of GSP), and healthcare and social assistance services, at $19.8 billion (5.9% of GSP).

largest textile company before suffering through bankruptcy) and Cone Mills Corporation. Cone Mills and Burlington Industries later combined to form ITG (International Textile Group), headquartered in Greensboro.

18

In April 2006, the labor force in North Carolina numbered 4,396,000, with approximately 189,800 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. As of April 2006, about 6% of the labor force was employed in construction; 14.1% in manufacturing; 18.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.1% in financial activities; 11.3% in professional and business services; 11.9% in education and health services; 9.1% in leisure and hospitality services; and 17% in government. In 2005, 107,000 of North Carolina’s 3,631,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 2.9% of those so employed. This was the second-lowest percentage in the nation in 2005. The national average was 12%.

Income

In 2005, North Carolina ranked 38th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $29,322 (the national average was $33,050). That year, the gross state product (GSP) was $345 billion, 12th highest nationwide. The average median household income for 2002–04 was $39,000 compared to the national average of $44,473. During the same period, an estimated 14.8% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

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Industry

North Carolina has had a predominantly industrial economy for most of the 20th century. The state remains a major manufacturer of textiles, cigarettes, and furniture. The textile industry is the largest manufacturing, followed by tobacco manufacturers, chemicals and allied products, industrial machinery, food products, electronic and electrical equipment, furniture and fixtures, and rubber and plastics products. The total value of shipments by manufacturers exceeded $163.8 billion in 2004. Gaston County near Charlotte has the largest concentration of textile factories in the United States. Textile companies headquartered in the state include Burlington Industries (once the world’s 124

20

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Labor

Agriculture

Farm marketings in North Carolina totaled some $7.7 billion in 2005, eighth among the 50 states. North Carolina led the nation in the production of tobacco and sweet potatoes, ranked fifth in peanuts, and was also a leading producer of corn, grapes, pecans, apples, tomatoes, and soybeans. There were 52,000 farms in 2004. The relatively large number of family farm owner-operators who depend on a modest tobacco allotment to make their small acreages profitable is the basis Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Carolina

for the state’s opposition to the US government’s antismoking campaign and its fight to preserve tobacco price supports. In 2004, tobacco production was 351.6 million pounds (159.5 million kilograms), 40% of total US production. North Carolina’s most heavily agricultural counties are massed in the coastal plain, the center of tobacco, corn, and soybean production, along with a bank of northern piedmont counties on the Virginia border. Virtually all peanut production is in the eastern part of the state, while tobacco, corn, and soybean production spills over into the piedmont. Cotton is grown in scattered counties along the South Carolina border and in a band leading northward across the coastal plain. Beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, and blueberries are commercial crops in selected mountain and coastal plain locations. Apples are important to the economy of the mountains, and the sand hills are a center of peach cultivation.

23

22

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North Carolina farms and ranches had an estimated 870,000 cattle and calves in 2005, valued at $661.2 million. In 2004, the state had around 9.8 million hogs and pigs, valued at $823.2 million. During 2003, North Carolina led the nation in turkey production with 1.1 billion pounds (0.5 billion kilograms), worth $397.8 million; the state was fourth in broiler production with 4.3 billion pounds (2 billion kilograms), worth $1.51 billion; egg production totaled 2.52 billion eggs, worth $241.8 million. Milk cows numbered 61,000 in 2003, and they produced 1.04 million pounds (0.48 million kilograms) of milk. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Fishing

In 2004, the commercial catch in North Carolina totaled over 136.4 million pounds (62 million kilograms) valued at $77.1 million. Flounder, menhaden, and sea trout are the most valuable finfish. Shrimp, crabs, and clams are the most sought-after shellfish. In 2004, the state catch for hard blue crab accounted for 20% of the total national supply, the second-highest percentage in the nation (after Louisiana). The port at Beaufort-Morehead City ranked 19th in the nation for volume, with a catch of 65.3 million pounds (28.9 million kilograms). In 2003, there were 31 processing and 78 wholesale plants in the state with about 1,471 employees. In 2001, the commercial fleet had 773 vessels. North Carolina lakes and streams are stocked in part by three state fish hatcheries and two national hatcheries within the state (Edenton and KcKinney Lake). In 2004, the state issued 692,497 sport fishing licenses.

Forestry

As of 2004, forests covered 18,269,000 acres (6,179,000 hectares) in North Carolina, or about 59% of the state’s land area. North Carolina’s forests constitute 2.5% of all US forestland and 97% of the state’s wooded areas have commercial value. The largest tracts are found along the coast and in the Western Mountains. Hardwoods make up 53% of the state’s forests. Mixed stands of oak and pine account for an additional 14%. The remaining 33% is pine and other conifers. More than 90% of the acreage harvested for timber is reforested. National forests cover 6% of North Carolina’s timberlands and state and local governments 125

North Carolina

own another 2%. The remainder is privately owned. In the days of wooden sailing vessels, North Carolina pine trees supplied large quantities of “naval stores”—tar, pitch, and turpentine for waterproofing and other nautical purposes. Today, the state produces mainly saw logs, pulpwood, veneer logs, and Christmas trees. In 2004, lumber production totaled 2.62 billion board feet, eighth in the United States.

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Mining

The estimated 2004 value of minerals produced in North Carolina was $805 million. The state’s leading mineral commodities were crushed stone and phosphate rock. According to preliminary figures, crushed stone was valued at $548 million. Production was estimated at 72.3 million metric tons. Phosphate rock, in Beaufort County, and lithium minerals, mined in the Kings Mountain area of Gaston and Cleveland counties, are other valuable mineral commodities mined. North Carolina ranked first in the production of common clay, feldspar, crude mica, olivine, and pyrophyllite, of which the state was the sole producer; third in phosphate rock; seventh in industrial sand and gravel; and eighth in crushed stone. Two categories of clay, common clay and a shale and kaolin mix, were produced. Dimension stone production was 43,000 metric tons, valued at $18.2 million in 2004.

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Energy and Power

Except for a modest volume of hydroelectric power, the energy consumed in North Carolina comes from outside sources. Installed electrical capacity (utility and nonutility) totaled 27.3 million kilowatts in 2003 and production reached 126

127.6 billion kilowatt hours. The Brunswick station in Brunswick County, the McGuire plant near Charlotte, and the Shearon-Harris plant near Raleigh were the only nuclear power units in operation in 2006. In 2000 North Carolina’s total per capita energy consumption was 311 million Btu (78.4 million kilocalories), ranking it 37th among the 50 states. No petroleum or natural gas has been found in North Carolina, but major companies have expressed interest in offshore drilling. There is no coal mining and proved coal reserves are minor, at only 10.7 million tons.

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Commerce

North Carolina had wholesale sales in 2002 of over $104.3 billion; retail sales were $88.8 billion. The state exported over $19.4 billion worth of goods to foreign markets in 2005 (14th in the United States). The ports of Wilmington and Morehead City handle much of the international trade.

28

Public Finance

The North Carolina budget is prepared biennially by the governor and reviewed annually by the Office of State Budget and Management, in consultation with the Advisory Budget Commission. It is then submitted to the North Carolina General Assembly for amendment and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Revenues for 2004 were $44.373 billion and expenditures were $37.05 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($13.29 billion), public welfare ($8.75 billion), and highways ($3.19 billion). North Carolina’s total state Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Carolina

Skyline of Charlotte. NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM.

debt was $14.1 billion, or $1,651.39 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

In 2006, personal income tax rates in North Carolina ranged from 6% to 8.25%. The corporate income tax is a flat rate of 6.9%. The state sales and use tax was 4.5%. Local governments also impose sales taxes, ranging from 2% to 3%. Food, prescription drugs, and certain other articles are exempt from the state sales tax or have lowered rates, but food may be subject to local sales taxes. The state also imposes a wide array of excise taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, public utilities, alcoholic beverages, amusements, and other selected items. Other state taxes include an oil and gas Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

production tax, a forest product assessment tax, various license fees, and stamp taxes. The state collected $18.64 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 45.2% came from individual income taxes, 16.2% from selective sales taxes, 24.7% from the general sales tax, 6.8% from corporate income taxes, and 7.1% from other taxes. In 2005, North Carolina ranked 25th among the states in terms of combined state and local tax burden, which amounted to about $2,147 per capita (the national average was $2,192).

30

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality rate stood at 8.4 per 1,000 live births. The death rate for HIV-related infections was 5.8 per 100,000 population. The 2003 overall death rate was 8.7 per 127

North Carolina

1,000 inhabitants. Among North Carolina residents age 18 and older, 23.1% were smokers. A particularly serious public health problem in North Carolina is byssinosis, or brown lung disease. Caused by prolonged inhalation of cotton dust, byssinosis cripples the lungs of longtime textile workers, producing serious disabilities and even death. North Carolina’s 113 community hospitals had about 23,300 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,020 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, at least 17% of North Carolina’s residents were uninsured. In 2004, North Carolina had 252 doctors per 100,000 residents, and 831 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005. In 2004, there were 3,903 dentists in the state. The state acted to increase the supply of doctors in eastern North Carolina in the 1970s by the establishment of a new medical school at East Carolina University in Greenville. Medical schools and superior medical research facilities are also located at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, UNC Hospitals at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and the Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 3,860,078 units of housing in North Carolina, of which 3,340,330 were occupied; 69% were owneroccupied. About 64.7% of all housing units were single-family, detached homes; 16.8% were mobile homes. Nearly 36% of the entire housing stock was built between 1970 and 1989. The most common energy source for heating was electricity. It was estimated that 183,095 units 128

lacked telephone service, 11,661 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 11,745 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.48 people. Also in 2004, 93,100 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $117,771. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,028, while renters paid a median of $610 per month.

32

Education

North Carolina established the first state university in the United States in 1795 and the first free system of common schools in the South in 1839. In 1957, Charlotte, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem were the first cities in the South to admit black students voluntarily to formerly all-white schools. North Carolina established a statewide testing program in 1977 and increased high school graduation requirements in 1983, becoming the first state to require students to pass Algebra I in order to earn a diploma. In 2004, 80.9% of North Carolinians age 25 and older were high school graduates and 23.4% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. The national averages were 84% and 26%, respectively. North Carolina has been active in providing special programs for gifted students. Governor’s School, a summer residential program for the gifted, was founded in 1963. Other talented students are served by the highly regarded North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, which began operating in 1965, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, located in Durham, which opened in 1980. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 1,336,000 in fall 2002 and is expected to reach Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Carolina

1,381,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $10.2 billion. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 102,642. As of fall 2002, there were 447,335 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, North Carolina had 130 degree-granting institutions. The University of North Carolina (UNC) was chartered in 1789 and opened at Chapel Hill in 1795. The state university system is now comprised of 16 campuses. The three oldest and largest campuses, all of which offer research and graduate as well as undergraduate programs, are UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University in Raleigh, and UNC-Greensboro. North Carolina had 58 community colleges and 1 specialized technology center as of 2005. Duke University in Durham is North Carolina’s premier private institution and takes its place with the Chapel Hill and Raleigh public campuses as the third key facility in the Research Triangle. In addition to the public institutions and community colleges, there are also 49 private four-year schools, of which Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem and Davidson College in Davidson are most noteworthy.

33

Arts

North Carolina has been a pioneer in exploring new channels for state support of the arts. It was the first state to fund its own symphony, to endow its own art museum, to found a state school of the arts, to create a statewide arts council, and to establish a cabinet-level Department of Cultural Resources. Its state arts council, created in 1964, reaches the pubic through a network of over 100 community arts councils and over 600 arts organizations each year. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The North Carolina Symphony, based in Raleigh, gives free concerts to more than 100,000 public schoolchildren and performs some 175 concerts annually. The North Carolina Museum of Art features one of the finest collections of early European master paintings in the country. In 2005, the museum received a gift of 23 works by French sculptor Auguste Rodin, including 22 bronze sculptures. The gift made the museum one of the top Rodin repositories worldwide. At least 200 arts-related festivals are held in North Carolina each year. Summer dance and music festivals, as well as professional theaters and historical outdoor dramas, galleries and museums, and the crafts community all serve as anchors for the state’s tourism industry. North Carolina’s Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Paul Green created the genre of historical drama with the 1937 production of The Lost Colony. The American Dance Festival in Durham has commissioned new dance works, preserved dance history, trained dancers, and presented the best in contemporary dance. The African American Dance Ensemble, based in North Carolina, performs for people across the United States promoting the preservation of African and African American dance. Flat Rock Playhouse is the state theater of North Carolina. Folk and traditional arts thrive across North Carolina in all disciplines. The North Carolina Folk Heritage Awards are given to recognize the state’s leading folk artists. Penland School of Crafts, the John C. Campbell Folk School, the Southern Highland Guild, and the North Carolina Pottery Center are but a few of the organizations in North Carolina that help keep the crafts tradition alive. The North Carolina Humanities Council is active in a number of programs. For 30 years, the 129

North Carolina

A banjo player at the Union Grove Music Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF TOURISM, FILM, AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT.

North Carolina Arts Council has supported artists in the schools to teach, perform, and encourage creative expression. The Arts Council’s Grassroots Arts Program, established in 1977, was the nation’s first per capita funding program for the local arts initiatives in which decisionmaking remained at the local level.

34

printed, filmed, and recorded materials. In 2001, there were 76 public library systems, with 379 libraries, of which 314 were branches. The state’s public library systems had a total of 15.9 million volumes and a circulation of 43.3 million. Major university research libraries are located at


In North Carolina, all public libraries are linked together through the State Library, ensuring that 130

users in all parts of the state can have access to

the Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Greensboro campuses of the University of North Carolina and at Duke University in Durham. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Carolina

North Carolina had 188 museums and historical sites in 2000. The North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh is one of only two state-supported art museums in the United States (the other is in Virginia). The Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh is maintained by the state Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources; smaller science museums exist in Charlotte, Greensboro, and Durham.

Raleigh News & Observer won a 1996 Pulitzer Prize for its series on the hog industry in the state. North Carolina has been the home of several nationally recognized “little reviews” of literature, poetry, and criticism, including Southern Poetry Review.

35

In 2002, there were about 44.4 million visitors to North Carolina, with total travel expenditures reaching about $11.9 billion. About 30% of all trips are made by residents traveling within the state. Raleigh and Charlotte are right in the heart of NASCAR racing. Tourists are also attracted by North Carolina’s coastal beaches, by golf and tennis opportunities (including the worldfamous golf courses at Pinehurst), and parks and scenery in the North Carolina mountains. Sites of special interest are the Revolutionary War battlegrounds at Guilford Courthouse and Moore’s Creek Bridge; Bennett Place, in western Durham, where the last major Confederate army surrendered; Fort Raleigh, the site of the Lost Colony; and the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kitty Hawk. Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout national seashores, which protect the beauty of the Outer Banks, together cover 58,563 acres (23,700 hectares). The Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic motor route that winds over the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia, attracts millions of visitors to North Carolina yearly. Another popular attraction is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, straddling the North Carolina–Tennessee border. There are more than 1.2 million acres of

Communications

In 2004, 93.3% of the state’s occupied housing units had telephones. In addition, by June of that year, there were 4,875,916 mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 57.7% of North Carolina households had a computer and 51.1% had Internet access. There were 50 major AM radio stations in North Carolina in 2005, as well as 106 major FM stations. Major television stations numbered 33. The Greenville-SpartanburgAsheville-Anderson area had 732,490 television households, 61% of which received cable in 1999. The Raleigh-Durham area had 858,490 television-viewing households, 62% of which had cable. Finally, the Greensboro–High Point– Winston-Salem viewing area boasted 64% of all television households with cable. A total of 120,858 Internet domain names were registered in the state in the year 2000.

36

Press

As of 2005, North Carolina had 34 morning newspapers, 13 evening dailies, and 39 Sunday papers. Daily circulation of the largest newspapers as of 2005 was the Charlotte Observer (226,082) the Raleigh News & Observer (176,550), and the Greensboro News and Record (90,436). The Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

37


131

North Carolina

national forest land located in North Carolina, 1,500 lakes of ten acres or more, and 37,000 miles of freshwater streams.

38

Sports

There are four major league professional sports teams in North Carolina: the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association, the Charlotte Sting of the Women’s National Basketball Association, the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League, and the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League, who relocated to Raleigh from Hartford, Connecticut, in 1997. The Charlotte Hornets, now located in New Orleans, left North Carolina in 2002. Minor league baseball’s Carolina League is based in North Carolina and 14 minor league teams call the state home. Additionally, there is minor league hockey in Charlotte, Fayetteville, and Winston-Salem. Two other professional sports that figure prominently in the state are golf and stock car racing. The Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic in April is a major tournament on the Professional Golfers Association tour. The Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte is the home of the Nextel All-Star Challenge, the Coca-Cola 600, and the Bank of America 500 on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit. College basketball is very popular. Organized in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, Wake Forest University, and Duke University consistently field nationally ranked basketball teams. Other annual sporting events include the Stoneybrook Steeplechase in Southern Pines in April and the National Hollerin’ Contest in 132

Spivey’s Corner, which tests farmers’ ability to call livestock.

39

Famous North Carolinians

Three US presidents had North Carolina roots, but all three reached the White House from Tennessee. Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), the seventh president, studied law and was admitted to the bar in North Carolina before moving to frontier Tennessee in 1788. James K. Polk (1795–1849), the 11th president, was born in Mecklenburg County. Another native North Carolinian, Andrew Johnson (1808–1875), was a tailor’s apprentice in Raleigh before moving to Tennessee at the age of 18. Johnson served as Abraham Lincoln’s vice president for six weeks in 1865 before becoming the nation’s 17th president when Lincoln was assassinated. The infamous Edward Teach (or Thatch, b.England, c.1680–1718) made his headquarters at Bath and terrorized coastal waters as the pirate known as Blackbeard. Among major politicians of the 20th century are Samuel J. Ervin, Jr. (1896–1985), US senator from 1954 to 1974 and chairman of the Senate Watergate investigation, and Jesse Helms (b.1921), senator from 1973–2003. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson (b.1941) began his career as a student activist in Greensboro. Among the most famous native North Carolinians is evangelist Billy Graham (b.1918). The Wright brothers, Wilbur (b.Indiana, 1867–1912) and Orville (b.Ohio, 1871–1948), achieved the first successful powered airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, on the Outer Banks, on 17 December 1903. Kary B. Mullis (b.1944) won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1993. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Carolina

A number of North Carolinians have won fame as literary figures. They include William Sydney Porter (1862–1910), a short story writer who used the pseudonym O. Henry; and novelists Thomas Wolfe (1900–1938) and Reynolds Price (b.1933). Journalists Edward R. Murrow (1908–1965), Tom Wicker (b.1926), and Charles Kuralt (1934–1997) were all North Carolina natives. Jazz artists Thelonious Monk (1918–1982), John Coltrane (1926–1967), and Nina Simone (1933–2003) were born in the state, as were country singer Randy Travis (b.1963), folksinger Arthel “Doc” Watson (b.1923), bluegrass banjo artist Earl Scruggs (b.1924), and actor Andy Griffith (b.1926). North Carolina athletes include Michael Jordan (b.New York, 1963) who grew up in Wilmington and played college basketball at the University of North Carolina; he went on to international fame as a NBA star with the Chicago Bulls. NASCAR driver Richard Petty (1937–2000) and former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson (1935–2006) were also from the state.


40

Bibliography

BOOKS Alex, Nan. North Carolina. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Heinrichs, Ann. North Carolina. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003. Mayr, Diane. North Carolina. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Murray, Julie. North Carolina. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Shirley, David. North Carolina. New York: Benchmark Books, 2001. Sateren, Shelley Swanson. North Carolina Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. WEB SITES North Carolina Secretary of State. Welcome! To the State of North Carolina Kids Page. www. secretary.state.nc.us/kidspg (accessed March 1, 2007). State of North Carolina. North Carolina: A Better Place…. www.ncgov.com (accessed March 1, 2007).

133

North Dakota State of North Dakota

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : The state was formerly

the northern section of Dakota Territory; dakota is a Siouan word meaning “allies.” N I CKNAME : Peace Garden State; Flickertail State. C AP ITAL: Bismarck. ENT ERED UNION: 2 November 1889 (39th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the center is an elm tree; beneath it are a sheaf of wheat, a plow, an anvil, and a bow and three arrows, and in the background a Native American chases a buffalo toward a setting sun. The depiction is surrounded by the state motto, and the words “Great Seal State of North Dakota October 1st 1889” encircle the whole. FLAG: The flag consists of a blue field with yellow fringes; on each side is depicted an eagle with outstretched wings, holding in one talon a sheaf of arrows, in the other an olive branch, and in his beak a banner inscribed with the words “E Pluribus Unum.” Below the eagle are the words “North Dakota”; above it are 13 stars surmounted by a sunburst. M OT TO: Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable. SONG: “North Dakota Hymn;” “Flickertail March” (march). FLOWER: Wild prairie rose. TREE: American elm. B IRD: Western meadowlark. FISH: Northern pike. FOSSIL: Teredo petrified wood. B EVERAGE: Milk. G RASS: Western wheatgrass. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Good Friday, Friday before Easter, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT; 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the western north-central United States, North Dakota ranks 17th in size among the 50 states. Its total area is 70,703 square miles (183,121 square kilometers), including 69,300 square miles (179,487 square kilometers) of land and 1,403 square miles (3,634 square kilometers) of inland water. Its maximum length from 135

North Dakota

east to west is about 360 miles (580 kilometers). Its extreme width from north to south is about 210 miles (340 kilometers). The total boundary length is 1,312 miles (2,111 kilometers).

2

Topography

North Dakota straddles two major US geographic regions: the Central Plains in the east and the Great Plains in the west. Along the eastern border is the generally flat Red River Valley, with the state’s lowest point, 750 feet (229 miles). Most of the eastern half of North Dakota consists of the Drift Prairie. The Missouri Plateau occupies the western half of the state and has the highest point in North Dakota, White Butte, at 3,506 feet (1,069 meters) in the southwest. Separating the Missouri Plateau from the Drift Prairie is the Missouri Escarpment, which rises 400 feet (122 meters) above the prairie and extends diagonally from northwest to southeast. North Dakota has two major rivers: the Red River of the north, flowing northward into Canada; and the Missouri River, which enters in the northwest and then flows east and, joined by the Yellowstone River, southeast into South Dakota.

3

Climate

The climate in North Dakota is continental with hot summers, very cold winters, and sparse to moderate rainfall. The average annual temperature ranges from 7°f (-14°c) in January to 69°f (21°c) in July. The record low temperature, -60°f (-51°c), was set in Parshall on 15 February 1936. The record high, 121°f (49°c), was set at Steele on 6 July 1936. The average annual precipitation in Bismarck is about 15.8 inches (40 cen136

North Dakota Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

635,867 -1.0% 1.4% 98.8% 91.5% 0.8% 4.9% 0.9% 0.1% 0.6% 1.2%


65 and over (14%)

Under 18 (22%)

18 to 24 (10%)

45 to 64 (27%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City Fargo Bismarck Grand Forks Minot West Fargo Mandan Dickinson Jamestown Williston Wahpeton

Population

% change 2000–05

90,672 57,377 49,792 34,984 19,487 17,225 15,666 14,826 12,193 8,220

0.1 3.3 1.0 -4.3 30.4 3.0 -2.1 -4.5 -2.5 -4.3




Butte View St. Campground

.

Ce da r

nno nba ll R

Cedar River National Grasslands

ADAMS

Ca

HETTINGER

ar t

R.

R. GRANT

94

R.

Standing Rock Indian Res. Lake Oahe

EMMONS

Bismarck

James R.

Lake Alice N. Wildlife Ref.

DICKEY

LA MOURE

NELSON

WALSH

Tetrault Woods St. For.

Fort Ransom St. Park

94

BARNES

GRIGGS

Black Tiger Bay St. Rec. Area

Arrowood N. W. R.

Devils Lake Sioux Ind. Res

Jamestown

STUTSMAN

RAMSEY

CAVALIER

Graham’s Island S.P.

FOSTER

EDDY

Beaver Lake State Park

MC INTOSH

LOGAN

Long Lake Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

KIDDER

WELLS

SOUTH DAKOTA

SIOUX

Fort Abraham Lincoln S. P.

Mandan

SHERIDAN

BURLEIGH

.

TOWNER

Pemb ina R .

R.

STEELE

SARGENT

Sheyenne St. Forest

RANSOM

CASS

Grand Forks

29

Tewaukon Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

29

Sheyenne Nat’l Grasslands

RICHLAND

0

0

94

Fargo

West Fargo

Goo se R .

TRAILL

Turtle River S. P.

GRAND FORKS

Forest

Icelandic St. Park

PEMBINA

ne R.

SLOPE

Little Missouri Nat’l Grasslands

He

So

sR uri

Audubon Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

Cross Ranch St. Park

i sour Mis

Dickinson

MORTON

OLIVER

Lake Sakakawea

Ft. Stevenson St. Park

R.

PIERCE

Geographical Center of BENSON N. America

ROLETTE

J. Clark Salyer II International Nat’l Wildlife Peace Refuge Garden Homen St. For. Turtle Mountain Indian Res.

MC HENRY

Minot

BOTTINEAU

R.

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BILLINGS

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WARD

Upper Souris N. W. R.

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Little Missouri Nat’l Grasslands

DUNN

MOUNTRAIL

Fort Berthold Indian Res.

Des Lacs Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

Lostwood N. W. R.

BURKE

Sheyen

BOWMAN

GOLDEN VALLEY

MC KENZIE

Lake Sakakawea

Little Missouri Nat’l Grasslands Theodore Roosevelt N. Park

Williston

WILLIAMS

DIVIDE

CANADA

25

25

50 miles

MINNESOTA

50 kilometers

N

Area of Interest


State Capital


City (10,000 - 50,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

NORTH DAKOTA

North Dakota

137

MONTANA

North Dakota

from dwindling numbers. North Dakota has the largest sharptailed grouse population in the United States and has more wild ducks that any other state except Alaska. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed six animal species as threatened or endangered in North Dakota, including the bald eagle, Eskimo curlew, pallid sturgeon, least tern, and whooping crane.

5

The spectacular rock formations of the Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt National Park. DAWN CHARGING/NORTH DAKOTA TOURISM.

timeters). The total annual snowfall in Bismarck averages 41.9 inches (106 centimeters).

4

Plants and Animals

North Dakota is predominantly a region of prairie and plains spread with Indian, blue, and buffalo grasses. The wild prairie rose is the state flower. American elm, green ash, and cottonwood grow as well and cranberries, juneberries, and wild grapes. The western prairie fringed orchid was the only plant species classified as threatened in 2006. No plant species were listed as endangered that year. The white-tailed and mule deer and pronghorn antelope populations have been restored 138


Major environmental issues confronting the state are importation of nonhazardous and hazardous solid wastes for treatment or disposal; nonpoint surface water pollution from agricultural and native land; groundwater contamination by fuel storage tanks and by irrigation; and air pollution by energy conversion plants. The Environmental Health Section of the North Dakota Department of Health oversees programs to ensure water and air quality. North Dakota has little urban air pollution with one exception: motor vehicle traffic is causing excess ambient carbon monoxide in an area within the city of Fargo. The major industrial sources of air contaminants within the state are seven coalfired electrical generating plants, a coal gasification plant, a refinery, and agricultural commodity processing facilities. To conserve water and provide irrigation, nearly 700 dams have been built, including Garrison Dam, completed in 1960. About 15% of all household waste is recycled. Yard waste, household appliances, and scrap tires are also diverted for compost, recycling, or fuel. In 2003, North Dakota had 17 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, but none was on the National Priorities List as of 2006. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Dakota

North Dakota Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .642,200 One race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .634,802 Two races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7,037 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 812 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,368 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 980 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,142 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 17 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361

. . . . .100.0 . . . . . .98.8 . . . . . . .1.1 . . . . . . .0.1 . . . . . . .0.5 . . . . . . .0.2 ....... — . . . . . . .0.2 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . .0.1


6

Population

In 2006, North Dakota ranked 48th population in the United States with an estimated total of 635,867 residents. The population is projected to decrease to 620,777 by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 9.2 persons per square mile (3.5 persons per square kilometer), the fourthlowest in the nation. In 2004, the median age was 38.8 years. In 2005, about 14% of all residents were 65 years old or older and about 23% were 18 or younger. In 2005, Fargo had a population of about 90,672, with the population of the metropolitan area about twice that. Bismarck had a population of about 57,377, and Grand Forks, 49,792. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

7

Ethnic Groups

As of 2000, about 93% of the state’s population was white. The Native American population was 31,329, or about 5% of the total, and there were about 3,916 black Americans, representing about 1% of the population. Among Americans of European origin, the leading groups were Germans (44%) and Norwegians (30%). The Asian population totaled 3,606, with 230 Pacific Islanders. About 7,786 North Dakotans were Hispanic or Latino. Only about 1.9% of the state’s population was foreign born as of 2000, predominantly from neighboring Canada. In 2006, about 4.9% of the population was Native American and 1.4% of the population 139

North Dakota

was Hispanic or Latino. Asians and blacks each accounted for less than 1% of the population.

8

Languages

A few Norwegian food terms like lefse and lutefisk have entered the Northern dialect that is characteristic of North Dakota, and some Midland terms have intruded from the South. In 2000, 93.7% of the population five years old or older spoke only English at home. German, the next most frequently used language, was spoken by 14,931 residents and 8,263 residents spoke Spanish as their primary language.

9

Religions

Most of the state population is mainline Protestant, with the leading denominations being the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (with 174,554 adherents in 2000) and the United Methodist Church with 20,159 adherents. The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod had about 23,720 members. The Roman Catholic Church had about 148,435 members in 2004. There were an estimated 920 Muslims and 730 Jews in the state in 2000. About 26.8% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

In 2003, there were 3,727 miles (6,000 kilometers) of rail trackage in North Dakota. The largest railroad lines are the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF) and the Soo Line. Amtrak passenger service was provided by the Chicago– Seattle/Portland route. There were 86,782 miles (139,719 kilometers) of public roads, streets, and highways in 140

North Dakota in 2004. There were also 707,000 registered motor vehicles and 461,780 licensed drivers in the state. In 2005, there were 292 airports and 15 heliports in North Dakota. More than 261,872 passengers were boarded at Hector International Airport at Fargo in 2004.

11

History

In the 17th century, present-day North Dakota was inhabited by the Yanktonai Sioux, in the southeastern quarter of the state; the Teton Sioux west of the Missouri River; and the Ojibwa, in the northeast. European penetration of the Dakotas began in 1738, when the Frenchman Pierre Gaultier de Varennes Sieur de la Vérendrye, traded for furs in the Red River region. After the Lewis and Clark expedition (1804–06) explored the Missouri River, the American Fur Company traded there, with buffalo hides as the leading commodity. In 1812, Scottish settlers from Canada moved up the Red River to Pembina. This first white farming settlement in North Dakota also attracted numerous métis, persons of mixed Native American and European ancestry. An extensive trade in furs and buffalo hides, which were transported first by heavy carts and later by steamboats, sprang up between Pembina, Fort Garry (Winnipeg, Canada), and St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1861 North Dakota was organized as part of the Dakota Territory, including the presentday Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming. The confinement of Native Americans to reservations and the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad at Fargo in 1872 led to the rise of homesteading, as settlers poured in. This short-lived “Great Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Dakota

Dakota boom” ended in the mid-1880s with drought and depressed farm prices. As many of the original American and Canadian settlers left, they were replaced by Norwegians, Germans, and other Europeans. By 1910, North Dakota, which had entered the Union in 1889, was among the leading states in percentage of foreign-born residents. Between 1898 and 1915, the “Second Boom” brought an upsurge in population and railroad construction. The 1920s, a period of bank failures, low farm prices, drought, and political disunity, saw the beginnings of an exodus from the state. Matters grew even worse during the depression of the 1930s. William Langer was elected governor by hard-pressed farmers in 1932, and he sought to raise grain prices in order to save farms from foreclosure. World War II brought a quiet prosperity to North Dakota that lasted into the following decades. The Arab oil embargo of 1973 and the rise of oil prices throughout the decade spurred drilling for oil, encouraged the mining of lignite for electrical generation, and led to the construction of the nation’s first coal gasification plant. But when oil prices dropped in the 1980s, North Dakota’s economy suffered a setback. In addition, a drought that began in 1987 damaged over 5.3 million acres of land and persisted into the 1990s. The state continued to be hit by extreme weather, including storms and flooding in 1994, followed by years of drought, then by floods in 2000. In 1991 the state repealed the laws that required retail businesses to be closed on Sundays. Republican governor Ed Schafer, elected in 1992 and reelected in 1996, set an aggressive plan for the state’s economic development. By 2000 Fargo boasted one of the lowJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

est unemployment rates in the nation. That year, Republican John Hoeven was elected governor (and was reelected in 2004). By 2003, the poverty rate had dropped from 15% in the 1990s to 9.7%, below the national average of 12.6%. Also in 2003, the state led the nation in personal income and wage growth. In 2005, the state had a budget surplus and plans were being made for tax relief programs.

12

State Government

Statewide elected officials include governor and lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and attorney general. Commissioners are also elected for the state’s agriculture, insurance, labor, taxation, and public services departments. The legislature has two chambers, with a 47-member senate and a 94-member house of representatives. A two-thirds vote of the elected members of each house is required to override a governor’s veto. In 2004, legislators received a salary of $125 per day during regular legislative sessions and the governor received $85,506 per year.

13

Political Parties

Republicans held the governorship for 58 years between 1889 and 1960. From 1960 to 1980, the statehouse was in Democratic hands. In the early and mid-1990s, the Republican Party increased its influence at the state level. In November 2000, North Dakotans cast 61% of the total popular vote for Republican George W. Bush and 33% for Democrat Al Gore. Republican John Hoeven won the governorship that year. In 2004, Bush won 66% of 141

North Dakota

North Dakota Governors: 1889–2007 1889–1891 1891–1892 1892–1895 1895–1897 1897–1898 1898–1899 1899–1901 1901–1905 1905–1907 1907–1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1927 1927–1928 1928–1929 1929–1933 1933–1934 1934–1935 1935 1935–1937 1937–1939 1939–1945 1945–1951 1951–1957 1957–1961 1961–1973 1973–1981 1981–1985 1985–1993 1993–2001 2001–

John Miller Republican Andrew Horace Burke Republican Eli C. D. Shortridge Independent Roger Allin Republican Frank Arlington Briggs Republican Joseph McMurray Devine Republican Frederick Bartlett Fancher Republican Frank White Republican Elmore Yocum Sarles Republican John Burke Democrat Louis Benjamin Hanna Republican Lynn Joseph Frazier Republican Ragnvald Anderson Nestos Republican Arthur Gustov Sorlie Republican Walter Jeremiah Maddock Republican George F. Shafer Republican William Langer Independent Ole H. Olson Republican Thomas Hilliard Moodie Democrat Walter Welford Republican William Langer Independent John Moses Democrat Fred George Aandahl Republican Clarence Norman Brunsdale Republican John Edward Davis Republican William Lewis Guy Democrat Arthur Albert Link Democrat Allen Ingvar Olson Republican George Sinner Democrat Edward Thomas Schafer Republican John Hoeven Republican

the vote and the Democratic challenger John Kerry won 33%. North Dakota’s US senators are Kent Conrad, a Democrat reelected to a third term in 2006, and Democrat Byron Dorgan, reelected to a third term in 2004. North Dakota’s sole representative to the US House is a Democrat. Following the 2006 elections, the state senate had 26 Republicans and 21 Democrats. The state house was dominated by Republicans, who held 61 seats, while the Democrats had 33. Twentythree women were elected to the state legislature 142

in 2006, or 16.3%. The state had 481,351 registered voters in 2002.

14

Local Government

North Dakota in 2005 had 53 counties, 360 municipalities designated as cities, 230 public school districts, and 764 special districts. Typical elected county officials are the sheriff, court clerk, county judge, and county justice. Most municipalities use the mayor-council system of government.

15

Judicial System

North Dakota has a supreme court of five justices, seven district courts, and a system of local (county) courts. The state’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 79.4 reported incidents per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property were reported at a rate of about 1,916.6 per 100,000 people. State and federal correctional facilities had 1,327 prisoners in 2004. North Dakota does not have a death penalty; it was abolished in 1973 and the last execution took place in 1930.

16

Migration

During the late 19th century, North Dakota was largely settled by immigrants of German and Scandinavian stock. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had a net loss of 30,000 in domestic migration but a net gain of 4,000 in international migration. In the period 1995–2000, some 60,252 people moved into the state and 85,459 moved out, for a net loss of 25,207, many of whom moved to Minnesota. For the period 2000–05, net international migration was 3,687 and net internal migration was -18,568 for a net loss of 14,881 people. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Dakota

17

Economy

North Dakota has been and still is an important agricultural state, especially as a producer of wheat, much of which finds its way onto the world market. Many segments of the economy are affected by agriculture. Farm numbers have continued to decline, however, posing a threat to the state’s rural lifestyle. Long periods of drought have plagued North Dakota. In 2002, wheat production (representing a quarter of the state’s total agricultural revenues) fell by 24% and cattle production was disrupted. North Dakota was only slightly affected by the national recession and slowdown of 2001 and 2002. Growth industries for the state include petroleum and the mining of coal, chiefly lignite, North Dakota has more coal resources than any other state. Manufacturing is concentrated on farm products and machinery. In 2004, an estimated 1,747 new businesses were established while about 2,621 businesses were closed.

18

Income

In 2005, North Dakota had a gross state product (GSP) of $24 billion, ranking 50th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, North Dakota ranked 37th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $29,494; the national average was $33,050. The average median household income for 2002–04, was $35,594 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 10.3% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Dakota Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

N. DAKOTA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 Dewey (R) 95,812 115,139 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 76,694 191,712 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 96,742 156,766 1960 Nixon (R) 123,963 154,310 1964 *Johnson (D) 149,784 108,207 1968 *Nixon (R) 94,769 138,669 1972 *Nixon (R) 100,384 174,109 1976 Ford (R) 136,078 153,470 1980 *Reagan (R) 79,189 193,695 1984 *Reagan (R) 104,429 200,336 1988 *Bush (R) 127,739 166,559 1992** Bush (R) 99,168 136,244 1996** Dole (R) 106,905 125,050 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 95,284 174,852 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 111,052 196,651 *Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 71,084 votes in 1992 and 32,515 votes in 1996.

19

Industry

By number of employees, the leading manufacturing industries in North Dakota are food products, industrial machinery, wood products, computer electronic equipment, and transportation equipment. Shipments of manufactured goods were valued at nearly $7.3 billion in 2004.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the labor force in North Dakota numbered 363,900, with approximately 12,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.3%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. In 2006, 5.6% of the labor force was employed in construction; 10.4% in manufacturing; 21.5% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.4% in financial activities; 7.7% in professional and business services; 14% in edu143

North Dakota

A farm outside of Fort Ransom. North Dakota is one of the nation’s leading wheat producers. DAWN CHARGING/NORTH DAKOTA TOURISM.

cation and health services; 9.2% in leisure and hospitality services, and 21.5% in government. In 2005, 21,000 of North Dakota’s 289,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 7.3%, below the national average of 12%.

lion pounds of sunflowers, 14.1 million bushels of oats, 4.75 hundredweight of dry edible beans (first in the nation), 120.8 million bushels of corn, 4.8 million tons of sugar beets, and 26.7 million hundredweight of potatoes. The average farm is 1,300 acres (526 hectares).

21

22

Agriculture

North Dakota’s farm marketing totaled $3.96 billion in 2005. In 2004, North Dakota led the nation in spring wheat, drum wheat, barley, dry edible beans, sunflowers, and was second in the nation in overall wheat production. In 2004, the state had approximately 30,300 farms and ranches occupying 39.4 million acres (16 million hectares). Crop production included 306.5 million bushels of wheat, 91.7 million bushels of barley (first in the nation), 791.7 mil144


North Dakota farms and ranches had an estimated 1.7 million cattle and calves, valued at $1.83 billion in 2005. During 2004, there were around 169,000 hogs and pigs, worth $18.6 million. North Dakota farmers produced nearly 7 million pounds (3.2 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs, which brought in $7.5 million in gross income in 2003 and nearly 29.4 million pounds (13.4 million kilograms) of turkey. In 2004, North Dakota was the leading producer Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Dakota

of honey, with 9.1 million pounds (4.1 million kilograms) worth $31.9 million.

26

Energy and Power

There is little commercial fishing in North Dakota. The Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery produces up to 3 million northern pike and nearly 10 million walleye each year. Other species produced there and at the Valley City National Fish Hatchery include smallmouth bass, crappie, rainbow trout, lake trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout, chinook salmon, paddlefish, and pallid sturgeon. In 2004, the state issued 168,497 sport fishing licenses.

Power stations in North Dakota (utility and nonutility) generated 31.3 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2003. Coal fired plants accounted for 94% of production. Recoverable coal reserves totaled 1.19 billion tons in 2004. when North Dakota produced 29.9 million tons of coal. Proven crude oil reserves in 2004 totaled 389 million barrels. Production was at 85,000 barrels per day that year. Also in 2004, natural gas reserves totaled over 417 billion cubic feet (11.8 billion cubic meters). Marketed gas production was 55 billion cubic feet (1.56 billion cubic meters).

24

27

23

Fishing

Forestry

Commerce

At the time of settlement, native forests covered about 700,000 acres (283,000 hectares). In 2004, there were 673,000 acres (272,000 hectares) of forestland, with 441,000 acres (178,000 hectares) classified as viable timberland. Agricultural clearing, inundation by reservoirs, and other land use changes have resulted in a 9% reduction in total forestland since 1954.

North Dakota’s wholesale sales for 2002 totaled $8.8 billion; retail sales totaled $7.7. The leading types of retail establishments were gasoline stations, motor vehicle and auto parts dealers, and building and garden equipment and supplies dealers. Exports of goods originating in the state totaled $1.2 billion in 2005, ranking the state 46th in the nation.

25

28

Mining

The value of nonfuel minerals produced in North Dakota in 2003 was about $37.7 million. Construction sand and gravel accounted for about 75% of the total value, followed by lime and crushed stone. Lapidary and collectible materials such as petrified wood, agates, jasper, and flint are also found in North Dakota. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Public Finance

Total revenues for 2004 were $5.2 billion and expenditures were $3.1 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($1 billion), public welfare ($683 million), and highways ($385 million). North Dakota had an outstanding debt of $1.6 billion, or about $2,613.82 per capita (per person). 145

North Dakota

29

Taxation

The state’s five-bracket personal income schedule ranges from 2.1% to 5.54%. The corporate income tax schedule ranges from 2.6% to 7%. The state sales and use tax rate is 5%. Local sales taxes range from 0 to 2.5%. The state also imposes a full array of excise taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, and other selected items. Total state tax collections in North Dakota in 2005 were $1.4 billion, of which 29.2% was generated by the state general sales and use tax, 21.3% by selective sales tax, 17.2% by personal income taxes, 5.4% by the corporate income tax, and the remainder from other taxes. The tax burden amounted to about $2,203 per person, ranking the state at 21st in the country for per capita tax burden, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person.

30

Health

In 2005, the infant mortality rate was 5.8 per 1,000 population. The crude death rate was 9.6 per 1,000 population in 2003. In 2004, 19.8% of North Dakota residents were smokers. Death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 255.9; cancer, 203.9; cerebrovascular diseases, 74; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 50.8; and diabetes, 33.7. North Dakota and Ohio share the distinction of having the third-highest diabetes mortality rate in the nation (following West Virginia and Louisiana). In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 2.7 per 100,000. North Dakota’s 40 community hospitals had 3,600 beds in 2003. The average expense

146

for hospital care was $859 per day. There were 244 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 1,059 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were a total of 319 dentists in the state. In 2004, about 11% of North Dakota’s residents were uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, North Dakota had 300,815 housing units, 262,585 of which were occupied; 68.1% were owner-occupied. About 63.2% of all housing units were single-family, detached homes. Utility gas and electricity were the most common energy sources for heating. It was estimated that 10,860 units lacked telephone services, 1,161 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 1,825 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.32 people. In 2004, 4,000 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $83,354, one of the lowest in the nation. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $902, while renters paid a median of $466 per month, representing the second-lowest rate in the nation (after West Virginia).

32

Education

In 2004, 89.5% of North Dakota residents age 25 and older were high school graduates and 25.2% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 104,000 in fall 2002. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 6,209. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $901 million.


North Dakota

As of fall 2002, there were 45,800 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, North Dakota had 21 degree-granting institutions. The chief universities are the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks and North Dakota State University in Fargo.

33

Arts

The North Dakota Council on the Arts, a branch of the North Dakota state government, provides grants to local artists and groups, encourages visits by nonresident artists and exhibitions, and provides information and other services to the general public. The North Dakota Humanities Council was established in 1973. In 2005, North Dakota arts organizations received nine grants totaling $647,800 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded six grants totaling $778,772 for state programs. The historic Fargo Theater presents live theatrical performances, as well as films, and sponsors the annual Fargo Film Festival. Fargo is also the center for the Fargo-Moorhead Opera and the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony. The Northern Plains Ballet is based in Bismarck, but tours Sioux Falls, Fargo, Billings, and Grand Forks. Two popular musical events are the Old Time Fiddlers Contest (at Dunseith in June) and the Medora Musical (Medora, June through Labor Day); the latter features Western songs and dance.


34


During 2001, North Dakota had 82 public library systems with a total of 89 libraries. In the same year, the state public libraries had 2,158,000 volumes of books and serial publications with a total circulation of 3,937,000. The leading academic library was that of the University of North Dakota (Grand Forks). Among the most notable of the state’s 50 museums are the Art Galleries and Zoology Museum of the University of North Dakota, and the North Dakota Heritage Center at Bismarck, which has an outstanding collection of Native American artifacts. Theodore Roosevelt National Park contains relics from the Elkhorn ranch where Roosevelt lived in the 1880s.

35

Communications

In 2004, 95% of North Dakota’s occupied housing units had telephones. In 2002, there were 245,578 mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, about 61.2% of all households had a personal computer and 53.2% had Internet access. In 2005, there were 28 major radio stations (10 AM, 18 FM) and 9 major network television stations. A total of 15,091 Internet domain names were registered in North Dakota in 2000.

36

Press

As of 2005, there were six morning dailies, four evening dailies, and seven Sunday papers in the state. The leading dailies were the Fargo Forum, with a daily circulation of 51,106, and 62,097 on Sunday; the Grand Forks Herald, 31,524 mornings, 34,763 Sunday; the Minot Daily News, 20,974 mornings, 21,848 Sunday;

147

North Dakota

and the Bismarck Tribune, 27,620, morning, 30,081 Sunday. In addition, there were about 15 periodicals.

37


North Dakota’s 17 state parks and other state recreational areas received 922.434 visitors in 2003. Nearly 40% of all park users come from other states and countries. Among the leading tourist attractions is the International Peace Garden, commemorating friendly relations between the United States and Canada. The most spectacular scenery in North Dakota is part of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The Badlands, an integral part of the park, consist of strangely colored and interestingly eroded rock formations. Hunting and fishing are major recreational activities in the state.

38

Sports

There are no major professional sports teams in North Dakota. In collegiate football, the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux and the North Dakota State University Bison compete in the North Central Conference. The University of North Dakota also competes in collegiate ice hockey, winning National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships seven times, most recently in 2000. Other annual sporting events include the PWT Championship (a walleye fishing tournament) in Bismarck in September and several rodeos throughout the state. Former New York Yankee slugger Roger Maris grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. 148

39

Famous North Dakotans

Among North Dakota politicians known to the nation was Gerald P. Nye (b.Wisconsin, 1892– 1971), a US senator and a leading isolationist opponent of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s foreign policy, as was Senator William Langer (1886–1959). Another prominent senator, Porter J. McCumber (1858–1933), supported President Woodrow Wilson in the League of Nations battle. Usher L. Burdick (1879–1960), a champion of Native Americans, served 18 years in the US House of Representatives. North Dakota-related writers and commentators include Vilhjalmur Stefansson (b.Canada, 1879–1962), who recorded in numerous books his explorations and experiments in the high Arctic; playwright Maxwell Anderson (b.Pennsylvania, 1888–1959), who won the Pulitzer Prize; Edward K. Thompson (b.Minnesota, 1907–1996), editor of Life magazine and founder-editor of Smithsonian; and novelists Louis L’Amour (1908–1988) and Larry Woiwode (b.1941). To the entertainment world North Dakota has contributed band leaders Lawrence Welk (1903–1992) and Tommy Tucker (Gerald Duppler, 1908–1989); jazz vocalist Peggy Lee (Norma Delores Egstrom, b.1920–2002) and country singer Lynn Anderson (b.1947); and actress Angie Dickinson (Angeline Brown, b.1931). Sports personalities associated with the state include outfielder Roger Maris (1934– 1985), who in 1961 broke Babe Ruth’s record for the number of home runs in one season. The Maris record was broken in 1998 by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

North Dakota

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Gisbon, Karen Bush. North Dakota Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Heinrichs, Ann. North Dakota. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. Hintz, Martin. North Dakota. New York: Children’s Press, 2000.


Murray, Julie. North Dakota. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Severin, E. Hoover. North Dakota. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. WEB SITES State of North Dakota. North Dakota: Official Portal for North Dakota State Government. www.nd.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). North Dakota Tourism. North Dakota. Lengendary. www.ndtourism.com (accessed March 1, 2007).

149

Ohio State of Ohio

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : From the Iroquois Indian

word oheo, meaning “beautiful.” N I CKNAME : The Buckeye State. C AP ITAL: Columbus. ENT ERED UNION: 1 March 1803 (17th). O FFICIAL SEAL: In the foreground are a sheaf of

wheat and a sheaf of 17 arrows; behind, a sun rises over a mountain range, indicating that Ohio is the first state west of the Alleghenies. Surrounding the scene are the words “The Great Seal of the State of Ohio.” FLAG: The flag is a burgee, with three red and two white lateral stripes. At the staff is a blue triangular field covered with 17 stars (signifying Ohio’s order of entry into the Union), which is grouped around a red disk superimposed on a white circular “O.” M OT TO: With God All Things Are Possible. SONG: “Beautiful Ohio.” FLOWER: Scarlet carnation. TREE: Buckeye. A NIMAL: White-tailed deer. B IRD: Cardinal. IN S ECT: Ladybug. R EPT ILE: Black racer snake. R OCK OR STONE: Ohio flint. B EVERAGE: Tomato juice. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the eastern north-central United States, Ohio is the 11th largest of the 12 Midwestern states and ranks 35th in size among the 50 states. The state’s total area is 41,330 square miles (107,044 square kilometers), of which land comprises 41,004 square miles (106,201 square kilometers) and inland water 326 square miles (823 square kilometers). Ohio extends about 210 miles (338 kilometers) east-west and 230 miles (370 kilometers) north-south. Ohio’s total boundary length is 997 miles (1,605 kilometers). Five important islands lie off the state’s northern 151

Ohio

shore in Lake Erie: the three Bass Islands, Kelleys Island, and Catawba Island.

2

Topography

Ohio has three distinct topographical regions: the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains in the eastern half of the state; the Erie lakeshore, extending for nearly three-fourths of the northern boundary; and the central plains in the western half of the state. The Allegheny Plateau in eastern Ohio consists of rugged hills and steep valleys that recede gradually as the terrain sweeps westward toward the central plains. The highest point in the state is Campbell Hill (1,549 feet/472 meters), located in Logan County northwest of Columbus. The Erie lakeshore, a band of level lowland that runs across the state to the northwestern corner on the Michigan boundary, is distinguished by sandy beaches. The central plains extend to the western boundary with Indiana. In the south, undulating hills decline in altitude as they reach the serpentine Ohio River, which forms the state’s southern boundary with Kentucky and West Virginia. The state’s lowest point is on the bands of the Ohio River in the southwest, where the altitude drops to 455 feet (139 meters) above sea level. Most of Ohio’s 2,500 lakes are situated in the east and nearly all are reservoirs backed up by river dams. The largest, Pymatuning Reservoir, on the Pennsylvania border, has an area of 14,650 acres (5,929 hectares). Grand Lake (St. Mary’s), located near the western border, covering 12,500 acres (5,059 hectares), is the largest lake wholly within Ohio. Major rivers include the Maumee, Portage, Sandusky, Cuyahoga, and Grand rivers, which 152

Ohio Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

11,478,006 1.1% 2.3% 98.5% 84.3% 11.5% 0.2% 1.5% 0.0% 1.0% 1.5%


65 and over (13%)

Under 18 (25%)

45 to 64 (26%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City Columbus Cleveland Cincinnati Toledo Akron Dayton Youngstown Parma Canton Lorain

Population

% change 2000–05

730,657 452,208 308,728 301,285 210,795 158,873 82,837 81,469 79,478 67,820

2.7 -5.5 -6.8 -3.9 -2.9 -4.4 1.0 -4.9 -1.6 -1.2



Ohio

CANADA

La

Er ke

ie Geneva State Park ASHTABULA

90

MICHIGAN Ottawa N. W. R.

Harrison Lake State Park

Toledo

475

280

LAKE

Kelleys Is.

Euclid East Cleveland

Sandusky Bay

Lakewood

OTTAWA

Cleveland

HENRY

ERIE

DEFIANCE

SANDUSKY

WOOD

80 90

Bowling Green

Maumee R.

Sandusky

Van Buren St. Park Findlay

West Branch S. P.

Kent

Akron

Youngstown

80

76

Barberton

MAHONING

COLUMBIANA

71

Guilford Lake St. Park

Canton

Massillon

Mansfield

HARDIN

77

Beaver Creek State Park

CARROLL

MORROW

MARION

HOLMES

DELAWARE

CHAMPAIGN

GUERNSEY

Kissel Lake State Park

Westerville 270

Middletown

75

71

Hamilton Fairfield HAMILTON

e

ttl

Li

PICKAWAY

Lancaster

Deer Creek St. Park

FAYETTE

Barkcamp State Park

70 Zanesville Blue Rock S. P.

PERRY

FRANKLIN

Fairborn R. Beavercreek i 675 iam M Kettering

WARREN

BUTLER

FAIRFIELD

Wayne Nat’l For.

MORGAN

MONROE

Wayne National Forest

NOBLE

77

R.

Houston Woods St. Park

Columbus

um in g Mus k

Dayton

Gahanna Reynoldsburg

Springfield

BELMONT

Salt Fork St. Park

MUSKINGUM

Newark

Upper Arlington

CLARK

Huber Heights

Harrison St. Forest

LICKING

MADISON

MONTGOMERY

HARRISON

s Tu

R.

. iR m ia .r M G

MIAMI

COSHOCTON

ca

Indian Lake

Lake Loramie St. Park

DARKE

JEFFERSON

GREENE CLINTON

HOCKING

ROSS

Cowan Lake State Park


WASHINGTON

WEST VIRGINIA

ATHENS

VINTON

Rocky Fork State Park

275 CLERMONT

HIGHLAND

74

PIKE

. oR

iot

Sc

Cincinnati East Fork St. Park

Ohio

SHELBY

UNION

R.

KNOX LOGAN

PREBLE

TUSCARAWAS

Mohican R.

Grand Lake

Mohican Mem. S. P.

s

Marion Mt. Gilead St. Park

AUGLAIZE

ra wa

MERCER

76

STARK

WAYNE

WYANDOT

75

INDIANA

SUMMIT

RICHLAND

80

Cuyahoga Stow Falls

MEDINA

ALLEN

Lima

271 Garfield Heights

Parma

71

ASHLAND

CRAWFORD

VAN WERT

CUYAHOGA

Findley S. P.

Sand usky R.

HANCOCK

PUTNAM

Westlake

North Elyria Olmstead Strongsville Brunswick

HURON SENECA

PAULDING

TRUMBULL Mosquito Creek Mosquito Lake Creek PORTAGE S. P. Warren Cuyahoga Valley N.R.A.

Lorain LORAIN

GEAUGA

Cleveland Heights Shaker Heights

PENNSYLVANIA

LUCAS

FULTON

WILLIAMS

Mentor

BROWN

ADAMS

Adams Lake State Park

SCIOTO

MEIGS JACKSON



OHIO Explanation

GALLIA

Point of Interest


Ohio R.

City (25,000-100,000 people) City (more than 100,000 people) LAWRENCE

State Capital

77


KENTUCKY

N 0 0


20 20

40 miles 40

60 kilometers

153

Ohio

drain into Lake Erie. The Muskingum, Hocking, Raccoon, Scioto, Little Miami, and Miami rivers flow into the Ohio River, which winds for about 450 miles (725 kilometers) along the eastern and southern borders.

3

Climate

Lying in the humid continental zone, Ohio has a generally temperate climate. Winters are cold and summers mild in the eastern highlands. The southern region has the warmest temperatures. Cleveland, in the north, has an annual mean temperature of 51°f (10°c), while the mean temperature in Cincinnati, in the south, is 54.5°f (12°c). Cleveland has an average of 122 days per year in which the temperature drops to 32°f (0°c) or lower. In Cincinnati, only about 90 days per year have temperatures below freezing. The record low temperature for the state is -39°f (-39°c), set in Milligan on 10 February 1899. The record high is 113°f (45°c), registered near Gallipolis on 21 July 1934. The average annual precipitation in Cincinnati is 40.7 inches (103 centimeters). In Cleveland, the average annual precipitation is 37.2 inches (94 centimeters). Cleveland has an average annual snowfall of 55.4 inches (140 centimeters), while Cincinnati receives 14.2 inches (36 centimeters) per year. Because of its proximity to Lake Erie, Cleveland is the windiest city, with winds that average 11 miles per hour (18 kilometers per hour). Severe thunderstorms and damaging tornados have occurred, particularly in early summer. 154

4

Plants and Animals

More than 2,500 plant species have been found in Ohio. The southeastern hill and valley region supports pitch pine, bigleaf magnolia, and sourwood, with undergrowths of sassafras, witchhazel, and pawpaw. Other trees include maple, poplar, pine, and sycamore. The buckeye, originally called the Ohio buckeye and now the official state tree, is characterized by its clusters of cream-colored flowers that bloom in spring and later form large, brown, thick-hulled nuts. In 2006, five Ohio plant species were listed as threatened, including eastern prairie fringed orchid, northern wild monkshood, and lakeside daisy. The running buffalo clover was listed as endangered that same year. The Buckeye State is rich in mammals. White-tailed deer, badger, and eastern cottontail are mammals found throughout the state’s five wildlife districts. The bobcat is among many species with more restricted habitats. Common birds include the mourning dove, eastern belted kingfisher, and eastern horned lark; the cardinal is the state bird. Perch, carp, pike, trout, and other species thrive in Ohio’s lakes and streams. The snapping, midland painted, and spiny soft-shelled turtles appear throughout Ohio. The northern copperhead, eastern massasauga (swamp rattler), and timber rattlesnake are Ohio’s only poisonous reptiles. Fowler’s toad, bullfrog, green pickerel frog, and marbled and red-backed salamanders are common native amphibians. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 17 Ohio animal species as threatened or endangered, including the bald eagle, Indiana bat, Scioto madtom, and piping plover. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio

Ohio Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,353,140. . . . . .100.0 One race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,195,255. . . . . . .98.6 Two races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146,556. . . . . . . .1.3 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43,903. . . . . . . .0.4 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,561. . . . . . . .0.3 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,966. . . . . . . .0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,256. . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,854. . . . . . . .0.2 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native. . . . . . . . . . . . 7,673. . . . . . . .0.1 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,250. . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 446. . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,649. . . . . . . .0.1 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554. . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 70. . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 804. . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 939. . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,381. . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250. . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,329. . . . . . . .0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

5


In recent years, the state’s major environmental concerns have been to reverse the pollution of Lake Erie, control the air pollution attributable to industries and automobiles, clean up dumps for solid and hazardous wastes, improve water quality, and prevent pollution. The state’s regulatory agency for environmental matters is the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), established in 1972. The agency has long-range programs to deal with pollution of air, water, and land resources. Another agency, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, is responsible for the development and use of the state’s natural resources. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The department also assists in soil conservation, issues permits for dams, promotes conservation of oil and gas, and allocates strip-mining licenses. Since 1972, antipollution efforts in Lake Erie have focused on reducing the discharge of phosphorus into the lake from sewage and agricultural wastes. Ohio industries have also spent billions of dollars on efforts to control air pollution. Peak ozone levels have dropped by 25% overall and by up to 50% in some urban areas. In 2003, Ohio had 318 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 30 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. 155

Ohio

6

Population

In 2006, Ohio ranked seventh in population among the 50 states with an estimated total of 11,478,006 residents. The population is projected to reach 11.6 million by 2025. In 2004, Ohio’s population density was 281.1 persons per square mile (108.5 persons per square kilometer). The median age in 2004 was 37.5. In 2005, about 13% of all residents were 65 years old or older and about 25% were 18 or younger. As of 2005, Columbus was Ohio’s largest city, with an estimated population of 730,657. Cleveland had about 452,208 residents. Other leading cities were Cincinnati, 308,728; Toledo, 301,285; Akron, 210,795; and Dayton, 158,873.

7

Ethnic Groups

Ohio was first settled by migrants from the eastern states and from the British Isles and northern Europe, especially Germany. Cincinnati had such a large German population that its public schools were bilingual until World War I. By 2000, however, only about 3% of Ohioans were foreign born, the major places of origin being Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Ethnic clusters persist in the large cities and some small communities retain a specific ethnic flavor, such as Fairport Harbor on Lake Erie, which has a large Finnish population. According to the 2000 census, there were 1,301,307 black Americans living in the state, representing about 11.5% of the population. About 217,123 people were Hispanic or Latino, including 90,663 people of Mexican descent. Native Americans numbered about 24,486. Asians were estimated to number 132,633, 156

including 30,425 Chinese, 12,393 Filipinos, 10,732 Japanese, and 13,376 Koreans. Pacific Islanders numbered 2,749.

8

Languages

Ohio English reflects three post-Revolutionary migration paths. In the Western Reserve south of Lake Erie, Northern speech was brought from New York and Connecticut. Most of rural Ohio has North Midland speech from Pennsylvania. Ohio River towns have South Midland speakers from Kentucky, who brought the phrase you all into a more common usage there. Localisms have developed around different cities. For the grass strip between the sidewalk and street, residents of Akron may use the tern devil-strip while those in Cleveland may use the term treelawn. Recent northward migration has introduced South Midland speech and black English into such industrial centers as Cleveland, Toledo, and Akron. In 2000, 93.9% of all residents age five and older spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of speakers, included Spanish, 213,147; German, 72,647; French, 44,594; and Italian, 27,697.

9

Religions

The first religious settlement in Ohio territory was founded among Huron Indians in 1751 by a Roman Catholic priest near what is now Sandusky. Shortly afterward, Moravian missionaries converted some Delaware Indians to Christianity. The first Protestant church was founded by Congregationalist ministers at Marietta in 1788. Dissident religious sects such as the Shakers, Amish, and Quakers moved Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio

into Ohio from the early 18th century onward. Hebrew Union College, a rabbinical training school and center of Jewish learning, was founded in Cincinnati in 1875. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) built its first permanent place of worship in Kirtland, Ohio, in 1933. The Kirtland Temple, as it has been called, is still open today. In 2004, Ohio had a Roman Catholic population of about 2,139,524. In 2000, the state’s Jewish population was estimated at 142,255. The Muslim population was at about 41,281 people. The largest Protestant denominations and their adherents were the United Methodist Church, 420,142 in 2004; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 301,749 (in 2000); the Southern Baptist Convention, 187,227 (2000); the Presbyterian Church USA, 160,800 (2000); the United Church of Christ, 118,449 (2005); Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, 142,571 (2000); and the American Baptist Churches USA, 117,757 (2000). Ohio communities of Amish and Mennonites are among the largest in the nation with over 24,000 Amish and over 20,000 Mennonites in the state (primarily in central Ohio). About 6.2 million people (55.1% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization in 2000.

10

Transportation

Sandwiched between two of the country’s largest inland water systems, Lake Erie and the Ohio River, Ohio has long been a leader in water transport. The building of railroads in the mid-19th century greatly improved transportation within the state by connecting inland counties with Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Lake Erie and the Ohio River. In 2003, 6,519 miles (10,495 kilometers) of track were in service, utilized by 19 railroads, including 3 Class I railroads. In 2006, Amtrak operated three regularly scheduled trains through Ohio, connecting six cities. The major interstate highways across Ohio are I-80, I-90, I-70, I-71, I-77, and I-75. In 2004, Ohio had 124,752 miles (200,850 kilometers) of roads. Also in 2004, there some 6,395,000 automobiles, 4,061,000 trucks, 298,000 motorcycles, and 18,000 buses registered in the state. There were 7,675,007 licensed drivers. Inland waterways have long been important for transport and commerce in Ohio. The public demand for water transportation in the interior of the state, where few rivers were navigable, led to construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal from Cincinnati to Dayton; both were opened to traffic in 1827. The canals gave Ohio’s farmers better access to eastern and southern markets. Water transportation is still a principal means of shipping Ohio’s products through the St. Lawrence Seaway to foreign countries and the method by which millions of tons of cargo are moved via the Ohio River to domestic markets. Ohio’s ports rank among the busiest of the 50 states in volume. In 2004, the state’s most active ports were Cleveland, Cincinnati, Ashtabula, and Toledo. Ohioans consider Dayton to be the birthplace of aviation because it was there that Wilbur and Orville Wright built the first motor-powered airplane in 1903. In 2005, there were 519 airports in the state. The major air terminals are the Greater Cincinnati airport (actually located across the Ohio River in Kentucky) and Hopkins International in Cleveland. 157

Ohio

11

History

The first European travelers in Ohio, during the 17th century, found four Native American tribes of nomadic hunters: the Wyandot and Delaware in northern Ohio; the Miami and Shawnee in the south. European exploration was begun by a French nobleman, Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, who voyaged from the St. Lawrence River to the Ohio River in 1669–70. Both the French and the English claimed possession of Ohio. The French claim rested on La Salle’s exploration, while the British claimed all territory extending westward from their coastal colonies. The clash of ambitions eventually brought on the French and Indian War— during which Native Americans fought on both sides. The war ended in 1763 with French defeat and the ceding of the vast western territory to the British. During the Revolutionary War, the American militiaman George Rogers Clark, with a small company of woodsmen-soldiers, seized British posts and trading stations in Ohio. In the Battle of Piqua, Clark’s forces defeated Native Americans allied with the British. To provide for the development of the territory northwest of the Ohio River, the US Congress enacted the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. The first permanent settlement in Ohio, the historic town of Marietta, was established in 1788 by an organization of Revolutionary War veterans. Access to the fertile Ohio Valley was provided by the westward-flowing Ohio River, which carried pioneer settlers and frontier commerce. Increasing settlement of the Ohio Valley aroused Indian resistance, which persisted until Major General “Mad Anthony” Wayne routed Miami and Shawnee tribesmen in 1794 in 158

the decisive Battle of Fallen Timbers. Native American leaders surrendered claim to the southern half of Ohio, opening that large domain to uncontested American occupation. Statehood In 1800, Connecticut ceded to the

US a strip of land along Lake Erie (claimed by its colonial charter and called the Western Reserve), and that region became a part of the Northwest Territory. A great wave of migration from the older colonies followed. By 1802, Ohio had enough population to seek statehood, and in November, a constitutional convention assembled at Chillicothe to frame a constitution. On 1 March 1803, Ohio joined the Union as the 17th state. Within ten years, the new state was confronted by conflicts on two different fronts. In the battle of Tippecanoe on 7 November 1811, Ohio militia regiments led by General William Henry Harrison repulsed an invasion by Native Americans from beyond Ohio’s western border. Control of Lake Erie and of Great Lakes commerce was at stake when Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry won a decisive naval victory over a British fleet in western Lake Erie during the War of 1812. With peace restored in 1815, “Ohio fever” spread through New England as migrants streamed westward, to be joined by immigrants from across the Atlantic, especially England, Ireland, and Germany. By 1850, Ohio was the third most populous state in the Union. The Ohio canal system, created between 1825 and 1841, linked the Ohio River and Lake Erie, providing a waterway to the Atlantic. By 1850, when farm and factory production outstripped the capacity of mule teams and canal barges, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio

railroad building had begun. In the next decade, railroads crisscrossed the state. 1860s–1950s In 1861, Ohio, like the nation, was divided. The northern counties, teeming with former New Englanders, were filled with abolitionist zeal in opposing slavery. But Ohio’s southern counties had close ties with Virginia and Kentucky across the river and gathered enough political support to nominate pro-Confederacy “Copperhead” Clement L. Vallandigham for state governor in 1863. (He was defeated by Unionist John Brough.) Ohio surpassed its quota by providing a total of 320,000 Union Army volunteers and gave the Union its greatest generals—Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Philip H. Sheridan.

War demands stimulated Ohio manufacturing, and in the decade following the war, the state’s industrial products surpassed the value of its rich farm production. In the 1870s, John D. Rockefeller of Cleveland formed the Standard Oil Company, which soon controlled oil refining and distribution throughout the nation. At the same time, B. F. Goodrich of Akron began making fire hose, the first rubber product in an industry whose tremendous growth would make Akron the “rubber capital of the world.” In the 1920s, Ohio’s oil, rubber, and glass industries benefited from growing automobile production. Yet none of these industries was immune to the prolonged depression of the 1930s. Widespread unemployment and a stagnant economy were not relieved until the outbreak of World War II, which swept 641,000 Ohioans into military service. The state’s economy prospered after the war, with highway building, truck and tractor proJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

duction, aircraft manufacture, and airport construction leading the field. The completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959 made Toledo and Cleveland active ocean ports. Major problems during this period involved pollution created by the dumping of industrial wastes (especially in Lake Erie), as well as urban decay resulting from the departure of middle-class families to the suburbs. Post-War Era Deteriorating neighborhoods pro-

duced inadequate revenues for schools and public services, and attempts at racial integration brought controversy and disturbance. When political office went to minority leaders—in 1967, Carl Stokes of Cleveland became the first black mayor of any major US city—friction and tension continued. A further shock was the shooting of 13 students, 4 of whom died, at Kent State University on 4 May 1970 by the National Guard. They had been sent to the campus to preserve order during a series of student demonstrations against US involvement in Indochina (Vietnam). During the early 1980s, Ohio was still beset by serious social and economic problems. The decline in manufacturing jobs was only partly offset by employment in the growing service area. Ohio’s huge coal reserves were of limited use because of their content of sulfur, an atmospheric pollutant. Ohio has begun to address its problems. It has strengthened its state universities and developed a system of community colleges that have brought vocational training within the reach of most of its citizens. In 1983, the state established the Thomas Edison Program, which provides start-up companies with venture capital funds. 159

Ohio

Ohio Governors: 1803–2007 1803–1807 1807–1808 1808–1810 1810–1814 1814 1814–1818 1818–1822 1822 1822–1826 1826–1830 1830–1832 1832–1836 1836–1838 1838–1840 1840–1842 1842–1844 1844 1844–1846 1846–1848 1848–1850 1850–1853 1853–1856 1856–1860 1860–1862 1862–1864 1864–1865 1865–1866 1866–1868 1868–1872 1872–1874 1874–1876 1876–1877 1877–1878 1878–1880 1880–1884

Edward Tiffin Thomas Kirker Samuel H. Huntington Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr. Othneil Looker Thomas Worthington Ethan Allen Brown Allen Trimble Jeremiah Morrow Allen Trimble Duncan McArthur Robert Lucas Joseph Vance Wilson Shannon Thomas Corwin Wilson Shannon Thomas Welles Bartley Mordecai Bartely William Bebb Seabury Ford Reuben Wood William Medill Salmon Portland Chase William Dennison, Jr. David Tod John Brough Charles Anderson Jacob Dolson Cox Rutherford Birchard Hayes Edward Follansbee Noyes William Allen Rutherford Birchard Hayes Thomas Lowry Young Richard Moore Bishop Charles Foster

Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Federalist Jacksonian Federalist Federalist Jacksonian Whig Democrat Whig Democrat Democrat Whig Whig Whig Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Unionist Unionist Unionist Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican

Ohio has also taken measures to protect and preserve its natural resources, reversing, to a significant extent, the pollution of Lake Erie. Ohio was one of the states affected by the 14 August 2003 massive power blackout in Canada, the Northeast, and Midwestern states. The largest electrical outage in US history affected 9,300 square miles and a population of over 50 million. An initial power failure in Ohio was later found to be the trigger for the outage. 160

1884–1886 1886–1890 1890–1892 1892–1896 1896–1900 1900–1904 1904–1906 1906 1906–1909 1909–1913 1913–1915 1915–1917 1917–1921 1921–1923 1923–1929 1929–1931 1931–1935 1935–1939 1939–1945 1945–1947 1947–1949 1949–1957 1957 1957–1959 1959–1963 1963–1971 1971–1975 1975–1983 1983–1991 1991–1999 1999–2006 2006–

George Hoadly Joseph Benson Foraker James Edwin Campbell William McKinley, Jr. Asa Smith Bushnell George Kilborn Nash Myron Timothy Herrick John M. Pattison Andrew Lintner Harris Judson Harmon James Middleton Cox Frank Bartlett Willis James Middleton Cox Harry Lyman Davis Alvin Victor Donahey Myers Young Cooper George White Martin Luther Davey John Williams Bricker Frank John Lausche Thomas James Herbert Frank John Lausche John William Brown C. William O’Neill Michael Vincent Di Salle James Allen Rhodes John Joyce Gilligan James Allen Rhodes Richard F. Celeste George Victor Voinovich Robert Taft Ted Strickland

Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat


Ohio remained at the center of the nation’s presidential politics in 2004: President George W. Bush narrowly defeated John Kerry in Ohio by less than 120,000 votes, which swung the election for him. In 2005, Republican Governor Bob Taft (great-grandson of President William Howard Taft) was the subject of a scandal in which he pleaded no contest to accepting gifts without reporting them as required by law. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio

Ohio Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

OHIO WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

COMMUNIST

LIBERTARIAN

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

*Truman (D) *Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R) *Johnson (D)

1,452,791 1,600,367 1,439,655 1,944,248 2,498,331

1,445,684 2,100,391 2,262,610 2,217,611 1,470,865

37,487 — — — —

— — — — —

— — — — —

1968

*Nixon (R)

1,700,586

1,791,014

—

—

AMERICAN IND.

467,495 AMERICAN

1972

*Nixon (R)

1,558,889

2,441,827

80,067

6,437

—

1976

*Carter (D)

2,011,621

2,000,505

15,529

7,817

8,961

1980 1984


1,745,103 1,825,440

2,203,139 2,678,560

8,979 —

5,030 —

49,604 5,886

1988

*Bush (R)

1,939,629

2,416,549

—

CITIZENS

NEW ALLIANCE

12,017

11,989

6,411 — __ __

7,252 12,851 13,473 __

IND. (PEROT)

1992 *Clinton (D) 1996 *Clinton (D) 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) * Won US presidential election.

1,984,942 2,148,222 2,183,628 2,741,167

1,894,310 1,859,8883 2,350,363 2,859,768

1,036,426 483,207 117,799 __

In the 2004 election, Ohio voters approved an amendment to the Ohio constitution. It declared that a valid and recognized marriage in the state must be between one man and one woman.

tary of state, attorney general, auditor, and treasurer, all of whom serve four-year terms. The legislative salary as of 31 December 2004 was $54,942, and the governor’s salary was $126,485.

12

13

State Government

Ohio’s General Assembly consists of a 99-member house of representatives, elected for two years; and a senate of 33 members serving fouryear terms. Each house may introduce legislation, and both houses must approve a bill before it can be signed into law by the governor. The governor’s veto of a bill can be overridden by three-fifths majority votes of both houses. Officials elected statewide are the governor and lieutenant governor (elected jointly), secreJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Political Parties

After the Civil War, 7 of the country’s next 12 presidents were Ohio-born Republicans, beginning with Ulysses S. Grant and ending with Warren G. Harding. From 1856 to 1996, Ohioans voted for the Republican candidate in all presidential elections except those in which the following six Democrats were elected: Woodrow Wilson (twice), Franklin D. Roosevelt (three times), Harry S Truman, Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton (twice). Overall, 161

Ohio

between 1946 and 1992, Republican governors served seven terms and Democrats, eight terms. As of 15 November 2006, nine Republicans and seven Democrats had been elected US Representatives; two seats were undecided as of that date. Republican George Voinovich was elected US senator in 1998 and reelected in 2004, and Democrat Sherrod Brown was elected senator in 2006, defeating Republican incumbent Mike DeWine. Following the 2006 elections, the Republicans dominated the state senate (21 seats to the Democrats’ 12). Republicans retained control over the house—there were 53 Republicans and 46 Democrats in the state house. Twenty-five women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 18.9%. Democrat Ted Strickland was elected governor in 2006. In general, third parties have fared poorly in Ohio. Exceptions were the 1968 presidential election, in which American Independent Party candidate George Wallace earned nearly 12% of Ohio’s popular vote, and the 1992 presidential election, when Independent Ross Perot captured 21% of the vote. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush received 50% of the vote to Democrat Al Gore’s 46%. In 2004, President Bush increased his support slightly in Ohio, to take 51% of the vote to John Kerry’s 48.5%. In 2004 there were 7,973,000 registered voters. In 1998, 17% of registered voters were Democratic, 18% Republican, and 65% unaffiliated or members of other parties.

14

Local Government

Local government in Ohio is exercised by 88 counties, 942 cities and villages, and 1,308 townships. Each county is administered by a board of commissioners. The county government is run 162

by eight officials elected to four-year terms: the auditor or financial officer, whose duties include levying taxes; the clerk of courts, who is elected as clerk of the court of common pleas and also serves as clerk of the county court of appeals; the coroner, who must be a licensed physician; an engineer; a prosecuting attorney; the recorder, who keeps records of deeds, mortgages, and other legal documents; a sheriff; and the treasurer, who collects and disburses public funds. There are three types of city government: the mayor-council plan, the form adopted by a majority of the state’s cities; the city-manager form, under which the city council appoints a professional manager; and the commission type, in which a board of elected commissioners administers the city government. In practice, most large cities have adopted a home-rule charter which permits them to select the form of government best suited to their requirements. Townships are governed by three trustees and a clerk, who oversee zoning ordinances, parks, road maintenance, fire protection, and other matters within their jurisdiction.

15

Judicial System

The supreme court of Ohio, the highest court in the state, reviews proceedings of the lower courts and of state agencies. Below the supreme court are 12 courts of appeals, which exercise jurisdiction over their respective judicial districts. Trial courts include 88 courts of common pleas, one in each county. Probate courts, domestic relations courts, and juvenile courts often function as divisions of the common pleas courts. In 1957, a system of county courts was established by the legislature to replace justices of the peace and mayor’s Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio

Voters use electronic voting machines to cast their ballots. AP IMAGES.

courts at the local level. Large cities have their own municipal, juvenile, and police courts. As of December 2004, state and federal prisons in Ohio had 44,806 inmates. The state’s 2004 violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 population was 341.8. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/ theft, and motor vehicle theft) that year totaled 3,673.2 reported incidents per 100,000 people. Ohio executed 172 persons between 1930 and 1977. From 1976 through 5 May 2006, the state carried out 21 executions, including four in 2005 and two in 2006 (as of 5 May). As of 1 January 2006, 196 persons were under sentence of death. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

16

Migration

After the Ohio country became a US territory in 1785, Virginians, Connecticut Yankees, and New Jerseyites began arriving in significant numbers. Tens of thousands of settlers from New England, Pennsylvania, and some southern states thronged into Ohio in subsequent decades. The great migration from the eastern states continued throughout most of the 19th century, and was bolstered by new arrivals from Europe. The Irish came in the 1830s, and many Germans began arriving in the 1840s. Another wave of European immigration brought about 500,000 people a year to Ohio during the 1880s, many of them from southern and eastern Europe. Former 163

Ohio

slaves left the South for Ohio following the Civil War, and a larger migratory wave brought blacks to Ohio after World War II to work in the industrial cities. In the 1910s, many emigrants from Greece, Albania, and Latvia settled in Akron to work in the rubber industry. The industrialization of Ohio in the late 19th and the 20th centuries encouraged the migration of Ohioans from the farms to the cities. A more recent development has been the exodus of urbanites from Ohio’s largest cities. Between 1990 and 1998, Ohio had a net loss of 144,000 in domestic migration and a net gain of 48,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 75,142, and net internal migration was -177,150, for a net loss of 102,008 people.

17

Economy

Ohio diversified its industries and enjoyed prosperity during and after World War II. In the 1970s, however, growth began to lag, as manufacturing shrank due to a decline in the demand for durable goods. It was believed that many manufacturing jobs would be permanently lost because of a reorientation of Ohio’s economy from manufacturing toward services. With unemployment reaching peak levels, the state was forced to borrow from the federal government to fund the soaring cost of unemployment benefits. Recessionary trends in 1980 led to widespread layoffs in the auto parts industry. This bad economic news was partially offset when in 1983 the Honda Motor Company opened Japan’s first US automobile assembly plant at Marysville near Columbus. 164

Despite its shrinking size, manufacturing remains the dominant industry in Ohio. Transportation equipment and industrial machinery are the largest employers. Manufacturing output peaked in 1998 at 26.1% of gross state product, but by 2001, it had fallen 11.9%. The fall in manufacturing led to a decline in the state’s overall growth rates. In 2004, Ohio’s gross state product (GSP) was $419.8 billion, of which manufacturing contributed 20.1%, followed by the real estate sector at 10% of GSP, and health care and social assistance services at 7.9% of GSP.

18

Income

In 2005, Ohio ranked 7th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a gross state product (GSP) of $442 billion. In 2004, Ohio had a per capita (per person) income of $31,161, ranking Ohio 26th in the nation, below the national average of $33,050. The median annual household income for 2002–04 was $44,160 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 2002–04, an estimated 10.8% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Ohio has been a leading manufacturing state since the mid-l800s. During the last two decades of the 20th century, Ohio became the nation’s leader in machine-tool manufacturing, the second-leading steel producer, and a pioneer in oil refining and the production of automobiles and automotive parts, such as rubber tires. In recent decades, the state has become important as a manufacturer of glassware, soap, matches, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio

paint, business machines, refrigerators—and even comic books and Chinese food products. In 2004, the value of manufacturing shipments was estimated at $258.79 billion.

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Labor

In April 2006, the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in Ohio numbered 5,927,300, with approximately 326,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.5%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. As of April 2006, 4.3% of the labor force was employed in construction; 14.8% in manufacturing; 19.1% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.7% in financial activities; 11.9% in professional and business services; 14.1% in education and health services; 9.3% in leisure and hospitality services; and 14.5% in government. The first workers’ organization in Ohio was formed by Dayton mechanics in 1811. The Ohio Federation of Labor was founded in 1884. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was founded in Columbus in 1886. It was not until the 1930s that labor unions in Ohio were formed on a large scale. In 1934, the United Rubber Workers began to organize workers in Akron. In 1937, the United Steelworkers went on strike at seven steel plants in the Youngstown area and won the right to bargain collectively for 50,000 steelworkers. In 2005, some 804,000 of Ohio’s 5,039,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 16% of those so employed. The national average was 12%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

21

Agriculture

Despite increasing urbanization and industrialization, agriculture retains its economic importance. Ohio ranked 17th in net farm income among the 50 states in 2005. In that year, the state’s production of crops, dairy products, and livestock was valued at nearly $5.17 billion. The number of farms in 2004 was 77,300. The average farm size was 189 acres (76 hectares). Grain is grown and cattle and hogs are raised on large farms in the north-central and western parts of the state, while smaller farms predominate in the hilly southeastern region. Truck farming has continued to expand near the large cities. Ohio was the third-leading producer of tomatoes for processing in 2004, with a total of 177,320 tons. Field crops in 2004 included corn for grain, soybeans, wheat, and oats. The most valuable crops were soybeans and corn, which accounted for 41% of Ohio’s farm receipts in 2004. Ohio farmers also produced 3,232,000 tons of hay and 34,000 tons of sugar beets in 2004.

22


Cattle and hogs are raised in the central and western regions. In 2005, Ohio had 1.3 million cattle and calves, worth over $1.2 billion. In 2004, Ohio farmers had 1.5 million hogs and pigs, valued at $159.5 million. During 2003, Ohio farmers produced nearly 12.9 million pounds (5.8 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs. Dairying is common in most regions of the state, but especially in the east and southeast. In 2003, Ohio’s 260,000 milk cows produced 4.5 billion pounds (2 billion kilograms) of milk. 165

Ohio

The poultry industry is dispersed throughout the state. Ohio ranked second among the states in production of eggs with 7.6 billion eggs in 2003. Poultry farmers in Ohio also produced 212.3 million pounds (96.5 million kilograms) of turkey and sold 225.5 million pounds (102.3 million kilograms) of broilers in 2003.

there were about 690,000 acres (279,000 hectares) of federal, state, county, and municipal forestland in Ohio.

25

Mining

Commercial fishing, which once flourished in Lake Erie, has declined during the 20th century. In 2004, commercial fish landings brought about 3.9 million pounds (1.8 million kilograms) valued at $2.9 million. The primary Lake Erie fish species are walleye, perch, lake trout, and small mouth bass. In 2001, the commercial fleet had 31 vessels and 19 boats. A statewide fish hatchery system (of six locations) annually produces and stocks up to 30 million fry and yearling size fish—mostly walleye, saugeye, trout, catfish, bass, sunfish, muskellunge, and pike. In 2004, the state issued 917,902 sport fishing licenses.

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Ohio in 2003 was $968 million. Crushed stone and construction sand and gravel were the leading mineral commodities. According to preliminary figures, the combined production of these two commodities accounted for about 57% of the state’s nonfuel value. In 2003, Ohio ranked third in fire clays, fourth in salt and lime, fifth in construction sand and gravel and common clays, and tenth in industrial sand and gravel. In 2003, 68.8 million tons of crushed stone were produced, with a value of $310 million, while construction sand and gravel production totaled 47 million tons and was valued at $242 million. Lime production was 1.7 million metric tons, worth $110 million. Overall, Ohio ranked 15th in the United States in the value of nonfuel mineral production in 2003.

24

26

23

Fishing

Forestry

In 2003, Ohio had 7,855,000 acres (3,179,000 hectares) of forestland, representing 30% of the state’s total land area, but only 1% of all US forests. Although scattered throughout the state, hardwood forests are concentrated in the hilly region of the southeast. Commercial timberlands in 2002 totaled 7,568,000 acres (3,063,000 hectares), of which over 90% was privately owned. The state’s lumber and wood products industry supplies building materials, household furniture, and paper products. In 2004, total lumber production was 379 million board feet. In 2002 166

Energy and Power

Ohio has abundant energy resources. The state government estimates that Ohio’s coal reserves are sufficient to meet demand for 500 years and that oil and natural gas reserves are also ample. In 2003, installed electric power capacity (utility and nonutility) was 34 million kilowatts and electrical output totaled 146.6 billion kilowatt hours. With energy consumption of 353 million Btu per capita (89 million kilocalories), Ohio ranked 23rd among the 50 states in 2000. In 2004, the state produced 16,000 barrels per day of crude petroleum. Proven reserves were Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio

estimated at approximately 49 million barrels in 2004. About 93.6 billion cubic feet (2.65 billion cubic meters) of natural gas were extracted in 2004, with reserves estimated at 974 billion cubic feet (27.66 billion cubic meters). In 2004, there were 33,828 producing gas wells. Coalfields lie beneath southeastern Ohio, particularly in Hocking, Athens, and Perry counties. In 2004, Ohio’s coal production was 23.2 million tons. Reserves were estimated at 318 million tons as of 2004. A potential energy source is the rich bed of shale rock, underlying more than half of Ohio, which was estimated to contain more than 200 trillion cubic feet (5.7 trillion cubic meters) of natural gas, but much research is needed before the gas could be extracted economically. As of 2006, Ohio had two operating nuclear facilities: the Perry plant in Lake County and Davis-Besse plant in Ottawa County.

27

Commerce

Wholesale sales totaled $166.4 billion for 2002; retail sales were $119.7 billion. Ohio ranked seventh in the United States as an exporter of goods originating within the state, at $34 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The state budget is prepared on a biennial basis by the Office of Budget and Management. It is submitted by the governor to the state legislature. The general assembly has nearly total authority in allocating general revenues. The fiscal year is from July 1 to June 30. The state revenues for the fiscal year 2004 were $76.4 billion, the fourth highest of all the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

states. Expenditures were $58.8 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($17 billion), public welfare ($13.5 billion), and highways ($3 billion). Ohio had an outstanding debt of $22.2 billion, or $1,937.41 per person.

29

Taxation

For 2002, the personal income tax rates ranged from 0.743% to 7.5%. The corporate income tax rate ranges from 5.1% to 8.5%. The state sales and use tax is 6%. Groceries and prescriptions drugs are exempt. A number of personal services (like dry cleaning and hair cutting), previously untaxed, were added to the sales tax base as of August 2003. Taxes on telecommunications services went into effect 1 January 2004. Ohio’s cities, counties, villages, and school districts can impose sales taxes, and local taxes add 0.25% to 2% to the state rate. The state also collects excise taxes on motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, public utilities, alcoholic beverages, and pari-mutuels. The state also imposes taxes on estates at rates of 3% to 7%. Other state taxes include a resources severance tax and various license fees. The state collected $24 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 39.3% came from individual income taxes, 34.1% came from the general sales tax, 12.3% from selective sales taxes, 5.5% from corporate income taxes, 0.2% from property taxes, and 8.6% from other taxes. In 2003, Ohio ranked 27th among the states in terms of combined state and local tax burden; the per capita tax burden was $2,094, compared with a national average of $2,192. 167

Ohio

30

Health

As of October 2005, the infant death rate was 8.2 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate stood at 9.5 per 1,000. Ohio ranks above the national rate in deaths due to heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, and cancer, but below the US average for deaths caused by accidents and suicide. The HIV mortality rate was 2.1 per 100,000. A total of 11,958 AIDS cases had been reported in Ohio through 2001. Among adults ages 18 and older, 25.8% were smokers in 2004, fifth highest in the country. Ohio’s 163 community hospitals had about 33,000 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,504 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, 12% of Ohio’s residents were uninsured. In 2004, Ohio had 289 doctors per 100,000 residents, and 930 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005. In 2004, there was a total of 5,981 dentists in the state.

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Housing

In 2002, Ohio had an estimated 4,875,496 housing units, 4,447,307 of which were occupied; 69.3% were owner-occupied. About 67.2% of all units were single-family, detached homes. About 24% of the housing units were built in 1939 or earlier; 44.6% were built between 1950 and 1979. In 2002, it was estimated that 145,923 units lacked telephone service, 18,220 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 21,856 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Utility gas was the most common energy source for heating. About 585 units were equipped for solar energy. The average household size was 2.5 people. In 2002, 51,246 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median 168

home value was $113,072. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,028. Renters paid a median of $557 per month.

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Education

In 2004, 88.1% of Ohio residents age 25 and older were high school graduates and 24.6% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Ohio claims a number of “firsts” in US education. The first kindergarten was established by German settlers in Columbus in 1838. The first junior high school was established in Columbus in 1909. The first municipal university, the University of Cincinnati, was founded in 1870. The first college to grant degrees to women was Oberlin. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 1,838,000 in fall 2002 and is expected to drop to 1,752,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $19.2 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 239,323. As of fall 2002, there were 587,996 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Ohio had 187 degree-granting institutions. There are 12 state universities, including Ohio State University (Columbus), Ohio University (Athens), Miami University (Oxford), and other state universities at Akron, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Kent, Toledo, Wilberforce, and Youngstown. The largest, Ohio State, was chartered in 1870 and also has campuses at Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Newark, and Wooster. Ohio has 36 public two-year colleges. Well-known private colleges and universities include Antioch (Yellow Springs), Case Western Reserve (Cleveland), Kenyon (Gambier), Muskingum (New Concord), Oberlin, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio

Wittenberg (Springfield), and Wooster. The conservatories at both Oberlin and the Cleveland Institute of Music have national reputations.

33

Arts

The state’s first art gallery was established in Cincinnati 1854. The Cincinnati Art Academy was founded in 1869 and the Art Museum in 1886. Famous American artists who worked in Cincinnati during part of their careers include Thomas Cole, a founder of the “Hudson River School” of landscape painting, and Columbusborn George Bellows, whose realistic Stag at Sharkey’s is displayed at the Cleveland Museum of Art (founded in 1913). Other notable centers for the visual arts include the Akron Art Institute, Columbus Museum of Art, Dayton Art Institute, Toledo Museum of Art, and museums or galleries in Marion, Oberlin, Springfield, Youngstown, and Zanesville. Cincinnati was also an early center for the theater. The Eagle Theater opened there in 1839 and the first showboat on the Ohio River began making regular stops at the city about the same time. The first US minstrel show appeared in Ohio in 1842. Ohio has three professional theatrical companies: the Cincinnati Playhouse, the Cleveland Play House (the nation’s oldest permanent repertory theater), and the Great Lakes Theatre Festival. The Ohio Community Theater Association included groups in Akron, Canton, Columbus, Mansfield, Toledo, and Youngstown. The Cincinnati Symphony was founded in 1895 and reorganized in 1909 with Leopold Stokowski as conductor. The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra acquired a new summer home in 1984 at the newly opened Riverbend Music Center. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The Cincinnati Opera Association, founded in 1920, is the second-oldest opera company in the United States. Cincinnati is also the host of the annual Cincinnati May Festival, a classical music event that is considered to be the oldest continuous choral festival in the Western Hemisphere. The Cleveland Orchestra, founded in 1918 and based in Severance Hall, has risen to worldclass stature since 1946, when George Szell began his 24-year tenure as conductor and music director. Blossom Music Center, the Cleveland Orchestra’s summer home located between Cleveland and Akron, has been a center for both classical and popular music in Northeast Ohio since opening in 1968. Smaller professional musical groups in Cleveland include Apollo’s Fire (the Cleveland Baroque Orchestra), the Cleveland Chamber Orchestra, and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra. The Cleveland Opera finds its home at the State Theatre and the Lyric Opera Cleveland is a resident of Playhouse Square, the nation’s largest performing arts center outside of New York. There are civic symphony orchestras in Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, and Youngstown. Ballet companies are based in Cincinnati, Dayton, and Toledo. E. J. Thomas Hall in Akron is the home of the Ohio Ballet and the Akron Symphony. Operas are performed by resident companies in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, and Dayton. There are numerous local arts festivals and craft shows. The nation’s first college music department was established at Oberlin College in 1865. The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music was established in 1867, the Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory in 1899, and the Cleveland Institute of Music in 1920. The Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival, begun in 1932, is the oldest col169

Ohio

The Cleveland Museum of Art. CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU OF GREATER CLEVELAND.

legiate Bach festival in the country. BaldwinWallace is also home to the Riemenschneider Bach Institute. The Cleveland International Piano Competition, held biennially at the Cleveland Institute of Music since 1975, has become one of the foremost events of its type, drawing contestants from 19 countries throughout the world in 2005. The Ohio Arts Council oversees programs with the help of state and federal funding. The Ohio Humanities Council presents a number of historical and literary programs, including Booked for the Day: Literary Retreats for Working Professionals. The state has over 170

2,000 arts associations and about 100 local arts groups.

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In 2001, Ohio had 250 public library systems, with a total of 716 libraries, of which 482 were branches. For the same year, the state’s public library system had 47 million volumes and a circulation of 156.5 million. Major public library systems include those of Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, and Columbus. Columbus also has the library of the Ohio Historical Society. Leading academic libraries include those of Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve University, and the University of Cincinnati. The State Library of Ohio in Columbus, founded in 1817, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum. CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU OF GREATER CLEVELAND.

provides research and information services for Ohio’s state government and agencies Among more than 284 museums are the Museum of Art, the Natural History Museum, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the Great Lakes Science Center, and the Western Reserve Historical Society Museum, all in Cleveland. Cincinnati also has a Museum of Natural History, Art Museum, and the Taft Museum in Cincinnati. The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) and Ohio Historical Center are in Columbus. Also noteworthy are the US Air Force Museum near Dayton, the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum at Wapakoneta, and the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio River Museum in Marietta. Cleveland has a botanical garden and a zoo featuring a large rainforest complex. The National First Ladies’ Library in Canton features the artwork and artifacts of First Lady Caroline Harrison. Historical sites in Ohio include the Schoenbrunn Village State Memorial, a reconstruction of the state’s first settlement by Moravian missionaries, near New Philadelphia, and the Fort Meigs reconstruction at Perrysburg. Archaeological sites include the “great circle” mounds, built by the Hopewell Indians at present-day Newark, and Inscription Rock, marked by prehistoric Indians, on Kelly’s Island. 171

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35

Communications

In 2004, some 94.9% of Ohio’s occupied housing units had telephones. By June of that year, there were 6,188,081 mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 58.8% of Ohio households had a computer, and 52.2% had Internet access. In 2005 there were 46 major AM stations, 159 major FM stations, and 31 commercial and 11 noncommercial television stations.

36

Press

The oldest newspaper in the state still published under its original name is the Scioto Gazette, which appeared in 1800. Two of the state’s most influential newspapers, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) and the Cincinnati Enquirer, were founded in 1841. In 2005, there were 30 morning daily newspapers, 54 daily evening papers, and 41 Sunday editions. With a total of 84 daily newspapers, Ohio has the third-largest number of daily papers in the country (following California and Texas). Leading Ohio newspapers with their daily circulation in 2005 were The Plain Dealer in Cleveland (354,309), the Columbus Dispatch (251,045), the Cincinnati Enquirer (183,051), the Akron Beacon Journal (173,975), the Toledo Blade (139,398), and the Dayton Daily News (139,398). Sun Newspapers, a weekly newspaper that produces 25 regional editions to serve 82 communities in the greater Cleveland and Akron areas, had a weekly circulation of about 270,000. It is the largest chain of fully paid weekly newspapers in the United States. Crain’s Cleveland Business has reported a readership of about 90,000 per week. Regional interest periodicals include Cleveland 172

Magazine, Cincinnati Magazine, Ohio Magazine, and Northern Ohio Live.

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Ohio visitors spend more than $30.7 billion annually on travel and tourism and the industry supports nearly 529,100 travel-related positions. Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati all offer major attractions of museums, restaurants, shopping, parks, and concerts. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Great Lakes Science Center, both in Cleveland, are major attractions. The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus is also a popular spot. The NFL Hall of Fame is located in Canton. Popular amusement parks include Cedar Point in Sandusky, King’s Island in Cincinnati, and Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in Aurora. Beaches and parks in the Lake Erie region are especially popular with tourists during the summer, including the Mentor Headlands State Park. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is also a popular attraction, linking the urban centers of Cleveland and Akron. The Cleveland Metroparks system creates an “Emerald Necklace” around the greater Cleveland area. Ohio state parks comprise 204,274 acres (84,000 hectares). Among the most visited state parks are East Harbor and Kelleys Island (both on Lake Erie), Mohican, Scioto Trail, and West Branch. The eastern Allegheny region has several ski resorts for winter sports enthusiasts. Popular tourist attractions here include the Amish settlement around Millersburg, the National Road-Zane Grey Museum near Zanesville, and the restored Roscoe Village on the Ohio-Erie Canal. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio

In the western region, tourist sites include the Wright brothers’ early flying machines in Dayton’s Carillon Park. The central region is “Johnny Appleseed” country. The folk hero (a frontiersman whose real name was John Chapman) is commemorated in Mansfield by a blockhouse museum. Other leading tourist attractions include Ohio’s presidential memorials and homes: the William Henry Harrison Memorial at North Bend, Ulysses S. Grant’s birthplace at Point Pleasant, the James A. Garfield home at Mentor, the Rutherford B. Hayes home at Fremont, the William McKinley Memorial at Canton, the Taft National Historic Site in Cincinnati, and the Warren G. Harding home in Marion. Also of interest are the Thomas A. Edison birthplace at Milan, and Malabar Farm, in Richland County, home of author and conservationist Louis Bromfield.

38

Sports

There are six major league professional sports teams in Ohio: the Cleveland Indians and the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball, the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League, the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association, and the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. The state is also home to AAA minor league baseball teams in Columbus and Toledo, and an AA team in Akron. A new class A affiliate of the Indians, the Lake County Captains, began play in 2003. The state also fields a team in the Midwest League and the New York Penn League. A professional indoor soccer team, the Force, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

makes its home in Cleveland. The club was formerly known as the Crunch. In addition, there is minor league hockey in Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo. Akron has been the headquarters for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) since its founding in 1958. The PBA’s top tournament is played there each year and the PBA Hall of Fame is also located in Akron. Major horse racing tracks include Cleveland’s Thistledown, Cincinnati’s River Downs, Columbus’s Scioto Downs, and other tracks at Toledo, Lebanon, Grove City, and Northfield. The Cleveland Gold Cup race is held annually at Thistledown, as is the Ohio Derby. The Little Brown Jug classic for three-year-old pacers takes place every year at the Delaware Fairgrounds and the Ohio State race for two-year-old trotters is held during the state fair at Columbus. Several new sports facilities have been constructed, including the new Cleveland Browns Stadium in 1999, Jacobs Field in 1994 (home of the Indians), Columbus Crew Stadium. The Great American Ballpark, home of the the Cincinnati Reds, opened in 2003. In collegiate sports, the Ohio State University Buckeyes have long been a football power, winning over 25 Big Ten titles and six Rose Bowls. The Buckeyes were named national champions in 2003. Ohio State also has won NCAA championships in baseball, basketball, fencing, golf, gymnastics, and swimming, while Cincinnati and Dayton universities have had highly successful basketball teams. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, where the sport was first organized professionally in 1920. Other annual sporting events include the grand tournament of the American Trapshooting Association in Vandalia, the Grand Prix or 173

Ohio

At age four comedian Bob Hope moved with his family from England and settled in Cleveland, Ohio. A star of stage and screen, Hope is perhaps best known for the shows he organized to entertain American GIs fighting overseas. He is seen here in a US War Department photo with the men of X Corps as members of his troupe entertain at Wonsan, Korea, on October 26, 1950. NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

Cleveland Indy car race, and the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, a nationally covered event in which 9- to 15-year-olds compete.

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Famous Ohioans

Ohio has been the native state of seven US presidents and the residence of another. Inventions 174

by Ohioans include the incandescent light, the arc light, and the airplane. William Henry Harrison (b.Virginia, 1773– 1841), the ninth US president, died of pneumonia exactly one month after his presidential inauguration. From 1869 to 1881, the White House was occupied by three Ohioans, all Republicans who had served with distinction as Union Army Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ohio

William McKinley, 25th president, was born in Niles, Ohio, the seventh in a family of nine children. During his presidency, the United States fought the SpanishAmerican War, winning control from Spain over Cuba and the Philippines. In 1901, six months after his second inauguration, he was assassinated. EPD PHOTOS.

generals. The first, Ulysses Simpson Grant (1822–1885), became the nation’s hero after victories at Shiloh and Vicksburg and then became the 18th US president, elected in 1868 and reelected in 1872. Rutherford B. Hayes (1822–1893), the 19th US president, defeated New York’s Governor Samuel J. Tilden in a close and disputed election. James A. Garfield (1831–1881), 20th US president, held office only a few months before being Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

assassinated. Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901), 23d US president, moved toward annexation of Hawaii and enlarged the civil-service system. US presidents in the 20th century include three more native Ohioans. William McKinley (1843–1901), elected in 1896 as the 25th president, established the gold standard and maintained tariff protection for US manufactures. Early in his second term, he was shot to death by a young anarchist. William Howard Taft (1857–1930), the 27th US president, gained a national reputation in 1904 as President Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary of war. Five years later, he succeeded Roosevelt in the White House. In 1921, under President Warren G. Harding (1865–1923), Taft became US chief justice. Harding, the last Ohioan to win the White House, became the 29th US president. Harding died in office amidst corruption in his own cabinet. Nobel Prize winners from Ohio include Charles G. Dawes (1865–1951) and physicists Arthur Compton (1892–1962) and Donald Glaser (b.1926). Notable Pulitzer Prize winners include novelist Louis Bromfield (1896– 1956) and historian and biographer Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. (1917–2007). Toni Morrison (b.Lorain, 1931) won the Pulitzer Prize for literature in 1988 and the Nobel Prize for literature in 1993. Rita Dove (b.1952), poet laureate of the United States from 1993 to 1995, was the first African American to receive that designation. Among Ohio-born inventor-scientists, Thomas A. Edison (1847–1931) produced the incandescent lamp, the phonograph, and the movie camera. Charles Brush (1849–1929) invented the arc light. The Wright brothers, Orville (1871–1948) and Wilbur (b.Indiana, 175

Ohio

1867–1912), made the first flight in a powered aircraft. Notable Ohioans in the entertainment field are movie actor Clark Gable (1901–1960); movie director Steven Spielberg (b.1947); comedian Bob Hope (Leslie Townes Hope, b.England, 1903–2003); actor Paul Newman (b.1925); jazz pianist Art Tatum (1910–1956); and composer Henry Mancini (1924–1994). Leading sports figures from Ohio are baseball pitcher Cy Young (1867–1955), baseball star Peter “Pete” Rose (b.1941), track star Jesse Owens (b.Alabama, 1912–1980), and golfer Jack Nicklaus (b.1940). Astronauts from Ohio include John Glenn (b.1921), the first American to orbit the earth, who served as a US senator from Ohio from 1974 until 1998; Neil Armstrong (b.1930), the first man to walk on the moon; and James Lovell (b.1928).

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Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Deady, Kathleen W. Ohio. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Heinrichs, Ann. Ohio. New York: Children’s Press, 1999. McAuliffe. Ohio Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Murray, Julie. Ohio. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism. Ohio. So Much to Discover! consumer.discoverohio.com (accessed March 1, 2007). Ohio Government Information and Services. Welcome to the State of Ohio. Official government web site. ohio.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).


Oklahoma State of Oklahoma

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Derived from the

Choctaw Indian words okla humma, meaning “land of the red people.” N I CKNAME : The Sooner State. C AP ITAL: Oklahoma City. ENT ERED UNION: 16 November 1907 (46th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Each point of a five-pointed star incorporates the emblem of a Native American nation: (clockwise from top) Chickasaw, Choctaw, Seminole, Creek, and Cherokee. In the center, a frontiersman and Native American shake hands before the goddess of justice; behind them are symbols of progress, including a farm, train, and mill. Surrounding the large star are 45 small ones and the words “Great Seal of the State of Oklahoma 1907.” FLAG: On a blue field, a peace pipe and an olive branch cross an Osage warrior’s shield, which is decorated with small crosses and from which seven eagle feathers descend. The word “Oklahoma” appears below. M OT TO: Labor omnia vincit (Labor conquers all things). SONG: “Oklahoma!” FLOWER: Mistletoe. TREE: Redbud. A NIMAL: American buffalo (bison). B IRD: Scissor-tailed flycatcher. FISH: White bass (sand bass). R EPT ILE: Collared lizard (mountain boomer). R OCK OR STONE: Barite rose (rose rock). G RASS: Indian grass. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Confederate Memorial Day, May 10; National Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November and the following day; Christmas Day, 25 December and the day following. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the western south-central United States, Oklahoma ranks 18th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Oklahoma is 69,956 square miles (181,186 square kilometers), of which land takes up 68,655 square miles (177,817 square kilometers) and inland water 1,301 square miles (3,369 square kilometers). 177

Oklahoma

Oklahoma extends 464 miles (747 kilometers) from east to west including the panhandle in the northwest, which is about 165 miles (266 kilometers) long. The maximum north–south extension is 230 miles (370 kilometers). The total estimated boundary length of Oklahoma is 1,581 miles (2,544 kilometers).

2

Topography

The land of Oklahoma rises gently to the west from an altitude of 289 feet (88 meters) at Little River in the southeastern corner to a height of 4,973 feet (1,517 meters) at Black Mesa, on the tip of the panhandle. Four mountain ranges cross this Great Plains state: the Boston Mountains (part of the Ozark Plateau) in the northeast, the Quachitas in the southeast, the Arbuckles in the south-central region, and the Wichitas in the southwest. Much of the northwest belongs to the High Plains, while northeastern Oklahoma is mainly a region of buttes and valleys. Major rivers are the Arkansas River and the Red River. There are few natural lakes but many artificial ones, of which the largest is Lake Eufaula, covering 102,500 acres (41,500 hectares).

3

Climate

Oklahoma has a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. Normal daily mean temperatures in Oklahoma City range from 37°f (2°c) in January to 82°f (27°c) in July. The record low temperature of -27°f (-33°c) was set at Watts on 18 January 1930. The record high, 120°f (49°c), occurred at Tipton on 27 June 1994. 178

Oklahoma Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

3,579,212 3.7% 6.6% 94.3% 75.4% 7.1% 7.4% 1.6% 0.1% 2.7% 5.7%


65 and over (13%)

Under 18 (25%)

45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City Oklahoma Tulsa Norman Lawton Broken Arrow Edmond Midwest Moore Enid Stillwater

Population

% change 2000–05

531,324 382,457 101,719 90,234 86,228 74,881 54,890 47,697 46,416 40,906

5.0 -2.7 6.3 -2.7 15.2 9.6 1.5 15.9 -1.3 4.7



40


25

25

50 miles

50 kilometers

N

JACKSON

Quartz Mtn. State Park

GREER KIOWA

Red

TILLMAN

Great Plains St. Park

R.

TEXAS

COTTON

GARFIELD

GRANT

LOGAN

LINCOLN

LOVE

Shawnee

JOHNSTON

MARSHALL

40

Lake Texoma

BRYAN

Tishomingo N.W.R.

COAL

HUGHES

OKFUSKEE

44

CREEK

Chickasaw Nat’l Rec. Area

MURRAY

PONTOTOC

POTTAWATOMIE

35

CLEVELAND

Norman

Moore

Midwest City

Osage Indian Reservation

OSAGE

SEMINOLE

Stillwater

PAYNE

PAWNEE

Kaw Lake

Oklahoma City

CARTER

GARVIN

NOBLE

Ponca City

OKLAHOMA

35

KAY

MC CLAIN

Edmond

Enid

JEFFERSON

STEPHENS

44

GRADY

CANADIAN

Chisholm Trail Museum

KINGFISHER

Fort Sill Lawton Military Res.

COMANCHE

.

Area of Interest

HARMON

R. hita Was


State Capital

dia Ft. Cobb State Park

R.


na

WASHITA

nR CADDO

ian

City (25,000-100,000 people)

ad

BECKHAM

an

40

BLAINE

Great Salt Plains National Wildlife Ref.

ALFALFA

C N.

Washita National Wildlife Ref.

CUSTER

MAJOR

Little Sahara St. Park

Ca

Black Kettle National Grassland

DEWEY

Boiling Springs St. Park

WOODWARD

Alabaster Carverns State Park

WOODS

R. .

ROGER MILLS

ELLIS

HARPER

A R

Point of Interest

Beaver State Park

as

Explanation

Optima National Wildlife Ref.

BEAVER

n ro ar m Ci ns

a rk

0

0

Rita Blanca Nat’l Grassland

TEXAS

OKLAHOMA

CIMARRON

NOWATA

R. Red

CHOCTAW

McGee Creek St. Park

ATOKA

Eufaula Lake

PITTSBURG

ADAIR

Clayton Lake State Park

Ouachita Nat’l Forest

Broken Bow Lake

MC CURTAIN

Ouachita Nat’l Forest

LE FLORE

Sequoyah N.W.R.

SEQUOYAH

PUSHMATAHA

Robbers Cave State Park

LATIMER

Arrowhead St. Park

HASKELL

MUSKOGEE

CHEROKEE

DELAWARE

OTTAWA

Ft. Gibson Lake

MAYES

ROGERS

CRAIG

Muskogee

MCINTOSH

Okmulgee State Park

OKMULGEE

Broken Arrow

Tulsa

TULSA

WAGONER

Bartlesville WASHINGTON

KANSAS

MISSOURI ARKANSAS

COLORADO

Oklahoma

179

NEW MEXICO

Oklahoma

Precipitation varies from an average of 15 inches (38 centimeters) annually in the panhandle to over 50 inches (127 centimeters) in the southeast. Snowfall averages 9 inches (23 centimeters) a year in Oklahoma City, which is also one of the windiest cities in the United States, with an average annual wind speed of 13 miles per hour (20 kilometers per hour). Tornados are common throughout the state.

4

Plants and Animals

Grasses grow in abundance in Oklahoma, the most common of which are bluestem, buffalo, sand lovegrass, and grama grasses. Deciduous hardwoods stand in eastern Oklahoma, and red and yellow cactus brighten the Black Mesa. In 2006, the western prairie fringed orchid was listed as a threatened plant species. There were no plant species listed as endangered that year. The white-tailed deer is found in all counties and Rio Grande wild turkeys are hunted across much of the state. Pronghorn antelope inhabit the panhandle area, and elk survive in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, where a few herds of American buffalo (bison) are also preserved. The bobwhite quail and prairie chicken are common game birds. Native sport fish include bass and catfish. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 18 endangered or threatened species of wildlife, including three species of bat (Ozark big-eared, Indiana, and gray), bald eagle, whooping crane, black-capped vireo, red-cockaded woodpecker, Eskimo curlew, and Neosho madtom. 180

5


The Oklahoma Department of Environment Quality has overall responsibility for coordinating all pollution control activities by other state agencies and for developing a comprehensive water quality management program for Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Conservation Commission is responsible for conservation of renewable natural resources through land use planning, small watershed upstream flood control, reclamation of abandoned mine land, water quality monitoring, and soil and water conservation, as well as environmental education and wetlands conservation. The Department of Wildlife Conservation manages wildlife resources and habitat specifically for hunters, anglers, and others who appreciate wildlife. The Department of Health is responsible for the monitoring of air quality standards; the enforcement of regulations covering control of industrial and solid waste; the enforcement of regulations covering radioactive materials at the Kerr-McGee processing facility at Gore and elsewhere; and the maintenance of standards at all public waterworks and sewer systems. The Water Resources Board has broad statutory authority to protect the state’s waters. Toxic industrial waste remains an environmental concern, and old mines in the Tar Creek area of northeastern Oklahoma still exude groundwater contaminated by zinc, iron, and cadmium. In 2003, Oklahoma had 165 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 10 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006; among these were Tar Creek in Ottawa County and Tinker Air Force Base. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,450,654 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,294,669 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149,975 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10,116 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104,230 White and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7,128 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 822 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13,690 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . .7,566 Black or African American and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 813 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Black or African American and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,485 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 683 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . 174 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,411 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 972 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6,010

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 95.5 . . . . . . . 4.3 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 3.0 . . . . . . . 0.2 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.4 . . . . . . . 0.2 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . . 0.2


In 2003, the state had about 890,000 acres of wetlands—about 2% of the land.

Tulsa, the second largest city, had an estimated population of 382,457, and Norman, 101,719.

6

7

Population

In 2005, Oklahoma ranked 28th in the Untied States in population with an estimated total of 3,547,884 residents. The population is projected to reach 3.8 million by 2025. In 2004, Oklahoma had a population density of 51.3 persons per square mile (19.8 persons per square kilometer). In 2005, about 13% of all residents were 65 or older and 25% were 18 or younger. The largest city is Oklahoma City, which had an estimated 531,324 inhabitants in 2005. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Ethnic Groups

Oklahoma has the second-largest Native American population of all the 50 states. According to the 2000 census, an estimated 273,230 Native Americans lived in Oklahoma, including those of the Creek, Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw tribes. Also in 2000, the black American population was 260,968 people. Hispanics and Latinos numbered 179,304, including 132,813 Mexicans. The Asian population numbered 46,767 and there were 2,372 Pacific Islanders. 181

Oklahoma

In 2000, 131,747 residents, less than 4% of the population, were foreign born. Persons claiming at least one specific ancestry group were English, 291,553; German, 435,245; and Irish, 354,802.

8

Languages

Oklahoma English is diverse, with an uneven blending of features of North Midland, South Midland, and Southern dialects. In 2000, 92.6% of the resident population five years or older spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home and the number of people who spoke them included Spanish, 141,060; various Native American languages, 18,871; and German, 13,445.

9

Religions

Evangelical Protestant groups have always dominated in Oklahoma. They were influential in keeping the state “dry”—banning the sale of all alcoholic beverages—until 1959 and resisted legalization of public drinking until 1985. The leading Protestant group in 2000 was the Southern Baptist Convention with 967,223 adherents. Other leading Evangelical Protestant denominations were the Assemblies of God, with 88,301 adherents; the Churches of Christ, 83,047; the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 53,729; and the Christian Churches, 42,708. Free Will Baptists, Nazarenes, Missouri Synod Lutherans, and those of various other Pentecostal traditions were also fairly well represented. The largest Mainline Protestant denominations were the United Methodist Church, with 253,375 adherents in 2004; and the Presbyterian Church USA, with 35,211 adherents in 2000. 182

In 2004, there were 169,045 Roman Catholics, and in 2000 there were 6,145 Muslims and about 5,050 Jews throughout the state. About 39.2% of the population did not claim any religious affiliation. Oral Roberts, a popular minister, has established a college and faith-healing hospital in Tulsa and his Tower of Faith broadcasts by radio and television have made him a well known preacher throughout the United States.

10

Transportation

In 2003, there were 3,853 rail miles (6,203 kilometers) of track. As of that year, there were three Class I railroads operating in Oklahoma: the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, the Union Pacific, and the Kansas City Southern. As of 2006, Amtrak provided passenger service to five stations in Oklahoma via its Oklahoma City to Fort Worth Heartland Flyer train. Intercity transit needs, formerly served by streetcars, are now supplied by buses. The main east–west highways are I-44, connecting Tulsa and Oklahoma City, and I-40. The major north–south route is I-35, which links Oklahoma City with Topeka, Kansas and the Dallas-Ft. Worth area in Texas. Overall in 2004, Oklahoma had 112,713 miles (181,467 kilometer) of roadway. A total of some 3,156,000 motor vehicles were registered in 2004, including 1,622,000 automobiles and 1,448,000 trucks. There were 2,369,621 licensed drivers. The opening of the McClellan–Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System in 1971 linked Oklahoma with the Mississippi River and to Gulf coast ports. Tulsa, Port of Catoosa, is the chief port on the system. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oklahoma

Oklahoma had 346 airports, 91 heliports, 1 STOLport (Short Take-Off and Landing), and 1 seaplane base in 2005. Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and Tulsa International Airport are the state’s largest airports.

11

History

At the time the Spanish conquistadores, led by Hernando de Soto and Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, arrived in Oklahoma in the 16th century, only a few scattered Native American tribes inhabited the region. Two centuries later, French trappers moved up the rivers of Oklahoma. Except for the panhandle, all of present-day Oklahoma became part of US territory with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Under the Indian Removal Act of 1830, many Native American tribes from the southeastern United States were ordered to resettle in Oklahoma in what was then known as Indian Territory. The Cherokees, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole prospered in the new land, which offered rich soil and abundant vegetation. Military posts such as Fort Gibson and Fort Towson were established between 1824 and the 1880s, with settlements growing up around them. During the early Civil War period, Native Americans allied with the Confederacy. After Union troops captured Fort Gibson in 1863, the Union Army controlled half their lands. Congress opened western Oklahoma—formerly reserved for the Cherokee, Cheyenne, Fox, and other tribes—to homesteaders in 1889. The western region became Oklahoma Territory in 1890, while most of eastern Oklahoma remained under Native American control. Oklahoma became the 46th state on 16 November 1907 after a vote of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the residents of both territories. Oklahoma City was named the state capital in 1910. State Development Oil wells were producing more than 40 million barrels annually when Oklahoma entered the Union, and the state led all others in oil production until 1928. The decade of the 1920s was a period of racial unrest in Oklahoma, as close to 100,000 Oklahomans belonged to the Ku Klux Klan 1921. The 1930s brought a destructive drought, dust storms, and an exodus of unemployed “Okies,” many of them to California.

Under post-World War II governors Roy Turner, Johnston Murray, and Raymond Gary, tax reductions attracted industry, major highways were built, and Oklahoma’s higher educational facilities were integrated. Oil and gas again brought increased wealth to the state in the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s, as state revenues from oil and gas increased from $72 million in 1972 to $745 million in 1982. In 1983, the oil boom suddenly ended, as oil prices fell in the face of a growing worldwide oil glut. The failure of 24 banks and mounting distress among the state’s farmers added to Oklahoma’s financial woes. Those industries with a national rather than a regional base, however, such as transportation, food processing, and light manufacturing, continued to prosper. On 19 April 1995, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed, killing 168 people. It was considered the most serious act of terrorism in the history of the United States until the events of 11 September 2001. A memorial to the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing was unveiled in April 2000. 183

Oklahoma

Visitors to the Oklahoma City National Memorial Walk pass rows of chairs representing the 168 people who died in the Oklahoma City bombing. AP IMAGES.

Education was a priority in 2000, when the legislature approved the largest teacher pay raise in the state’s history. In 2004, Oklahomans voted in favor of establishing a state lottery to fund education. Other priorities for the state in the 2000s included: providing access to affordable prescription drugs; retaining jobs for the state; funding healthcare initiatives; providing assistance to the troubled Tar Creek region; and expansion of pre-school programs.

12

State Government

The Oklahoma legislature consists of two chambers: a 48-member senate and a 101-member house of representatives. Senators hold office for four-year terms, while representatives serve twoyear terms. Elected executive officials include the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, 184

and state treasurer. Any member of either house may introduce legislation. A bill passed by the legislature becomes law if signed by the governor, if left unsigned by the governor for five days while the legislature is in session, or if passed over the governor’s veto by two-thirds of the elected members of each house (or three-fourths in the case of emergency bills). The legislative salary as of December 2004 was $38,400 and the governor’s salary was $110,298.

13

Political Parties

When Oklahoma was admitted to the Union in 1907, Democrats outnumbered Republicans, as they have ever since. Democrats have dominated the lesser state offices, but the Republicans won the governorship three times between 1962 and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oklahoma

1990. Also, the Republican presidential nominee outpolled his Democratic counterpart in 10 of 12 presidential elections between 1948 and 1992. In 2004, there were approximately 2,143,000 registered voters. In 1998, 57% of registered voters were Democratic, 35% Republican, and 8% unaffiliated or members of other parties. Oklahomans cast 60% of the popular vote for Republican George W. Bush in 2000 and 38% for Democrat Al Gore. In 2004, some 65.6% of the vote went to incumbent President Bush while 32.4% went to the challenger, Democrat John Kerry. Republican Tom Coburn won a seat in the US Senate in 2004. Republican Senator James M. Inhofe was reelected in 2002. Of the five-member delegation to the US House of Representatives, all but one are Republican. Democrat Brad Henry was reelected governor in 2006. Following the 2006 midterm elections, there were 45 Democrats and 56 Republicans in the state house, and 24 Democrats and 24 Republicans in the state senate. Twenty-two women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 14.8%.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, there were 77 counties, 590 incorporated cities and towns, and several hundred unincorporated areas with local governments. There were 544 public school districts and 560 special districts that year. County government consists of three commissioners elected by districts, as well as a county clerk, assessor, treasurer, and other officials. Any city of 2,000 or more people may vote to become a home-rule city, determining its own form of government. Cities electing not to adopt a home-rule charter operate under Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oklahoma Governors: 1907–2007 1907–1911 1911–1915 1915–1919 1919–1923 1923 1923–1927 1927–1929 1929–1931 1931–1935 1935–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947–1951 1951–1955 1955–1959 1959–1963 1963 1963–1967 1967–1971 1971–1975 1975–1979 1979–1987 1987–1991 1991–1995 1995–2002 2002–

Charles Nathaniel Haskell Democrat Lee Cruce Democrat Robert Lee Williams Democrat James Brooks Ayers RobertsonDemocrat John Calloway Walton Democrat Martin Edwin Trapp Democrat Henry Simpson Johnston Democrat William Judson Holloway Democrat William Henry David Murray Democrat Ernest Whitworth Marland Democrat Leon Chase Phillips Democrat Robert Samuel Kerr Democrat Roy Joseph Turner Democrat Johnston Murray Democrat Raymond Dancel Gary Democrat James Howard Edmondson Democrat George Patterson Nigh Democrat Henry Louis Bellmon Republican Dewey Follett Bartlett Republican David Hall Democrat David Lyle Boren Democrat George Patterson Nigh Democrat Henry Louis Bellmon Republican David Walters Democrat Frank Keating Republican Brad Henry

aldermanic, mayor-council, or council-manager systems.

15

Judicial System

The supreme court, the state’s highest court, consists of nine justices. The court’s appeals jurisdiction includes all civil cases except those which it assigns to the courts of appeals. The highest appeals court for criminal cases is the court of criminal appeals. District courts have original jurisdiction over legal matters and some review powers over administrative actions. Municipal courts hear cases arising from local ordinances. In 2004, the FBI reported a violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) of 500.5 reported incidents per 100,000 popula185

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

OKLAHOMA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN


tion. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/ theft, and motor vehicle theft) in 2004 totaled 4,242.1 reported incidents per 100,000 people. As of 31 December 2004, over 23,319 prisoners were under the jurisdiction of state and federal authorities. Oklahoma has a death penalty law; the method of execution is lethal injection. A total of 80 persons were executed between 1976 and 5 May 2006. As of 1 January 2006, 91 persons were under sentence of death.

16

Migration

Early immigrants to what is now Oklahoma included explorers, adventurers, and traders as well as Native American tribes forcibly removed from the East and Midwest. Coal brought miners from Italy to the McAlester and Krebs area in the 1870s and Poles migrated to Bartlesville to work 186

in the lead and zinc smelters. British and Irish coal miners came to Native American territories because they could earn higher wages there than in their native countries and Czechs and Slovaks arrived from Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Texas when railroad construction began. Mexicans also worked as railroad laborers, ranch hands, and coal miners before statehood. The oil boom of the early 20th century brought an influx of workers from the eastern and Midwestern industrial regions. Oklahoma lost population during the 1930s because of dust bowl and drought conditions and the trend toward out-migration continued after World War II. Migration patterns were reversed, however, after 1960. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had net gains of 48,000 in domestic migration and 26,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 36,546 and net domestic migration was -15,418, for a net gain of 21,128.

17

Economy

Primarily an agricultural state through the first half of the 20th century, Oklahoma diversified its economy after the 1950s. Manufacturing heads the list of growth areas, followed by wholesale and retail trade, services, finance, insurance, and real estate. Oil and gas extraction continues to play a major role. The oil industry boomed from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s. In 1985, however, the boom ended, and Oklahoma’s unemployment rate, which had averaged about 3% in the early 1980s, jumped to 9%. Since then, the economy has undergone a slow but steady recovery. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oklahoma

Manufacturing output fell in the early 2000s, however. The national recession of 2001 was offset by Oklahoma’s military installations. Fort Sill and Tinder Air Force Base are two of the state’s top five employers. Oklahoma’s economy was also helped by its oil and gas industries, as prices reached high levels in 2003. In 2004, Oklahoma’s gross state product (GSP) was $107.6 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for the largest share at $11.98 billion, or 11.1% of GSP. Manufacturing was followed by real estate, at $10.49 billion (9.7% of GSP), and healthcare and social assistance services at $7.52 billion (6.9% of GSP).

18

Income

In 2005, Oklahoma had a gross state product (GSP) of $121 billion, 29th highest among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Oklahoma ranked 40th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $27,840 (the national average was $33,050). The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $38,281 compared to the national average of $44,473. During the same period, an estimated 12.6% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Resource-related industries dominate the economy, but manufacturing has become increasingly diversified. The total value of shipments of manufactured goods in 2004 was more than $45.7 billion. Of that total, petroleum and coal products manufacturing accounted for the largest share at $8.9 billion, followed by transporJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

tation equipment manufacturing ($7.9 billion), machinery manufacturing ($5.4 billion), food manufacturing ($5.0 billion), and fabricated metal product manufacturing ($3.9 billion).

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Oklahoma numbered 1,757,900, with approximately 69,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.9%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. In April 2006, 4.4% of the labor force was employed in construction; 18.3% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.5% in financial activities; 11.3% in professional and business services; 12.1% in education and health services; 8.7% in leisure and hospitality services; and 20.5% in government. Data was unavailable for manufacturing. In 2005, 77,000 of Oklahoma’s 1,432,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 5.4% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

In 2005, total farm income estimated at $5.04 billion placed the state 18th in the country. As of 2004, Oklahoma had 83,500 farms and ranches covering 33,700,000 acres (13,640,000 hectares). The state ranked fifth in the United States for wheat production in 2004 and seventh for peanut production. Other 2004 crops included sorghum for grain, soybeans, corn for grain, and oats. Virtually all of Oklahoma’s wheat production is located in the western half of the state. Cotton is grown in the southwest corner. Sorghum-producing regions include the panhandle, central to 187

Oklahoma

The Golden Driller, a statue of an oil driller, stands outside the Tulsa Convention Center. © RICHARD CUMMINS/CORBIS.

southwestern Oklahoma, and the northeast corner of the state.

an estimated 1.31 billion pounds (0.59 billion kilograms) of milk in 2003.

22

23


In 2005, there were 5.4 million cattle and calves, worth $4.4 billion. During 2004, Oklahoma farmers had 2.4 million hogs and pigs, valued at $194.4 million. In 2003, the state produced around 4 million pounds (1.8 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs which brought in nearly $3.8 million in gross income. Also during 2003, poultry farmers produced 1.11 billion pounds (0.5 billion kilograms) of broilers valued at $379.1 million, and 933 million eggs valued at $72 million. Oklahoma’s 82,000 dairy cows produced 188

Fishing

Commercial fishing is of minor importance in Oklahoma. The prolific white bass (sand bass), Oklahoma’s state fish, is abundant in most large reservoirs. Smallmouth and spotted bass, bluegill, and channel catfish have won favor with fishermen. Rainbow trout are stocked year round in the Illinois River, and walleye and sauger are stocked in most reservoirs. The Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery produces primarily smallmouth bass for distribution to federal wildJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oklahoma

life areas in Oklahoma and Texas. In 2004, the state issued 668,924 sport fishing licenses.

24

Forestry

Oklahoma’s forests cover approximately 7,665,000 acres (3,102,000 hectares) or nearly 17% of the state’s land area. Approximately 65% of this is commercially productive forestland. These forests are about 95% privately owned. They are intensively utilized for lumber, plywood, paper, fuelwood, and other products. They also provide high quality drinking water for the state’s two largest cities, excellent wildlife habitat, substantial protection against soil erosion, and numerous recreational opportunities. Oklahoma’s forests play a vital role in the economy in the eastern half of the state. Much of the timber harvested in Oklahoma is shipped to processing plants in western Arkansas. There are several major wood processing plants in the southeastern corner of the state. Hardwood processing is scattered over the entire forested area in smaller sawmills.

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Oklahoma in 2003 was estimated at $479 million. Large deposits of limestone are found throughout northeastern Oklahoma, while gypsum is extracted in the northwest, the westcentral region, and the four most southwestern counties. Crushed stone was the state’s leading mineral commodity, accounting for about 40% of the total nonfuel mineral value. Cement (portland and masonry), construction sand and gravel, industrial sand and gravel, iodine, and gypsum are the next most important minerals. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oklahoma was the only state producing crude iodine. Approximately 2.41 million metric tons of gypsum were produced in 2003, worth $18.7 million. In 2003, Oklahoma ranked 28th in the United States in total nonfuel mineral value.

26

Energy and Power

Electric power production in Oklahoma in 2003 was 60.6 billion kilowatt hours, based on an installed capacity of 18.2 million kilowatts. Coal-fired steam units accounted for 60.5% of production, natural gas-fired units 36%, and hydroelectricity 3%. There were no nuclear power plants as of 2003. In 2000, Oklahoma’s total per capita energy consumption was 406 million Btu (102.3 million kilocalories), ranking it 12th among the 50 states. Oklahoma is rich in fossil fuel resources, producing oil, natural gas, and coal. Crude oil production was at 171,000 barrels per day in 2004. Proven reserves of crude oil were estimated at 570 million barrels in 2004. In 2004, Oklahoma’s natural gas output was 1.66 trillion cubic feet (47.23 billion cubic meters). There were proven natural gas reserves of 16.2 trillion cubic feet (461.2 billion cubic meters). Production of bituminous coal was at 1.79 million tons in 2004. Of eight coal mines in the state, all but one were surface mines. Recoverable reserves totaled 17 million tons in 2004.

27

Commerce

Oklahoma’s wholesale sales were over $30.7 billion for 2002; retail sales were $32.1 billion. Automotive dealers accounted for most retail sales ($9.4 billion), followed by general merchandise stores ($6.2 billion), gasoline stations ($3.7 189

Oklahoma

billion), and food and beverage stores ($3.3 billion). The value of foreign exports produced within Oklahoma in 2005 was $4.3 billion.

28

Public Finance

The Oklahoma budget is prepared by the director of state finance and submitted by the governor to the legislature each February. The Oklahoma constitution requires a balanced budget. The fiscal year is from 1 July to 30 June. The state revenues for 2004 were $17.5 billion and expenditures were $14.9 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($5.59 billion), public welfare ($3.53 billion), and highways ($1.05 billion). The total indebtedness of state government in Oklahoma was over $6.9 billion, or about $1,966.54 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

The state income tax for Oklahoma’s eightbracket schedule ranges from 0.5% to 6.25%. The corporate tax is 6%. The state levies a sales and use tax of 4.5% and many municipalities levy their own sales taxes; the highest of these is 6%. The typical city in Oklahoma has an 8% or 9% sales tax, but collections are reduced by competition from Native American reservations where there is little or no sales tax. The state also imposes a full array of excise taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, public utilities, alcoholic beverages, amusements, pari-mutuels, and other selected items. It is estimated, however, that about a third of all cigarettes sold in the state are bought in Native American territories where the state excises do not apply. 190

Property taxes are collected only at the local level and remain the principal source of revenue for local governments. Total state tax collections in Oklahoma in 2005 were $6.86 billion, of which 36% was generated by the state income tax, 24.2% by the state general sales taxes, 12.2% by selective sales taxes, 2.5% by the corporate income tax, and 25.1% by other taxes. In 2005, Oklahoma was ranked 34th highest rate in the country in terms of state and local tax burden, at $1,933 per capita (the national average was $2,192 per capita).

30

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality rate was 8.2 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was one of the highest in the nation at 10.2 per 1,000 inhabitants. The leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer, accidents, and cerebrovascular diseases. The HIV mortality rate was 2.6 per 100,000. Among adults ages 18 and older, 26% were smokers in 2004. Oklahoma’s 108 community hospitals had about 11,000 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,777 per inpatient day in 2003. Oklahoma had 205 doctors per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 695 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005. In 2004, approximately 20% of Oklahoma’s residents were uninsured, the third-highest rate for the uninsured in the nation, after Texas and New Mexico.

31

Housing

Native American tepees and the sod houses of settlers dotted the Oklahoma plains when the “eighty-niners” swarmed into the territory. Old neighborhoods in cities and towns of Oklahoma Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oklahoma

still retain some of the modest frame houses they built. Oklahomans continue to prefer singlefamily dwellings, despite a recent trend toward condominiums. Modern underground homes and solar-heated dwellings can be seen in the university towns of Norman and Stillwater. In 2004, there were an estimated 1,572,756 housing units, of which 1,360,032 were occupied; 68.2% were owner-occupied. About 72.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Utility gas and electricity were the most common energy sources for heating. It was estimated that 85,609 units lacked telephone service, 2,351 lacked, complete plumbing facilities, and 7,496 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.51 people. In 2004, 17,100 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $85,060. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $871, while renters paid a median of $525 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, 85.2% of all Oklahomans 25 years of age or older were high school graduates and 22.9% of adult state residents had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 625,000 in fall 2002 and is expected to be 626,000 by fall 2014. Education is the largest expenditure item in the state budget. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $4.4 billion. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 27,603. As of fall 2002, there were 198,423 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005 Oklahoma had 53 degree-granting institutions. Public higher education institutions Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

include 15 public four-year schools, 14 public two-year schools, and 17 nonprofit, private four-year schools. The comprehensive institutions, the University of Oklahoma (Norman) and Oklahoma State University (Stillwater), also offer major graduate-level programs. Well-known institutions include Oral Roberts University and the University of Tulsa.

33

Arts

Major arts centers are located in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, but there are many arts and crafts museums throughout the state. Oklahoma City’s leading cultural institution is the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. The Tulsa Philharmonic, Tulsa Ballet Theater, and Tulsa Opera all appear at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, a municipally owned and operated facility. There are five other ballet companies located in Oklahoma City, Bartlesville, Clinton, Lawton, and Norman. The intermingling of Native American, American West, and Euro-American art traditions infuses all aspects of Oklahoma culture. Native American contributions to the arts include achievements in art and sculpture, as well as the international acclaim accorded to ballerinas Maria and Marjorie Tallchief, Rosella Hightower, and Moscelyne Larkin. Bartlesville is home to a symphony orchestra, a show choir, a civic ballet, and a theater guild. It is also the host of the annual OK Mozart International Festival, established in 1985, which features the Solisti New York Orchestra and attracts world class guest artists. The State Arts Council of Oklahoma supports many programs with the help of state and federal funds. The Oklahoma Humanities Council was founded in 1971. 191

Oklahoma

34


As of 2001, Oklahoma had 115 public library systems, with a total of 210 libraries, of which 95 were branches. The public library system had 6.3 million volumes and a total circulation of 15.3 million. The Five Civilized Tribes Museum Library in Muskogee has a large collection of Native American documents and art. Cherokee archives are held at the Cherokee National Historical Society in Tahlequah. The Morris Swett Library at Ft. Sill has a special collection on military history, particularly field artillery. Oklahoma has 113 museums and historic sites. The Philbrook Art Center in Tulsa houses important collections of Native American, Renaissance, and Oriental art. Other museums of special interest include the Museum of the Great Plains in Lawton, the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center in Oklahoma City, and the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore. The Omniplex Science Museum in Oklahoma City is also popular.

35

Communications

In 2004, some 91% of Oklahoma’s occupied housing units had telephones. That year, there were 1,724,505 mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, 55.4% of Oklahoma households had a computer, and 48.4% had Internet access. In 2005, Oklahoma had 25 major AM and 64 major FM radio stations, and 19 major television channels. A total of 44,743 Internet domain names were registered in the state in 2000. 192

36

Press

In 2005, Oklahoma had 13 morning dailies, 29 evening dailies, and 34 Sunday newspapers. Leading dailies and their approximate circulation in 2005 were the Oklahoma City Oklahoman (250,496) and Tulsa World (158,965). As of 2005, there were 143 newspapers that appeared weekly or up to three times a week. Tulsa and Oklahoma City each have monthly city-interest publications and the University of Oklahoma has a highly active university press.

37


In 2002, domestic travelers spent $3.9 billion on overnight and day trips to Oklahoma. The travel industry employed over 69,200 people in the same year. Oklahoma’s 50 state parks draw over 16 million visitors annually. Chickasaw National Recreation Area centers on artificial Lake Arbuckle. The Oklahoma History Center opened its new 215,000 square-foot learning center situated on 18 acres, in Oklahoma City in November 2005. The state also maintains and operates the American Indian Hall of Fame, in Anadarko; the Pioneer Woman Statue and Museum, in Ponca City; and the Chisholm Trail Museum, in Kingfisher. National wildlife refuges include Optima, Salt Plains, Sequoyah, Tishomingo, Washita, and Wichita Mountains. They have a combined area of 140,696 acres (56,938 hectares).

38

Sports

Oklahoma has no major league professional sports teams. The class-AAA baseball Red Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oklahoma

Banners hang from the ceiling in a section of the Oklahoma History Center devoted to the state’s American Indian tribes. AP IMAGES.

Hawks play in Oklahoma City and the Tulsa Drillers play in the AA Texas League. Collegiate sports, however, are the primary source of pride for Oklahomans. As of 2003, the University of Oklahoma Sooners had won seven national football titles and twelve Orange Bowls. They have also produced championships in wrestling, baseball, and gymnastics. Recently, the Sooners have had a resurgence in basketball as well. The Oklahoma State University Cowboys have captured National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Big Eight titles in basketball, baseball, and golf, and are a perennial national contender in wrestling. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oklahoma City hosts the rodeo at the Oklahoma state fair every September and October. In golf, Tulsa has been the site of several US Open tournaments. The Softball Hall of Fame is in Oklahoma City.

39

Famous Oklahomans

Congressman Carl Albert (1908–2000), Speaker of the US House of Representatives from 1971 until his retirement in 1976, held the highest public position of any Oklahoman. John Berryman (1914–1972) won the 1965 Pulitzer Prize in poetry for 77 Dream Songs, 1964; and Ralph Ellison (1914–1994) won 193

Oklahoma

the 1953 National Book Award for his novel Invisible Man. The popular musical Oklahoma! by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II is based on Green Grow the Lilacs by Oklahoman Lynn Riggs (1899–1954). N(avarre) Scott Momaday (b.1934), born in Lawton, received a Pulitzer Prize in 1969 for House Made of Dawn. Woodrow Crumbo (1912–1989) and Allen Houser (1914–1994) were prominent Native American artists born in the state. Just about the best known Oklahoman was William Penn Adair “Will” Rogers (1879–1935). Other prominent performing artists include singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie (1912–1967), composer of “This Land Is Your Land,” among other classics; and popular singer Patti Page (b.1927). Famous Oklahoma actors include (Francis) Van Heflin (1910–1971), Ben Johnson (1918–1996), Tony Randall (1920–2004), James Garner (James Baumgardner, b.1928), and Cleavon Little (1939–1992). James Francis “Jim” Thorpe (1888–1953) became known as the “world’s greatest athlete” after his pentathlon and decathlon performances at the 1912 Olympic Games. Baseball stars Paul Warner (1903–1965)

194

and his brother Lloyd (1906–1982), Mickey Mantle (1931–1995), Wilver Dornel “Willie” Stargell (1941–2001), and Johnny Bench (b.1947) are all native Oklahomans.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Baldwin, Guy. Oklahoma. New York: Benchmark Books, 2001. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Oklahoma. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Gisbon, Karen Bush. Oklahoma Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Heinrichs, Ann. Oklahoma. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003. Murray, Julie. Oklahoma. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department. Oklahoma. Native America. www.travelok.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Oklahoma. Welcome to Oklahoma’s Official Web Site. www.state.ok.us (accessed March 1, 2007).


Oregon State of Oregon

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Unknown; name first

applied to the river now known as the Columbia, possibly from the Algonquian for “beautiful water.” N I CKNAME : The Beaver State. C AP ITAL: Salem. ENT ERED UNION: 14 February 1859 (33rd). O FFICIAL SEAL: A shield, supported by 33 stars and crested by an American eagle, depicts mountains and forests, an elk, a covered wagon and ox team, wheat, a plow, a pickax, and the state motto. In the background, as the sun sets over the Pacific, an American merchant ship arrives as a British man-o’war departs. The words “State of Oregon 1859” surround the whole. FLAG: The flag consists of a navy-blue field with gold lettering and illustrations. Obverse: the shield from the state seal, supported by 33 stars, with the words “State of Oregon” above and the year of admission below. Reverse: a beaver. M OT TO: She Flies With Her Own Wings. SONG: “Oregon, My Oregon.” C OLORS: Navy-blue and gold. FLOWER: Oregon grape. TREE: Douglas fir. A NIMAL: American beaver. B IRD: Western meadowlark. FISH: Chinook salmon. IN S ECT: Oregon swallowtail butterfly. G E M: Sunstone. R OCK OR STONE: Thunderegg (geode). B EVERAGE: Milk. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 5 AM MST = noon GMT; 4 AM PST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located on the Pacific coast of the northwestern United States, Oregon ranks tenth in size among the 50 states. The total area of Oregon is 97,073 square miles (251,419 square kilometers), with land comprising 96,184 square miles (249,117 square kilometers) and inland water 889 square miles (2,302 square kilometers). Oregon extends 395 miles (636 kilometers) from east to west and 195

Oregon

295 miles (475 kilometers) from north to south. The total boundary length of Oregon is 1,444 miles (2,324 kilometers), including a general coastline of 296 miles (476 kilometers).

2

Topography

The Cascade Range, extending from north to south, divides Oregon into distinct eastern and western regions. At the state’s western edge, the Coast Range rises from the beaches, bays, and rugged headlands of the Pacific coast. Between the Coast and Cascade ranges lie fertile valleys, notably the Willamette Valley, the Oregon heartland. The two-thirds of the state lying east of the Cascade Range consists generally of arid plateaus cut by river canyons. The Great Basin lies in the southeast. The Cascades, Oregon’s highest mountains, contain nine snow-capped volcanic peaks more than 9,000 feet (2,700 meters) high, of which the highest is Mount Hood, at 11,239 feet (3,428 meters). The Columbia, forming most of the northern border with Washington, is by far the largest and most important of the state’s rivers. The largest of the Columbia’s tributaries in Oregon, and the longest river entirely within the state, is the Willamette. More than half of Oregon’s eastern boundary with Idaho is formed by the Snake River. Oregon has 19 natural lakes with a surface area of more than 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares), and many smaller ones. The largest is Upper Klamath Lake, which covers 58,922 acres (23,845 hectares) and is quite shallow. The most famous, however, is Crater Lake, which formed in the crater created by the violent eruption of Mount Mazama several thousand years ago and is now a national park. Its depth of 1,932 feet 196

Oregon Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

3,700,758 8.2% 9.9% 97.0% 86.8% 1.6% 1.3% 3.6% 0.2% 3.5% 3.0%


65 and over (13%)

Under 18 (24%)

45 to 64 (26%)

18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Portland Salem Eugene Gresham Beaverton Hillsboro Medford Bend Springfield Corvallis

Population

% change 2000–05

533,427 148,751 144,515 96,072 85,775 84,533 70,147 67,152 55,641 49,553

0.8 8.6 4.8 6.5 12.7 20.4 11.1 29.1 5.3 0.5



Oregon

OREGON Explanation Point of Interest City (25,000-100,000 people) City (more than 100,000 people) State Capital

WASHINGTON


5

Area of Interest

N 0

25

0


COLUMBIA

. bia R lum Co

CLATSOP

MORROW

82

Umatilla Nat’l For.

WASHINGTON

TILLAMOOK

PACIFIC

84

Hells Canyon National Rec. Area

WALLOWA

UMATILLA

Hillsboro

Portland

YAMHILL

GILLIAM

SHERMAN WASCO

Gresham

Beaverton Tigard

Siuslaw Nat’l For.

HOOD RIVER

MULTNOMAH

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Deschutes R. Rec. Area J.S. Burres State Park

Lake Oswego CLACKAMAS

UNION

Mount Hood Nat’l For.

POLK

Salem

WHEELER

MARION

Warm Springs Indian Res. LINCOLN

Umatilla Nat’l For.

JEFFERSON GRANT

BENTON

Corvallis

Umatilla Nat’l. For.

BAKER

Sna ke R .

OCEAN

25

84

LINN

Ochoco National Forest

Albany

IDAHO

MALHEUR

Siuslaw Nat’l For.

CROOK

LANE

Springfield

Eugene Oregon Dunes National Rec. Area

Ochoco Nat’l For.

Willamette Nat’l For.

DOUGLAS

Deschutes Nat’l For. COOS

Ochoco Nat’l For.

Lake Owyhee State Park

Malheur National Forest

DESCHUTES LAKE

Succor Creek State Rec. Area

HARNEY

5

Malheur Lake

Winema Nat’l Forest Harney Lake

Crater Lake Nat’l Park CURRY

Summer Lake

JOSEPHINE

JACKSON

Siskiyou National Forest

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Lake Owyhee

Hart Mt. National Antelope Refuge Lake Abert

Medford

Upper Klamath Lake

Fremont Nat’l For.

KLAMATH

CALIFORNIA


Fremont National Forest

NEVADA

197

Oregon

(589 meters), greater than any other lake in the United States, and its nearly circular expanse of bright-blue water edged by the crater’s rim make it a natural wonder.

3

Climate

Oregon has a generally temperate climate, but there are marked regional variations. The Cascade Range separates the state into two broad climatic zones: east and west. The western third of the state has relatively heavy precipitation and moderate temperatures. The eastern twothirds have little precipitation and more extreme temperatures. In January, normal daily mean temperatures range from 25°f (-4°c) in the southeast to 45°f (7°c) on the coast. In July, the normal daily means range from 65°f (18°c) in the plateau regions to 78°f (26°c) along the eastern border. The record low temperature, -54°f (-48°c), was registered in Seneca on 10 February 1933. The all-time high, 119°f (48°c), occurred in Pendleton on 10 August 1898. The average annual rainfall varies from less than 8 inches (20 centimeters) in the drier plateau regions, to as much as 200 inches (508 centimeters) on the upper west slopes of the Coast Range. In the Cascades, annual snowfall ranges from 300 inches (760 centimeters) to 550 inches (1,400 centimeters). In Portland, fog is common. On average, the sun shines in Portland during only 39% of the daylight hours, one of the lowest such percentages for any major US city.

4

Plants and Animals

Oregon has a diverse assortment of vegetation and wildlife. The coastal region is covered by 198

a rainforest of spruce, hemlock, and cedar rising above dense underbrush. A short distance inland, areas of Douglas fir—Oregon’s state tree and dominant timber resource—begin. In the high elevations of the Cascades, Douglas fir gives way to pines and true firs. Ponderosa pine predominates on the eastern slopes. The state’s many species of smaller native plants include Oregon grape (the state flower) as well as salmonberry, huckleberry, blackberry, and many other berries. In 2006, a total of 15 Oregon plant species were listed as threatened or endangered, including the Willamette daisy, Western lily, Malheur wire-lettuce, rough popcornflower, and MacFarlane’s four-o’clock. More than 130 mammal species are native to Oregon, of which 28 are found throughout the state. Many species, such as the cougar and bear, are protected, either entirely or through hunting restrictions. Deer and elk are popular game mammals, with herds managed by the state: mule deer predominate in eastern Oregon, black-tailed deer in the west. At least 60 species of fish are found in Oregon, including 5 different salmon species, of which the Chinook is the largest and the coho most common. Hundreds of species of birds inhabit Oregon, either year-round or during particular seasons. The state lies in the path of the Pacific Flyway, a major route for migratory waterfowl. Extensive bird refuges have been established in various parts of the state. In April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 35 Oregon animal species as threatened or endangered, including the shorttailed albatross, bald eagle, Fender’s blue butterfly, three species of chub, brown pelican, northern spotted owl, and three species of sea turtle. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oregon

Oregon Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,421,399 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,316,654 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97,551 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,111 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32,794 White and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,957 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,784 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,590 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,357 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 683 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Black or African American and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,530 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . 209 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,417 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,026 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,985 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,194

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 96.9 . . . . . . . 2.9 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 1.0 . . . . . . . 0.5 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.7 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.2


5


Oregon has been among the most active states in environmental protection. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), established in 1969, is Oregon’s major environmental protection agency, enforcing standards for air and water quality and solid and hazardous waste disposal. A vehicle inspection program has been instituted to reduce exhaust emissions in the Portland area and in Rogue Valley. The DEQ also operates an asbestos program to protect the public from asbestos removed from remodeled or demolished buildings. The DEQ monitors 18 river basins for water quality and issues permits Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

to businesses, industries, and government bodies that discharge waste water into public waters. In 2003, Oregon had 112 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 11 of which were on the National Priorities List, as of 2006. In 1973, the legislature enacted what has become known as the Oregon Bottle Bill, the first state law prohibiting the sale of nonreturnable beer or soft drink containers. The success of the Bottle Bill was partly responsible for the passage in 1983 of the Recycling Opportunity Act, which reduces the amount of solid waste generated. Furthermore, all cities with 5,000 or more 199

Oregon

residents are required to provide curbside recycling services.

6

Population

In 2005, Oregon ranked 27th among the 50 states in population with an estimated total of 3,700,758 residents. The population is projected to reach 4 million by 2015 and 4.5 million by 2025. Oregon’s estimated population density in 2004 was 37.5 persons per square mile (14.47 persons per square kilometer). The median age in 2004 was 37 years. In 2005, of all residents, 13% were 65 years old or older, while 24% were younger than 18. The city of Portland had an estimated 533,427 residents in 2005. Other leading cities were Salem, with an estimated 148,751 residents, and Eugene, with about 144,515.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, the estimated number of Native Americans living in the state was 45,211. The major groups of Native Americans include those at the Umatilla, Siletz, Spokane, and Kalispel reservations. Also in 2000, there were about 55,662 black Americans in Oregon. Hispanics and Latinos numbered about 275,314, or 9% of the state total population. Asians numbered 101,350, including 20,930 Chinese, 12,131 Japanese, 12,387 Koreans, 10,627 Filipinos, 18,890 Vietnamese, 9,575 Asian Indians, and 4,392 Laotians. Pacific Islanders numbered 7,976. French Canadians have lived in Oregon since the opening of the territory and have continued to come in a small but steady migration. As of 2000, some 31,354 Oregonians reported 200

French Canadian ancestry. In all, the 2000 census counted some 289,702 Oregonians of foreign birth, accounting for 8.5% of the population.

8

Languages

The Midland dialect dominates Oregon English, except for a Northern dialect influence in the Willamette Valley. Throughout the state, foreign and orange have the /aw/ vowel, and tomorrow has the /ah/ of father. In 2000, of the population five years old or older, 87.9% spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home and number of speakers included Spanish, 217,614; German, 18,400; Vietnamese, 17,805; Russian, 16,344; Chinese, 15,504; and French, 11,837.

9

Religions

In 2004, the leading Christian denomination was the Roman Catholic church, with 425,765 adherents. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints (Mormon), had 141,482 adherents in 2006. Other major Protestant groups (with 2000 membership data) were the Assemblies of God, 49,357; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 46,807; Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, 39,011; United Methodists, 34,101; Presbyterians (USA), 33,909; and Southern Baptists, 32,433. The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel (established in California in 1923) had 44,826 members in Oregon in 2000. In that same year, Jewish Oregonians were estimated to number 31,625 and there were about 5,225 Muslims throughout the state. About 2.3 million people, 68% of the population, were not counted as members of any religious organization. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oregon

10

Transportation

As of 2003, Oregon had 2,863 miles (4,609 kilometers) of railroad track, and is served by two major rail systems: the Union Pacific, and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe. As of 2006, Amtrak provided north–south passenger service to seven stations via its Amtrak Cascade and Coast Starlight trains, and east–west service from Portland to Chicago via its Empire Builder train. Oregon’s roads and highways had become a network extending 65,861 miles (106,036 kilometers) by 2004. The main interstate highways are I-5, running the length of the state from north to south connecting the major cities, and I-84, running northwest from Ontario in eastern Oregon and then along the northern border. In 2004, there were some 3.006 million registered vehicles, including about 1.447 million passenger cars registered in Oregon, with 2,625,856 licensed drivers. The Columbia River forms the major inland waterway for the Pacific Northwest, with barge navigation possible for 464 miles (747 kilometers) upstream to Lewiston, Idaho, via the Snake River. The Port of Portland owns five major cargo terminals. Oregon also has several important coastal harbors, including Astoria, Newport, and Coos Bay. In 2005, Oregon had 346 airports, 104 heliports, 2 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing), and 3 seaplane bases. The state’s largest and busiest airport is Portland International, with 6,379,884 passenger boardings in 2004. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

11

History

The first European to see Oregon was probably Sir Francis Drake in 1578, while on a raiding expedition against the Spanish. For most of the next 200 years, European contact was limited to occasional sightings by mariners, who considered the coast too dangerous for landing. In 1778, however, British Captain James Cook visited the Northwest and named several Oregon capes. The first overland trek to Oregon was the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which traveled from St. Louis to the mouth of the Columbia River, where members spent the winter of 1805– 06. In 1811, Oregon’s first permanent white residents established a trading post at the mouth of the Columbia River. For the next 20 years, European and US interest in Oregon focused on the quest for beaver pelts. In 1834 Jason Lee, a Methodist missionary, started a mission in the Willamette Valley, near present-day Salem. Oregon became a territory in 1849, three years after the Oregon Treaty between Great Britain and the United States established the present US-Canadian boundary. Ten years later, after a delay caused by North-South rivalries, Congress voted to make Oregon the 33rd state. State Development Oregon remained relatively

isolated until the completion of the first transcontinental railroad link in 1883. Its population grew steadily in the 20th century as migration into the state continued. Improved transportation helped make the state the nation’s leading lumber producer and a major exporter of agricultural products. Development was also aided by hydroelectric projects. 201

Oregon

The principal economic changes since World War II have been the growth of the aluminum industry, a rapid expansion of the tourist trade, and the creation of a growing electronics industry. The dominant industries in the Oregon economy, however, remained those centered on its abundant natural resources—timber, agriculture, and coal. These industries suffered in the late 1970s and 1980s when interest rates skyrocketed, reducing demand for houses and therefore for wood. Fewer people moved to Oregon and, in 1982 and 1983, the state’s population declined. It was hoped that construction of high-technology plants, planned for the mid-1980s, would help stabilize Oregon’s economy, but a slump in the computer industry delayed the proposed projects. Although there was some improvement in the service sector, overall employment in the 1990s was weak. By 1999, Oregon had the third-highest unemployment rate in the country. Poverty rose from less than 10% in 1990 to over 15% by 1999. One in five Oregon children was living in poverty that year. As Oregon shifted its focus from timber production to protecting forests, timber harvests in national forests declined 70% during the 1990s. This decline in logging resulted in severe economic downturns in rural areas, and a severe drop in tax money for education. Meanwhile, conservationists believed Oregon could generate economic growth through tourism. By 2003, the state was facing a $2.5 billion budget deficit. In January 2003, a temporary income tax increase was rejected by the state’s voters, prompting Governor Ted Kulongoski to pare more than $300 million from the state’s budget for the period 2003–05. By 2005, the 202

efforts of the governor to boost employment, expand business opportunities in rural and urban areas, and protect the environment at the same time began to show results. For the two-year period 2003–04, the state’s poverty rate dipped to 12.1%, below the national average of 12.6%. However, unemployment remained higher than the national average, while the state’s per capita personal income (per person) was below the national average in 2004.

12

State Government

The constitution establishes a 60-member House of Representatives, elected for 2 years, and a 30-member Senate, with senators serving 4-year terms. Major executive officials include the governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and state treasurer. Much policy in Oregon is set by boards and commissions whose members are appointed by the governor. Bills become law when approved by a majority of the House and Senate, and either is signed by the governor, or left unsigned for 5 days when the legislature is in session, or for 30 days after it has adjourned. The governor may veto a legislative bill, but the legislature may override a veto by a two-thirds vote of those present in each house. In 2004, the legislative salary was $15,396, while the governor’s salary, as of December 2004, was $93,600. Oregon’s current state constitution was drafted and approved in 1857, and went into effect in 1859. As of January 2005, the document has been amended 238 times. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oregon

Oregon Governors: 1859–2007 1859–1862 1862–1866 1866–1870 1870–1877 1877–1878 1878–1882 1882–1887 1887–1895 1895–1899 1899–1903 1903–1909 1909–1910 1910–1911 1911–1915 1915–1919 1919–1923 1923–1927 1927–1929 1929–1931 1931–1935 1935–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947–1949 1949–1952 1952–1956 1956–1957 1957–1959 1959–1967 1967–1975 1975–1979 1979–1987 1987–1991 1991–1995 1995–2003 2003–

John Whiteaker Democrat Addison Crandall Gibbs Union-Rep George Lemuel Woods Republican La Fayette Grover Democrat Stephen Fowler Chadwick Democrat William Wallace Thayer Democrat Zenas Ferry Moody Republican Sylvester Pennoyer Popular Democrat William Paine Lord Republican Theodore Thurston Geer Republican George Earle Chamberlain Democrat Frank Williamson Benson Republican Jay Bowerman Republican Oswald West Democrat James Withycombe Republican Ben Wilson Olcott Republican Walter Marcus Pierce Democrat Isaac Lee Patterson Republican Albin Walter Norblad Republican Julius L. Meier Independent Charles Henry Martin Democrat Charles Arthur Sprague Republican Earl Wilcox Snell Republican John Hubert Hall Republican Douglas James McKay Republican Paul Linton Patterson Republican Elmo Everett Smith Republican Robert Denison Holmes Democrat Mark Odom Hatfield Republican Thomas Lawson McCall Republican Robert William Straub Democrat Victor George Atiyeh Republican Neil Goldschmidt Democrat Barbara Roberts Democrat John Kitzhaber Democrat Ted Kulongoski Democrat

Union Republican – Union-Rep

13

Political Parties

Oregon has a strong tradition of political independence. In 1976 the state gave independent presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy a higher percentage of votes than any other state. Another independent, John Anderson, won 112,389 votes (9.5%) in the 1980 presidential election. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

In 2004 there were 2,120,000 registered voters in Oregon. In 1998, some 40% of all registered voters were Democrat, 36% Republican, and 24% unaffiliated or members of other parties. In 2002, Democrat Ted Kulongoski won the governorship; he was reelected in 2006. Oregon’s two US senators are Democrat Ron Wyden (reelected in 2004) and Republican Gordon Smith (reelected in 2002). All but one of the five representatives to the US House were Democrats. Following the 2006 midterm elections, there were an equal number of 17 Democrats, 11 Republicans, and 2 Independents in the state senate, and 29 Republicans and 31 Democrats in the state house. Twenty-five women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 27.8%. Oregon voters were nearly evenly divided in the presidential election of 2000, casting approximately 47% of the state’s popular vote for both Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush. Gore won Oregon by a narrow margin. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry took 51.5% of the vote to President Bush’s 47.6%.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, Oregon had 36 counties, 240 municipal governments, 197 public school districts, and 927 special districts. Towns and cities enjoy home rule, the right to choose their own form of government, and to enact legislation on matters of local concern. Most of Oregon’s larger cities have council-manager forms of government. Typical elected county officials are commissioners, judges, assessors, district attorneys, sheriffs, and treasurers. 203

Oregon

Oregon’s Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

OREGON WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

LIBERTARIAN

1948 1952 1956 1960 1964

Dewey (R *Eisenhower (R) Eisenhower (R) Nixon (R *Johnson (D)

243,147 270,579 329,204 367,402 501,017

260,904 420,815 406,393 408,065 282,779

14,978 3,665 — — —

5,051 — — — —

— — — — —

1968

*Nixon (R)

358,866

408,433

—

AMERICAN IND.

49,683

—

AMERICAN

1972 1976

*Nixon (R) Ford (R

392,760 490,407

486,686 492,120

— —

1980 1984


456,890 536,479

571,044 685,700

— —

1988

Dukakis (D)

678,367

483,423

2,985

1992

*Clinton (D)

621,314

475,757

3,030

46,211 —

— —

CITIZENS

13,642 —

25,838 —

—

6,261

NEW ALLIANCE IND. (PEROT)

354,091

4,277

121,221

8,903

PACIFIC GREEN

1996

*Clinton (D)

649,641

538,152

49,415

REFORM


15

720,342 943,163

713,577 866,831

Judicial System

Oregon’s highest court is the Supreme Court, consisting of seven justices. It accepts cases on review from the 10-judge Court of Appeals, which has exclusive jurisdiction over all criminal and civil appeals from lower courts. Circuit courts are the trial courts for civil and criminal matters. The more populous counties also have district courts, which hear minor civil, criminal, and traffic matters. Oregon’s violent crime (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) rate in 2004 stood at 298.3 incidents per 100,000 population. As of 31 December 2004, there were 13,183 inmates in 204

77,357 5,315

7,063 —

7,447 7,260

Oregon’s state and federal correctional facilities. Oregon imposes the death penalty, of which lethal injection is the sole method of execution. As of 1 January 2006, there were 33 persons under sentence of death in the state.

16

Migration

The Oregon Trail was the route along which thousands of settlers traveled to Oregon by covered wagon in the 1840s and 1850s. This early immigration was mainly from Midwestern states. After the completion of the transcontinental railroad, northeastern states supplied an increasing proportion of the newcomers. Foreign immigration began in the 1860s with the importation of Chinese contract laborJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oregon

ers. Germans and Scandinavians (particularly after 1900) were the most numerous foreign immigrants. Japanese, who began arriving in the 1890s, met a hostile reception in some areas. Canadians have also come to Oregon in significant numbers. Nevertheless, immigration from other states has predominated. Between 1990 and 1998, Oregon had net gains of 260,000 in domestic migration and 58,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 72,263, while net domestic migration was 77,821 for a net gain of 150,084 people.

17

Economy

Since early settlement, Oregon’s natural resources have formed the basis of its economy. Vast forests have made lumber and wood products the leading industry in the state. Since World War II, however, the state has striven to diversify its job base. The aluminum industry has been attracted to Oregon, along with computer and electronics firms, which now constitute the fastest growing manufacturing area. Tourism and researchrelated businesses growing out of partnerships between government and higher education have been on the rise as well. The state’s economy has traditionally been dependent on the health of the US construction industry. Jobs are plentiful when US housing starts rise, but unemployment increases when nationwide construction drops off. Oregon was one of the few states where growth in manufacturing, rather than services, led overall growth coming into the 21st century. However, during the national recession of 2001, manufacturing output fell 7.7%. By the end of 2002, employment in the electronic products Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

and industrial machinery manufacturing areas of the economy (which produce semiconductors and computers) had fallen 3%. That year, Oregon had the second-highest unemployment rate in the nation, at 7%. By April 2006, the state’s unemployment rate was pegged at 5.5%. In 2004, Oregon’s gross state product (GSP) totaled $128.103 billion. Of that total, manufacturing accounted for the largest portion of GSP at $19.581 billion, or 15.2%, followed by the real estate sector at $17.937 billion or 14%, and health care and social services at $9.770 billion, or 7.6% of GSP. Of the 104,114 businesses in the state that had employees, 97.7% were small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, Oregon ranked 30th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $30,561, compared to the national average of $33,050. The median annual household income for 2002–04 was $42,617, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 11.7% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

19

Industry

Although manufacturing in Oregon was dominated by the lumber and wood products industry, computer and electronic products have taken center stage in the state’s manufacturing sector. In 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in Oregon was $54.836 billion, of which computer and electronic product manufacturing accounted for the largest share at 205

Oregon

$7.849 billion, followed by wood product manufacturing at $8.782 billion, and food manufacturing at $5.876 billion. In 2004, Oregon’s manufacturing sector employed a total of 174,214 people, of which wood product manufacturing accounted for the largest portion at 31,497, followed by computer and electronic manufacturing at 25,481 employees, and food manufacturing at 18,625 employees. More than half of Oregon’s industrial workers are employed in the Portland area.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Oregon numbered 1,877,400, with approximately 103,700 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.5%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. Data for the same period showed that about 5.8% of the labor force was employed in construction; 12.4% in manufacturing; 19.6% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.2% in finance activities; 11.2% in professional and business services; 12.1% in education and health services; 9.6% in leisure and hospitality services; and 16.7% in government. In 2005, a total of 213,000 of Oregon’s 1,470,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union, representing 14.5% of those so employed, compared to the national average of 12%.

21

Agriculture

Oregon ranked 27th in the United States in agricultural output in 2005, with cash receipts of $3.7 billion. Crops accounted for 72% of the total. While wheat has been Oregon’s lead206

ing crop since the state was first settled, in recent years nursery and greenhouse products took over the number-one spot, followed by hay and ryegrass production. Additionally, more than 170 farm and ranch commodities are commercially produced in the state. Oregon leads the nation in the production of hazelnuts, peppermint oil, blackberries, black raspberries, boysenberries, loganberries, several grass and seed crops, and Christmas trees. Farmland covers about 17.2 million acres (7 million hectares), or 28% of Oregon’s total area. In 2004, the state had some 40,000 farms. Leading crops in 2004 were hay, wheat, potatoes, and pears. Oregon produces about 98% of the nation’s ryegrass seed, with sales of nearly $198 million in 2005. In recent years, the growth of Oregon’s wine industry has become noteworthy.

22


Most beef cattle are raised on the rangeland of eastern Oregon, while dairy operations are concentrated in the western portion of the state. Sheep and poultry are also raised largely in the west. Cattle and calf production is Oregon’s second leading agricultural activity in terms of value, following greenhouse/nursery products. Ranchers lease large tracts of federally owned grazing land under a permit system. In 2005, Oregon ranches and farms had around 1.4 million cattle and calves, worth an estimated $1.37 billion. During 2003, the state produced nearly 10.1 million pounds (4.6 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs, which brought in $11.7 million in gross income. In 2004, shorn wool production was an estimated 1.1 million pounds (0.5 million kilograms) of wool. The 2003 milk output was estimated at 2.2 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oregon

Vineyards in Yamhill County. ESTHER MUGAR AND DAVID RYAN.

billion pounds (1 billion kilograms). That same year, Oregon’s poultry farmers produced nearly 2.8 million pounds (1.3 million kilograms) of chickens and 783 million eggs.

23

Fishing

Oregon’s fish resources have long been of great importance to its inhabitants. For centuries, salmon provided much of the food for Native Americans, who gathered at traditional fishing grounds when the salmon were returning upstream from the ocean to spawn. In 2004, Oregon ranked 7th among the states in the total amount of its commercial catch, at over 294.7 million pounds (134 million kilograms) valued at $101 million. The port at Astoria ranked 9th in the nation in catch volJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ume with 135.8 million pounds (61.7 million kilograms). Newport ranked 11th with 111.2 million pounds (50.5 million kilograms). The catch included salmon, especially chinook and silver; groundfish such as flounder, rockfish, and lingcod; shellfish such as shrimp and oysters; and albacore tuna. Salmon landings in 2004 totaled 5.9 million pounds (2.7 million kilograms). Oregon led the nation in Dungeness crab landings, with 27.3 million pounds (12.4 million kilograms). In 2003, there were 26 processing plants in the state with about 1,012 employees. In 2002, the commercial fishing fleet consisted of 998 boats and vessels. Sport fishing, primarily for salmon and trout, is a major recreational attraction. In 2004, the state issued 666,454 sport fishing licenses. 207

Oregon

Hatchery production of salmon and steelhead has taken on increased importance, as development has destroyed natural spawning areas. There are 34 public fish hatcheries in the state, including two national fish hatcheries (Eagle Creek and Warm Springs).

24

Forestry

About 48% (29.7 million acres/12 million hectares) of the state is forested. Oregon’s forests are divided into two major geographic regions. Douglas fir is a primary conifer species in western Oregon, with western hemlock and sitka spruce found along the coast. In eastern Oregon, ponderosa pine is the main species. Several species of true fir, larch, and lodgepole pine also grow east of the Cascades. Noncommercial forests are found along the crest of the Cascade Range and in the high desert country of eastern Oregon. These species include alpine fir, mountain hemlock, and western juniper. Over 60% of Oregon’s forests are publicly owned. National Forest Service lands cover 17.5 million acres (7.1 million hectares). The Oregon Department of Forestry manages about 786,000 acres (318,000 hectares) of forestland. About 654,000 acres (265,000 hectares) are managed by the department for the counties, and a further 132,000 acres (53,000 hectares) are Common School Fund forestlands, managed for the State Land Board. About 80% of the state’s forestland, or 23.8 million acres (9.6 million hectares), is land capable of producing timber for commercial harvest. However, less than 60% of this commercial land is available for full-yield timber production. In 2004, Oregon led the nation in total lumber production, with 7.08 billion board feet, 208

accounting for 14.3% of all lumber produced in the United States. Nearly all of the timber harvested from private forestlands is second growth that was planted from 1920 to 1940. Private forestlands are being reforested and play a major role in sustaining Oregon’s long-term timber supply. Oregon law has required reforestation following timber harvesting since 1941. Oregon was the first state to pass a Forest Practices Act, in 1971. About 100 million seedlings are planted in Oregon each year.

25

Mining

The estimated value of Oregon’s nonfuel mineral production in 2003 was $311 million. According to preliminary data for that same year, the state’s top nonfuel minerals by value were construction sand and gravel, and crushed stone, followed (in descending order of value) by portland cement, diatomite, and lime. These five commodities accounted for around 96% of the state’s total nonfuel mineral output, by value. In 2003, Oregon produced 19 million metric tons of construction sand and gravel, worth $113 million, and 18.8 million metric tons of crushed stone, valued at $96.8 million. That year, Oregon also produced zeolites, which are processed and sold for a variety of applications: to absorb ammonia in aquarium systems, as animal feed supplements, in odor control, and in wastewater treatment.

26

Energy and Power

Oregon ranks high in the hydroelectric power development, which supplies over half of the state’s energy needs. Multipurpose federal projects, including four dams on the Columbia River Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oregon

Portland, viewed from River Place Marina. ESTHER MUGAR AND DAVID RYAN.

and eight in the Willamette Basin, and projects owned by private or public utilities give Oregon a hydroelectric capacity of over 8,100,000 kilowatts. As of 2003, there were no nuclear power plants in operation. Oregon’s total electric power production in 2003 was 48.966 billion kilowatt hours. Total net summer generating capability that same year was 12.882 million kilowatts. Hydroelectric plants accounted for 67.9% of all power produced, followed by natural gas-fired plants at 20.9%, and coal-fired plants at 8.8%. The remainder came from other renewable sources and oil-fired facilities. Oregon has no output or proven reserves of crude oil. In 2004 however, the state had 15 producing natural gas wells, with marketed gas output that year totaling 467 million cubic feet Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

(13.26 million cubic meters). Oregon has one refinery, which is used to produce asphalt.

27

Commerce

In 2002, Oregon’s wholesale trade sector had sales totaling $56.8 billion, while the state’s retail sector that same year, had sales totaling $37.8 billion. Motor vehicle and motor vehicle dealers accounted for the largest share of retail sales at $10 billion, followed by general merchandise stores at $7.02 billion, and food and beverage stores at $6.07 billion. Exports moving through Oregon were valued at $12.3 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The Oregon constitution prohibits a state budget deficit. The biennial budget is prepared by 209

Oregon

the Executive Department and submitted by the governor to the legislature for amendment and approval. The fiscal year is from 1 July to 30 June. Total state revenues for 2004 were $24.488 billion, while total state expenditures that year were $18.788 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($5.465 billion), public welfare ($3.5 billion), and highways ($1.2 billion). The total state government debt was $10.495 billion, or $2,922.77 per person.

29

Taxation

Oregon’s chief source of general revenue is the personal income tax. As of 1 January 2006, the tax had three brackets, ranging from 5% to 9%. The state also taxes corporations at a flat rate of 6.6%. Oregon does not have a general sales tax, but it does levy excise taxes on such products as gasoline and cigarettes. There is also a forest products harvest tax. The state collected $6.523 billion in taxes in 2005, or $1,791 per person. Of the total collected that year, 72% came from individual income taxes, 10.7% from selective sales taxes, 5.6% from corporate income taxes, and 0.4% from property taxes. The remaining 11.3% came from other taxes. In 2005, Oregon ranked 41st among the states in terms of combined state and local tax burden.

30

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality rate was 5.5 deaths per 1,000 live births. The HIV mortality rate was 2.6 per 100,000 population. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was around 7.8 per 100,000 residents. Major causes of death 210

in 2002 were heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory disease, and diabetes. The crude death rate in 2003 was 8.7 per 1,000 population. As of 2004, about 19.9% of Oregon residents were smokers. Oregon’s 58 community hospitals had about 6,800 beds in 2003. In 2005, there were 768 nurses per 100,000 people. In 2004, there were 269 physicians per 100,000 population, and a total of 1,768 dentists in the state. The average expense for hospital care was $1,842 per day. In 2004, about 17% of Oregon’s residents were uninsured. The only medical and dental schools in the state are at the University of Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 1,535,381 housing units in Oregon, of which 1,427,711 were occupied and 63% were owner-occupied. About 62.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Electricity and utility gas were the most common energy sources for heat. It was estimated that 56,590 units lacked telephone service, 4,834 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 10,081 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.46 people. In 2004, a total of 27,300 new privately owned units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $181,544. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,217, while renters paid a median of $681 per month. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oregon

32

Education

In 2004, of all Oregon residents age 25 and older, 87.4% were high school graduates, while some 25.9% citizens had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 555,200 in fall 2003. Enrollment was expected to reach 591,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $5.7 billion. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 46,968. As of fall 2002, there were 204,565 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Oregon had 59 degree-granting institutions that included 9 public four-year schools, 17 public two-year schools, and 25 nonprofit, private four-year schools. The University of Oregon in Eugene has the highest regular enrollment, followed by Portland State University in Portland, and Oregon State University in Corvallis. Major private higher education institutions include Willamette University, George Fox College, Linfield College, University of Portland, Reed College, Lewis and Clark College, and Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology.

33

Arts

The Portland Art Museum, with an associated art school, is the city’s center for the visual arts. The University of Oregon in Eugene has an art museum specializing in Oriental art. The state’s most noted theatrical enterprise is the annual Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, with a complex of theaters drawing actors and audiences from around the nation. The Portland Center for the Performing Arts is home to the Oregon Symphony Orchestra, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the Portland Opera, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Oregon Children’s Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Portland Youth Philharmonic, Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre, and Broadway in Portland. Salem and Eugene have small symphony orchestras of their own. The Oregon Arts Commission, established in 1967, became a division of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department in 1993. The Commission and the Department of Education jointly administer a program of Young Writers Fellowships. The Oregon Council for the Humanities has a number of annual historical and literary programs.

34


In June 2001, Oregon had 210 libraries of which 89 were branches, with a total book stock of 8.47 million and a combined circulation of 38.04 million. Most cities and counties in Oregon have public library systems, the largest being the Multnomah County library system in Portland. The State Library in Salem serves as a reference agency for state government. Oregon has 105 museums, historic sites, botanical gardens, and arboretums. Historical museums emphasizing Oregon’s pioneer heritage appear throughout the state, with Ft. Clatsop National Memorial, which features a replica of Lewis and Clark’s winter headquarters, among the notable attractions. The Oregon Historical Society operates a major historical museum in Portland, publishes books of historical interest, and issues the Oregon Historical Quarterly. In Portland’s Washington Park area are the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Washington Park Zoo, Western Forestry Center, and an arboretum and gardens. 211

Oregon

35

Communications

As of 2004, of all Oregon households, 95.5% had telephones, and in June of that same year, there were 1.89 million wireless telephone service subscribers. In 2003, computers were in 67% of the state’s households, while 61% had access to the Internet. In 2005, Oregon had 37 major AM and 86 major FM commercial radio stations, as well as 24 major television stations. A state-owned broadcasting system provides educational radio and television programming. The Portland area had over one million television households, 62% of which ordered cable in 1999. A total of 97,453 Internet domain names were registered in the state by the year 2000.

36

Press

Oregon’s first newspaper was the weekly Oregon Spectator, which began publication in 1846. Early newspapers engaged in what became known as the “Oregon style” of journalism, characterized by intemperate, verbally abusive, and fiercely partisan comments. As of 2005, there were 20 daily (7 morning, 13 evening) and 12 Sunday newspapers published in Oregon. The state’s largest newspaper, the Oregonian published in Portland, is owned by Advance Publications. Leading Oregon newspapers with their approximate 2005 daily circulations include the Oregonian (324,863), the Eugene Register-Guard (79,266), and the Salem Statesman-Journal (53,366).

37


Travel and tourism is the state’s third-largest employer, generating over 94,500 jobs. In 2002, travel revenues reached $6.3 billion. 212

Oregon’s abundance and variety of natural features and recreational opportunities make the state a major tourist attraction. Among the leading attractions are the rugged Oregon coast, with its offshore salmon fishing; Crater Lake National Park; the Cascades wilderness; and Portland’s annual Rose Festival. Oregon has one national park, Crater Lake, and three other areas managed by the National Park Service. The US Forest Service administers the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and the Lava Lands Visitor Complex near Bend. Oregon has one of the nation’s most extensive state park systems: 225 parks and recreation areas cover 90,000 acres (36,400 hectares).

38

Sports

Oregon has one professional major league team, the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association. The state also has a minor league baseball team, the Beavers, in Portland; it is an AAA affiliate of the San Diego Padres. There are class-A Northwest League teams in Eugene, and Salem. Horse racing takes place at Portland Meadows in Portland and, in late August and early September, at the Oregon State Fair in Salem. There is greyhound racing at the Multnomah Greyhound Park near Portland. Pari-mutuel betting is permitted at the tracks, but off-track betting is prohibited. The University of Oregon and Oregon State University belong to the Pacific 10 Conference. The Oregon State Ducks have won several bowl contests, most recently the 2002 Fiesta Bowl. Other annual sporting events include sled dog races in Bend and Union Creek, the All-Indian Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Oregon

Rodeo in Tygh Valley in May (one of many rodeos), and the Cycle Oregon Bike Ride.

39

Famous Oregonians

Prominent federal officeholders from Oregon include Senator Wayne Morse (b.Wisconsin, 1900–1974), an early opponent of US involvement in Vietnam; Representative Edith Green (1910–1984), a leader in federal education assistance; and Representative Al Ullman (b.Montana, 1914–1986), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee until his defeat in 1980. Former governor Neil Goldschmidt (b.1940), served as Secretary of Transportation. Oregon’s most famous Native American was Chief Joseph (1840?–1904), leader of the Nez Perce in northeastern Oregon. Abigail Scott Duniway (b.Illinois, 1823–1915) was the Northwest’s foremost advocate of women’s suffrage. Journalist and communist John Reed (1887–1920), was born in Portland ; he is author of Ten Days That Shook the World, an eyewitness account of the Bolshevik Revolution. Awardwinning science fiction writer Ursula K. LeGuin (b.California, 1929) is a Portland resident. Linus


Pauling (1901–1994), two-time winner of the Nobel Prize (for chemistry in 1954 and for peace in 1962), was also a Portland native.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Heinrichs, Ann. Oregon. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003. Ingram, Scott. Oregon. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Oregon Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Murray, Julie. Oregon. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Stefoff, Rebecca. Oregon. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. WEB SITES Oregon Tourism Commission. Welcome to Oregon. www.traveloregon.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Oregon. Oregon Blue Book. www.bluebook. state.or.us (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Oregon. Welcome to the Official Oregon State Web Site. www.oregon.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).

213

Pennsylvania Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for Admiral

William Penn, father of the founder of Pennsylvania. N I CKNAME : The Keystone State. C AP ITAL: Harrisburg. ENT ERED UNION: 12 December 1787 (2nd).

a shield displays a sailing ship, a plow, and three sheaves of wheat, with a cornstalk to the left, an olive branch to the right, and an eagle above, surrounded by the inscription “Seal of the State of Pennsylvania.” REVERSE: a woman representing Liberty holds a wand topped by a liberty cap in her left hand and a drawn sword in her right, as she tramples a lion representing Tyranny. The legend “Both Can’t Survive” encircles the design. FLAG: The coat of arms appears in the center of a blue field. C OAT OF ARMS: A shield supported by two horses displays a sailing ship, a plow, and three sheaves of wheat; an eagle forms the crest. Beneath the shield an olive branch and a cornstalk are crossed, and below them is the state motto. M OT TO: Virtue, Liberty and Independence. SONG: “Pennsylvania.” FLOWER: Mountain laurel. TREE: Hemlock. A NIMAL: White-tailed deer. B IRD: Ruffed grouse. FISH: Brook trout. IN S ECT: Firefly. D OG: Great Dane. FOSSIL: Phacops rana. O FFICIAL SEAL:

OBVERSE:


B E V E R A G E : Milk. L E G A L H O L I D AY S : New Year’s Day, 1 January;

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November and the following day; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the northeastern United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the second largest of the three Mid-Atlantic states and ranks 33rd in size among the 50 states. The total area of Pennsylvania is 45,308 square miles (117,348 square kilometers), of which land occupies 44,888 square miles (116,260 square kilome215

Pennsylvania

ters) and inland water 420 square miles (1,088 square kilometers). The state extends 307 miles (494 kilometers) from east to west and 169 miles (272 kilometers) from north to south. The total boundary length of Pennsylvania is 880 miles (1,416 kilometers).

2

Topography

Pennsylvania may be divided into more than a dozen distinct topographic regions, most of which extend in curved bands from east to south. A narrow coastal plain along the lower Delaware River is the state’s lowest region. Dominating the southeastern corner is the Piedmont Plateau, a wide area of rolling hills and lowlands. The Great Valley runs from the middle of the state’s eastern border to the middle of its southern border. The eastern, central, and western parts of the Great Valley are known as the Lehigh, Lebanon, and Cumberland valleys, respectively. The Appalachian Mountains run from the northcentral part of the eastern border to the westcentral part of the southern border. The Allegheny High Plateau, part of the Appalachian Plateaus, makes up the western and northern parts of the state. The Allegheny Front, the escarpment along the eastern edge of the plateau, is the most striking topographical feature in Pennsylvania, dissected by many winding streams to form narrow, steep-sided valleys. The southwestern extension of the Allegheny High Plateau contains the state’s highest peak, Mount Davis, at 3,213 feet (980 meters). A narrow lowland region, the Erie Plain, borders Lake Erie. Pennsylvania has jurisdiction over about 735 square miles (1,904 square kilometers) of Lake Erie. The state has about 250 natural lakes larger than 20 acres (8 hectares).The largest natural 216

Pennsylvania Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

12,440,621 1.3% 4.0% 98.9% 84.6% 10.1% 0.1% 2.2% 0.0% 1.9% 1.1%


65 and over (15%)

Under 18 (23%)

18 to 24 (8%)

45 to 64 (27%)

25 to 44 (27%)


Population

% change 2000–05

Philadelphia Pittsburgh Allentown Erie Reading Scranton Bethlehem Lancaster Harrisburg Altoona

1,463,281 316,718 106,992 102,612 80,855 73,120 72,895 54,757 47,472 47,176

-3.6 -5.3 0.3 -1.1 -0.4 -4.3 2.2 -2.8 -3.0 -4.7



ERIE


Friendship Hill National Historic Site

FAYETTE

McKeesport

WEST VIRGINIA

79

WESTMORELAND

Monroeville

76

SOMERSET

Johnstown

Buchanan St. Forest

BEDFORD

70

Waynesboro

FRANKLIN

JUNIATA

YORK

ADAMS

80

York

LANCASTER

Ricketts Glen S. P.

LUZERNE

WYOMING

Lancaster

76

BERKS

LEHIGH

78

380

MONROE

Valley Forge Nat’l Hist. Park

Norristown

Chester

95

0

0

80

25

NEW JERSEY

25


N

Area of Interest


State Capital

IC O C EA N


City (25,000-100,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

PENNSYLVANIA

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Delaware S. F.

84

PIKE

Philadelphia

DELAWARE

476

MONTGOMERY

BUCKS

Bethlehem

Easton

NORTHAMPTON

CHESTER

Hopewell Furnace N. H. S.

Reading 176

WAYNE

Scranton

LACKAWANNA

81

Allentown

CARBON

81

WilkesBarre

SUSQUEHANNA

SCHUYLKILL

LEBANON

Harrisburg 83

DAUPHIN

nn a

COLUMBIA

NORTHUMBERLAND

MONTOUR

MARYLAND

Gettysburg Nat’l Mil. Park

Michaux St. For.

Carlisle 81

UNION

180

Williamsport

ha

Wyoming St. Forest

SULLIVAN

BRADFORD

LYCOMING

SNYDER

CUMBERLAND

Tuscarora S. F.

PERRY

MIFFLIN

Rothrock St. For.

CLINTON

Tioga St. Forest

Susquehannock St. Forest

TIOGA

Sproul S. F.

VIRGINIA

FULTON

HUNTINGDON

State College

CENTRE

POTTER

Altoona

BLAIR

Elk S. F.

CAMERON

CLEARFIELD

Moshannon St. Forest

CAMBRIA

80

Mount Davis

70

INDIANA

JEFFERSON

ELK

Allegheny National Forest

MCKEAN

.

GREENE

Bethel Park

CLARION

FOREST

ARMSTRONG

76 Pittsburgh

ALLEGHENY

BUTLER

Oil Creek St. Park

VENANGO

WARREN

R re wa

70

WASHINGTON

Racoon Creek S. P.

BEAVER

New Castle

79

ie

Erie N. W. R.

90

r e E

R.

LAWRENCE

MERCER

CRAWFORD

Erie

Presque Isle St. Park

k La

NEW YORK

ue Sus q

la De

AT LA NT

CANADA

Pennsylvania

WARE DELA

217

OHIO

Pennsylvania

lake within the state’s borders is Conneaut Lake, with an area of less than 1.5 square miles (39 square kilometers). The largest manmade lake is Lake Wallenpaupack in the Poconos, occupying about 9 square miles (23 square kilometers). Major rivers include the Susquehanna, Delaware, Allegheny, and Monongahela rivers. The Beaver, Clarion, and Youghiogheny rivers are also important.

3

Climate

Although Pennsylvania lies entirely within the humid continental zone, its climate varies according to region and elevation. The region with the warmest temperatures is the low-lying southeast, in the Ohio and Monongahela river valleys. The region bordering Lake Erie receives the moderating effect of the lake, which prevents early spring and late autumn frosts. The rest of the state, at higher elevations, has cold winters and cool summers. Among the major population centers, Philadelphia has an annual average temperature of 55°f (12°c) and Pittsburgh has an annual average of 51°f (10°c). In the cooler northern areas, Scranton has a normal annual average ranging from 40°f (4°c) to 59°f (15°c). Erie has a normal annual average ranging from 41°f (5°c) to 57°f (13°c). The record low temperature for the state is -42°f (-41°c), set at Smethport on 5 January 1904. The record high, 111°f (44°c), was reached on 10 July 1936 in Phoenixville. Philadelphia receives about 40.9 inches (103 centimeters) of precipitation annually and Pittsburgh receives about 37 inches (93 centimeters) per year. Pittsburgh, however, has much more snow, with about 43.1 inches (109 centimeters) annually, compared with 21 inches 218

(52 centimeters) per year in Philadelphia. The snowfall in Erie, in the snow belt, averages 85.5 inches (217 centimeters) per year. The state has experienced several destructive floods. Tornados have also occurred.

4

Plants and Animals

Maple, walnut, and poplar are among the species that fill Pennsylvania’s extensive forests, along with sassafras and sycamore. Mountain laurel (the state flower) and June-berry are among the shrubs and small trees found in most parts of the state. Wintergreen and wild ginger are also common. In 2006, the small whorled pogonia and Virginia spirea were classified as threatened plant species, with the northeastern bulrush also listed as endangered. Numerous mammals are found in Pennsylvania, among them the white-tailed deer (the state animal), black bear, red and gray foxes, and common cottontail. Native amphibians include the hellbender and Fowler’s toad. Among reptilian species are five varieties of lizard. The ruffed grouse, a common game species, is the official state bird. Other game birds are the wood dove and ring-necked pheasant. The robin, cardinal, and English sparrow are common nongame birds. More than 170 types of fish have been identified in the state, with brook trout, pirate perch, and white bass among the common native varieties. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 12 species as threatened or endangered, including the Indiana bat, bald eagle, orangefoot pimpleback pearlymussel, dwarf wedgemussel, and pink mucket pearlymussel. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,281,054 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,138,830 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132,609 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35,533 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18,962 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16,933 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,343 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30,643 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . .7,211 Black or African American and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,486 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 911 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10,469 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,016 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 76 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 919 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,126 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4,346 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9,615

. . . . .100.0 . . . . . .98.8 . . . . . . . 1.1 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — ....... — . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . . 0.1


5


The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) was established to maintain and preserve state parks, manage state forest land, and provide information on the state’s ecological and geologic resources. The DCNR also oversees environmental education and provides assistance and grants for preserving rivers, community trails, parks, and recreation. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was established to protect the state’s air, land, and water from pollution and to provide a cleaner environment for the health and safety of Pennsylvania’s citizens. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Sewage and industrial wastes are the major pollutants in areas with high industrial and population concentrations. In western and parts of central Pennsylvania, drainage from abandoned bituminous coal mines has created serious water quality problems. Active mines in this region were also potentially polluting. In March 1979, Pennsylvania suffered the worst nuclear power accident in US history when a nuclear reactor on Three Mile Island malfunctioned and radioactive gases escaped. A second reactor was shut down immediately even though it was not damaged. The cleanup of radioactive waste cost about $1 billion, and it was not until late 1985 that the undamaged unit was placed back in operation. 219

Pennsylvania

After miners were trapped (and successfully rescued) in an accident at Quecreek Mine in July 2002, the DEP launched a program to build a database of abandoned mine locations to minimize the risk of another such accident occurring. In 2003, Pennsylvania had 572 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 94 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. In 1996, there were 404,000 acres of wetlands in the state.

6

Population

In 2005, Pennsylvania ranked sixth in the United States in population with an estimated total of 12,440,621 residents. The population is projected to reach 12.8 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 276.9 persons per square mile (106.9 persons per square kilometer). The median age in 2004 was 39.3. In 2005, about 15% of all residents were 65 years old or older and 23% were 18 or younger. In 2005, Philadelphia was the largest city in the state and the fifth-largest in the United States. That year, the city had an estimated population of 1,463,281. Pittsburgh’s population was 316,718 the same year. Other leading cities in 2005 were Allentown, with an estimated 106,992 residents; Erie, 102,612; Reading, 80,855; Scranton, 73,120; Bethlehem, 72,895; Lancaster, 54,757; Harrisburg, 47,472; and Altoona, 47,176.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, there were 18,348 Native American residents in the state. Black Americans numbered 1,224,612 (10% of the 220

total state population). Hispanics and Latinos in Pennsylvania numbered 394,088, most of whom were Puerto Ricans, with smaller numbers of Cubans and Central Americans. Asians numbered 219,813, including 50,650 Chinese, 31,612 Koreans, 57,241 Asian Indians, 14,506 Filipinos, and 30,037 Vietnamese. Pacific Islanders numbered 3,417. In 2000, about 508,291 Pennsylvania residents, or 4.1% of the total population, were foreign born. Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, India, the former Soviet Union, Korea, and Poland were the leading countries of origin. In 2006, about 10.1% of the population was black, 4.0% was Hispanic or Latino, and 2.2% was Asian.

8

Languages

Although not quite uniform, Pennsylvania’s North Midland dialect is significant as the source of much Midwestern and western speech. The only non-Midland sector is the northern group of counties, settled from southern New York, where features of the Northern dialect predominate. In Southern Pennsylvania common terms include roasting ears (corn on the cob) and spiket (spigot). Western Pennsylvania, however, contrasts with the eastern half by the dominance of terms such as hap (quilt) and clothes press (closet). In much of central Pennsylvania, descendants of the colonial Palatinate German population retain their speech as Deutsch, often misnamed Pennsylvania Dutch. In 2000, some 91.6% of the population five years old or older spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Spanish, 356,754; Italian, 70,434; and German, 68,672. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Pennsylvania

9

Religions

With a long history of toleration, Pennsylvania has been a haven for numerous religious groups. The first European settlers were Swedish Lutherans. William Penn brought the Quakers to Pennsylvania during the 1680s. Other early groups included German Mennonites, Dunkars, Moravians, and Schwenkfelders; French Huguenots; Scots-Irish Presbyterians; and English Baptists. The Mennonites and the Quakers were the first religious groups to openly advocate the abolition of slavery and to help runaway slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad. The Amish-Mennonite followers of Jacob Amman continue to dress in black clothing and to shun the use of mechanized tools, automobiles, and electrical appliance. The Presbyterians, who built their first church in the state in 1704, played a major role both in the establishment of schools in the colony and in the later development of Pittsburgh and other cities in the western part of the state. In 1872, clergyman Charles Taze Russell formed a new group in Pittsburgh first called the Russellites; members of this group are known today as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Roman Catholics are the largest religious group in the state, with a total membership of about of 3,686,088 in 2004. In 2005, the United Church of Christ reported 182,779 members. In 2004, the Untied Methodist Church reported 471,311 members. Other major Protestant groups (with 2000 membership figures) were the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 611,913; the Presbyterian Church USA, 324,714; the American Baptist Church USA, 132,858; and the Episcopal Church, 116,511. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The historically important Mennonites, of various traditions, had over 68,000 adherents in 2000. Amish communities had over 25,000 members and Moravians numbered over 10,000. Friends USA (Quakers) reported a membership of about 11,844. Jewish congregations included an estimated 283,000 members and the Muslim congregations had about 71,190 adherents. About 5.1 million people (42.1% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

As of 2003, the major (Class I) lines using the state’s 6,942 rail miles (11,176 kilometers) of track were the Consolidated Rail Corporation, or Conrail, owned by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern. In 2003, Pennsylvania had 60 railroads in operation, more than any other state. Amtrak operates around 100 daily trains through Pennsylvania, offering passenger service to Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and other cities along the east–west route, and from Philadelphia to New York and Washington, DC, along the northeast corridor. Mass transit systems exist in metropolitan Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. Mass transit systems also operate in Altoona, Allentown, Erie, Harrisburg, Johnstown, Lancaster, Reading, Scranton, State College, and Wilkes-Barre. The Philadelphia Rapid Transit System, the state’s first subway, was established in 1902. It is operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), which also runs buses, trolleys, trackless trolleys, and commuter trains in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia coun221

Pennsylvania

ties. In 1985, a 1.1-mile (1.8-kilometer) subway was opened in Pittsburgh as part of a 10.5mile (16.9-kilometer) light-rail (trolley) transit system linking downtown Pittsburgh with the South Hills section of the city. Throughout its history, Pennsylvania has been home to many pioneers in road transportation. During the mid-1700s, a Lancaster County artisan developed an improved wagon for transporting goods across the Alleghenies. Called a Conestoga wagon after the region from which it came, this vehicle later became the prime means of transport for westward pioneers. Another major improvement in land transportation came with the opening in 1792 of the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike, one of the first stonesurfaced roads in the United States. The steelcable suspension bridge built by John Roebling over the Monongahela River at Pittsburgh in 1846 revolutionized bridge building, leading to the construction of spans longer and wider than had previously been thought possible. The Pennsylvania Turnpike opened in 1940. It was the first high speed, multilane, toll highway in the United States. In 2004, Pennsylvania had 120,623 miles (194,203 kilometers) of public roads. Besides the Turnpike, the major highways are I-80 (Keystone Shortway), I-81, and I79. As of 2004, there were 9.9 million motor vehicles registered, including 5.5 million automobiles, 3.7 million trucks, and 29,000 buses. There were 8,430,142 licensed drivers in the state in 2004. With access to the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes and with such navigable waterways as the Delaware, Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio rivers, Pennsylvania was an early leader in water transportation. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, 222

and Erie are the state’s major shipping ports. Although no longer the dominant gateway to the Mississippi, Pittsburgh is still a major inland port. Erie is the state’s port on the Great Lakes. In 2005, Pennsylvania had 468 airports, 329 heliports, 10 seaplane bases, and 3 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing). The busiest air terminal in the state was the Philadelphia International Airport, which had 13.8 million enplanements in 2004. The Greater Pittsburgh Airport was the next busiest airport with 6.6 million enplanements the same year.

11

History

The first Europeans to sail up the Delaware River found the Leni-Lenape (later called the Delaware) and other Algonquian tribes, including the Nanticoke and the Shawnee. The other major Native American group in Pennsylvania was the Iroquoian, which included the Susquehanna (Conestoga), Wyandot, and Erie tribes. The Iroquoian Confederacy of the Five Nations, located in what is now New York, destroyed the Erie in the 1640s, the Susquehanna by 1680, and conquered the Leni-Lenape by 1720 but failed to destroy them. The first European to reach Pennsylvania was probably the Dutchman Cornelis Jacobssen, who in 1614 entered Delaware Bay. In 1638, the Swedes began farming along the Delaware River. They established a post at Tinicum Island (1643) and several forts along the Schuylkill River. The Dutch conquered the Swedish territories in 1655 but surrendered the land to the English in 1664. British Rule In 1681 King Charles II granted

the region to William Penn, who belonged to Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Pennsylvania

the Society of Friends (Quakers), a Protestant sect persecuted for its ideas of equality and pacifism. Penn intended to make the region—named Pennsylvania in honor of his father—a refuge for all persecuted peoples. From the beginning, Penn gave up nearly all his lawmaking power over the new colony, allowing landowners to vote and establishing a governing council to exercise legislative, executive, and judicial power. As Pennsylvania’s government evolved, its population grew steadily, with most of the first immigrants coming from the British Isles and Germany. A key issue during the preRevolutionary period was the size and extent of the colony, of which all boundaries except the Delaware River were disputed. In 1763, after a lengthy struggle, Pennsylvania and Maryland agreed to have Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon establish the famous Mason-Dixon line. Pennsylvania moved rapidly toward independence after the British victory in the French and Indian War. The Continental Congress began meeting in Philadelphia in September 1774, and the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed from Independence Hall in that city on 4 July 1776. General George Washington set up winter headquarters at Valley Forge, remaining there from December 1777 to June 1778. The British, who had occupied Philadelphia since September 1777 evacuated the city by the spring of 1778, and Congress reconvened there on 2 July. Philadelphia would serve as the US capital until 1783, and again from 1790 to 1800. Statehood In 1780, Pennsylvania passed the

first state law abolishing slavery. Seven years later, Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the US Constitution and join the Union. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia was the nation’s first hospital. AP IMAGES.

In 1790, Pennsylvania adopted a new constitution, modeled on the federal one, allowing all taxpaying males to vote. Four years later, western Pennsylvania settlers, opposed to a federal excise tax on distilled spirits, waged the Whiskey Rebellion, which was soon suppressed by state troops under federal command. By 1800, the first stages of industrialization were at hand. Pittsburgh’s first iron furnace was built in 1792. The completion of the Main Line of Public Works, a canal and rail system connecting Philadelphia with Pittsburgh, was a major development of the early 19th century. The 1840s saw not only an influx of Irish immi223

Pennsylvania

grants but also the rise of the Native American (Know-Nothing) Party, an anti-Catholic movement. The antislavery crusade, which gave birth to the Republican Party, influenced state politics during the following decade. The majority of Pennsylvanians voted for Republican Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Pennsylvania rallied to the Union cause, supplying some 338,000 men, a figure exceeded only by New York. The state was the scene of the Battle of Gettysburg (1–3 July 1863), a turning point in the Civil War. Under General George Gordon Meade, the Union troops defeated Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee, who was then forced to lead a retreat to Virginia. After the Civil War In the post–Civil War years,

the state was dominated by industry. Between 1890 and 1900, Pennsylvania was the nation’s chief producer of coal, iron, and steel, and for much of that period the main source of petroleum and lumber. Farmers’ sons and daughters joined immigrants from abroad in flocking to urban centers to work in mines, mills, and factories. As the state’s industrial wealth increased, education, journalism, literature, art, and architecture flourished in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Industrial leaders—supported both by the Republican state government and by popular opinion—smashed labor’s efforts to unite, particularly in the great steel strike of 1919. Despite the nationwide economic boom of the 1920s, Pennsylvania’s industrial growth rate was low. Coal, textiles, and agriculture, all basic to the state’s economy, were depressed during that period. The disastrous depression of the 1930s brought major changes to Pennsylvania. George 224

H. Earle, the state’s first Democratic governor since 1890, successfully introduced a “Little” New Deal, supporting labor, regulating utilities, aiding farmers, and building public works. Full employment and prosperity returned to Pennsylvania with new demands for steel, ships, munitions, and uniforms during World War II. After World War II Pennsylvania ranked fifth in

the nation in manufacturing by 1958. Markets, transportation, banks, factories, machinery, and skilled labor remained abundant, and two Democratic governors were able to attract new industries to the state during the 1950s and early 1960s. Republican Governor Raymond P. Shafer (1967–71) was as forward-looking as his predecessors in his efforts to rehabilitate the economy. The 1873 constitution was extensively revised at a constitutional convention held in 1967–68, during Shafer’s administration. During his first term (1971–75), Democratic governor Milton J. Shapp secured passage of a state income tax to pay for new social programs. He also championed the consumer with no-fault auto insurance, adopted in 1974. Shapp’s successor, Republican Richard L. Thornburgh, had scarcely been elected before a nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island malfunctioned in March 1979, releasing radioactive gases into the air. The disaster confronted Pennsylvania and the nation with vexing questions concerning the safety and wisdom of atomic power. In the mid-1980s, Pennsylvania found itself confronted with the problem of completing the transition from a manufacturing to a service economy. By the mid-1990s, steel was no longer the mainstay industry in Pennsylvania, although the state still led the nation in production of speJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Governors: 1776–2007 1776 1776 1776–1778 1778 1778–1781 1781–1782 1782–1785 1785–1788 1788–1789 1790–1799 1799–1808 1808–1817 1817–1820 1820–1823 1823–1829 1829–1835 1835–1839 1839–1845 1845–1848 1848–1852 1852–1855 1855–1858 1858–1861 1861–1867 1867–1873 1873–1879 1879–1883 1883–1887 1887–1891

David Rittenhouse Samuel Morris, Sr. Thomas Wharton, Jr. George Bryan Joseph Reed William Moore John Dickinson Benjamin Franklin Thomas Mifflin Thomas Mifflin Thomas McKean Simon Snyder William Findlay Joseph Hiester John Andrews Shulze George Wolf Joseph Ritner David Rittenhouse Porter Francis Rawn Shunk William Freame Johnston William Bigler James Pollock William Fisher Packer Andrew Gregg Curtin John White Geary John Frederick Hartranft Henry Martyn Hoyt Robert Emory Pattison James Addams Beaver

Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Dem-Rep Jacksonian Anti–Mason Democrat Democrat Whig Democrat Whig Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican

cialty steel. Philadelphia had become a center for high-technology industries and Pittsburgh became an attractive location for corporate headquarters. In 1994, Republican Tom Ridge was elected governor. During his first term, he approved deregulation of the state’s utilities, a move which helped the consumer economy by lowering utility bills, but cut tax revenues. Following the terrorist attacks on the United States of 11 September 2001, President George W. Bush appointed Ridge as the head a new federal department of homeland security. Democrat Ed Rendell succeeded Ridge as governor in 2003; he was reelected in a landslide Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1891–1895 1895–1899 1899–1903 1903–1907 1907–1911 1911–1915 1915–1919 1919–1923 1923–1927 1927–1931 1931–1935 1935–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947 1947–1951 1951–1955 1955–1959 1959–1963 1963–1967 1967–1971 1971–1979 1979–1987 1987–1995 1995–2003 2003–

Robert Emory Patttison Daniel Hartman Hastings William Alexis Stone Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker Edwin Sydney Stuart John Kinley Tener Martin Grove Brumbaugh William Cameron Sproul Gifford Pinchot John Stuchell Fisher Gifford Pinchot George Howard Earle III Arthur Horace James Edward Martin John Cromwell Bell, Jr. James Henderson Duff John Sydney Fine George Michael Leader David Leo Lawrence William Warren Scranton Raymond Philip Shafer Milton Jerrold Shapp Richard Lewis Thornburgh Robert Patrick Casey Tom Ridge Edward Rendell

Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat


in 2006. His 2005 “Plan for a New Pennsylvania” offered proposals to increase educational funding, reduce property taxes, and expand prescription drug programs for seniors.

12

State Government

The Pennsylvania General Assembly consists of a 50-member senate, elected to staggered fouryear terms, and a 203-member house of representatives, elected every two years. As head of the executive branch and chief executive offices of the state, the governor of Pennsylvania has the power to appoint heads of administrative departments, boards, and com225

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

1948

PENNSYLVANIA WINNER

Dewey (R)

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1,752,426

1,902,197

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

55,161

11,325

PROHIBITION

SOC. LABOR

10,538

1,461

8,951 — — —

1,377 7,447 7,158 5,092

SOC. WORKERS

1952 1956 1960 1964

*Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)

2,146,269 1,981,769 2,556,282 3,130,954

2,415,789 2,585,252 2,439,956 1,673,657

4,222 — — —

1968

Humphrey (D)

2,259,403

2,090,017

7,821

1,508 2,035 2,678 10,456

PEACE & FREEDOM AMERICAN IND.

4,862

378,582

4,977 AMERICAN

1972

*Nixon (R)

1,796,951

2,714,521

1976

*Carter (D)

2,328,677

2,205,604

—

4,639

—

3,009

25,344

LIBERTARIAN

SOC. WORKERS

33,263 6,982

20,291 —

— —

NEW ALLIANCE

POPULIST

COMMUNIST

1980 1984


1,937,540 2,228,131

2,261,872 2,584,323

1988

*Bush (R)

2,194,944

2,300,087

1,891 5,184 21,628

US LABOR

CONSUMER

19,158

70,593

12,051

4,379

2,744

3,444 IND. (PEROT)

1992 1996


2,239,164 2,215,819

1,791,164 1,801,169

— —

2000 Gore (D) 2,485,967 2004 Kerry (D) 2,938,095 *Won US presidential election.

2,281,127 2,793,847

103,392 —

21,477 28,000

4,661 —

902,667 430,984

REFORM CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTARIAN

missions, to approve or veto legislation, to grant pardons, and to command the state’s military forces. Other Pennsylvania officials also elected for four years are the lieutenant governor, auditor general, state treasurer, and attorney general. A bill may be introduced in either house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. After the measure is passed by majority vote in each house, the governor has ten days in which to sign it, refuse to sign it (in which case it becomes law), or veto it. Vetoes may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the elected members of each house. A bill becomes effective 60 days after enactment. 226

16,023 —

14,428 —

11,248 21,185

The legislative salary in 2004 was $66,203.55 and the governor’s salary was $155,753.

13

Political Parties

The Republican Party totally dominated Pennsylvania politics from 1860, when the first Republican governor was elected, to the early 1930s, and again from 1939 through 1955. Since the mid-1950s, however, Pennsylvania has emerged as a two-party state, and Democrats elected governors in 1954, 1958, 1970, 1974, 1986, 1990, 2002, and 2006. Republicans won the governorship in 1962, 1966, 1978, 1982, 1994, and 1998. Democrat Ed Rendell was reelected governor in 2006. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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Members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives are sworn in at the beginning of a new term in January 2007. AP IMAGES.

Both US Senate seats were held by Republicans from 1968 to 1991. In November of 1991, a little-known Democrat and former college president named Harris Wofford defeated former governor Richard Thornburgh for the seat of Senator John Heinz, who died in 1991. In 1994, Republican Rick Santorum, a Congressman from the Pittsburgh area, defeated Wofford. Santorum was reelected in 2000 but was defeated by Democrat Bob Casey Jr. in 2006. The other senator is Republican Arlan Specter, who was elected to a fifth term in 2004. Following the 2006 midterm elections, Pennsylvania’s 19 seats in the US House of Representatives were held by 11 Democrats and 8 Republicans. Following those elections, there were 29 Republicans and 21 Democrats in the state senate and 102 Republicans and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

101 Democrats in the state house. Thirty-four women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 13.4%. In 2004 there were 8,367,000 registered voters. In 1998, 48% of registered voters were Democratic, 42% Republican, and 9% unaffiliated or members of other parties. In 2000, Democratic Al Gore garnered 51% of the presidential election vote and Republican George W. Bush received 47%. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry won 50.8% of the vote while President Bush received 48.6%.

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Local Government

As of 2005, Pennsylvania had 67 counties, 1,018 municipal governments, 501 school districts, 227

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and 1,885 special districts. In 2002, there were 1,546 townships. Under home-rule laws, municipalities may choose to draft and amend their own charter. The chief governing body in each county is a threemember board of commissioners. Other elected officials generally include the sheriff, district attorney, and treasurer. There are nine classes of counties and four classes of cities, based on population. The only first-class city, Philadelphia, is governed by a mayor and city council. Both Pittsburgh and Scranton are classified as secondclass cities and are governed under mayor-council systems. Boroughs are governed under mayor-council systems giving the council strong powers. Other elected officials are the tax assessor, tax collector, and auditor or controller. The state’s first-class townships are governed by elected commissioners; second-class townships have three supervisors who are elected at large.

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Judicial System

Since 1968, all Pennsylvania courts have been organized under the Unified Judicial System. The highest court in the state is the supreme court, established in 1722, making it the oldest appeals court in the United States. In general, the supreme court hears appeals from the commonwealth court. A separate appeals court, called the superior court, hears appeals from the courts of common pleas. In counties other than Philadelphia, misdemeanors and other minor offenses are tried by district justices, formerly known as justices of the peace. The state’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 411.1 reported incidents per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property were reported at 228

a rate of about 2,415 per 100,000 people. In December 2004, there were 40,963 inmates held in state and federal corrections facilities. Pennsylvania imposes the death penalty and executed three persons between 1976 and 2006. In January 2006, there were 231 persons under sentence of death.

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Migration

When William Penn’s followers arrived in Pennsylvania, they joined small groups of Dutch, Swedish, and Finnish immigrants who were already settled along the Delaware River. In 1683, the Frankfort Land Company founded the Mennonite community of Germantown on 6,000 acres (2,400 hectares) east of the Schuylkill River. The Moravians, from Saxony, settled primarily in Bethlehem and Nazareth, and the Amish in Lancaster and Reading. During the 19th century, more immigrants settled in Pennsylvania than in any other state except New York. Between 1840 and 1890, the anthracite mines in east-central Pennsylvania attracted the Irish, Welsh, and Slavs. ScotchIrish, Italian, Austrian, Hungarian, and Polish (and, after 1880, Russian) immigrants worked the western coal fields. The cities attracted Italian, French, and Slavic workers. East European and Russian Jews settled in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh between 1882 and 1900. By the turn of the century, the urban population surpassed the rural population. During the 20th century, these patterns have been reversed. The trend among whites, particularly since World War II, has been to move out from the cities to the suburbs and from Pennsylvania to other states. Blacks, who began entering the state first as slaves and then as freeJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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men, continued to migrate to the larger cities until the early 1970s, when a small out-migration began. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had a net loss of 219,000 in domestic migration but a net gain of 104,000 in international migration. In the period 1995–2000, some 668,753 people moved into the state and 800,049 moved out, for a net loss of 131,296; of these, 92,385 moved to Florida. For the period 2000–05, net international migration was 102,470 and net internal migration was -28,012 for a net gain of 74,458 people.

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Economy

Dominated by coal and steel, Pennsylvania is an important contributor to the national economy, but its role has diminished considerably since the early 20th century. Declines in coal and steel production and the loss of other industries have not been entirely counterbalanced by gains in other areas, despite a steady expansion of machinery production, increased tourism, and the growth of service-related industries and trade. Manufacturing, the second largest employer in Pennsylvania, lost about 350,000 jobs during the 1980s. During the 1980s and 1990s, Pennsylvania’s aging factories faced severe competition from foreign producers. Services, in contrast, added about 375,000 jobs. The fastest growing service industries were concentrated in the medical and health fields. From 1998 to 2000, Pennsylvania’s economy grew at an average rate of 4.75%. Growth was cut by more than half to 2.2% during the national recession of 2001. Manufacturing output fell, although revenues from trade and services increased in the early 2000s. In 2001, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Pennsylvania’s gross state product (GSP) was $408.4 billion, the sixth largest among the states. In 2004, an estimated 33,188 new businesses were established while 34,507 businesses closed.

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Income

In 2005, Pennsylvania had a gross state product (GSP) of $487 billion, ranking sixth among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Pennsylvania ranked 19th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $33,312; the national average was $33,050. The average annual median household income for 2002–04 was $44,286 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 10.4% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

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Industry

At different times throughout its history, Pennsylvania has been the nation’s principal producer of ships, iron, chemicals, lumber, oil, textiles, glass, coal, and steel. Although it is still a major manufacturing center, Pennsylvania’s industrial leadership has diminished steadily during the last century. In 2004, the shipment value of products manufactured in the state was over $190 billion. Chemical manufacturing accounted for the largest share of that total, followed by food manufacturing and primary metal manufacturing. Pittsburgh is a popular site for corporate headquarters. Among the leading companies headquartered there are USX (formerly US Steel), 229

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Westinghouse Electric, Aluminum Company of America, and H. J. Heinz.

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Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Pennsylvania numbered 6,318,700, with approximately 299,400 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which was also the national average for the same period. In 2006, 4.4% of the labor force was employed in construction; 11.6% in manufacturing; 19.7% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.8% in financial activities; 11.6% in professional and business services; 18.3% in education and health services; 8.5% in leisure and hospitality services, and 13% in government. The history of unionism in Pennsylvania dates back to 1724 when Philadelphia workers organized the Carpenters’ Company, the first crafts association in the colonies. Its Carpenters’ Hall gained fame as the site of the First Continental Congress in 1774. The carpenters were also responsible for the first strike in the United States in 1791. The nation’s first labor union was organized by Philadelphia shoemakers in 1794. By 1827, the Mechanics’ Union of Trade Associations, the country’s first central labor body, was striking for a 10-hour workday and was the impetus behind the formation of the Organized Workingman’s Party. After the Civil War ended, the Knights of Labor was established in Philadelphia in 1869. The coal fields were sites of violent organizing struggles. In 1835, low wages and long hours sparked the first general mine strikes, which proved unsuccessful. During the 1850s and 1870s, a secret society known as the Molly Maguires led uprisings in the anthracite fields, 230

but its influence ended after the conviction of its leaders for terrorist activities. The Steel Workers Organizing Committee, later the United Steelworkers, won a contract and improved benefits from US Steel in 1937, although other steel companies held out until the early 1940s, when the Supreme Court forced recognition of the union. In 2005, some 753,000 of Pennsylvania’s 5,456,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 13.8% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

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Agriculture

Pennsylvania ranked 20th among the 50 states in agricultural income in 2005, with receipts of nearly $4.7 billion. Most farms in the state produce crops and dairy items for Philadelphia and other major eastern markets. As of 2004, there were about 58,200 farms averaging 132 acres (54 hectares) in size. The leading farm areas were all in southeastern Pennsylvania. Lancaster County is by far the most productive, followed by the counties of Chester, Berks, Franklin, and Lebanon. Field crops in 2004 included hay (4.2 million tons), corn for grain (137 million), soybeans (10.5 million bushels), wheat, oats, and barley. Pennsylvania is a major producer of mushrooms and greenhouse and nursery crops. Other crops are fresh vegetables, potatoes, strawberries, apples, pears, peaches, grapes, and cherries (sweet and tart). The value of fresh market vegetables exceeded $70.4 million in 2004. The value of vegetables for processing was $10.9 million. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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Most of Pennsylvania’s farm income stems from livestock production, primarily in Lancaster County. In 2005, there were an estimated 1.63 million cattle and calves, valued at $1.8 billion. During 2004, there were about 1.1 million hogs and pigs, worth $106.9 million. In 2003, the state produced 7 million pounds (3.2 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs, which brought in $7.5 million in gross income. Pennsylvania is a leading producer of chickens in the United States, selling 44.2 million pounds (20 million kilograms) in 2003. An estimated 10.4 billion pounds (4.7 billion kg) of milk (fourth among the 50 states) was produced from 575,000 milk cows in the same year.

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Fishing

There is very little commercial fishing in Pennsylvania. In 2004, the commercial catch was only 14,000 pounds (640 kilograms), worth $38,000. In 2001, there were 5 processing and 34 wholesale plants in the state with about 976 employees. The state’s many lakes and streams make it a popular area for sport fishing. Walleye, trout, and salmon were the leading species. There are two national fish hatcheries in the state. In 2004, Pennsylvania issued 1,018,756 sport fishing licenses.

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Forestry

Pennsylvania’s forests cover 58% (16,585,000 acres/6,712,000 hectares) of the total land area. For the northeastern United States, public ownership is high at 26% (4,403,000 acres/1,782,000 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

hectares), mostly owned by the commonwealth. The 1989 Forest Inventory identified 90 different tree species. Eagles and ospreys are making a comeback to state forests. There is a resident elk herd (the largest east of the Mississippi), coyotes have moved in, and river otters and fishers have been reintroduced. The forest products industry and forest-based recreation are very important to Pennsylvania’s economy. In 2004, the total lumber production was 1.1 billion board feet, or 2.3% of the US total. Camping, fishing, hiking, and hunting are traditional Pennsylvania pastimes and the clean streams, vistas, and flora and fauna of the forest provide a focal point for these activities.

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Mining

In 2003, the value of mineral production in Pennsylvania was estimated at $1.26 billion. The most valuable mineral was crushed stone, which amounted to 96 million metric tons. Other important minerals were portland cement, with production of 6.13 million metric tons (third in the United States), and construction sand and gravel, with 18 million metric tons. Together, crushed stone, cement, and construction sand and gravel accounted for almost 92% of the total mineral production value. Pennsylvania ranked 10th among the states in value of its minerals in 2003. Although no metals were mined in Pennsylvania, the state was the nation’s fifthleading producer of raw steel, processing about 5.53 million metric tons in 2003. 231

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26

Energy and Power

In 2003, total electricity generation was 206.3 billion kilowatt hours. About 56.2% of all electricity was generated at coal-fired plants and 36% came from nuclear power generation. Pennsylvania’s nuclear power production dropped abruptly on 28 March 1979, when a malfunction at the Unit 2 plant at Three Mile Island near Harrisburg caused the reactor’s containment building to fill up with radioactive water. Some radioactive steam was vented into the atmosphere and thousands of residents of nearby areas were temporarily evacuated. Metropolitan Edison’s Unit I plant was also shut down after the accident but was reopened in fall 1985. Operating nuclear plants in Pennsylvania as of 2006 were Peach Bottom, Beaver Valley, Susquehanna, Limerick, and Unit 1 of the Three Mile Island plant. The nation’s first oil well was struck in Titusville in 1859. Oil reserves totaled 12 million barrels in 2004. Production was at 7,000 barrels per day that year. Marketed natural gas production in 2004 was 159.8 billion cubic feet (4.5 billion cubic meters). Estimated reserves of dry or consumer grade natural gas as of 2004 were over 2.3 billion cubic feet (67.7 billion cubic meters). Virtually all the state’s commercial oil and gas reserves lie beneath the Allegheny High Plateau, in western Pennsylvania. Coal is the state’s most valuable mineral commodity, accounting for more than two-thirds of all mine income. In 2004, Pennsylvania’s mining companies produced 69.9 million short tons of coal. Pennsylvania is the only state to produce both anthracite (hard) coal and bituminous (soft or brown) coal. Bituminous coal is mined in Washington, Clearfield, Greene, Cambria, 232

Armstrong, Somerset, Clarion, Allegheny, and 19 other counties in the western part of the state. Anthracite mining is concentrated in Schuylkill, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Northumberland, Carbon, Columbia, Sullivan, and Dauphin counties in the east. Recoverable coal reserves as of 2004 totaled 614 million short tons.

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Commerce

Philadelphian John Wanamaker opened the world’s first department store in 1876; by 2002, Pennsylvania had about 48,041 retail establishments. Pennsylvania’s wholesale sales totaled $183.7 billion in 2002; retail sales were $130.7 billion. The leading type of retail establishments were food and beverage stores, followed by clothing and clothing accessories stores. In 2005, total exports of Pennsylvania goods had a value of $22.2 billion (ninth in the United States).

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Public Finance

Pennsylvania’s budget is prepared annually by the Office of Budget and submitted by the governor to the Pennsylvania General Assembly for amendment and approval. By law, annual operating expenditures may not exceed available revenues and surpluses from prior years. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. The revenues for the state government in 2004 were $69.2 billion and expenditures were $57.3 billion. The largest general expenditures were for public welfare ($16.7 billion), education ($15.3 billion), and highways ($4 billion). The state debt exceeded $25.9 billion, or $2,097.45 per capita (per person). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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Taxation

Pennsylvania’s personal income tax is levied at a flat rate of 3.07%. The corporate income tax is a flat rate of 9.99%. Pennsylvania’s sales and use tax is 6%. Local sales taxes are limited to an additional 1%. There are selective sales taxes on such items as gasoline and cigarettes. The state collected $27.2 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 29.6% came from the general sales tax, 30.4% came from individual income taxes, 18.9% from selective sales taxes, and 6.2% from corporate income taxes. In 2005, Pennsylvania ranked 22nd among the states in terms of per capita tax burden, which amounted to $2,193 per person, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person.

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Health

In 2005, Pennsylvania’s infant mortality rate was 6.9 per 1,000 live births. The crude death rate in 2003 was 10.5 per 1,000 population. As of 2004, about 22.6% of all state residents were smokers. As of 2002, the death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 315; cancer, 242; cerebrovascular diseases, 69.5; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 48.8; and diabetes, 30.1. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported at 4 per 100,000. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 13.1 per 100,000. Pennsylvania’s 201 community hospitals had 40,900 beds in 2003. The average expense for hospital care was $1,326 per inpatient day. In 2004, about 12% of Pennsylvania’s residents were uninsured. There were 332 physicians per Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

100,000 residents in 2004 and 995 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were a total of 7,789 dentists in the state. The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, which originated as the medical school of the College of Philadelphia in 1765, is the nation’s oldest medical school. One of the nation’s newest is the Hershey Medical Center of Pennsylvania State University. Other medical schools in Pennsylvania are the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Temple University’s School of Medicine, the Medical College of Pennsylvania, and Allegheny University, the last three in Philadelphia. The state also has colleges of osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, and optometry—all in Philadelphia. Among the many medical certification boards located in Philadelphia are the boards of allergy and immunology, internal medicine, ophthalmology, and surgery.

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Housing

In 2004, there were 5,385,729 housing units in Pennsylvania, 4,817,757 of which were occupied; 72.8% were owner-occupied. About 57.6% of all units were single-family, detached homes. About 30.7% of all units were built in 1939 or earlier. Utility gas and fuel oil were the most common sources of energy for heating. It was estimated that 135,756 units lacked telephone services, 23,755 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 28,415 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household had 2.48 members. In 2004, some 49,700 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $116,520. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was 233

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$1,114, while renters paid a median of $611 per month.

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Education

From colonial times until the 1830s, almost all instruction in reading and writing took place in private schools. Called “dame schools” in the cities and “neighborhood schools” in rural areas, they offered primary courses, usually taught by women in their own homes. In addition, the Quakers, Moravians, and ScotsIrish Presbyterians all formed their own private schools, emphasizing religious study. Many communities also set up secondary schools, called academies, on land granted by the state. By 1850, there were 524 academies, some of which later developed into colleges. A public school law passed in 1834. As of 2004, 86.5% of the population 25 years old and older had completed four years of high school and 25.3% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 1,817,000 in fall 2002. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $20.7 billion. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 316,337. As of fall 2002, there were 654,826 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Pennsylvania had 262 degree-granting institutions. Indiana University of Pennsylvania, established in 1872, accounted for about 15% of all enrollment. Four universities have nonprofit corporate charters but are classified as staterelated: Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Lincoln University. Of these, Penn State is by far the largest. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers’ 234

High School of Pennsylvania, Penn State now has its main campus at University Park and 23 smaller campus locations statewide. There are state-aided private institutions receiving designated grants from the legislature. The largest of these schools is the University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin as the Philadelphia Academy and Charitable School. Other private colleges and universities, also eligible to receive state aid, include Bryn Mawr College, Bucknell University, Carnegie Mellon University, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, and Villanova University.

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Arts

Philadelphia was the cultural capital of the colonies and rivaled New York as a theatrical center during the 1800s. A number of regional and summer stock theaters are scattered throughout the state, the most noteworthy being in Bucks County, Lancaster, and Pittsburgh. The Bucks County Playhouse is recognized as the State Theater and carries a rich history of featuring well-known stars such as Grace Kelly, Robert Redford, and Walter Matthau. Pennsylvania’s most significant contribution to the performing arts has come through music. One of America’s first important songwriters, Stephen Foster, grew up in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Symphony, which began performing in 1896, first achieved prominence under Victor Herbert. Temporarily disbanded in 1910, the symphony was revived under Fritz Reiner in 1927. Even more illustrious has been the career of the Philadelphia Orchestra, founded in 1900. Among this orchestra’s best known permanent conductors have been Leopold Stokowski Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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and Eugene Ormandy, both of whom recorded extensively. An important dance company, the Pennsylvania Ballet, is based in Philadelphia, which also has the Curtis Institute of Music, founded in 1924. Pittsburgh also hosts a ballet company. The National Choreographic Center was established in the mid-1980s in Carlisle in conjunction with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet School. Opera companies include the Pennsylvania Opera Theater, Pittsburgh Opera, and Opera The American Poetry Review, published out of Philadelphia, has become one of the nation’s premier poetry journals. Favorite tourist sites featuring the arts include the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and Fallingwater, a home created by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in Bear Run. The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts supports many arts programs with the help of state and federal funds. The Pennsylvania Humanities Council was established in 1973. Pennsylvania has an estimated 3,000 arts associations and 75 local arts groups, with over 400,000 contributing artists. In 2005, Pennsylvania arts organizations received 103 grants totaling over $3.1 million from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded 59 grants totaling over $6.1 million for state programs.

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In 2001, Pennsylvania had 459 public library systems with a total of 636 libraries. Public libraries stocked over 28 million volumes and had a total circulation of 56.9 million. The largest public library in the state, and one of the oldest in the United States, is the Free Library Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

of Philadelphia, with 6.7 million volumes in 73 branches. Also noteworthy are the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh and the State Library of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. The Alverthorpe Gallery Library in Jenkintown contains the Rosenwald collection of illustrated books dating from the 15th century. Philadelphia is the site of the state’s largest academic collection, the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, with 4.7 million volumes. Other major academic libraries are at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania State, Lehigh, Temple, Carnegie-Mellon, and Swarthmore. Pennsylvania has 362 museums and public gardens, with many of the museums located in Philadelphia. The Franklin Institute, established in 1824 as an exhibition hall and training center for inventors and mechanics, is a leading showcase for science and technology. Other important museums are the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Academy of Natural Sciences. The Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh is home to several major museums, including the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Art. Other institutions scattered throughout the state include the US Army Military History Institute, Carlisle; and Pennsylvania Dutch Folk Culture Society, Lenhartsville. A new exhibit at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium opened in June of 2000, featuring an aquarium that houses 500 species of sea creatures. Several old forts commemorate the French and Indian War, and George Washington’s Revolutionary War headquarters at Valley Forge is now a national historical park. Brandywine Battlefield (Chadds Ford) is another Revolutionary War site. Gettysburg National Military Park commemorates the Civil War. 235

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Communications

The most famous deputy postmaster of Philadelphia was Benjamin Franklin, who took the post in 1737. In 2004, some 95.6% of Pennsylvania’s households had telephones. The same year, there were about 6.4 million mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, about 60% of Pennsylvania households had a personal computer and 54.7% had access to the Internet. A total of 217,724 Internet domain names were registered in the state in 2000. In 2005, there were 55 major AM and 144 major FM radio stations. In addition, there were 34 major television stations. About 79% of all households have cable.

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Press

Benjamin Franklin may have been colonial Pennsylvania’s most renowned publisher, but the state’s first publisher was Andrew Bradford. His American Weekly Mercury, established in 1719, was the third newspaper to appear in the colonies. The Pennsylvania Gazette, purchased by Franklin in 1730, served as the springboard for Poor Richard’s Almanack. In 2005, Pennsylvania had 50 morning newspapers, 31 evening newspapers, and 41 Sunday papers. The leading dailies, with daily circulation in 2005, included the Philadelphia Inquirer (368,833), the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (238,860), and the Philadelphia Daily News (135,956). Farm Journal and Current History, both monthlies, are published in Philadelphia. There also are monthlies named for both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Of more specialized interest are the gardening, nutrition, and health maga236

zines and books from Rodale Press in Emmaus and the automotive guides from the Thompson Corporation (formerly the Chilton Company) in Radnor.

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Tourism is the second-largest industry in the state of Pennsylvania, which hosted about 126 million travelers in 2003. Of these, about 1.3 million were international visitors with the majority from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The total economic impact from travel expenditures was $21.9 billion in 2003. The industry supported over 563,440 jobs. Philadelphia, hosting Independence National Historical Park which has been called the most historic square mile in America, offers the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and many other sites. North of Philadelphia in Bucks County is the town of New Hope, with its numerous craft and antique shops. The Lancaster area is “Pennsylvania Dutch” country, featuring tours and exhibits of Amish farm life. Gettysburg contains not only the famous Civil War battlefield but also the home of Dwight D. Eisenhower, opened to the public in 1980. Among the most popular sites are Chocolate World and Hersheypark in the town of Hershey, and Valley Forge National Historic Park. No less of an attraction are the state’s outdoor recreation areas. By far the most popular for both skiing and camping are the Delaware Water Gap and the Poconos, also a favorite resort region. The state park system includes 116 parks, 20 state forests, 1 national forest, and 3 environmental education centers. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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Sports

Pennsylvania has seven major league professional sports teams: the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League, the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, and the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. There are also minor league baseball teams in Harrisburg, Scranton, Altoona, Reading, Williamsport, Allentown, and Erie, and minor league hockey teams in Hershey, Johnstown, Wilkes-Barre, and Philadelphia. Horse racing is conducted at Keystone Race Track in Bucks County, Penn National Race Course in Dauphin County, and Commodore Downs in Erie County. Harness racing tracks include Liberty Bell Park in northeast Philadelphia, the Meadows in Washington County, and Pocono Downs in Luzerne County. Each June, Pennsylvania hosts a major auto race, the Pocono 500. Each July, the state hosts a second NASCAR Nextel Cup event, the Pennsylvania 500. The Penn Relays, an important amateur track meet, are held in Philadelphia every April. In collegiate sports, football is most prominent. The University of Pittsburgh’s Panthers were named national champions three times. Penn State was named champion in 1982 and 1986 and joined the Big Ten in 1990. The Nittany Lions have won more than eight bowl games. The University of Pennsylvania, a member of the Ivy League, fields traditionally strong teams in football and basketball. Villanova University, located in Philadelphia, won the National Collegiate Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball championship in 1985. Each summer, Williamsport hosts baseball’s Little League World Series.

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Famous Pennsylvanians

Johan Printz (b.Sweden, 1592–1663), the harddrinking, hard-swearing, and hard-ruling governor of New Sweden, was Pennsylvania’s first European resident of note. The founder of Pennsylvania was William Penn (b.England, 1644–1718), a Quaker of sober habits and deep religious beliefs. Most extraordinary of all Pennsylvanians, Benjamin Franklin (b.Massachusetts, 1706–1790), a printer, author, inventor, scientist, legislator, diplomat, and statesman, served the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and US governments in a variety of posts. Only one native Pennsylvanian, James Buchanan (1791–1868), has ever become US president. George M. Dallas (1792–1864), Pennsylvania’s only US vice president, was James K. Polk’s running mate. Many other Pennsylvanians have held prominent federal positions. John Wanamaker (1838–1922), an innovative department store merchandiser, served as postmaster general under Benjamin Harrison. Financier Andrew C. Mellon (1855– 1937) was secretary of the treasury under Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover. Other notable historical figures were Joseph Galloway (b.Maryland, c.1729–1803), a loyalist and Betsy Ross (Elizabeth Griscom, 1752– 1836), the seamstress who allegedly stitched the first American flag. Pamphleteer Thomas Paine (England, 1737–1809) and pioneer Daniel 237

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American architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Fallingwater retreat in Mill Run. This building is considered Wright’s greatest work. AP IMAGES.

Boone (1734–1820) also distinguished themselves during this period. Pennsylvanians have won Nobel Prizes in every category except literature. General George C. Marshall (1880–1959), chief of staff of the US Army in World War II and secretary of state when the European Recovery Program (Marshall Plan) was adopted, won the 1953 Nobel Peace Prize. In chemistry, Theodore W. Richards (1868–

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1928) won the 1914 Nobel Prize for determining the atomic weight of many elements. Many other Pennsylvanians were distinguished scientists. Benjamin Franklin’s grandson Alexander Dallas Bache (1806–1867) was an expert on magnetism. Caspar Wistar (b.Germany, 1761–1818) and Thomas Woodhouse (1770– 1809) pioneered the study of chemistry. Noted inventors born in Pennsylvania include steamboat builder Robert Fulton (1765–1815) and the father of the American anthracite iron industry, David Thomas (1794–1882). Andrew Carnegie (b.Scotland, 1835–1919) and his lieutenants, including Henry Clay Frick (1849–1919) and Charles M. Schwab (1862–1939), created the most efficient steel manufacturing company in the 19th century. John Wanamaker (1838–1922), Frank W. Woolworth (b.New York, 1852–1919), and Sebastian S. Kresge (1867–1966) were pioneer merchandisers. Other prominent businessmen born in Pennsylvania are automobile pioneer Clement Studebaker (1831–1901), chocolate manufacturer Milton S. Hershey (1857–1945), and retired Chrysler chairman Lee A. Iacocca (b.1924). Charles Taze Russell (1852–1916), born a Congregationalist, founded the group that later became Jehovah’s Witnesses. Among the state’s outstanding scholars are anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901–1978); behavioral psychologist B(urrhus) F(rederic) Skinner (1904– 1990); and language theorist Noam Chomsky (b.1928). Thomas Gallaudet (1787–1851) was a pioneer in education of the deaf.


Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has produced a large number of distinguished journalists and writers. Ida M. Tarbell (1857–1944) was perhaps Pennsylvania’s most famous muckraker. Among the many noteworthy Pennsylvania-born writers are Gertrude Stein (1874–1946), Christopher Morley (1890–1957), and John Updike (b.1932). James Michener (1907–1997) was raised in the state. Among Pennsylvania poets are Francis Hopkinson (1737–1791) and Wallace Stevens (1879–1955). Composers include Stephen Collins Foster (1826–1864) and Samuel Barber (1910–1981). Among Pennsylvania painters prominent in the history of American art are Benjamin West (1738–1820), renowned as the father of American painting; Charles Willson Peale (1741– 1827), who was also a naturalist; Andrew Wyeth (b.1917); and Andy Warhol (1927–1987). Pennsylvania produced and patronized a host of actors, including Lionel (1878–1954), Ethel (1879–1959), and John (1882–1942) Barrymore; W. C. Fields (William Claude Dukenfield, 1880–1946); James Stewart (1908–1997); Gene Kelly (1912–1996); Charles Bronson (Charles Buchinsky, 1922–2003); Shirley Jones (b.1934); and comedian Bill Cosby (b.1937). Popular band leaders include Jimmy Dorsey (1904–1957), his brother Tommy (1905–1956), and Les Brown (1912–2001). Perry Como (1913–2001), Daryl Hall (b.1949), and John Oates (b.New York, 1948) achieved renown as popular singers. Of the many outstanding athletes associated with Pennsylvania, Jim Thorpe (b.Oklahoma, 1888–1953) was most versatile, having starred in Olympic pentathlon and decathlon events and


football. Baseball Hall of Famers include Honus Wagner (1874–1955), Stan Musial (b.1920), and Roy Campanella (1921–1993). Outstanding Pennsylvania football players include Johnny Unitas (1933–2002), Joe Namath (b.1943), and Tony Dorsett (b.1954). Other stars include basketball’s Wilt Chamberlain (1936–1999); golf ’s Arnold Palmer (b.1929), tennis ace Bill Tilden (1893–1953); jockey Bill Hartack (b.1932); billiards star Willie Mosconi (1913–1993); swimmer Johnny Weissmuller (1904–1984); and track and field’s Bill Toomey (b.1939). Pennsylvania has also been the birthplace of a duchess—Bessie Wallis Warfield, the Duchess of Windsor (1896–1986)—and of a princess—Grace Kelly, Princess Grace of Monaco (1929–1982).

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Heinrichs, Ann. Pennsylvania. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003. McAuliffe, Emily. Pennsylvania Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Murray, Julie. Pennsylvania. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Peters, Stephen. Pennsylvania. Tarrytown, NY: Benchmark Books, 2000. WEB SITES Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PA Power Port. www.state.pa.us (accessed March 1, 2007). Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Experience PA. www. visitpa.com/visitpa/home.pa (accessed March 1, 2007).

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Rhode Island State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for Rhode Island

in Narragansett Bay, which was likened to the isle of Rhodes in the Mediterranean Sea. N I CKNAME : The Ocean State; Little Rhody. C AP ITAL: Providence. ENT ERED UNION: 29 May 1790 (13th). O FFICIAL SEAL: A golden anchor is surrounded by four scrolls, the topmost bearing the state motto; the words “Seal of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations 1636” encircle the whole. FLAG: In the center of a white field is a golden anchor with a blue ribbon containing the state motto in gold letters beneath it, all surrounded by a circle of 13 gold stars. M OT TO: Hope. SONG: “Rhode Island.” FLOWER: Violet. TREE: Red maple. A NIMAL: Quahaug. B IRD: Rhode Island Red. M INERAL: Bowenite. R OCK OR STONE: Cumberlandite. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Victory Day, 2nd Monday in August; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day and Armistice Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. TI ME: 7 AM EST = noon GMT.


1

Location and Size

One of the six New England states in the northeastern United States, Rhode Island is the smallest of all the 50 states. The total area of Rhode Island is 1,212 square miles (3,139 square kilometers), of which land comprises 1,055 square miles (2,732 square kilometers) and inland water 157 square miles (407 square kilometers). The state extends 37 miles (60 kilometers) from east to west and 48 miles (77 kilometers) from north to south. The total boundary length of Rhode Island is 160 miles (257 kilometers). The state has 38 islands, including Block Island, southwest of Point Judith.

2

Topography

Rhode Island can be divided into two main regions. The New England Upland Region, 241

Rhode Island

which is rough and hilly and marked by forests and lakes, occupies the western two-thirds of the state. The Seaboard Lowland, with its sandy beaches and salt marshes, occupies the eastern third. The highest point in the state is Jerimoth Hill, at 812 feet (248 meters). Rhode Island’s rivers include the Blackstone, Providence, Sakonnet, and Pawcatuck. Of the state’s 38 islands, the largest is Aquidneck.

3

Climate

Rhode Island has a humid climate with cold winters and short summers. The average annual temperature is 50°f (10°c). At Providence the temperature ranges from an average of 28°f (-1°c) in January to 73°f (22°c) in July. The record high temperature, 104°f (40°c), was registered at Providence on 2 August 1975. The record low, -23°f (-31°c), was recorded at Kingston on 11 January 1942. In Providence, the average annual precipitation is 45.1 inches (114 centimeters). Snowfall averages 35.6 inches (90 centimeters) a year. Blizzards and hurricanes are occasional threats.

4


Plants and Animals

1,067,610 1.8% 10.9% 98.1% 82.9% 5.0% 0.5% 2.7% 0.1% 6.9% 1.9%


65 and over (14%)

Under 18 (24%)

45 to 64 (26%)

18 to 24 (8%)

25 to 44 (28%)


Though small, Rhode Island has three distinct life zones: sand-plain lowlands, rising hills, and highlands. Common trees are the tuliptree, pin and post oaks, and red cedar. Cattails are abundant in marsh areas and 40 types of fern and 30 species of orchid are indigenous to the state. In 2006, the small whorled pogonia was threatened, the sandplain gerardia endangered. Swordfish, bluefish, lobsters, and clams populate coastal waters. Brook trout and pickerel are among the common freshwater fish. In 242

Rhode Island Population Profile

Providence Warwick Cranston Pawtucket East Providence Woonsocket Newport Central Falls

Population

% change 2000–05

176,862 87,233 81,614 73,742 49,515 44,328 25,340 19,159

1.9 1.7 3.0 1.1 1.7 2.6 -4.3 1.2


2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 14 Rhode Island animal species as threatened Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE

Woonsocket

Casimir Pulaski Mem. St. Park

Pawtucket Reservoir

Pascoag Reservoir

Smithe Sayles Reservoir

Jerimoth Hill

Pawtucket

295

North Providence

95

MASSACHUSETTS

Johnston

Providence

Scituate Reservoir

195

East Providence

Cranston

BRISTOL

CONNECTICUT

KENT

West Warwick

Flat River Reservoir

Warwick

Mt. Hope Bay NEWPORT

Prudence Island et R.

Narragansett Bay

Sakonn

Davis Mem. N. W. R. WASHINGTON

Smith’s Castle

Beach Pond Arcadia Mgmt. Area

Conanicut Island Rhode Island

95

University of Rhode Island

Newport

Sachuest Port Nat’l Wildlife Ref. Worden Pond

Narragansett Indian Res. Burlingame State Park

Pettaquamscutt Cove Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

Trustom Pond N. W. R.

Point Judith

Ninigret N. W. R.

Watch Hill Point

nd

ou d S

slan de I

Rho

Ninigret Pond

RHODE ISLAND Explanation

Misquamicut State Beach

Point of Interest City (25,000-100,000 people) land k Is Bloc

Sou


nd

State Capital Block Island Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

Block Island

WASHINGTON

L AT

AN

C TI

OC

N EA

95


N 0 0


5 5


243

Rhode Island

or endangered, including the American burying beetle, bald eagle, finback and humpback whale, and four species of sea turtle.

5


The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) coordinates all of the state’s environmental protection and management programs, including water supply management. In 2003, Rhode Island had 187 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 12 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. In 1996, 10% of the state’s area was wetlands.

6

Population

In 2006, Rhode Island ranked 43rd in population among the 50 states with an estimated total of 1,067,610 residents. The population is projected to reach 1.15 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 1,041.3 persons per square mile (402 persons per square kilometer), making Rhode Island the nation’s second most densely populated state (behind New Jersey). The median age in 2004 was 38.1 years. In 2005, about 14% of all residents were 65 or older while 24% were 18 or younger. Providence, the capital, had an estimated population of 176,862 in 2005. Other large cities are Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket, and Woonsocket.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, Rhode Island’s black American population numbered 46,908 residents. There were 90,820 Hispanics and Latinos (8.7% of the total population) and 244

5,121 Native Americans. The Asian population was 23,665, including 4,974 Chinese, 4,522 Cambodians, 2,942 Asian Indians, and 2,062 Filipinos. Pacific Islanders numbered 567. Foreign-born residents made up 11.4% of the population, or 119,277 persons.

8

Languages

English in Rhode Island is of the Northern dialect, with the distinctive features of eastern New England, such as the absence of the final r sound. In 2000, 80% of all residents age five and older spoke only English in the home. Other principal languages and the number of speakers were Spanish, 79,443; Portuguese, 37,437; French, 19,385; and Italian, 13,759.

9

Religions

The first European settlement in Rhode Island was founded by an English clergyman, Roger Williams, who left Massachusetts to find freedom of worship. The Rhode Island Charter of 1663 proclaimed that the state should maintain “full liberty in religious concernments.” Rhode Island has maintained this viewpoint throughout its history and has long been a model of religious pluralism. The first Baptist congregation in the United States was established in 1638 in Providence. The oldest synagogue (founded in 1763) and the oldest Quaker meetinghouse (founded in 1699) in the United States are both found in Newport. As of 2004, there were 679,275 Roman Catholics in the state, accounting for 64% of the total state population. The largest Protestant denominations were Episcopalians, with 26,756 adherents in 2000, and American Baptists USA, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,048,319 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,020,068 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,476 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,712 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,532 White and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,328 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,045 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,444 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Black or African American and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,291 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . 6 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,315 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,775

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 97.3 . . . . . . . 2.5 . . . . . . . 0.4 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.9 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.4 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.2


with 20,997 adherents in 2000. An estimated 16,100 Jews resided in the state the same year, as did about 1,827 Muslims. Friends–USA (Quakers) had only 599 members. About 36.5% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

As of 2003, Providence & Worcester was the only freight hauling railroad in operation, utilizing 102 rail miles (164 kilometers) of track. As of 2006, Amtrak operated daily trains through Rhode Island, via its Acela Express train and its Regional northeast corridor trains. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

In 2004, there were 6,419 miles (10,334 kilometers) of public highways and roads. There were approximately 824,000 motor vehicles registered in 2004 and 741,841 licensed drivers. The major route through New England, I-95, crosses Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority provides commuter bus service connecting urbanized areas. Some of the best deepwater ocean ports on the east coast are in Narragansett Bay. The port at Providence is the state’s primary port. There were 28 airfields in 2005, including 10 airports, 17 heliports, and 1 seaplane base. Theodore Francis Green Airport is the major air terminal, with 2,732,524 boarding passengers in 2004. 245

Rhode Island

Newport Harbor, Newport. RHODE ISLAND TOURISM DIVISION.

11

History

Before the arrival of the first white settlers, the Narragansett Native Americans inhabited the area from what is now Providence south along Narragansett Bay. Their principal rivals, the Wampanoag, dominated the eastern shore region. In 1524, Florentine navigator Giovanni da Verrazano became the first European to explore Rhode Island. The earliest permanent settlement was established at Providence in 1636 by English clergyman Roger Williams and a small band of followers who left the Massachusetts Bay Colony to seek freedom of worship. Other nonconformists followed, settling Portsmouth (1638), Newport (1639), and Warwick (1642). In 1644, Williams journeyed to England, where he secured parliamentary permission to unite the four original towns into a single colony, the Providence Plantations. In 1663, a royal charter was obtained. Between 1675 246

and 1676, a Native American uprising known as King Philip’s War was soundly defeated. Statehood The early 18th century was marked

by significant growth in agriculture and commerce, including the rise of the slave trade. Having the greatest degree of self-rule, Rhode Island had the most to lose from British efforts after 1763 to increase supervision and control over the colonies. On 4 May 1776, Rhode Island became the first colony formally to renounce all allegiance to King George III. Favoring the weak central government established by the Articles of Confederation, the state quickly ratified them in 1778, but later resisted the strong central government of the federal constitution. Rhode Island withheld ratification until 29 May 1790, making it the last of the original 13 colonies to join the Union. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Rhode Island

The principal trends in 19th-century Rhode Island were industrialization, immigration, and urbanization. During the first half of the century, the state’s royal charter, which remained in effect, gave disproportionate influence to landowners and rural towns. Political reformers, led by Thomas Wilson Dorr, drafted a “People’s Constitution,” ratified in a popular referendum in December 1841. The latter half of the 19th century was marked by continued industrialization and urbanization.

$18 million in ongoing cleanup and recovery efforts following the settlement. Republican Governor Donald Carcieri, elected in 2002, allowed a minimum wage increase of 60 cents to become law without his signature in 2003. Rhode Island’s minimum wage as of 1 January 2004 was $6.75 per hour. Voters approved Carcieri’s 2004 proposal to use new state bonds to provide the funding necessary to preserve Narragansett Bay and to safeguard drinking water resources.

Present-Day Rhode Island Politically the state

12

was dominated by the Republican Party until the 1930s, when Democrats seized power during the New Deal and have mostly kept it since then. Present-day Rhode Island is predominantly Catholic and Democratic, but it retains an ethnic and cultural diversity surprising in view of its size but consistent with its heritage. The Rhode Island economy has seen little growth since the 1950s. Manufacturing jobs, once held by 30% of the workforce, declined in the early 1990s. By the end of the 1990s, service jobs had replaced manufacturing jobs, and unemployment was down to 4%. Although about 10,000 new jobs were created in 1999, researchers predicted further growth was not likely. By 2001, the nation was in the grip of recession, and Rhode Island’s unemployment rate was at 5.6% in July 2003, albeit below the national average of 6.2%. The state faced a $164 million budget deficit in 2005. In 1999, a lawsuit was settled over a 1996 oil spill, the worst in the state’s history. The spill contaminated the water and destroyed lobsters in Block Island Sound. The state was to direct Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

State Government

Legislative authority is vested in the Rhode Island General Assembly, a two-chamber body composed of 38 senators and 75 representatives. All legislators are elected for two-year terms. The assembly may override the governor’s veto by a three-fifths vote, and has the power to establish all courts below the supreme court. The chief officers of the executive branch are the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and general treasurer. All are elected to four-year terms. The legislative salary as of December 2004 was $12,285.53 and the governor’s salary was $105,194.

13

Political Parties

For nearly five decades, Rhode Island has been one of the nation’s most solidly Democratic states. It has voted for the Republican presidential candidate only four times since 1928. In 1980, Rhode Island was one of only six states to favor Jimmy Carter. In 1984, however, Republican Edward DiPrete was elected governor, and Ronald Reagan narrowly carried the 247

Rhode Island

The Rhode Island State House, built in 1900, was designed by the notable architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White. JIM MCELHOLM, GREATER PROVIDENCE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

state in the presidential election. In the 2000 presidential election, Democratic nominee Al Gore captured 61% of the popular vote, while Republican George W. Bush received 32%. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry won 59.5% of the vote to incumbent President Bush’s 38.9%. The governor’s office is held by Republican Donald L. Carcieri, elected in 2002 and reelected in 2006. Republican Senator Lincoln D. Chafee was defeated by Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse II in the 2006 midterm elections; Democrat Jack Reed is Rhode Island’s other US senator. Both US representatives as of the 2006 elections were Democrats. Following those elections, there were 33 Democrats and 5 Republicans in the state senate, and 60 Democrats and 15 Republicans 248

in the state house. Nineteen women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 16.8%.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, Rhode Island was subdivided into 5 counties, 8 cities, 31 townships, and 75 special districts. Many smaller communities retain the New England town meeting form of government. Larger cities and towns are governed by a mayor and/or city manager and a council. There were 36 school districts in 2005.

15

Judicial System

The five-member supreme court is the state’s highest appeals court. It may also issue advisory opinions on the constitutionality of actions by Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Governors: 1775–2007 1775–1778 1778–1786 1786–1790 1790–1805 1805 1805–1806 1806–1807 1807–1811 1811–1817 1817–1821 1821 1821–1824 1824–1831 1831–1833 1833–1838 1838–1839 1840–1843 1843–1845 1845–1846 1846–1847 1847–1849 1849–1851 1851–1853 1853–1854 1854–1857 1857–1859 1859–1860 1860–1863 1863 1863–1866 1866–1869 1869–1873 1873–1875 1875–1877 1877–1880 1880–1883 1883–1885 1885–1887 1887–1888 1888–1889

Nicholas Cooke William Greene John Collins Federalist Arthur Fenner Anti–Federalist Paul Mumford — Henry Smith Dem-Rep Isaac Wilbour Dem-Rep James Fenner Dem-Rep William Jones Federalist Nehemiah Rice Knight Dem-Rep Edward Wilcox Dem-Rep William Channing Gibbs Dem-Rep James Fenner Dem-Rep Lemuel Hastings Arnold Liberal Whig John Brown Francis Democrat William Sprague Whig Samuel Ward King Whig James Fenner Law and Order Charles Jackson Liberal Byron Diman Law and Order Elisha Harris Whig Henry Bowen Anthony Whig Philip Allen Democrat Francis M. Dimond Democrat William Warner Hoppin Whig Elisha Dyer II Republican Thomas Goodwin Turner Republican William Sprague Unionist William Cole Cozzens Fusion James Youngs Smith Union-Rep Ambrose Everett Burnside Republican Seth Padelford Republican Henry Howard Republican Henry Lippitt Republican Charles Collins Van Zandt Rep/Pro Alfred Henry Littlefield Republican Augustus Osborn Bourn Republican George Peabody Wetmore Republican John William Davis Democrat Royal Chapin Taft Republican

the governor or either house of the legislature. The second judicial level consists of the superior court, the state’s trial court, which hears all jury trials in criminal cases and in civil matters involving more than $5,000, but can also hear nonjury cases. Civil matters involving $5,000 or less, small claims procedures, and nonjury criminal cases Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1889–1890 1890–1891 1891–1892 1892–1895 1895–1897 1897–1900 1900–1901 1901–1903 1903–1905 1905–1907 1907–1909 1909–1915 1915–1921 1921–1923 1923–1925 1925–1928 1928–1933 1933–1937 1937–1939 1939–1941 1941–1945 1945–1950 1950–1951 1951–1959 1959–1961 1961–1963 1963–1969 1969–1973 1973–1977 1977–1985 1985–1991 1991–1995 1995–2002 2002–

Herbert Warren Ladd John William Davis Herbert Warren Ladd Daniel Russell Brown Charles Warren Lippitt Elisha Dyer III William Gregory Charles Dean Kimball Lucius Fayette Clark Garvin George Herbert Utter James Henry Higgins Aram J. Pothier Robert Livingston Beeckman Emery John San Souci William Smith Flynn Aram J. Pothier Norman Stanley Case Theodore Francis Green Robert Emmet Quinn William Henry Vanderbilt James Howard McGrath John Orlando Pastore John Sammon McKiernan Dennis Joseph Roberts Christopher Del Sesto John Anthony Notte, Jr. John Hubbard Chafee Frank Licht Phillip William Noel John Joseph Garrahy Edward Daniel DiPrete Bruce Sundlun Lincoln C. Almond Donald L. Carcieri

Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican

Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep Republican/Prohibitionist – Rep/Pro Union Republican – Union-Rep

are handled at the district level. District courts do not hold jury trials. All cities and towns appoint judges to operate probate courts for wills and estates. Providence and a few other communities each have a municipal or police court. The 2004 violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) was 247.4 reported incidents per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property 249

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004

17

Economy

(burglary, larceny/theft, and motor vehicle theft) in 2004 totaled 2,884.1 reported incidents per 100,000 people. There were 3,430 prisoners in state and federal prisons as of 31 December 2004. Rhode Island does not have a death penalty.

Rhode Island’s economy historically was based overwhelmingly on industry. Agriculture, mining, forestry, and fishing make only small contributions. The state’s traditional leading manufactures were jewelry, silverware, machinery, primary metals, textiles, and rubber products. In the late 1990s, manufacturing declined steadily as a portion of state economic output, and the national recession of 2001 contributed to a further contraction of Rhode Island’s manufacturing output. The impact of the 2001 recession on the state’s employment and income, however, was the mildest among the New England states. In the early 21st century, financial services, trade, and government were strong growth areas of the economy. In 2004, Rhode Island’s gross state product (GSP) was $41.68 billion, of which the real estate sector contributed $5.42 billion, or 13% of GSP, followed by health and social assistance at $3.79 billion (9.1% of GSP), and construction at $2.46 billion (5.8% of GSP).

16

18

YEAR

RHODE ISLAND WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 *Truman (D) 188,736 135,787 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 203,293 210,935 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 161,790 225,819 1960 *Kennedy (D) 258,032 147,502 1964 *Johnson (D) 315,463 74,615 1968 Humphrey (D) 246,518 122,359 1972 *Nixon (R) 194,645 220,383 1976 *Carter (D) 227,636 181,249 1980 Carter (D) 198,342 154,793 1984 *Reagan (R) 197,106 212,080 1988 Dukakis (D) 225,123 177,761 1992** *Clinton (D) 213,299 131,601 1996** *Clinton (D) 233,050 104,683 2000 Gore (D) 249,508 130,555 2004 Kerry (D) 259,760 169,046 *Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 105,045 votes in 1992 and 43,723 votes in 1996.

Migration

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the major immigrant groups who came to work in the state’s growing industries were Irish, Italian, and French Canadian. Significant numbers of British, Portuguese, Swedish, Polish, and German immigrants also moved to Rhode Island. Between 1990 and 1998, Rhode Island had a net loss of 64,000 in domestic migration and a net gain of 16,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 18,965 and net internal migration was -4,964, for a net gain of 14,001 people. 250

Income

In 2005, Rhode Island ranked 45th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a gross state product of $44 billion. In 2004, Rhode Island had a per capita (per person) income of $34,207, 16th highest in the United States. The average median annual household income for 2002–04 was $46,199, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 11.3% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationwide. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Rhode Island

19

Industry

The Industrial Revolution began early in Rhode Island. In 1790, Samuel Slater opened a cotton mill in Pawtucket, one of the first modern factories in America. The state’s leading manufactured products have been jewelry, silverware, machinery, primary metals, textiles, and rubber products. Over 1,000 manufacturers in the state produce finished jewelry and jewelry parts. Electronic and related products manufactured in the state include online lottery machines, circuit boards, and meteorological, navigation, and medical equipment. Chemicals and allied products made in the state include pigments and dyes, drugs and biomedical products, and liquid and aerosol consumer products. Hasbro, one of the world’s largest toy manufacturers, is headquartered in Pawtucket. As of 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in the state was $11.17 billion.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Rhode Island numbered 578,400, with approximately 31,100 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.4% compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, 4.6% of the labor force was employed in construction; 10.7% in manufacturing; 16.3% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 7.2% in financial activities; 11.4% in professional and business services; 19.4% in education and health services; 10.1% in leisure and hospitality services; and 13.1% in government. In 2005, 79,000 of Rhode Island’s 494,000 employed wage and salary workers were memJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

bers of unions, representing 15.9% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

The state’s total receipts from farm marketings were $63 million in 2005, 50th in the United States. Rhode Island had only about 850 farms in 2004, with an average size of just 71 acres (29 hectares). Nursery and greenhouse products were the main agricultural commodity.

22


In 2005, Rhode Island had around 5,500 cattle and calves, valued at $5.5 million. During 2004, there were some 2,000 hogs and pigs, valued at $220,000. In 2003, the state produced 22 million pounds (10 million kilograms) of milk, from 1,300 milk cows.

23

Fishing

The commercial catch in 2004 was 97.4 million pounds (44.3 million kilograms), valued at $71.1 million. Point Judith is the primary fishing port, ranking 24th in the United States catch value at $31.5 million. The state ranked second in the nation for squid catch with 38.1 million pounds (17.3 million kilograms). Other valuable fish and shellfish include whiting, fluke and yellowtail flounders, cod, scup lobster, and clams. In 2001, the commercial fishing fleet consisted of 2,920 boats and 344 vessels. In 2003, there were 16 processing plants employing about 453 people. In 2004, Rhode Island issued 26,629 sport fishing licenses. Three hatcheries distribute nearly 326,000 pounds (148,000 kilograms) of trout throughout the state each year. 251

Rhode Island

24

Forestry

In 2004, forests covered 393,000 acres (159,000 hectares), about 60% of the state’s land area. Some 340,000 acres (138,000 hectares) were usable as commercial timberland.

25

Mining

The value of mineral production in Rhode Island in 2003 was estimated to be $25.8 million. Crushed stone accounted for 48% and construction sand and gravel accounted for 52% of the state’s production. Small amounts of industrial sand and gemstones were also mined.

26

Energy and Power

Rhode Island is part of the New England regional power grid and imports most of its electric power. The state’s generating capability was 1.7 million kilowatts in 2003 and power production totaled 5.6 billion kilowatt hours. In 2000, Rhode Island’s total per capita energy consumption was 239 million Btu (60.2 million kilocalories), ranking it 49th among the 50 states. Rhode Island has no refineries, nor any proven reserves or production of crude oil or natural gas.

27

Commerce

Wholesale sales totaled $8.5 billion for 2002; retail sales were $10.3 billion. Foreign exports of manufactured goods were $1.2 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The annual budget is prepared by the State Budget Office in conjunction with the governor, 252

and submitted to the legislature for approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. State revenues for 2004 were $7.26 billion and expenditures were $6.38 billion. The largest general expenditures were for public welfare ($1.96 billion), education ($1.47 billion), and highways ($256 million). The total outstanding debt was $6.49 billion, or $6,009.91 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, the basic corporate tax rate was 9%. The state sales and use tax is 7%. Most property taxes are collected at the local level. The tax on cigarettes is 246 cents per pack, which ranks first in the nation. Rhode Island taxes gasoline at 31 cents per gallon. This is in addition to the 18.4 cents per gallon federal tax on gasoline. The state collected $2.629 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 38% came from individual income taxes, 32.1% came from the general sales tax, 20.3% from selective sales taxes, 4.3% from corporate income taxes, 0.1% from property taxes, and 5.2% from other taxes. In 2004, Rhode Island ranked fifth among the states in terms of combined state and local tax burden, which amounted to about $1,629 per capita (per person).

30

Health

As of October 2005, Rhode Island’s infant mortality rate was 5.9 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate was 9.3 per 1,000. Heart disease and cancer were the leading causes of death. Among Rhode Island adults ages 18 and older, 21.3% were smokers in 2004. The rate of death Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Rhode Island

Providence skyline. RHODE ISLAND TOURISM DIVISION.

from HIV-related infections stood at 2.2 per 100,000 population. Rhode Island’s 11 community hospitals had about 2,400 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,591 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, Rhode Island had 361 doctors per 100,000 residents and 987 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005. In 2004, 11% of Rhode Island residents were uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 446,305 housing units, 409,767 of which were occupied; 61.8% were owner-occupied. About 55.8% of all units were single-family, detached homes; 33.3% of all units were built in 1939 or earlier. Utility gas and fuel oil were the most common Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

energy sources for heating. It was estimated that 13,132 units lacked telephone service, 1,435 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 2,161 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.53 people. In 2004, 2,500 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. Much of the new residential construction has taken place in the suburbs south and west of Providence. The median home value was $240,150. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,469, while renters paid a median of $740.

32

Education

In 2004, 81.1% of Rhode Islanders age 25 and older were high school graduates. Approximately 253

Rhode Island

27.2% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 159,000 in fall 2002 and is expected to drop to 154,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $1.7 billion. Enrollment in nonpublic schools in fall 2003 was 28,119. As of fall 2002, there were 77,417 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Rhode Island had 13 degree-granting institutions. Leading institutions include Brown University, the University of Rhode Island, and Providence College. The Rhode Island School of Design is located in Providence.

and other entertainment. The success of the installation, begun as a one-time commemorative event in 1994, inspired a grassroots movement to make WaterFire an ongoing event. The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) supports many programs with the help of state and federal funds. The Rhode Island Council for the Humanities (est. 1973) had awarded over $2.5 million to community and academic organizations as of 2005. The New England Foundation for the Arts also contributes to state programs.

33

In 2001, Rhode Island had 48 public library systems, with a total of 72 libraries, of which 24 were branches. That year, the state’s public libraries had a total book and serial publication stock of 3.9 million volumes and a circulation of 6.6 million. The Providence Public Library maintains several special historical collections. The Brown University Libraries, containing more than 2.6 million books and periodicals, include the Annmary Brown Memorial Library, with its collection of rare manuscripts, and the John Carter Brown Library, with an excellent collection of early Americana. Among more than 53 museums and historic sites are the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology in Bristol, the Museum of Art of the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, the Roger Williams Park Museum, also in Providence, the Nathanael Greene Homestead in Coventry, and the Slater Mill Historic Site in Pawtucket. Providence has the Roger Williams Park Zoo.

Arts

Newport and Providence have notable art galleries and museums, including the museum at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence. Theatrical groups include the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence. The Rhode Island Philharmonic performs throughout the state. Newport is the site of the internationally famous Newport Jazz Festival and the Newport Music Festival. The Festival Ballet Providence and the State Ballet of Rhode Island are prominent dance groups. The Providence Performing Arts Center, restored to its original 1920s splendor in the late 1990s (and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places), hosts touring Broadway shows as well as concerts by a variety of performers. The WaterFire public art installation on the riverfront in downtown Providence has played a key role in the revitalization of the city. The lighting of bonfires in 97 braziers placed in three rivers flowing through Providence has drawn thousands to the downtown area to enjoy music 254

34



Rhode Island

35

Communications

The first automated post office in the US postal system was opened in Providence in 1960. As of 2004, some 95.2% of the state’s occupied housing units had telephones; by June of that year, there were 615,398 mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 62.3% of Rhode Island households had a computer and 55.7% had Internet access. In 2005, the state had 7 major AM and 9 major FM radio stations. Rhode Island had five television stations, including one public broadcasting affiliate.

36

Press

The Rhode Island Gazette was the state’s first paper, appearing in 1732. In 1850, Paulina Wright Davis established the Una, one of the first women’s rights newspapers in the country. In 2005, Rhode Island had six daily newspapers with three Sunday editions. The largest was the Providence Journal, with a circulation of 168,021 daily and 236,746 Sunday. Regional interest periodicals include Providence Monthly and Rhode Island Monthly.

37


Tourism is the second largest and fastest growing industry in Rhode Island. In 2000, the state hosted 15.7 million visitors; total revenues from tourism have been $4.69 billion. The industry supports over 57,837 jobs. Historic sites—especially the mansions of Newport and Providence—and water sports (particularly the America’s Cup yacht races) are the main tourist attractions. Block Island is a popular resort. The Providence Place Mall, a 13Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

acre mega shopping complex with 150 specialty shops, restaurants, and cinemas opened in 1999. An architectural marvel, the shopping complex spans a highway, a river, and a train track bed. Rhode Island’s state parks and recreational areas total 8,063 acres (3,263 hectares).

38

Sports

Rhode Island has no major league professional sports teams. Pawtucket has a AAA minor league baseball team and Providence has a minor league team in the American Hockey League. Providence College has competed successfully in collegiate basketball. Historically, Rhode Island has played an important part in the development of both yachting and tennis. The Newport Yacht Club hosted the America’s Cup, international sailing’s most prestigious event, from 1930 until 1983. Lawn tennis was first played in America at the Newport Casino, which was also the site of the United States Tennis championship from 1881 until 1915. Today it is home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The Museum of Yachting is located in Newport as well. Dog racing at Lincoln and jai alai at Newport are popular spectator sports with parimutuel betting. Other annual sporting events include the Tennis Hall of Fame Championships in Newport in July, the Annual Tuna Tournament near Galilee and Narragansett in September, and the Rhode Island Marathon in Newport in November.

39

Famous Rhode Islanders

Important federal officeholders from Rhode Island were US senators Nelson W. Aldrich 255

Rhode Island

(1841–1915), Theodore Francis Green (1867– 1966), John O. Pastore (1907–2000), and Claiborne de Borda Pell (b.1918). Foremost among Rhode Island’s historical figures is Roger Williams (b.England, 1603?– 1683), founder of Providence. Other significant pioneers, also born in England, include Anne Hutchinson (1591–1643), religious leader and cofounder of Portsmouth; and William Coddington (1601–1678), founder of Newport. Important in the War for Independence was General Nathanael Greene (1742–1786). The 19th century brought to prominence reformer Thomas Wilson Dorr (1805–1854). Also important were naval officers Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819), who secured important US victories in the War of 1812; and his brother, Matthew C. Perry (1794–1858), who led the expedition that opened Japan to foreign trade in 1854. Samuel Slater (b.England, 1768–1835) was a pioneer in textile manufacturing. Other significant public figures include Unitarian theologian William Ellery Channing (1780–1842). Rhode Island’s best known creative writer is gothic novelist H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937). The state was also home to portrait painter Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828). Popular performing artists include George M. Cohan (1878–1942), Nelson

256

Eddy (1901–1967), Bobby Hackett (1915– 1976), Van Johnson (b.1916), and Spalding Gray (1941–2004). Important sports personalities include Baseball Hall of Famers Napoleon “Nap” Lajoie (1875–1959) and Charles “Gabby” Hartnett (1900–1972).

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M .J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Feeney, Kathy. Rhode Island Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Hilltop Books, 2003. Heinrichs, Ann. Rhode Island. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. McNair, Sylvia. Rhode Island. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. Murray, Julie. Rhode Island. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Severin, Carol. Rhode Island. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens, 2007. WEB SITES Rhode Island Tourism Division. Visit Rhode Island. visitrhodeisland.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Rhode Island. Government Information. www.info.state.ri.us (accessed March 1, 2007). Visit New England. Rhode Island. www.visitri.com (accessed March 1, 2007).


South Carolina State of South Carolina

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named in honor of King

Charles I of England. N I CKNAME : The Palmetto State. C AP ITAL: Columbia. ENT ERED UNION: 23 May 1788 (8th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The official seal consists of two ovals

showing the original designs for the obverse and the reverse of South Carolina’s great seal of 1777. LEFT (OBVERSE): same as the coat of arms. RIGHT (REVERSE): as the sun rises over the seashore, Hope, holding a laurel branch, walks over swords and daggers. The motto Dum spiro spero is above her, the word “Spes” (Hope) below. FLAG: Blue field with a white palmetto in the center and a white crescent at the union. M OT TO: Animis opibusque parati (Prepared in mind and resources); Dum spiro spero (While I breathe, I hope). SONG: “Carolina;” “South Carolina on My Mind.” FLOWER: Yellow jessamine. TREE: Palmetto. A NIMAL: White-tailed deer. B IRD: Carolina wren; wild turkey (wild game bird). FISH: Striped bass. G E M: Amethyst. R OCK OR STONE: Blue granite. B EVERAGE: Milk and tea (hospitality beverage). LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Washington’s Birthday/Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Confederate Memorial Day, 10 May; National Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Eve, 24 December, when declared by the governor; Christmas Day, 25 December and the day following. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the southeastern United States, South Carolina ranks 40th in size among the 50 states. The state’s total area is 31,113 square miles (80,583 square kilometers), of which land takes up 30,203 square miles (78,226 square kilometers) and inland water 910 square miles (2,357 square kilometers). South Carolina extends 273 miles (439 kilometers) from east to west and 210 miles (338 kilometers) from north to south. Its total boundary length is 824 miles (1,326 kilo257

South Carolina

meters), including a general coastline of 187 miles (301 kilometers). The state includes 13 of the Sea Islands in the Atlantic.

2

Topography

South Carolina is divided into two major regions: the upcountry, which lies within the Piedmont Plateau, and the low country to the southeast, which forms part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. In the extreme northwest, the Blue Ridge Mountains cover about 500 square miles (1,300 square kilometers). The highest elevation, at 3,560 feet (1,086 meters), is Sassafras Mountain. Many artificial lakes are associated with electric power plants. One of them, Lake Marion, is the state’s largest lake with and area of 173 square miles (48 square kilometers). Three river systems—the Pee Dee, Santee, and Savannah—drain most of the state.

3


4,321,249 7.7% 3.3% 98.9% 67.4% 28.5% 0.3% 1.2% 0.0% 1.5% 1.1%


65 and over (12%)

Under 18 (25%)

45 to 64 (26%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Climate

South Carolina has a humid, subtropical climate. Average temperatures range from 68°f (20°c) on the coast to 58°f (14°c) in the northwest, with colder temperatures in the mountains. The daily average temperature at Columbia is 45°f (7°c) in January and 82°f (27°c) in July. The record high temperature is 111°f (44°c) set in Camden on 28 June 1954. The record low for the state is -20°f (-29°c), set at Caesars Head Mountain on 18 January 1977. Rainfall is ample throughout the state, ranging from 38 inches (97 centimeters) in the central region to 52 inches (132 centimeters) in the upper Piedmont. Snow and sleet occur about three times annually with an average of 2 inches 258

South Carolina Population Profile

Major Cities by Population City Columbia Charleston North Charleston Rock Hill Mount Pleasant Greenville Sumter Spartanburg Summerville Hilton Head Island

Population

% change 2000–05

117,088 106,712 86,313 59,554 57,932 56,676 39,679 38,379 37,714 34,497

0.7 10.4 8.4 19.7 21.7 1.2 0.1 -3.3 35.9 1.9



OCONEE

Sumter Nat’l For.

. R

R

.

Anderson


0

0

95

20

20

40 miles

40 kilometers

N

Area of Interest


State Capital JASPER

KERSHAW

COLLETON

Pinckney Is. N. W. R.

95

Lake Moultrie

Goose Creek

Port Royal Sound

Hunting Is. State Park

Edisto Beach State Park St. Helena Sound

Charleston

CHARLESTON

WILLIAMSBURG

Woods Bay State Park

North Charleston

Summerville Old Dorchester S. P.

Florence

MARION

Little Pee Dee St. Park

DILLON

HORRY

GEORGETOWN

Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach St. Park

AN

C TI

O

Huntington Beach St. Park

L AT

Fort Sumter National Monument

Mount Pleasant

.

Cape Romain Cape Romain Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

Bulls Bay

Francis Marion National Forest

Lynches River State Park

FLORENCE

Cheraw State Park

MARLBORO

BERKELEY

Old Santee Canal State Park Givhans Ferry State Park

Hilton Head Island

BEAUFORT

95

Lee State Park

Lake Marion

Santee N. W. R.

CLARENDON

A.C.E. Basin Nat’l Wildlife Ref.

Colleton State Park

Sumter

Manshester State For.

Santee State Park

DORCHESTER

26

Poinsett State Park

CALHOUN

Congaree Swamp Poinsett Nat’l Mon. St. Park

Fort Shaw Jackson A.F.B.

SUMTER

LEE

20

DARLINGTON

Carolina Sand Hills N. W. R. Sand Hill St. For.

CHESTERFIELD

N. R. Goodale State Park

Wateree Lake

Columbia

Lake Warren State Park

Savannah River N. W. R.

HAMPTON

RICHLAND

BAMBERG

Rivers Bridge State Park

Barnwell State Park

LANCASTER

Landsford Canal State Park

Harbison State Forest

ORANGEBURG

BARNWELL

LEXINGTON

ALLENDALE

Aiken St. Park

20

Lake Murray

Dreher Is. State Park

Redcliffe Plantation St. Park

Savannah River Site Dept. of Energy

AIKEN

Sumter National Forest

EDGEFIELD

SALUDA

26

77 Lake Wateree State Park

Chester State Park

Rock Hill

FAIRFIELD

CHESTER

ah R. nn va Sa


City (20,000-50,000 people)

NEWBERRY

Lake Greenwood St. Park

Greenwood

GREENWOOD

Sumter National Forest

UNION

YORK

Kings Mtn. State Park

. R

Point of Interest

Explanation

SOUTH CAROLINA

MC CORMICK

Calhoun Falls St. Park

ABBEVILLE

Croft State Park

Lake Greenwood

LAURENS

CHEROKEE

Spartanburg

SPARTANBURG

Greenville

85

Paris Mtn. State Park

R.

GEORGIA

GREENVILLE

Jones Gap State Park

Sadlers Creek State Park

ANDERSON

Lake Keowee

Table Rock St. Park Keowee Toxaway St. Park

PICKENS

Caesars Head State Park

Lake Hartwell St. Park Hartwell Reservoir

oo

Tug al

a og tto ha C

Lake Jocassee

da Salu

wR

Broad R.

Wa cca ma

Catawaba R.

N

R. ee nt Sa

A

s he ng Ly R. Dee Pee

C

E

NORTH CAROLINA

South Carolina

259

South Carolina

Thoroughbreds grazing, Aiken. SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION, AND TOURISM.

(5 centimeters) a year at Columbia. Snowfall is more frequent in the mountains.

4

Plants and Animals

Principal trees of South Carolina include palmetto (the state tree), balsam fir, pitch pine, maple, hickory, cypress, and beech. Rocky areas of the Piedmont contain a mixture of moss and lichens. The coastal plain has a wide variety of grasses, shrubs, and vines. In 2006, at least 19 plant species were listed as threatened or endangered, including smooth coneflower, Schweinitz’s sunflower, black spored quillwort, pondberry, and persistent trillium. South Carolina mammals include whitetailed deer (the state animal), cottontail and marsh rabbits, and woodchuck. Three varieties 260

of raccoon are indigenous, one of them unique to Hilton Head Island. The state is also home to Bachman’s shrew, originally identified in South Carolina by John Bachman, one of John J. Audubon’s collaborators. Common birds include the mockingbird and Carolina wren (the state bird). In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 19 animal species as threatened or endangered, including the Indiana bat, Carolina heelsplitter, bald eagle, five species of sea turtle, wood stork, and shortnose sturgeon.

5


The Department of Health and Environmental Control, established in 1973, is South Carolina’s primary environmental protection agency. South Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Carolina

South Carolina Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4,012,012 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,972,062 . . . . . . 99.0 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36,941 . . . . . . . 0.9 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,890 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,841 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,837 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .533 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,013 . . . . . . . 0.2 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,284 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,226 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . .304 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,738 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .244 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . .42 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .532 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .344 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .958 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,009 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

Carolina has an aggressive environmental compliance program. The state has implemented an innovative river basin planning program for the protection of its surface water resources. In 2002, more than 99% of the state’s 1,520 federally defined public water systems had complied with drinking water regulatory requirements. South Carolina is preparing to implement an aggressive air quality permitting program. The state has an industrial fee system in place to support the air quality program. The state also has innovative programs for source reduction, waste minimization, and recycling. Regulations have been approved for municipal and industrial waste land disposal systems, incineration, conJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

struction, land clearing debris, and other solid waste actions. In 2003, South Carolina had 194 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 26 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2006, South Carolina ranked 24th in population in the United States with an estimated total of 4,321,249 residents. The population is projected to reach 4.98 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 139.4 persons per square mile (53.8 persons per square kilometer). The median age in 2004 was 36.9 years. In 2005, 261

South Carolina

about 12% of all residents were 65 years old or older while 25% were 18 or younger. The largest city in 2005 was Columbia, with an estimated population of 117,088; other large cities include Charleston, 106,712; North Charleston, Rock Hill, Mount Pleasant, Greenville, Sumter, and Spartanburg.

7

Ethnic Groups

The population of South Carolina is mainly of Northern European heritage. According to the 2000 census, the black American population was 1,185,216, or about 30% of the state’s population (the third-highest percentage in the nation). In the coastal regions and offshore islands there are still some vestiges of African heritage, notably the Gullah dialect. Also in 2000, there were 13,718 Native Americans in the state. The Hispanic and Latino population was about 95,076 people (about 3% of the total population), including 52,871 Mexicans and 12.211 Puerto Ricans. South Carolina had 36,014 Asians, including 6,423 Filipinos, 2,448 Japanese, and 3,665 Koreans. Pacific Islanders numbered 1,628. In 2000, about 115,978 (2.9%) of South Carolinians were foreign born. In 2006, estimates indicated that 28.5% of the population was black, 3.3% was Hispanic or Latino, and 1.2% was Asian.

8

Languages

South Carolina English is marked by a division between the South Midland of the upcountry and the plantation Southern dialect of the coastal plain. Along the coast and on the Sea Islands, some blacks still use the Gullah dialect, based on a Creole mixture of pre-Revolutionary 262

English and African speech. In 2000, 94.8% of all state residents five years of age and older reported speaking English at home. Other languages spoken at home and number of speakers included Spanish, 110,030; French, 19,110; and German, 15,195.

9

Religions

Evangelical Protestants account for a majority of the religiously active residents in the state. The largest single Christian denomination in 2000 was the Southern Baptist Convention with 928,341 adherents. The next largest of the Evangelical denominations were the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) with 56,612 adherents and the Pentecostal Holiness Church with 33,820 adherents. The largest mainline Protestant denomination was the United Methodist Church with about 241,680 members in 2004. Other denominations (with 2000 membership figures) were the Presbyterian Church USA, 103,883 and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 61,380. The Episcopal Church had great influence during colonial times, but in 2000 it had only 52,486 members. In 2004, there were 152,413 Roman Catholics in the state. In 2000, there were an estimated 11,000 Jews, 17,586 adherents to the Baha’i faith, and 5,761 Muslims. About 2.1 million people (52.4% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

In 2003, there were 2,423 rail miles (3,901 kilometers) of track, utilized by two Class I, seven local, and four switching and terminal railroads. Amtrak passenger trains pass north–south Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Carolina

through the state, providing limited service to Charleston, Columbia, and other cities. The public road network in 2004 was made up of 66,250 miles (106,662 kilometers) of roads. Highway I-26, running northwest–southeast from the upcountry to the Atlantic, intersects I-85 at Spartanburg, I-20 at Columbia, and I-95 on its way toward Charleston. In 2004, there were 1.9 million automobiles, 1.29 million trucks, and 5,000 buses registered in the state. The state had 2.9 million licensed drivers. City bus service is most heavily used in the Charleston and Columbia systems. The state has three deepwater seaports. Charleston is one of the major ports on the Atlantic and the harbors of Georgetown and Port Royal also handle significant waterborne trade. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, crossing the state slightly inward from the Atlantic Ocean, is a major thoroughfare. South Carolina had 162 airports in 2005. Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Columbia, and Greenville-Spartanburg are the major airports within the state; however, many travelers also enter South Carolina via the air terminals at Savannah, Augusta, and Atlanta, Georgia, and at Charlotte, North Carolina.

11

History

Prior to European settlement, the region now called South Carolina was populated by several Native American groups, including Iroquoian, Siouan, and Muskogean tribes. In the early 1500s, long before the English claimed the Carolinas, Spanish sea captains explored the coast. The English established their first permanent settlement in 1670 under the supervision of the eight lords who had been granted rights to Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

“Carolana” by King Charles II. At first the colonists settled at Albemarle Point on the Ashley River. Ten years later, they moved across the river to the present site of Charleston. The colony flourished, as rice cultivation began in the coastal swamps, and black slaves were imported as field hands. The original royal grant had created a very large colony, but eventually the separate provinces of North Carolina and Georgia were established. The colonists were successful in overthrowing the lords in 1719 and the government transferred to royal rule by 1721. Statehood South Carolina opposed the Stamp

Act of 1765 and took an active part in the American Revolution. The first British property seized by American Revolutionary forces was Fort Charlotte in McCormick County in 1775. Delegates from South Carolina were leaders at the federal constitutional convention of 1787. On 23 May 1788, South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify the Constitution. Between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, two issues dominated South Carolinian political thinking: tariffs and slavery. Large farms became profitable by using slave labor, and with more than half its population consisting of black slaves, the state seceded from the Union on 20 December 1860. The first battle of the Civil War took place at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor on 12 April 1861. In the closing months of the war, Union troops under General William Tecumseh Sherman burned Columbia and caused widespread destruction elsewhere. South Carolina contributed about 63,000 soldiers to the Confederacy out of a white population of some 291,000. 263

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State House in Columbia. SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION, AND TOURISM.

Given the right to vote and hold office during Reconstruction, blacks attained the offices of lieutenant governor and US representative. Former Confederate general Wade Hampton was elected governor in 1876, and the following year President Rutherford B. Hayes declared an end to Reconstruction and withdrew federal troops from the state. 1880s to 1990s For the next 100 years, South

Carolina suffered through political turmoil, crop failures, and recessions. The political reign of Benjamin Ryan “Pitchfork Ben” Tillman, who served as governor from 1890 to 1894 and then as US senator until his death in 1918, inaugurated a period of political and racial repression that sought to exclude black voters. 264

The main economic transformation since 1890 has been the replacement of rice and cotton farming by tobacco and soybean cultivation, along with the movement of tenant farmers, or sharecroppers, from the land to the cities. There they found jobs in textile mills, and textiles became the state’s leading industry after 1900. With the devastation of the cotton crop by the boll weevil in the 1920s, farmers were compelled to diversify their crops. Labor shortages in the North during and after World War II drew many thousands of blacks to Philadelphia, Washington, DC, New York, and other cities. In the postwar period, industry took over the dominant role formerly held by agriculture and the focus of textile production shifted from cotton to synthetic fabrics. Throughout the 1990s, the major industries were textiles and chemicals, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Carolina

South Carolina Governors: 1776–2007 1776–1778 1778–1779 1779–1782 1782–1783 1783–1785 1785–1787 1787–1789 1789–1792 1792–1794 1794–1796 1796–1798 1798–1800 1800–1802 1802–1804 1804–1806 1806–1808 1808–1810 1810–1812 1812–1814 1814–1816 1816–1818 1818–1820 1820–1822 1822–1824 1824–1826 1826–1828 1828–1830 1830–1832 1832–1834 1834–1836 1836–1838 1838–1840 1840 1840–1842 1842–1844 1844–1846 1846–1848 1848–1850 1850–1852 1852–1854 1864–1856 1856–1858 1858–1860 1860–1862 1862–1864 1864–1865 1865 1865–1867 1867–1868

John Rutledge Rawlins Lowndes John Rutledge John Mathews Benjamin Guerard William Moultrie Thomas Pinckney Federalist Charles Pinckney Federalist and Republican William Moultrie Federalist Arnoldus Van der Horst Federalist Charles Pinckney Dem-Rep Edward Rutledge Federalist John Drayton Dem-Rep James Burchill Richardson Dem-Rep Paul Hamilton Dem-Rep Charles Pinckney Dem-Rep John Drayton Dem-Rep Henry Middleton Republican Joseph Alston Dem-Rep David Rogerson Williams Dem-Rep Andrew Pickens Dem-Rep John Geddes Dem-Rep Thomas Bennett Dem-Rep John Lyde Wilson Dem-Rep Richard Irvine Manning I Dem-Rep John Taylor Dem-Rep Stephen Decatur Miller Democrat Nullifier James Hamilton, Jr. S.R. Dem Robert Young Hayne S.R. Dem George McDuffie S.R. Dem Pierce Mason Butler S.R. Dem Patrick Noble S.R. Dem Barnabas Kelet. Henagan Democrat John Peter Richardson II Jacksonian James Henry Hammond Democrat William Aiken Democrat David Johnson Democrat Whitemarsh Benjamin Seabrook Democrat John Hugh Means S.R. Dem John Lawrence Manning S.R. Dem James Hopkins Adams S.R. Dem Robert Francis Withers Allston Democrat William Henry Gist S.R. Dem Francis Wilkinson Pickens S.R. Dem Milledge Luke Bonham Confed-Dem Andrew Gordon McGrath Confed-Dem Benjamin Franklin Perry Union-Dem James Lawrence Orr Republican Gen. Edward R. S. Canby Military

with foreign investment playing a major role in the economy. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1868–1872 1872–1874 1874–1876 1876–1879 1879–1880 1880 1880–1882 1882–1886 1886 1886–1890 1890–1894 1894–1897 1897–1899 1899–1903 1903–1907 1907–1911 1911–1915 1915 1915–1919 1919–1922 1922–1923 1923–1927 1927–1931 1931–1935 1935–1939 1939–1941 1941–1942 1942–1943 1943–1945 1945–1947 1947–1951 1951–1955 1955–1959 1959–1963 1963–1967 1967–1971 1971–1975 1975–1979 1979–1987 1987–1995 1995–1999 1995–2002 2002–

Robert Kingston Scott Republican Franklin J. Moses, Jr. Republican Daniel Henry Chamberlain Republican Wade Hampton Conserv-Dem William Dunlap Simpson Democrat Thomas Bothwell Jeter Democrat Johnson Hagood Democrat Hugh Smith Thompson Democrat John Calhoun Sheppard Conserv-Dem John Peter Richardson III Democrat Benjamin Ryan Tillman Democrat John Gary Evans Democrat William Haselden Ellerbe Democrat Miles Benjamin McSweeney Democrat Duncan Clinch Heyward Democrat Martin Frederick Ansel Democrat Coleman Livingston Blease Democrat Charles Aurelius Smith Democrat Richard Irvine Manning III Democrat Robert Archer Cooper Democrat Wilson Godfrey Harvey Democrat Thomas Gardon McLeod Democrat John Gardiner Richards Democrat Ibra Charles Blackwood Democrat Olin Dewitt Johnston Democrat Burnet Rhett Maybank Democrat Joseph Emile Harley Democrat Richard Manning Jefferies Democrat Olin Dewittt Johnston Democrat Ransome Judson Williams Democrat James Strom Thurmond Democrat James Francis Byrnes Democrat George Bell Timmerman, Jr. Democrat Ernest Frederick Hollings Democrat Donald Stuart Russell Democrat Robert Evander McNair Democrat John Carl West Democrat James Burrows Edwards Republican Richard Wilson Riley Democrat Carroll Ashmore Campbell, Jr. Republican David M. Beasley Republican Jim Hodges Democrat Mark Sanford Republican

Confederate Democrat – Confed-Dem Conservative Democrat – Conserv-Dem Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep State Rights Democrat – S.R. Dem Union Democrat – Union-Dem

In social development, public school desegregation after 1954 proceeded peaceably, and 265

South Carolina

South Carolina Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

SOUTH CAROLINA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN


LIBERTARIAN

1948 1952


34,423 172,957

5,386 168,043

102,607 —

— —

UNPLEDGED

1956 1960 1964

Stevenson (D) *Kennedy (D) Goldwater (R)

136,278 198,121 215,723

75,634 188,558 309,048

— — — —

1968

*Nixon (R)

197,486

254,062

1972 1976


186,824 450,807

477,044 346,149

10,075 2,996

— —

1980 1984 1988


430,385 344,459 370,554

441,841 615,539 606,443

— — —

4,975 4,359 4,935

1992 1996

Bush (R) Dole (R)

479,514 506,283

577,507 573,458

138,872 64,386


566,039 661,699

786,892 937,974

20,279 5,520

88,509 — — AMERICAN IND.

215,430

—

AMERICAN

IND. (PEROT)

2,719 4,271

NADER

racial integration at the workplace became the standard. In 1983, for the first time in 95 years, a black state senator was elected. In response to a Supreme Court ruling, The Citadel, one of only two state-supported military schools in the country, admitted its first female cadet in 1995, the first in its 156-year history. Nevertheless, most South Carolinians remained staunchly conservative in political and social matters. In January 2000, a protest against the display of the Confederate flag on the dome of the State House drew nearly 50,000 demonstrators, black and white. Some view the flag as a symbol of African American oppression. The flag was moved to a spot on the capitol lawn. Republican presidential candidates have carried the state in every election except that of 266

4,898 3,608

1976, in which Southerner Jimmy Carter prevailed. The well-known conservative Republican Strom Thurmond represented South Carolina in the US Senate from 1954 to 2003, when he died at the age of 100. His democratic counterpart, Ernest Hollings, served in the Senate from 1966 to 2005. Republican Mark Sanford was elected as governor in 2002. As of 2005, the state was struggling with a budget deficit of $300–500 million and South Carolina was ranked among the ten states in the nation with lowest per capita personal income and highest poverty rates.

12

State Government

The South Carolina General Assembly consists of a senate of 46 members, elected for four-year Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Carolina

terms; and a house of representatives of 124 members, elected for two years. Officials elected statewide include the governor and lieutenant governor (who run separately), attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller general, and treasurer. Bills may be introduced in either house, except for revenue measures, which are reserved to the house of representatives. The governor has a regular veto and an item veto on appropriation matters, either of which may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of those present in each house of the legislature. Bills automatically become law after five days if the governor takes no action. The legislative salary in 2004 was $10,400 and the governor’s salary was $106,078.

13

Political Parties

From the end of Reconstruction, the Democratic Party dominated state politics. In 1948 the States’ Rights Democrat (or “Dixiecrat”) faction was formed and its candidate, South Carolina governor J. Strom Thurmond, carried the state. Thurmond switched to the Republican Party while in the US Senate and boosted support for the state’s Republican Party, which since 1964 has captured South Carolina’s eight electoral votes in ten of the eleven presidential elections. In the 2000 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush won 57% of the popular vote, while Democrat Al Gore received 41%. In 2004, Bush won 58% of the vote and Democrat John Kerry won 41%. Following the 2006 midterm elections, there were two Democrats and four Republicans serving as US Representatives. South Carolina’s US senators that year were Republicans James DeMint and Lindsey Graham. In 2002, votJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ers elected a Republican, Mark Sanford, to the governor’s office, and reelected him in 2006. Following the 2006 elections, the state senate had 20 Democrats and 26 Republicans, while in the state house there were 73 Republicans and 51 Democrats. Fifteen women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 8.8%, the lowest percentage in the nation. In 2004, there were 2,325,000 registered voters in the state. Voters do not register according to political parties.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, South Carolina had 46 counties, 269 incorporated municipalities, 90 school districts, and 301 special districts of various types. Most municipalities operate under the mayor-council or city manager system. More than half the counties have a county administrator or manager. Customarily, each county has a council or commission, attorney, auditor, clerk of the court, coroner, tax collector, treasurer, and sheriff.

15

Judicial System

South Carolina’s unified judicial system is headed by the chief justice of the five-member supreme court, which is the final court of appeal. A fivemember intermediate court of appeals for criminal cases became a permanent constitutional court in 1984. Sixteen circuit courts hear major criminal and civil cases. The state also has a system of family courts for domestic and juvenile cases. The state’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 784.2 reported incidents per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property were reported at a rate of about 4,504.8 incidents per 100,000 people. 267

South Carolina

In December 2004 there were 23,428 inmates in state and federal correctional institutions. South Carolina has a death penalty law; in January 2006, there were 74 inmates on death row. Between 1912 and 1962 there were 241 executions. There were 35 executions between 1976 and May 2006.

16

Migration

The original European migration into South Carolina consisted mostly of German, Welsh, and Scotch-Irish settlers. During the 19th century, many of the original settlers emigrated westward to Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas. In the 20th century, many blacks left the state for cities in the North. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had net gains of 119,000 in domestic migration and 16,000 in international migration. In the period 1995–2000, some 442,449 people moved into the state and 310,244 moved out, for a net gain of 132,205, of whom 15,760 were age 65 or over. For the period 2000–05, net international migration was 36,401 and net internal migration was 115,084 for a net gain of 151,485 people.

17

Economy

Textiles and farming completely dominated the economy until after World War II, when efforts toward economic diversification attracted paper, chemical, and other industries to the state. Since the end of World War II, rising foreign and domestic investment, coupled with an abundance of first class tourist facilities along the coast, have contributed to the continuing growth of South Carolina’s economy. 268

By 1999, manufacturing had become the most important part of the South Carolina economy. The national recession of 2001 had a negative impact on South Carolina’s economy, however, as the annual growth rate of the economy, averaging 5.5% from 1998 to 2000, dropped to 2.6% in 2001. In 2001, general services, including health, business, tourist, personal, and educational services rose to 30.3% of the economy while manufacturing dropped to 20% of the economy. In 2004, an estimated 11,745 new businesses were established in the state while 10,975 businesses closed.

18

Income

In 2005, South Carolina had a gross state product (GSP) of $140 billion, ranking 28th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, South Carolina ranked 45th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $27,185; the national average was $33,050. The average median annual household income for 2002–04 was $39,326, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 14% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

19

Industry

Many textile mills were closed during the 1970s and early 1980s because of the importation of cheaper textiles from abroad. The economic slack was made up, however, by the establishment of new industries, especially paper and chemical manufacturers. South Carolina’s major manufacturing centers are concentrated in the northern part of the state and in the Piedmont area. The Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Carolina

total value of manufactured goods shipments in 2004 was $81.6 billion. Transportation equipment manufacturing accounted for the largest amount of shipment values. The textile mill industries accounted for the largest number of manufacturing employees.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the labor force in South Carolina numbered 2,123,800, with approximately 139,9 00 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 6.6%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. In 2006, 6.4% of the labor force was employed in construction; 13.7% in manufacturing; 19.3% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.3% in financial activities; 10% in education and health services; 10.7% in leisure and hospitality services, and 17.5% in government. Textiles, clothing, and women’s garment workers’ unions make up the bulk of union membership, followed by transportation and electrical workers. Several large textile companies have made major efforts to prevent their workers from organizing unions. Conflicts between management and workers have continued for years, but without serious violence. In 2005, some 40,000 of South Carolina’s 1,739,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 2.3% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

The total cash receipts for agriculture were about $1.75 billion in 2004, but this figure represents only a fraction of the impact of agriculture and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

agribusiness in the state. Agriculture (food and fiber) along with forestry and forestry products contribute about 25% to the gross state product (GSP). Some 18% of all jobs in South Carolina are from agriculture and agribusiness. As of 2004, there were about 24,400 farms in the state occupying 4.8 million acres (1.9 million hectares) with an average size of 199 acres (80 hectares). Agriculture in South Carolina supplies not only food for consumption, but also cotton for clothing and soybean oil for newsprint ink. The primary farming area is a 50-mile (80kilometer) band across the upper coastal plain. The Pee Dee region in the east is the center for tobacco production. Cotton is grown mostly south of the fall line, and feed crops thrive in the coastal and sand hill counties. Tobacco is the leading crop by value. In 2004, farmers in the state produced 60.75 million pounds (27.61 million kilograms) of tobacco. Soybean and cotton production in that year were 14.8 million bushels and 390,000 bales, respectively. Peach production in 2004 was 70 million pounds (31.8 million kilograms). Greenhouse and nursery products contributed 15.6% to total farm receipts in 2004. South Carolina farmers and agribusinesses also produce apples, barley, beans, berries, canola, corn, cucumbers, hay, kiwifruit, mushrooms, oats, peanuts, pecans, popcorn, rye, sorghum, sweet potatoes, tea, turf grasses, tomatoes, ornamental trees, and wheat.

22


In 2005, there were an estimated 435,000 cattle and calves, worth $339.3 million. During 2004, there were around 300,000 hogs and pigs, valued at $27 million. Dairy farmers produced 269

South Carolina

around 318 million pounds (144.5 million kilograms) of milk from 19,000 milk cows in 2003. Poultry farmers produced 1.4 billion eggs, worth some $87.9 million in the same year, as well as 14.8 million pounds (6.7 million kilograms) of chicken, 1.14 billion pounds (518 million kilograms) of broilers, and 494 million pounds (224.5 million kilograms) of turkey.

23

Fishing

The state’s oceanfront saltwater inlets and freshwater rivers and lakes provide ample fishing opportunities. Major commercial fishing is restricted to saltwater species of fish and shellfish, mainly shrimp, crab, clams, and oysters. In 2004, the commercial catch totaled 12.4 million pounds (5.6 million kilograms), valued at $18.5 million. In 2003, there were three processing plants in the state. In 2002, the commercial fleet had 556 vessels. In 2001, the state issued 498,088 sport fishing licenses. There are two national fish hatcheries in the state (Orangeberg and Bears Bluff). In 2004, there were nine catfish farms.

24

Forestry

South Carolina had 12,415,000 acres (5,024,000 hectares) of forestland in 2004, about two-thirds of the state’s area and 1.7% of all US forests. The state’s two national forests, Francis Marion and Sumter, comprised 5% of the forested area. Nearly all of South Carolina’s forests are classified as commercial timberland, about 90% of it privately owned. Several varieties of pine, loblolly, longleaf, and shortleaf, are the major source of timber and of pulp for the paper industry. 270

Total lumber production in 2004 was 1.57 billion board feet.

25

Mining

The estimated 2003 value of mineral commodities produced in South Carolina was $474 million, ranking 27th in the nation. Portland cement was the leading mineral commodities, with over 2.7 million tons produced in 2003. Crushed stone, the second leading mineral, consisted primarily of granite and limestone with minor amounts of dolomite, marl, and shell. Over 28.9 million tons of crushed stone were produced in 2003. Construction sand and gravel was the third most valuable nonfuel mineral produced and kaolin was the fourth. Common clay and shale and fuller’s earth were other varieties of clay mined. South Carolina ranked first in production of vermiculite in 2003, second in the production of fire clay, third in the production of kaolin and masonry cement, and ninth in common clays.

26

Energy and Power

Although it lacks fossil fuel resources, South Carolina produces more electricity than it consumes. In 2003, total production of electricity was 93.7 billion kilowatt hours. About 53.8% of electric output came from nuclear reactors and 39.3% came from coal-fired plants. South Carolina is strongly committed to nuclear energy. As of 2006, the state had seven nuclear reactors in operation, two at the Catawba plant (the state’s largest), three at the Oconee facility near Greenville, one at the H. B. Robinson plant near Hartsville, and one at the Virgil C. Summer plant near Jenkinsville. The vast Savannah River plant in Aiken County Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Carolina

produces most of the plutonium for the nation’s nuclear weapons. Chem-Nuclear Systems in Barnwell County stores about half of the country’s low-level nuclear wastes and a Westinghouse plant in Richland County makes fuel assemblies for nuclear reactors. South Carolina has no proven reserves or production of crude oil or natural gas.

27

Commerce

Wholesale sales totaled $32.9 billion for 2002; retail sales were $40.6 billion. Tobacco wholesale markets and warehouses are centered in the Pee Dee region, while soybean sales and storage facilities cluster around the port of Charleston. Truck crops, fruits, and melons are sold in large quantities at the state farmers’ market in Columbia. The leading types of retail establishments are clothing and clothing accessories, followed by gasoline stations and motor vehicle and auto parts dealers. Foreign exports of South Carolina’s own products were valued at $13.9 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The state constitution requires that budget appropriations not exceed expected revenues. South Carolina’s governor submits the annual budget to the General Assembly in January. The fiscal year is from 1 July to June 30. Revenues for 2004 were $21.2 billion and expenditures were $21.4 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($6 billion), public welfare ($4.9 billion), and highways ($1.4 billion). South Carolina’s public debt totaled $11.1 billion, or $2,659.09 per capita (per person). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

29

Taxation

The state’s six bracket personal income tax schedule ranges from 2.5% to 7%. The corporate income tax rate is 5%. The state sales and use tax rate is 5% with allowable local add-ons up to 2%. The state imposes a full array of selective sales (excise) taxes on items such as motor fuels and tobacco products. The state collected $7.3 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 39.7% came from the general sales tax, 36.8% came from individual income taxes, 13.4% from selective sales taxes, and 3.4% from corporate income taxes. In 2005, South Carolina ranked 43rd among the states in terms of per capita tax burden, which amounted to $1,720 per person. The national average was $2,192 per person.

30

Health

In 2005, South Carolina’s infant mortality rate was 8.4 per 1,000 live births. The state’s crude death rate was 9.2 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2003. As of 2002, death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 235.2; cancer, 202.9; cerebrovascular diseases, 68.7; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 46; and diabetes, 27.1. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported at 7.3 per 100,000. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 18.1 per 100,000. As of 2004, about 24.3% of state residents were smokers. South Carolina’s 61 community hospitals had 11,100 beds in 2003. There were 231 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 732 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were a total of 1,949 dentists in the state. The aver271

South Carolina

age expense for hospital care was $1,355 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, at least 15% of South Carolina’s residents were uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 1,890,682 housing units, 1,611,401 of which were occupied; 69.7% were owner-occupied. About 60.6% of all housing units were single-family, detached homes; nearly 18.8% were mobile homes (the largest percentage in the nation that year). Electricity and utility gas were the most common energy sources for heating. It was estimated 102,653 units lacked telephone service, 5,428 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 8,284 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.52 people. In 2004, 43,200 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $113,910. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $987, while renters paid a median of $610 per month.

32

Education

As of 2004, 83.6% of all residents 25 years or older had completed high school and 24.9% had attended four or more years of college. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 695,000 in fall 2002. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $6.1 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 58,005. As of fall 2002, there were 202,007 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, South Carolina had 63 degree-granting institutions. The state has three major universities: the University of South Carolina, Clemson 272

University, and the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. In addition, there are four-year state colleges, as well as four-year and two-year branches of the University of South Carolina. The state also has 23 four-year private colleges and universities, most of which are church-affiliated. The Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia is the only major private graduate institution. There are six private junior colleges. South Carolina has an extensive technical education system, supported by both state and local funds.

33

Arts

South Carolina’s three major centers for the visual arts are the Gibbes Art Gallery in Charleston, the Columbia Museum of Art and Science, and the Greenville County Museum of Art. Local theater groups in the larger municipalities produce five or six plays a year; Columbia’s Town Theater claims to be the nation’s oldest continuously operating community playhouse. Augusta is home to the Augusta Opera, the Augusta Symphony, and the Augusta Jazz Project. Charleston and Charlotte also have orchestras. Perhaps South Carolina’s best known musical event is the Spoleto Festival, held annually in Charleston during May and June and modeled on the Spoleto Festival in Italy. The South Carolina Arts Commission, created in 1967, has developed apprenticeship programs in which students learn from master artists. The state has approximately 200 arts associations and 50 local arts groups. In 2005, South Carolina arts organizations received 15 grants totaling $933,200 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National Endowment Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Carolina

for the Humanities awarded 10 grants totaling $769,885 for state programs.

34


In 2001, there were 41 public library systems in South Carolina with 183 libraries. The combined book and serial publication stock was over 8.2 million volumes with a total circulation of 18.1 million. The State Library in Columbia works to improve library services throughout the state and also provides reference and research services for the state government. The University of South Carolina and Clemson University libraries have the most outstanding academic collections. There are 131 museums and historic sites, notably the Charleston Museum specializing in history, natural history, and anthropology. Charleston is also famous for its many old homes, streets, churches, and public facilities. At the entrance to Charleston Harbor stands Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began. Among the state’s best known botanical gardens are the Cypress, Magnolia, and Middleton gardens in the Charleston area. Edisto Garden in Orangeburg is renowned for its azaleas and roses, and Brookgreen Gardens near Georgetown displays a wide variety of plants, animals, and sculpture.

35

Communications

In 2004, 93.4% of South Carolina’s occupied housing units had telephones. The same year, there were over 2.3 million mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, about 54.9% of all households had a personal computer and 45.6% had access Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

to the Internet. Some 45,839 Internet domain names were registered in the state by the year 2000. In 2005, the state had 62 major radio stations (14 AM, 48 FM) and 20 major television stations. South Carolina has one of the most highly regarded educational television systems in the nation, with ten stations serving the public schools, higher education institutions, state agencies, and the general public.

36

Press

In 2005, South Carolina had 14 morning newspapers, 2 evening dailies, and 14 Sunday newspapers. The same year, the leading morning newspaper was The State published in Columbia with a daily circulation of 115,464. The Charleston Post and Courier had a daily circulation of 95,588 and 106,061 on Sunday. Others included the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, 48,798 daily and 56,981 on Sunday; and the Greenville News, 86,573 daily and 115,758 on Sunday.

37


In 2004, the tourism and travel industry ranked first in the state as the largest employer. That year, the state hosted about 32 million visitors with total visitor spending at about $7.8 billion. Approximately 132,400 South Carolinians are directly employed by the tourism industry. About 75% of travelers are from out-of-state. About 75% of out-of-state tourist revenue is spent by vacationers in Charleston and at the Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island resorts. The Cowpens National Battlefield and the Fort Sumter and Kings Mountain national military 273

South Carolina

sites are popular tourist attractions. Golf is a major attraction, generating more income than any other single entertainment or recreational activity. There are 46 state parks and nine welcome centers in the state.

38

Sports

There are no major league professional sports teams in South Carolina. Minor league baseball teams are located in Fort Mill, Myrtle Beach, Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston. There is also minor league hockey in North Charleston, Greenville, and Florence. Several steeplechase horse races are held annually in Camden and important professional golf and tennis tournaments are held at Hilton Head Island. In collegiate football, the Clemson University Tigers of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the University of South Carolina of the Southeastern Conference, and South Carolina State of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference have popular programs. Under the tutelage of former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz, the University of South Carolina Gamecocks won Outback Bowl victories in 2001 and 2002. Fishing, waterskiing, and sailing are popular participant sports. There are two major stock car races held at Darlington each year: the Mall.com 400 in March and the Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend. Other annual sporting events include Polo Games held from February through Easter in Aiken and the Governor’s Annual Frog Jumping Contest held in Springfield on the Saturday before Easter. 274

39

Famous South Carolinians

Many distinguished South Carolinians made their reputations outside the state. South Carolina native Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), the seventh US president, studied law in North Carolina before establishing a legal practice in Tennessee. John Rutledge (1739–1800), the first governor of the state and a leader during the America Revolution, served a term as US chief justice but was never confirmed by the Senate. Identified more closely with South Carolina is John C. Calhoun (1782–1850), vice president from 1825 to 1832. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (1746–1825) was a delegate to the US constitutional convention. Benjamin R. Tillman (1847–1918) was governor, US senator, and leader of the populist movement in South Carolina. The state’s best known recent political leader is J(ames) Strom Thurmond (1902–2003), who was the only person ever elected to the US Senate by write-in vote, and who served in the Senate from 1954 until January 3, 2003. Famous military leaders native to the state include the Revolutionary War General Francis Marion (1732?–1795), known as the Swamp Fox; and General William C. Westmoreland (b.1914), commander of US forces in Vietnam. Notable in the academic world are Mary McLeod Bethune (1875–1955), founder of BethuneCookman College in Florida and of the National Council of Negro Women; and Charles H. Townes (b.1915), awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 1964. South Carolinians who made significant contributions to literature include DuBose Heyward (1885–1940), whose novel Porgy was the basis of the folk opera Porgy and Bess. Tennis chamJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Carolina

pion Althea Gibson (1927–2003) was another South Carolina native. Entertainers born in the state include singer Eartha Kitt (b.1928) and jazz trumpeter John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie (1917–1993).

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Cornelius, Kay. Francis Marion. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House, 2000. Dykstra, Mary. South Carolina. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Heinrichs, Ann. South Carolina. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003. Hoffman, Nancy. South Carolina. Tarrytown, NY: Benchmark Books, 2001.


McAuliffe, Bill. South Carolina Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. New York: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. South Carolina. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Taylor, Frances Wallace, ed. The Leverett Letters: Correspondence of a South Carolina Family, 1851–1868. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 2000. Whitehurst, Susan. The Colony of South Carolina. New York: PowerKids Press, 2000. WEB SITES South Carolina Government. SC.GOV: The Official Web Site of the State of South Carolina. www. sc.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). South Carolina Tourism. South Carolina. Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places. www. discoversouthcarolina.com (accessed March 1, 2007).

275

South Dakota State of South Dakota

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : The state was formerly

the southern part of Dakota Territory; dakota is a Sioux word meaning “friend” or “ally.” N I CKNAME : Mount Rushmore State; the Coyote State. C AP ITAL: Pierre. ENT ERED UNION: November 2, 1889 (40th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The words “State of South Dakota. Great Seal. 1889” encircle the coat of arms. FLAG: The state seal, centered on a light-blue field and encircled by a serrated sun, is surrounded by the words “South Dakota” above and “The Mount Rushmore State” below. C OAT OF ARMS: Beneath the state motto, the Missouri River winds between hills and plains; symbols representing mining (a smelting furnace and hills), commerce (a steamboat), and agriculture (a man plowing, cattle, and a field of corn) complete the scene. M OT TO: Under God the People Rule. SONG: “Hail, South Dakota.” FLOWER: American Pasque (also called the May Day flower). TREE: Black Hills spruce. A NIMAL: Coyote. B IRD: Chinese ring-necked pheasant. FISH: Walleye. IN S ECT: Honeybee. G E M: Fairburn agate. M INERAL: Rose quartz. G RASS: Western wheatgrass. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Native Americans’ Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GM; 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the western north-central United States, South Dakota ranks 16th in size among the 50 states with a total area of 77,121 square miles (199,743 square kilometers), including 75,896 square miles (196,715 square kilometers) of land and 1,164 square miles (3,015 square kilometers) of inland water. It extends about 380 miles (610 kilometers) from east to west and 245 277

South Dakota

miles (394 kilometers) from north to south. The total boundary length of the state is 1,316 miles (2,118 kilometers).

2

Topography

The eastern two-fifths of South Dakota is prairie, while the western three-fifths falls within the Missouri Plateau. The High Plains extend into the south. The Black Hills, an extension of the Rocky Mountains, occupy part of the state’s western border. Harney Peak, at 7,242 feet (2,209 meters), is the highest point in the state. East of the southern Black Hills are the Badlands, a barren, eroded region with large fossil deposits. South Dakota’s lowest elevation, 966 feet (295 meters), is at Big Stone Lake, in the northeastern corner. The Missouri River is controlled by four massive dams—Gavins Point, Fort Randall, Big Bend, and Oahe. Tributaries of the Missouri include the Grand, Cheyenne, Bad, Moreau, and White rivers in the west and the James, Vermillion, and Big Sioux in the east. Major lakes in the state include Traverse, Big Stone, Lewis and Clark, Francis Case, and Oahe.

3

Climate

South Dakota has an interior continental climate with hot summers, extremely cold winters, high winds, and periodic droughts. The normal temperatures are 12°f (-11°c) in January and 74°f (23°c) in July. The record low temperature is -58°f (-50°c), set at McIntosh on 17 February 1936. The record high, 120°f (49°c), was set at Gannvalley on 5 July 1936. Normal annual precipitation ranges from less than 13 inches (33 centimeters) in the north278

South Dakota Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

781,919 3.6% 1.9% 98.5% 88.0% 0.8% 8.4% 0.6% 0.0% 0.6% 1.6%


65 and over (14%)

Under 18 (25%)

45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (26%)

Major Cities by Population City Sioux Falls Rapid City Aberdeen Watertown Brookings Mitchell Pierre Yankton Huron Vermillion

Population

% change 2000–05

139,517 62,167 24,098 20,265 18,715 14,696 14,052 13,716 11,086 9,964

12.5 4.3 -2.3 0.1 1.1 0.9 1.3 1.4 -6.8 2.0




90

0

0

Explanation

25

50 miles

50 kilometers

WYOMING

MONTANA

25

N

Area of Interest


State Capital


City (10,000-50,000 people)

Point of Interest

CUSTER

SHANNON

PENNINGTON

FALL RIVER

MEADE

. HAAKON

ZIEBACH

CORSON

BENNETT

TODD

MELLETTE

JACKSON

Lacreek National Wildlife Ref.

90

SULLY

POTTER

Lake Hiddenwood State Park

WALWORTH

CAMPBELL

NEBRASKA

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

TRIPP

LYMAN

HAND

GREGORY

Lake Francis Case

BROWN

BEADLE

SPINK

Mitchell

sou

Mis

.

ri R

MC COOK

Brookings

Yankton

Vermillion

CLAY

MOODY

UNION

LINCOLN

29

Sioux Falls

MINNEHAHA

TURNER

90

29

DEUEL

BROOKINGS

Lake Herman State Park

LAKE

YANKTON

HUTCHINSON

HANSON

MINER

KINGSBURY

ROBERTS GRANT

Lake Poinsett St. Rec. Area

HAMLIN

Watertown

CODINGTON

Waubay National Wildlife Ref.

CLARK

DAY

Lake Traverse Indian Res.

MARSHALL

BON HOMME

SANBORN DAVISON

Yankton Indian Res.

DOUGLAS

AURORA

Huron

Aberdeen

Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge

JERAULD

CHARLES MIX

BRULE

BUFFALO

Crow Creek Indian Res.

Lake Louise State Rec. Area

HYDE

FAULK

EDMUNDS

MC PHERSON

Lower Brule Indian Res.

Pierre

HUGHES

Fort Sully Game Refuge

Fort Pierre National Grassland

JONES

Lake Oahe

STANLEY

Cheyenne River Indian Reservation

DEWEY

Standing Rock Indian Reservation

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

nne R Cheye

Badlands Nat’l Park

PERKINS

Rapid City

Black Hills Nat’l Forest

Custer National For.

Buffalo Gap National Grassland

Custer St. Park

Mt. Rushmore National Mem.

LAWRENCE

BUTTE

HARDING

NORTH DAKOTA

MINNESOTA Siou x R.

R. ssouri Mi

Big

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota

279

South Dakota

Mount Rushmore, Black Hills. SOUTH DAKOTA TOURISM.

west to 25 inches (63 centimeters) in Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls also receives an average of 39.6 inches (100 centimeters) of snow per year.

4

Plants and Animals

Oak, maple, and beech are among the trees represented in South Dakota’s forests, while thickets of wild plum, gooseberry, and currant are found in the eastern part of the state. Pasqueflower (Anemone ludoviciana) is the state flower. Other wildflowers are bluebell and monkshood. No South Dakota plant species were listed as threatened or endangered in 2006. Familiar native mammals include the coyote (the state animal), porcupine, buffalo, bobcat, white-tailed jackrabbit, and black-tailed prairie dog. Nearly 300 species of birds have been iden280

tified; the sage grouse, bobwhite quail, and ringnecked pheasant are leading game birds. Trout, catfish, and pike are fished for sport. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed nine South Dakota animal species as threatened or endangered, including the American burying beetle, whooping crave, Eskimo curlew, black-footed ferret, Topeka shiner, pallid sturgeon, least tern, and bald eagle.

5


The mission of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the primary environmental agency in South Dakota, is to provide environmental services that promote economic development, conserves natural resources, ensures compliance with reguJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Dakota

South Dakota Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 754,844 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 744,688 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,708 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,173 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,181 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,162 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,162 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 38 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.7 . . . . . . . 1.3 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.7 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1


lations, and protects public health and the environment. In 2003, South Dakota had 39 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, two of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. The Sand Lake National Wildlife refuge, a freshwater cattail marsh, was designated as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 1998.

6

Population

In 2006, South Dakota ranked 46th in the United States in population with an estimated total of 781,919 residents. The population is projected to reach 801,845 by 2025. The average population density in 2004 was 10.2 persons per square mile (3.9 persons per square kilomeJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ter), one of the most sparsely populated of all the states. The median age in 2004 was 37 years. In 2005, about 14% of all residents were 65 or older while 25% were 18 and younger. The leading cities as of 2005 were Sioux Falls, with an estimated 139,517 residents, and Rapid City, with 62,167.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, South Dakota had 62,283 Native American residents. The black American population was 4,685. The estimated number of Asian residents was 4,378. Pacific Islanders numbered 261. The number of Hispanics and Latinos was 10,903, or 1.4% of the population. 281

South Dakota

8

Languages

South Dakota English combines the Northern and Midland dialects. In 2000, 93.5% of the resident population five years of age or older spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home and the number of speakers included German, 13,422; various Native American languages, 11,246; and Spanish, 10,052.

9

Powwows capture the spirit of the Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota people with their lively dancing, drum music, and colorful dress. All of the nine tribes in South Dakota host at least one powwow a year, and visitors are welcome. SOUTH DAKOTA TOURISM.

Of the South Dakotans who reported at least one specific ancestry in the 2000 census, 307,309 listed German, 115,292 Norwegian, 78,481 Irish, 53,2141 English, and 35,655 Dutch. In the same year, 13,495 South Dakotans (1.8% of the population) were foreign born. As of 2006, estimates indicated that 8.4% of the population was Native American and 1.9% was Hispanic or Latino. 282

Religions

The largest single denomination in the state is the Roman Catholic Church, with 154,772 adherents in 2004. According to 2000 data, leading Protestant denominations were the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with 121,871; the United Methodist Church, 37,280; and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, 31,524. The Jewish population was estimated at 350 adherents. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints reported a membership of about 8,957 adherents in 2006. About 242,950 people (32.3% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization in 2000.

10

Transportation

In 2003, 1,940 miles (3,123 kilometers) of railroad track were operated in South Dakota by nine railroads. The Burlington Northern/Santa Fe (BNSF) and Soo Line were Class I railroads in operation the same year. Their freight was primarily agricultural products (originating) and coal and petroleum gas (terminating). Public highways, streets, and roads covered 83,574 miles (134,554 kilometers) in 2004 when the state had 863,000 registered motor vehicles and 563,298 licensed drivers. There were 159 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Dakota

Buffalo in Custer State Park, Black Hills. SOUTH DAKOTA TOURISM.

airports in 2005, of which Joe Foss Field at Sioux Falls is the most active with 333,338 passenger enplanements in 2004.

11

History

The Sioux, driven from the Minnesota woodlands, began to move westward during the second quarter of the 18th century, forcing all other Native American groups out of South Dakota by the mid-1830s. Significant European penetration of South Dakota followed the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804–06. White men came to claim US sovereignty, negotiate Native American treaties, and conduct trade in hides and furs. The Dakota Territory, which included much of present-day Wyoming and Montana as well Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

as North and South Dakota, was established in 1861. The territory was reduced to just the Dakotas in 1868. Six years later, a gold rush brought thousands of prospectors and settlers to the Black Hills. South Dakota emerged as a state in 1889, with the capital in Pierre. Included within the state were nine Native American reservations, established after lengthy negotiations and three wars with the Sioux. State Development Through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, South Dakotans, dependent mainly on agriculture, had limited economic opportunities. Some 30,000 Sioux barely survived on farming and livestock production, supplemented by irregular government jobs and off-reservation employment. The 500,000 nonNative Americans lived mainly off cattle-feeding 283

South Dakota

Mitchell Corn Palace was built in 1892 to entice settlers to the area by showcasing the abundant crops farmers could grow in the rich South Dakota soil. Today, the Corn Palace continues to showcase South Dakota’s agricultural heritage by using more than 3,000 bushels of corn and 40 tons of other grains in its murals. SOUTH DAKOTA TOURISM.

enterprises and modest grain sales, mineral production (especially gold), and employment in South Dakota’s cities. The period after World War I saw extensive road-building, the establishment of a tourist industry, and efforts to harness the waters of the Missouri. Like other Americans, South Dakotans were helped through the drought and depression of the 1930s by federal aid. The economic revival brought about by World War II lasted into the postwar era. The mechanization of agriculture, dam construction along the Missouri, and reclamation of desert land all helped the rural econ284

omy. Federal programs were also organized for Native Americans on the reservations. For 70 days in 1973, some 200 armed Sioux occupied Wounded Knee, on the Pine Ridge Reservation, where hundreds of Sioux had been killed by the US cavalry 83 years earlier. In 1980, the US Supreme Court upheld compensation of $105 million for land in the Black Hills taken by the federal government in 1877. But members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) opposed this settlement and demanded the return of the Black Hills to the Sioux. The economic plight of South Dakota’s Native Americans worsened during the 1980s Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Dakota

after the federal government reduced job training programs. Conditions on the reservations remained bad in the 1990s, with unemployment in some cases as high as 70%. In contrast, the overall state economy showed strength in the 1980s and 1990s through the development of the state’s water resources, the revival of railroad transportation, and with the development of new industry in South Dakota. Casino gambling became legal in South Dakota in 1989, and it has become a significant source of revenue for this state in the years since. Although the state had budget problems in the early 2000s, they were not as severe as in other states. However, South Dakota began experiencing severe drought conditions at this time and widespread droughts were predicted for the Great Plains states beyond 2005. In 2005, unemployment on the Pine Ridge Reservation was at 80%,

12

State Government

South Dakota’s legislature consists of a 35-seat senate and 70-seat house of representatives, all of whose members serve two-year terms. Chief executive officials include the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and treasurer, all elected for four-year terms. A bill becomes law if passed by the legislature and signed by the governor, if left unsigned by the governor for five days while the legislature is in session, or if passed over the governor’s veto by two-thirds of the members of each house. As of 2004, the legislative salary was $12,000 for two years and the governor’s salary was $103,222. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Dakota’s capitol in Pierre was completed in 1910 and has since undergone complete refurbishing. It has been deemed one of the nation’s most fully restored capitols. SOUTH DAKOTA TOURISM.

13

Political Parties

For the most part, South Dakota has voted Republican in presidential elections, even when native-son George McGovern was the Democratic candidate in 1972. South Dakotans chose George H. W. Bush in 1988 and again in 1992. In the 2000 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 60% of the vote and Democrat Al Gore collected 38%. In 285

South Dakota

South Dakota Governors: 1889–2007 1889–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901 1901–1905 1905–1907 1907–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925 1925–1927 1927–1931 1931–1933 1933–1937 1937–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947–1951 1951–1955 1955–1959 1959–1961 1961–1965 1965–1969 1969–1971 1971–1978 1978–1979 1979–1987 1987–1993 1993–1995 1995–2003 2003–

Arthur Calvin Millette Republican Charles Henry Sheldon Republican Andrew Erickson Lee Populist Charles Nelson Herreid Republican Samuel Harrison Elrod Republican Coe Isaac Crawford Republican Robert Scadden Vessey Republican Frank Michael Byrne Republican Peter Norbeck Republican William Henry McMaster Republican Carl Gunderson Republican William John Bulow Democrat Warren Everett Green Republican Thomas Matthew Berry Democrat Leslie Jensen Republican Harlan John Bushfield Republican Merrell Quentin Sharpe Republican George Theodore Mickelson Republican Sigurd Anderson Republican Joseph Jacob Foss Republican Ralph E. Herseth Democrat Archie M. Gubbrud Republican Nils Andreas Boe Republican Frank Leroy Farrar Republican Richard Francis Kneip Democrat Harvey L. Wollman Democrat William John Janklow Republican George Speaker Mickelson Republican Walter Dale Miller Republican William John Janklow Republican Mike Rounds Republican

2004, Bush again received 60% of the vote while Democrat John Kerry won 38%. Democrat Tim Johnson won a US Senate seat in 1996 and was reelected in 2002, Republican John Thune won a US Senate seat in 2004, narrowly defeating democrat Thomas Daschle, who had served in the seat for three terms. Democrat Stephanie Herseth won reelection to represent the state in the US House of Representatives in 2006. Republican Mike Rounds was elected governor in 2002 and reelected in 2006. Following 286

the 2006 elections, there were 15 Democrats and 20 Republicans in the state senate and 50 Republicans and 20 Democrats in the state house. Seventeen women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 16.2%.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, South Dakota had 66 counties, 308 municipalities, 176 public school districts, and 376 special districts. In 2002, there were 940 townships. Typical county officials include a treasurer, an auditor, a state’s attorney, a sheriff, a register of deeds, and a clerk of courts.

15

Judicial System

South Dakota has a supreme court with five justices, and eight circuit courts with 167 judges. The state’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 171.5 reported incidents per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property were reported at a rate of about 1,933.5 incidents per 100,000 people. In December 2004, there were 3,095 inmates in state and federal prisons. South Dakota imposes the death penalty but had only executed one person since 1930 (as of mid-2006). In January 2006, there were four persons on death row.

16

Migration

Since the 1930s, more people have left South Dakota than have settled in the state. Between 1990 and 1998, South Dakota had net gains of 6,000 in domestic migration and 4,000 in international migration. In the period 1995–2000, about 72,548 people moved into the state and 85,016 moved out, for a net loss of 12,468, many of whom moved to Minnesota. For the period 2000–05, net international migration Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Dakota

was 3,957 and net internal migration was -735 for a net gain of 3,222 people.

17

Economy

Agriculture dominates South Dakota’s economy. Grains and livestock are the main farm products, and processed foods and farm equipment are leading manufactured items. Mining and tourism have also been important. The prolonged drought affecting many western states in the early 2000s has caused the state’s corn production to drop 10% and disrupted cattle production. South Dakota is, however, witnessing growth in various services sectors. In 2004, an estimated 1,691 new businesses were established while 2,251 businesses were closed.

18

Income

In 2005, South Dakota had a gross state product (GSP) of $31 billion, ranking 47th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, South Dakota ranked 32nd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $30,209; the national average was $33,050. The average median annual household income for 2002–04, was $40,518 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 12.5% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

19

Industry

Food and related products, machinery, computer equipment, and printing and publishing together account for much of South Dakota’s manufacturing employment. The total value of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Dakota Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

SOUTH DAKOTA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 Dewey (R) 117,653 129,651 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 90,426 203,857 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 122,288 171,569 1960 Nixon (R) 128,070 178,417 1964 *Johnson (D) 163,010 130,108 1968 *Nixon (R) 118,023 149,841 1972 *Nixon (R) 139,945 166,476 1976 Ford (R) 147,068 151,505 1980 *Reagan (R) 103,855 198,343 1984 *Reagan (R) 116,113 200,267 1988 *Bush (R) 145,560 165,415 1992** Bush (R) 124,888 136,718 1996** Dole (R) 139,333 150,543 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 118,804 190,700 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 149,244 232,584 * Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 73,295 votes in 1992 and 31,150 votes in 1996.

manufactured shipments in 2004 was $12 billion. South Dakota hosts the corporate headquarters of the Fortune 500 company, Gateway 2000.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the labor force in South Dakota numbered 432,500, with approximately 13,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. In 2006, 5.7% of the labor force was employed in construction; 10% in manufacturing; 19.9% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 7.3% in financial activities; 14.7% in education and health services; 10.7% in leisure and hospitality services, and 18.9% in government. In 2005, some 21,000 of South Dakota’s 350,000 employed wage and salary workers were 287

South Dakota

members of unions, representing 5.9% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

South Dakota ranked 19th among the 50 states in 2005 in agricultural income, with receipts of $4.8 billion. In 2004, there were an estimated 31,600 farms and ranches in the state, covering about 43.8 million acres (17.7 million hectares). Leading crops in 2004 were hay (6.87 million tons), wheat (128.6 million bushels), corn for grain (539.5 million bushels), soybeans, oats, and barley. That year, South Dakota ranked fifth among the states for hay production and sixth for corn for grain and wheat.

22


The livestock industry is of great importance in South Dakota, particularly in the High Plains. In 2005, the state had an estimated 3.7 million cattle and calves, valued at around $3.8 billion. During 2004, there were 1.3 million hogs and pigs, valued at $146.3 million. In 2003, the state produced 30.1 million pounds (13.7 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs, 152.7 million pounds (69.4 million kilograms) of turkeys, 761 million eggs, and 1.7 million pounds (800,000 kilograms) of chickens. Dairy farmers produced nearly 1.33 billion pounds (600 million kilograms) of milk from about 82,000 milk cows in the same year.

23

Fishing

Virtually all fishing is recreational. In 2004, South Dakota issued 206,349 sport fishing licenses. The D.C. Booth Historic National 288

Fish Hatchery, established in 1896 (formerly Spearfish National Fish Hatchery), is one of the oldest operating hatcheries in the country. The facility primarily produces trout to stock the Black Hills region of the state. The Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery raises endangered pallid sturgeon and paddlefish. There are a total of four state hatcheries.

24

Forestry

The forests in the Plains regions are primarily associated with water reservoirs, lakes, and the dominating Missouri River and its major tributaries. Collectively these forests make up only 10% of the total forestland in the state and consist primarily of tree species associated with the eastern hardwood forests, such as elm, ash, and basswood. The forests in the Black Hills and at higher elevations in the west, southeast and north of the “Hills” are typically “western,” consisting primarily of ponderosa pine. About 90% of the forestland in South Dakota is in the west and most of it is in the Black Hills. Three counties, Pennington, Lawrence, and Custer, account for most of the state’s forest area, which totals roughly 1,620,000 acres (656,000 million hectares). The public sector owns 66% of South Dakota’s forestland. Nonreserve timberland is the primary component of the state’s forestland and occupies 1,511,000 acres (612,000 hectares). Woodland covers an additional 23,000 acres (9,300 hectares). Of the forestland, only 1% contained primarily in national parks is reserved from harvesting wood products. Ponderosa pine is the state’s predominant species. The second most predominant species is the bottomland hardwood group (elm/ash). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Dakota

Sawtimber stands occupy 964,700 acres (390,400 hectares), which is more than half the total forested area. Poletimber stands account for a fifth of the timberland base and sapling and seedling stands account for an additional 118,700 acres (48,000 hectares) of timberland. South Dakota’s timberland is not very productive when compared to other western states. For nearly a century, however, the Black Hills have been successfully producing and supplying sawlogs, fuelwood, pulpwood, posts, and poles.

25

Mining

The estimated value of mineral production for South Dakota in 2003 was $206 million. Portland cement was the leading commodity by value, followed by construction sand and gravel, crushed stone, and granite dimension stone. In 2003, South Dakota ranked second in the nation for production volume of granite dimension stone. The state also ranked fourth in mica production and seventh in gold production. South Dakota quarries produced 13 million metric tons of construction sand and gravel in 2003 and 6.7 million metric tons of crushed stone. Milbank granite, a dark- to medium-red granite found in the northeastern part of the state, has been quarried continuously since 1907 and is the major source of dimension stone in the state.

26

Energy and Power

In 2003, South Dakota produced 7.9 billion kilowatt hours of electricity. Over 53% of the power output came from hydroelectric sources and over 43% from coal-fired plants. Natural gas fueled plants accounted for the rest. South Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Dakota has very modest fossil-fuel resources. As of 2004, crude oil output was about 4,000 barrels per day. In 2003, market gas production totaled 1.1 billion cubic feet (31 million cubic meters). South Dakota has lignite reserves of about 366 million tons.

27

Commerce

Wholesale sales totaled $7.8 billion in 2002 and retail sales were $9.6 billion. Gasoline stations were the leading type of retail establishments. The state’s exports were valued at $941.4 million in 2005, ranking the state at 48th in the nation.

28

Public Finance

The governor must submit the annual budget to the state legislature by 1 December. The legislature may amend the budget at will, but the governor has an item veto. The fiscal year begins 1 July and ends June 30. The revenues for 2004 were $3.8 billion. Expenditures were $2.9 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($875 million), public welfare ($694 million), and highways ($417 million). The outstanding debt was $2.6 billion, or $3,389.19 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

South Dakota has no personal income tax and no state level property taxes. There is a state sales and use tax of 4%. Local taxes on sales can reach as much as 2%. Selective taxes are also levied on gasoline sales, tobacco products, and other items. The state collected $1.1 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 56% came from the general sales 289

South Dakota

tax, 25.4% from selective sales taxes, 4.4% from corporate taxes, and 14.1% from other taxes. In 2005, South Dakota ranked last among the states in terms of per capita tax burden, which amounted to about $1,430 per person. The national average was $2,192 per person.

30

Health

In 2005, the infant mortality rate was 7.3 per 1,000 live births. The crude death rate was 9.3 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2003. As of 2004, about 20.3% of all residents were smokers. As of 2002, death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 254.5; cancer, 205.2; cerebrovascular diseases, 68.1; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 50.3; and diabetes, 25.6. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was unavailable that year. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 1,6 per 100,000, which was one of the lowest in the country. South Dakota’s 50 community hospitals had 4,400 beds in 2003. There were 217 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 1,165 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were a total of 345 dentists in the state. The average expense for hospital care was $747 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, about 12% of South Dakota’s residents were uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 342,620 housing units, of which 300,629 were occupied; 69.1% were owner-occupied. About 65.7% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Utility gas was the most common energy source 290

for heating. It was estimated that 12,506 units lacked telephone service, 1,386 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 1,550 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.47 people. In 2004, 5,800 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $95,523. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $952, while renters paid a median of $493 per month.

32

Education

As of 2004, some 87.5% of South Dakotans 25 years of age or older were high school graduates and 25.5% had four or more years of college. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 128,000 in fall 2002. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $1 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 10,817. As of fall 2002, there were 47,751 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, South Dakota had 26 degree-granting institutions. There are eight state-supported colleges and universities, of which the largest are the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University. The South Dakota School of the Deaf and the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired are also sponsored by the state. In addition, the state has 12 private institutions of higher education.

33

Arts

Artworks and handicrafts are displayed at the Dacotah Prairie Museum (Aberdeen), South Dakota Art Center (Brookings), Sioux Indian Museum and Crafts Center (Rapid City), Civic Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

South Dakota

Fine Arts Association (Sioux Falls), Cultural Heritage Center (Pierre), and W. H. Over Museum (Vermillion). Several tribal councils present annual cultural and arts events or pow-wows. Symphony orchestras include the South Dakota Symphony in Sioux Falls and the Rapid City Symphony Orchestra. The Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues Society sponsors an annual festival. There are at least ten municipal band organizations across the state. Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Pierre all have theater groups. The annual Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant in DeSmit includes outdoor performances as well as activities to recreate pioneer history. The South Dakota Arts Council, located at Pierre, and the South Dakota Humanities Council, at Brookings, aid and coordinate arts and humanities activities throughout the state. The state has approximately 350 arts associations and 40 local arts groups. In 2005, South Dakota arts organizations received six grants totaling $665,800 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded four grants totaling $507,560 for state programs.

34


In 2001, South Dakota had 126 public library systems with 145 libraries and a combined book and serial publication stock of 2.83 million volumes. Combined circulation was about 4.7 million. Leading collections, each with more than 100,000 volumes, were those of South Dakota State University (Brookings), Northern State College and Alexander Mitchell Library (Aberdeen), Augustana College (Sioux Falls), Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the University of South Dakota (Vermillion), the South Dakota State Library (Pierre), and the Sioux Falls and Rapid City public libraries. South Dakota has 81 museums and historic sites, including the Cultural Heritage Museum (Pierre), Siouxland Heritage Museums and Delbridge Museum of Natural History (Sioux Falls), and the Shrine to Music Museum (Vermillion). Badlands National Park and Wind Cave National Park also display interesting exhibits.

35

Communications

In 2004, 93.6% of South Dakota’s occupied housing units had telephones. The same year, there were about 382,906 wireless phone subscribers. In 2003, 62.1% of all households had a personal computer and 53.6% had access to the Internet. Some 8,919 Internet domain names were registered in the state by the year 2000. In 2005, there were 65 major radio stations (21 AM, 44 FM) and 16 major television stations.

36

Press

In 2006, South Dakota had six morning newspapers, five evening papers, and four Sunday papers. Leading newspapers included the Rapid City Journal, mornings 29,696, Sundays 34,222; and the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, mornings 53,395, and Sundays 75,014.

37


Tourism is the state’s largest industry. Travelers spent an estimated $809 million in South Dakota in 2005. The travel industry accounts for 33,100 jobs across the state. 291

South Dakota

Rodeo, a Western tradition. SOUTH DAKOTA TOURISM.

Most of the state’s tourist attractions lie west of the Missouri River, especially in the

38

Sports

Black Hills region. Mount Rushmore National

There are no major league professional sports

Memorial consists of the heads of four US presi-

teams in South Dakota. The Sioux Falls Canaries

dents—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson,

are a minor league baseball club playing in the

Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln—

independent Northern League. Sioux Falls also

carved in granite in the mountainside. Wind

hosts a minor league hockey team. The University

Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National

of South Dakota Coyotes and the Jackrabbits of

Monument are also in the Black Hills region.

South Dakota State both compete in the North

Just to the east is Badlands National Monument,

Central Conference.

consisting of fossil beds and eroded cliffs almost

Skiing and hiking are popular in the Black

bare of vegetation. Visitors can also tour the

Hills. Other annual sporting events include

childhood home of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author

the Black Hills Motorcycle Classic in Sturgis

of the popular Little House on the Prairie series

and many rodeos, including the Days of ’76 in

of books.

Deadwood.

292


South Dakota

39

Famous South Dakotans

The only South Dakotan to win high elective office was Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–1978), a native of Wallace. After rising to power in Minnesota Democratic politics, he served as a US senator for 16 years before becoming vice president under Lyndon Johnson during 1965–69. Other outstanding federal officeholders from South Dakota were Newton Edmunds (1819– 1908), second governor of the Dakota Territory; Charles Henry Burke (b.New York, 1861–1944), who as commissioner of Indian Affairs improved education and healthcare for Native Americans. The son of a German-American father and a Brulé Native American mother, Benjamin Reifel (1906–1990) was the first Native American elected to Congress from South Dakota. He later served as the last US commissioner of Indian Affairs. George McGovern (b.1922) served in the US Senate from 1963 through 1980. An early opponent of the war in Vietnam, he ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic presidential nominee in 1972. Associated with South Dakota are several distinguished Native American leaders. Among them were Red Cloud (Mahpiua Luta, b.Nebraska 1822–1909), an Oglala warrior; Sitting Bull (1834–1890), the well known leader of the tribal army that crushed George Custer’s Seventh US Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Big Horn (1876) in Montana; and Crazy Horse (1849?–1877), an Oglala chief who also fought at Little Big Horn. Russell Means (b.1940) is noted for his activity in the American Indian Movement and the Libertarian Party. Ernest Orlando Lawrence (1901–1958), the state’s only Nobel Prize winner, received the physics award in 1939 for the invention of the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Native American Sacajawea (1787–1812), the guide and only woman on the Lewis and Clark expedition, is commemorated by this statue in Pierre, South Dakota. SOUTH DAKOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

cyclotron. The business leader with the greatest personal influence on South Dakota’s history was Pierre Chouteau, Jr. (b.Missouri, 1789–1865), a fur trader after whom the state capital is named. South Dakota artists include George Catlin (b.Pennsylvania, 1796–1872); Harvey Dunn (1884–1952); and Oscar Howe (1915–1983). Gutzon Borglum (b.Idaho, 1871–1941) carved the faces on Mount Rushmore. The state’s two leading writers are Ole Edvart Rõlvaag (b.Norway, 1876–1931), author of Giants in the Earth and other novels; and Frederick Manfred (b.Iowa, 1912–1994), a Minnesota resident who served as writer-in-residence at the University of 293

South Dakota

South Dakota and has used the state as a setting for many of his novels. Native American Billy Mills (b.1938), winner of the Olympic gold medal in the 10,000-meter run, was born in Pine Ridge. Football Hall-of-Famer Norm van Brocklin (b.1926) was born in Eagle Butte.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. South Dakota. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. Fenney, Kathy. South Dakota Facts and Symbols.

294

Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Heinrichs, Ann. South Dakota. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. McDaniel, Melissa. South Dakota. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Murray, Julie. South Dakota. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Walsh Shepherd, Donna. South Dakota. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. WEB SITES South Dakota Office of Tourism. Travel SD: South Dakota: Great Faces, Great Places. www. travelsd.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of South Dakota. South Dakota. Great Faces. Great Places. www.state.sd.us (accessed March 1, 2007).



Table of Contents

Reader’s Guide vi Guide to State Articles x Tennessee 1 Texas 25 Utah 53 Vermont 71 Virginia 87 Washington 111 West Virginia 133 Wisconsin 149 Wyoming 171 District of Columbia 187 Puerto Rico 201 US Caribbean Dependencies 221 US Pacific Dependencies 225 United States 235 Glossary 281 Abbreviations & Acronyms 286 Index 287

v

Tennessee State of Tennessee

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Probably derived from

Indian name Tenase, which was the principal village of the Cherokee. N I CKNAME : The Volunteer State. C AP ITAL: Nashville. ENT ERED UNION: 1 June 1796 (16th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The upper half consists of the word “Agriculture,” a plow, a sheaf of wheat, a cotton plant, and the roman numeral XVI, signifying the order of entry into the Union. The lower half comprises the word “Commerce” and a boat. The words “The Great Seal of the State of Tennessee 1796” surround the whole. The date commemorates the passage of the state constitution. FLAG: On a crimson field separated by a white border from a blue bar at the fly, three white stars on a blue circle edged in white represent the state’s three main general divisions—East, Middle, and West Tennessee. M OT TO: Agriculture and Commerce. SONG: “When It’s Iris Time in Tennessee;” “The Tennessee Waltz;” “My Homeland, Tennessee;” “Rocky Top;” “My Tennessee;” “Tennessee;” “The Pride of Tennessee.” FLOWER: Iris (cultivated); Passion flower (wild flower). TREE: Tulip poplar. A NIMAL: Raccoon (wild animal); Tennessee cave salamander (amphibian). B IRD: Mockingbird. IN S ECT: Ladybug; firefly. R EPT ILE: Box turtle. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

G E M: Freshwater pearl. R O C K O R S T O N E : Limestone; agate. L E G A L H O L I D AY S : New Year’s Day, 1 January;

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Good Friday, Friday before Easter, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October (sometimes observed the day after Thanksgiving at the governor’s discretion); Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT; 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the eastern south-central United States, Tennessee ranks 34th in size among the 50 states. The total area of the state is 42,144 square 1

Tennessee

miles (109,152 square kilometers), of which land occupies 41,155 square miles (106,591 square kilometers) and inland water 989 square miles (2,561 square kilometers). Tennessee extends about 430 miles (690 kilometers) from east to west and 110 miles (180 kilometers) from north to south. The boundary length of Tennessee totals 1,306 miles (2,102 kilometers).

2

Topography

Tennessee is divided topographically into six major physical regions: the Unaka Mountains, the Great Valley of East Tennessee, the Cumberland Plateau, the Highland Rim, the Central Basin, and the Gulf Coastal Plain. In addition, there are two minor physical regions: the Western Valley of the Tennessee River and the Mississippi Flood Plains. Unaka Mountains in the east are part of the Appalachian chain and include the Great Smoky Mountains. The tallest peak is Clingmans Dome in the Great Smokies, which rises to 6,643 feet (2,026 meters). The Great Valley to the west of the Unaka consists of long, narrow ridges with broad valleys between them. Since the coming of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in 1933, the area has been dotted with artificial lakes and dams, which supply electric power and aid in flood control. The Cumberland Plateau is a region of contrasts, including both the Cumberland Mountains, which rise to a height of 3,500 feet (1,100 meters), and the Sequatchie Valley, the floor of which lies about 1,000 feet (300 meters) below the surface of the adjoining plateau. The Highland Rim, in middle Tennessee, is the state’s largest natural region and encircles the 2

Tennessee Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

6,038,803 6.1% 3.0% 98.8% 79.6% 16.4% 0.3% 1.3% 0.0% 1.2% 1.2%


65 and over (12%)

Under 18 (24%)

45 to 64 (26%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (29%)

Major Cities by Population City Memphis Nashville-Davidson Knoxville Chattanooga Clarksville Murfreesboro Jackson Johnson Franklin Hendersonville

Population

% change 2000–05

672,277 549,110 180,130 154,762 112,878 86,793 62,099 58,718 53,311 44,876

3.4 0.7 3.6 -0.5 9.1 26.1 4.1 5.9 27.4 10.5



SHELBY

TIPTON

T.O. Fuller St. Park

240

FAYETTE

40

WEAKLEY

Jackson

MC NAIRY

CHESTER HARDIN

HENDERSON

Natchez Trace S. P. & For.

DICKSON

Pickwick Landing St. Resort Park

WAYNE

David Crockett St. Rec. Area

DAVIDSON

MAURY

GILES

Tims 24 Ford St. Park

COFFEE

FRANKLIN

MOORE

ALABAMA

LINCOLN

MARSHALL

BEDFORD

MARION

E

HI

TC

UA

BLEDSOE

RHEA

ROANE

75

Chattanooga

Cleveland

BRADLEY

MEIGS HAMILTON

POLK

MC MINN

75

JEFFERSON

GEORGIA

81 GREENE

40

0

0

SULLIVAN

Cherokee National Forest

UNICOI

JOHNSON

NORTH CAROLINA

Johnson City

CARTER

Kingsport WASHINGTON

181

HAWKINS

VIRGINIA

WEST VIRGINIA

25

25


N

Area of Interest


State Capital


City (25,000-100,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

TENNESSEE

Great Smokey Mountains National Park

40

COCKE

HAMBLEN

GRAINGER

HANCOCK

Knoxville SEVIER

Cherokee National Forest

MONROE

Oak Ridge

KNOX

UNION

CLAIBORNE

BLOUNT

CAMPBELL

ANDERSON

Cumberland Mt. S. P.

Fall Creek Falls State Park

S. Cumberland S. R. A.

Q

SE

VAN BUREN

Rock Island State Park

Savage Gulf S. N. A.

GRUNDY

WARREN

WHITE

PUTNAM

MORGAN

FENTRESS

SCOTT

Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area

CUMBERLAND

Standing Stone St. Park

OVERTON

PICKETT

Burgess Falls S. P.

CANNON DE KALB

Murfreesboro

RUTHERFORD

CLAY

KENTUCKY

JACKSON

Edgar Evins St. Park

40

TROUSDALE SMITH

MACON

Long Hunter State Park

WILSON

Hendersonville

SUMNER

Stones R. Nat. Battlefield & Cem.

65

Henry Horton S. P.

WILLIAMSON

Nashville

Columbia LAWRENCE

Mousetail Landing S. R. P. LEWIS

HICKMAN

24 CHEATHAM

Narrows of the HUMPHREYS Harpeth S. H. A. Montgomery Bell St. Park

HOUSTON

STEWART

Clarksville

Port Royal St. Hist. Area

MONTGOMERY ROBERTSON

Ft. Campbell Mil. Res.

PERRY

BENTON

Nathan Bedford Forest S. H. A.

CARROLL

Big Hill Pond Shiloh Nat’l Mil. Park St. Nat. Area

MADISON

HARDEMAN

HENRY

Ft. Donelson Nat’l Mil. Park Paris Big Cyprus Landing State Tree Res. Park S. N. A.

Chickasaw State Rustic Park

HAYWOOD

CROCKETT

GIBSON

Reelfoot Lake State Park

OBION

MISSISSIPPI

Germantown

Memphis

Bartlett

MeemanShelby Forest St. Park

LAUDERDALE

Ft. Pillow St. Hist. Area

ARKANSAS

DYER

LAKE

MISSOURI

DECATUR

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition LOUDON

INDIANA

Tennessee

3

Tennessee

The 32-story, 22,500-seat Pyramid is a multipurpose arena on the banks of the Mississippi River in Memphis. The thirdlargest pyramid in the world, it stands as a tribute to the pyramids found in the ancient city of Memphis, Egypt. COURTESY MEMPHIS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

Central Basin, an oval depression with a gently rolling surface. The westernmost of the major regions is the Gulf Coastal Plain that embraces practically all of west Tennessee. In the northwest corner is Reelfoot Lake, the only natural lake of significance in the state, formed by a series of earthquakes in 1811 and 1812. The state’s lowest point, 178 feet (54 meters) above sea level, is on the banks of the Mississippi in the southwest. Waters from the two longest rivers—the Tennessee, with a total length of 652 miles (1,049 kilometers), and the Cumberland, which is 687 miles (1,106 kilometers) long—flow into the Ohio River in Kentucky. Tributaries of the 4

Tennessee are the Clinch, Duck, Elk, Hiwassee, and Sequatchie rivers. Tributaries of the Cumberland River are the Harpeth, Red, Obey, Caney Fork, and Stones rivers and Yellow Creek. In the western part of the state, the Forked Deer and Wolf rivers are among those flowing into the Mississippi, which forms the western border with Missouri and Arkansas.

3

Climate

Generally, Tennessee has a temperate climate with warm summers and mild winters. The warmest parts of the state are the Gulf Coastal Plain, the Central Basin, and the Sequatchie Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tennessee

Tennessee Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,689,283 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,626,174 . . . . . . 98.9 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59,476 . . . . . . . 1.0 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,273 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,006 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,793 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .808 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,056 . . . . . . . 0.2 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,149 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,038 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . .243 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,421 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . .37 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .461 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .396 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,289 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,633 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

Valley. Annual mean temperatures are around 60°f (16°c) in most parts of the state. The record high temperature for the state is 113°f (45°c), set at Perryville on 9 August 1930. The record low, -32°f (-36°c), was registered at Mountain City on 30 December 1917. Average annual precipitation is 54.7 inches (138.9 centimeters) in Memphis and 48 inches (122 centimeters) in Nashville. Severe storms occur frequently. Snowfall varies and is more prevalent in East Tennessee than in the western section. Nashville gets about 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) a year while Memphis only receives 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) annually. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

4

Plants and Animals

With its varied terrain and soils, Tennessee has an abundance of native plants. Tree species include tulip poplar (the state tree) and shortleaf pine in the eastern part of the state; oak, hickory, and ash in the Highland Rim; gum maple, black walnut, and sycamore in the west; and cypress in the Reelfoot Lake area. In East Tennessee, rhododendron, mountain laurel, and wild azalea blossoms create a blaze of color in the mountains. More than 300 native Tennessee plants, including digitalis and ginseng have been utilized for medicinal purposes. In 2006, a total of 19 plant species were listed as threatened or endangered in Tennessee, including the Blue 5

Tennessee

Ridge goldenrod, Cumberland rosemary and sandwort, Roan Mountain bluet, and Tennessee purple coneflower. Tennessee mammals include the raccoon (the state animal), white-tailed deer, black bear, and bobcat. More than 250 bird species reside in Tennessee. Bobwhite quail, ruffed grouse, mourning dove, and mallard duck are the most common game birds. The state’s 56 amphibian species include numerous frogs, salamanders, and newts. There are 58 reptile species, including three types of rattlesnake. Of the 186 fish species in Tennessee’s lakes and streams, catfish, bream, and largemouth bass are some of the leading game fish. Tennessee’s Wildlife Resources Agency conducts an endangered and threatened species protection program. As of April 2006, there were 61 animal species listed as endangered or threatened, including the 7 species of darter, gray and Indiana bats, pallid sturgeon, bald eagle, Carolina northern flying squirrel, least tern, and white wartyback pearlymussel. The snail darter is Tennessee’s most famous threatened species.

5


The Great Smoky Mountains in east Tennessee are sensitive to changes in air quality. In 1997, the state forged an agreement with the US National Park Service and the US Forest Service to ensure that the process for issuing permits for new industries in the area take into account both business and environmental concerns. The streams of west Tennessee were extensively channelized for flood control beginning in the late 1800s, with a negative impact on both habitat and cropland. As of 2003, the state was working with local citizens and the US Army 6

Corps of Engineers to reverse this process by restoring the natural meandering flow to the tributaries of the Mississippi. The Department of Environment and Conservation is responsible for air, land, and water protection in Tennessee. The department also manages the state park system and state natural areas. In 1996, Tennessee had approximately one million acres of wetlands. In 1997, the state created four new natural areas. The Division of Pollution Prevention Assistance was established in 1993 to provide information and support to industries attempting to reduce their pollution and waste. In 2003, Tennessee had 245 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 13 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2006, Tennessee ranked 17th in population (down from 16th in 2005) in the United States with an estimated total of 6,038,803 residents. The population is projected to reach 7 million by 2025. In 2004, the state’s population density was 143.2 persons per square mile (55.2 persons per square kilometer). In that same year, the median age was 37. In 2005, those aged 65 or older accounted for 12% of all residents, while 24% were under the age of 18. Memphis is the state’s largest city. In 2005 it had an estimated population of 672,277. Nashville-Davidson had 549,110 residents, followed by Knoxville, with 180,130, and Chattanooga, with 154,762. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tennessee

7

Ethnic Groups

Descendants of European immigrants make up about half the population of Tennessee, the largest groups being of English and German descent. According to the 2000 census, there were an estimated 15,152 Native Americans in Tennessee. The estimated black American population in 2000 was 932,809 (16% of the state total). In 2006, black Americans accounted for 16.4% of the state’s population. There were about 56,662 Asians residing in the state, including 12,835 Asian Indians. Pacific Islanders numbered 2,205. There were also 123,838 Hispanics and Latinos, representing 2.2% of the total population. In 2006, Hispanics and Latinos accounted for 3.0% of the population. In 2000, 159,004 residents (2.8% of the population) were foreign born.

8

Languages

Tennessee English represents a mixture of North Midland and South Midland features, as well as Southern features. Common are such nonNorthern terms as wait on (wait for), pullybone (wishbone), and light bread (white bread). In eastern Tennessee are found goobers (peanuts), tote (carry), and fireboard (mantel). Appearing in western Tennessee are loaf bread and cold drink (soft drink). In Memphis, a large, long sandwich is a poorboy. In 2000, of the population age five and older, 95.2% spoke only English at home. Other languages and the number of speakers included the following: Spanish, 133,931; German, 20,267; and French, 17,557. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

9

Religions

Tennessee has long been considered part of the Bible Belt because of the influence of fundamentalist Protestant groups who believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible. Two Protestant groups who originated on the Tennessee frontier in the first half of the 19th century were the Disciples of Christ and the Church of Christ. The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) was established in the state in 1886 as a result of the greater Pentecostal movement. Evangelical Protestants still account for a majority of the religiously active population in Tennessee. In 2000, the largest single religious group in the state was the Southern Baptist Convention with 1,414,199 adherents. Other Evangelical groups were the Churches of Christ, 216,648; the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), 66,136; Independent Non-Charismatic Churches, 50,003; and Assemblies of God, 40,430. The major Mainline Protestant denominations (with 2002 figures) were the United Methodist Church, 393,994; the Presbyterian Church USA, 67,800; and the Episcopal Church, 35,037. In 2004 there were around 185,486 Roman Catholics in the State. In 2000 there were 18,464 Muslims, and an estimated 18,250 Jews in the state. About 2.7 million people (48.9% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga are the focal points for rail, highway, water, and air transportation. All are located on important 7

Tennessee

rivers and interstate highways, and all have airports served by the major airlines. In 2003, Tennessee had 2,821 miles (4,541 kilometers) of railroad track. As of 2006, Amtrak provided north–south passenger service to Memphis and Newbern, Tennessee via its Chicago to New Orleans City of New Orleans train. In 2004, Tennessee had 88,988 miles (143,270 kilometers) of roads. The major interstate highway is I-40, crossing east–west from Knoxville to Nashville and Memphis. In that same year, there were about 5.049 million motor vehicles registered in the state, while 4,247,884 Tennesseans were licensed drivers. The principal means of transportation during Tennessee’s early history was water, and all the early settlements were built on or near streams. The introduction of steamboats on the Cumberland River in the early 19th century helped make Nashville the state’s largest city and its foremost trading center. However by midcentury, that distinction would go to Memphis, located on the Mississippi River In 2004, Tennessee had 946 miles (1,523 kilometers of navigable inland waterways. The completion in 1985 of the 234-mile (377-kilometer) Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway gave Tennessee shippers a direct north–south route for all vessels between the Tennessee River and the Gulf of Mexico via the Black Warrior River in Alabama. Although none of the waterway runs through Tennessee, the northern terminus is on the Tennessee River near the common borders of Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. Freight ports are located at Memphis and Nashville. In 2005, there were 195 airports, 100 heliports, 8 STOLports (Short Take-Off and 8

Landing), and 2 seaplane bases in the state. As of 2004, Memphis International Airport was among the world’s busiest cargo handling facilities, and was also the state’s major air terminal in terms of passengers, with 5,295,062 passenger boardings.

11

History

When the first Spanish explorers arrived in the early 16th century, the Creek tribe was living in what is now East Tennessee, along with the Yuchi. About 200 years later, the powerful Cherokee drove them out of the area and established themselves as the dominant tribe. The Cherokee retained their tribal dominance until they were forced out by the federal government in the 1830s. Other tribes were the Chickasaw in West Tennessee, and the Shawnee, who occupied the Cumberland Valley in Middle Tennessee. Explorers and traders from continental Europe and the British Isles were in Tennessee for well over 100 years before permanent settlements were established in the 1760s. By the mid-1700s, hundreds—perhaps thousands—of English adventurers had crossed the Appalachian barrier and explored the country beyond, claimed first by the colony of Virginia and later assigned to North Carolina. Perhaps the best known was Daniel Boone, who by 1760 had found his way into present-day Washington County, Tennessee. With the conclusion of the French and Indian War in 1763, many people from North Carolina and Virginia began to cross the Alleghenies. Elisha Walden was among those who first led groups of “long hunters” into the wilderness. Two major areas of settlement developed. The larger one, in the northeast, was orgaJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tennessee

nized as the Watauga Association in the 1770s. The second major area was in the Cumberland Basin, where James Robertson established a settlement he called Nashborough (now Nashville) in 1779. Statehood The Revolutionary War did not

reach as far west as Tennessee, but many of the early settlers there fought in the Carolinas and Virginia. The Revolution was hardly over when Tennesseans began to think about statehood for themselves. In 1790, North Carolina ceded its western lands to the United States. Tennessee became known as the Southwest Territory. The population doubled to more than 70,000 in 1795, and steps were taken to obtain statehood for the territory. On 1 June 1796, President George Washington signed a bill admitting Tennessee as the 16th state. Andrew Jackson became the state’s first US representative. By 1809, Nashville, Knoxville, and other early settlements became thriving frontier towns. Churches and schools were established, industry and agriculture developed, and Tennessee became a leading iron producer. Andrew Jackson’s rise to prominence came as a result of his successful leadership at the Battle of New Orleans, fought at the conclusion of the War of 1812. He returned to Nashville a hero, and was elected to the US Senate in 1823. Although Jackson received the most votes, the 1824 presidential election was decided by the House of Representatives, which chose John Quincy Adams as president. Jackson ran again in 1828 and won, serving then as president of the United States for eight years. Early 19th Century Social reform and cultural

growth characterized the first half of the 19th Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

century. A prison was built, and the penal code was reformed. Temperance newspapers were published and laws passed to limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages. In 1834 a few women, embracing the feminist cause, were influential in giving the courts, rather than the legislature, the right to grant divorces. More than most other Southern states, Tennessee was divided over the issue of slavery. Slaveholders predominated in the west, where cotton was grown profitably, as well as in Middle Tennessee. But in East Tennessee, where blacks made up less than 10% of the population, antislavery sentiment thrived. Supporters of emancipation urged that it be accomplished peacefully, gradually, and with compensation to the slave owners. At the constitutional convention of 1834, hundreds of petitions were presented asking that the legislature be empowered to free the slaves, while at the same time the convention sought to take the right to vote away from free blacks. Considerable economic growth took place during this period. West Tennessee became a major cotton growing area. The counties of the Highland Rim produced tobacco in such abundance that, by 1840, Tennessee ranked just behind Kentucky and Virginia in total production. East Tennessee farmers grew fruits and vegetables for market. Civil War Tennessee became a major battleground during the Civil War, as armies from both North and South crossed the state. Many Tennesseans favored secession, but the eastern counties remained staunchly Unionist, and many East Tennesseans crossed over into Kentucky to enlist in the Union Army. In February 1862, 9

Tennessee

Fort Donelson and Fort Henry were taken by General Ulysses S. Grant and naval Captain Andrew H. Foote, thereby opening the state to Union armies. Within two weeks Nashville was under Union army control, and both sides suffered tremendous losses at the Battle of Shiloh, two months later. President Abraham Lincoln established a military government for the conquered state and appointed Andrew Johnson to head it. Johnson, who had been elected to the US Senate in 1858, remained there in 1861, the only Southern senator to do so, refusing to follow his state into the Confederacy. In 1864, he was elected vice president under Lincoln. Confederate forces launched two major campaigns—both unsuccessful—to retake the state, threatening Nashville in December 1862 and attacking Union forces at Franklin and Nashville two years later. In between, the Battle of Chickamauga, in which the Confederates drove Union troops back to Chattanooga in September 1863, was one of the bloodiest engagements of the war. After the Civil War Returning to the Union in

1866, Tennessee was the only former Confederate state not to have a military government during Reconstruction. Economic readjustment was not as difficult as elsewhere in the South, and within a few years agricultural production recovered, but it did not exceed prewar levels until 1900. By the early 1880s, flour, wool, and paper mills were established in all the urban areas. By the late 1890s, Memphis was a leading cotton market and the nation’s foremost producer of cottonseed oil. 10

As the 20th century dawned, the major issue in Tennessee was the crusade against alcohol, a movement with deep roots in the 19th century. In 1909, after the shooting of a prominent prohibitionist, “dry” forces enacted legislation that, in effect, imposed prohibition on the entire state. The prohibition movement helped promote the cause of women’s suffrage, and in 1919, women were granted the right to vote in municipal elections. One year later, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution, thereby granting women the right to vote nationwide. 1920s to 1940s The 1920s brought a resur-

gence of religious fundamentalism. Nationwide attention was brought to the state with the trial and conviction of a high school teacher named John T. Scopes, who challenged a 1925 law that prohibited teaching of the theory of evolution in the public schools. The 1930s brought depression, but they also brought the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), established a few weeks after Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s inauguration in 1933. By the late 1930s, power lines were being strung into remote areas bringing electricity to practically everyone. Inexpensive power became a magnet for industry, and industrial employment in the region nearly doubled in two decades. The building of an atomic weapons plant at Oak Ridge in 1942 was due in large measure to the availability of TVA power. The Depression hurt many manufacturers, and farm prices declined drastically. The state was still was in the grip of financial depression when World War II began. Tennessee firms received defense contracts amounting to $1.25 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tennessee

billion and employed more than 200,000 people during the war, and industrial growth continued during the postwar period, while agriculture recovered and diversified. The chemical industry, spurred by high demand during and after World War II, became a leading sector, along with textiles, apparel, and food processing. 1950s to 1990s Considerable progress was

made toward ending racial discrimination during the postwar years, although the desegregation of public schools was accomplished only after outbursts of violence at Clinton, Nashville, and Memphis. The killing of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., in Memphis in 1968 resulted in rioting by blacks in that city. The most notable political development during the 1970s was the resurgence of the Republican Party. The early 1980s saw the exposure of corruption in high places: former governor Ray Blanton and several aides were convicted for conspiracy to sell liquor licenses, and banker and former gubernatorial candidate Jacob F. “Jake” Butcher was convicted of fraud following the collapse of his banking empire. On the brighter side, there was a successful World’s Fair in 1982, as well as the Knoxville International Energy Exposition. The state economy was also bolstered by the arrival of both Nissan and General Motors plants. The state gained nearly 45,000 manufacturing jobs between 1982 and 1992, many of them in the automotive and other transportrelated industries. Tennessee’s unemployment rate fell to a 16-year low of 4.7% in 1994. In 1992 school reform laws were passed by the state legislature, and in 1993, TennCare was created to replace Medicaid coverage for 1.5 million uninsured residents of the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

21st Century In 2002, Democrat Phil Bredesen

was elected to the governorship. Under his leadership, Tennessee led the nation in attempting to collect mail-order and Internet sales taxes. By 2005, the governor had issued executive orders that established strict ethics rules for the executive branch. His administration also sought to guide the state through a fiscal crisis without raising taxes. Tennessee also demonstrated its commitment to improving education by raising pay for teachers.

12

State Government

Tennessee’s first constitution was adopted in 1796, just prior to the state’s admission to the Union. The basic structure in that document remains basically intact, although the constitution has been amended 36 times, as of January 2005. Executive authority is vested in a governor, elected to four year terms, who can approve or veto bills adopted by the legislature, and also has line-item veto power. Legislative power is placed in the Tennessee General Assembly, consisting of a 99-member House, who serve 2-year terms, and a 33-member Senate, who serve terms of 4 years. The governor appoints a cabinet of 21 members. The speaker of the state senate automatically becomes lieutenant governor. The secretary of state, treasurer, and comptroller of the treasury are chosen by the legislature. Legislation is enacted after bills are read and approved three times in each house and signed by the governor. If the governor vetoes a measure, the legislature may override the veto by majority vote of both houses. Once every six 11

Tennessee

Tennessee Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Nashville. AP IMAGES.

years the legislature may offer voters the chance to call a convention for the purpose of amending the constitution. The legislative salary in 2004 was $16,500, and the governor’s salary was $85,000.

13

Political Parties

After the Civil War and Reconstruction, Tennessee primarily elected Democratic candidates for nearly a century, although East Tennessee remained a Republican stronghold. Although the 1920s saw a tendency away from one-party domination, Franklin D. Roosevelt and the government programs of the New Deal persuaded 12

voters to elect more Democrats. Tennesseans voted overwhelmingly Democratic in the four elections won by Roosevelt (1932–44). After World War II, the one-party dominance in Tennessee was tested again. Between 1948 and 1976, the only Democratic nominees to carry the state came from the South (Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter), or from a border state (Harry Truman). In state elections, the Republicans made deep inroads into Democratic power during the 1960s and 1970s. Democrat Phil Bredesen was elected governor in 2002 and reelected in 2006. In 1994, Dr. Bill Frist, a heart surgeon, was elected a US senator on the Republican ticket, defeating Democrat Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tennessee

Tennessee Governors: 1796–2007 1796–1801 1801–1803 1803–1809 1809–1815 1815–1821 1821–1827 1827–1829 1829 1829–1835 1835–1839 1839–1841 1841–1845 1845–1847 1847–1849 1849–1851 1851–1853 1853–1857 1857–1861 1862–1865 1865 1865–1869 1869–1871 1871–1875 1875–1879 1879–1881 1881–1883 1883–1887 1887–1891 1891–1893 1893–1897

John Sevier Dem-Rep Archibald Roane Dem-Rep John Sevier Dem-Rep Willie Blount Dem-Rep Joseph McMinn Dem-Rep William Carroll Dem-Rep Samuel Houston Democrat William Hall Dem-Rep William Carroll Democrat Newton Cannon Whig James Knox Polke Democrat James Chamberlain Jones Whig Aaron Venable Brown Democrat Neill Smith Brown Whig William Trousdale Democrat William Bowen Campbell Whig Andrew Johnson Democrat Isham Green Harris Democrat Andrew Johnson Republican Edward Hazzard East Prohibitionist William Gannaway Brownlow Whig-Rep DeWitt Clinton Senter Conserv-Rep John Calvin Brown Democrat James Davis Porter, Jr. Democrat Albert Smith Marks Democrat Alvin Hawkins Republican William Brimage Bate Democrat Robert Love Taylor Democrat John Price Buchanan Democrat Peter Turney Democrat

James Sasser. He was reelected in 2000, and in December 2002, was elected the Senate Majority Leader. Frist did not run for reelection in 2006. Republican Bob Corker Jr. won his open seat. In 2002, former governor Lamar Alexander was elected US senator from Tennessee. US representatives included four Republicans and five Democrats after the November 2006 elections. There were 16 Democrats and 17 Republicans in the state senate, and 53 Democrats and 46 Republicans in the state house following the 2006 elections. Twenty-three women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 17.4%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1897–1899 1899–1903 1903–1905 1905–1907 1907–1911 1911–1915 1915–1919 1919–1921 1921–1923 1923–1927 1927–1933 1933–1937 1937–1939 1939–1945 1945–1949 1949–1953 1953–1959 1959–1963 1963–1967 1967–1971 1971–1975 1975–1979 1979–1987 1987–1995 1995–2003 2003–

Robert Love Taylor Benton McMillin James Beriah Frazier John Isaac Cox Malcolm Rice Patterson Ben Walker Hooper Thomas Clark Rye Albert Houston Roberts Alfred Alexander Taylor Austin Peay III Henry Hollis Horton Harry Hill McAlister Gordon Weaver Browning William Prentice Cooper James Nance McCord Gordon Weaver Browning Frank Goad Clement Earl Buford Ellington Frank Goad Clement Earl Buford Ellington Bryant Winfield Dunn Leonard Ray Blanton Lamar Alexander Ned Ray McWherter Don Sundquist Phil Bredesen

Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat

Conservative Democrat – Conserv-Rep Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep

Tennessee voters, who gave Republican George H. W. Bush 57.4% of the vote in 1988, chose Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996 with his Tennessee running mate, Al Gore. In the 2000 election, Republican George W. Bush received 51% of the vote to Democrat Al Gore’s 48%. In 2004, President Bush won Tennessee by a margin of 56.8% to 42.5% for John Kerry. In 2004, there were 3,532,000 registered voters in Tennessee. There is no party registration in the state. 13

Tennessee

Tennessee Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

TENNESSEE WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN


PROGRESSIVE

PROHIBITION

1948

*Truman (D)

270,402

202,914

73,815

1,864

—

887 —

1,432 789

— —

2,450 —

—

—

CONSTITUTION

1952 1956


443,710 456,507

446,147 462,288

379 19,820

1960 1964


481,453 635,047

556,577 508,965

1968

*Nixon (R)

351,233

472,592

424,792

1972

*Nixon (R)

357,293

813,147

—

NATL. STATES’ RIGHTS


AMERICAN

30,373

— LIBERTARIAN

1976

*Carter (D)

825,897

633,969

1980 1984 1988


783,051 711,714 679,794

787,761 990,212 947,233

1992 1996


933,521 909,146

841,300 863,530

981,720 1,036,477

1,061,949 1,384,375

2,303

5,769

NATL. STATESMAN

CITIZENS

1,375

5,0211 — —

1,112 978 1,334

7,116 3,072 2,041

727 —

1,847 5,020

IND. (PEROT)

199,968 105,918 LIBERTARIAN

2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) *Won US presidential election.

14

Local Government

In 2005, local government in Tennessee is exercised by 95 counties and 349 municipalities. The constitution specifies that county officials must include at least a registrar, trustee (the custodian of county funds), sheriff, and county clerk. Other officials have been added by legislative enactment. There are three forms of municipal government: mayor-council (or mayor-alderman), council-manager, and commission. The mayor-council system is the oldest and by far the most widely employed. There were 138 school districts and 475 special districts in 2005. 14

15

4,284 —

REFORM

19,781 —

4,250 —

Judicial System

The five-member Tennessee Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. The court has appeals jurisdiction only, holding sessions in Nashville, Knoxville, and Jackson. Immediately below the Supreme Court are two appeals courts established by the legislature to relieve the crowded high court schedule. Circuit courts hear both civil and criminal cases. Tennessee also has chancery courts, which settle disputes regarding property ownership, hear divorce cases, and rule on a variety of other matters. At the bottom of the judicial structure are general sessions courts. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tennessee

In 2004, Tennessee’s violent crime (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) rate stood at 695.2 incidents per 100,000 inhabitants. As of 31 December 2004, federal and state prisons in Tennessee had 25,884 inmates. Tennessee implements the death penalty; of which lethal injection is the sole method of execution for those sentenced after 1 January 1999. Those sentenced prior to the date can select electrocution. There were 108 persons on death row, as of 1 January 2006.

16

Migration

The first white settlers in Tennessee, who came across the mountains from North Carolina and Virginia, were almost entirely of English extraction. They were followed by an influx of ScotchIrish, mainly from Pennsylvania. About 3,800 German and Irish migrants arrived during the 1830s and 1840s. In the next century, Tennessee’s population remained relatively stable, except for an influx of blacks immediately following the Civil War. There was a steady out-migration of blacks to industrial centers in the North during the 20th century. Between 1990 and 1998, Tennessee had net gains of 338,000 in domestic migration and 27,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration totaled 49,973 people, while net domestic migration for that same period totaled 109,707, for a net gain of 159,680 people.

17

Economy

Tennessee’s economy is based primarily on industry. Since the 1930s, the number of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

people employed in industry has grown at a rapid rate, while the number of farmers has declined. The principal manufacturing areas are Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Kingsport-Bristol. With the construction in the 1980s of a Nissan automobile and truck plant, and a General Motors automobile facility, Tennessee has become an important producer of transportation equipment. Since 1995 however, employment in the state’s manufacturing sector has declined, and since 1999 manufacturing output has also fallen, with the 2001 national recession causing a loss of 36,000 of jobs in that year. Meanwhile, growth in the economy has come from various services sectors in the early 2000s. In 2004, the gross state product (GSP) was $217.6 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for the largest portion at 17.5% of GSP, followed by the real estate sector at 10.6%, and health care and social assistance at 8.2% of GSP. Of the 109,853 businesses in Tennessee that had employees, an estimated 97.2% were small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, Tennessee ranked 35th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $29,844 compared to the national average of $33,050. The median annual household income for the period 2002–04 was $38,550 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, an estimated 14.9% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide. 15

Tennessee

19

Industry

On the eve of the Civil War, only 1% of Tennessee’s population was employed in manufacturing. But by 1981, rapid industrial growth in the 20th century transformed the state, making Tennessee third among the southeastern states and 15th in the United States in the shipment value of its manufactured products. In 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in Tennessee totaled $125.530 billion. Of that total, transportation equipment manufacturing accounted for the largest share at $26.256 billion, followed by computer and electronic equipment manufacturing at $14.584 billion, and food manufacturing at $13.293 billion. In 2004, a total of 384,152 people were employed in the state’s manufacturing sector. Of that total, the transportation equipment manufacturing sector was the largest at 58,023 employees, followed by food manufacturing at 36,361 employees, and by plastics and rubber products manufacturing at 31,118. Tennessee’s four major metropolitan areas, Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, account for the largest portion of the state’s industrial workers.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Tennessee numbered 2,960,500, with approximately 161,200 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.4%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. In 2006, about 4.5% of the labor force was employed in construction; 14.6% in manufacturing; 21.9% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.2% 16

in financial activities; 11.3% in professional and business services; 125 in education and health services; 9.7% in leisure and hospitality services; and 15% in government. In 2005, a total of 128,000 of Tennessee’s 2,368,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union, representing 5.4% of those so employed, well below the national average of 12%.

21

Agriculture

Tennessee ranked 32nd among the 50 states in 2005 with farm receipts of over $2.5 billion. The state had 85,000 farms in 2004. From the pre-Civil War period into the 1950s, cotton, followed by corn and tobacco, were the main crops grown in the state. However, by the early 1960s, soybeans became the leading source of farm income. In 2004, soybeans, greenhouse/nursery products and cotton collectively accounted for 30% of the state’s farm income. In 2004, tobacco production totaled 67.9 million pounds (37.798 million kilograms). The main types of tobacco are burley, a fine leaf used primarily for cigarettes, and eastern and western dark-fired, which are used primarily for cigars, pipe tobacco, and snuff. In that same year, the corn harvest totaled 86.1 million bushels and cotton production was 990,000 bales.

22


Cattle are raised throughout the state, but principally in middle and east Tennessee. In 1930, fewer than a million cattle and calves were raised on Tennessee farms. By 2005, there were an estimated 2.17 million cattle and calves, valued Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tennessee

at $1.67 billion. During 2004, hogs and pigs numbered around 215,000 and were valued at $18.9 million. In 2003, Tennessee poultry farmers produced 948 million pounds (431 million kilograms) of broilers, worth $322.3 million, and 290 million eggs, valued at $31.9 million. Tennessee dairy farmers produced 1.2 billion pounds (0.5 billion kg) of milk from some 79,000 milk cows.

23

Fishing

Fishing is a major attraction for sport but plays a relatively small role in the economic life of Tennessee. There are 17 TVA lakes and 7 other lakes, all maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers, and there are thousands of miles of creeks and mountain streams, all of which attract anglers. In 2004, the state issued 1,028,386 sport fishing licenses. In that same year, the state had 14 trout farms. There were also two national fish hatcheries in the state (Dale Hollow and Erwin), which stocked over 1.9 million fish.

24

Forestry

In 2004, forests covered 14,404,000 acres (5,827,000 hectares) of land, or more than 50% of the state’s total land area. Commercial timberlands in that same year totaled 12,396,000 acres (5,017,000 hectares). In 2004, of the state’s forested areas, 86% was privately owned, 10% federally owned, 3% state-owned, and 1% municipally owned. The counties of the Cumberland Plateau and Highland Rim are the major sources of timber products, and in Lewis, Perry, Polk, Scott, Sequatchie, Unicoi, and Wayne counties, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

more than 75% of the total area is commercial forest. About 96% of Tennessee’s timber is in hardwoods, and nearly one-half of that is in white and red oak. Of the softwoods, pine (shortleaf, loblolly, Virginia, pitch, and white), accounts for 80%. Red cedar accounts for about 5% of the softwood supply. Total lumber production in 2004 was 891 million board feet. Wood products manufacturing is among the state’s largest basic industries and falls into three main categories: paper and similar products; lumber and similar products; and furniture. Manufacturing uses only about a third of the wood grown by forests in Tennessee each year. The remaining two-thirds continues to accumulate on aging trees, or is lost through decomposition of diseased and dead trees. The most common method of cutting timber in Tennessee has long been “high-grading,” that is, cutting only the most valuable trees and leaving those of inferior quality and value.

25

Mining

The 2003, the estimated value of nonfuel mineral production in Tennessee was $606 million. Nationally, Tennessee ranked 23rd in the total value of nonfuel minerals produced that year. Crushed stone was the leading nonfuel mineral produced in 2003, accounting for more than 50% of all nonfuel mineral output, by value, followed by cement (portland and masonry), construction sand and gravel, zinc, and ball clay. According to the 2003 data, crushed stone output was put at 53.5 million metric tons ($321 million), while construction sand and gravel production was placed at 9.7 million metric tons ($54.8 million). 17

Tennessee

Tennessee in 2003 was the nation’s leading producer of ball clay and gemstones (by volume). The state also ranked third in the production of zinc and ninth in the output of industrial stone and gravel. Gemstone production in 2003 consisted mostly of cultured freshwater pearls and mother-of-pearl derived from freshwater mussel shells. Tennessee had the only freshwater pearl farm in the United States.

put that year averaged 1,000 barrels per day. Marketed natural gas production in 2003 (the latest year for which data was available) totaled 1.803 billion cubic feet (.051 billion cubic meters). Tennessee has one crude oil refinery, as of 2005, with a production capacity of 180,000 barrels per day.

26

In 2002, Tennessee’s wholesale trade sector had sales of $97.7 billion, while the state’s retail trade sector that year had sales of $60.1 billion. In 2002, motor vehicle and motor vehicle dealers accounted for the largest share of retail sales at $16.2 billion, followed by general merchandise stores at $10.2 billion, and food and beverage stores at $7.4 million. In 2005, Tennessee’s foreign exports totaled $19.06 billion.

Energy and Power

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is the principal supplier of power in the state, providing electricity to more than 100 cities and 50 rural cooperatives. In 2003, Tennessee’s total net summer generating capability stood at 20.893 million kilowatts, with electrical output that same year at 92.221 billion kilowatt hours. Of that total, coal-fired plants accounted for 59.6% of all electricity produced, while nuclear plants accounted for 26.2%, and hydroelectric plants at 13%. The remaining output came from other renewable sources, natural gas and petroleum fired plants, and from pumped storage facilities. There were two nuclear power facilities in operation as of 2006, the Sequoyah plant near Chattanooga, and the Watts Bar facility between Chattanooga and Knoxville. Both plants are operated by the TVA. The state’s recoverable coal reserves in 2004 totaled 26 million tons. In that same year, there were 32 producing coal mines in the state, of which 20 were surface operations, and 12 were underground. Coal production in 2004 totaled 2.887 million tons, of which surface mining accounted for 71% of output. As of 2004, of the 31 crude oil producing states, Tennessee ranked 28th. Crude oil out18

27

28

Commerce

Public Finance

The state budget is prepared annually by the Budget Division of the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration and submitted by the governor to the legislature every January. The fiscal year lasts from l July to 30 June. In 2004, total revenues were $23.92 billion, while total expenditures that year came to $22.16 billion. The largest general expenditures were for public welfare ($8.357 billion), education ($6.47 billion), and highways ($1.54 billion). The state’s outstanding debt totaled $3.58 billion, or $607.66 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

Sales taxes in 2005, accounted for most of Tennessee’s tax revenues, of which the general rate was 7%, with local add-ons allowed up to Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tennessee

2.75%. Food purchased for consumption off premises (such as at home) is taxed but at a lower rate. Other state taxes include excise taxes on gasoline and cigarettes, a flat 6.5% corporate income tax, and as of 1 January 2006, a personal state income tax on dividend and interest income only. There is no state property tax; instead property taxes are collected on a local basis. In 2005, Tennessee collected $10.007 billion in taxes, of which 61.1% came from the general sales tax, 15.3% from selective sales taxes, 1.6% from personal income taxes, and 8.1% from corporate income taxes, and 14% from other taxes. In 2005, Tennessee ranked 45th among the states in terms of combined state and local tax burden, which amounted to $1,678 per person.

30

Health

In October 2005, Tennessee’s infant mortality rate was estimated at 8.7 per 1,000 live births. In 2003, the crude death rate stood at 9.8 per 100,000. The major causes of death in 2002 included heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory disease, and diabetes. The death rate due to HIV-related infections stood at 6 per 100,000 population. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was around 13.1 per 100,000 residents. In that same year, 26.1% of all Tennessee residents, were smokers, the third highest in the United States (behind Kentucky and West Virginia). Tennessee’s 123 community hospitals had about 20,300 beds in 2003. In 2005, there were 874 nurses per 100,000 people, while in 2004, there were 262 physicians per 100,000 population, and a total of 3,027 dentists in the state. The average expense for community hospital Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

care was $1,187 per day. In 2004, approximately 14% of Tennessee’s residents were uninsured. Tennessee has four medical schools: two in Nashville (Vanderbilt University and Meharry Medical School), one at Johnson City (East Tennessee State University), and one at Memphis (University of Tennessee).

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 2,595,060 housing units in the state, of which 2,314,688 were occupied, and 70% were owner-occupied. About 68.4% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Electricity and utility gas were the most common energy sources for heating. It was estimated that 111,374 units lacked telephone service, 11,294 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 10,036 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.48 people. In 2004, a total of 44,800 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $110,198. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $954, while renters paid a median of $564 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, of all Tennessee residents age 25 and older, 82.9% were high school graduates, while 24.3% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total enrollment was estimated at 925,000 in fall 2003 and is expected to reach 929,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $6.7 billion. 19

Tennessee

Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 87,055. As of fall 2002, there were 261,899 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Tennessee had 95 degree-granting institutions. The University of Tennessee system has principal campuses at Knoxville, Memphis, Martin, and Chattanooga. Components of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee include Memphis State University (the largest), Tennessee Technological University, East Tennessee State University, Austin Peay State University, Tennessee State University at Nashville, and Middle Tennessee State University, along with 13 two-year community colleges located throughout the state. Well known private colleges are Vanderbilt University, the University of the South, and Rhodes College.

33

Arts

Each of Tennessee’s major cities has a symphony orchestra. The best known are the Memphis Symphony and the Nashville Symphony, the latter of which makes its home in the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, which includes three performing arts theaters and the State Museum. The major operatic troupes are Opera Memphis, Nashville Opera, and Knoxville Opera. Nashville is known as “Music City, USA.” The Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, and numerous recording studios are located in the city. Among the leading art galleries are the Dixon Gallery and the Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis, the Cheekwood Museum of Art in Nashville, the Knoxville Museum of Art, and the Hunter Museum of Art in Chattanooga. 20

There are several state and local festivals reflecting the music and arts of the state. Elvis Week, in August, is celebrated each year in Memphis. Graceland is the site of the annual Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration (January) and Christmas at Graceland. The Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Force, created by singer Dolly Parton, presents several festivals and musical events each year. The Tennessee Association of Craft Artists presents three annual fairs. The Memphis in May International Festival includes the following programs: the Beale Street Music Festival, International Week, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, and Sunset Symphony (featuring the Memphis Symphony). The Tennessee Arts Commission (est.1967) offers grant opportunities for such programs as the Individual Artist Fellowship, Arts Build Communities, and Arts Education programs. As of 2005, Humanities Tennessee sponsored a number of annual programs including the Southern Festival of Books, the Tennessee Young Writers’ Workshop, the Tennessee Community Heritage Program, and Letters About Literature.

34


As of June 2001, there were 285 libraries in Tennessee, of which 101 were branches. As of that same period, the state’s public libraries had 10.08 million volumes, and a total circulation of 21,227,000. The largest libraries are the Vanderbilt University Library at Nashville, Memphis-Shelby County Library, Memphis State University Libraries, University of Tennessee at Knoxville Library, Knoxville-Knox Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tennessee

County Library, and the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Library. Tennessee has more than 127 museums and historic sites. The Tennessee State Museum in Nashville displays exhibits on pioneer life, military traditions, evangelical religion, and presidential lore. The Museum of Appalachia, near Norris, attempts an authentic replica of early Appalachian life, with more than 20,000 pioneer relics on display in several log cabins. Displays of solar, nuclear, and other energy technologies are featured at the American Museum of Science and Energy, at Oak Ridge. There are floral collections at the Goldsmith Civic Garden Center in Memphis, and at the Tennessee Botanical Gardens and Fine Arts Center in Nashville.

35

Communications

As of 2004, a total of 92.8% of Tennessee’s occupied housing units had telephones, while as of June that year, there were 2,337,367 wireless telephone subscribers. In 2003, computers were in 54.9% of all Tennessee homes, while 45.6% had access to the Internet. In 2005, Tennessee had 30 major AM and 80 major FM radio stations, and 31 television stations in operation. In 1999, the Nashville area had 826,090 television households, 63% of which received cable. The Memphis area had 623,110 television homes, 64% of which ordered cable. About 81,858 Internet domain names were registered in the state by the year 2000.

36

Press

In 2005, there were 14 morning newspapers, 12 evening dailies, and 18 Sunday papers. Leading Tennessee newspapers, with their approximate Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

daily circulations in 2005, were the Nashville Tennessean (170,361 daily, 238,126 Sundays), Memphis Commercial Appeal (179,468 daily, 235,889 Sundays), the Knoxville News-Sentinel (113,994 daily, 153,278 Sundays), and the Chattanooga Times Free Press (86,968 daily, 99,775 Sundays). Several dozen trade publications, such as Southern Lumberman, appear in Nashville, the state’s major publishing center, where there is also a thriving religious publishing industry.

37


The natural beauty of Tennessee, combined with the activity of the Department of Tourist Development, has made tourism a large industry in the state. In 2003, a total of 141,200 people were employed in the state’s tourism sector. Leading tourist attractions include the American Museum of Science and Energy at Oak Ridge; the Beale Street Historic District in Memphis, home of W. C. Handy, the “father of the blues;” Graceland, the Memphis estate of singer Elvis Presley; and Opryland USA and the Grand Ole Opry at Nashville. The top attractions in 1998 included (with annual attendance records): Dollywood (2,200,000), Tennessee Aquarium (1,150,148), Bristol Motor Sports (1,050,000), Ober Gatlinburg (1,004,659), and Casey Jones Village (840,000). There are three presidential homes—Andrew Johnson’s at Greeneville; Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage near Nashville; and James K. Polk’s at Columbia. Pinson Mounds, near Jackson, offers outstanding archaeological treasures and the remains of a Native American city. Reservoirs and lakes attract thousands of anglers and water sports enthusiasts. 21

Tennessee

NASCAR Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. © DAVE SMITH/ICON SMI/CORBIS.

There are 33 state parks, almost all of which have camping facilities. Extending into North Carolina, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers 241,207 acres (97,613 hectares) in Tennessee.

38

Sports

Tennessee has three professional major league sports teams, the National Football League’s Titans, who relocated to Nashville from Houston before the 1997 season, the National Hockey League’s Nashville Predators, who began playing in 1999, and the National basketball Association’s Memphis Grizzlies, which relocated from Vancouver, British Columbia in 2001. 22

Minor league baseball teams play throughout the state including in Chattanooga, Memphis, Elizabethton, Johnson City, Jackson, Kingsport, Lynchburg, and Nashville. Tennessee’s colleges and universities provide the major fall and winter sports. The University of Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt University Commodores, in the Southeastern Conference, compete nationally in football, basketball, and baseball. Austin Peay and Tennessee Technological universities belong to the Ohio Valley Conference. The University of Tennessee has seven bowl games. The University of Tennessee’s women’s basketball team, the Lady Vols, won National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) titles six times. They have Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tennessee

won more games than any other NCAA basketball team in the country. Other annual sporting events include the Iroquois steeplechase in Nashville in May and two NASCAR races at the Bristol Motor Speedway, one in March and one in August.

39

Famous Tennesseans

Andrew Jackson (b.South Carolina, 1767–1845), the seventh president, moved to Tennessee as a young man. He won renown in the War of 1812 and became the first Democratic president in 1828. Jackson’s close friend and associate, James Knox Polk (b.North Carolina, 1795–1849), was elected the nation’s 11th president in 1844 and served one term. Andrew Johnson (b.North Carolina, 1808–1875), also a Democrat, remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War and was elected vice president with Abraham Lincoln in 1864. He became president upon Lincoln’s assassination in 1865 and served out his predecessor’s second term. Impeached because of a dispute over Reconstruction policies and presidential power, Johnson escaped conviction by one vote in 1868. Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (b.Washington, DC, 1948) was a senator from Tennessee before being elected to the vice presidency in 1992. Supreme Court justices from Tennessee include James C. McReynolds (b.Kentucky, 1862–1946), and Edward T. Sanford (1865–1930). Tennesseans who became cabinet officials include Secretary of State Cordell Hull (1871–1955) and Secretary of War John Eaton (1790–1856). Other nationally prominent political figures from Tennessee are Cary Estes Kefauver (1903–1963), twoterm US senator who ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 1956 on the Democratic ticket; Al Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Gore, Sr. (1907–1998), three-term member of the US Senate; and Howard Baker (b.1925), who in 1966 became the first popularly elected Republican senator in Tennessee history. Nancy Ward (1738–1822) was an outstanding Cherokee leader, and Sue Shelton White (1887– 1943) played a major role in the campaign for women’s suffrage. Tennessee history features several military leaders and combat heroes. John Sevier (b.Virginia, 1745–1815), the first governor of the state, defeated British troops at Kings Mountain during the Revolution. David “Davy” Crockett (1786–1836) was a frontiersman who fought the British with Jackson in the War of 1812, and later became a congressman. Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821–1877) and Sam Davis (1842–1863) were heroes of the Civil War. Cordell Hull was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945 for his work on behalf of the United Nations. In 1971, Earl W. Sutherland Jr. (b.Kansas 1915–1975), a biomedical scientist at Vanderbilt University, won a Nobel Prize for his discoveries concerning the mechanisms of hormones. Stanley Cohen (b.New York, 1922) of Vanderbilt University won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1986. Sequoya (1770–1843) created an alphabet for the Cherokee language and promoted literacy. Famous Tennessee writers include influential poet and critic John Crowe Ransom (1888– 1974); author and critic James Agee (1909– 1955), posthumously awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his novel A Death in the Family; poet Randall Jarrell (1914–1965), winner of two National Book Awards; and Wilma Dykeman (b.1920), novelist and historian. Sportswriter Grantland Rice (1880–1954) was born in Murfreesboro. Basketball Hall of Fame member Oscar 23

Tennessee

Robertson (b.1938) and track and field legend Wilma Rudolph (1940–1994) were both born and raised in Tennessee. Tennessee has long been a center of popular music. Musician and songwriter William C. Handy (1873–1958) wrote “St. Louis Blues” and “Memphis Blues,” among other classics. Bessie Smith (1898?–1937) was a leading blues singer. Elvis Presley (b.Mississippi, 1935–1977) fused rhythm-and-blues with country-and-western styles to become one of the most popular entertainers who ever lived. Other Tennesseeborn singers are Tina Turner (b.1938), Aretha Franklin (b.1942), and Dolly Parton (b.1946). Actor Morgan Freeman (b.1937) was born in Memphis.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Barrett, Tracy. Tennessee. 2nd ed. New York:

24

Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Fenney, Kathy. Tennessee Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Heinrichs, Ann. Tennessee. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003. Kent, Deborah. Tennessee. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. Lantier, Patricia. Tennessee. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Murray, Julie. Tennessee. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Weatherly, Myra. Tennessee. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. WEB SITES State of Tennessee. Tennessee.gov. www.state.tn.us (accessed March 1, 2007). Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. Tennessee.gov. state.tn.us/tourdev (accessed March 1, 2007). Tennessee Valley Authority. www.tva.com/ (accessed March 1, 2007).


Texas State of Texas

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Derived from the Caddo

word tavshas, meaning “allies” or “friends.” N I CKNAME : The Lone Star State. C AP ITAL: Austin. ENT ERED UNION: 29 December 1845 (28th). O FFICIAL SEAL: A five-pointed star is encircled by

olive and live oak branches, surrounded with the words “The State of Texas.” FLAG: At the hoist is a vertical bar of blue with a single white five-pointed star; two horizontal bars of white and red cover the remainder of the flag. M OT TO: Friendship. SONG: “Texas, Our Texas;” “The Eyes of Texas.” FLOWER: Bluebonnet; prickly pear cactus (plant). TREE: Pecan. B IRD: Mockingbird. FISH: Guadelupe bass. G E M: Topaz. R OCK OR STONE: Petrified palmwood. G RASS: Sideoats grama. SHELL: Lightening welk. SP ORT: Rodeo. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Confederate Heroes Day, 19 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Texas Independence Day, 2 March: Cesar Chavez Day, 31 March (optional); Good Friday, Friday before Easter, March or April (optional); San Jacinto Day, 21 April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Emancipation Day, 19 June; Independence Day, 4 July; Lyndon B. Johnson’s Birthday, 27 August; Labor Day, 1st Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Monday in September; Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, September or October (optional); Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November and the day following; Christmas, 24, 25, and 26 December. T I ME : 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the west south-central United States, Texas is the largest of the 48 conterminous states. The total area of Texas is 266,807 square miles (691,030 square kilometers), of which land comprises 262,017 square miles (678,624 square kilometers) and inland water 4,790 square miles (12,406 square kilometers). The state’s maximum east–west extension is 801 miles (1,289 kilometers). Its extreme north–south distance is 773 miles (1,244 kilometers). The boundary length of the state totals 3,029 miles (4,875 25

Texas

kilometers), including a general Gulf of Mexico coastline of 367 miles (591 kilometers). Large islands in the Gulf of Mexico belonging to Texas are Galveston, Matagorda, and Padre.

2

Topography

Major regions in Texas are the Gulf Coastal Plain in the east and southeast; the North Central Plains, covering most of central Texas; the Great Plains, extending from west-central Texas up into the panhandle; and the mountainous transPecos area in the extreme west. The Balcones Escarpment, a geological fault line running across central Texas, separates the Gulf Coastal and Rio Grande plains from the North Central Plains and south-central Hill Country. This fault line divides East Texas from West Texas, or watered Texas from dry Texas. Much of the North Central Plains is rolling prairie, but the dude ranches of the Hill Country and the mineral-rich Burnet-Llano Basin are also found there. West of the Cap Rock Escarpment are the Great Plains, which stretch north–south from the Panhandle Plains to the Edwards Plateau, and which are just north of the Balcones Escarpment. The trans-Pecos region, between the Pecos River and the Rio Grande, contains the highest point in the state: Guadalupe Peak, with an altitude of 8,749 feet (2,668 meters). Texas has few natural lakes, the largest being Caddo Lake, which lies in both Texas and Louisiana. Two artificial reservoirs are the Amistad (shared with Mexico) and Toledo Bend (shared with Louisiana). All together, the state contains close to 200 major reservoirs. One reason Texas has so many reservoirs is that it is blessed with a number of major river systems, although none is navigable for more 26

Texas Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

23,507,783 12.7% 35.5% 98.3% 71.9% 11.0% 0.5% 3.3% 0.1% 11.6% 1.6%


45 to 64 (23%)

18 to 24 (10%) 25 to 44 (29%)


Population

% change 2000–05

Houston San Antonio Dallas Austin Fort Worth El Paso Arlington Corpus Christi Plano Garland

2,016,582 1,256,509 1,213,825 690,252 624,067 598,590 362,805 283,474 250,096 216,346

3.2 9.8 2.1 5.1 16.7 6.2 9.0 2.2 12.6 0.3



35

TEXAS


25

50 miles

0 25 50 kilometers

0

N

Area of Interest


State Capital

MEXICO

TOM GREEN

COKE

TAYLOR

CONCHO

MAVERICK

KINNEY

EDWARDS

Caverns of Sonora

WEBB

ZAVALA

JIM HOGG

DUVAL

STARR

BEE

SANPATRICIO

KLEBERG

CAMERON

WILLACY

KENEDY

BentsenRio Grande S. P.

HIDALGO

BROOKS

NUECES

Corpus Christi

ROCKWALL

ELLIS

FALLS

LAVACA

10

CHEROKEE

HOUSTON

Davy

LEON

ANDERSON

MATAGORDA

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge

GE

A TYLER

LIN

GALVESTON

CHAMBERS

Pasadena

Beaumont

LIBERTY

HARDIN

Sam Houston Nat’l For.

POLK

AN

Angelina N. F.

JEFFERSON

ORANGE

Big Thicket National Preserve

SABINE

SAN AUGUSTINE

Sabine National Forest

LOUISIANA

ARKANSAS

Gulf of Mexico

BRAZORIA

FORT BEND

Houston

HARRIS

MONTGOMERY

SHELBY

PANOLA

HARRISON

NACOGDOCHES

RUSK

SAN JACINTO

TRINITY WALKER

MADISON

Nat’l For.

45 Crockett

Padre Island National Seashore

ARANSAS

CALHOUN

VICTORIA

JACKSON

20

HENDERSON

WHARTON

COLORADO

AUSTIN

WASHINGTON

BURLESON

FAYETTE

LEE

BRAZOS

ROBERTSON

LIMESTONE

FREESTONE

KAUFMAN

GREGG

MARION

CASS

BOWIE

UPSHUR

CAMP

TITUS

RED RIVER

SMITH

RAINS WOOD

30

HOPKINS

DELTA

LAMAR

Garland VAN Mesquite ZANDT

NAVARRO

REFUGIO

GOLIAD

HUNT

Dallas DALLAS

MILAM

DE WITT

GONZALES

KARNES

JIM WELLS

LIVE OAK

37

WILSON

BASTROP

FANNIN

Plano

COLLIN

Waco

35

Austin CALDWELL

GUADALUPE

Lake Corpus Christi State Park

MCMULLEN

ATASCOSA

Falcon State Park

ZAPATA

Laredo

35

LA SALLE

FRIO

COMAL BEXAR

TRAVIS HAYS

BELL

WILLIAMSON

Ft. Hood

BURNET

BLANCO

KENDALL

San Antonio

MEDINA

BANDERA

DIMMIT

Garner S. P.

UVALDE

REAL

GILLESPIE

LLANO

HILL

MC CORYELL LENNAN

BOSQUE

JOHNSON

Arlington

SOMERVELL

HOOD

GRAYSON

Bonham St. Rec. Area

Irving TARRANT

DENTON

35

COOKE

Fort Worth

PARKER

WISE

MONTAGUE

HAMILTON

LAMPASAS

MILLS

Colorado Bend S. P.

SAN SABA

ERATH

PALO PINTO

JACK

CLAY

COMANCHE

EASTLAND

20

STEPHENS

YOUNG

ARCHER

WICHITA

BROWN

MASON

MC CULLOCH

KERR

MENARD

CALLAHAN

SHACKELFORD

THROCKMORTON

BAYLOR

WILBARGER

COLEMAN

Abilene RUNNELS

SUTTON KIMBLE

SCHLEICHER

Amistad Nat’l Rec. Area

VAL VERDE

10

IRION

STERLING

JONES

HASKELL

KNOX

ER


REAGAN

GLASSCOCK

CROCKETT

TERRELL

LIPTON

MIDLAND

NOLAN

FISHER

STONEWALL

KING

OKLAHOMA

LL WA

Big Bend Ranch State Nat. Area Big Bend Nat’l Park

PECOS

CRANE

ECTOR

MITCHELL

SCURRY

KENT

HARDEMAN

Copper Breaks State Park FOARD

COTTLE

CHILDRESS

COLLINGSWORTH

WHEELER

HEMPHILL

GRIMES

City (100,000-500,000 people)

WARD

BREWSTER

20

WINKLER

Monahans Sandhills S.P.

LOVING

REEVES

Davis Mts. State Park

PRESIDIO

JEFF DAVIS

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

CULBERSON

HOWARD

BORDEN

GARZA

DICKENS

MOTLEY

HALL

DONLEY

GRAY

ROBERTS

JASPER

Point of Interest

HUDSPETH

MARTIN

ANDREWS

LYNN

CROSBY

FLOYD

Lubbock

LUBBOCK

27

HALE

BRISCOE

Caprock Canyons State Park

SWISHER

DAWSON

TERRY

HOCKLEY

LAMB

CASTRO

GAINES

YOAKUM

COCHRAN

BAILEY

PARMER

ARMSTRONG

RANDALL

DEAF SMITH

CARSON

Amarillo

POTTER

HUTCHINSON

LIPSCOMB

N NEWTO

Explanation

El Paso

EL PASO

NEW MEXICO

MOORE

Lake Meredith N. R. A.

40

OLDHAM

HARTLEY

HANSFORD OCHILTREE

FRANKLIN

SHERMAN

MORRIS

DALLAM

Texas

27

Texas

than 50 miles (80 kilometers) inland. Starting from the west, the Rio Grande, a majestic stream in some places but a trickling trough in others, imparts life to the Texas desert and serves as the international boundary with Mexico. Its total length of 1,896 miles (3,051 kilometers), including segments in Colorado and New Mexico, makes the Rio Grande the nation’s second-longest river. It is exceeded only by the MissouriMississippi river system. The Colorado River is the longest river wholly within the state, extending about 600 miles (970 kilometers) on its journey across central and southeastern Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. Other important rivers include the Nueces, the San Antonio, the Brazos, the Trinity, the San Jacinto, the Neches, the Sabine, the Red, and the Canadian. Texas has about 3,700 identifiable streams, many of which dry up in the summer and flood during periods of rainfall. Because of its extensive outcroppings of limestone, extending westward from the Balcones Escarpment, Texas contains a maze of caverns. Jack Pit Cave, in Menard County, with 19,000 feet (5,800 meters) of passages, is the most extensive cave yet mapped in the state.

3

Climate

Generally, a maritime climate prevails along the Gulf coast, with continental conditions inland. The Balcones Escarpment is the main dividing line between the two zones. Texas has two basic seasons: a hot summer that can last from April through October and a winter that starts in November and usually lasts until March. When summer ends, the state is too dry for autumn foliage, except in East Texas. 28

Temperatures in El Paso, in the southwest, range from an average January minimum of 31°f (0°c) to an average July maximum of 95°f (35°c). At Amarillo, in the panhandle, temperatures range from 22°f (-5°c) in January to 91°f (32°c) in July. At Galveston, on the Gulf, the range is from 48°f (9°c) in January to 88°f (31°c) in August. The record low temperature is -23°f (-31°c), recorded at Seminole on 8 February 1933. The record high is 120°f (49°c), recorded at Seymour, in north-central Texas, on 12 August 1936. Perhaps the most startling contrast is in relative humidity, averaging 59% in the morning in El Paso, 73% in Amarillo, and 83% in Galveston. Near the Louisiana border, rainfall exceeds 56 inches (142 centimeters) annually, while in parts of extreme West Texas, rainfall averages less than 8 inches (20 centimeters). Brownsville, at the mouth of the Rio Grande, has had no measurable snowfall during all the years that records have been kept. Vega, in the panhandle, averages 23 inches (58 centimeters) of snowfall a year. The highest sustained wind velocity in Texas history, 145 miles per hour (233 kilometers/hour), occurred when Hurricane Carla hit Matagorda and Port Lavaca along the Gulf coast on 11 September 1961. Hurricanes strike the Gulf coast about once every decade, usually in September or October. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused damage to Texas-operated oil production sites in the Gulf of Mexico. The same year, Hurricane Rita made landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border, causing wind damage and flooding. Texas also lies in the path of “Tornado Alley,” stretching across the Great Plains to Canada. Floods and droughts have also taken their toll in Texas. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

Texas Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,851,820 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,337,187 . . . . . . 97.5 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494,972 . . . . . . . 2.4 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40,094 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67,407 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44,486 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,498 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267,739 . . . . . . . 1.3 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,563 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,348 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . 1,137 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,062 . . . . . . . 0.1 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,847 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . 228 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,579 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,418 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,067 . . . . . . . 0.1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,499 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,661 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

4

Plants and Animals

Grassy pastureland covers about two-thirds of the state. Bermuda grass is a favorite ground cover. The prickly pear cactus saps moisture from the soil and inhibits grass growth, but it does retain moisture in periods of drought and will survive the worst dry spells, so (with the spines burned off) it can be of great value to ranchers as cattle feed in difficult times. The bean of the mesquite also provides food for horses and cattle when they have little else to eat and its wood is a favorite in barbecues and fireplaces. Texas has more than 20 native trees, of which several, including the catclaw, flowering mimosa, and weeping juniper are common Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

only in Texas. Cottonwood grows along streams in almost every part of the state, while cypress inhabits the swamps. The flowering dogwood in East Texas draws tourists to that region every spring. Probably the most popular shade tree is the American (white) elm. The magnolia is treasured for its grace and beauty. The pecan is the state tree. Pines grow in East Texas and the transPecos region. Gonzales County, in south-central Texas, is the home of palmettos, orchids, and other semitropical plants not found anywhere else in the state. In 2006, 28 Texas plant species were listed as threatened or endangered, including ashy dogweed, black lace cactus, large-fruited sand-verbena, South Texas ambrosia, Terlingua 29

Texas

The National Wildflower Research Center in Austin. COURTESY OF AUSTIN CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, REGINA HILL.

creek cats-eye, Texas snowbells, Texas trailing phlox, and Texas wild-rice. The red wolf is steadily disappearing despite efforts throughout the United States to save it. On the other hand, Texans claim to have the largest number of white-tailed deer of any state in the Union, an estimated 3 million. The nine-banded armadillo has gradually spread northward and eastward, crossing the Red and Mississippi rivers into the Deep South by sucking in air until it becomes buoyant and then swimming across the water. The armadillo is also notable for always having its young in litters of identical quadruplets. The chief predatory mammals are the coyote, bobcat, and mountain lion. 30

Texas attracts more than 825 different kinds of birds, with bird life most abundant in the lower Rio Grande Valley and coastal plains. Characteristic birds include the scissor-tailed flycatcher; Attwater’s greater prairie chicken; the mockingbird, which is the state bird; and the roadrunner. The Gulf Coast is the winter nesting ground for the whooping crane. Controversy surrounds the golden eagle, protected by federal law, but despised by ranchers for allegedly preying on lambs and other young livestock. Texas has its fair share of reptiles, including more than 100 species of snakes, 16 of them poisonous, notably the deadly Texas coral snake. There are ten kinds of rattlesnake, and some parts of West Texas hold annual rattlesnake roundups. The state wildlife protection program has granted protection status to the lesser yellow bat, spotted dolphin, reddish egret, white-tailed hawk, wood stork, Big Bend gecko, rock rattlesnake, Louisiana pine snake, white-lipped frog, giant toad, toothless blindcat, and blue sucker. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 62 animal species as threatened or endangered, including the Mexican long-nosed bat, Louisiana black bear, bald eagle, ocelot, Mexican spotted owl, Texas blind salamander, Houston toad, black-capped vireo, two species of whale, and five species of turtle. Texas has 17 National Wildlife Refuges. Caddo Lake is a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance.

5


The scarcity of water is the major environmental crisis in the state. Much of Texas has absorbent soil, a high evaporation rate, vast areas without trees to hold moisture, and a rolling terrain susceptible to rapid runoff. The Texas Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

Water Commission and Water Development Board direct the state’s water supply and conservation programs. The Lower Colorado River Authority was created in 1934 by the Texas legislature to “control, store, preserve, and distribute” the waters of the Colorado River and its feeder streams. The authority exercises control over a 10-county area stretching from above Austin to the Gulf coast, overseeing flood control, municipal and industrial water supplies, irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, soil conservation, and recreation. The most powerful conservation agency in Texas is the Railroad Commission. Originally established to regulate railroads, the commission extended its power to regulate oil and natural gas by virtue of its jurisdiction over the transportation of those products by rail and pipeline. As of 2003, the Railroad Commission is comprised of four divisions that oversee the state’s oil and gas industry, gas utilities, pipeline and rail safety, safety in the liquefied petroleum gas industry, and coal and uranium mining. As in other states, hazardous waste has become an environmental concern in Texas. The agency that oversees compliance with hazardous waste statutes is the Hazardous and Solid Waste Division of the Texas Water Commission. In 2003, Texas had 298 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 43 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. The state has lost about half of its original wetlands, which reportedly covered about 5% of the state’s total land area in 2003. The three agencies that define wetlands disagree on the total wetlands in the state, with estimates ranging from about 6 million acres (2.4 million hectares) to 8 million acres (3.2 million hectares). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

6

Population

In 2006, Texas ranked second among the 50 states in population, with an estimated total of 23,507,783. The US Census Bureau projects a population of 30.8 million in 2025. The population density in 2004 was 86 persons per square mile (33.2 persons per square kilometer). Texas has a relatively young population, with a median age of 32.9 in 2004. In 2005, approximately 28% of the population was 18 years of age and younger while 10% were 65 or older. In 2005, Houston was the largest city in the state and the fourth-largest city in the country with an estimated population of 2,016,582. Other leading cities and their 2005 estimated populations were San Antonio, 1,256,509 (seventh in the United States); Dallas, 1,213,825 (ninth in the United States); Austin, 690,252; Fort Worth, 624,067; El Paso, 598,590; Arlington, 362,805; and Corpus Christi, 283,474.

7

Ethnic Groups

Texas has nearly 30 identifiable ethnic groups. Certain areas of central Texas are heavily Germanic and Czech. The first permanent Polish colony in the United States was established at Panna Maria, near San Antonio, in 1854. Texas has one of the largest colonies of Wends in the world, principally at Serbin in central Texas. Significant numbers of Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians have also settled in the state. According to the 2000 census, there were 118,362 Native Americans living in Texas. There were also about 2,404,566 black Americans residing in the state as well. Hispanics and Latinos, mostly of Mexican ancestry, were the largest minority in Texas in 2000, with about 6,669,666 people representing about 31

Texas

34% of the population. The same year, Asians numbered 562,319, including 105,829 Chinese, 58,340 Filipinos, 129,365 Asian Indians, 45,571 Koreans, 17,120 Japanese, and 10,114 Laotians. Pacific Islanders numbered 14,434. As of 2000, foreign-born Texans numbered 2,899,642 (13.9% of the total population). In 2006, estimates indicated that 11.0% of the population was black, 35.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino, and 3.3% was Asian. Less than 1% of the population was Native American.

8

Languages

Most of the regional features in Texas English derive from the influx of South Midland and Southern speakers. There is a noticeable Spanish flavor from older as well as more recent wordborrowing. Texas pronunciation is largely South Midland. Spanish has been the major foreign language influence. In areas like Laredo and Brownsville, along the Rio Grande, as many as 90% of the people may be bilingual. In northeast Texas, however, Spanish is as foreign as French. In the days of the early Spanish ranchers, standard English adopted hacienda, ranch, burro, canyon, and lariat. The presence of the large Spanishspeaking population was a major factor in the passage of the state’s bilingual education law, which requires that numerous school programs be offered in both English and Spanish. In 2000, 68.8% of the population five years old or older spoke only English at home. Other languages most commonly spoken at home included Spanish, 5,195,182, and Vietnamese, 122,517. 32

9

Religions

When Texas was under the Mexican Republic, the Catholic Church was the sole recognized religious body; however, many Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians drifted in from the east. Today, Texas tends to be heavily Protestant in the north and east and Catholic in the south and southwest. In 2004, Roman Catholics numbered about 6,050,986. In 2000, the leading Protestant denominations and their adherents were the Southern Baptist Convention, 3,519,459; Churches of Christ, 377,264; Assemblies of God, 228,098; the Presbyterian Church USA, 180,315; the Episcopal Church, 177,910; Independent Charismatic Churches, 159,449; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 155,019; Independent Non-Charismatic Churches, 145,249; and the Lutheran Church– Missouri Synod, 140,106. In 2004, the United Methodist Church reported about 796,306 adherents. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints has about 243,957 adherents in 2006. In 2000, there were an estimated 128,000 Jews, 114,999 Muslims, and about 10,777 adherents to the Baha’i faith. There were about 9.2 million people (44.5% of the population) who were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

Texas ranks first among the 50 states in total railroad mileage, highway mileage, and number of airports, and second only to California in motor vehicle registrations and in number of general aviation aircraft. Transportation has been a severe problem for Texas because of the state’s Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

extraordinary size and sometimes difficult terrain. One of the more unusual experiments in US transport history was the use of camels in southwestern Texas during the mid-1800s. Railroad travel became important for many years and total rail mileage in Texas still ranks higher than any other state, with 14,049 rail miles (22,618 kilometers) in 2003. The only rail passenger service in Texas is provided by Amtrak, which runs two routes: the Sunset Limited (New Orleans–Los Angeles) from Beaumont through Houston and San Antonio to El Paso, and the Texas Eagle (Chicago–San Antonio). In mid-1983, Dallas area voters approved the creation of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system (DART) to serve the city and 13 suburbs. Ft. Worth has the state’s only true subway—a 1mile (1.6-kilometer) line from a parking lot to a downtown shipping and office center. Dallas–Ft. Worth Regional Airport has its own rail shuttle system. In 2004, Texas had 303,176 miles (488,113 kilometers) of public roadway. The leading interstate highways are I-10 and I-20, respectively linking Houston and the Dallas–Ft. Worth areas with El Paso in the west, and I-35 and I-45, connecting Dallas–Ft. Worth with, respectively, San Antonio (via Austin) and Galveston (via Houston). There were 14,543,528 licensed drivers in 2004. Registered motor vehicles in 2004 included 8.6 million automobiles, 7.8 million trucks, 284,000 motorcycles, and 18,000 buses. River transport did not become commercially successful until the end of the 19th century, when the Houston Ship Channel was dredged along the San Jacinto River and Buffalo Bayou and another channel was dredged down the Neches River to make a seaport out of Beaumont. With 13 major seaports and many Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

shallow-water ports, Texas has been a major factor in waterborne commerce since the early 1950s. The Port of Houston is the nation’s second most active harbor. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway begins in Brownsville at the mouth of the Rio Grande, and extends across Texas to Florida where it connects with a similar waterway on the Atlantic. After American entry into World War I, Texas began to build airfields for training grounds. When the war ended, many US fliers returned to Texas and became civilian commercial pilots, carrying air mail (from 1926), dusting crops, and mapping potential oil fields. In 2005, the state had 1,435 airports. In 2004, the Dallas– Ft. Worth Regional Airport, the state’s largest air terminal, had over 28 million passenger enplanements, ranking it as the fourth busiest airport in the United States. George Bush Intercontinental Airport ranked tenth in the nation with 17.3 million enplanements.

11

History

When the first Europeans arrived in the 16th century, the Native Americans in present-day Texas were still largely hunter-gatherers. Along the Gulf coast and overlapping into northeastern Mexico were the Coahuiltecan and Karankawa peoples. In central Texas lived the Tonkawa, who hunted buffalo and used dogs for hauling. They proved extremely susceptible to European diseases and evidently died out, whereas the Karankawa migrated to northern Mexico. About two dozen tribes of Caddo in eastern and northeastern Texas were, at the time of European penetration, the most technologically advanced Native Americans living within the state’s present borders. Having developed agri33

Texas

culture, the Caddo were relatively sedentary and village-oriented. Those belonging to the Hasinai Confederation called each other tayshas, a term that translates as “allies” or “friends.” When the Hasinai told Spanish explorers that they were tayshas, the Spaniards wrote the word as Tejas, which in time became Texas. In trans-Pecos Texas to the west, lived a fourth tribal group, the Jumano, probably descendants of the Pueblo cultures. Some of the Jumano were nomadic hunters in the Davis and Chisos mountains, while others became farmers along the Rio Grande and the lower Rio Conchos. Spanish Settlement The first European to enter

Texas was Spanish explorer Alonso Alvarez de Pin?eda, who sailed into the mouth of the Rio Grande in 1519. For more than 150 years, the Spanish had little interest in Texas, regarding it as too remote for successful settlement. Their attitude toward the colonization of Texas was changed, however, by fear of competition from the French with the establishment of Fort St. Louis by La Salle on the Gulf coast in 1685. Four years later, Captain Alonso de León, governor of Coahuila, sent out an expedition to expel the French and establish both a fort and a mission. During the next several decades, a string of mission-forts were built across Texas. After fear of the French presence eased, Spain tended to neglect these establishments. But when the French entered Louisiana in force during the early 18th century, Spanish fears of French expansion were reignited. In 1718, the Spanish established a presence at the site of the present city of San Antonio. As a halfway post between Mexico and the Louisiana border, San Antonio 34

grew to be the region’s most important city during the Spanish period. Mexican State Until the 19th century, the United

States showed little interest in Texas. But the purchase of Louisiana Territory from the French by the US government in 1803 made Texas a next door neighbor. “Filibusters” (military adventurers) began to filter across the border into Spanish territory. In 1810–11, the Mexicans launched their revolution against Spain, and though only an outpost, Texas as a Spanish-Mexican colony was naturally involved, becoming a Mexican state in 1813. The Spanish finally gave up on Mexico in 1821, leaving Texas as a Mexican province with a European population of about 7,000. A year earlier, Moses Austin of Missouri had received permission from Spanish authorities to introduce Anglo-American colonists into Texas, presumably as a barrier against aggression by the United States. When Spanish rule ended, his son, Stephen F. Austin, secured permission from the new Mexican government to settle 300 families in the area between the lower Colorado and Brazos rivers. Other colonizers made similar arrangements to settle Anglo-Americans in the region. Texas thus began a pattern of growth through migration that has continued to the present day. Most new settlers were non-Hispanics who often distrusted Mexico. They disliked Mexican culture and government; the Protestants among them disliked the dominance of the Roman Catholic Church. The incompetence of the Mexican government made the situation even worse. Troubled by a rising spirit of rebellion, the Mexican Congress enacted the Law of 1830, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

which forbade most immigration and imposed duties on all imports. The Texas Revolution In the early 1830s,

skirmishes began between Anglo-Texans and Mexicans. When Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna tried to enforce customs collections, colonists at Anahuae drove Mexican officials out of town. Santa Anna’s answer was to place Texas under military jurisdiction. On 2 October 1835, Anglo-Texan civilians at Gonzalez defeated the forces of Colonel Domingo de Ugartechea in a battle that is generally considered to mark the start of the Texas Revolution. Texas sent three envoys to Washington, DC, to request aid from the United States. Sam Houston, who six years earlier had resigned the governorship of Tennessee, was named commander in chief of the upstart Texas army. In February 1836, Santa Anna led an army across the Rio Grande. The Mexicans concentrated outside San Antonio at a mission-fort called the Alamo. There, 187 or so Texans, commanded by Colonel William Barret Travis, had taken shelter. The Mexicans besieged the Alamo until 6 March, when Santa Anna’s forces, now numbering more than 4,000, stormed the fortress. When the battle ended, all the Alamo’s defenders, including several native Mexicans, were dead. Among those killed were Travis and two Americans who became legends—James Bowie and Davy Crockett. On 27 March 1836, three weeks after the Alamo fell, the Mexicans killed 342 Texans who had surrendered at Goliad, thinking they would be treated as prisoners of war. Coming on the heels of the Alamo tragedy, the “Goliad massacre” impelled Texans to seek total victory over Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Mexico. On 21 April, the Texans surprised the Mexicans during their siesta period at San Jacinto. Mexican losses were 630 killed, 280 wounded, and 730 taken prisoner, while the Texans had only 9 killed and 30 wounded. This decisive battle—fought to the cry of “Remember the Alamo, remember Goliad!”—freed Texas from Mexico once and for all. The Republic of Texas and US Statehood For

ten years, Texas existed as an independent republic, recognized by the United States and several European nations. Sam Houston, the victorious commander at San Jacinto, became the republic’s first nationally elected president. Strife-torn and short of cash, Texas joined the Union on 29 December 1845. The US annexation of Texas was largely responsible for the Mexican War, which was ended on 2 February 1848 by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, under which Mexico dropped its claim to the territory between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River. With the coming of the Civil War, Texas followed its pro-slavery Southern neighbors out of the Union into the Confederacy. The state, which saw little fighting, suffered from the war far less than most of the South. During Reconstruction, Texas was governed briefly by a military occupation force and then by a Republican regime. While most of the Southern was economically devastated, the Texas economy flourished because of the rapid development of the cattle industry. The widespread use of barbed wire to fence cattle ranches in the 1880s ended the open range and encouraged scientific cattle breeding. By 1900, Texas began to transform its predominantly agricultural economy into an industrial one. 35

Texas

Oil and Politics The process from agricultural to

industrial was hastened by the discovery of the Spindletop oil field—the state’s first gusher— near Beaumont in 1901, and by the subsequent development of the petroleum and petrochemical industries. World War I saw the emergence of Texas as a military training center. The rapid growth of the aircraft industry and other hightechnology fields contributed to the continuing industrialization of the state during and after World War II. Texas politics remained solidly Democratic during most of the modern era, and the significant political conflict in the state was between the liberal and conservative wings of the Democratic Party. During the 1960s and 1970s, the Republican Party gathered strength in the state, electing John G. Tower as US senator in 1961 and William P. Clements Jr. as governor in 1978—the first Republicans to hold those offices since Reconstruction. In general, the state’s recent political leaders, Democrats as well as Republicans, have represented property interests and taken a conservative line. On the national level, Texans have been influential since the 1930s, notably through such congressional leaders as US House Speaker Sam Rayburn and Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson. Johnson, elected vice president under John F. Kennedy, was riding in the motorcade when Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on 22 November 1963. Johnson served out the remainder of Kennedy’s term, then was himself elected to the presidency by a landslide in 1964. Johnson retired to his LBJ ranch in 1969. The most prominent Texans on the national scene since Johnson are Republicans George H. W. Bush (who served as vice president for eight 36

years under Ronald Reagan before being elected to the presidency in 1988) and his son George W. Bush (who won the presidency in 2000 and was reelected in 2004). George H. W. Bush was defeated by Bill Clinton in his 1992 bid for reelection. Oil and Economics Texas benefited from a

booming oil industry in the 1970s, but the boom collapsed in the early 1980s as overproduction caused world oil prices to drop. The government estimated that it lost $100 million in revenues for every one dollar decline in the price of a barrel of oil. To replace this lost revenue, the government in 1985 imposed or raised fees on everything from vanity license plates to day care centers. The state also took steps to encourage economic diversification by soliciting service, electronics, and high-technology companies to come to Texas. In the late 1980s, a number of the state’s financial institutions collapsed, brought down by the slump in the oil industry and unsound real estate loans. However, after 1986, oil prices increased and the state reaped the benefits of diversification efforts spurred by oil price collapse. Although the petroleum industry was still the state’s leading economic sector in the mid1990s, high-technology and service sector jobs had played a major role in rebuilding the Texas economy. In the early 2000s, Texas had the second-largest population of any state, behind California. The high rate of migration into Texas, which accompanied the oil boom, had a profound effect on the State’s population distribution and political profile. Newcomers to the state have tended to share the fiscally conservative values of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

The state capitol building in Austin. COURTESY OF AUSTIN CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, REGINA HILL.

native Texans but are more liberal on other social issues such as civil rights. In November 2000, George W. Bush was elected the 43rd president of the United States. He was raised in Midland, Texas, where he was active in the oil business before becoming governor of the state in 1994. He is the son of former president George H. W. Bush. In early 2003, a redistricting plan brought before the state house of representatives caused controversy among Texas politicians. The redistricting plan initially favored the Republicans already in office. In efforts to stop the plan from becoming law, several of the Democratic representatives left Texas to prevent the quorum necessary to place a vote on the measure. After using this same tactic later in the year, Governor Rick Perry called a special legislative session to conJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

sider the redistricting measures. Absent senators filed a lawsuit against this move, but eventually lost to a Supreme Court judgment in 2004. On 24 September 2005, Hurricane Rita made landfall as a Category 3 storm just east of Sabine Pass, Texas. Damages from the storm were estimated at $8 billion and the death toll rose to over 100 people.

12

State Government

Texas has been governed by eight constitutions, the last of which (1876) had been amended 432 times as of 2005. The state legislature consists of a senate of 31 members elected to four-year terms, and a house of representatives of 150 members elected to two-year terms. The state’s chief executives are 37

Texas

Texas Governors: 1846–2007 1846–1847 1847–1849 1849–1853 1853 1853–1857 1857–1859 1859–1861 1861 1861–1863 1863–1865 1865 1865–1866 1866–1867 1867–1869 1870–1874 1874–1876 1876–1879 1879–1883 1883–1887 1887–1891 1891–1895 1895–1899 1899–1903 1903–1907 1907–1911 1911–1915

James Pinckney Henderson Democrat George Thomas Wood Democrat Peter Hasbrough Bell Democrat James Wilson Henderson Democrat Elisha Marshall Pease Democrat Hardin Richard Runnels Democrat Samuel Houston Democrat Edward Clark Democrat Francis Richard Lubbock Democrat Pendleton Murrah Democrat Fletcher S. Stockdale Democrat Andrew Jackson Hamilton Indep-Dem James Webb Throckmorton Conservative Elisha Marshall Pease Democrat Edmund Jackson Davis Rep-Prov Richard Coke Democrat Richard Bennett Hubbard Democrat Oran Milo Roberts Democrat John Ireland Democrat Lawrence Sullivan Ross Democrat James Stephen Hogg Democrat Charles Allen Culberson Democrat Joseph Draper Sayers Democrat Samuel Willis Tucker Lanham Democrat Thomas Mitchell Campbell Democrat Oscar Branch Colquitt Democrat

the governor and lieutenant governor, separately elected to four-year terms. Other elected executives include the attorney general, comptroller, and treasurer. A uniquely important executive agency is the Texas Railroad Commission, established in 1891, which regulates the state’s oil and gas production, coal and uranium mining, and trucking industry, in addition to the railroads. To become law, a bill must be approved by a majority of members present and voting in each house, with a quorum of two-thirds of the membership present. The bill must then be signed by the governor or left unsigned for 10 days while the legislature is in session or 20 days after it has adjourned. A governor’s veto may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of members present in the house of the bill’s origin, followed by either a vote 38

1915–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925 1925–1927 1927–1931 1931–1933 1933–1935 1935–1939 1939–1941 1941–1947 1947–1949 1949–1957 1957–1963 1963–1969 1969–1973 1973–1979 1979–1983 1983–1987 1987–1991 1991–1995 1995–2000 2000–

James Edward Ferguson William Pettus Hobby Patrick Morris Neff Miriam Amanda Ferguson Daniel J. Moody Ross Shaw Sterling Miriam Amanda Ferguson James V. Allred Wilbert Lee O’Daniel Coke Robert Stevenson Beauford Halbert Jester Allan Shivers Price Marion Daniel John Bowden Connally Preston Earnest Smith Dolph Briscoe, Jr. William Perry Clements, Jr. Mark White William Perry Clements, Jr. Dorethy Ann Willis Richards George W. Bush Rick Perry

Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican

Independent Democrat – Indep-Dem Republican Provisional – Rep-Prov

of two-thirds of members present in the house of representatives or two-thirds of the entire membership of the senate. As of 2004, legislators received a salary of $7,200 per year and the governor’s salary was $115,345.

13

Political Parties

Until recent years, the Democratic Party had dominated politics in Texas. William P. Clements Jr., elected governor in 1978, was the first Republican since Reconstruction to hold that office. No Republican carried Texas in a presidential election until 1928, when Herbert Hoover defeated Democrat Al Smith, a Roman Catholic who was at a severe disadvantage Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

The Governor’s Mansion in Austin. COURTESY OF AUSTIN CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

in a largely Protestant state. Another Roman Catholic, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy, carried the state in 1960 largely because he had a Texan, Lyndon B. Johnson, on his ticket. As of 2004, there were 13,098,000 registered voters in the state; there is no voter registration by party in Texas. Republican and native son George H. W. Bush captured 56% of the vote in the 1988 presidential election and 41% in the 1992 election. In 2000, Texans gave another native son, Republican George W. Bush, 59% of the vote. Democratic candidate Al Gore received 38%. In the 2004 presidential election, Bush won 61.2% of the vote while John Kerry received 38%. In the November 1994 gubernatorial elections, George W. Bush upset Ann Richards to Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

become governor. Bush won a resounding reelection in 1998, before leaving to run for president. Lt. Governor Rick Perry took over for Bush in 2000 and was elected to a full term in 2002. Perry was reelected in 2006. Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison was elected in 1993 to fill the seat vacated by Democratic Senator Lloyd Bentsen, who resigned to become Secretary of the Treasury in the Clinton administration. In 1994, 2000, and 2006, Hutchison won reelection. Republican John Cornyn was elected to the senate in 2002. As of 15 November 2005, Texas Democrats held 13 seats in the US House of Representatives and the Republicans 19. Following the 2006 elections, the Republicans continued to control the state house by a margin of 81 to 69, and they had a majority, 20–11, over the Democrats in the state 39

Texas

Texas Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

TEXAS WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

DEMOCRAT

PROGRESSIVE

PROHIBITION

1948

*Truman (D)

750,700

282,240

106,909

3,764

2,758

— — — —

1,983 — 3,868 — —

CONSTITUTION

1952 1956 1960 1964

*Eisenhower (R) *Eisenhower (R) *Kennedy (D) *Johnson (D)

969,227 859,958 1,167,935 1,663,185

1,102,818 1,080,619 1,121,693 958,566

1968

Humphrey (D)

1,266,804

1,227,844

1,563 14,591 18,170 5,060 AMERICAN IND.

584,269

—

AMERICAN

SOC. WORKERS

6,039 11,442

8,664 1,723

— —

— —

— —

1972 1976


1,154,289 2,082,319

2,298,896 1,953,300

1980 1984


1,881,147 1,949,276

2,510,705 3,433,428

37,643 —

1988

*Bush (R)

2,352,748

3,036,829

30,355

LIBERTARIAN

NEW ALLIANCE

7,208

—

POPULIST/AMERICA

1992 1996

Bush (R) Dole (R)

2,281,815 2,549,683

2,496,071 2,736,167

2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2,433,746 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 2,832,704 * Won US presidential election.

3,799,639 4,526,917

19,699 20,256

FIRST

IND. (PEROT)

505 —

1,354,781 378,537

LIBERTARIAN

senate. Thirty-seven women won election to the state legislature in 2006, or 20.4%. Third parties have generally played a minor role in Texas politics. In 1968, George Wallace of the American Independent Party won 19% of the Texas popular vote and in 1992, native son Ross Perot ran independently and picked up 22% of the vote.

14

Local Government

The Texas constitution grants considerable autonomy to local governments. As of 2005, Texas had 254 counties, a number that has remained constant since 1931. In 2005, there were 1,196 municipal governments, 1,040 pub40

23,160 38,787

REFORM

137,994 —

12,394 —

lic school districts, and 2,245 special districts. Each county is governed by a commissioner’s court. Other elected officials generally include a county clerk, attorney, and treasurer.

15

Judicial System

The Texas judiciary comprises the supreme court, the state court of criminal appeals, 14 courts of appeals, and more than 380 district courts. The highest court is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and eight associate justices. The court of criminal appeals, which has final jurisdiction in most criminal cases, consists of a presiding judge and eight associate judges. Justices of the courts of appeals sit in 14 judicial districts; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

each court has a chief justice and at least 2 associate justices. County, justice of the peace, and municipal courts handle local matters. The state’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 540.5 reported incidents per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property were reported at a rate of about 4,494 incidents per 100,000 people. The population of federal and state prisons was 168,105 in December 2004. Texas criminal law allows for capital punishment, and as of January 2006, there were 409 inmates on death row. Texas leads the nation in the number of executions. From 1976 through 5 May 2006, the state carried out 363 executions.

16

Migration

Estimates of the number of Native Americans living in Texas when the first Europeans arrived range from 30,000 to 130,000. Eventually, they all were killed, fled southward or westward, or were removed to reservations. The first great wave of white settlers, beginning in 1821, came from nearby southern states, particularly Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Some of these newcomers brought their black slaves to work in the cotton fields. During the 1840s, a second wave of immigrants arrived directly from Germany, France, and eastern Europe. Interstate migration during the second half of the 19th century was accelerated by the Homestead Act of 1862 and the westward march of the railroads. A significant proportion of postWorld War immigrants were seasonal laborers from Mexico, remaining in the United States either legally or illegally. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had net gains of 541,000 in domestic migration and 656,000 in international migration. In 1998, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

44,428 foreign immigrants arrived in Texas, the fourth-highest total among the states. Of that total, the greatest number of immigrants (22,956) came from Mexico. In the period 1995–2000, some 1,362,849 people moved into the state and 1,214,609 moved out, for a net gain of 148,240. For the period 2000–05, net international migration was 663,161 and net internal migration was 218,722 for a net gain of 881,883 people.

17

Economy

Traditionally, the Texas economy has been dependent on the production of cotton, cattle, timber, and petroleum. But in the 1970s, as a result of rising world petroleum prices, oil and natural gas emerged as the state’s most important resource. The decades since World War II have also witnessed a boom in the electronics, computer, transport equipment, aerospace, and communications industries, which has placed Texas second only to California in manufacturing among all the states of the Sunbelt region. In 1982, however, Texas began to be affected by worldwide recession. In addition, lower energy demand, worldwide overproduction of oil, and the resulting fall in prices caused a steep decline in the state’s petroleum industry. The rise and fall in the oil industry’s fortunes affected other industries as well. By the late 1980s, many banks that had speculated in real estate earlier in the decade had too much debt and were declared insolvent. In the wake of the oil-centered recession, Texas began to diversify, successfully attracting high-technology industries. Electronics, telecommunications, food processing, services, and retail trade saw substantial growth in the late 41

Texas

1980s and helped Texas through the national recession of 1990. The state suffered job losses during the national recession of 2001 and was faced with a large budget deficit. Higher oil prices following a Venezuelan oil strike and the US-led invasion of Iraq, however, benefited the Texan economy. In 2004, an estimated 54,098 new businesses were established while 55,792 businesses closed.

18

Income

In 2005, Texas had a gross state product (GSP) of $982 billion, ranking second among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Texas ranked 29th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $30,732; the national average was $33,050. The median annual household income for 2002–04, was $41,275 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 16.4% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

19

Industry

The value of all shipments by manufacturers in 2004 was over $385 billion. Three of the state’s leading industrial products—refined petroleum, industrial organic chemicals, and oil field machinery—all stem directly from the petrochemical sector. Major oil refineries are located in Houston and other Gulf ports. Aircraft plants include those of North American Aviation and Chance-Vought at Grand Prairie, General Dynamics near Fort Worth, and Bell Aircraft’s helicopter division at Hurst. By the end of the 20th century, Texas was home 42

to dozens of Fortune 500 companies, including Exxon Mobil Corporation, the world’s largest integrated oil company.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the labor force in Texas numbered 11,390,900, with approximately 578,700 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.1%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. In 2006, 5.9% of the labor force was employed in construction; 9.1% in manufacturing; 20.4% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6.3% in financial activities; 12.1% in professional and business services; 12.2% in education and health services; 9.2% in leisure and hospitality services, and 17.1% in government. Organized labor has never been able to establish a strong base in Texas. The earliest national union, the Knights of Labor, declined in Texas after failing to win a strike against the railroads in 1886 when the Texas Rangers served as strike breakers. That same year, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) began to organize workers along craft lines. The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) succeeded in organizing oil field and maritime workers during the 1930s. In 2005, 506,000 of Texas’s 9,485,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 5.3% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

Texas ranked second among the 50 states in agricultural production in 2005, with farm marketings totaling over $16.9 billion. Crops accounted for 33% of the total. Texas leads the nation in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

output of cotton, grain sorghum, hay, watermelons, cabbages, and spinach. Since 1880, Texas has been the leading producer of cotton (producing both Upland and American-Pima), which accounted for 33% of total US production and 9.4% of the state’s farm marketings in 2002. After 1900, Texas farmers developed bumper crops of wheat, corn, and other grains by irrigating dry land and transformed the “great Sahara” of West Texas into one of the nation’s foremost grain-growing regions. Texans also grow practically every vegetable suited to a temperate or semitropical climate. About 130 million acres (52.6 million hectares) are devoted to farms and ranches, representing more than three-fourths of the state’s total area. There were 229,000 farms in 2004. About 11.8% of cropland was irrigated in 2002, primarily in the High Plains. Other areas dependent on irrigation included the lower Rio Grande Valley and the trans-Pecos region. Approximately 80% of the irrigated land is supplied with water pumped from wells. Productive farmland is located throughout the state. Grains are grown mainly in the temperate north and west, and vegetables and citrus fruits in the subtropical south. Cotton has been grown in all sections, but in recent years, it has been extensively cultivated in the High Plains of the west and the upper Rio Grande Valley. Grain sorghum, wheat, corn, hay, and other forage crops are raised in the north-central and western plains regions. Rice is cultivated along the Gulf coast and soybeans are raised mainly in the High Plains and Red River Valley. Major crops in 2004 included: upland cotton (7.5 million bales), wheat (108.5 million bushels), hay, sorghum, corn, rice, and soybeans. The major vegetables and fruits, in terms Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

of value, are onions, cabbages, watermelons, carrots, potatoes, cantaloupes, green peppers, honeydew melons, spinach, cucumbers, and lettuce. Cottonseed, barley, oats, peanuts, pecans, sugar beets, sugarcane, and sunflowers are also produced in commercial quantities.

22


About two-thirds of cattle fattened for market are kept in feedlots located in the Texas panhandle and northwestern plains. In 2005, Texas ranked first in number of cattle and calves with an estimated 13.8 million, valued at $10.8 billion. During 2004, farms had around 980,000 hogs and pigs, valued at $86.2 million. In 2003, state production of sheep and lambs was second in the United States (after California) at 61.9 million pounds (28.1 million kilograms), valued at $50.7 million. Shorn wool production was an estimated 5.6 million pounds (2.5 million kilograms) in 2004. About 90% of the dairy industry is located in eastern Texas. In 2003, milk production was around 5.6 billion pounds (2.5 billion kilograms) from 319,000 milk cows. Poultry production included 2.95 billion pounds (1.4 billion kilograms) of broilers, valued at around $1.03 billion, and 4.8 billion eggs, valued at $310 million. Breeding of Palominos, Arabians, Appaloosas, thoroughbreds, and quarter horses is a major industry in Texas. The animals are most abundant in the heavily populated areas, and it is not unusual for residential subdivisions of metropolitan areas to include facilities for keeping and riding horses. 43

Texas

23

Fishing

In 2004, the commercial catch was about 85.6 million pounds (38.9 million kilograms), valued at $166 million. The Brownsville-Port Isabel area ranked 14th in the nation in ports bringing in the most valuable catches, with receipts of $40.3 million. Other high value ports included Port Arthur (16th), Galveston (20th), and Palacios (25th). The most important catch was shrimp. In 2004, Texas had the second largest shrimp catch in the nation with 70.1 million pounds (31.9 million kilograms). Other commercial shellfish include blue crabs and oysters. Species of saltwater fish with the greatest commercial value are yellowfin tuna, red snapper, swordfish, and flounder. Texas had 93 fish processing and wholesale plants employing 2,262 people in 2003. Early in 1980, the US government banned shrimp fishing for 45 days, effective in the summer of 1981, in order to conserve shrimp supplies. Texas has since continued to close the Gulf to shrimping from about 1 June to 15 July. There are three national fish hatcheries in the state (Uvalde, Inks Dam, and San Marcos). In 2005, there were 62 catfish farms. In 2004, Texas issued 1,632,016 sport fishing licenses. Among the most sought-after native freshwater fish are largemouth and white bass, crappie, sunfish, and catfish.

24

Forestry

Texas forestland in 2003 covered 17,149,000 acres (6,940,000 hectares), representing 2.3% of the US total and over 10% of the state’s land area. Commercial timberland comprised 11,774,000 acres (4,765,000 hectares), of which about 90% 44

was privately owned. Timberlands managed by the federal government covered 794,000 acres (321,000 hectares). Most forested land, including practically all commercial timberland, is located in the Piney Woods region of east Texas. In 2004, Texas timberlands yielded 1.79 billion board feet of lumber, tenth in the United States. Primary manufactured forest products include plywood, waferboard, and pulpwood. Texas wood-treating plants process utility poles, crossties, lumber, and fence posts. The Texas Forest Service, a member of the Texas A&M University System, provides professional forestry assistance to private landowners, manages several state and federal reforestation and forest stewardship incentives programs, coordinates pest control activities, and assists in protecting against wildfires statewide. In addition, the state agency has an urban and community forestry program, forest products laboratory, two tree nurseries, and a genetics laboratory. As of 2005, there were four national forests in Texas (Angelina, Davy Crockett, Sabine, and Sam Houston) with a total area of 641,574 acres (259,645 hectares). Texas also has five state forests: the E. O. Siecke, W. Goodrich Jones, I.D. Fairchild, John Henry Kirby, and Paul N. Masterson Memorial State Forests.

25

Mining

In 2003 mineral production in Texas was valued at $2 billion. Texas ranked fourth in the nation in overall mineral value that year. The leading commodities, in order of value, were portland cement (10.6 million metric tons valued at $753 million), crushed stone (104 million metric tons valued at $504 million), construction sand and gravel (78 million metric tons valued at $394 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

million), lime (1.58 million metric tons valued at $104 million), and salt (8.47 million metric tons valued at $99.3 million). These top minerals together accounted for about 93% of the state’s total nonfuel mineral value. In 2003, Texas ranked first nationally in crushed stone and second in portland cement, construction sand and gravel, salt, common clay, crude helium, brucite, gypsum, talc, and zeolites.

26

Energy and Power

Texas is an energy-rich state. Its vast deposits of petroleum and natural gas account for nearly 30% of US proved liquid hydrocarbon reserves. Texas is also the largest producer and exporter of oil and natural gas to other states and it leads the nation in electric power production. In 2003, electrical power output was over 379 billion kilowatt hours. Gas-fired steam plants accounted for 48.8% of the production; coal, 38.8%; and nuclear fueled plants 8.8%. As of 2006, the state had four nuclear reactors in operation, two at the Comanche Peak plant and two at the South Texas plant (the largest commercial reactors in the United States). The state’s first oil well was drilled in 1866 at Melrose in East Texas. Crude oil production in 2004 was at 1.07 million barrels per day. Proven crude oil reserves were estimated at 4.6 million barrels, or 22% of all proven US reserves. Proven reserves of dry or consumer grade natural gas totaled 49.5 trillion cubic feet (1.4 trillion cubic meters) in 2004, when marketed gas production was at 5 trillion cubic feet, 143.9 billion cubic meters) Coal production totaled 45.8 million tons in 2004, all from 13 surface mines. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Mexicans crossing the Rio Grande river into Texas. © BETTMANN/CORBIS.

Recoverable coal reserves were estimated at 546 million tons in 2001.

27

Commerce

Wholesale sales totaled $397.4 billion in 2002, second in the nation; retail sales were $228.6 billion, also second in the nation. The leading types of retail establishment by number of businesses were gasoline stations and clothing and clothing accessories stores. Foreign exports through Texas in 2005 totaled $128.7 billion. Texas ranked first among the 50 states in 2005 as a producer of goods for export.

28

Public Finance

The Texas budget operates on a “pay as you go” basis in that expenditures cannot exceed reve45

Texas

nue during the budget cycle. The state’s budget period runs on a biennial basis from September 1 of each odd-numbered year to August 31 of the following odd-numbered year. The state legislature meets from approximately January to May every odd-numbered year and writes a budget for the next two years. The governor’s Office of Budget and Planning also prepares a budget for the legislature’s consideration. In 2004, total revenues were over $90 billion and expenditures were over $77.3 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($27.3 billion), public welfare ($18.6 billion), and highways ($5.8 billion).The state’s outstanding debt totaled $22.9 billion, or $1,020.18 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

The principal source of state tax revenue is the 6.25% sales and use tax. Local sale taxes range from 0 to 2% add-ons. The state also imposes selective sales (excise) taxes on motor fuels, tobacco products, and other selected items. Property taxes are collected at the local level. The state collected $32.7 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 49.9% came from the general sales tax, 29% from selective sales taxes, and 21.2% from others. In 2005, Texas ranked 49th among the states in terms of per capita tax burden, which amounted to about $1,434 per person. The national average was $2,192 per person.

30

Health

In 2005, the infant mortality rate was 6.2 per 1,000 live births. The crude death rate was 7 per 1,000 population in 2003. As of 2002, death 46

rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 199.5; cancer, 156.9; cerebrovascular diseases, 48.4; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 35.4; and diabetes, 26. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported at 4.9 per 100,000. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 14.7 per 100,000. In 2004, about 20.4% of Texans were smokers. Texas’s 414 community hospitals had 57,300 beds in 2003. There were 219 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 656 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were a total of 10,559 dentists in the state. The average expense for hospital care was $1,482 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, at least 25% of the state’s residents were uninsured, representing the highest percentage of uninsured residents in the nation. There are 8 medical schools, 2 dental colleges, and 64 schools of nursing in the state. The University of Texas has medical colleges at Dallas, Houston, Galveston, San Antonio, and Tyler. The University of Texas Cancer Center at Houston is one of the nation’s major facilities for cancer research. Houston is also noted as a center for cardiovascular surgery. On 3 May 1968, Houston surgeon Denton Cooley performed the first human heart transplant in the United States.

31

Housing

The variety of Texas architectural styles reflects the diversity of the state’s topography and climate. In the early settlement period, Spanishstyle adobe houses were built in southern Texas. During the 1840s, Anglo-American settlers in the east erected primitive log cabins. These were Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

Dallas skyline. DALLAS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

later replaced by “dog-run” houses, consisting of two rooms linked by an open passageway covered by a gabled roof, so called because pet dogs slept in the open, roofed shelter, as did occasional overnight guests. During the late 19th century, Southern-style mansions were built in East Texas, and the familiar ranch house, constructed of stone and usually stuccoed or whitewashed, with a shingle roof and a long porch, proliferated throughout the state; the modern ranch house in southwestern Texas shows a distinct Mexican-Spanish influence. In 2004, Texas had an estimated 8,846,728 housing units, of which 7,790,853 were occupied; 65.1% were owner-occupied. About 64.5% of all units were single-family, detached homes. About 63% of all units were built between 1950 and 1989. Electricity and utility gas were the most common energy sources for heating. It was Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

estimated that 492,782 units lacked telephone service, 36,697 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 47,643 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.81 people. In 2004, 188,800 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $99,858. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,166, while renters paid a median of $648 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, 78.3% of the population 25 years old and over had completed four years of high school, a percentage that was significantly lower than the national average of 84%. About 24.5% had four or more years of college. 47

Texas

Total public school enrollment was estimated at 4,260,000 in fall 2002. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $38 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 220,206. As of fall 2002, there were 1,152,369 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Texas had 208 degree-granting institutions. Institutions of higher education include 42 public four-year colleges and universities, 69 public two-year college campuses, and more than 51 private institutions. The leading public universities are Texas A&M and the University of Texas. Each institution is now the center of its own university system, including campuses in several other cities. Oil was discovered on lands owned by the University of Texas in 1923 and, beginning in 1924, the university and Texas A&M shared more than $1 billion in oil-related rentals and royalties. Other state-supported institutions include the University of Houston and Texas Tech University. The first private college in Texas was Rutersville, established by a Methodist minister in Fayette County in 1840. The oldest private institution still active in the state is Baylor University, established in 1845 at Waco. Other major private institutions include HardinSimmons University, Rice University, Southern Methodist University (SMU), Texas Christian University (TCU), and Trinity University. Well known black-oriented institutions of higher learning include Texas Southern University in Houston and Prairie View A&M University. Tuition charges to Texas colleges are among the lowest in the nation. 48

33

Arts

The state’s first theater was active in Houston as early as 1838. Stark Young founded the Curtain Club acting group at the University of Texas in Austin in 1909 and the little theater movement began in that city in 1921. The performing arts now flourish at Houston’s Theater Center, Jones Hall of Performing Arts, and Alley Theater, as well as at the Theater Center, National Children’s Theater, and Theater Three at Dallas. The Margo Jones repertory company in Dallas has a national reputation and there are major repertory groups in Houston and San Antonio. During the late 1970s, Texas also emerged as a center for motion picture production. The city of Austin has since become the host for the Austin Film Festival and the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film festival. Texas has five major symphony orchestras: the Dallas Symphony (performing in the Meyerson Symphony Center since 1989), Houston Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Austin Symphony, and Ft. Worth Symphony. There are also 25 smaller orchestras in other cities. The Houston Grand Opera performs at Jones Hall. Other opera companies perform regularly in Beaumont, Dallas, El Paso, Ft. Worth, and San Antonio. Several cities have resident dance companies, including Abilene, Amarillo, Denton, Galveston, Garland, Longview, Lubbock, Midland-Odessa, and Pampa. The ballet groups in Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and Corpus Christi are notable. Popular music in Texas stems from early Spanish and Mexican folk songs, black American spirituals, cowboy ballads, and German-language songfests. Texans pioneered a kind of country Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

and western music that is more outspoken and direct than Nashville’s commercial product and a colony of country-rock songwriters and musicians were active in the Austin area during the 1970s. Texans of Mexican ancestry have also fashioned a Latin-flavored music (“Tejano”) that is as distinctly “Tex-Mex” as the state’s famous chili. There are a number of groups for writers and storytellers, including the Writers’ League of Texas and the Texas Storytelling Association. In 2000, the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature (chartered in 1997) opened in Abilene. Besides sponsoring its own museum of illustrated works, the Center provides educational programs and exhibits for teachers and other display venues. The Texas Commission on the Arts helps support programs through state and federal funding. The Texas Council for the Humanities was established in 1965. The state of Texas has over 2,000 arts associations. In 2005, Texas arts organizations received 91 grants totaling over $2.75 million from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded 47 grants totaling over $3.6 million for state programs.

34


In 2001, the Texas had 540 public library systems with 825 libraries. The state total of books and serial publications in stock was about 35,725,000 volumes with a total circulation of 81,505,000. The largest municipal libraries in Texas include the Houston Public Library and the Dallas Public Library. The University of Texas at Austin is noted for outstanding collections in the humanities and in Latin American Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

studies. The Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library is located in Austin, as is the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building. Other notable academic libraries include those of Texas A&M University, the University of Houston, Rice University, Southern Methodist University, and Texas Tech University, all with collections of over one million volumes. Among the state’s 389 museums are the Texas Memorial Museum, the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, the Ft. Worth Art Museum, and Kimbell Art Museum. Houston has the Museum of Fine Arts, Contemporary Arts Museum, and at least 30 galleries. Both Dallas–Ft. Worth and Houston have become major centers of art sales. National historic sites in Texas are Ft. Davis (Jeff Davis County), President Johnson’s boyhood home and Texas White House (Blanco and Gillespie counties), and the San Jose Mission (San Antonio). Other historic places include the Alamo at San Antonio, Dwight D. Eisenhower’s birthplace at Denison, the Sam Rayburn home in Bonham, and the John F. Kennedy memorials in Dallas. A noteworthy prehistoric Native American site is the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, located in Potter County and accessible by guided tour.

35

Communications

In 2004, 91.8% of the occupied housing units in Texas had telephones. The same year, there were over 12 million wireless phone subscribers. In 2003, about 59% of all households had a personal computer and 51.8% had access to the Internet. Approximately 439,135 Internet 49

Texas

domain names were registered with the state in the year 2000; the third most of any state. In 2005, Texas had 298 major radio stations (73 AM, 225 FM) and 87 major television stations. The Dallas–Ft. Worth area has about 2,018,120 television households, with only 51% receiving cable. The Houston area has about 1,712,060 television households, 58% with cable, and the San Antonio area has about 684,730 television homes, 66% with cable.

36

Press

The first newspaper in Texas was a revolutionary Spanish-language sheet published in May 1813 at Nacogdoches. The first modern newspaper was the Galveston News (1842), a forerunner of the Dallas Morning News (1885). In 2005, Texas had 49 morning dailies, 36 evening dailies, and 78 Sunday papers. Texas had the second-largest number of daily newspapers in the country in 2005 (second to California). The newspapers with the largest daily circulations in 2005 estimates were the Houston Chronicle (554,783 daily, 737,580 Sundays), the Dallas Morning News (573,340 daily, 755,912 Sundays), the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (258,489 daily, 326,803 Sundays), and the San Antonio Express News (270,067 daily, 356,680 Sundays). In 2005, there were 491 weekly newspapers. Leading magazines include the Texas Monthly and Texas Observer, both published in Austin.

37


In 2004, the state hosted over 180 million visitors with direct travel spending at about $44.4 billion, supporting about 500,000 jobs. 50

Outstanding attractions are found throughout the state. East Texas has one of the state’s oldest cities, Nacogdoches, with the nation’s oldest public thoroughfare and a reconstruction of the Old Stone Fort, a Spanish trading post dating from 1779. Tyler, which bills itself as the “rose capital of the world,” features a 28-acre (11hectare) municipal rose garden. The Gulf Coast region of southeastern Texas offers the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, the Astrodome sports stadium, and adjacent Astroworld amusement park, plus many museums, galleries, and shops. Also, Spindletop Park in Beaumont commemorates the state’s first great oil gusher; and Galveston offers sandy beaches and deep sea fishing. The Hill Country of south-central Texas encompasses many tourist sites, including the state capital in Austin and the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Site. South Texas has the state’s most famous historic site—the Alamo, in San Antonio. The Great Plains region of the Texas panhandle offers Palo Duro Canyon—the state’s largest state park, covering 16,402 acres (6,638 hectares). In addition to Palo Duro Canyon, notable state parks include Big Creek, Brazos Island, Caddo Lake, and Dinosaur Valley. State historical parks include San Jacinto Battleground. Hunting and fishing are extremely popular in Texas.

38

Sports

Texas has 11 major league professional sports teams: the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros of Major League Baseball; the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans of the National Football League; the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League; the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Texas

Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association; the Houston Comets and San Antonio Silver Stars of the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the Dallas Burn of Major League Soccer. The Cowboys are, by far, the most consistently successful state team. They have won the Super Bowl five times. The Houston Oilers of the NFL moved to Tennessee after the 1996 season and were renamed the Titans. They were replaced by an expansion team, the Texans, in 2002. Parimutuel betting on horse races was legalized in Texas in the early 1990s and thoroughbred tracks are open near Houston and Dallas. Quarter horse racing is also popular and rodeo is a leading spectator sport. Participant sports popular with Texans include hunting, fishing, horseback riding, boating, swimming, tennis, and golf. State professional and amateur golf tournaments are held annually, as are numerous rodeos. The Texas Sports Hall of Fame was organized in 1951. New members are selected each year by a special committee of the Texas Sports Writers Association. There are a several colleges and universities in Texas with many elite teams in football, basketball, and baseball. The University of Texas Longhorns are traditionally strong in football, with over 40 bowl game appearances, and in baseball. Texas A&M University in College Station also has an elite football program. Texas Tech’s women’s basketball team has been consistently ranked as a top team in the national polls. Baylor and Rice universities, of the Big Twelve Conference and Western Athletic Conference respectively, both field outstanding baseball teams. The Rice University Owls won the 2003 College World Series. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

39

Famous Texans

Two native sons of Texas have served as president of the United States. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969), the 34th president, was born in Denison. Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973), the 36th president, was the only lifelong resident of the state to serve in that office, serving first as vice president under John F. Kennedy. Another native vice president was John Nance Garner (1868–1967), former speaker of the US House of Representatives. George H. W. Bush (b.Massachusetts, 1924) was elected president in 1988 on the Republican ticket and his son, George W. Bush (b.Connecticut, 1946), was elected president in 2000. Tom C. Clark (1899–1977) served as an associate justice on the US Supreme Court from 1949 to 1967. Texas native Sandra Day O’Connor (b.1930) became the first female associate justice on the US Supreme Court. The state’s most famous legislative leader was Sam Rayburn (1882–1961), who served the longest tenure in the nation’s history as Speaker of the US House of Representatives. Barbara C. Jordan (1936–1996) was a forceful member of the House Judiciary Committee during its impeachment deliberations in 1974. Famous figures in early Texas history include Moses Austin (b.Connecticut, 1761–1821) and his son, Stephen F. Austin (b.Virginia, 1793– 1836), often called the “father of Texas.” Samuel “Sam” Houston (b.Virginia, 1793–1863), adopted as a youth by the Cherokee, won enduring fame as commander in chief of the Texas revolutionary army and president of the Texas Republic. Texas military heroes include Audie Murphy (1924–1971), the most decorated soldier of 51

Texas

World War II (and later a film actor), and Admiral of the Fleet Chester W. Nimitz (1885– 1966). Figures of history and legend include James Bowie (b.Kentucky, 1796?–1836), popularly credited with the invention of the bowie knife, and frontiersman David “Davy” Crockett (b.Tennessee, 1786–1836), both of whom lost their lives at the Alamo. Howard Hughes (1905–1976), an industrialist, aviation pioneer, film producer, and casino owner, became a fabulously wealthy recluse in his later years. H. Ross Perot (b.1930) became a billionaire as a computer software developer and was an independent presidential candidate in 1992 and 1996. Dan Rather (b.1931) is known nationwide as a television reporter and anchorman. Among Texas-born musicians, Scott Joplin (1868–1917) and Blind Lemon Jefferson (1897– 1930) were famous ragtime and blues musicians, respectively. Buddy Holly (Charles Holley, 1936–1959) was an early rock and roll singer. Musicians Trini Lopez (b.1937) and Johnny Rodriguez (b.1951) have earned popular followings based on their Mexican-American backgrounds. Prominent country musicians include Willie Nelson (b.1933) and Waylon Jennings (1937–2002). The imposing list of Texas athletes is headed by Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias (1913– 1956), who gained fame as an All-American basketball player in 1930, won two gold medals in track and field in the 1932 Olympics, and was the leading woman golfer during the 1940s and early 1950s. Another Texan, John Arthur “Jack” Johnson (1878–1946), was boxing’s first black heavyweight champion. 52

Among other Texas sports greats are baseball Hall of Famers Tris Speaker (1888–1958), Rogers Hornsby (1896–1963), Ernie Banks (b.1931), and Joe Morgan (b.1943); golfers Ben Hogan (1912–97), Byron Nelson (b.1912), and Lee Trevino (b.1939); race driver A(nthony) J(oseph) Foyt (b.1935); and jockey William Lee “Willie” Shoemaker (1931–2003). Nolan Ryan, pitching giant, was born 31 January 1947 in Refugio.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bredeson, Carmen. Texas. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Texas. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Hanson-Harding, Alexandra. Texas. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. Heinrichs, Ann. Texas. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003. McAuliffe, Emily. Texas Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Murray, Julie. Texas. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Lone Star Junction. www.lsjunction.com (accessed March 1, 2007). State of Texas. Texas Online: Texas at Your Fingertips. www.texas.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Texas Tourism. TEXAS: It’s Like a Whole Other Country. www.traveltex.com (accessed March 1, 2007). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Utah State of Utah

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for the Ute

Indians. N I CKNAME : The Beehive State. C AP ITAL: Salt Lake City. ENT ERED UNION: 4 January 1896 (45th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The coat of arms with the words

“The Great Seal of the State of Utah 1896” surrounding it. FLAG: Inside a thin gold circle, the coat of arms and the year of statehood are centered on a blue field, fringed with gold. C OAT OF ARMS: In the center, a shield flanked by American flags shows a beehive with the state motto and six arrows above, sego lilies on either side, and the numerals “1847” (the year the Mormons settled in Utah) below. Perched atop the shield is an American eagle. EMBLEM: Beehive. M OT TO: Industry. SONG: “Utah, We Love Thee;” “Utah, This is the Place.” FLOWER: Sego lily. TREE: Blue spruce. A NIMAL: Rocky Mountain elk. B IRD: California sea gull. FISH: Bonneville cutthroat trout. IN S ECT: Honeybee. G E M: Topaz. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Washington and Lincoln Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Independence Day, 4 July; Pioneer Day, 24 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the Rocky Mountain region of the western United States, Utah ranks 11th in size among the 50 states. The state’s area totals 84,899 square miles (219,899 square kilometers), of which land comprises 82,073 square miles (212,569 square kilometers) and inland water 2,826 square miles (7,320 square kilometers). Utah extends 275 miles (443 kilometers) from east to west and 345 miles (555 kilometers) from north to south. The total boundary length is 1,226 miles (1,973 kilometers). 53

Utah

2

Topography

The eastern and southern two-thirds of Utah belong to the Colorado Plateau, a region characterized by deep river canyons. The Rocky Mountains are represented by the Bear River, Wasatch, and Uinta ranges in the north and northeast. The highest point in Utah, Kings Peak, is in the Uintas at an altitude of 13,528 feet (4,126 meters). The arid, sparsely populated Great Basin dominates the western third of the state. To the north are the Great Salt Lake, a body of hypersaline water, and the Great Salt Lake Desert (containing the Bonneville Salt Flats). The lowest point in Utah, 2,000 feet (610 meters) above sea level, occurs at Beaverdam Creek in Washington County, in the southwest corner of the state. The western edge of the Wasatch Range, or Wasatch Front, holds most of Utah’s major cities. Two regions rich in fossil fuels are the Kaiparowits Plateau, in southern Utah, and the Overthrust Belt, a geologic structural zone underlying the north-central part of the state. The largest lake is the Great Salt Lake, which covers about 2,250 square miles (5,827 square kilometers). Other major bodies of water are Utah Lake, Bear Lake (shared with Idaho), and Lake Powell, formed by the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. Other important rivers include the Green, flowing into the Colorado; the Sevier, which drains central and southern Utah; and the Bear, which flows into the Great Salt Lake.

3

Climate

Utah Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

2,550,063 14.2% 10.9% 98.5% 89.9% 0.8% 1.2% 1.9% 0.5% 4.2% 1.5%


65 and over (9%) Under 18 (30%) 45 to 64 (19%)

18 to 24 (12%) 25 to 44 (30%)

Major Cities by Population City Salt Lake City Provo West Valley West Jordan Orem Sandy Ogden St. George Layton Taylorsville

Population

% change 2000–05

178,097 113,459 113,300 91,444 89,713 89,664 78,309 64,201 61,782 58,009

-2.0 7.9 4.0 33.8 6.4 1.4 1.4 29.3 5.7 1.0


The climate of Utah is generally semiarid to arid. At Salt Lake City, the temperature ranges from 54


Utah

UTAH Explanation Point of Interest City (20,000-75,000 people)

IDAHO

City (more than 75,000 people) State Capital U.S. Interstate Route

15

Area of Interest

N BOX ELDER

CACHE

84

Sawtooth National Forest

RICH

0

25

50 miles

15 0

25

50 kilometers

Logan

Bear River Bird Refuge Wasatch National Forest

WYOMING

WEBER

Great Salt Lake

Hill Airforce Range

Ogden Roy

MORGAN

80

84

Clearfield

Wasatch National Forest

SUMMIT

TOOELE

Layton

DAGGETT

Bountiful

DAVIS

Salt Lake City 80

SALT LAKE

W. Valley City

80 Wasatch National Forest

Great Salt Lake Desert

Murray

West Jordan

Sandy

Ashley Nat’l For.

Uinta and Ouray Ind. Res. Bad Land Cliffs

Little Sahara Rec. Area

NEVADA

Dinosaur Nat’l Mon.

UINTAH

Provo

Utah Lake

Wasatch Nat’l For.

Goshute Indian Reservation

High Uintas Wilderness Area

Orem

UTAH

Skull Valley Ind. Res.

DUCHESNE WASATCH

Uintah and Quray Indian Reservation

CARBON SANPETE

Manti-La Sal National Forest

JUAB MILLARD

15

R.

Huntington State Park

Fishlake National Forest

Notch Peak

GRAND

EMERY

Fishlake National Forest

Green

Swasey Peak

COLORADO

Roan Cliffs

SEVIER

70 Fishlake Nat’l Forest

BEAVER

WAYNE

PIUTE

C

Goblin Valley State Park Canyon Lands Nat’l Park

Capitol Reef Nat’l Park

Minersville State Park

o ol

ra

do

R

.

SAN JUAN

Manti-La Sal National Forest Mt. Dutton

IRON

Mt. Ellen

Dixie Nat’l Forest

Honeycomb Rocks

Dixie National Forest


15

Mt. Pennel Mt. Ellsworth

Natural Bridges Nat’l Mon.

Manti-La Sal National Forest

GARFIELD

KANE

Pine Valley Mtn. Wilderness Area

Zion Nat’l Park

St. George WASHINGTON

Ute Mountain Ind. Res.


Glen Canyon Nat’l Rec. Area

San

Juan R.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park Navajo Indian Reservation

ARIZONA


NEW MEXICO

55

Utah

28°f (-2°c) in January to 78°f (26°c) in July. The record high temperature, 117°f (47c), was set at St. George on 5 July 1985. The record low temperature, -69°f (-56°c) was set at Peter’s Sink on 1 February 1985. The average annual precipitation varies from less than 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) in the west to over 40 inches (102 centimeters) in the mountains. The annual snowfall is about 59 inches (150 centimeters) and remains on the higher mountains until late summer.

4

Plants and Animals

Botanists have recognized more than 4,000 floral species in Utah’s six major life zones. Common trees and shrubs include four species of pine and three of juniper, as well as the Utah oak, Joshua tree, and blue spruce (the state tree). The sego lily is the state flower. In 2006, 24 plant species were classified as threatened or endangered in Utah, including five species of cactus, the dwarf bear-poppy, five species of milk-vetch, and the autumn buttercup. Mule deer are the most common of Utah’s large mammals. Other mammals include pronghorn antelope, lynx, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, and grizzly and black bears. Among native bird species are the great horned owl and plain titmouse. The pygmy rattler is found in southwest Utah and the Mormon cricket is unique to the state. In April 2006, 16 animal species were listed as threatened or endangered in Utah, including the bald eagle, Utah prairie dog, three species of chub, two species of sucker, southwestern willow flycatcher, and woundfin. Many birds and fish have been killed or endangered by the inunda56

tion of freshwater marshes with salt water from the flooding Great Salt Lake.

5


The Department of Natural Resources oversees water and mineral resources, parks and recreation, state lands and forests, and wildlife. The Department of Agriculture is concerned with soil conservation and pesticide control. The Department of Environmental Quality has separate divisions dealing with air quality, drinking water systems, water quality, and the regulation of water pollution, radioactive, hazardous, and solid wastes. Air pollution is a serious problem along the Wasatch Front where 70% of the state’s population resides. Automobiles are a major contributor to the high levels of ozone and carbon monoxide impacting the communities in the Salt Lake, Weber, and Utah counties. Also of considerable concern is the quality of drinking water. Other environmental issues of concern in the state are chemical warfare agent storage and disposal, a proposed nuclear fuel storage site in the western part of the state, and interstate transportation of hazardous waste for disposal. Another environmental problem is the pollution of Great Salt Lake by industrial waste. In 1996, the lake and its surrounding wetlands were designated a Hemispheric Reserve in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. The move was taken in recognition of the area’s importance to migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. In 2003, Utah had 197 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 14 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. As of 2003, Utah’s Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Utah

Utah Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,233,169 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,185,974 . . . . . . 97.9 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44,560 . . . . . . . 2.0 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,188 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,917 . . . . . . . 0.4 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,550 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,316 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,994 . . . . . . . 0.7 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . .388 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . .154 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .821 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . .179 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .962 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .790 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,206 . . . . . . . 0.1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .592 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,635 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

Carbon County was home to the second-largest landfill in the United States.

6

Population

In 2006, Utah ranked 34th in United States in population with an estimated total of 2,550,063 residents. The population is projected to reach 3.2 million by 2025. Utah’s population density in 2004 was 29.1 persons per square mile (11.2 persons per square kilometer). The median age in 2004 was only 28 years of age, considerably younger than the national average of 36.2. In 2005, about 30% of all residents were 18 or younger while only 9% were 65 or older. Salt Lake City is Utah’s most populous city, with a 2005 estimated population of 178,097. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Other major cities include Provo, 113,459; West Valley, 113,300; West Jordan, 91,444; Orem, 89,713; Sandy, 89,664, and Ogden, 78,309.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, Hispanics and Latinos are the largest ethnic minority in Utah, with an estimated 201,559 people or 9% of the total population in the state. That percentage increased to 10.9% in 2006. Native Americans numbered about 29,684, with residents primarily of the Uintah, Ouray, and Navajo reservations. About 37,108 Asians resided in the state as of 2000, including 8,045 Chinese, 6,186 Japanese, and 5,968 Vietnamese. Pacific Islanders num57

Utah

bered 15,145. Utah also had an estimated black American population of 17,657. In 2000, Utah had 158,664 residents who were foreign born, or 7.1% of the population. Among persons reporting at least one specific ancestry in 2000, 647,987 persons claimed English descent, 258,496 German, 163,048 Danish, 144,713 Irish, and 94,911 Swedish.

8

Languages

Utah English is primarily a merger of Northern and Midland dialects brought into the west by the Mormons, who were originally from New York. Conspicuous in Mormon speech in the central valley, although less frequent now in Salt Lake City, is a reversal of vowels, so that farm and barn sound like form and born and, conversely, form and born sound like farm and barn. In 2000, 87.5% of all state residents five years of age or older spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of people who spoke them, included Spanish, 150,244, and German, 12,095.

9

Religions

The dominant religious group in Utah, accounting for 66% of the entire state population in 2000, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, popularly known as the Mormons. The church was founded by Joseph Smith Jr. of New York in 1830, the same year he published the Book of Mormon, the group’s sacred text. The Mormons made a long pilgrimage from New York to Utah to escape religious persecution. Today, the Mormon Church and its leadership continue to play a central role in the state’s political, economic, and cultural institutions. 58

The Latter-day Saints had 1,720,434 members in Utah in 2006. The next largest Christian groups were Roman Catholics, with about 150,000 members in 2004, and Southern Baptists, 13,258 members in 2000. In 2000, there were an estimated 4,500 Jews and 3,645 Muslims in the state. About 25.3% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

Utah, where the golden spike was driven in 1869 to mark the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, had 2,067 rail miles (3,327 kilometers) of track in 2003. Major railroads are the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Union Pacific. Amtrak provides passenger service to Salt Lake City, Provo, Helper, and Green River. The Utah Transit Authority, created in 1970, provides bus service for Salt Lake City, Provo, and Ogden. In 2004, Utah had 42,710 miles (68,763 kilometers) of public roads and streets. There were 2.1 million registered motor vehicles and 1,582,599 licensed drivers in 2004. The main east–west and north–south routes—I-80 and I-15, respectively—intersect at Salt Lake City. Utah had 99 airports in 2005. By far the busiest was Salt Lake City International Airport, with 8,884,880 boarding passengers in 2004.

11

History

Utah’s historic Native American groups are primarily Shoshonean: the Ute branch in the eastern two-thirds of the state, the Goshute of the western desert, and the Southern Paiute of southwestern Utah. The Athapaskan-speaking Navajo of southeastern Utah migrated from western Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Utah

Canada, arriving not long before the Spaniards. White settlement from 1847 led to wars between whites and Native Americans in 1853–54 and 1865–68, with many Native Americans finally removed to reservations. Mexicans and Spaniards entered Utah in 1765. In July 1776, a party led by two Franciscan priests, Francisco Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalanta, explored the region. Trade between Santa Fe, the capital of the Spanish province of New Mexico, and the tribes of Utah was fairly well established by the early 1800s. Until 1848, the 1,200-mile (1,900kilometer) Spanish Trail, the longest segment of which lies in Utah, was the main route through the Southwest. When Joseph Smith Jr., founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), was lynched in 1844, Brigham Young and other Mormon leaders decided to move west. By April 1847, a pioneer company of Mormons was on its way to Utah. The church organization served as the first government. Deseret After the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

(1848) gave the United States title to much of the Southwest, the Mormons established the provisional state of Deseret. Congress refused to admit Deseret to the Union, choosing instead to create the Utah Territory, which encompassed, in addition to present-day Utah, most of Nevada and parts of Wyoming and Colorado. By the 1860s, Utah was assigned its present boundaries. The territorial period lasted for 46 years, marked by immigration, growth, and conflict. Mormon militia clashed with federal troops in the so-called Utah War of 1857–58, which left Mormon leaders hostile to federal authoriJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Prehistoric drawings at the Newspaper Rock State Monument. JACK K. BLONK.

ties. Almost 98% of Utah’s total population was Mormon until after 1870, and the Mormon way of life dominated politics, economics, and social and cultural activities. As church president, Brigham Young remained the principal figure in the territory until his death in 1877. In 1863, with the discovery of silver-bearing ore in Bingham Canyon, a boom in precious metals began and those connected with mining—mostly non-Mormons—began to exert influence in the territory. Several factors made the non-Mormon minority fearful of Mormon domination. These included the lack of free public schools, new immigration by Mormon converts, the mingling of church and state, and— most notably—the Mormon practice of polyg59

Utah

Utah Governors: 1896–2007 1896–1905 1905–1909 1909–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925 1925–1933 1933–1941 1941–1949 1949–1957 1957–1965 1965–1977 1977–1985 1985–1993 1993–2003 2003–2005 2005–

Heber Manning Wells John Christopher Cutler William Spry Simon Bamberger Charles Rendell Mabey George Henry Dern Henry Hooper Blood Herbert Brown Maw Joseph Bracken Lee George Dewey Clyde Calvin Lewellyn Rampton Scott Milne Matheson Norman Howard Bangerter Michael Okerlund Leavitt Olene Walker Jon M. Huntsman, Jr.

Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican

amy (marrying multiple wives). This practice was finally renounced by the Mormons in 1890. Statehood A constitutional convention was held

in 1895, and statehood became a reality on 4 January 1896. The early 20th century saw further growth of the mineral industry. Gradually, modern cities emerged, along with power plants, interurban railroads, and highways. By 1920, nearly half the population lived along the Wasatch Front. The influx of various ethnic groups diversified the state’s social and cultural life, and the proportion of Mormons in the total population declined to about 68% by 1920. Utah businesses enjoyed the postwar prosperity of the 1920s. On the other hand, mining and agriculture were depressed throughout the 1920s and 1930s, decades marked by increased union activity, particularly in the coal and copper industries. The depression of the 1930s hit Utah especially hard. Severe droughts hurt farmers in 1931 and 1934, and high freight rates limited the expansion of manufacturing. With the coming of World War II, increased demand for 60

food revived Utah’s agriculture, and important military installations and war-related industries brought new jobs to the state. In the years since World War II, the state’s population has more than doubled. Politics generally reflect prevailing Mormon attitudes and tend to be conservative. The state successfully opposed plans for storing nerve-gas bombs in Utah and for the location in the western desert of an MX missile system. Utah’s economy was among the strongest of all the states in the early 21st century. A major issue facing state leaders is balancing protection of the environment with residential and commercial development. In 2002 Utah hosted the Winter Olympic Games in and around Salt Lake City. Wildfires and serious drought conditions plagued Utah in the early 2000s. By 2005, however, the Utah Center for Climate and Weather had declared Utah’s six-year drought to be over.

12

State Government

The state legislature consists of a 29-member senate and a 75-seat house of representatives. Senators serve for four years, representatives for two. The chief executive officers, all elected for four-year terms, include the governor, lieutenant governor (who also serves as secretary of state), attorney general, treasurer, and auditor. The governor’s vetoes may be overridden by twothirds of the elected members of each house of the legislature. In 2002, legislators received $120 during regular sessions per day and the governor received $101,600 per year. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Utah

13

Political Parties

In November 2000, Utah residents cast 67% of their presidential votes for Republican George W. Bush and 26% for Democrat Al Gore. In 2004, incumbent President Bush won even greater support, at 71% of the vote to Democratic challenger John Kerry’s 26.4%. In 2004 there were 1,278,000 registered voters; there is no party registration in the state. Republican Orrin Hatch was reelected to a sixth term in the US Senate in 2006. Utah’s other senator, Republican Robert F. Bennett, was last elected in 2004. As of the 2006 midterm elections, the delegation to the US House of Representatives consisted of two Republicans and one Democrat. The state house had 56 Republicans and 19 Democrats, while the state senate had 21 Republicans and 8 Democrats. Twenty-two women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 21.2%. Republican Jon M. Huntsman Jr. was elected governor in 2004.

14

Local Government

Utah has 29 counties, governed by elected commissioners. Other elected county officials include clerk-auditor, sheriff, assessor, recorder, treasurer, county attorney, and surveyor. There were 236 municipal governments in 2005. Larger cities are run by an elected mayor and two commissioners while smaller communities are governed by a mayor and city council. Nonetheless, the state’s largest city, Salt Lake City, adopted the mayorcouncil system. The state had 40 public school districts and 300 special districts in 2005. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Utah Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

UTAH WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 *Truman (D) 149,151 124,402 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 135,364 194,190 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 118,364 215,631 1960 Nixon (R) 169,248 205,361 1964 *Johnson (D) 219,628 181,785 1968 *Nixon (R) 156,665 238,728 1972 *Nixon (R) 126,284 323,643 1976 Ford (R) 182,110 337,908 1980 *Reagan (R) 124,266 439,687 1984 *Reagan (R) 155,369 469,105 1988 *Bush (R) 207,343 428,442 1992** Bush (R) 183,429 322,632 1996** Dole (R) 221,633 361,911 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 203,053 515,096 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 241,199 663,742 * Won US presidential election. **Independent candidate Ross Perot received 203,400 votes in 1992 and 66,461 votes in 1996.

15

Judicial System

Utah’s highest court is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and four other justices. There are approximately 37 district court judges. In 1984, to ease the supreme court’s caseload, Utahans approved a constitutional amendment allowing the legislature to create an intermediate court. In 2004, the FBI reported a violent crime rate (murder, rape, robber, aggravated assault) of 236 reported incidents per 100,000 inhabitants. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/theft, and motor vehicle theft) totaled 4,085.6 reported incidents per 100,000 people. Prisoners under jurisdiction of state and federal correctional facilities numbered 5,989 as of 31 December 2004.Utah has a death penalty. From 1976 to 5 May 2006, the state carried out six executions. As of 1 January 2006, Utah had nine inmates on death row. 61

Utah

16

Migration

After the initial exodus of Latter-day Saints from the eastern United States to Utah, Mormon missionaries attracted other immigrants to the state, and some 90,000 foreign converts arrived between 1850 and 1905. Many non-Mormons were recruited from overseas to work in the mines, especially during the early 20th century. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had net gains of 86,000 in domestic migration and 27,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 49,995 and net internal migration was -3,822, for a net gain of 16,173 people.

17

Economy

Trade replaced government as the leading employer in Utah in 1980. With more than 70% of Utah lands under US control and some 37,750 civilian workers on federal payrolls— and others employed by defense industries or the military—the federal presence in Utah is a major economic force in the state. Employment in the 1990s shifted away from agriculture, mining, transportation, and communications toward government, trade, and service jobs, and to a much lesser extent, manufacturing. Utah suffered disproportionately from cuts in the federal military budget in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but from 1997 to 2001, economic output from government, including federal civilian and military operations, increased substantially. Strong growth was also realized in various services areas of the economy. Largely as a result of the national recession of 2001, Utah ranked seventh in the nation in job losses in 2002. 62

In 2004, Utah’s gross state product (GSP) was $82.6 billion, of which the real estate sector accounted for $10.1 billion (12.2% of GSP), followed by manufacturing at $8.6 billion (10.3% of GSP), and professional and technical services at $4.9 billion (5.9% of GSP).

18

Income

In 2005, Utah had a gross state product of $90 billion, 33rd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Utah had a per capita (per person) income of $26,603, 47th in the United States, and below the national average of $33,050. The median annual household income for 2002–04 was $50,614 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 2002–04, 9.6% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared with 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Utah’s diversified manufacturing is concentrated in Salt Lake City and in Weber, Utah, and Cache counties. The total estimated value of shipments by manufacturers in 2004 was almost $29.6 billion. Of that total, food manufacturing accounted for the largest share, followed by transportation equipment manufacturing, miscellaneous manufacturing, computer and electronic product manufacturing, and primary metal manufacturing. One of the state’s largest manufacturing employers is ATK Thiokol (aerospace equipment)

20

Labor

In April 2006, the labor force in Utah numbered 1,314,200, with approximately 46,200 workJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Utah

The Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine, the world’s largest manmade excavation, is located southwest of Salt Lake City. Since mining began there in 1906, more than six million tons of copper have been produced. A visitor’s center opened in 1992; as of 2004, it had registered more than one million visitors. © JEAN KNIGHT/EPD PHOTOS.

ers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.5%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. In April 2006, 7.5% of the labor force was employed in construction; 10.1% in manufacturing; 19.5% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.8% in financial activities; 13% in professional and business services; 11.2% in education and health services; 8.9% in leisure and hospitality services, and 17.3% in government. Utah’s union movement weakened in the 1980s as mining and heavy manufacturing industries mechanized, which resulted in the elimination of thousands of jobs. In 2005, 51,000 of Utah’s 1,035,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, repreJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

senting 4.9% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

Despite a dry climate and unpromising terrain, Utah ranked 37th in the United States in value of farm marketings in 2005, with $1.25 billion. Crops accounted for $292 million and livestock and livestock products for $961 million. The first pioneers in Utah settled in fertile valleys near streams, which were diverted for irrigation. Today, Utah farmers and ranchers practice comprehensive soil and water conservation measures to help maximize crop yields and protect the natural resources. A farmland preservation movement is under way to protect valuable food-pro63

Utah

Harvest in Loa. JACK K. BLONK.

ducing land from urban sprawl. In 2004, there were some 15,300 farms and ranches covering a total of 11,600,000 acres (4,700,000 hectares). The chief crops in 2004 were hay, wheat, and tart cherries.

22


Livestock and livestock products account for over three-fourths of Utah’s agricultural income. In 2005, there were an estimated 860,000 cattle and calves, valued at nearly $808.4 million on farms and ranches. During 2004, hogs and pigs numbered 690,000 and were valued at around $75.9 million. Utah farms produced 20.4 million pounds of sheep and lambs in 2003 and an estimated 2.25 million pounds (1 million kilograms) of shorn wool in 2004. Dairy farms had 64

around 91,000 milk cows, which produced 1.62 billion pounds (0.74 billion kilograms) of milk.

23

Fishing

Fishing in Utah is for recreation only. There are two national fish hatcheries in the state (Ouray and Jones Hole). Fish restoration projects seek to recover razorback sucker and cutthroat trout. Utah issued 373,834 sport fishing licenses in 2004.

24

Forestry

In 2004, Utah had 15,173,000 acres (6,141,000 hectares) of forestland. In 2004, 8,189,000 acres (3,314,000 hectares) were in the state’s six national forests: Ashley, Dixie, Fishlake, Manti-La Sal, Uinta, and Wasatch-Cache. Only 2,746,000 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Utah

acres (1,111,000 hectares) were classed as commercial timberland in 2004. In the same year, lumber production was 57 million board feet.

25

Mining

In 2003, the total value of nonfuel mineral production in Utah was approximately $1.26 billion. The state was ranked in ninth place nationally in the output of nonfuel minerals. Approximately 60% of the value of came from metals, which included copper, gold, iron, magnesium, molybdenum, and silver. In addition, Utah mines produced significant quantities of beryllium, cement, magnesium compounds, sand and gravel, and salt. In 2003, Utah was second in the nation in the output of magnesium compounds, copper, and potash; third in perlite, gold and molybdenum concentrates; fourth in silver and phosphate rock; and sixth in salt. It was also the only US source of mined beryllium during the year. The largest operating beryllium mine in the world is in Juab County, located at Spor Mountain. Utah was also a significant producer of portland cement and lime.

26

Energy and Power

In 2003, electric utilities in the state had a net generating capability of 5.8 million kilowatts. Electricity production totaled 38 billion kilowatt hours. In 2000, Utah’s total per capita energy consumption was 322 million Btu (81.1 million kilocalories), ranking 32nd among the 50 states. Proven oil reserves totaled 215 million barrels in 2004 and production was 40,000 barrels per day. Reserves of natural gas in 2004 amounted to over 3.8 trillion cubic feet (109.8 billion cubic meters). Marketed production was 277.9 billion Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

cubic feet (7.89 billion cubic meters). The state’s recoverable reserves of bituminous coal were estimated at 317 million tons in 2004. Production reached 21.7 million tons in 2004. Utah is the only coal-producing state whose entire production comes from underground mines.

27

Commerce

Wholesale sales totaled $22.9 billion in 2002; retail sales were $23.6 billion in the same year— all heavily concentrated in the Salt Lake City– Ogden area. Foreign exports of Utah’s goods totaled $6.05 billion in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The annual budget is prepared by the State Budget Office and submitted by the governor to the legislature for amendment and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July through 30 June. State revenues for fiscal year 2004 were $13.17 billion and expenditures were $10.79 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($4.3 billion), public welfare ($1.9 billion), and highways ($817 million). The state’s outstanding debt totaled $4.9 billion, or $2,049.62 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

Utah’s personal income tax is a six-bracket schedule ranging from 2.3% to 7%. The corporate income tax rate is a flat 5%. The state’s general sales and use tax rate is 4.75%, with local sales taxes adding on up to 2.25%. The state also levies a full array of excise taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, public utilities, alcoholic beverages, parimutuels, and other selected items. All property taxes are 65

Utah

collected at the local level. Property taxes are the primary source of local revenue. The state collected $4.68 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 41.1% came from individual income taxes, 36.5% from the general sales tax, 13.2% from selective sales taxes, 4% from corporate income taxes, and 5.1% from other taxes. In 2005, Utah ranked 38th among the states in terms of combined state and local tax burden, which amounted to about $1,897 per capita (per person).

30

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality rate was 4.4 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate in 2003 was 5.7 deaths per 1,000 persons. In 2004, Utah had the lowest proportion of adult smokers of any state, at only 10.5% of residents 18 years of age and older. The HIV mortality rate was unavailable that year. Utah’s 42 community hospitals had about 4,400 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,654 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, Utah had 215 doctors per 100,000 residents, and in 2005, there were 630 nurses per 100,000 residents. In 2004, approximately 13% of Utah’s residents were uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 848,737 housing units in Utah, of which 780,029 were occupied; 69.7% were owner-occupied. About 67.4% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Utility gas was the most common energy source for heating. It was estimated that 20,431 units lacked telephone services, 2,612 lacked 66

complete plumbing facilities, and 3,489 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 3.01 people. In 2004, 24,300 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $157,275. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,164, while renters paid a median of $662 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, 91% of Utah residents had graduated from high school and 10.8% had four or more years of college; both figures were higher than the national average. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 489,000 in fall 2002 and is expected to reach 562,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $3 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 15,907. As of fall 2002, there were 178,932 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Utah had 28 degree-granting institutions. Major public institutions include the University of Utah; Utah State University; and Weber State College. Brigham Young University (Provo), founded in 1875 and affiliated with the Latter-day Saints, is the state’s best known private institution.

33

Arts

Music has a central role in Utah’s cultural life. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has won world renown and Ballet West is ranked among the nation’s leading dance companies. The Utah Symphony (Salt Lake City) has also gained a Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Utah

national reputation. Opera buffs enjoy the Utah Opera Company, founded in 1976. The Utah Arts Council sponsors exhibitions, artists in the schools, rural arts and folk arts programs, and statewide arts competitions in cooperation with arts organizations throughout the state. In addition, the partially state-funded Utah Arts Festival is held each year in Salt Lake City. In 2003, Kenneth Brewer was named Utah’s poet laureate. His books include The Place In Between (1998), Hoping for All, Dreading Nothing (1994), and his final title, Whale Song: A Poet’s Journey into Cancer (2006). Brewer died of cancer in 2006. Utah has several art museums and galleries. Living Traditions: A Celebration of Salt Lake’s Folk and Ethnic Arts, is an annual festival that takes place on the weekend before Memorial Day. As of 2005, he three-day event attracted over 45,000 people and offers continuous music and dance on two stages, as well as crafts demonstrations and sales. The Sundance Institute, founded by Robert Redford in 1981, presents the annual Sundance Film Festival, which is widely regarded as one of the nation’s most influential gatherings for independent filmmakers. The Utah Arts Council supports many programs with the help of state and federal funding. The Utah Humanities Council was established in 1975 and promotes several literacy and history-related programs and exhibits.

system and the Weber County system were the largest. The leading academic libraries are the University of Utah (Salt Lake City) and Brigham Young University (Provo). Other collections are the Latter-day Saints’ Library-Archives and the Utah State Historical Society Library, both in Salt Lake City. In 2000, Utah had at least 60 museums, notably the Utah Museum of Natural History, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, the Hill Aerospace Museum near Ogden, the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum, and the Museum of Peoples and Cultures in Provo. Some homes are maintained as museums, including Beehive House and Wheeler Historic Farm in Salt Lake City, and Brigham Young’s Winter Home in St. George.

34

In 2005, Utah had six daily newspapers and six Sunday papers. Leading daily newspapers with their 2005 daily circulation were the Salt Lake City Tribune (133,025 daily, 152,859 Sundays), the Deseret News (72,008 daily, 73,610 Sundays) and the Ogden Standard-Examiner (60,844 daily, 63,649 Sundays).


In December 2001, Utah had 70 public library systems with a total of 107 libraries, of which there were 56 branches. The systems had a total of 6,064,000 volumes and a circulation of 24,592,000. The Salt Lake County library Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

35

Communications

In 2004, some 96.3% of Utah’s occupied houses had telephones. By June of that year, there were 1,229,029 mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, approximately 74.1% of Utah households had a computer, and 62.6% had Internet access. In 2005, there were 45 major radio stations, 14 AM and 31 FM, as well as 8 major television stations.

36

Press

67

Utah

37


In 2003, the state hosted about 16.9 million visitors spending a total of around $4.15 billion in 2002. About 83% of all trips were made by residents within the state or from bordering states. International visitors account for about 3.1% of all travel to the state. The top international markets are Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France. Also in 2002, nearly 5.8 million visitors came to state parks and 5.2 million came to national parks. Skier visits totaled 3 million. The industry supports over 130,000 jobs. The top five tourist attractions in 2002 (by attendance) were Temple Square (5–7 million), Zion National Park (2.6 million), Glen Canyon National Recreation Center (2.1 million), Wasatch Mountain State Park (1.2 million), and Lagoon Amusement Park (1.1 million). Pioneer Trail State Park and Hogle Zoological Gardens are leading attractions of Salt Lake City, about 11 miles (18 kilometers) east of the Great Salt Lake. At the Bonneville Salt Flats, experimental automobiles have set world land speed records. Utah has 41 state parks, 5 national parks, and 8 national monuments. Mountain and rock climbing, skiing, fishing, and hunting are major forms of recreation.

38

Sports

Utah has two major league professional sports teams, the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association, which moved from New Orleans to Salt Lake City at the close of the 1979 season, and Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer. Utah hosted a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team, the Starzz, but the 68

team was relocated to San Antonio prior to the 2003 season. Basketball is popular at the college level. The University of Utah’s Running Utes have had great success. The Cougars of Brigham Young were named college football’s national champions in 1984. Salt Lake City is also home to minor league baseball and hockey teams. Other annual sporting events include the Easter Jeep Sandhill Climb in Moab, the Ute Stampede (a rodeo) in Nephi in July, and various skiing events at Utah’s world-class resort in Park City. Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Olympics in 2002.

39

Famous Utahns

George Sutherland (b.England, 1862–1942) served as an associate justice of the US Supreme Court (1922–1938). Other important federal officeholders from Utah include Ezra Taft Benson (b.Idaho, 1899–1994), President Dwight Eisenhower’s secretary of agriculture and leader of the Mormon Church from 1985 until his death. Jacob “Jake” Garn (b.1932), first elected to the US Senate in 1974, was launched into space aboard the space shuttle in 1985. The dominant figure in Utah history is undoubtedly Brigham Young (b.Vermont, 1801–1877), leader of the Mormons for more than 30 years. Utah’s most important scientist is John A. Widtsoe (b.Norway, 1872–1952), whose pioneering research in dryland farming revolutionized agricultural practices. Frank Zamboni (1901–1988) invented the ice-resurfacing machine bearing his name. Utah’s artists and writers include sculptor Mahonri M. Young (1877–1957); painter Henry L. A. Culmer (b.England, 1854–1914); authorJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Utah

critic Bernard A. DeVoto (1897–1955); and novelist Edward Abbey (1927–1989). Donald “Donny” Osmond (b.1957) and his sister Marie (b.1959) are Utah’s best known popular singers, and comedienne Roseanne Barr (b.1952) is also a native. Maurice Abravanel (b.Greece, 1903– 1993) conducted the Utah Symphony for many years. Sports figures of note are former world middleweight boxing champion Gene Fullmer (b.1931); Merlin Olsen (b.1940), a tackle on the Los Angeles Rams who went on to become an actor; and Steve Young (b.1961), former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000.


Brown, Jonatha A. Utah. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. Feeney, Kathy. Utah Facts and Symbols. Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books, 2000. Heinrichs, Ann. Utah. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. Kent, Deborah. Utah. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. Murray, Julie. Utah. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Stefoff, Rebecca. Utah. New York: Benchmark Books, 2001. WEB SITES State of Utah. Utah dot gov: Official Web Site for the State of Utah. www.utah.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Utah Travel Council and Utah.com. Welcome to Utah. www.utah.com (accessed March 1, 2007).

69

Vermont State of Vermont

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Derived from the French

words vert (green) and mont (mountain). N I CKNAME : The Green Mountain State. C AP ITAL: Montpelier. ENT ERED UNION: 4 March 1791 (14th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Bisecting Vermont’s golden seal is

a row of wooded hills above the state name. The upper half has a spearhead, pine tree, cow, and two sheaves of wheat, while two more sheaves and the state motto fill the lower half. FLAG: The coat of arms on a field of dark blue. C OAT OF ARMS: Rural Vermont is represented by a pine tree in the center, three sheaves of grain on the left, and a cow on the right, with a background of fields and mountains. A deer crests the shield. Below are crossed pine branches and the state name and motto. M OT TO: Freedom and Unity. SONG: “Hail Vermont.” FLOWER: Red clover. TREE: Sugar maple. A NIMAL: Morgan horse. B IRD: Hermit thrush. FISH: Brook trout (cold water) and walleye pike (warm water). IN S ECT: Honeybee. B EVERAGE: Milk. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Town Meeting Day, 1st Tuesday in March; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

July; Bennington Battle Day, 16 August; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November and the day following; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated in the northeastern United States, Vermont is the second largest of the six New England states, and ranks 43rd in size among the 50 states. Vermont’s total area is 9,614 square miles (24,900 square kilometers), including 9,249 square miles (23,955 square kilometers) of land and 365 square miles (945 square kilometers) of inland water. Its maximum east–west extension is 90 miles (145 kilometers). Its maximum north–south extension is 158 miles (254 kilometers). Vermont’s total boundary length is 71

Vermont

561 miles (903 kilometers). The state’s territory includes several islands and the lower part of a peninsula jutting south into Lake Champlain.

2

Topography

The Green Mountains are Vermont’s most prominent physical feature. Extending north–south from the Canadian border to the Massachusetts state line, the Green Mountains contain the highest peaks, including Mansfield at 4,393 feet (1,340 meters), the highest point in Vermont. A much lower range, the Taconic Mountains, straddles the New York–Vermont border for about 80 miles (129 kilometers). To the north is the narrow Valley of Vermont and farther north is the Champlain Valley, a lowland between Lake Champlain (site of the state’s lowest point, 95 feet/29 meters above sea level) and the Green Mountains. The Vermont piedmont is a narrow corridor of hills and valleys stretching to the east of the Green Mountains. The Northeast Highlands consist of an isolated series of peaks near the New Hampshire border. Vermont’s major inland rivers are the Missisquoi, Lamoille, and Winooski. The state includes about 66% of Lake Champlain on its western border and about 25% of Lake Memphremagog on the northern border.

3

Climate

In Burlington, mean temperatures range from 18°f (-7°c) in January to 70°f (21°c) in July. Winters are generally colder and summer nights cooler in the higher elevations of the Green Mountains. The record high temperature for the state is 105°f (41°c), registered at Vernon 72

Vermont Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

623,908 2.5% 0.9% 98.6% 96.6% 0.5% 0.2% 1.1% 0.0% 0.2% 1.4%


Under 18 (22%)

65 and over (13%)

18 to 24 (8%)

45 to 64 (30%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City Burlington Rutland South Burlington Barre Essex Junction Montpelier St. Albans Winooski Newport Northfield

Population

% change 2000–05

38,531 17,046 16,993 9,128 8,841 8,003 7,476 6,353 5,207 3,157

-0.9 -1.4 7.5 -1.8 2.9 -0.4 -2.3 -3.2 4.0 -1.6



Vermont

VERMONT CANADA

Explanation Point of Interest City (less than 25,000 people) City (more than 25,000 people) State Capital

89

ESSEX ORLEANS

FRANKLIN

GRAND ISLE


Lake Memphremagog

Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge

Area of Interest

Newport

St. Albans

N

Willoughby State Forest

30 miles

15

u ctic nne Co

0

LAMOILLE

89

tR

15

.

0

CHITTENDEN

30 kilometers

Mt. Mansfield St. Forest

CALEDONIA

91

Burlington South Burlington

St. Johnsbury

Mt. Mansfield St. Forest

93

Lake Champlain

Groton State Forest

WASHINGTON

Mt. Philo State Park

Montpelier

Camels Hump State Forest

ADDISON

Barre

Button Bay State Park ORANGE

Green Mountain National Forest Dar St. Park Middlebury

Allis State Park

89 WINDSOR

Thetford Hill St. Park

RUTLAND

Half Moon St. Park Bomoseen St. Park

NEW YORK

Fair Haven

White River Junction

Rutland Killington Peak

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Coolidge State Park Windsor

Wilgus State Park

Springfield

BENNINGTON

WINDHAM

Jamaica State Park

91

Green Mountain National Forest

Brattleboro

Bennington

MASSACHUSETTS


73

Vermont

Mt. Mansfield is Vermont’s highest mountain. AP IMAGES.

on 4 July 1911. The record low, -50°f (-46°c), occurred at Bloomfield on 30 December 1933. The average annual precipitation is 40 inches (102 centimeters). Annual snowfall ranges from 55 inches (140 centimeters) in the lowlands to 125 inches (254 and 318 centimeters) in the mountain areas.

Native mammals include coyote, red fox, and snowshoe hare. Characteristic birds include the raven and Canada jay. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed six animal species as threatened or endangered in Vermont, including the Indiana bat, dwarf wedgemussel, and bald eagle.

4

5

Plants and Animals

Common trees of Vermont include the commercially important sugar maple (the state tree), ash, butternut, white pine, and the poplar. Other native plants include 15 types of conifer, 192 sedges, and 130 grasses. In 2006, two plant species, Jesup’s milk-vetch and Northeastern bulrush, were endangered. 74


All natural resource regulation, planning, and operation are coordinated by the Department of Environmental Conservation. Several dams on the Winooski and Connecticut rivers help control flooding of the river basins. Legislation enacted in 1972 bans the use of throwaway beverage containers in Vermont, in an effort to Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Vermont

Vermont Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608,827 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601,492 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,938 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 922 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,484 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,061 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 White and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 943 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . 2 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 98.8 . . . . . . . 1.1 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.6 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . .— . . . . . . . 0.1


reduce roadside litter. Billboards were banned in 1968. In 2003, Vermont had 56 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 11 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. By some estimates as much as 35% of Vermont’s wetlands have been lost since colonization. As of 2002, about 4% of the state was designated as wetlands and the government had established the Vermont Wetlands Conservation Strategy.

6

Population

In 2006, Vermont ranked 49th among the 50 states in population with an estimated total of 623,908 residents. The population was projected Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

to reach 703,288 by 2025. The median age in 2004 was 40.4 years. In 2005, about 13% of all residents were 65 or older while 22% were 18 or younger. In 2005, the largest cities in Vermont were Burlington, Rutland, and Montpelier, all of which had less than 40,000 residents.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, there were 53,835 residents in Vermont reporting French Canadian ancestry. Italians make up 6.4% of the population. Hispanics and Latinos numbered 5,504, about 1% of the total. There were approximately 5,217 Asians, 3,063 black Americans, and 2,420 75

Vermont

Native Americans. About 23,245 residents (3.8% of the population) were foreign born.

8

Languages

Vermont English, although typical of the Northern dialect, differs from that of New Hampshire in several respects, including retention of the final r and use of eavestrough in place of eavespout or gutters. In 2000, 94.1% of the population age five and over spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home and the number of speakers included French, 14,624, and Spanish, 5,791.

9

Religions

Congregationalists (now called the United Church of Christ) have played a dominant role in the state. In 2000, they were the largest Protestant denomination in the state, with 21,597 known adherents. Other major Protestant groups included the United Methodists, 19,000; Episcopalians, 9,163; and American Baptists, 8,352. The largest single religious organization in Vermont is the Roman Catholic Church, with 149,154 members in 2004. There is a small Jewish population estimated at 5,810 residents in 2000. Vermont was the birthplace of both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, founders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The state had 4,150 Mormons in 2006. Over 370,000 people (about 60.9% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization in 2000. 76

10

Transportation

In 2003, there were 562 rail miles (904 kilometers) of track operated by ten railroads. In 2006, Amtrak provided passenger service to 11 stations in the state. There were 14,368 miles (23,132 kilometers) of public streets, roads, and highways in 2004. A total of approximately 540,000 motor vehicles were registered in 2004, when there were 550,462 licensed drivers. In 2005, Vermont had 61 airports. Burlington International Airport is the state’s major air terminal.

11

History

Algonquian-speaking Abnaki settled along Lake Champlain and in the Connecticut Valley, and Mahican settled in the southern counties of what is now Vermont between 1200 and 1790. The region, however, had shown evidence of continuous habitation for the last 10,000 years. In 1609, Samuel de Champlain became the first European explorer of Vermont. From the mid17th to the mid-18th centuries, there was regular traffic through the state and attempts at settlement by the French. Fort Dummer, built in 1724 near present-day Brattleboro, was the first permanent settlement. Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire, claiming that his colony extended as far west as did Massachusetts and Connecticut, had granted 131 town charters in the territory by 1764. In that year, the crown declared that New York’s northeastern boundary was the Connecticut River. Owners of New Hampshire titles, fearful of losing their land, prevented New York from enforcing its jurisdiction. The Green Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Vermont

Mountain Boys, organized by Ethan Allen in 1770–71, scared off the defenseless settlers under the New York title and scorned the New York courts. Shortly after the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Ethan Allen’s Green Mountain Boys helped capture Fort Ticonderoga. There were several British raids on Vermont towns during the war. After the Revolution, most Vermonters wanted to join the United States, but members of the dominant Allen faction refused in order to protect their large landholdings. Vermont declared itself an independent republic with the name “New Connecticut.” Following the political defeat of Allen and his followers in 1789, Vermont sought statehood and was admitted to the Union on 4 March 1791. State Development Vermonters of the next gen-

eration developed towns and villages with waterpowered mills, charcoal-fired furnaces, general stores, newspapers, craft shops, churches, and schools. In the War of 1812, Vermont soldiers fought in the Battle of Plattsburgh, New York. The Mexican War (1846–48) was unpopular in the state, but Vermont, which had strongly opposed slavery, was an enthusiastic supporter of the Union during the Civil War. The opening of the Champlain–Hudson Canal in 1823, and the building of the early railroad lines in 1846–53, made Vermont more vulnerable to competition from the West, destroying many small farms and businesses. Immigration by the Irish and French Canadians, however, soon stabilized the population and the expansion of light industry bolstered the economy. During the 20th century and especially after World War II, manufacturing prospered in valJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ley villages, and Vermont’s picturesque landscape began to attract city buyers of second homes. New highways made the cities and rural areas more accessible, and Vermont absorbed an influx of young professionals from New York and Massachusetts. Longtime Vermonters enjoy their state’s natural beauty. As of 2000 Vermont was the nation’s most rural state. Two-thirds of Vermonters lived in towns with 2,500 people or less. In 1993 Vermont passed legislation barring smoking in all public buildings. In 2003 former Vermont governor Howard Dean launched a campaign to become the Democratic candidate for president in the 2004 election. He failed to achieve that goal, but in 2005 was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

12

State Government

The general assembly consists of a 150-member house of representatives and a 30-member senate. State elective officials include the governor, lieutenant governor (elected separately), treasurer, and secretary of state. All bills require a majority vote in each house for passage. Bills can be vetoed by the governor, and vetoes can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of each legislative house. The legislative salary as of December 2004 was $589 per week and the governor’s salary in 2002 was $133,162.

13

Political Parties

The Republican Party gained control of Vermont state offices in 1856 and kept it for more than 77

Vermont

Vermont Governors: 1778–2007 1778–1789 1789–1790 1790–1797 1797 1797–1807 1807–1808 1808–1809 1809–1913 1813–1815 1815–1820 1820–1823 1823–1826 1826–1828 1828–1831 1831–1835 1835–1841 1841–1843 1843–1844 1844–1846 1846–1848 1848–1850 1850–1852 1852–1853 1853–1854 1854–1856 1856–1858 1858–1860 1860–1861 1861–1863 1863–1865 1865–1867 1867–1869 1869–1870 1870 1870–1872 1872–1874 1874–1876 1876–1878 1878–1880 1880–1882 1882–1884 1884–1886 1886–1888

Thomas Chittenden — Moses Robinson Dem-Rep Thomas Chittenden — Paul Brigham Dem-Rep Isaac Tichenor Federalist Israel Smith Dem-Rep Isaac Tichenor Federalist Jonas Galusha Dem-Rep Martin Chittenden Federalist Jonas Galusha Dem-Rep Richard Skinner Dem-Rep Cornelius P. Van Ness Dem-Rep Ezra Butler Dem-Rep Samuel Chandler Crafts Nat-Rep William Adams Palmer Anti–Mason Dem Silas Hemenway Jennison Whig Charles Paine Whig John Mattocks Whig William Slade Whig Horace Eaton Whig Carlos Coolidge Whig Charles Kilborn Williams Whig Erastus Fairbanks Whig John Staniford Robinson Democrat Stephen Royce Whig, Republican Ryland Fletcher Know Nothing Hiland Hall Republican Erastus Fairbanks Whig Frederick Holbrook Whig Republican John Gregory Smith Republican Paul Dillingham, Jr. Republican John Boardman Page Republican Peter Thacher Washburn Republican George Whitman Hendee Republican John Wolcott Stewart Republican Julius Converse Republican Asahel Peck Republican Horace Fairbanks Republican Redfield Proctor, Sr. Republican Roswell Farnham Republican John Lester Barstow Republican Samuel Everett Pingree Republican Ebenezer Jolls Ormsbee Republican

100 years. No Democrat was elected governor from 1853 until 1962. In 2004 there were 419,000 registered voters; there is no party registration in the state. Democrat Howard Dean was elected governor in 1992, and was reelected in 1994, 1996, 1998, 78

1888–1890 1890–1892 1892–1894 1894–1896 1896–1898 1898–1900 1900–1902 1902–1904 1904–1906 1906–1908 1908–1910 1910–1912 1912–1915 1915–1917 1917–1919 1919–1921 1921–1923 1923–1925 1925–1927 1927–1931 1931–1935 1935–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1947 1947–1950 1950–1951 1951–1955 1955–1959 1959–1961 1961–1963 1963–1969 1969–1973 1973–1977 1977–1985 1985–1991 1991 1991–2002 2002–

William Paul Dillingham Carroll Smalley Page Levi Knight Fuller Urban Andrain Woodbury Josiah Grout Edward Curtis Smith William Wallace Stickney John Griffith McCullough Charles James Bell Fletcher Dutton Proctor George Herbert Prouty John Abner Mead Allen Miller Fletcher Charles Winslow Gates Horace French Graham Percival Wood Clement James Hartness Redfield Proctor, Jr. Frankin Swift Billings John Eliakim Weeks Stanley Calef Wilson Charles Manley Smith George David Aiken William Henry Wills Mortimer Robinson Proctor Ernest William Gibson, Jr. Harold John Arthur Lee Earl Emerson Joseph Blaine Johnson Robert Theodore Stafford Frank Ray Keyser, Jr. Philip Henderson Hoff Deane Chandler Davis Thomas Paul Salmon Richard Arkwright Snelling Madeleine May Kunin Richard Arkwright Snelling Howard Dean, MD James Douglas

Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican

Anti–Mason Democrat – Anti–Mason Dem Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep National Republican – Nat-Rep

and 2000. (The state has no term limit for the office of governor.) Although Dean gained early support in his run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2003, he withdrew from the race in early 2004. He later became the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Vermont

Republican James Douglas was elected governor of Vermont in 2002, and reelected in 2004 and 2006. Following the 2006 midterm elections, Democrats controlled the state senate, with 23 seats out of 30. In the state house of representatives, the Democrats held 93 seats; the Republicans had 49; and Independents had 8 seats. Sixty women won election to the state legislature in 2006, or 33.3%. Democratic US Senator Patrick Leahy was elected to his sixth term in 2004. In 2001, Senator James Jeffords, after winning reelection in 2000 as a Republican, became an Independent. His move stunned the nation and shifted control of the evenly divided Senate to the Democrats. (In 2002, however, control of the Senate shifted to the Republicans.) Jeffords announced his retirement in 2005. In 2006, veteran Congressman Bernie Sanders, an Independent, ran for and won the seat in the US Senate vacated by Jeffords. He planned to caucus with the Democrats. Vermont’s delegation to the House of Representatives consisted of one Democrat, Peter Welch as of 2006. Vermont has often shown its independence in national political elections. In 2000, the state gave 51% of the vote to Democratic nominee Al Gore and 41% to Republican George W. Bush. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry won 59% of the vote in Vermont to President Bush’s 39%.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, there were 14 counties, 47 municipal governments, and 237 townships in Vermont, as well as 288 public school districts and 152 special districts. County officers, operating out of shire towns (county seats), include the probate courts judge, county clerk, state’s attorney, and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Vermont Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

VERMONT WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 Dewey (R) 45,557 75,926 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 43,299 109,717 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 42,540 110,390 1960 Nixon (R) 69,186 98,131 1964 *Johnson (D) 108,127 54,942 1968 *Nixon (R) 70,255 85,142 1972 *Nixon (R) 68,174 117,149 1976 Ford (R) 77,798 100,387 1980 *Reagan (R) 81,891 94,598 1984 *Reagan (R) 95,730 135,865 1988 *Bush (R) 115,775 124,331 1992** *Clinton (D) 133,592 88,122 1996** *Clinton (D) 137,984 80,532 2000 Gore (D) 149,022 119,775 2004 Kerry (D) 184,067 121,180 * Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 65,991 votes in 1992 and 31,024 votes in 1996.

treasurer. All cities have mayor-council systems. Towns are governed by selectmen; larger towns also have town managers. The town meeting remains an important part of government in the state.

15

Judicial System

Vermont’s highest court is the supreme court, which consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. Other courts include the superior and district courts. There are also 318 associate judges and 50 permissive associate judges. Crime rates in nearly every category are far below the national average. Vermont has no death penalty. As of 31 December 2004, a total of 1,968 prisoners were being held in Vermont’s state and federal prisons. 79

Vermont

16

Migration

The earliest Vermont settlers were farmers from southern New England and New York. Most were of English descent although some Dutch settlers moved to Vermont from New York. French Canadians came beginning in the 1830s. As milling, quarrying, and mining grew during the 19th century, other Europeans arrived— small groups of Italians and Scots in Barre, and Poles, Swedes, Czechs, Russians, and Austrians in the Rutland quarry areas. Irish immigrants built the railroads in the mid-19th century. Steady out-migrations during the 19th and early 20th centuries kept population increases down. Between 1990 and 1998, the state had net gains of 5,000 in domestic migration and 4,000 in international migration. In the period 2000– 05, net international migration was 4,359 and net internal migration was 3,530, for a net gain of 7,889 people.

17

Economy

After World War II, agriculture was replaced by manufacturing and tourism as the backbone of the economy. Durable goods manufacturing (primarily electronics and machine parts), construction, wholesale and retail trade, and other service industries showed the largest growth in employment during the 1990s. Vermont’s economy was little impacted by the 2001 national recession, as the growth rate improved from 5.1% in 1998 to 5.7% in 2001. In 2004, Vermont’s gross state product (GSP) was $21.92 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for $2.9 billion (13.4% of GSP), followed by the real estate sector at $2.7 billion 80

(12.5% of GSP), and healthcare and social assistance at $2 billion (9.2% of GSP).

18

Income

In 2004, Vermont ranked 24th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $31,780 (the national average was $33,050). Vermont’s gross state product (GSP) in 2005 was $23 billion, lowest (51st) among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The median annual household income for 2002–04 was $45,692 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 2002–04, an estimated 8.8% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

The value of shipped manufactured goods was $9.9 billion in 2004—a figure important to the state’s economy, though very small by national standards. Leading industry groups were electrical and electronic equipment, food products, printing and publishing, paper and allied products, fabricated metal products, and industrial machinery and equipment. Scales, machine tools, and electronic components are important manufactured items.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Vermont numbered 360,300, with approximately 12,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.3%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. In April 2006, 5.5% of the labor force was employed in construction; 11.9% in manufacturing; 19.5% in trade, transportation, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Vermont

Sap buckets hang on maple trees. Vermont is known for its maple syrup. AP IMAGES.

and public utilities; 4.2% in financial activities; 7.2% in professional and business services; 17.9% in education and health services; 10.6% in leisure and hospitality services; and 17.3% in government. In 2005, 31,000 of Vermont’s 287,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 10.8% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

Although Vermont is one of the nation’s most rural states, its agricultural income was only $561 million in 2005, 41st among the 50 states. More than 85% of the income came from liveJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

stock and livestock products, especially dairy products. The leading crops in 2004 were corn for silage, hay, and apples.

22


The merino sheep and the Morgan horse (a breed developed in Vermont) were common sights on pastures more than a century ago, but today they have been for the most part replaced by dairy cattle. In 2003, Vermont dairy farms had around 149,000 milk cows that produced 2.64 billion pounds (1.2 billion kilograms) of milk. In 2005, the state had an estimated 275,000 cattle and calves, valued at $357.5 million. 81

Vermont

23

Fishing

Sport fishermen can find ample species of trout, perch, walleye pike, bass, and pickerel in Vermont’s waters, many of which are stocked by the Department of Fish and Game. There are two national fish hatcheries in the state (Pittsford and White River). In 2004, the state issued 121,701 sport fishing licenses. There is very little commercial fishing.

24

Forestry

The Green Mountain State is covered by 4,628,000 acres (1,873,000 hectares) of forestland, which is 78% of the state’s total land area. Much of it is owned or leased by lumber companies. In 2004, lumber production totaled 183 million board feet. The largest forest reserve in Vermont is the Green Mountain National Forest, with 391,862 acres (158,587 hectares) in 2005. It is managed by the US Forest Service.

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in Vermont in 20031 was estimated to be $73 million. According to preliminary figures, the leading mineral commodity, in terms of value, was dimension stone ($29 million for 98,000 metric tons), which accounted for around 40% of the state’s total nonfuel mineral value. Crushed stone and construction sand and gravel are the other leading commodities produced. Nationally, the state ranked fourth in the production of dimension stone and third in talc. Granite is quarried near Barre and slate is found in the Southwest. 82

The West Rutland–Proctor area has the world’s largest marble reserve, at the Danby quarry.

26

Energy and Power

Because of the state’s lack of fossil fuel resources, utility bills are higher in Vermont than in most states. During 2003, generating capability by the state’s electrical generating plants totaled 997,000 kilowatts, producing 6 billion kilowatt hours of power. More than 73.7% of all power was produced by the state’s Vermont Yankee power plant in Windham County. Hydroelectric plants produced 19.1% of all power, with other renewable power sources accounting for 6.7% of all power generated. In 2000, Vermont’s total per capita energy consumption was 270 million Btu (68 million kilocalories), ranking it 43rd among the 50 states.

27

Commerce

Wholesale sales totaled $1.6 billion in 2002; retail sales were $7.6 billion. Foreign exports of Vermont manufacturers were estimated at $4.2 billion for 2005.

28

Public Finance

The budgets for two fiscal years are submitted by the governor to the Vermont General Assembly for approval during its biennial session. The fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June. The total revenues for 2004 were $4.3 billion. Expenditures were $3.9 billion. The highest general expenditures were for education ($1.48 billion), public welfare ($1.0 billion), and highways ($253 million). The total debt was $2.5 billion, or $4,085.57 per capita (per person). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Vermont

29

Taxation

In 2006, the Vermont’s personal income tax had the highest thresholds in the country. The fivebracket schedule ranged from 3.6% to 9.5%. Corporations are taxed at rates ranging from 7% to 8.9% The state sales and use tax rate is 6%, with basics, including food and medicines, exempted, and local sales taxes limited to 1%. The state also imposes a full array of excise taxes covering motor fuels, tobacco products, insurance premiums, public utilities, alcoholic beverages, parimutuels, and other selected items. The state collected $2.24 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 33.2% came from state property taxes, 22.3% from individual income taxes, 20.8% from selective sales taxes, 13.9% from the general sales tax, 3.1% from corporate income taxes, and 6.7% from other taxes.

30

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality rate was 5.3 per 1,000 live births. The crude death rate in 2003 was 8.3 deaths per 1,000 people. Heart disease was the leading cause of death in 2005, at a rate of 222.2 per 100,000 population. In 2004, 19.9% of residents 18 years of age of Vermont smoked. The state’s HIV-related mortality rate was unavailable that year. Vermont’s 14 community hospitals had approximately 1,500 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,148 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, Vermont had 363 doctors per 100,000 residents, and 892 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005. In 2004, about 10% of the population was uninsured. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

31

Housing

As rustic farmhouses gradually disappear, modern units (many of them vacation homes for Vermonters and nonresidents) are being built to replace them. In 2004, there were an estimated 304,291 housing units in Vermont (one of the lowest housing stocks in the country), 249,590 of which were occupied; 73.3% were owneroccupied. About 66.3% of all units were singlefamily, detached homes. About 30% of all housing was built in 1939 or earlier. Fuel oil was the most common energy source for heating. It was estimated that 6,112 units lacked telephone service, 1,634 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 1,495 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.41 people. In 2004, some 3,600 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $154,318. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,174. Renters paid a median of $674 per month.

32

Education

In 2004, 90.8% of Vermont residents age 25 and older were high school graduates and 34.2% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 100,000 in fall 2002 but was expected to drop to 85,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $1.19 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 12,218. As of fall 2002, there were 36,537 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Vermont had 27 degree-granting institutions. The state college system includes col83

Vermont

leges at Castleton, Johnson, and Lyndonville; a technical college at Randolph Center; and the Community College of Vermont system with 12 branch campuses. The University of Vermont is a state-supported institution combining features of both a private and a state facility. Founded in 1791, it is the oldest higher educational institution in the state. Notable private institutions include Bennington College, Champlain College, Landmark College (serving students with ADHD and learning disabilities), Marlboro College, and Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the United States. The School for International Training is the academic branch of the Experiment in International Living, a student exchange program. Other notable institutions include St. Michael’s College and Trinity College.

33

Arts

The Vermont State Crafts Centers at Frog Hollow (Middlebury), Burlington, and Manchester display the works of Vermont artisans. Marlboro College is the home of the summer Marlboro Music Festival, cofounded by famed pianist Rudolf Serkin, who directed the festival from 1952 to 1992. Among the summer theaters in the state are those at Dorset and Weston and the University of Vermont Shakespeare Festival. The Middlebury College Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, founded in 1926, meets each August in Ripton. The Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in Burlington serves as a major performance center for the area. It is home to the Lyric Stage, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the Vermont Stage Company, and the Burlington Discover 84

Jazz Festival. Other musical performance and education venues include the Vermont Jazz Center in Brattleboro and the Vergennes Opera House, which presents concerts, films, dance and theater presentations, and various literary readings, as well as operas. The Vermont Council on the Arts supports a number of programs with the help of state and federal funds. The Vermont Humanities Council supports literacy and history-related programs, as well as sponsoring annual Humanities Camps at schools throughout the state.

34


During 2001, the state’s public libraries held 2.73 million volumes and had a combined circulation of 3.84 million. The largest academic library was at the University of Vermont (Burlington), with a book stock of over 1 million and 4,808 periodical subscriptions. Vermont has 89 museums and more than 65 historic sites. Among them are the Bennington Museum, with its collection of Early American glass, pottery, furniture, and Grandma Moses paintings; and the Art Gallery–St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, featuring 19th-century American artists. The Shelburne Museum, housed in restored Early American buildings, contains collections of American primitives and Native American artifacts. The Vermont Museum, in Montpelier, features historical exhibits concerning Native Americans, the Revolutionary War, rural life, and railroads and industry. Old Constitution House in Windsor offers exhibits on Vermont history. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Vermont

35

Communications

In 2004, about 95.9% of Vermont’s occupied households had telephones. In 2003, 65.5% of Vermont households had a computer and 58.1% had Internet access. In 2005, there were 5 major AM and 19 major FM radio stations, as well as 7 major television stations.

36

Press

In 2005, there were eight daily papers, and three Sunday papers in the state. The leading daily was the Burlington Free Press (48,524 mornings; 56,850 Sundays). Vermont Life magazine is published quarterly.

37


With the building of the first ski slopes in the 1930s and the development of modern highways, tourism became a major industry in Vermont. In 2001, direct spending from about 13.9 million visitors totaled $2.84 billion. The tourism and travel industry supports 63,279 jobs (21% of all jobs in the state). Summer and fall are the most popular seasons for visitors. Fall foliage trips account for about 28% of all travel. In the winter, the state’s ski areas offer some of the finest skiing in the East. There are 52 state parks and over 100 campgrounds in the state. Historical sites, including several Revolutionary War battlefields, are popular attractions but shopping, particularly for Vermont-made products such as maple syrup, is a major activity for all visitors. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

38

Sports

Vermont has no major league professional sports teams. Skiing is, perhaps, the most popular participation sport. Vermont ski areas have hosted national and international ski competitions in both Alpine and Nordic events. World Cup races have been run at Stratton Mountain and the national cross country championships have been held near Putney.

39

Famous Vermonters

Two US presidents, both of whom assumed office on the death of their predecessors, were born in Vermont. Chester Alan Arthur (1829– 1886) became the 21st president after James A. Garfield’s assassination in 1881 and finished Garfield’s term. Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933), 28th president, became president on the death of Warren G. Harding in 1923 and was elected to a full term in 1924. Important state leaders were Ethan Allen (1738–1789), a frontier folk hero and leader of the Green Mountain Boys; and Ira Allen (1751– 1814), the brother of Ethan, who led the fight for statehood. Vermont’s many entrepreneurs and inventors include plow and tractor manufacturer John Deere (1804–1886); and Elisha G. Otis (1811– 1861), inventor of a steam elevator. Robert Frost (b.California, 1874–1963) maintained a summer home near Ripton, where he helped found Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. In 1992, Louise Gluck (b.1943) became the first Vermont woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for poetry. 85

Vermont

Skiers Billy Kidd (b.1943) and Andrea Mead Lawrence (b.1932), both Olympic medalists, grew up in Vermont and trained in the state.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Vermont. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. Elish, Dan. Vermont. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Feeney, Kathy. Vermont Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed.

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Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Heinrichs, Ann. Vermont. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. Murray, Julie. Vermont. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES State of Vermont. Vermont.gov: The Official Portal of Vermont. www.vermont.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing. Vermont Vacation.com www.travel-vermont. com (accessed March 1, 2007). Visit New England. Vermont. www.visit-vermont. com (accessed March 1, 2007).


Virginia Commonwealth of Virginia

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for Queen

Elizabeth I of England, the “Virgin Queen.” N I CKNAME : The Old Dominion. C AP ITAL: Richmond. ENT ERED UNION: 25 June 1788 (10th).

the Roman goddess Virtus, dressed as an Amazon and holding a sheathed sword in one hand and a spear in the other, stands over the body of Tyranny, who is pictured with a broken chain in his hand and a fallen crown nearby. The state motto appears below, the word “Virginia” above, and a border of Virginia creeper encircles the whole. REVERSE: the Roman goddesses of Liberty, Eternity, and Fruitfulness, with the word “Perseverando” (by persevering) above. FLAG: On a blue field, the state seal is centered on a white circle. M OT TO: Sic semper tyrannis (Thus ever to tyrants). SONG: “Carry Me Back to Old Virginia” was formally retired from use in 1997 but has not yet been replaced. FLOWER: Dogwood. TREE: Dogwood. B IRD: Cardinal. D OG: Foxhound. B EVERAGE: Milk. SHELL: Oyster. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; LeeJackson Day, 13 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; O FFICIAL SEAL:

OBVERSE:


Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November and the day following; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated on the eastern seaboard of the United States, Virginia is the fourth largest of the South Atlantic states and ranks 36th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Virginia is 40,767 square miles (105,586 square kilometers), of which land occupies 39,704 square miles (102,833 square kilometers) and inland water 1,063 square miles (2,753 square kilometers). The maximum point-to-point distance from the state’s noncontiguous Eastern Shore to the western extremity is 470 miles (756 kilometers). 87

Virginia

The maximum north–south extension is about 200 miles (320 kilometers). The boundaries of Virginia total 1,356 miles (2,182 kilometers), of which 112 miles (180 kilometers) is general coastline. Virginia’s offshore islands in the Atlantic include Chincoteague, Wallops, Cedar, Parramore, Hog Cobb, and Smith.

2

Topography

Virginia consists of three principal areas: the Atlantic Coastal Plain, or Tidewater; the Piedmont Plateau, in the central section; and the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains of the Appalachian chain, in the west and northwest. The long, narrow Blue Ridge Mountains reach a maximum elevation of 5,729 feet (1,746 meters) at Mount Rogers, the state’s highest point. Between the Blue Ridge and the Allegheny Mountains of the Appalachian chain in the northwest lies the Valley of Virginia, consisting of transverse ridges and six separate valleys. The Tidewater has many excellent harbors, notably the deep Hampton Roads estuary. Also in the southeast lies the Dismal Swamp, a drainage basin that includes Lake Drummond, about 7 miles (11 kilometers) long and 5 miles (8 kilometers) wide near the North Carolina border. Smith Mountain, at 31 square miles (80 square kilometers), is the largest lake wholly within the state. The John H. Kerr Reservoir, covering 76 square miles (197 square kilometers), straddles the Virginia–North Carolina line. The lowest point of the state is at sea level.

3

Climate

Virginia Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

7,642,884 8.0% 6.0% 98.2% 71.7% 19.1% 0.3% 4.7% 0.1% 2.3% 1.8%


65 and over (11%)

Under 18 (25%)

45 to 64 (26%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (29%)

Major Cities by Population City Virginia Beach Norfolk Chesapeake Arlington Richmond Newport News Hampton Alexandria Portsmouth Roanoke

Population

% change 2000–05

438,415 231,954 218,968 195,965 193,777 179,899 145,579 135,337 100,169 92,631

3.1 -1.0 9.9 3.4 -2.0 -0.1 -0.6 5.5 -0.4 -2.4


A mild, humid coastal climate is characteristic of Virginia. Temperatures become increasingly 88


25

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Fort Pickett

NOTTOWAY

MECKLENBURG

NORTH CAROLINA

Danville

PITTSYLVANIA

CHARLOTTE

Twin Lakes St. Park

PRINCE EDWARD

ND

POWHATAN

HL A

KI

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Holiday Lake S. P.

Bear Cr. Lake S. P.

GO OC

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Zoar S. F.

CAROLINE

ESSEX

KING GEORGE

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TAZEWELL

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Lynchburg

APPOMATTOX

s R. BUCKINGHAM

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FLUVANNA

95

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Smith Mountain Lake

Roanoke

BEDFORD

NELSON

64

LOUISA

Charlottesville

ALBEMARLE

ORANGE

CULPEPER

Lake Anna St. Park SPOTSYLVANIA

MADISON

GREENE

ES

Blacksburg

ROANOKE

BOTETOURT

64

AMHERST

AUGUSTA

ROCKRIDGE

81 Harrisonburg

WASHINGTON D. C.

Alexandria PRINCE WILLIAM

Prince Shenandoah William National Park Forest Park STAFFORD

66

FAIRFAX

Arlington

JAM

GILES

CRAIG

BATH

HIGHLAND

PAGE

RAPPAHANNOCK

FAUQUIER

MARYLAND

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George Washington National Forest

WEST VIRGINIA

ROCKINGHAM

SHENANDOAH

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Sky Meadows St. Park

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50 miles

50 kilometers

N

Area of Interest


OHIO

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City (25,000-100,000 people)

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VIRGINIA

Virginia

89

Virginia

cooler with the rising altitudes as one moves westward. The normal daily average temperature at Richmond ranges from 38°f (3°c) in January to 78°f (26°c) in July. The record high, 110°f (43°c), was registered at Balcony Falls (near Glasgow) on 15 July 1954. The record low, -30°f (-34°c), was set at Mountain Lake on 22 January 1985. The annual average precipitation at Richmond is 42.7 inches (108 centimeters). The average annual snowfall in Richmond is 13.9 inches (35 centimeters).

4

Plants and Animals

Native to Virginia are a dozen varieties of oak, five of pine, and two each of walnut, locust, gum, and poplar. Pines predominate in the coastal areas, with numerous hardwoods on slopes and ridges inland. Characteristic wildflowers include trailing arbutus and mountain laurel. In 2006, 14 plant species were listed as threatened or endangered in Virginia, including the Virginia round-leaf birch, Northeastern bulrush, and small whorled pogonia. Among native mammals are white-tailed (Virginia) deer, elk, black bear, and bobcat. Principal game birds include the ruffed grouse (commonly called pheasant in Virginia), wild turkey, and bobwhite quail. Tidal waters abound with gray and spotted trout, and flounder; bass, bream, and bluegill live in freshwater ponds and streams. Native reptiles include such poisonous snakes as the northern copperhead and eastern cottonmouth. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 47 animal species as threatened or endangered in Virginia, including the Virginia bigeared bats, bald eagle, red-cockaded woodpecker, 90

Virginia fringed mountain snail, Lee County cave isopod; four species of pearlymussel, three species of pigtoe, tan riffleshell, and three species of whale. At least one-fourth of the rare or endangered species in the state are found in the Dismal Swamp.

5


The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), established in 1993, is under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Natural Resources. The mission of the DEQ is to protect the environment of Virginia in order to promote the health and well being of the citizens of the Commonwealth. The Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries manages land wildlife and freshwater fish resources, while the Marine Resources Commission manages the wetlands, commercial fishery resources, and the use of the marine environment in the Tidewater area. Virginia has implemented programs to improve air quality in the Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads regions. The state has also worked to enhance water quality monitoring for streams and lakes statewide and to continue restoration efforts for the Chesapeake Bay. Voluntary cleanups of contaminated industrial sites have been encouraged. In 2003, Virginia had 250 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 29 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006. About one million acres (404,685 hectares) of the state is wetlands. These areas are regulated by the Virginia Water Protection Permit. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Virginia

Virginia Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,078,515 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,935,446 . . . . . . 98.0 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133,369 . . . . . . . 1.9 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,537 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,671 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27,827 . . . . . . . 0.4 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,547 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,137 . . . . . . . 0.5 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,261 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,790 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 629 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,628 . . . . . . . 0.1 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 936 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 62 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 950 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,783 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,237 . . . . . . . 0.1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,700 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

6

Population

In 2006, Virginia ranked 12th among the 50 states in population with an estimated total of 7,642,884 residents. The population is projected to reach 9.3 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 188.5 persons per square mile (72.7 persons per square kilometer). The median age in 2004 was 36.9 years. In 2005, about 11% of all residents were 65 or older while 25% were 18 or younger. The largest city in 2005 was Virginia Beach with 438,415 residents. Norfolk was the second largest with 231,954 residents. Other leading cities and their 2005 populations were Chesapeake, 218,968; Arlington, 195,965; Richmond (the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

capital), 193,777; Newport News, 179,899; Hampton, 145,579; and Alexandria, 135,337.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, there were 1,390,293 black Americans living in Virginia, representing about 20% of the total state population. There were also 329,540 Hispanic and Latino residents, chiefly Mexicans and Salvadorans. The state also had 261,025 Asians, including 47,609 Filipinos, 45,279 Koreans, 36,966 Chinese, 37,309 Vietnamese, 48,815 Asian Indians, and 9,080 Japanese. Pacific Islanders numbered 3,946. The Native American population, including Eskimos and Aleuts, num91

Virginia

bered 21,172. An estimated 570,279 Virginians (8.1%) were of foreign birth. In 2006, estimates indicated that 19.1% of the population was black, 6.0% was Hispanic or Latino, and 4.7% was Asian.

8

Languages

Although the suburban area south of the District of Columbia has many different dialects, the rest of the state has retained its essentially Southern speech features. General terms in use are batter bread (a soft corn cake), batter cake (pancake), and polecat (skunk). Widespread pronunciation features include greasy with a z sound, yeast and east as sound-alikes, creek rhyming with peek, and can’t rhyming with paint. In 2000, 88.9% of Virginia residents five years of age and over spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of people who spoke them included Spanish, 316,274; French, 40,117; Korean, 39,636; Tagalog, 33,598; and German, 32,736;

9

Religions

The Anglican Church (later the Episcopal Church) was the first official church of the colony. In 1785, the Virginia General Assembly of the state adopted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, and disestablished the Episcopal Church, making religious tolerance the norm in Virginia. In 2000, the Protestant denominations combined had the greatest number of known adherents. The leading group that year was the Southern Baptist Convention, with 774,673 adherents. The United Methodist Church was considered to be the second-largest denomi92

St. John’s Church, site of Patrick Henry’s famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech. BUDDY MAYS.

nation in the state, with 343,580 members reported in 2003. Other major denominations (with membership figures from 2000) included the Presbyterian Church USA, 135,435; and the Episcopal Church, 126,874. As of 2004, there were 603,190 Roman Catholics in Virginia. The Jewish population was estimated at 76,140 in 2000 and there were an estimated 51,021 Muslims. Over 4.1 million people (about 58.4% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

Virginia has one of the nation’s most extensive highway systems, one of the leading ports Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Virginia

(Hampton Roads), and two of the nation’s busiest air terminals. Virginia was a leader in early railroad development. Rail lines were completed between Richmond and Fredericksburg in 1836, from Portsmouth to Roanoke in 1837, and from Richmond to Washington, DC, in 1872. Virginia’s 1,290 miles (2,076 kilometers) of track formed a strategic supply link for both the Confederate and Union armies during the Civil War. As of 2003, there were nine rail companies operating in the state with a combined trackage of 3,428 miles (5,519 kilometers. Principal (Class I) railroads are Conrail, CSX, and Norfolk Southern. Amtrak passenger trains served 18 communities in 2006. As of 2004, Virginia had 71,534 miles (115,169 kilometers) of public roads, 6.4 million registered vehicles, and 5.1 million licensed drivers. Major interstate highways are I-95, I-81, and I-64. The 18-mile (29-kilometer) Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, completed in 1964, connects the Eastern Shore with the southeastern mainland. Popular scenic highways include the Blue Ridge Parkway, Colonial National Historical Parkway, and George Washington Memorial Parkway. Virginia’s District of Columbia suburbs are linked to the nation’s capital by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s bus and rail systems. Norfolk, Newport News-Hampton, and Richmond have extensive bus systems. Virginia’s Hampton Roads has one of the largest and strongest commercial port complexes in the world. Three state-owned general cargo marine terminals—Newport News Marine Terminal, Norfolk International Terminals, and Portsmouth Marine Terminal—share the harbor with more than 20 privately owned bulk terminals. The Hampton Roads harbor has the greatJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

est volume of total tonnage on the US east coast and leads the world in coal exports. Virginia’s ports are located on a naturally deep, ice-free harbor, 18 miles (29 kilometers) from the open sea. In addition to the marine terminals, the Virginia Inland Port (VIP) terminal, just west of Washington, DC, in Front Royal, Virginia, offers daily rail service to the marine terminals in Hampton Roads and allows direct access to the international trade routes of the 75 international shipping lines calling at the ports. As of 2004, Virginia had 674 miles (1,085 kilometers) of navigable inland waterways. Virginia had 291 airports, 130 heliports, and 4 seaplane bases in 2005. In 2004, Dulles International Airport had over 10.9 million passenger enplanements. Over 7.6 million passengers boarded at Ronald Regan Washington National Airport, at Arlington, a major center for domestic flights.

11

History

At the time of English contact, early in the 17th century, Tidewater Virginia was occupied principally by Algonquian-speakers, planters as well as hunters and fishers. The piedmont area was the home of the Manahoac, Monacan, and Tutelo, all of Siouan stock. Cherokee lived in Virginia’s far southwestern triangle. The first permanent English settlement in America was established at Jamestown on 13 May 1607 in the new land named Virginia in honor of Elizabeth I, the “Virgin Queen.” The successful settlement was sponsored by the London Company, chartered by King James I in 1606. The charter defined Virginia as all of the North American coast between 30° and 45°N, and extending inland for 50 miles (80 kilome93

Virginia

Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, the burial place of Presidents Monroe and Tyler, Confederate President Davis, and 18,000 Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. RICHMOND METRO CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

ters). Virginia at one time stretched from southern Maine to California and encompassed all or part of 42 of the present 50 states, as well as Bermuda and part of the Canadian province of Ontario. The energy, resourcefulness, and military skill of Captain John Smith saved the colony from both starvation and destruction by Native Americans. He was taken prisoner by Powhatan, his chief adversary, but was able to work out a fragile peace later cemented by the marriage in 1614 of the chief ’s favorite daughter, Pocahontas, to John Rolfe, a Jamestown settler. In 1619, the first representative assembly in the New World convened in Jamestown, as self-government through locally elected representatives became a 94

reality in America and an important precedent for the English colonies. Despite serious setbacks because of Native American massacres in 1622 and 1644, the colony’s population expanded rapidly along the James, York, Rappahannock, and Potomac rivers, and along the Eastern Shore. The 17th century closed on a note of material and cultural progress, as the College of William and Mary, the second institution of higher learning in America, was chartered in 1693. Middle Plantation (renamed Williamsburg in 1722), the site of the college, became the seat of government when the capital was moved from Jamestown in 1699. 18th Century In the decades that followed, east-

ern Virginians moving into the Valley of Virginia were joined by Scotch-Irish and Germans movJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Virginia

ing southward from Maryland and Pennsylvania. Virginians caught up in western settlement lost much of their awe of the mother country during the French and Indian War (1756–63). Virginia, acting independently and with other colonies, repeatedly challenged agents of the Crown. In 1765, the House of Burgesses adopted five resolutions opposing the Stamp Act, through which the English Parliament had sought to tax the colonists for their own defense. In 1769, Virginia initiated a boycott of British goods in answer to the taxation provisions of the hated Townshend Acts. Virginia joined the other colonies at the First Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia in 1774 and elected Virginia’s Peyton Randolph president. One native son, Richard Henry Lee, introduced the resolution for independence at the Continental Congress of 1776. Another, Thomas Jefferson, wrote the Declaration of Independence. In the same year, Virginians proclaimed their government a commonwealth and adopted a constitution and declaration of rights, which became the basis for the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution. Virginians were equally active in the Revolutionary War. George Washington was commander in chief of the Continental Army, and the greatest American naval hero was a Scottish-born Virginian, John Paul Jones. Virginia itself was a major battlefield, and it was on Virginia soil, at Yorktown on 19 October 1781, that British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to Washington, effectively ending the war. During the early federal period, Virginia’s leadership was as notable as it had been during the American Revolution. James Madison is Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

honored as the “father of the Constitution,” and Washington, who was president of the constitutional convention, became the first US president in 1789. Indeed, Virginians occupied the presidency for all but four of the nation’s first 28 years. 19th Century During the first half of the

19th century, Virginians became increasingly concerned with the problem of slavery. Nat Turner’s slave revolt—which took the lives of at least 55 white men, women, and children in Southampton County in 1831—increased white fears of black emancipation. Nevertheless, legislation to end slavery in Virginia failed adoption by only seven votes the following year. The first half of the 19th century saw the state become a leading center of scientific, artistic, and educational advancement. But this era ended with the coming of the Civil War, a conflict about which many Virginians had grave misgivings. A statewide convention, assembled in Richmond in April 1861, adopted an ordinance of secession only after President Abraham Lincoln sought to send troops across Virginia to punish the states that had already seceded and called upon the commonwealth to furnish soldiers for the task. Shortly afterward, Richmond, the capital of Virginia since 1780, became the capital of the Confederacy. Robert E. Lee, offered field command of the Union armies, instead resigned his US commission in order to serve his native state as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia and eventually as chief of the Confederate armies. Virginia became the principal battlefield of the Civil War, the scene of brilliant victories won by General Lee’s army at Bull Run, Fredericksburg, 95

Virginia

The state capitol in Richmond, designed by Thomas Jefferson, is home to the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere. RICHMOND METRO CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

and Chancellorsville. But the overwhelming numbers and industrial and naval might of the Union compelled Lee’s surrender at Appomattox on 9 April 1865. The war cost Virginia one-third of its territory when West Virginia was admitted to the Union as a separate state on 20 June 1863. Richmond was left in ruins, and agriculture and industry throughout the commonwealth were destroyed. In 1867, Virginia was placed under US military rule. After adopting a constitution providing for universal manhood suffrage, Virginia was readmitted to the Union on 26 January 1870. After a postwar period of unprecedented racial emancipation, Virginia once again moved toward segregation and discrimination as the 19th century neared an end. In 1902, the Virginia constitutional convention enacted a literacy test and poll tax that reduced the black vote to negligible size. 96

20th Century Two decades later, Harry F. Byrd,

a liberal Democrat, defeated G. Walter Mapp in the election of 1925. Immediately after taking office, Byrd launched the state on an era of reform. In a whirlwind 60 days, the Virginia General Assembly revised balloting procedures and adopted measures to lure industry to Virginia. The Anti-Lynch Act of 1927 made anyone present at the scene of a lynching who did not intervene guilty of murder. There has not been a lynching in Virginia since its passage. Following the depression of the 1930s, Virginia became one of the most prosperous states of the Southeast. It profited partly from national defense contracts and military and naval expansion, but also from increased manufacturing and from what became one of the nation’s leading tourist industries. Few states made so great a contribution as Virginia to the US effort in World War II. More than 300,000 Virginians Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Virginia

served in the armed forces; 9,000 lost their lives and 10 were awarded the Medal of Honor. The postwar period brought many changes in the commonwealth’s public life. During the first administration of Governor Mills E. Godwin, Jr. (1966–70), the state enacted a sales tax, expanded funding for four-year colleges, and instituted a system of low-tuition community colleges. In 1970, A. Linwood Holton, Jr. became the first Republican governor of Virginia since 1874. Pledging to “make today’s Virginia a model in race relations,” Holton increased black representation in government. By the mid-1970s, public school integration in Virginia had been achieved to a degree not yet accomplished in many northern states. The northeast and Virginia Beach/Norfolk area of Virginia boomed in the early 1980s, spurred by an expansion of federal jobs and a national military buildup. In the late 1980s, however, Virginia was hit by a recession. Douglas Wilder, the first black governor in the nation and a moderate Democrat, responded to a significant shortfall in state revenues by refusing to raise taxes and by insisting on maintaining a $200 million reserve fund. Instead, Wilder reduced the budgets and staff of state services and of the state’s college and university system. Wilder, limited by law to one term in office, was succeeded in 1993 by conservative Republican Richard Allen, who ended 12 years of Democratic rule. He was succeeded in 1998 by another Republican, James S. Gilmore, III, who was succeeded in 2001 by Democrat Mark Warner. Virginia’s economy was strong in the late 1990s into the 2000s thanks to its diversified base of agriculture, manufacturing, and employJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ment in the federal government agencies in nearby Washington, DC. Pollution from industry and agriculture remained a significant concern, prompting the state to invest in cleanup efforts for the Chesapeake Bay. By 2003, Virginia was in the midst of its worst state revenue performance in 40 years. To help overcome massive budget deficits, the state cut funding for higher education by more than 25%. Nearly all state universities raised tuition in response. The State Council of Higher Education estimated that an additional $350 million per year was needed to maintain the quality of public higher education. In November 2005, Democrat Tim Kaine, who had been serving as lieutenant governor, defeated the Republican nominee, Jerry Kilgore, to become governor of Virginia.

12

State Government

The Virginia General Assembly consists of a 40member senate, elected to four-year terms, and a 100-member house of delegates, serving for two years. The governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, all serving four-year terms, are the only officials elected statewide. Most state officials are appointed by the governor but must be confirmed by both houses of the legislature. Bills become law when signed by the governor or left unsigned for seven days while the legislature is in session. A bill dies if left unsigned for 30 days after the legislature has adjourned. A twothirds majority in each house is needed to override a governor’s veto. In 2004, the legislative salary was $18,000 for state senators and $17,640 for delegates; the governor’s salary was $124,855. 97

Virginia

Virginia Governors: 1776–2007 1776–1779 1779–1781 1781 1781 1781–1784 1784–1786 1786–1788 1788–1791 1791–1794 1794–1796 1796–1799 1799–1802 1802–1805 1805–1808 1808–1811 1811 1811 1811–1812 1812–1814 1814–1816 1816–1819 1819–1822 1822–1825 1825–1827 1827–1830 1830–1834 1834–1836 1836–1837 1837–1840 1840–1841 1841 1841–1842 1842–1843 1843–1846 1846–1849 1849–1852 1852–1856 1856–1860 1860–1864 1864–1865 1865–1868 1867–1869 1868–1869

13

Patrick Henry Thomas Jefferson William Fleming Thomas Nelson Benjamin Harrison Patrick Henry Edmund Randolph Beverley Randolph — Henry Lee Federalist Robert Brooke Dem-Rep James Wood Federalist James Monroe Dem-Rep John Page Dem-Rep William Henry Cabell Dem-Rep John Tyler, Sr. Dem-Rep James Monroe Dem-Rep George William Smith Dem-Rep Peyton Randolph Dem-Rep James Barbour AD/S.R.P. Wilson Cary Nicholas Republican James Patton Preston Dem-Rep Thomas Mann Randolph Republican James Pleasants Republican John Tyler, Jr. Dem-Rep William Branch Giles Republican John Floyd Democrat Littleton Waller Tazewell Democrat Wyndham Robertson S.R. Dem David Campbell States Whigs Thomas Walker Gilmer State Rights Whigs John Mercer Patton State Rights Whigs John Rutherford State Rights Whigs John Munford Gregory States Whigs James McDowell Democrat William Smith Confed-Dem John Buchanan Floyd Democrat Joseph Johnson Democrat Henry Alexander Wise Democrat John Letcher Democrat William Smith Confed-Dem Francis Harrison Pierpoint Unionist Gen. J. M. Schofield Military Henry Horatio Wells Dem-Prov

Political Parties

The modern Democratic Party traces its origins to the original Republican Party (usually referred to as the Democratic-Republican Party, or the Jeffersonian Democrats), led by two native sons of 98

1869–1870 1869–1870 1870–1874 1874–1878 1878–1882 1882–1886 1886–1890 1890–1894 1894–1898 1989–1902 1902–1906 1906–1910 1910–1914 1914–1918 1918–1922 1922–1926 1926–1930 1930–1934 1934–1938 1938–1942 1942–1946 1946–1950 1950–1954 1954–1958 1958–1962 1962–1966 1966–1970 1970–1974 1974–1978 1978–1982 1982–1986 1986–1990 1990–1994 1994–1998 1998–2002 2002–2005 2005

Gen. E. R. S. Canby Gilbert Carlton Walker Gilbert Carlton Walker James Lawson Kemper Frederick William Hilliday William Ewan Cameron Fitzhugh Lee Philip Watkins McKinney Charles Triplett O’Ferrall James Hoge Tyler Andrew Jackson Montague Claude Augustus Swanson William Hodges Mann Henry Carter Stuart Westmoreland Davis Elbert Lee Trinkle Harry Flood Byrd John Garland Pollard George Campbell Peery James Hubert Price Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr. William Munford Tuck John Stewart Battle Thomas Bahnson Stanley James Lindsay Almond, Jr. Albertis Sydney Harrison, Jr. Mills Edwin Godwin, Jr. Abner Linwood Holton, Jr. Mills Edwin Godwin, Jr. John Nichols Dalton Charles Spittal Robb Gerald L. Baliles Lawrence Douglas Wilder George Felix Allen James S. Gilmore, III Mark Warner Timothy M. Kaine

Military Dem-Prov Democrat Democrat Democrat Readjuster Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat

Anti–Democrat/State Rights Party – AD/S.R.P. Confederate Democrat – Confed-Dem Democrat Provisional – Dem-Prov Democratic Republican – Dem-Rep State Rights Democrat – S.R. Dem

Virginia, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. From the end of Reconstruction through the 1960s, conservative Democrats dominated state politics, with few exceptions. During the 1970s, Virginians, still staunchly conservative, turned increasingly to the Republican Party, whose presJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Virginia

Virginia Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

VIRGINIA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN


SOCIALIST

SOCIALIST LABOR

1948 1952


200,786 268,677

172,070 349,037

43,393 —

726 504

234 1,160

1956

*Eisenhower (R)

267,760

386,459

444

351

— —

397 2,895

CONSTITUTION

42,964 VA. CONSERVATIVE

1960 1964


362,327 558,038

404,521 481,334

1968

*Nixon (R)

442,387

590,319

4,204 —

AMERICAN IND.PEACE & FREEDOM

320,272

1,680

4,671

—

9,918

AMERICAN

1972

*Nixon (R)

438,887

988,493

19,721

US LABOR SOC. WORKERS

1976

Ford (R)

813,896

836,554

16,686

7,508

17,802

CITIZENS

1980 1984


752,174 796,250

989,609 1,337,078

1988

*Bush (R)

859,799

1,309,162

— —

**14,024 —

1,986 —

NEW ALLIANCE

1992 1996

Bush (R) Dole (R)

1,038,650 1,091,060

1,150,517 1,138,350

14,312

—

—

IND. (PEROT)

IND. (LAROUCHE)

3,192 —

348,639 159,861

11,937 —

NADER

LIBERTARIAN

REFORM

2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 1,217,290 1,437,490 59,398 15,198 5,455 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 1,454,742 1,716,959 2,393 11,032 — * Won US presidential election. **Candidates of the nationwide Citizens and Socialist Workers parties were listed as independents on the Virginia ballot; another independent, John Anderson, won 95,418 votes.

idential nominees carried the state in every election from 1952 through 1984, except for 1964. Democrat L. Douglas Wilder was elected governor in 1989 and became the first black governor in US history. Two Republicans, George Allen and James S. Gilmore III, succeeded him in 1993 and 1997 respectively. They were followed by two Democrats—Mark Warner in 2001 and Tim Kaine in 2005. John Warner, a Republican, was elected to a fifth term in the US Senate in 2002. Former Republican governor George Allen was elected to the US Senate in 2000. He was defeated in the 2006 elections by Democrat Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

James Webb Jr. in a close race. Following the 2006 midterm elections, Virginia’s delegation to the US House of Representatives consisted of three Democrats and eight Republicans. As of the 2006 elections, control of the state senate and house was in the hands of the Republicans. Republicans controlled the state house, 57–40, with 3 independents; the state senate was split 23–17, Republicans to Democrats. Twenty-four women were elected to the state legislature in the 2006 elections, or 17.1%. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush won 52% of the presidential vote; Democrat Al Gore 99

Virginia

received 45%. In 2004, Bush won 54% of the vote and Democrat John Kerry won 45%. In 2004, there were 4,528,000 registered voters; there is no party registration in the state.

nation after Texas. In January 2006, there were 22 inmates on death row.

14

Virginia’s earliest European immigrants were English. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, immigrants came not only from England but also from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Poland. In 1701, about 500 French Huguenots fled Catholic France to settle near the present site of Richmond, and beginning in 1714, many Germans and ScotchIrish moved from Pennsylvania into the Valley of Virginia. By the early 19th century, Virginians were moving westward into Kentucky, Ohio, and other states. The Civil War era saw the movement of thousands of blacks to northern states, a trend that accelerated after Reconstruction and again after World War I. Since 1900, the dominant migratory trend has been intrastate, from farm to city. At the same time, the movement of middle income Virginians to the suburbs and increasing concentrations of blacks in the central cities have been evident in Virginia as in other states. Between 1990 and 1998, Virginia had net gains of 68,000 in domestic migration and 131,000 in international migration. In the period 1995–2000, 821,738 people moved into the state and 746,008 moved out, for a net gain of 75,730. Most new residents were from Maryland. For the period 2000–05, net international migration was 139,977 and net internal migration was 103,521, for a net gain of 243,498 people.

Local Government

As of 2005, Virginia had 125 counties, and 229 municipal governments, as well as 135 school districts and 196 special districts. Currently, cities elect their own officials, levy their own taxes, and are unencumbered by any county obligations. Incorporated towns remain part of the counties. In general, counties are governed by elected boards of supervisors, with a county administrator or executive handling day-to-day affairs. Incorporated towns have elected mayors and councils.

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Judicial System

The highest judicial body in the commonwealth is the supreme court, consisting of a chief justice and six other justices. The court of appeals has ten judges. The state has 31 circuit courts. District courts hear all misdemeanors, including civil cases involving $1,000 or less. They also hold preliminary hearings concerning felony cases. Each of the 31 judicial districts has a juvenile and a domestic relations court. The state’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 275.6 reported incidents per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property were reported at a rate of about 2,676.6 incidents per 100,000 people. Virginia’s state and federal prisons had 35,564 inmates in December 2004. Virginia has a death penalty. from 1976 through 5 May 2006, there were 95 executions, representing the second highest number in the 100

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Migration


Virginia

17

Economy

Services, trade, and government are important economic areas. Because of Virginia’s extensive military installations and the large number of Virginia residents working for the federal government in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, the federal government plays a larger role in the Virginia economy than in any other state except Hawaii. The industries that experienced the most growth in the 1990s were printing, transportation equipment, and electronic and other electrical equipment. Virginia has a high concentration of high-technology industry. The two largest high-tech fields are computer and data processing services and electronic equipment. In 2004, there were an estimated 24,134 new businesses established while 19,919 businesses were closed.

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Income

In 2005, Virginia had a gross state product (GSP) of $353 billion, ranking 11th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Virginia ranked ninth among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $36,160; the national average was $33,050. The median annual household income for 2002–04 was $53,275 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 9.8% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

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Industry

In 2004, the value of shipments by manufacturers was about $87.8 billion. Of that total, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing accounted for the largest share. Richmond is a principal industrial area for tobacco processing, paper and printing, clothing, and food products. Nearby Hopewell is a center of the chemical industry. Newport News, Hampton, and Norfolk are sites for shipbuilding and the manufacture of other transportation equipment. In the western part of the state, Lynchburg is a center for electrical machinery, metals, clothing, and printing; and Roanoke for food, clothing, and textiles. In the south, Martinsville has furniture and textile manufacturing plants.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the labor force in Virginia numbered 4,013,400, with approximately 134,100 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.3%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. In 2006, 7% of the labor force was employed in construction; 7.9% in manufacturing; 17.8% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.2% in financial activities; 8.9% in professional and business services; 10.7% in education and health services; 8.9% in leisure and hospitality services, and 17.9% in government. In 2005, 165,000 of Virginia’s 3,406,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 4.8% of those so employed. The national average was 12%. 101

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21

Agriculture

Virginia ranked 31st among the 50 states in 2005 with farm marketings of more than $2.6 billion. The commonwealth is an important producer of tobacco, soybeans, peanuts, cotton, tomatoes, potatoes, and peaches. There were an estimated 47,500 farms in 2004, covering 8.6 million acres (3.5 million hectares). The Tidewater is an important farming region, as it has been since the early 17th century. Crops grown include corn, wheat, tobacco, cotton, peanuts, and vegetables. Vegetables and soybeans are cultivated on the Eastern Shore. The Piedmont is known for its apples and other fruits, while the Shenandoah Valley is one of the nation’s main apple growing regions. In 2004, Virginia ranked fourth among states in tobacco, seventh in peanuts, and sixth in apples.

22


In 2005, Virginia farms and ranches had 1.6 million cattle and calves, valued at $1.26 billion. During 2004, the state had around 375,000 hogs and pigs, valued at $32.6 million. The state produced 3.5 million pounds (1.6 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs in 2003 and an estimated 226,000 pounds (102,511 kilograms) of shorn wool in 2004. Dairy farmers produced 1.73 billion pounds (0.79 billion kilograms) of milk from 113,000 milk cows in 2003. The same year, poultry farmers produced 744 million eggs, worth around $73.2 million; 492.2 million pounds (223.7 million kilograms) of turkey, worth almost $177.2 million; over 1.3 billion pounds (590 million kilograms) of broilers, valued at $441.7 million; 102

and 21.7 million pounds (9.9 million kilograms) of chicken sold for over $1.5 million.

23

Fishing

In 2004, Virginia’s commercial fish landings totaled 481.6 million pounds (218.9 million kilograms), ranking the state third in the nation for volume of landings. The catch was worth $160.3 million. Landings at the Reedville port totaled over 400 million pounds (182 million kilograms), the second highest volume of all US ports. The port at Hampton Road Area ranked third in the nation in catch value with $100.6 million. The bulk of the catch consists of shellfish such as crabs, scallops, and clams, and finfish such as flounder and menhaden. The sea scallop catch in 2004 was at 19.6 million pounds (8.9 million kilograms), the second largest in the nation (after Massachusetts). In 2003, there were 28 processing and 57 wholesale plants in the state, with about 1,801 employees. In 2001, the commercial fishing fleet had 261 vessels. Both saltwater and freshwater fish are avidly sought by sport fishermen. A threat to Virginia fisheries has been the chemical and oil pollution of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. In 2004, the state issued 619,853 fishing licenses. The Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery is located in Charles City.

24

Forestry

As of 2004, Virginia had 15,844,000 acres (6,412,000 hectares) of forestland, representing more than 63% of the state’s land area and 2.1% of all US forests. About 1.5 billion board feet of lumber were produced that year. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Virginia

State-funded tree nurseries produce 60– 70 million seedlings annually. The Division of Forestry’s tree seed orchards have developed improved strains of loblolly, shortleaf, white, and Virginia pine for planting in cutover timberland. For recreational purposes, there were 2.7 million acres (1.1 million hectares) of forested public lands in 2004, including Shenandoah National Park, Washington and Jefferson National Forests, 24 state parks, and 8 state forests.

25

Mining

In 2003, the state ranked 19th nationally in total nonfuel mineral production value. The value of nonfuel mineral production in Virginia that year was about $727 million. The combined output of crushed stone, cement, construction sand and gravel, and lime accounted for 86% of the total value. Crushed stone alone (the state’s leading mineral commodity) accounted for more that $428 million in 2003. Virginia was the only state to mine kyanite (a type of gemstone) in 2003. The same year, Virginia ranked second in the nation in production of crude vermiculite, feldspar, titanium, and zirconium concentrates and fourth in the nation for output of iron oxide pigments.

26

Energy and Power

Total production of electricity in 2003 totaled 75.3 billion kilowatt hours. About 49.3% of all electric power generated came from coal-fired plants while nuclear generating plants accounted for 33%. In 2006, Virginia had two nuclear power plants in operation, the North Anna Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

plant in Louisa County and the Surry plant near Williamsburg. The state is supplied with natural gas by three major interstate pipeline companies. Liquefied natural gas plants operate in Chesapeake, Roanoke, and Lynchburg, and a synthetic gas plant is in service at Chesapeake. There is one underground natural gas storage facility in Scott and Washington Counties and a second one in Saltville. In 2004, proven reserves of dry natural gas totaled 1.7 trillion cubic feet (49.4 billion cubic meters). Production that same year totaled 152 billion cubic feet (4.33 billion cubic meters). In 2004, output of crude oil was estimated at 52 barrels per day. Virginia’s 123 coal mines (77 underground) produced 31.4 million tons in 2003. All the coal was bituminous (soft).

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Commerce

Wholesale sales totaled $69.2 billion in 2002; retail sales were $80.5 billion. The leading types of retail businesses by number of establishments were clothing and clothing accessories stores, gasoline stations, and food and beverage stores. Virginia is a major container shipping center, with almost all shipments handled through the Hampton Roads estuary. Coal is a leading export commodity. Exports of goods originating within Virginia totaled $12.2 billion in 2005.

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Public Finance

Revenues for 2004 were $35.7 billion and expenditures were $30.3 billion. The highest general expenditures were for education ($10.3 billion), public welfare ($5.6 billion), and highways ($2.4 billion). Debts incurred by the state 103

Virginia

totaled $15.3 billion, or about $2,047.05 per person.

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Taxation

The personal income tax schedule has four brackets ranging from 2% to 5.75%. The corporate income tax rate is a flat 6%. The state sales tax rate is 4%; local sales tax of 1% may be added. The state imposes selective (excise) taxes on motor fuels, tobacco products, and other selected items. Most property taxes are collected locally. The state collected $15.9 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 52.5% came from individual income taxes, 19.4% from the general sales tax, 15% from selective sales taxes, 3.8% from corporate income taxes and the remainder from other taxes. In 2005, Virginia ranked 26th among the states in per capita tax burden, which amounted to about $2,104 per person. The national average was $2,192 per person.

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Health

In 2005, Virginia’s infant mortality rate was 7.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. The crude death rate was 7.9 per 1,000 population in 2003. As of 2002, death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 205; cancer, 186.5; cerebrovascular diseases, 54.3; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 37.7; and diabetes, 21.4. About 20.8% of residents were smokers in 2004. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported at 3.6 per 100,000. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 10.7 per 100,000. 104

Virginia’s 84 community hospitals had 17,200 beds in 2003. There were 264 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 712 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were a total of 4,395 dentists in the state. The average expense for hospital care was $1,277 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, at least 14% of Virginia’s residents were uninsured.

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Housing

In 2004, Virginia had an estimated 3,116,827 housing units, 2,846,417 of them occupied; 69.2% were owner-occupied. About 62.7% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Electricity and utility gas were the most common energy sources for heating. It was estimated that 118,489 units lacked telephone service, 8,701 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 8,175 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.54 people. In 2004, 63,200 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $179,191. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,323, while renters paid a median of $757 per month.

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Education

Although Virginia was the first English colony to found a free school (in 1634), the state’s public school system developed very slowly. Thomas Jefferson proposed a system of free public schools as early as 1779, but it was not until 1851 that such a system was established and it was for whites only. Free schools for blacks were founded after the Civil War, but they were poorly funded. Opposition by white Virginians to the US Supreme Court’s desegregation order Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Virginia

in 1954 was marked in certain communities by public school closings and the establishment of all-white private schools. By the 1970s, however, school integration was an accomplished fact throughout the commonwealth. In 2004, 88.4% of all state residents 25 years of age or older were high school graduates and 33.1% had four or more years of college. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 1,177,000 in fall 2002. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $11.25 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 104,304. As of fall 2002, there were 404,966 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Virginia had 104 degree-granting institutions. Virginia has had a distinguished record in higher education since the College of William and Mary was founded at Williamsburg (then called Middle Plantation) in 1693. Thomas Jefferson established the University of Virginia at Charlottesville in 1819. In addition to the University of Virginia and the College of William and Mary, public state-supported institutions include Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Military Institute, Old Dominion University, and George Mason University. Well known private institutions include the Hampton Institute, RandolphMacon College, University of Richmond, Sweet Briar College, and Washington and Lee University.

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Arts

Richmond, Norfolk, and the northern Virginia metropolitan area are the principal centers for the creative and the performing arts in Virginia. Richmond’s Landmark Theatre (formerly known Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

as The Mosque) has been the scene of concerts by internationally famous orchestras and soloists for generations. Theatre Virginia, located at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, presents new plays and classics with professional casts. The Barksdale Theatre and its repertory company present serious plays and occasionally give premiere performances of new works. In Norfolk, the performing arts are housed in Scope, Chrysler Hall, and the Wells Theatre, an ornate building that has hosted such diverse performers as John Philip Sousa, Will Rogers, and Fred Astaire. The internationally recognized Virginia Opera Association is housed in the recently constructed Harrison Opera House. The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, in northern Virginia, provides theatrical, operatic, and musical performances featuring internationally celebrated performers. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in nearby Washington, DC, is heavily patronized by Virginians. The College of William and Mary’s Phi Beta Kappa Hall in Williamsburg is the site of the Virginia Shakespeare Festival, an annual summer event inaugurated in 1979. Abingdon is the home of the Barter Theatre, the first statesupported theatre in the United States, whose alumni included Ernest Borgnine and Gregory Peck. This repertory company has performed widely in the United States and at selected sites abroad. There are orchestras in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Lynchburg, Petersburg, and Roanoke. Richmond is home to the Richmond Ballet, Richmond Choral Society, Richmond Jazz Society, Richmond Philharmonic, and the Richmond Symphony. The Virginia Symphony, founded in 1920, has been recognized as one 105

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The Edgar Allen Poe Museum in Richmond. RICHMOND METRO CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.

of the nation’s leading regional symphony orchestras. The annual Virginia Arts Festival has drawn national attention since its inception in 1997. The annual Shenandoah Valley Music Festival in Orkney Springs features arts and crafts presentations as well as musical performances. In 2004, the former US poet laureate, Rita Dove, was named as Virginia’s poet laureate. Her books of poetry include America Smooth and On the Bus with Rosa Parks. The Virginia Commission on the Arts supports many programs with the help of state and federal funding. The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities was established in 1974 and has since sponsored over 40,000 humanities programs. Virginia has over 500 arts organizations. In 2005, Virginia arts organizations 106

received 32 grants totaling over $1.1 million from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded 46 grants totaling over $4.2 million for state programs.

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In 2001, there were 90 public library systems in the state with a total of 338 libraries and a book and serial publication stock of over 18.6 million volumes. The combined circulation was over 63 million. The Virginia State Library in Richmond and the libraries of the University of Virginia (Charlottesville) and the College of William and Mary (Williamsburg) have the personal papers of such notables as Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Robert E. Lee, William H. McGuffey, and William Faulkner. The University of Virginia Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Virginia

also has an impressive collection of medieval illuminated manuscripts and the library of colonial Williamsburg has extensive microfilm of British records. There are about 260 museums in the state. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the first state museum of art in the United States, has a collection that ranges from ancient Egyptian artifacts to mobile jewelry by Salvador Dali. The Science Museum of Virginia has a 280-seat planetarium featuring a simulated excursion to outer space. Norfolk has the Chrysler Museum, with its famous glassware collection, and the Hermitage Foundation Museum, noted for its Oriental art. The Mariners Museum in Newport News has a superb maritime collection. Perhaps the most extensive “museum” in the United States is Williamsburg’s mile-long Duke of Gloucester Street, with such remarkable restorations as the Christopher Wren Building of the College of William and Mary, Bruton Parish Church, the Governor’s Palace, and the colonial capital. More historic sites are maintained as museums in Virginia than in any other state. These include Washington’s home at Mount Vernon (Fairfax County), Jefferson’s residence at Monticello (Charlottesville), and James River plantation houses such as Berkeley, Shirley, Westover, Sherwood Forest, and Carter’s Grove. The National Park Service operates a visitors’ center at Jamestown.

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Communications

In 2004, 94% of Virginia’s occupied housing units had telephones. In the same year, there were over 4.3 million wireless phone subscribers. In 2003, about 66.8% of all households had a personal computer and 60.3% had access to Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the Internet. Approximately 187,445 Internet domain names were registered with the state in the year 2000. In 2005, broadcasters operated 23 major AM radio stations and 82 major FM stations. In the same year, Virginia had 26 major television stations. The Norfolk–Portsmouth–Newport News area had about 629,100 television households, 76% of which ordered cable.

36

Press

USA Today, the nation’s largest daily newspaper in 2004, is based in Arlington, Virginia. In 2005, Virginia had 21 morning dailies, 4 evening, and 17 Sunday papers. Leading Virginia newspapers with their 2005 estimated daily circulations include the USA Today, 2,664,815 daily; the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 200,055 daily, 234,508 Sundays; Richmond Times-Dispatch, 184,950 daily, 225,293 Sundays; Roanoke Times, 96,687 daily, 108,564 Sundays; and the Newport News Daily Press, 91,307 daily, 112,955 Sundays. The newspaper group, Gannett Company, Inc., is based in Virginia. This group owns about 90 daily newspapers nationwide, including USA Today, as well as over 1,000 nondaily papers and shoppers’ bulletins. Gannett’s subsidiary in the United Kingdom, Newsquest, publishes 17 daily newspapers.

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In 2004, travelers spent over $15 billion in Virginia. The tourism and travel industry is the state’s third-largest employer, supporting over 203,000 jobs. Attractions in the coastal region alone include the Jamestown and Yorktown historic sites, the 107

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Williamsburg restoration, and the homes of George Washington and Robert E. Lee. Also featured are the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Langley Research Center and the resort pleasures of Virginia Beach. The interior offers numerous Civil War sites, including Appomattox; Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello; Booker T. Washington’s birthplace near Smith Mountain Lake; and the historic cities of Richmond, Petersburg, and Fredericksburg. In the west, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park, traversed by the breathtaking Skyline Drive, are favorite tourist destinations, as are Cumberland Gap and, in the Lexington area, the home of Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The state’s many recreation areas include state parks, national forests, a major national park, scenic parkways, and thousands of miles of hiking trails and shoreline. Part of the famous Appalachian Trail winds through Virginia’s Blue Ridge and Appalachian mountains.

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Sports

Although Virginia has no major league professional sports teams, it does support two classAAA baseball teams: the Richmond Braves and Norfolk Tides. Other minor league baseball teams play in Bristol, Danville, Lynchburg, Pulaski, Salem, Martinsville, and Woodbridge. There is also minor league hockey in Richmond, Roanoke, and Hampton Roads. In collegiate sports, the University of Virginia belongs to the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Virginia Military Institute competes in the Southern Conference. Virginia Tech has appeared in ten postseason college football bowl games since 1993. 108

Stock car racing is also popular in the state. The Richmond International Raceway and Martinsville Speedway host four NASCAR Nextel Cup races each year. Other participant sports popular with Virginians include tennis, golf, swimming, skiing, boating, and water skiing. The state has at least 180 public and private golf courses.

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Famous Virginians

Virginia is the birthplace of eight US presidents. The first president of the United States, George Washington (1732–1799), was unanimously elected president in 1789 and served two fouryear terms, declining a third. Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), the nation’s third president, after serving as vice president under John Adams, was elected president of the United States in 1800 and was reelected in 1804. James Madison (1751–1836) was secretary of state during Jefferson’s two terms and then occupied the presidency from 1809 to 1817. Madison was succeeded as president in 1817 by James Monroe (1758–1831), who was reelected to a second term starting in 1821 and is best known for the Monroe Doctrine, which has been a part of US policy since his administration. William Henry Harrison (1773–1841) became the ninth president in 1841 but died of pneumonia one month after his inauguration. Harrison was succeeded by his vice president, John Tyler (1790–1862), a native and resident of Virginia. Another native Virginian, Zachary Taylor (1784–1850), renowned chiefly as a military leader, became the 12th US president in 1849 but died midway through his term. The eighth Virginia-born president, (Thomas) Woodrow Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Virginia

Wilson (1856–1924), became the 28th president of the United States in 1913 after serving as governor of New Jersey. John Marshall (1755– 1835) was the third confirmed chief justice of the United States and is generally regarded by historians as the first great American jurist. Five other Virginians have served as associate justices, including Lewis Powell (1908–1998). Distinguished Virginians who have served in the cabinet include Carter Glass (1858–1946), secretary of the treasury, creator of the Federal Reserve System, and US senator for 26 years. Other prominent US senators from Virginia include Richard Henry Lee (1732–1794), former president of the Continental Congress; James M. Mason (b.District of Columbia, 1798–1871), who later was the Confederacy’s commissioner to the United Kingdom and France; Harry F. Byrd (1887–1966), governor of Virginia from 1926 to 1930 and US senator from 1933 to 1965; and Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (b.1914), senator from 1965 to 1982. Some native-born Virginians have become famous as leaders in other nations. Joseph Jenkins Roberts (1809–1876) was the first president of the Republic of Liberia; and Nancy Langhorne Astor (1879–1964) was the first woman to serve in the British House of Commons. Captain John Smith (b.England, 1580?– 1631) was the founder of Virginia and its first colonial governor. Virginia signers of the Declaration of Independence, besides Thomas Jefferson and Richard Henry Lee, included Benjamin Harrison (1726?–1791), father of President William Henry Harrison. Virginia furnished both the first president of the Continental Congress, Peyton Randolph (1721–1775), and the last, Cyrus Griffin (1748–1810). Notable Virginia governors include Patrick Henry (1736–1799), the first governor of the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

commonwealth, though best remembered as a Revolutionary orator. Chief among Virginia’s great military and naval leaders, besides George Washington and Zachary Taylor, are John Paul Jones (b.Scotland, 1747–1792); Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), the Confederate commander who earlier served in the Mexican War; James Ewell Brown “Jeb” Stuart (1833–1864), commander of Confederate cavalry during the Civil War; and George C. Marshall (b.Pennsylvania, 1880– 1959). Virginians are also notable in the history of exploration. Daniel Boone (b.Pennsylvania, 1734–1820) pioneered in Kentucky and Missouri. Meriwether Lewis (1774–1809) and William Clark (1770–1838), both native Virginians, led the most famous expedition in US history. Richard E. Byrd (1888–1957) was both an explorer of Antarctica and a pioneering aviator. Woodrow Wilson and George C. Marshall both received the Nobel Peace Prize, in 1919 and 1953, respectively. Distinguished Virginiaborn scientists and inventors include Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806–1873), founder of the science of oceanography; Cyrus H. McCormick (1809–1884), who perfected the mechanical reaper; and Dr. Walter Reed (1851–1902), who proved that yellow fever was transmitted by a mosquito. Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) was the nation’s foremost black educator. William Byrd II (1674–1744) is widely acknowledged to have been the most graceful writer in English America in his day, while Thomas Jefferson was a leading author of the Revolutionary period. Edgar Allen Poe (b.Massachusetts, 1809–1849) was one of America’s great poets and short story writers. Notable 20th-century novelists include Willa Cather (1873–1947), Ellen Glasgow (1874– 109

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1945), and James Branch Cabell (1879–1958). Willard Huntington Wright (1888–1939), better known as S. S. Van Dine, wrote many detective thrillers. Twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize for biography, and often regarded as the greatest American master of that genre, was Douglas Southall Freeman (1886–1953). Some contemporary Virginia authors are novelist William Styron (b.1925) and journalist Tom Wolfe (Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr., b.1931). Celebrated Virginia artists include sculptor Moses Ezekiel (1844–1917) and painters George Caleb Bingham (1811–1879) and Jerome Myers (1867–1940). A protégé of Thomas Jefferson’s, Robert Mills (b.South Carolina, 1781–1855), designed the Washington Monument. The roster of Virginians prominent in the entertainment world includes Bill “Bojangles” Robinson (1878–1949), Joseph Cotten (1905– 1994), George C. Scott (1927-1999), Shirley MacLaine (b.1934), and her brother, Warren Beatty (b.1938). Virginia’s most eminent contemporary composer is Thea Musgrave (b.Scotland, 1928). Popular musical stars include Kathryn Elizabeth “Kate” Smith (1907–1986), Pearl Bailey (1918–1990), Ella Fitzgerald (1918– 1996), Roy Clark (b.1933), and Wayne Newton (b.1942). Virginia’s sports champions include golfers Sam Snead (1912–2002) and Chandler Harper (b.1914); tennis star Arthur Ashe (1943–1993); football players Bill Dudley (b.1921) and Francis “Fran” Tarkington (b.1940); and baseball pitcher

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Eppa Rixey (1891–1963). At age 15, Olympic swimming champion Melissa Belote (b.1957) won three gold medals. Helen Chenery “Penny” Tweedy (b.1922) is a famous breeder and racer of horses, from whose stables have come Secretariat and other champions. Equestrienne Jean McLean Davis (b.1929) won 65 world championships.

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Bibliography

BOOKS Barrett, Tracy. Virginia. 2nd ed. New York: Benchmark Books, 2004. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. DeAngelis, Gina. Virginia. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. Dubois, Muriel L. Virginia. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Heinrichs, Ann. Virginia. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. McAuliffe, Bill. Virginia Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Virginia. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Commonwealth of Virginia. Commonwealth of Virginia: Kids Only. www.virginia.gov/ cmsportal2/kids_only_4096/index.html (accessed March 1, 2007). Virginia General Assembly. legis.state.va.us (accessed March 1, 2007). Virginia Tourism Corporation. Virginia Is for Lovers. www.virginia.org/site/main. asp?referrer=welcome (accessed March 1, 2007).


Washington State of Washington

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Named for George

Washington. N I CKNAME : The Evergreen State. C AP ITAL: Olympia. ENT ERED UNION: 11 November 1889 (42nd). O FFICIAL SEAL: Portrait of George Washington surrounded by the words “The Seal of the State of Washington 1889.” FLAG: The state seal centered on a dark green field. M OT TO: Alki (Chinook for “By and by”). SONG: “Washington, My Home.” FLOWER: Coast rhododendron. TREE: Western hemlock. B IRD: Willow goldfinch. FISH: Steelhead trout. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 2nd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November and the day following; Christmas Day, 25 December. TI ME: 4 AM PST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located on the Pacific coast of the northwestern United States, Washington ranks 20th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Washington Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

is 66,582 square miles (176,477 square kilometers), of which land takes up 66,511 square miles (172,263 square kilometers) and inland water 1,627 square miles (4,214 square kilometers). The state extends about 360 miles (580 kilometers) from east to west and 240 miles (390 kilometers) from north to south. The state’s boundary length totals 1,099 miles (1,769 kilometers), including 157 miles (253 kilometers) of general coastline. Major islands of the San Juan group include Orcas, San Juan, and Lopez. Whidbey is a large island in the upper Puget Sound.

2

Topography

Much of Washington is mountainous. Along the Pacific coast are the Coast Ranges extending northward from Oregon and California. This chain forms two groups: the Olympic Mountains in the northwest and the Willapa 111

Washington

Washington Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

6,395,798 8.5% 8.8% 96.7% 81.2% 3.3% 1.4% 6.6% 0.5% 3.7% 3.3%


65 and over (11%)

Under 18 (24%)

45 to 64 (26%) 18 to 24 (10%)

Mount Shuksan. DARRELL TEMPLETON. 25 to 44 (29%)

Hills in the southwest. About 100 miles (160 kilometers) inward from the Pacific coast is the Cascade Range, extending northward from the Sierra Nevada in California. This chain includes Mount Rainier, which at 14,410 feet (4,392 meters) is the highest peak in the state. Between the Coast and Cascade ranges lies the Western Corridor—where most of Washington’s major cities are concentrated. Of all the state’s other major regions, only the Columbia River basin region of south-central Washington is generally flat. The Cascade volcanoes were mostly dormant for over 100 years. Early in 1980, however, Mount St. Helens erupted producing clouds of ash and mudflows. East of the Cascade Range, much of Washington is a plateau underlain 112

Major Cities by Population City Seattle Spokane Tacoma Vancouver Bellevue Everett Federal Way Kent Spokane Valley Yakima

Population

% change 2000–05

573,911 196,818 195,898 157,493 117,137 96,604 83,088 81,800 81,380 81,214

1.9 0.6 1.2 9.7 6.9 5.6 -0.2 2.9 NA 13.0




Quillayute Needles Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

Flattery Rocks Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

of J uan

PACIFIC

GRAYS HARBOR

CLALLAM

Olympia

PIERCE

Vancouver

CLARK

KING

Auburn

Kent

SKAMANIA

90

Gifford Pinchot Nat’l For.

Mt. Rainer Nat’l Park

Renton

Kirkland Redmond Bellevue

Tacoma

Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Mon. Longview

5

Gifford Pinchot Nat’l For.

Edmonds

Lynnwood

Everett

SNOHOMISH

Seattle

5

SKAGIT

Bellingham

WHATCOM

ISLAND

KITSAP

Bremerton

THURSTON

SAN JUAN

COWLITZ

LEWIS

MASON

WAHKIAKUM

Olympic National Park

De Fuc a

Quinault Indian Res.

JEFFERSON

Str ait

50 kilometers

ia

Makah Indian Res.

25

50 miles rg

0

25

N

Area of Interest


i eo

OCEAN

ra G

PA C I F I C

St f to

0

90

State Capital


City (25,000-100,000 people)

Point of Interest

Explanation

WASHINGTON

Snoqualmie Nat’l Park

. bia R

KLICKITAT

U.S. Mil. Res. Yakima Training Ctr.

OREGON

Yakima

YAKIMA

CHELAN KITTITAS

Okanogan Nat’l For.

Wenatchee Nat’l For.

Yakama Indian Res.

Co lum

North Cascades Nat’l Park

Colville Indian Res.

Umatilla Nat’l Wildlife Refuge

BENTON

U.S Dept. of Energy Hanford Site

ADAMS

LINCOLN

Grand Coulee Dam

82

McNary Nat’l Wildlife Refuge Kennewick

Richland

WALLA WALLA

R.

R. Snake COLUMBIA

Spokane

SPOKANE

PEND OREILLE

Kaniksu Nat’l For.

GARFIELD

Umatilla Natl For.

ASOTIN

Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge WHITMAN

Spokane Indian Res.

Roosevelt Lake

Little Pend Oreille Wildlife Area

Nat’l For.

STEVENS Colville

Walla Walla

90

Colville Nat’l For.

ok an e

Sp

FERRY

Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area

FRANKLIN

Potholes Reservoir

Moses Lake

Steamboat Rock State Park

Potholes State Park

GRANT

DOUGLAS

Okanogan Nat’l For.

OKANOGAN

CANADA

Washington

113

IDAHO

Washington

Van drives along eroded riverbank in Washington. © GARY BRAASCH/CORBIS.

by ancient lava flows. In the northeast are the Okanogan Highlands; in the southeast are the Blue Mountains and the Palouse Hills. Among Washington’s numerous rivers, the longest and most powerful is the Columbia, which forms part of the border with Oregon and then flows for more than 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) across the heart of the state. Washington’s other major river is the Snake. The state has numerous lakes, of which the largest is the artificial Roosevelt Lake, covering 123 square miles (319 square kilometers). One of the largest and most famous dams in the United States is Grand Coulee on the upper Columbia River.

3

Climate

The Cascade Mountains divide Washington into distinct climate zones. Despite its northerly loca114

tion, western Washington is as mild as the middle and southeastern Atlantic coast, but it is also one of the rainiest regions in the world. Eastern Washington, on the other hand, has a much more continental climate, characterized by cold winters, hot summers, and sparse rainfall. Average January temperatures in western Washington range from 20°f (-7°c) to 48°f (9°c). July temperatures in the same region range from 44°f (7°c) to 80°f (27°c). In the east, the temperatures are much more extreme. In January, temperatures range are from 8°f (-13°c) to 40°f (4°c ) and in July, the range is from 48°f (9°c) to 92°f (33°c). The lowest temperature ever recorded in the state was -48°f (-44°c) set at Mazama and Winthrop on 30 December 1968. The highest temperature, 118°f (48°c), was set at Ice Harbor Dam on 5 August 1961. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Washington

Washington Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,894,121 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,680,602 . . . . . . 96.4 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196,689 . . . . . . . 3.3 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,234 . . . . . . . 0.4 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47,795 . . . . . . . 0.8 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45,963 . . . . . . . 0.8 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,170 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,593 . . . . . . . 0.7 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,790 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,789 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . .631 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,157 . . . . . . . 0.1 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,204 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . .500 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,158 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,559 . . . . . . . 0.1 Asian and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,360 . . . . . . . 0.1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .786 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,830 . . . . . . . 0.3 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

The average annual precipitation in Seattle is 37 inches (94 centimeters), falling most heavily from October through March. Spokane receives only 17 inches (43 centimeters) of rain per year. Olympic Rainforest, in Olympic National Park, has an annual rainfall of over 145 inches (368 centimeters). Snowfall in Seattle averages 11.4 inches (29 centimeters) annually. In Spokane, the average snowfall is 49.4 inches (125.5 centimeters). Paradise Ranger Station holds the North American record for the most snowfall in one season, with 1,122 inches (2,850 centimeters) of snow recorded during the winter of 1971–72. High mountain peaks, such as Mount Adams, Mount Baker, and Mount Rainier, have Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

permanent snowcaps or snowfields of up to 100 feet (30 meters) deep.

4

Plants and Animals

More than 1,300 plant species have been identified in Washington. Sand strawberries and beach peas are found among the dunes. Fennel and spurry grow in salt marshes. Greasewood and sagebrush predominate in the desert regions of the Columbia Plateau. Conifers include Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, and western hemlock. Bigleaf maple, red alder, and western yew are among the common deciduous trees. Wildflowers include the deerhead orchid and wake-robin. The western rhododendron is the state flower. 115

Washington

In April 2006, nine plant species were listed as threatened or endangered, including golden paintbrush, Nelson’s checker-mallow, Kincaid’s lupine, Spalding’s catchfly, Ute ladies’-tresses, and water howelia, Bradshaw’s desert-parsley, showy stickseed, Wenatchee and Mountains checkermallow. Forest and mountain regions support Columbia black-tailed and mule deer, elk, and black bear. Other native mammals are the Canadian lynx, red fox, and red western bobcat. Smaller mammals—raccoon, muskrat, and porcupine—are plentiful. The whistler (hoary) marmot is the largest rodent. Game birds include the ruffed grouse and ring-necked pheasant. Sixteen varieties of owl have been identified; other birds of prey include the prairie falcon, sparrow hawk, and golden eagle. The bald eagle is more numerous in Washington than in any other state except Alaska. Various salmon species thrive in coastal waters and along the Columbia River, and the hair seal and sea lion inhabit Puget Sound. Animals driven away from the slopes of Mount St. Helens by the volcanic eruption in 1980 have largely returned. In April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 27 animal species as threatened or endangered in Washington, including the Columbian whitetailed deer, woodland caribou, short-tailed albatross, brown pelican, pygmy rabbit, humpback whale, nine species of salmon, and two species (green and leatherback) of sea turtle.

5


The mission of the Department of Ecology (established in 1970) is to protect, preserve, and enhance Washington’s environment and promote the wise management of its air, land, and 116

water for the benefit of current and future generations. The Department of Ecology directly administers an automobile inspection program for the Seattle, Vancouver, and Spokane areas; an Estuarine Sanctuary program at Padilla Bay; the Conservation Corps employment program; and the Youth Corps litter control program. Other state agencies with environmental responsibilities are the State Conservation Commission, Environmental Hearings Office, State Parks and Recreation Commission, Department of Health, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Department of Natural Resources. Principal air pollutants in the state are particulate emissions, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, lead, and dioxides of nitrogen. Fuel combustion and industrial processes are responsible for most of the first two pollutants, transportation (especially cars and trucks) for most of the last four. Significant progress has been made since 1988 in reducing the amount of pollutants released into the air. More than 6,500 sites in Washington are suspected or confirmed to be contaminated with toxic chemicals. At the Hanford Nuclear Site alone, contamination includes 1,500 places where radioactive and chemical wastes were disposed to the soil. From 1990 to 2002, cleanup was completed (or nearly completed) at a majority of the high-priority sites. Washington state has one of the highest overall recycling rates in the United States. In the mid-1980s, Bellingham began the state’s first curbside recycling collection program. Seattle soon started its own program after being forced to close a municipal landfill and facing fierce opposition to construction of a garbage incinJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Washington

erator. In 1989, the state legislature passed the Waste-Not Washington Act, which defined a clear solid waste management strategy and set a recycling goal of 50%. In 2003, Washington had 236 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, 46 of which were on the National Priorities List, as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2006, Washington ranked 14th in population in the United States with an estimated total of 6,395,798 residents. The population was projected to reach 6.9 million by 2015 and 7.9 million in 2025. Washington’s population density in 2004 was 93.2 persons per square mile (35.98 persons per square kilometer). The median age in 2004 was 36.4. In 2005, residents age 65years or older accounted for 11% of the state’s population, while 24% were under 18. Most Washingtonians live in the Western Corridor, between the Coast and Cascade ranges. The leading city in the Western Corridor is Seattle, which had a 2005 estimated population of 573,911. Other leading cities and their estimated 2005 populations were Spokane, 196,818; Tacoma, 195,898; Vancouver, 157,493; and Bellevue, 117,137.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, the largest minority group in the state with 441,509 people or 7.5% of the population, were the Hispanics and Latinos. In 2004, Hispanics and Latinos accounted for 8.5% of the population. Black Americans numbered 190,267 in 2000. By 2004, they accounted for 3.5% of the population. The Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Asian population was estimated at 322,335, in 2000, while Pacific Islanders numbered 23,953 in that same year, including 8,049 Samoans and 4,883 native Hawaiians. In 2006, Asians accounted for 6.6% of the state’s population. There were 93,301 Native Americans, Eskimos, and Aleuts living in Washington in 2000. The same year, about 10.4% of the state’s population (614,457 people) were foreign born.

8

Languages

Northern and Midland dialects dominate the state’s language. Midland is strongest in eastern Washington and the Bellingham area, with Northern strongest elsewhere. In 2000, English was the language spoken at home by 86% of Washington residents five years old or older. Other languages and the number of people speaking them were Spanish, 321,490; Chinese, 48,459; Tagalog, 41,674; Vietnamese, 39,829; and German, 39,702.

9

Religions

First settled by Protestant missionaries, Protestant denominations were only slightly predominant among the religiously active population in 2000. The leading denominations that year were the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints (Mormon), with 178,000 adherents; Assemblies of God, 105,692; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 127,854; the United Methodist Church, 76,648; and the Presbyterian Church USA, 74,338. In 2004, there were 705,732 Roman Catholics in the state. In 2000, there were an estimated 43,500 Jews, and about 15,550 Muslims. Over 3.9 million people (about 67% of the population) 117

Washington

were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

As of 2003, Washington had 3,576 miles (5,757 kilometers) of railroad track. In 2006, Amtrak provided service from Seattle down the coast to Los Angeles, and eastward via Spokane to St. Paul, Minnesota, and Chicago. Washington had 81,216 miles (130,757 kilometers) of public highways, roads, and streets in 2004. Principal interstate highways include I-90, connecting Spokane and Seattle, and I-5, proceeding north–south from Vancouver, British Columbia, through Seattle and Tacoma to Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. In 2004, the state had 4,504,581 licensed drivers and some 5.623 million registered motor vehicles, including around 3.013 million automobiles. Washington’s principal ports include Seattle, Tacoma, and Anacortes, all part of the Puget Sound area and belonging to the Seattle Customs District. Longview, Kalama, and Vancouver, along the Columbia River, are ports with the Portland (Oregon) Customs District. In 2005, Washington had 336 airports, 138 heliports, 3 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing), and 16 seaplane bases. Seattle-Tacoma (SEATAC) International Airport is by far the busiest in the state, with 14,092,285 passenger boardings in 2004.

11

History

The Cascade Mountains prevented most communication between Native Americans of the coast and those of the eastern plateau, and their cultures evolved differently. The coastal tribes 118

used timber to construct dugout canoes, wooden dwellings, and some stationary wooden furniture. They emphasized rank based on wealth, and warfare between villages was fairly common. The plateau (or “horse”) tribes, on the other hand, paid little attention to class distinctions; their social organization was simpler and intertribal warfare less frequent. After the horse reached Washington around 1730, the plateau tribes became largely nomadic, traveling long distances in search of food. The first Europeans known to have sailed along the Washington coast were Spaniards, who explored the coastline to the southern tip of Alaska in 1774 and 1775. English captain James Cook arrived in the Pacific Northwest in 1778 while searching for a northwest passage across America. Cook was the first of numerous British explorers and traders to be attracted by the valuable fur of the sea otter, and the maritime fur trade began to prosper. American interest in the area increased after Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s expedition to inspect the Louisiana Purchase. They first sighted the Pacific Ocean in 1805 from the north bank of the Columbia River. As reports of the trip became known, a host of British and American fur traders followed portions of their route to the Pacific coast, and the formation of missionary settlements encouraged other Americans to journey to the Pacific Northwest. Statehood As early as 1843, an American pro-

visional government had been established in the region. Three years later, a US-Canada boundary along the 49th parallel was established by agreement with the British. Oregon Territory, including the present state of Washington, was organized in 1848. In 1853, the land north of the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Washington

Columbia River gained separate territorial status as Washington (which included part of presentday Idaho). Although a series of treaties with the tribes of the Northwest had established a system of reservations, bloody uprisings by the Yakima, Nisqualli, and Cayuse were not suppressed until the late 1850s. On the economic front, discoveries of gold in the Walla Walla area of British Columbia and in Idaho brought prosperity to the entire region. The completion in 1883 of the Northern Pacific Railroad line from the eastern United States to Puget Sound encouraged immigration, and Washington’s population swelled to 357,232 by 1890. Cattle- and sheep-raising, farming, and lumbering were all established by the time Washington became the 42nd state in 1889. In 1909, Seattle staged the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, celebrating the Alaska gold rush and Seattle’s new position as a major seaport. World War I brought the state several major new military installations, and the Puget Sound area thrived as a shipbuilding center. The war years also saw the emergence of radical labor activities, especially in the shipbuilding and logging industries. 1930s to 1990s Washington’s economy was in

dire straits during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when the market for forest products and field crops tumbled. The New Deal era brought numerous federally funded public works projects, notably the Bonneville and Grand Coulee dams on the Columbia River. They provided hydroelectric power for industry and water for the irrigation of desert lands. During World War II, Boeing led the way in establishing the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

aerospace industry as Washington’s primary employer. Also during the war, the federal government built the Hanford Reservation nuclear research center. This was one of the major contractors in the construction of the first atomic bomb and later became a pioneer producer of atomic-powered electricity. The 1960s and 1970s witnessed the growth of increasing public concern for protection of the state’s unique natural heritage. An unforeseen environmental hazard emerged in May 1980 with the eruption of Mount St. Helens and the resultant widespread destruction. Washington experienced a deep recession in 1979. The logging and lumber industries, competing with mills in the Southeast and in Canada, were particularly hard hit. Nuclear waste also became an issue when it was confirmed in 1990 that plutonium produced at the Hanford Reservation bomb fuel facility had leaked into the nearby Columbia River. The state and federal governments launched a cleanup program that cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The state’s economy was strengthened by the expansion of Microsoft Corporation, Boeing, and Weyerhauser Paper, but was still hampered by falling agricultural prices, and weakness in the Timber industry. In the 1994 mid-term elections, Republicans took seven of the state’s nine seats in the US House of Representatives, including that of 30year Congressional veteran Tom Foley. In 1996, Democrat Gary Locke was elected to the governorship, making him the nation’s first governor of Chinese ancestry. In 2000, Locke won reelection. Under his administration education spending was increased and the welfare system 119

Washington

Washington Governors: 1889–2007 1889–1893 1893–1896 1896–1901 1901–1905 1905–1909 1909 1909–1913 1913–1919 1919–1925 1925–1933 1933–1941 1941–1945 1845–1953 1953–1957 1957–1965 1965–1977 1977–1981 1981–1985 1985–1993 1993–1997 1997–2004 2004–

Elisha Peyre Ferry Republican John Hart McGraw Republican John Rankin Rogers Popular Democrat Henry McBride Republican Albert Edward Mead Republican Samuel Goodlove Cosgrove Republican Marion E. Hay Republican Earnest Lister Democrat Louis Folwell Hart Republican Roland Hill Hartley Republican Clarence Daniel Martin Democrat Arthur Bernard Langlie Republican Monrad Charles Wallgren Democrat Arthur Bernard Langlie Republican Albert Dean Rosellini Democrat Daniel Jackson Evans Republican Dixty Lee Ray Democrat John D. Spellman Republican Booth Gardner Democrat Michael Edward Lowry Democrat Gary Locke Democrat Christine Gregoire Democrat

reformed, which cut the state’s welfare rolls by one-third. In the 1990s, Washington experienced robust economic growth, fueled by the high-tech computer and aerospace sectors. However, by the early 2000s these two sectors would become the source of serious economic problems for the state. 21st Century In 2001, Boeing announced it was relocating its headquarters to Chicago, Illinois. In that same year, the dot-com bubble on Wall Street burst, and on 11 September 2001 the terrorist attacks on the United States in New York City and in Washington, DC, took place. These and other lesser economic events severely impacted the state’s economy. Annual growth rates of 8% and 9% in the 1990s, fell to 2.2% in 2001, and by the end of 2002, the state had an unemployment rate of 6.8%, exceeded only by 120

those in Oregon and Alaska. The only sectors by that had not lost jobs were financial services and government. Meanwhile in 2004, Governor Locke announced that he would not seek a third term. This set the stage for what would become a close and hotly contested race for the governorship between Democrat Christine Gregoire and Republican Dino Rossi. After three recounts of the votes, Christine Gregoire was formally certified as the winner in February 2005 by a margin of only 129 votes.

12

State Government

Washington’s constitution of 1889 continues to govern the state. As of January 2005, it has been amended 95 times. The legislative branch consists of a Senate with 49 members elected to four-year terms, and a House of Representatives with 98 members serving two-years terms. Executives elected statewide include the governor and lieutenant governor (who run separately), secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, auditor, superintendent of public education, and officers of insurance and public land. A bill must first be passed by a majority of the elected members of each house. It then can be signed by the governor, or left unsigned for five days while the legislature is in session or 20 days after it has adjourned. A two-thirds vote of members present in each house is sufficient to override a governor’s veto. The legislative salary in 2004 was $34,227 and the governor’s salary, as of December 2004, was $139,087. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Washington

Washington Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2000 WASHINGTON WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

PROHIBITION

SOCIALIST LABOR

1948 *Truman (D) 1952 *Eisenhower (R) 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 1960 Nixon (R) 1964 *Johnson (D)

476,165 492,845 523,002 599,298 779,699

386,315 599,107 620,430 629,273 470,366

31,692 2,460 — — —

3,534 — — — —

6,117 — — — —

1,113 633 7,457 10,895 7,772

YEAR

PEACE & FREEDOM

1968 1972 1976

Humphrey (D) *Nixon (R) Ford (R)

616,037 568,334 717,323

588,510 837,135 777,732

AMERICAN IND.

1,669

—

PEOPLE’S

LIBERTARIAN

2,644 1,124

1,537 5,042

96,900

491

— 8,585

1,102 —

CITIZENS

1980 1984


650,193 807,352

865,244 1,051,670

9,403 1,891

SOC. WORKERS

29,213 8,844

Dukakis (D)

933,516

903,835

3,520

17,240

IND. (PEROT)

1992

*Clinton (D)

993,037

731,234

541,780

1,137 —

WORKER’S WORLD

NEW ALLIANCE

1988

— —

7,533

1,440

1,290

TAXPAYERS

NATURAL LAW

2,354

2,456 IND. (NADER)

1996

*Clinton (D)

1,123,323

840,712

201,003

12,522

—

60,322

LIBERTARIAN

2000 Gore (D) 1,247,652 2004 Kerry (D) 1,510,201 * Won US presidential election.

13

1,108,864 1,304,894

Political Parties

In recent decades, Washington has tended to favor Republicans in presidential elections, but Democrats have done well in other contests. Democrat Gary Locke was elected governor in 1996 and reelected in 2000, but in 2003, announced he would not seek reelection in 2004. In the 2004 governor’s race, Democrat Christine Gregoire defeated Republican Dino Rossi by 129 votes. In November 1994, Slade Gorton, a Republican, was reelected to a third term in the US Senate, but was defeated in 2000 by Democrat Maria Cantwell. Cantwell was Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

103,002 —

660 —

13,135 11,955

— 23,283

reelected in 2006. Washington’s other US senator, Democrat Patty Murray, was reelected in 1998 and 2004. In the elections of 1994, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Thomas S. Foley lost his seat, the first time since 1860 that a sitting Speaker had lost. Following the 2006 midterm elections, the Democrats held six of the state’s nine US House seats. There were 17 Republicans and 32 Democrats serving in the state senate, and 63 Democrats and 35 Republicans in the state house following the 2006 elections. Forty-nine women were elected to the state legislature in the 2006 elections, 121

Washington

or 33.3%. Democratic candidate Al Gore won 50% of the vote in the 2000 presidential election and Republican nominee George W. Bush received 45%. In the 2004 election, Democrat John Kerry took 53% of the vote to President Bush’s 46%. In 2004 there were 2,884,000 registered voters. There is no party registration in the state.

14

Local Government

As of 2005, Washington had 39 counties, 279 municipal governments, 296 school districts, and 1,173 special districts. Counties may establish their own institutions of government by charter, otherwise, the chief governing body is an elected board of three commissioners. Cities and towns are governed under the mayor-council or council-manager systems.

15

Judicial System

The state’s highest court, the Supreme Court, consists of nine justices that serve six-year terms. Appeals of lower court decisions are normally heard in the court of appeals. The superior courts are the state felony trial courts. There are also 176 district and municipal courts, which hear traffic and misdemeanor matters. In 2004, Washington state had a violent crime (murder/nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) rate of 343.8 incidents per 100,000 inhabitants. Washington’s state and federal prisons held 16,614 inmates, as of 31 December 2004. This state imposes the death penalty, of which the condemned can choose hanging or lethal injection. As of 1 January 2006, there were 10 inmates under sentence of death. 122

16

Migration

The first overseas immigrants to reach Washington were Chinese laborers, imported during the 1860s. The 1870s and 1880s brought an influx of immigrants from western Europe, especially Germany, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands, and from Russia and Japan. In recent decades, Washington has benefited from a second migratory wave even more massive than the first. Many new residents were drawn from other states by Washington’s defenseand trade-related industries. In addition, many immigrants from Southeast Asia arrived during the late 1970s. Between 1990 and 1998, Washington had net gains of 374,000 in domestic migration and 121,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 134,242 people, while net domestic migration for that same year was 80,974, for a net gain of 215,216 people.

17

Economy

The mainstays of Washington’s economy are services, financial institutions, manufacturing (especially aerospace equipment, shipbuilding, food processing, and wood products), agriculture, lumbering, and tourism. The aerospace industry is the state’s single leading industry, although its impact is decreasing, especially with the move of the Boeing Aerospace, Inc. headquarters in 2001 to Chicago. In addition, the state’s computer industry was significantly affected by the bursting of the dot-com bubble on the stock market in 2001, as well as by the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September of that same year. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Washington

Foreign trade, especially with Canada and Japan, was an important growth area during the 1970s and early 1980s. The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 had a negative impact on the forestry industry (already clouded by a slowdown in housing construction), as well as on crop growing and the tourist trade. Due largely to the national recession of 2001, economic growth declined, and all areas of the economy lost jobs except for government and financial services (including insurance and real estate). Washington’s gross state product (GSP) in 2004 was $261.546 billion, of which the real estate sector accounted for the largest share at $38.797 billion or 14.8% of GSP, followed by the manufacturing at 8.7% of GSP, and health care and social assistance at 6.5% of GSP. Of the state’s 198,635 businesses that had employees, 98.1% were small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, Washington ranked 13th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $35,041. For the three-year period 2002–04, the state’s median household income was $48,688, compared to the national average of $44,473. In the same period, an estimated 11.7% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level as compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

In 2004, the shipment value of all products manufactured in the state of Washington totaled $77.664 billion. Of that amount in that same year, the transportation equipment manufacturJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ing sector accounted for the largest portion at $22.7 billion, followed by petroleum and coal products manufacturing at $9.751 billion, food manufacturing at $9.539 billion, and computer and electronic product manufacturing at $7.760 billion. In terms of employment for 2004, a total of 242,483 people were employed in the state’s manufacturing sector, of which transportation equipment manufacturing accounted for the largest share at 48,967, followed by food manufacturing, with 35,817 employees, computer and electronic product manufacturing at 28,726 employees. In addition to the previously noted manufacturing sectors, Washington has a large concentration of biotechnology companies. More than two-thirds develop products for human healthcare. Others develop products and processes for agriculture, food processing, forestry, veterinary medicine, marine industries, and environmental management. The state also become a leader in film and television production, which has become a $100 million per year industry, employing thousands of residents, and creating thousands of film and video related companies.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the labor force in Washington numbered 3,346,700, with approximately 157,700 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which was equal to the national average of 4.7%. About 6.7% of the labor force was employed in construction; 9.9% in manufacturing; 19% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.5% in financial activities; 11.6% in professional and business services; 11.8% in education and health services; 9.5% 123

Washington

in leisure and hospitality services, and18.4% in government. The state’s labor force is one of the most organized in the United States. In 2005, a total of 523,000 of Washington’s 2,736,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union, representing 19.1% of those so employed, compared to the national average of 12%.

lion kilograms) of sheep and lambs in 2003, which brought in $4.7 million in gross income. Washington dairy farmers had 245,000 milk cows that produced 5.58 billion pounds (2.5 billion kilograms) of milk in 2003. Poultry farmers sold 8.2 million pounds (3.7 million kilograms) of chicken, and produced 1.31 billion eggs, valued at $70.4 million.

21

23

Agriculture

Orchard and field crops dominate Washington’s agricultural economy, which yielded almost $5.7 billion in farm marketings in 2005, ranking the state 13th among the 50 states. Fruits and vegetables are raised in the humid and irrigated areas of the state while wheat and other grains grow in the drier central and eastern regions. Washington is the nation’s leading producer of apples. The estimated 2004 crop of 5.9 million tons, represented 58% of the US total. Among leading varieties, delicious apples ranked first, followed by golden delicious and winesap. The state also ranked first in production of hops, red raspberries, pears, and cherries; and second in grapes and apricots. Other leading crops for 2004 included wheat, potatoes, barley, and corn for grain. Sugar beets, peaches, and various seed crops are also grown in Washington.

22


In 2005, Washington’s farms and ranches had 1.08 million cattle and calves, valued at $1.2 billion. During 20042, the state had approximately 26,000 hogs and pigs, valued at $3.1 million. The state produced 4.6 million pounds (2.1 mil124

Fishing

In 2004, Washington’s commercial fish catch was 454.7 million pounds (206.7 million kilograms) valued at around $175 million, representing the fourth largest catch in quantity and the fifth highest in value nationwide. Oyster landings in 2004 amounted to over 9.5 million pounds (4.3 million kilograms), 82% of the Pacific region’s total. Most production of farm-raised oysters occurs in Washington although there are some smaller operations in the other Pacific coastal states. The dungeness crab catch reached 14.9 million pounds (6.8 million kilograms), the largest in the nation. The salmon catch was marked as the second largest in the nation with 26.9 million pounds (12.3 million kilograms). Westport, Ilwaco-Chinook, and Bellingham are the major ports. In 2003, there were 67 processing and 146 wholesale plants in the state, with about 4,537 employees. In 2002, the commercial fishing fleet had 329 boats and 695 vessels. In 2004, Washington issued 691,191 fishing licenses. There are ten national fish hatcheries in the state. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Washington

Washington farmlands and, in the distance, Mount St. Helens. DARRELL TEMPLETON.

24

Forestry

Washington’s forests, covering 21,300,000 acres (8,620,000 hectares), are an important commercial and recreational resource. Some 17,347,000 acres (7,020,000 hectares) are classified as commercial forestland. The largest federal forests are Wenatchee, Mount Baker-Snoqualmie, and Okanogan. In 2004, lumber production totaled 5.23 billion board feet (second in the United States). Public ownership accounts for about 56% of Washington’s forest, with the remaining 44% owned by the forest industry and other private owners. Lumber and plywood, logs for export, various chip products, pulp logs, and shakes and shingles are leading forest commodities. The largest forest industry company is Weyerhauser, with headquarters in Tacoma. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Since 1975, more acres have been planted or seeded than have been cut down. Washington’s forest fire control program covers some 12.5 million acres (5.1 million hectares). Leading causes of forest fires in lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources are (in order of frequency) burning debris, lightning, recreation, children, smokers, incendiary logging, and railroad operations.

25

Mining

The estimated value of nonfuel mineral production for Washington in 2003 was $430 million. Washington ranked 31st nationally in nonfuel mineral production by value. In 2003, the four leading (by value) nonfuel mineral commodities were construction sand and gravel, portland cement, crushed stone, and diatomite. Together, 125

Washington

these accounted for about 95% of the total nonfuel mineral output. Preliminary data for 2003 showed construction sand and gravel output at 42 million metric tons ($218 million), followed by crushed stone at 13.4 million metric tons ($79.1 million). By volume in 2003, Washington ranked second in olivine, fourth in diatomite, and seventh in the production of construction sand and gravel.

26

Energy and Power

Washington has no indigenous sources of petroleum or natural gas, and as of 2004, only one producing coal mine. However, it does have the largest hydroelectric generation base of any state in the nation. In 2003, the state’s total net summer generating capability stood at 27.689 million kilowatts, with total production in that same year of 100.094 billion kilowatt hours, of which 71.7% came from hydroelectric facilities, followed by coal-fired plants at 11.1%, nuclear fueled plants at 7.6%, and natural gas-fired plants at 7.1%. The remainder came from other renewable sources, oil fueled plants, and plants using other types of gases. As of 2006, Washington had one nuclear plant, the single-unit Columbia Generating Station in Benton County. Washington’s sole operating coal mine was a surface mining operation. In 2003, the mine produced 5.653 million tons of coal. Washington has five petroleum refineries with combined production of 616,150 barrels per day, as of 2005. 126

27

Commerce

In 2002, the state of Washington’s wholesale trade sector had sales totaling $84.6 billion, while the retail trade sector had sales that same year of $65.2 billion. Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts dealers accounted for the largest share of retail sales in 2002 at $15.5 billion, followed by food and beverage stores at $11.1 billion, and general merchandise stores at $10.4 billion. In 2005, exports of goods originating from the state had a value of $37.9 billion, fourth in the United States.

28

Public Finance

Washington’s biennial budget is prepared by the Office of Financial Management and submitted by the governor to the legislature for amendment and approval. The fiscal year runs from 1 July through 30 June. In 2004, the state had total revenues of $35.08 billion and total expenditures of $32.51 billion. The highest general expenditures were for education ($11.2 billion), public welfare ($6.4 billion), and highways ($2 billion). The state’s outstanding debt was $15.77 billion, or $2,541.28 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

Washington is one of six other states without individual or corporate income taxes. The biggest source of state revenue is the general sales and use tax, set at 6.5% with local sales taxes adding on another 2.4%. Food purchased for consumption off premises (such as at home) is exempt. The state also imposes excise taxes on Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Washington

gasoline and cigarettes. There is also a state property tax. In 2005, the state of Washington collected $14.84 billion in taxes, of which 61.6% came from the general sales tax, 16.8% from selective sales taxes, 10.7% from state property taxes, and 10.8% from other taxes. In 2005, Washington ranked 17th among the states in terms of combined state and local tax burden, which amounted to $2,360 per person.

30

Health

In October 2005, Washington’s infant mortality rate was estimated at 5.4 per 1,000 live births. The crude death rate in 2003 was 7.5 per 1,000 population. The HIV mortality rate was 2 per 100,000 population. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was around 7.2 per 100,000 people. In that same year, 19.1% of the state’s residents were smokers. Major causes of death in 2002 were heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, and diabetes. Washington’s 85 community hospitals had some 11,200 beds in 2003. There were 762 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005, while there were 266 physicians per 100,000 population and a total of 4,255 dentists in the state in 2004. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,827 per. In 2004, about 14% of Washington’s residents were uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 2,606,623 housing units in Washington, of which 2,416,301 were occupied, and 64.3% were owner-occupied. About 62.1% of all units were single-famJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ily, detached homes. Electricity was the most common energy source for heating. It was estimated that 84,890 units lacked telephone service, 10,663 lacked complete plumbing, and 15,987 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.51 people. In 2004, a total of 50,100 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $204,719. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,389. Renters paid a median of $727 per month.

32

Education

As of 2004, of all Washingtonians 25 years of age or older, 89.7% were high school graduates and 29.9% had four or more years of college. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 1,011,000 in fall 2003 and was expected to reach 1,057,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/2004 were estimated at $8.98 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 78,746. As of fall 2002, there were 338,820 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Washington had 81 degree-granting institutions, including 11 public 4-year institutions, 35 public 2-year institutions, and 21 nonprofit private 4-year institutions. The largest institutions are the University of Washington (founded in 1861) and Washington State University. Other public institutions include the following: Eastern Washington University, Central Washington University, Western Washington University, and Evergreen State College. Private institutions include Gonzaga University, Pacific Lutheran University, Seattle University, Seattle Pacific College, 127

Washington

University of Puget Sound, Walla Walla College, and Whitworth College.

33

Arts

The focus of professional performance activities in Washington is Seattle Center, home of the Seattle Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet Company, and Seattle Repertory Theater. The Seattle Opera Association (founded 1964), which also performs there throughout the year, is one of the nation’s leading opera companies. Tacoma and Spokane have notable local orchestras. The Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival has been a popular community event since its inception in 1975. The annual Diwali Festival, also in Seattle, is sponsored in part by the regional Confluence of Festivals in India and the Washington State Arts Commission. It includes performances of traditional dance, music, and drama. Among Washington’s many museums, universities, and other organizations exhibiting works of art on a permanent or periodic basis are the Seattle Art Museum and the Henry Art Gallery of the University of Washington at Seattle. Others include the Whatcom Museum of History and Art, the State Capitol Museum, and the Cheney Cowles Memorial Museum of the Eastern Washington State Historical Society (in Spokane). The Washington State Arts Commission (est.1961) is governed by 19 citizens appointed by the governor and 4 legislators.

34


In 2001, the state of Washington had a total of 320 libraries, of which 265 were branches. In 128

that same year, the libraries held a combined 17 million volumes, with a combined circulation of 56,298,000. The leading public library system is the Seattle Public Library, with 25 branches and nearly 1.9 million volumes in 1998. The principal academic libraries are at the University of Washington (Seattle) and Washington State University (Pullman). Olympia is the home of the Washington State Library. The state has 160 museums and historic sites. The Washington State Historical Society Museum (Tacoma) features Native American and other pioneer artifacts. Mount Rainer National Park displays zoological, botanical, geological, and historical collections. The Pacific Science Center (Seattle) concentrates on aerospace technology. The Seattle Aquarium is a leading attraction of Waterfront Park. Also in Seattle is Woodland Park Zoological Gardens. Tacoma has the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.

35

Communications

As of 2004, of all Washington households, 95.5% had telephones. In June of that same year, there were 3,567,896 wireless telephone service subscribers. During 2003, computers were in 71.4% of all state households, while 62.3% had Internet access. During 2005, the state of Washington had 51 AM and 95 FM radio stations, and 19 major television stations. In 1999, the Seattle-Tacoma area had 1,591,100 television households, 74% of which ordered cable. About 206,961 Internet domain names were registered in the state by the year 2000. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Washington

Seattle Space Needle. © JASON SZENES/CORBIS.

36

Press

In 2005, Washington had 15 morning newspapers, 8 evening dailies, and 17 Sunday papers. Leading newspapers with their approximate daily circulations for 2005 were the Seattle Times (231,051), the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (145,964), and the Tacoma News Tribune Ledger (127,928 daily, 142,876 Sundays). The Seattle Times and the Post-Intelligencer are combined on Sundays with a circulation of 462,920.

37


Tourism is the fourth-largest industry in Washington state. Travelers spent more than $11.2 billion in 2003 on overnight and day trips in Washington. The industry supplies over Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

126,800 jobs in the state annually. Washington has been consistently ranked among the nation’s top 10 tourist destination states and attracts a significant proportion of the nation’s international visitors. Seattle Center—featuring the 605-foot (184-meter) Space Needle tower, Opera House, and Pacific Science Center—helps make Washington’s largest city one of the most exciting on the West Coast. Nevertheless, scenic beauty and opportunities for outdoor recreation are Washington’s principal attractions for tourists from out of state. Mount Rainier National Park, covering 235,404 acres (95,265 hectares) encompasses the state’s highest peak. Glaciers, lakes, and mountain peaks are featured at North Cascades 129

Washington

National Park, while Olympic National Park is famous as the site of Mount Olympus and the Olympic Rainforest. Washington also offers two national historic parks, two national historic sites (Fort Vancouver and the Whitman Mission), and three national recreation areas (Coulee Dam, Lake Chelan, and Ross Lake).

38

Sports

Washington is home to four professional major league sports teams, all of which play in Seattle: the Mariners, of Major League Baseball; the Seahawks, of the National Football League; the Storm, of the Women’s National Basketball Association; and the Supersonics, of the National Basketball Association. In collegiate sports, the Huskies of the University of Washington won the Rose Bowl five times. Skiing, boating, and hiking are popular sports. Annual sporting events include outboard hydroplane races in Electric City in June, and the Ellensburg Rodeo in September.

39

Famous Washingtonians

Washington’s most distinguished public figure was US Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas (b.Minnesota, 1898–1980), whose 37year tenure on the Court was the longest. Other federal officeholders from Washington include Lewis B. Schwellenbach (b.Wisconsin, 1894– 1948), secretary of labor under Harry S. Truman; and Brockman Adams (b.Georgia, 1927–2004), secretary of transportation under Jimmy Carter. Serving in the US Senate from 1945 to 1981, Warren G. Magnuson (b.Minnesota, 1905– 1989) chaired the powerful Appropriations Committee. A fellow Democrat, Henry M. 130

“Scoop” Jackson (1912–1983), was influential on the Armed Services Committee and ran unsuccessfully for his party’s presidential nomination in 1976. Thomas Stephen Foley (b.1929) was Speaker of the House from 1987 until his defeat in the 1994 elections. Dixy Lee Ray (1914–1993), governor from 1977 to 1981, was the only woman governor in the state’s history. Bertha Knight Landes (b.Massachusetts, 1868–1943), elected mayor of Seattle in 1926, was the first woman to be elected mayor of a large US city. Famous entrepreneurs from Washington include merchandiser Eddie Bauer (1899–1986), and William Henry “Bill” Gates III (b.1955), cofounder of the Microsoft Corporation. Hans Georg Dehmelt (b.Germany, 1922) was a recipient of the 1989 Nobel Prize for physics as a member of the University of Washington faculty. William E. Boeing (b.Michigan, 1881– 1956) pioneered Washington’s largest single industry, aerospace technology. Washington authors have made substantial contributions to American literature. Mary McCarthy (1912–1989) was born in Seattle, and one of her books, Memories of a Catholic Girlhood (1957), describes her early life there. University of Washington faculty member Theodore Roethke (b.Michigan, 1908–1963), won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1953. Max Brand (Frederick Schiller Faust, 1892–1944) wrote hundreds of Western novels. Washington has also been the birthplace of several prominent cartoonists, including Chuck Jones (1912– 2002), who created the Road Runner and other animated characters; Hank Ketcham (1920– 2001), who created the comic strip Dennis the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Washington

Menace; and Gary Larson (b.1950), creator of The Far Side. Singer-actor Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby (1904– 1977), born in Tacoma, remained a loyal alumnus of Spokane’s Gonzaga University. Modern dance choreographer Merce Cunningham (b.1919) is a Washington native, along with ballet pioneer Robert Joffrey (1930–1988). Modern artist Robert Motherwell (1915–1991) was born in Aberdeen. Washington’s contribution to popular music is rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix (James Marshall Hendrix, 1943–1970).

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Bibliography

BOOKS Blashfield, Jean F. Washington. New York: Children’s Press, 2001. Boekhoff, P. M. Washington. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport,


CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. McAuliffe, Emily. Washington Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Heinrichs, Ann. Washington. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. McAuliffe, Emily. Washington Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Washington. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES Washington State Department of Information Services. Access Washington: Official State Government Web Site. access.wa.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Washington State Tourism, Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. Experience WA: The Official Site of Washington State Tourism. www. experiencewashington.com (accessed March 1, 2007).

131

West Virginia State of West Virginia

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : The state was originally

the western part of Virginia. N I CKNAME : The Mountain State. C AP ITAL: Charleston. ENT ERED UNION: 20 June 1863 (35th). O FFICIAL SEAL: The same as the coat of arms. FLAG: The flag has a white field bordered by a strip of

blue, with the coat of arms in the center, wreathed by rhododendron leaves; across the top of the coat of arms are the words “State of West Virginia.” C OAT OF ARMS: A farmer stands to the right and a miner to the left of a large ivy-draped rock bearing the date of the state’s admission to the Union. In front of the rock are two hunters’ rifles upon which rests a Cap of Liberty. The state motto is beneath and the words “State of West Virginia” above. M OT TO: Montani semper liberi (Mountaineers are always free). SONG: “The West Virginia Hills;” “West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home;” “This Is My West Virginia.” C OLORS: Old gold and blue. FLOWER: Rhododendron. TREE: Sugar maple. A NIMAL: Black bear. B IRD: Cardinal. FISH: Brook trout. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; West Virginia Day, 20 June; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November and the day following; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 7 AM EST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the South Atlantic region of the eastern United States, West Virginia ranks 41st in size among the 50 states. The area of West Virginia totals 24,231 square miles (62,758 square kilometers), including 24,119 square miles (62,468 square kilometers) of land and 112 square miles (290 square kilometers) of inland water. The state extends 265 miles (426 kilometers) from east to west and 237 miles (381 kilometers) from north to south. Its total boundary length is 1,180 miles (1,899 kilometers). 133

West Virginia

2

Topography

Most of West Virginia’s eastern panhandle, crossed by the Allegheny Mountains, is in the Ridge and Valley region of the Appalachian Highlands. The remainder is part of the Allegheny Plateau. The state’s highest point, Spruce Knob, towers 4,861 feet (1,483 meters) above sea level. Major lowlands lie along the rivers, especially the Potomac, Ohio, and Kanawha. A point on the Potomac River near Harpers Ferry has the lowest elevation, only 240 feet (73 meters) above sea level. West Virginia has no natural lakes. Subterranean streams have carved out numerous caverns— including Seneca Caverns, Smoke Hole Caverns, and Organ Cave—from limestone beds.

3


1,818,470 0.6% 0.6% 98.9% 95.0% 3.1% 0.1% 0.4% 0.1% 0.2% 1.1%


Under 18 (21%)

65 and over (15%)

18 to 24 (9%) 45 to 64 (29%)

Climate

West Virginia has a humid continental climate with hot summers and cool to cold winters. The climate of the eastern panhandle is influenced by its proximity to the Atlantic slope and is similar to that of nearby coastal areas. Mean annual temperatures vary from 56°f (13°c) in the southwest to 48°f (9°c) in higher elevations. The highest recorded temperature is 112°f (44°c), set at Martinsburg on 10 July 1936. The lowest temperature, -37°f (-38°c), occurred at Lewisburg on 30 December 1917. In Charleston, the annual average precipitation is 42.9 inches (108 centimeters). Average annual snowfall throughout the state ranges from 20 inches (51 centimeters) in the west to 50 inches (127 centimeters) in the higher mountains. 134

West Virginia Population Profile

25 to 44 (26%)

Major Cities by Population City Charleston Huntington Parkersburg Wheeling Morgantown Weirton Fairmont Beckley Clarksburg Martinsburg

Population

% change 2000–05

51,176 49,198 32,020 29,639 28,292 19,544 19,049 16,936 16,439 15,996

-4.2 -4.4 -3.3 -5.7 5.5 -4.2 -0.3 -1.8 -1.8 6.8



HANCOCK

West Virginia

BROOKE

Weirton

OHIO OHIO

PENNSYLVANIA

Wheeling

70 MARSHALL

Moundsville Grave Cr. Mound S. P.

WETZEL

MONONGALIA

ac m

HARRISON

MINERAL

Cathedral S. P.

81 R.

TAYLOR

Clarksburg

GRANT

r. P oto m

WOOD BARBOUR

North Bend S. P.

LEWIS GILMER

MASON

West Virginia RANDOLPH Wildlife Center Monongahela Nat’l Forest

JACKSON

Cedar Creek S. P.

ROANE

BRAXTON

77

Lost River St. Park PENDLETON

Seneca Rocks

WEBSTER

PUTNAM

Holly River St. Park

CLAY

CABELL

HARDY

UPSHUR

CALHOUN

Point Pleasant S. P.

TUCKER

79

S. B

WIRT

JEFFERSON

Harpers Ferry Nat’l Hist. Pk.

ac

Valley Falls St. Park

DODDRIDGE

RITCHIE

Parkersburg

R.

O

BERKELEY HAMPSHIRE

Martinsburg

PLEASANTS

Vienna

MARYLAND

MORGAN

R.

Fairmont

68

t ea Ch

TYLER

R. o hi

Pot o

PRESTON

Morgantown MARION

Spruce Knob

R.

KANAWHA

El k

64

Huntington WAYNE

dy an gS

. Mud R

Bi

Beach Fork S. P.

St. Albans South LINCOLN Charleston

NICHOLAS

POCAHONTAS

Charleston Carnifex Ferry Battlefield St. Park

Ne

BOONE

w

R.

FAYETTE

R.

GREENBRIER LOGAN RALEIGH

MINGO

Chief Logan S. P.

Babcock S. P.

Beckley

Twin Falls Resort St. Park

77

KENTUCKY

MC DOWELL

64

. rR ria nb ee MONROE Gr

SUMMERS

WYOMING

MERCER

Tug

Pipestem Resort St. Park

WEST VIRGINIA Explanation

Moncove Lake St. Park

r Fo

. k R

Bluefield

Point of Interest City (10,000-50,000 people) City (more than 50,000 people)

VIRGINIA

State Capital

77


N 0 0


20 20


135

West Virginia

4

Plants and Animals

West Virginia provides a natural habitat for more than 3,200 species of plants. Oak, maple, poplar, and softwoods such as hemlock and pine are common forest trees in West Virginia. Rhododendron, dogwood, and pussy willow are among the more than 200 flowering trees and shrubs. The Cranberry Glades, an ancient lake bed similar to a glacial bog, contains the bog rosemary and other plant species common in more northern climates. In 2006, six plant species were listed as endangered, including shale barren rock-cress, harperella, northeastern bulrush, and running buffalo clover. The Virginia spirea and small whorled pogonia were the two species listed as threatened that year. The white-tailed (Virginia) deer, black bear, and wildcat are still found in the deep timber of the Allegheny ridges. Common birds include the cardinal, scarlet tanager, and catbird. Major game birds are the wild turkey, bobwhite quail, and ruffed grouse. Notable among more than 100 species of fish are smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, and brook trout (the state fish). The copperhead and rattlesnake are both numerous and poisonous. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 13 animal species as threatened or endangered in West Virginia, including the bald eagle, three species (gray, Indiana, and Virginia bigeared) of bat, fanshell, flat-spired three-toothed snail, and the Cheat Mountain salamander.

5


The Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) was established in October 1991 and became West Virginia’s leading environmental 136

agency in July 1992, with the consolidation of the state’s major environmental regulatory programs. A new DEP program is the Office of Environmental Advocate. The office was created to improve public access and input into DEP functioning. Environmental issues confronting the state of West Virginia include the restoration of about 2,000 miles (3,218 kilometers) of streams impacted by acid mine damage. To combat the problem, the state has created a Stream Restoration program, which is using a variety of treatment methods to improve water quality. The first treatment station is under construction in the Blackwater River watershed, with plans to construct a second station in the Middlefork River watershed. The state is in the midst of an initiative to focus on better planning and management of West Virginia’s five major watersheds. In 1996, less than 1% of West Virginia’s land was designated wetlands. West Virginia mandates that cities with populations of 10,000 or more must develop recycling programs. In 2003, West Virginia had 154 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s database, nine of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2006, West Virginia ranked 37th among the 50 states in population with an estimated total of 1,818,470. The population is projected to decline to 1.76 million by 2025. The population density in 2004 was 75.4 persons per square mile (29.1 persons per square kilometer). The state has one of the oldest populations in the country. The median age in 2004 was 40.3 years, compared to the national average of 36.2. In 2005, about Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

West Virginia

West Virginia Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,808,344 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,792,556 . . . . . . 99.1 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,846 . . . . . . . 0.8 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,159 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,966 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,704 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,690 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . .367 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . .9 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .942 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

15% of all residents were 65 or older, while 21% were 18 or younger. In 2005, Charleston had an estimated 51,176 residents. Other major cities include Huntington, Parkersburg, and Wheeling, all of which have populations less than 50,000 people.

reported at least one specific ancestry group, 176,297 were English, 253,388 were German, 198,473 were Irish, and 37,837 were Dutch. In 2006, estimates indicated that 3.1% of the population was black. Hispanics and Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans each accounted for less than 1% of the population.

7

8

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, about 3,606 Native Americans were living in West Virginia. About 57,232 residents were black Americans. There were 12,279 Hispanics and Latinos and 9,434 persons of Asian origin. Only 19,390 West Virginians, or 1.1% of the population, were foreign born. Of those European descendents who Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Languages

West Virginia generally maintains Midland speech, but there are speech differences between the northern and southern halves of the state. For instance, in the northern part, the words sat and sight sound very much alike and specific terms include run for creek and teetertotter for seesaw. In the southern half, can’t and aunt rhyme with 137

West Virginia

paint, a creek is called a branch, and tinter means teeter. In 2000, 97.3% of the population five years of age or over spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home, and the number of persons who spoke them, included Spanish, 17,652; French, 5,693; and German, 5,040.

9

Religions

Throughout its history, West Virginia has been overwhelmingly Protestant. Most settlers before the American Revolution were Anglicans, Presbyterians, Quakers, or members of German sects, such as Lutherans, German Reformed, Dunkers, and Mennonites. The Great Awakening had a profound effect on these settlers and they avidly embraced its evangelism, emotionalism, and emphasis on personal religious experience. In 2000, the major Protestant denominations and the number of their adherents were the American Baptist Churches USA, 108,087; the Southern Baptist Convention, 43,606; and the Presbyterian Church USA, 28,467. In 2004, the United Methodist Church had about 105,879 members. In 2000, smaller fundamentalist denominations included the Churches of Christ, 24,143; the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), 21,657; and the Church of the Nazarene, 21,389. The Roman Catholic population was 100,648 in 2004. There were an estimated 2,400 Jews and 1,528 Muslims in 2000. Over 1.1 million people (about 64% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization. 138

10

Transportation

The first major pre-Civil War railroad line was the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O), completed to Wheeling in 1852. Today, the railroads still play an important part in coal transportation. In 2003, CSX, and Norfolk Southern were the state’s Class I operators. In the same year, total rail mileage was 2,489 miles (4,007 kilometers). As of 2006, Amtrak provided passenger service to 10 communities. In 2004, there were 37,011 miles (59,587 kilometers) of public roads under the state system. The West Virginia Turnpike was completed from Charleston to Princeton in 1955. There were 1.3 million registered motor vehicles in the state in 2003 and 1,292,036 licensed drivers. The state ran 17 public transit systems in the mid-1990s. Major navigable inland rivers are the Ohio, Kanawha, and Monongahela. Each has locks and dams. In the mid-1990s, West Virginia had 67 airports, 29 heliports, and 10 seaplane bases. Yeager Airport in Charleston is the state’s main air terminal.

11

History

When European settlers arrived in present-day West Virginia, only a few Shawnee, Tuscarora, and Delaware Native American villages remained, but the area was still actively used as hunting and warring grounds, and European possession was hotly contested. The fur trade stimulated early exploration by both the English and French. England eventually prevailed as a result of the French and Indian War. It is thought that the first settlement was founded at Bunker Hill in 1731. By 1750, sevJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

West Virginia

Architecture of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in Jefferson. DAVID FATTALEH, WEST VIRGINIA DIVISION OF TOURISM.

eral thousand settlers were living in the eastern panhandle, and there was movement into the Greenbriar, Monongahela, and the upper Ohio River valleys after 1769, although wars with the Native Americans occurred sporadically until the 1790s. The area that is now West Virginia was part of Virginia at the time of that state’s entry into the Union on 25 June 1788. Serious differences between eastern and western Virginia developed after the War of 1812. Eastern Virginia was dominated by large farms that used slave labor, while small diversified farms and infant industries predominated in western Virginia. Westerners resented property qualifications for voting, inadequate representation in the Virginia legislature, and undemocratic county governments, and were dissatisfied with Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the quality of government operations. In 1859, abolitionist John Brown led a raid at Harpers Ferry, seizing the US Armory. Brown was convicted and hanged for treason, which made him a hero for the antislavery movement. Statehood When Virginia seceded from the

Union in 1861, western counties remaining loyal to the Union set up the Reorganized Government and consented to the separation of present West Virginia from Virginia. After approval by Congress and President Lincoln, West Virginia entered the Union on 20 June 1863 as the 35th state. Both Bourbon (conservative) Democratic and Republican governors after the Civil War sought to improve transportation, foster immi139

West Virginia

West Virginia Governors: 1863–2007 1863–1869 1869 1869–1871 1871–1877 1877–1881 1881–1885 1885–1889 1889–1893 1893–1897 1897–1901 1901–1905 1905–1909 1909–1913 1913–1917 1917–1921 1921–1925 1925–1929 1929–1933 1933–1937 1937–1941 1941–1945 1945–1949 1949–1953 1953–1957 1957–1961 1961–1965 1965–1969 1969–1977 1977–1985 1985–1989 1989–1997 1997–2000 2000–2004 2004–

Arthur Inghram Boreman Republican Daniel Duane Farnsworth Republican William Erskine Stevenson Republican John Jeremiah Jacob Dem/Indep Henry Mason Matthews Democrat Jacob Beeson Jackson Democrat Emanuel Willis Wilson Democrat Aretas Brooks Fleming Democrat William Alexander MacCorkle Democrat George Wesley Atkinson Republican Albert Blakeslee White Republican William Mercer Owens Dawson Rep. William Ellsworth Glasscock Republican Henry Drury Hatfield Republican John Jacob Cornwell Democrat Ephraim Franklin Morgan Republican Howard Mason Gore Republican William Gustavus Conley Republican Herman Guy Kump Democrat Homer Adams Holt Democrat Matthew Mansfield Neely Democrat Clarence Watson Meadows Democrat Okey Leonidas Patteson Democrat William Casey Marland Democrat Cecil Harland Underwood Republican William Wallace Barron Democrat Hulett Carlson Smith Democrat Arch Alfred Moore, Jr. Republican John Davidson Rockefeller IV Democrat Arch Alfred Moore, Jr. Republican Gaston Caperton Democrat Cecil Underwood Republican Bob Wise Democrat Joe Manchin III Democrat

Democrat/Independent – Dem/Indep

gration, and provide tax structures attractive to business. Republican governors of the early 20th century, attuned to Progressive ideas, were instrumental in the adoption of the direct primary, safety legislation for the coal mines, revision of corporate tax laws, and improvements in highways and education. The Great Depression of the 1930s, from which West Virginia suffered acutely, ushered in 140

a Democratic era. West Virginians embraced the liberal philosophies of presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. World Wars I and II produced significant changes in the state, particularly through stimulation of the chemical, steel, and textile industries, which lessened its dependence on mining, historically the backbone of its economy. After World War II After World War II, mecha-

nization and strip mining displaced thousands of miners and resulted in a large exodus to other states. By 1960, West Virginia was considered one of the most economically depressed areas of the country, primarily because of conditions in the mining regions. Antipoverty programs of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations provided some relief, but much of it was temporary. Over the next several decades, West Virginia’s manufacturing and mining sectors shrank dramatically. Automation, foreign competition, and the recession of the early 1980s caused employment in steel, glass, chemical manufacturing, and coal mining to drop by one-third between 1979 and 1985. On the other hand, tourism, centered on skiing and whitewater rafting, provided West Virginia with a growing source of income. The same technological advances which forced a restructuring of the economy produced social change. Electronic communications largely eliminated the cultural isolation long felt by West Virginia residents. In the 1990s, the state won a number of federal projects, including the FBI’s fingerprint identification division, aided by the tenure of Senator Robert C. Byrd, who was chairman of the US Senate Appropriations Committee from 1988 to 1995 and from 2001 to 2005. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

West Virginia

In 2002, West Virginia began programs to attract retirees to the state. In 2004, Democrat Joe Manchin III was elected as governor to replace Bob Wise, who chose not to run for reelection that year. Manchin’s election marked the first time that two persons of the same political party have followed one another in the governor’s office since 1964.

12

State Government

Since becoming a state, West Virginia has had two constitutions. The 1872 constitution had been amended 71 times as of January 2005. The legislature consists of a senate with 34 members and a house of delegates with 100 members. Senators serve four-year terms, and delegates serve two-year terms. Elected officials of the executive branch of government include the governor, secretary of state, auditor, and attorney general. There is no lieutenant governor. Bills passed by the legislature become law when signed by the governor. Those the governor vetoes may become law if repassed by majorities of both house memberships—except for revenue and appropriations bills, which require a twothirds majority of both houses. The legislative salary in 2004 was $15,000 and the governor’s salary was $90,000.

13

Political Parties

The Republican Party presided over the birth of West Virginia, but the Democrats have generally been in power for the past five decades. In 2004, there were 1,169,000 registered voters. In 1998, 63% of registered voters were Democratic, 29% Republican, and 8% unaffiliated or members of other parties. Since the 1930s, Republican presiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

West Virginia Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

WEST VIRGINIA WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1948 *Truman (D) 429,188 316,251 1952 Stevenson (D) 453,578 419,970 1956 *Eisenhower (R) 381,534 449,297 1960 *Kennedy (D) 441,786 395,995 1964 *Johnson (D) 538,087 253,953 1968 Humphrey (D) 374,091 307,555 1972 *Nixon (R) 277,435 484,964 1976 *Carter (D) 435,914 314,760 1980 Carter (D) 367,462 334,206 1984 *Reagan (R) 328,125 405,483 1988 Dukakis (D) 341,016 310,065 1992** *Clinton (D) 331,001 241,974 1996** *Clinton (D) 327,812 233,946 2000 *Bush, G. W. (R) 295,497 336,475 2004 *Bush, G. W. (R) 326,541 423,778 * Won US presidential election. ** Independent candidate Ross Perot received 108,829 votes in 1992 and 71,639 votes in 1996.

dential candidates have carried West Virginia only in 1956, 1972, 1984, 2000, and 2004. The state is even more firmly Democratic in elections for other offices. Robert Byrd, who has served in the US Senate since 1959 and was majority leader from 1977 to 1980, is a Democrat and was reelected to his ninth term in the Senate in 2006. Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, reelected to his fourth term in 2002, is also a Democrat. Following the 2006 midterm elections, West Virginia’s US Representatives consisted of two Democrats and one Republican. Following the 2006 elections, there were 23 Democrats and 11 Republicans in the state senate, and 72 Democrats and 28 Republicans in the state house. Twenty-one women were elected to the state legislature in the 2006 elections, or 15.7%. In 2004, Democrat Joe Manchin III was elected governor to replace fellow Democrat Bob Wise. 141

West Virginia

In 2000, Republican George W. Bush received 52% of the popular vote to Democrat Al Gore’s 46%. In 2004, Bush won 56% of the vote while Democratic challenger John Kerry won 43%.

14

Local Government

West Virginia has 55 counties. The chief county officials are the three commissioners, who serve on the county court; the sheriff, assessor, county clerk, and prosecuting attorney; and the fivemember board of education. There were 234 cities, towns, and villages as of 2005. There were 55 public school districts and 342 special districts in 2005.

15

Judicial System

The highest court in West Virginia, the supreme court of appeals, has five justices, including the chief justice. The court has broad appeals jurisdiction in both civil and criminal cases, and original jurisdiction in certain other cases. West Virginia’s general trial court is the circuit court. Circuit courts had jurisdiction over juvenile, domestic relations, and administrative proceedings. Local courts include the county magistrate and municipal courts. The state’s violent crime rate in 2004 was 271.2 reported incidents per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property were reported at a rate of about 2,506.2 per 100,000 people. As of December 2004, prisoners in state or federal correctional facilities totaled 5,067. The state abolished the death penalty in 1965. 142

16

Migration

West Virginia has considerable national and ethnic diversity. Settlers before the Civil War consisted principally of English, German, ScotchIrish, and Welsh immigrants, many of whom came by way of Pennsylvania. A second wave of immigration from the 1880s to the 1920s brought thousands of Italians, Poles, Austrians, and Hungarians to the coal mines and industrial towns, which also attracted many blacks from the South. Between 1990 and 1998, West Virginia had net gains of 8,000 in domestic migration and 3,000 in international migration. In the period 1995–2000, some 138,487 people moved into the state and 149,241 moved out, for a net loss of 10,754, many of whom moved to Ohio. For the period 2000–05, net international migration was 3,691 and net internal migration was 10,518 for a net gain of 14,209 people.

17

Economy

Agriculture was the backbone of West Virginia’s economy until the 1890s, when coal, oil, natural gas, and timber began to play a major role. World War I stimulated important industries such as chemicals, steel, glass, and textiles. The beauty of West Virginia’s mountains and forests has attracted an increasing number of tourists, but the state’s rugged terrain and relative isolation from major markets continue to hamper its economic development. West Virginia did not participate substantially in the high technology boom of the 1990s, even as the long-term decline of its coal mining industry continued. The 2001 national recession Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

West Virginia

had a negative impact on every area of the economy except services and government. In 2004, about 3,937 new businesses were established while 5,136 businesses were closed.

18

Income

In 2005, West Virginia had a gross state product (GSP) of $54 billion, ranking 41st among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, West Virginia ranked 50th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $25,792. The three-year average median household income for 2002–04 was $32,589 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 16.1% of the population lived below the federal poverty level, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

19

Industry

Known for its rich natural resources and strong industrial presence, the value of shipments by manufacturers in 2004 totaled $20 billion. Major industries included organic chemicals, primary metals, fabricated metal products, and lumber and wood products. Major industrial areas are the Kanawha, Ohio, and Monongahela valleys and the eastern panhandle. The largest industrial corporations with headquarters in West Virginia are Weirton Steel and Wheeling-Pittsburgh. Other major industrial companies with operations in West Virginia include E.I. du Pont de Nemours, Union Carbide, Ravenswood Aluminum, and Rhone Poulenc. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in West Virginia numbered 813,700, with approximately 33,600 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.1%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. In 2006, 5.1% of the labor force was employed in construction; 8.1% in manufacturing; 18.6% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 4% in financial activities; 7.8% in professional and business services; 15.3% in education and health services; 9.3% in leisure and hospitality services, and 19% in government. Important milestones in the growth of unionism were the organization of the state as District 17 of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) in 1890 and the formation of the State Federation of Labor in 1903. The coal miners fought to gain union recognition by coal companies and instances of violence were not uncommon in the early 1900s. Wages, working conditions, and benefits for miners improved rapidly after World War II. In 2005, 99,000 of West Virginia’s 688,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 14.4% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

With estimated farm marketings of $429 million ($348 million from livestock and poultry), West Virginia ranked 46th among the 50 states in 2005. Poultry, meat animals, and dairy dominate the farm economy in the Mountain State. In 2004, the state had 3.6 million acres (1.4 million hectares), or 23% of its land, devoted to farming. Its 20,800 farms averaged 173 acres 143

West Virginia

(70 hectares) in size. Major farm sections are the eastern panhandle, a tier of counties along the Virginia border, the upper Monongahela Valley, and the Ohio Valley. Leading crops produced in 2004 were hay (1 million tons), corn for grain (3.7 million bushels), corn for silage (306,000 tons), commercial apples, and tobacco.

22


In 2005, there were an estimated 405,000 cattle and calves, valued at $315.9 million. During 2004, the state had 10,000 hogs and pigs, valued at around $1.1 million. During 2003, poultry farmers produced 357 million pounds (162 million kilograms) of broilers valued at $121.5 million, and 92 million pounds of turkey (41.7 million kilograms), valued at $33.1 million. The dairy industry yielded 222 million pounds (101 million kilograms) of milk and 270 million eggs.

23

Fishing

West Virginia fishing has little commercial importance. In 2004, there were 34 trout farms selling 378,000 pounds (172,000 kilograms) of fish. In 2004, the state issued 269,727 sport fishing licenses. The White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery is located within the state, as are two state hatcheries.

24

Forestry

In 2004, West Virginia had four-fifths or 12.1 million acres (4.9 million hectares) of its land area in forestland and of this, 11.9 million acres (4.8 million hectares) were classified as timberland. Sawtimber volume averaged 6,500 board feet per acre. About 92% of West Virginia forest 144

species are hardwoods, with approximately 77% of the timberland being of the oak-hickory forest type. In all, West Virginia’s forests contain more than 100 species of trees. Timber production increased from 600 million board feet in 1988 to 701 million board feet in 2004. Employment in the forest industry is second only to the chemical and primary metal manufacturing industries. The state is encouraging the professional management of its forests so they will continue to produce a sustained array of benefits, such as wood products, jobs, clean water, oxygen, scenery, and diverse recreational opportunities like hunting, hiking, and tourism.

25

Mining

The value of nonfuel mineral production in 2003 was about $168 million. Crushed stone accounted for about 39% of the state’s total value of nonfuel minerals. Construction sand and gravel production was 1.6 million short tons, worth $8 million.

26

Energy and Power

West Virginia has long been an important supplier of energy in the form of electric power and fossil fuels. In 2003, production of electric energy was 94.7 billion kilowatt hours, of which nearly 97.6% was produced by coal-fired steam units. Major coal mining regions lie within a north–south belt some 60 miles (97 kilometers) wide through the central part of the state and include the Fairmount, New River-Kanawha, Pocahontas, and Logan-Mingo fields. In 2004, coal production totaled 147.9 million tons. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

West Virginia

Recoverable coal reserves in 2004 were estimated at 1.51 billion tons. Also in 2004, West Virginia produced 4,000 barrels per day of oil and 187.7 billion cubic feet (5.33 billion cubic meters) of marketed gas. Proved crude oil reserves in 2004 totaled 11 million barrels. Natural gas reserves totaled 3.3 trillion cubic feet (93.6 billion cubic meters).

24.6% from selective sales taxes, and 10.8% from corporate income taxes. In 2005, West Virginia ranked 16th among the states in terms of per capita tax burden, which amounted to about $2,367 per person, compared to the national average of $2,192 per person.

27

In 2005, West Virginia’s infant mortality rate was 8.2 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate was 11.8 per 1,000 population in 2003, the highest in the nation. In 2002, West Virginia had the highest mortality rates in the nation for heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and diabetes. Death rates that year for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) included heart disease, 343.5; cancer, 258.2; cerebrovascular diseases, 69.9; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 68.2; and diabetes, 47. The death rate for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported at 1.1 per 100,000, the second-lowest rate in the nation after Iowa. In 2004, the reported acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases rate was at about 5.1 per 100,000. Pneumoconiosis (black lung) is an occupational hazard among coal miners. In 2004, 26.9% of West Virginia residents were smokers. West Virginia’s 57 community hospitals had 7,800 beds in 2003. The average expense for hospital care was $993 per inpatient day in 2003. There were 254 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2004 and 861 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2004, there were a total of about 844 dentists in the state. In 2004, at least 17% of West Virginia’s residents were uninsured. Medical education is provided by medical schools at West Virginia University and Marshall

Commerce

Wholesale sales totaled $10.9 billion in 2002; retail sales were also $16.7 billion in the same year. In 2005, West Virginia exported $3.1 billion in products originating within the state.

28

Public Finance

The governor is responsible for submitting a budget to the legislature each year. The fiscal year is from 1 July to June 30. In 2004, revenues totaled $11.6 billion and expenditures amounted to $9.8 billion. The highest general expenditures were for education ($2.9 billion), public welfare ($2.2 billion), and highways ($948,901). The state’s outstanding debt totaled $4.7 billion, or $2,617.42 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

Personal income taxes range from 3.0% to 6.5% in five tax brackets. The corporate income tax is 9% and consumer sales taxes are 6% on goods and services. Counties and localities mainly tax real estate and personal property. There are selective (excise) taxes on items such as gasoline and cigarettes. The state collected $4.3 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 27.2% came from individual income taxes, 25.5% from the general sales tax, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

30

Health

145

West Virginia

University and at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

31

Housing

In 2004, West Virginia had an estimated 866,944 housing units, 736,954 of which were occupied; 74% were owner-occupied. About 70.1% of all units were single-family, detached homes; 16% were mobile homes. Utility gas and electricity were the most common energy sources for heating. It was estimated that 44,343 units lacked telephone service, 3,995 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 4,267 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.4 people. In 2004, 5,700 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $81,826, one of the lowest in the country. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $769, while renters paid a median of $461 per month.

32

Education

West Virginia has generally ranked below national standards in education. In 2004, 80.9% of adult West Virginians were high school graduates and only 15.3% had completed four or more years of college. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 282,000 in fall 2002. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $2.6 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 14,397. As of fall 2002, there were 92,723 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, West Virginia had 40 degree-granting institutions. The state supports West Virginia 146

University, Marshall University, and the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies (all offering graduate work), as well as 3 medical schools. There are 10 private colleges.

33

Arts

West Virginia is known for the quilts, pottery, and woodwork of its mountain artisans. Huntington Galleries, the Sunrise Foundation at Charleston, and Oglebay Park in Wheeling are major art centers. The Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences at Charleston includes a performing arts center that hosts the annual Stretched Strings Festival. Other musical attractions include the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra in Charleston, the Charleston Ballet, Charleston Light Opera Guild, the Wheeling Symphony, and a country music program at Wheeling. The Charleston Stage Company and the Children’s Theater of Charleston are also popular. The Mountain State Art and Craft Fair is held each summer at Ripley. The West Virginia Department of Education’s Division of Culture and History sponsors many programs with the help of state and federal funds. The West Virginia Humanities Council sponsors an active speaker’s bureau and the History Alive! program. The state has about 150 arts associations and 30 local arts groups. In 2005, West Virginia arts organizations received eight grants totaling $637,900 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The same year, the National Endowment for the Humanities awarded six grants totaling $578,176 for state programs. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

West Virginia

34


In 2001, West Virginia’s public libraries had 4,929,000 volumes in 97 public library systems with a combined circulation of 7.8 million. The largest library system is the Kanawha County Public Library system at Charleston, with 628,308 volumes. Of college and university libraries, the largest collection was at West Virginia University. There were 51 museums in the state in 2000, including the State Museum and the Sunrise Museum in Charleston, and Oglebay InstituteMansion Museum in Wheeling. Point Pleasant marks the site of a battle between colonists and Native Americans, and Harpers Ferry is the site of John Brown’s raid. Wheeling is the location of the Oglebay’s Good Children’s Zoo.

35

Communications

In 2004, some 93.2% of West Virginia’s occupied households had telephones. The same year, there were about 713,657 mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, about 55% of all households had a personal computer and 47.6% had access o the Internet. Approximately 13,062 Internet domain names were registered in the state by the year 2000. In 2005, broadcasting facilities included 9 major AM and 46 major FM radio stations, as well as 13 major television stations.

36

Press

In 2005, West Virginia had 20 daily newspapers and 12 Sunday newspapers. Leading West Virginia newspapers with their approximate 2004 daily circulations were the Charleston Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Gazette (68,975 daily), the Charleston Daily Mail (68,975 daily) and the Huntington HeraldDispatch (29,323 daily, 35,492 Sunday). The Charleston Gazette and Daily Mail are combined on Sundays with a circulation of 84,676.

37


In 2002, almost 23.9 million travelers visited West Virginia. Direct travel spending in 2004 was about $3.4 billion. About 250,000 whitewater rafting enthusiasts visit West Virginia waters each year and more than 750,000 skiers venture down the slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. Major attractions are Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Canaan Valley State Park in Tucker County, and White Sulphur Springs, a popular mountain resort. There are 37 state parks and forests, including Cass Scenic Railroad, which includes a restoration of an old logging line, and Prickett’s Fort, with recreations of pioneer life.

38

Sports

No major league professional teams are based in West Virginia, but there are minor league baseball teams in Charleston, Bluefield, and Princeton, and there is minor league hockey in Wheeling. In college football, West Virginia produced a string of national contenders in the late 1980s and early 1990s. West Virginia University won the Peach Bowl in 1981 and played for the national championship in the 1989 Fiesta Bowl, which they lost to Notre Dame. Marshall University has also risen to the elite among college football teams, having won five straight bowl game appearances from 1998 to 2002. 147

West Virginia

Horse racing tracks operate in Chester and Charles Town. Greyhound races are run in Wheeling and Charleston. Other popular sports are skiing and whitewater rafting.

39

Famous West Virginians

Newton D. Baker (1871–1937) was secretary of war during World War I. Lewis L. Strauss (1896–1974) was commerce secretary and chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, and Cyrus R. Vance (1917–2002) served as secretary of state. John W. Davis (1873–1955), an ambassador to Great Britain, ran as the Democratic presidential nominee in 1924. Prominent members of the US Senate have included Robert C. Byrd (b.1917) and John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV (b.New York, 1937). Major state political leaders, all governors (though some have held federal offices), have been E. Willis Wilson (1844–1905), Henry D. Hatfield (1875–1962), and Arch A. Moore Jr. (b.1923). Brigadier General Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager (b.1923), a World War II ace, became the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound. The state’s only Nobel Prize winner was Pearl S. Buck (Pearl Sydenstricker, 1893–1973), who won the Nobel Prize for literature for her novels about China. Alexander Campbell (b.Ireland, 1788–1866), with his father, founded the Disciples of Christ Church. Major labor leaders have included Walter Reuther (1907–1970), president of the United Automobile Workers; and Arnold Miller (1923–1985), president of the United Mine Workers. Entertainers include musician George Crumb (b.1929), a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer; opera singers Eleanor Steber (1916–1990) 148

and Phyllis Curtin (b.1922); and comedy actor Don Knotts (b.1924). Important writers of the modern period include Mary Lee Settle (1918– 2005) and John Knowles (1926–2001). Baseball great George Brett (b.1953) was born in the state; Jerry West (b.1938) was a collegiate and professional basketball star, and a pro coach after his playing days ended; Rod Hundley (b.1934) and Hal Greer (b.1936) also starred in the National Basketball Association. Mary Lou Retton (b.1968) won a gold medal in gymnastics at the 1984 Olympics. Another West Virginian of note is Anna Jarvis (1864–1948), founder of Mother’s Day.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. West Virginia. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. Fenney, Kathy. West Virginia Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Heinrichs, Ann. West Virginia. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. Murray, Julie. West Virginia. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. WEB SITES State of West Virginia. WV.gov: Your Official West Virginia State Web Portal. www.wv.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). West Virginia Division of Culture and History. www. wvculture.org (accessed March 1, 2007). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wisconsin State of Wisconsin

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Probably from the Ojibwa

word wishkonsing, meaning “place of the beaver.” N I CKNAME : The Badger State. C AP ITAL: Madison. ENT ERED UNION: 29 May 1848 (30th). O FFICIAL SEAL: Coat of arms surrounded by the

words “Great Seal of the State of Wisconsin” and 13 stars below. FLAG: A dark-blue field, fringed in yellow on three sides, surrounds the state coat of arms on each side, with “Wisconsin” in white letters above the coat of arms and ‘1848’ below. C OAT OF ARMS: Surrounding the US shield is the shield of Wisconsin, which is divided into four parts symbolizing agriculture, mining, navigation, and manufacturing. Flanking the shield are a sailor, representing labor on water; and a yeoman or miner, representing labor on land. Above is a badger and the state motto; below, a horn of plenty and a pyramid of pig lead. M OT TO: Forward. SONG: “On, Wisconsin!” FLOWER: Wood violet. TREE: Sugar maple. A NIMAL: Badger; white-tailed deer (wildlife); dairy cow (domestic). B IRD: Robin. FISH: Muskellunge. IN S ECT: Honeybee. D OG: American water spaniel. FOSSIL: Trilobite. M INERAL: Galena. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

R O C K O R S T O N E : Red granite. B E V E R A G E : Milk. L E G A L H O L I D AY S : New Year’s Day, 1 January;

Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Good Friday, Friday before Easter, March or April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Primary Day, 2nd Tuesday in September in evennumbered years; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, 2nd Tuesday in November in even-numbered years; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 6 AMCST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the eastern north-central United States, Wisconsin ranks 26th in size among the 50 states. The total area of Wisconsin is 149

Wisconsin

56,153 square miles (145,436 square kilometers), of which 54,426 square miles (140,963 square kilometers) is land and 1,727 square miles (4,473 square kilometers) is inland water. The state extends 295 miles (475 kilometers) from east to west and 320 miles (515 kilometers) from north to south. The state’s boundaries have a total length of 1,379 miles (2,219 kilometers). Important islands belonging to Wisconsin are the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior and Washington Island in Lake Michigan.

2

Topography

Wisconsin can be divided into four main geographical regions, each covering roughly one quarter of the state’s land area. The most highly elevated of these is the Superior Upland, with heavily forested rolling hills but no high mountains. A second upland region, called the Driftless Area, has a more rugged terrain. The third region is a large, crescent-shaped plain in central Wisconsin. Finally, in the east and southeast along Lake Michigan lies a large, lowland plain. Timms Hill, in north-central Wisconsin, is the state’s highest point, at 1,951 feet (595 meters). The lowest elevation is 579 feet (177 meters), along the Lake Michigan shoreline. There are more than 8,000 lakes in Wisconsin. By far the largest inland lake is Lake Winnebago, in eastern Wisconsin, covering an area of 215 square miles (557 square kilometers). The Mississippi River, which forms part of the border with Minnesota and the entire border with Iowa, is the main navigable river. The major river flowing through the state is the Wisconsin, which follows a south-southwest course for 430 miles (692 kilometers) before meeting the 150

Wisconsin Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

5,556,506 3.6% 4.5% 98.8% 88.1% 5.7% 0.8% 2.0% 0.0% 2.2% 1.2%


Under 18 (24%)

65 and over (13%)

45 to 64 (26%)

18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)

Major Cities by Population City Milwaukee Madison Green Bay Kenosha Racine Appleton Waukesha Oshkosh Eau Claire Janesville

Population

% change 2000–05

578,887 221,551 101,203 95,240 79,392 70,217 67,658 63,485 62,570 61,962

-3.0 6.5 -1.1 5.4 -3.0 0.2 4.4 0.9 1.4 4.1



Wisconsin

L ak e Su p e r io r Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Superior

Big Bay State Park

BAYFIELD

DOUGLAS

Chequamegon National Forest

MICHIGAN

IRON

Bad River Indian Reservation

WASHBURN

Lac du Flambeau Ind. Res.

SAWYER

VILAS

St. Croix N. S. W.

FOREST PRICE

.

Cr oix

R

FLORENCE


ONEIDA

POLK

BARRON

Chip

Interstate St. Park

MARINETTE


pew

RUSK

a R .

St.

Lac Courte Oreilles Indian Reservation

Nicolet National Forest

LINCOLN LANGLADE OCONTO

TAYLOR

olf W

DUNN

CHIPPEWA

Lake Wissota St. Park

Willow River St. Park

Rib Mountain St. Park

Black R.

EAU CLAIRE

PEPIN

Stockbridge Indian SHAWANO Reservation

WOOD

BUFFALO

Menominee Indian Reservation

Wausau

Eau Claire

Kinnickinnic St. Park

MENOMINEE

MARATHON CLARK

94 PIERCE

Newport St. Park

R.

PORTAGE

OUTAGAMIE

TREMPEALEAU

Necedah Wildlife Refuge

JACKSON

M

Black River S. F.

ip

iss

iss

JUNEAU

ADAMS

WINNEBAGO

pi R .

sco Wi

90

R.

VERNON

Wildcat Mountain State Park

COLUMBIA

SAUK

DODGE

Wisconsin Dells

IOWA

SHEBOYGAN

Fond du Lac Horicon National Wildlife Refuge

o isc W

nsi

n

R.

GRANT

Upper Mississippi Wildlife and Fish Refuge

Point of Interest

Sheboygan

Kettle Moraine St. Forest

WASHINGTON

OZAUKEE

West Bend

Menomonee Falls

DANE

Explanation

Manitowoc

Devils Lake State Park

CRAWFORD

WISCONSIN

Point Beach State Forest

43

Lake Winnebago

Mirror Lake State Park

RICHLAND

MANITOWOC

FOND DU LAC

n nsi

94

JEFFERSON

IOWA

Madison 90

Governor Dodge State Park GREEN

94

WAUKESHA

Janesville

MILWAUKEE

Wauwatosa Brookfield Milwaukee Waukesha New Berlin West Allis Greenfield RACINE

WALWORTH

ROCK

LAFAYETTE

Racine

43


Whitefish Dunes State Park

KEWAUNEE

High Cliff St. Park

R. Fox Oshkosh Fort McCoy Military Reservation

DOOR

GREEN LAKE

MARQUETTE

90

E

N

Potawatomi S. P.

CALUMET

WAUSHARA

LA CROSSE

La Crosse

R

E

Y BA

Green Bay

Oneida Indian Reservation Appleton

Hartman Creek State Park

MONROE

MINNESOTA

G

BROWN

WAUPACA

Rock R.

ST. CROIX

Lake Michigan

BURNETT

ASHLAND

KENOSHA

Kenosha

Beloit

State Capital

94


N 0 0

25 25

ILLINOIS 50 miles

50 kilometers


151

Wisconsin

Mississippi at the Iowa border. Other tributaries of the Mississippi are the St. Croix, Chippewa, and Black rivers. Located on the Black River are Big Manitou Falls, at 165 feet (50 meters) the highest of the state’s many waterfalls.

3

Climate

Wisconsin has a continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. The average annual temperature ranges from 39°f (4°c) in the north to about 50°f (10°c) in the south. Average daily temperatures in Milwaukee have ranged from 13°f (-10°c) to 27°f (-2°c) in January and from 62°f (16°c) to 79°f (26°c) in July. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin is -55°f (-48°c) at Couderay on 4 February 1996. The highest temperature, 114°f (46°c), occurred at Wisconsin Dells on 13 July 1936. Annual precipitation in the state ranges from about 34 inches (86 centimeters) for parts of the northwest to about 28 inches (71 centimeters) in the south-central region and the areas bordering Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The annual average snowfall in Milwaukee is 47 inches (118 centimeters).

4

Plants and Animals

Common trees of Wisconsin include oaks, black cherry, and hickory. Pines, yellow birch, and moosewood are among the trees that grow in the north. Characteristic of southern Wisconsin are sugar maple (the state tree), white elm, and basswood. Prairies are thick with grasses. Fortyfive varieties of orchid have been identified, as well as 20 types of violet, including the wood violet (the state flower). In 2006, six plant species were threatened, including the eastern prai152

rie fringed orchid, prairie bush-clover, dwarf lake iris, Pitcher’s thistle, Fassett’s locoweed, and northern wild monkshood. White-tailed deer (the state wild animal), black bear, and chipmunk are mammals typical of forestlands. The striped skunk and red and gray foxes are characteristic of upland fields, while wetlands harbor such mammals as the muskrat, mink, and river otter. Game birds include the ring-necked pheasant, bobwhite quail, and ruffed grouse. Some 336 bird species are native to Wisconsin. Reptiles include 23 varieties of snake, 13 types of turtle, and 4 kinds of lizard. Muskellunge (the state fish), northern pike, and brook trout are found in Wisconsin waterways. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed eight animal species as threatened or endangered in Wisconsin, including the bald eagle, Karner blue butterfly, Hine’s emerald dragonfly, Higgins’ eye pearlymussel, piping plover, and gray wolf.

5


The present Department of Natural Resources (DNR), organized in 1967, brings together conservation and environmental protection responsibilities. The department supervises air, water, and solid waste pollution control programs and deals with the protection of forest, fish, and wildlife resources. Southeastern Wisconsin has experienced serious air quality problems since the 1970s. Reductions in industrial emissions have been offset by increases in emissions from transportation sources and consumer products. Pulp and paper mills, cheese factories, and canneries have taken major steps to control and prevent harmful water pollution. Communities Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,363,675. . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,296,780. . . . . . 98.8 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62,793. . . . . . . 1.2 White and Black or African American. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,437. . . . . . . 0.3 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,157. . . . . . . 0.3 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,484. . . . . . . 0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 688. . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,068. . . . . . . 0.3 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native. . . . . . . . . . . . 2,003. . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600. . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82. . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,860. . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 610. . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. . . . . . . . . . 56. . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597. . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,104. . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,946. . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101. . . . . . . . — Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,102. . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

have built new or upgraded existing sewage treatment plants to reduce the flow of sewage into rivers and streams. Pulp and paper mills have spent millions of dollars to reduce suspended solids and other pollutants in their industrial effluent. Water quality and fisheries have visibly improved, but problems caused by persistent toxic chemicals, such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and mercury, have risen and being addressed. Efforts are underway to identify sources of contamination and cleanup options at these sites and inland areas suffering similar problems. Contaminated stormwater and runoff from agriculture, development, and other sources remain the most serious threats to Wisconsin’s lakes, rivers, and streams. Wetland protection Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

regulations were upgraded in the late 1980s and in 1991 the state became the first in the nation to legislate wetlands protection. Between 1992 and 1998, approximately 11,312 acres of wetlands were restored. In the 1980s, more than 800 landfills in the state closed because they could not meet new federal environmental protection requirements. To ease the burden on the state’s remaining landfills, Wisconsin passed a comprehensive waste reduction and recycling law, 1989 Wisconsin Act 335. The law required local units of government to set up effective programs to recycle more than 11 different items. In 2003, Wisconsin had 163 hazardous waste sites listed in the Environmental Protection 153

Wisconsin

Agency’s database, 37 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006.

6

Population

In 2006, Wisconsin ranked 20th in population among the 50 states with an estimated total of 5,556,506 residents. The population is projected to reach 5.8 million by 2025. Average population density in 2004 was 101.5 persons per square mile (39.1 persons per square kilometer). The median age in 2004 was 37.5. In 2005, 13% of all residents were 65 or older while 24% were 18 or younger. Milwaukee, the largest city in Wisconsin, had a population of 578,887 in 2005. Other large cities, with their 2005 populations were Madison, 221,551; and Green Bay, 101,203.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, the black American population was 304,460 residents, or about 5.7% of the state total. The Asian population was 88,763, including 33,791 Hmong, 11,184 Chinese, 6,800 Koreans, 5,158 Filipinos, and 4,469 Laotians. Pacific Islanders numbered 1,630. There were 192,921 Hispanics and Latinos of whom 126,719 were of Mexican ancestry and 30,267 of Puerto Rican descent. Wisconsin had an estimated 47,228 Native Americans in 2000. The principal tribes were Oneida, Menominee, Ojibwa (Chippewa), and Winnebago. In 2006, Hispanics and Latinos represented 4.5% of the total population, while blacks represented 5.7% and Asians 2.0%. In 2000, foreign-born residents numbered 193,751 (3.6% of the total population). 154

8

Languages

Wisconsin English is almost entirely Northern, similar to the areas that provided Wisconsin’s first settlers—Michigan, northern Ohio, New York State, and western New England. Common terms include the Northern pail, and angleworm (earthworm). In Milwaukee, a drinking fountain is called a bubbler. In 2000, 92.7% of the state population five years old and older spoke only English in the home. Other languages spoken at home and the number of speakers included Spanish, 168,778; German, 48,409; Miao/Hmong, 30,569; French, 14,970; and Polish, 12,097.

9

Religions

The first Catholics to arrive were Jesuit missionaries seeking to convert the Huron Native Americans in the 17th century. Protestant settlers and missionaries of different sects, including large numbers of German Lutherans, came during the 19th century, along with Protestants from the east. Jews settled primarily in the cities. In 2004, there were 1,658,478 Roman Catholics in Wisconsin. Lutherans made up the largest Protestant group in 2000, though they were divided in denominations. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America had 463,432 adherents; the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod also have significant numbers. Other leading Protestant groups included the United Methodists, with 95,589 members in 2004, and the United Church of Christ, with 62,521 members in 2005. There were an estimated 28,230 Jews in 2000, primarily in the Milwaukee area. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wisconsin

The Muslim population had about 7,796 members. Over 2.1 million people (about 39% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10

Transportation

In 2003, there were just 10 railroads operating on 4,167 rail miles (6,708 kilometers) of track. Amtrak provides passenger rail service to 10 stations in Wisconsin. As of 2004, Wisconsin had 113,699 miles (183,055 kilometers) of public roadway. Wisconsin had 3,910,188 licensed drivers and approximately 4,868,000 registered vehicles (2,575,000 automobiles and 2,051,000 trucks). Public transit includes large bus systems in Milwaukee and Madison. In the mid-1990s, Milwaukee County Transit System transported more than 60 million passengers annually, and Madison Metro annually transported more than 9.9 million passengers. The opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959 allowed oceangoing vessels access to Wisconsin via the Great Lakes. Overall, the state has 15 cargo-handling ports. The port of Superior (shared with Duluth, Minnesota) on Lake Superior is the busiest of all US Great Lakes ports. Other important Wisconsin ports, all on Lake Michigan, are Milwaukee, Green Bay, Port Washington, Oak Creek, Manitowoc, and Sturgeon Bay; coal is the chief commodity. On the Mississippi River, Prairie du Chien and La Crosse are the main ports. Ferry service across Lake Michigan is offered from Manitowoc to Ludington, Michigan. As of 2005, Wisconsin had 459 airports. Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport is the state’s main air terminal. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

11

History

During the 17th century, the Ojibwa, Sauk, Fox, Potawatomi, Kickapoo, and other tribes came to the area that is now Wisconsin. These tribes engaged in agriculture, hunting, and fishing, but with the arrival of Europeans became increasingly dependent on the fur trade. The first European believed to have reached Wisconsin was the Frenchman Jean Nicolet, who in 1634 landed on the shores of Green Bay. After 1673, Jesuits established missions, and French fur traders opened up posts. The French were succeeded by the British after the French and Indian War. Although ceded to the United States in 1783, the region remained British in all but name until 1816, when the United States built forts at Prairie du Chien and Green Bay. Under the Ordinance of 1787, Wisconsin became part of the Northwest Territory; it was subsequently included in the Indiana Territory, the Territory of Illinois, and then the Michigan Territory. The Wisconsin Territory was formed in 1836. In the 1830s, the region’s population and economy began to expand rapidly. Wisconsin voters endorsed statehood in 1846, and on 29 May 1848, President James K. Polk signed the bill that made Wisconsin the 30th state. Wisconsinites took a generally abolitionist stand. In the Civil War, 96,000 Wisconsin men fought on the Union side, and 12,216 died. During the late 19th century, Wisconsin was generally prosperous; dairy products, food processing, and lumbering emerged as major industries, and Milwaukee grew into an important industrial center. 20th Century Under Republican governor Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette in the early 155

Wisconsin

The Capitol Rotunda in Madison is decorated with a large Christmas tree each December. AP IMAGES.

20th century, the legislature passed a law providing for the nation’s first direct statewide primary. Other La Follette measures included increased taxation of railroads, regulation of lobbyists, creation of a civil service, and the establishment of a railroad commission to regulate rates. After La Follette left the governor’s office to become a US senator, his progressivism was carried on by his Republican successors. During one session in 1911, legislators enacted the first state income tax in the United States and one of the first workers’ compensation programs. Between the world wars, Wisconsin’s tradition of reform continued. A pioneering oldage pension act was passed in 1925; seven years later, Wisconsin enacted the nation’s first unemployment compensation act. In the 1930s, La Follette’s son, Philip, serving as governor, successfully pressed for the creation of state agencies to develop electric power, arbitrate labor disputes, and set rules for fair business competition. His so-called Little New Deal corresponded 156

to the New Deal policies of the Roosevelt administration. After World War II, the state continued a trend toward increased urbanization, and its industries prospered. The major figure on the national scene in the postwar era was Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, who began unsubstantiated attacks in 1950 on alleged Communists and other subversives in the federal government. After McCarthy’s censure by the US Senate in 1954 and his death in 1957, the progressive tradition began to recover strength, and the liberal Democratic Party grew increasingly influential in state politics. There was student unrest at the University of Wisconsin during the 1960s and early 1970s, and growing discontent among Milwaukee’s black population. In 1984, the Milwaukee school board filed suit in federal court against the state and Milwaukee’s suburbs, charging that the policies of the state and suburban schools had resulted in an unconstitutionally segregated school system. Two years later, the Milwaukee School Board and nine suburban districts agreed on a plan in which 2,700 city minority students would transfer voluntarily to the nine suburbs, and 9,000 to 10,000 suburban students would attend Milwaukee schools. Wisconsin’s economy remained stable through the 1980s and 1990s. In 1993, the Mississippi River flooded, causing four deaths and an estimated $900 million in damage in 47 Wisconsin counties. In 2002, Jim Doyle became the first Democratic governor to be elected in Wisconsin in 16 years. He advocated abortion rights, gun control, and environmental protection, and was at odds with the Republican-controlled state legJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Governors: 1848–2007 1848–1852 1852–1854 1854–1856 1856 1856–1858 1858–1862 1862 1862–1864 1864–1866 1866–1872 1872–1874 1874–1876 1876–1878 1878–1882 1882–1889 1889–1891 1891–1895 1895–1897 1897–1901 1901–1906 1906–1911 1911–1915

Nelson Dewey Leonard James Farwell William Augustus Barstow Arthur MacArthur Coles Bashford Alexander Williams Randall Louis Powell Harvey Edward P. Salomon James Taylor Lewis Lucius Fairchild Cadwallader Colden Washburn William Robert Taylor Harrison Ludington William E. Smith Jeremiah McLain Rusk William Dempster Hoard George Wilbur Peck William Henry Upham Edward Scofield Robert Marion LaFollette James Ole Davidson Francis Edward McGovern

Democrat Whig Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican

islature over issues of state spending on education and health care, and on raising taxes. Although Wisconsin faced a $3.2 billion two-year budget deficit in 2003, Doyle subsequently managed to balance the budget, while holding the line on taxes, and as a result, state taxes as a percentage of income were by 2005 the lowest in 34 years in the state.

12

State Government

The Wisconsin legislature consists of a senate with 33 members elected for four-year terms, and an assembly of 99 representatives elected for two-year terms. There are six elected state officers: governor and lieutenant governor (elected jointly), secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, and superintendent of public instruction. As the chief executive officer, the governor exercises authority by the power of appointment, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

1915–1921 1921–1926 1927–1929 1929–1931 1931–1933 1933–1935 1935–1939 1939–1943 1943–1947 1947–1951 1951–1957 1957–1959 1959–1963 1963–1965 1965–1971 1971–1977 1977–1979 1979–1983 1983–1987 1987–2001 2001–2003 2003–

Emanuel Lorenz Philipp John James Blaine Fred R. Zimmerman Walter Jodok Kohler, Sr. Philip Fox LaFollette Albert George Schmedeman Philip Fox LaFollette Julius Peter Heil Walter Samuel Goodland Oscar Rennebohm Walter Jodok Kohler, Jr. Vernon Wallace Thompson Gaylord Anton Nelson John Whitcome Reynolds Warren Perley Knowles Patrick Joseph Lucey Martin James Schreiber Lee Sherman Dreyfus Anthony Scully Earl Tommy George Thompson Scott McCallum Jim Doyle

Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Progressive Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat

by presenting a budget bill and major addresses to the legislature, and by the power to veto bills and call special legislative sessions. A bill may be introduced in either house of the legislature but must be passed by both houses to become law. The governor has six days (Sundays excluded) to sign or veto a measure. If the governor fails to act and the legislature is still in session, the bill automatically becomes law. Vetoes can be overridden by a two-thirds majority of both houses. The legislative salary as of December 2004 was $45,569 and the governor’s salary was $131,768.

13

Political Parties

Beginning in the late 1850s, the newly founded Republican Party held sway for over 100 years. More recently, the Democrats held a substan157

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Presidential Vote by Political Party, 1948–2004 WISCONSIN WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

PROGRESSIVE

SOCIALIST

SOC. WORKERS

SOCIALIST LABOR

1948 *Truman (D) 1952 *Eisenhower (R)

647,310 622,175

590,959 979,744

25,282 2,174

12,547 1,157

— 1,350

399 770

1956 *Eisenhower (R) 1960 Nixon (R) 1964 *Johnson (D) 1968 *Nixon (R)

586,768 830,805 1,050,424 748,804

954,844 895,175 638,495 809,997

6,918 — — —

754 — — —

564 1,792 1,692 1,222

710 1,310 1,204 1,338

AMERICAN IND.

AMERICAN

810,174

989,430

YEAR

CONSTITUTION

1972

*Nixon (R)

127,835

47,525

—

SOCIALIST

1976

*Carter (D)

1,040,232

1,004,967

8,552

4,298

998 LIBERTARIAN

1,691

3,814

CITIZENS

1980 1984


981,584 995,740

1,088,845 1,198,584

1988

Dukakis (D)

1,126,794

1,047,499

1992

*Clinton (D)

1,041,066

930,855

**1,519 —

— —

7,767 —

POPULISTSOC. WORKERS

N. ALLIANCE

3,056 2,311

2,574

1,953

IND. (PEROT)

TAXPAYERS

544,479

1,772

29,135 4,883 5,157 2,877

NADER

1996

*Clinton (D)

1,071,971

845,029

—

227,339

28,723

REFORM

2000 Gore (D) 1,242,987 1,237,279 2004 Kerry (D) 1,489,504 1,478,120 *Won US presidential election. **Listed as Constitution Party on Wisconsin ballot.

tial edge at the state level in the 1970s and 1980s. Socialist parties have won some success in Wisconsin’s political history. In 1910, Emil Seidel was elected mayor of Milwaukee, becoming the first Socialist mayor of a major US city; and Victor Berger became the first Socialist ever elected to Congress. Democratic candidate Al Gore won 48% of the vote in the 2000 presidential election, although Republican George W. Bush also received 48%. Gore won by a narrow margin (5,396 votes). In 2004, Democratic challenger John Kerry won 49.8% of the vote to incumbent President Bush’s 49.4%. 158

94,070 —

11,446 —

7,929 LIBERTARIAN

306 6,464

6,640 —

Wisconsin’s US Senators, both Democrats, are Russell Feingold, reelected in 2004, and Herbert Kohl, reelected in 2006. Wisconsin’s US Representatives consist of three Republicans and five Democrats. Following the 2006 elections, there were 15 Republicans and 18 Democrats in the state senate, and 46 Democrats and 53 Republicans in the state assembly. Thirty-four women were elected to the state legislature in 2006, or 25.8%. Wisconsin’s former Republican governor, Tommy Thompson, who was reelected to an unprecedented fourth four-year term in 1998, was named President George W. Bush’s Secretary of Health and Human Services in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wisconsin

2001. Democrat Jim Doyle was elected governor in 2002 and reelected in 2006.

14

Local Government

Wisconsin has 72 counties, 585 city and village governments, 1,265 townships, and 431 school districts. Each county is governed by a board of supervisors. Some counties, including Milwaukee County, have elected county executives. Other county officials include district attorneys, sheriffs, clerks, treasurers, and coroners. Most cities are governed by a mayor-council system. Executive power in a village is vested in an elected president, who presides over an elected board but has no veto power. Wisconsin towns are generally governed by a board of supervisors.

15

Judicial System

The judicial branch is headed by a supreme court consisting of seven justices. The supreme court, which is the final authority on state constitutional questions, hears appeals at its own discretion and has original jurisdiction in limited areas. The state’s next highest court is the court of appeals, whose decisions may be reviewed by the supreme court. Circuit courts are Wisconsin’s trial courts and have original jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases. Wisconsin’s 200 municipal courts have jurisdiction over violations of local ordinances. Wisconsin’s violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) in 2004 was 209.6 reported incidents per 100,000 population. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/ theft, and motor vehicle theft) totaled 2,663.1 reported incidents per 100,000 people. Inmates Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

in federal and state prisons totaled 22,966 as of 31 December 2004. Wisconsin does not have a death penalty.

16

Migration

Until the early 19th century, Wisconsin was inhabited mainly by Native Americans. In the 1820s, southerners began to arrive from the lower Mississippi and in the 1830s easterners poured in from New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New England. Foreign immigrants began arriving in the 1820s, either directly from Europe or after temporary settlement in eastern states. Most of the early immigrants were from Ireland and England. Germans also came in large numbers, especially after the Revolution of 1848, and by 1860 they were predominant in the immigrant population. The state soon became a patchwork of ethnic communities—Germans in the counties near Lake Michigan, Norwegians in southern and western Wisconsin, Dutch in the lower Fox Valley and near Sheboygan, and other groups in other regions. After the Civil War, and especially in the 1880s, immigration reached new heights with Wisconsin receiving a large share of Germans and Scandinavians. The proportion of Germans declined, however, as new immigrants arrived from Finland, Russia and from southern and eastern Europe, especially Poland, before World War I. Between 1990 and 1998, Wisconsin had net gains of 84,000 in domestic migration and 21,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 46,106, and net internal migration was 14,595, for a net gain of 60,701 people. 159

Wisconsin

17

Economy

Although farming (especially dairy) remains important, manufacturing is the mainstay of today’s economy. Wisconsin’s industries are diversified, with nonelectrical machinery and food products as the leading items. Other important industries are paper and pulp products, transportation equipment, electrical and electronic equipment, and fabricated metals. Economic growth has been concentrated in the southeast. There, soils and climate are favorable for agriculture; a skilled labor force is available to industry; and capital, transportation, and markets are most readily accessible. As happened to the nation at large, Wisconsin in 1981–82 experienced the worst economic slump since the Great Depression. Manufacturing was hit hard, and the loss of jobs in this area was seen to be permanent. Nevertheless, manufacturing remains Wisconsin’s main economic activity. The strongest growth during 1997 to 2001, however, was in various categories of services. The diversity of Wisconsin’s economy moderated the impact of the national recession that began in 2001. By the end of 2002, the rebound of employment in the state was outpacing that of the nation overall. In 2004, Wisconsin’s gross state product (GSP) was $211.6 billion, of which manufacturing accounted for $47.68 billion (22.5% of GSP), followed by the real estate sector, at $23.78 billion (11.2% of GSP), and health care and social assistance ($16.97 billion, or 8% of GSP). 160

18

Income

In 2004, Wisconsin ranked 22nd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $32,166. In 2005, the gross state product (GSP) was $218 billion, 19th highest in the nation. The median annual household income for 2002–04 was $47,220 compared to the national average of $44,473. For the same period, 10.2% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared with 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

The total value of shipments by manufacturers was $136.67 billion in 2004. Of that total, food products (especially cheese, meat, and canned fruits and vegetables), industrial machinery and equipment, paper and allied products, and transportation equipment were most important. Industrial activity is concentrated in the southeast, especially in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. Major corporations based in Milwaukee include Johnson Controls and Rockwell Automation–Allen-Bradley, makers of electric and electronic components; and Harley-Davidson, best known for its touring and custom motorcycles. In September 2003 over 250,000 motorcycle enthusiasts gathered in Milwaukee to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Harley-Davidson.

20

Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Wisconsin numbered 3,079,600, with approximately 147,200 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.8%, compared to Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wisconsin

A farm in Dane County, Wisconsin. WISCONSIN DIVISION OF TOURISM.

the national average of 4.7%. As of that date, 4.7% of the labor force was employed in construction; 17.6% in manufacturing; 18.9% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 5.5% in financial activities; 9.3% in professional and business services; 13.7% in education and health services; 9.2% in leisure and hospitality services; and 14.3% in government. Labor began to organize in the state after the Civil War. The Knights of St. Crispin, a shoemakers union, grew into what was at that time the nation’s largest union, before it collapsed during the Panic of 1873. In 1887, unions of printers, cigarmakers, and iron molders organized the Milwaukee Federated Trades Council and in 1893 the Wisconsin State Federation of Labor was formed. A statewide union for public employees was established in 1932. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

In 2005, 410,000 of Wisconsin’s 3,551,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions, representing 16.1% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21

Agriculture

Farm marketings in 2005 amounted to $6.6 billion, 10th among the 50 states. In 2004, Wisconsin led the United States in the production of snap beans for processing, cranberries, beets for canning, corn for silage, and cabbage for kraut. It also ranked third for oat production and sweet corn for processing, peas, and carrots for processing, fourth in oats and fall potatoes, fifth in tart cherries, seventh in alfalfa hay, and ninth in corn for grain. 161

Wisconsin

Wisconsin farmland. WISCONSIN DIVISION OF TOURISM.

In 2004, there were 15.5 million acres (6.3 million hectares) of land in farms, nearly 50% of the total land area, distributed among 76,500 farms. Farmland is concentrated in the southern two-thirds of the state, especially in the southeast. Potatoes are grown mainly in central Wisconsin, cranberries in the Wisconsin River Valley, and cherries in the Door Peninsula. Leading field crops in 2004 were corn for grain, oats, wheat, and barley. Wisconsin farmers produced for processing 511,220,000 hundredweight of sweet corn, 322,640 tons of snap beans, 54,500 tons of green peas, 3,480,000 barrels of cranberries, 6.7 tons of tart cherries, and 302,000 pounds (137,000 kilograms) of spearmint and peppermint for oil. Some 30,180 162

tons of cucumber pickles and 630,000 hundredweight of cabbage were produced in 2004.

22


Aided by the skills of immigrant cheesemakers and by the encouragement of dairy farmers who emigrated from New York, Wisconsin turned to dairying in the late 19th century. In 2003, Wisconsin ranked second (after California) in the number of milk cows with 1.26 million milk cows which produced over 22.2 billion pounds (10 billion kilograms) of milk. Dairy farms are prominent in nearly all regions, but especially in the Central Plains and Western Uplands. Wisconsin ranchers also raise livestock for meat production. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wisconsin

In 2005, the state had 3.35 million cattle and calves, valued at $4 billion. During 2004, Wisconsin farms had about 430,000 hogs and pigs, valued at $38.7 million. Poultry farmers sold 12.3 million pounds (5.6 million kilograms) of chicken in 2003. Also during 2003, there were 1.1 billion eggs produced, valued at $55.6 million.

in northern Wisconsin, cover 1,527,300 acres (618,098 hectares). The 10 state forests cover 471,329 acres (190,741 hectares). Forest management and fire control programs are directed by the Department of Natural Resources. The US Forest Service operates a Forest Products Laboratory at Madison, in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin.

23

25

Fishing

In 2004, Wisconsin ranked third among the Great Lakes states in the quantity and value of its commercial fishing, with 3.9 million pounds (1.8 million kilograms) valued at $3.1 million. In 2001, the commercial fishing fleet had 18 boats and 78 vessels. Walleye, perch, and lake trout are primary Great Lakes fish species. The muskellunge is the premier game fish of Wisconsin’s inland waters; Coho and chinook salmon, introduced to Lake Michigan, now thrive there as well. The largest concentration of lake sturgeon in the United States is in Lake Winnebago. In 2004, the state issued 1,391,173 fishing licenses. There are 16 state fish hatcheries and 2 national hatcheries in the state.

24

Forestry

In 2004, Wisconsin had 15,965,000 acres (6,461,000 hectares) of forest, covering 46% of the state’s land area. About 70% of all forestlands are privately owned. Hardwoods make up about 80% of the sawtimber. The most heavily forested region is in the north. In 2004, lumber production totaled 539 million board feet. Wisconsin’s woods have recreational as well as commercial value. Two national forests (Chequamegon and Nicolet), both located Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Mining

In 2003, the estimated value of nonfuel mineral commodities produced in Wisconsin was $4058 million. Crushed stone and construction sand and gravel were the leading mineral commodities produced in Wisconsin. They were followed by lime, industrial sand and gravel, and dimension stone. In 2003Wisconsin was fourth nationally in dimension stone, fifth in peat and industrial sand and gravel, and eighth in construction sand and gravel.

26

Energy and Power

The state’s first hydroelectric plant was built at Appleton in 1882. Many others were built later, especially along the Wisconsin River. Because Wisconsin itself has no coal, oil, or natural gas resources, the state has been active in developing alternative energy resources to increase its energy independence. Biomass energy is being developed for the production of ethanol and waste wood is being used for utility generation and as fuel in industrial processes. Hydropower is a significant source of electricity generation in the paper industry and for electric utility generation. In 2003, electric generating capacity totaled 14.3 million kilowatts and total production was 163

Wisconsin

60.1 billion kilowatt hours. Of Wisconsin’s power generation in 2003, 69.4% came from coal, 20.3% from nuclear energy, and the remainder from oil, gas, hydroelectric, and other sources. The state has two nuclear power stations: Point Beach, operated by Wisconsin Electric Power Company; and the Kewaunee plant, operated by the Wisconsin Public Service Company. In 2000, Wisconsin’s total per capita energy consumption was 333 million Btu (83.9 million kilocalories), ranking it 29th among the 50 states.

29

Taxation

Wholesale sales totaled $68.5 billion in2002; retail sales were $59.9 billion in the same year. Wisconsin exported about $14.9 billion in goods (18th in the United States) in 2005. Foreign trade is conducted through the Great Lakes ports of Superior-Duluth, Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Kenosha.

The largest single source of state revenue is the income tax on individuals. Most local tax revenue comes from property taxes and most of that goes for education. Personal income tax rates on net taxable income range from 4.6% to 6.75%. The corporate tax rate is 7.9% of net income. The general sales tax is 5%. Other state taxes are those on gasoline, cigarettes, liquor, wine, beer, motor vehicles, insurance companies, estates, real estate transfers, and public utilities. The state collected $13.45 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 40.6% came from individual income taxes, 30% came from the general sales tax, 15.2% from selective sales taxes, 5.8% from corporate income taxes, 0.8% from property taxes, and 7.4% from other taxes. In 2005, Wisconsin ranked 13th among the states in terms of state and local tax burden, at $2,430 per capita (per person). The national average was $2,192 per capita.

28

30

27

Commerce

Public Finance

Budget estimates are prepared by various departments and sent to the governor or governor-elect in the fall of each even-numbered year. The following January, the governor presents a biennial budget to the legislature, which passes a budget bill, often after many amendments. The fiscal year begins 1 July and ends June 30. Total revenues for 2004 were $34.75 billion and expenditures were $28.57 billion. The highest general expenditures were for education ($9.0 billion), public welfare ($5.9 billion), and highways ($1.67 billion). State debt exceeded $17.7 billion, or $3,220.81 per capita (per person). 164

Health

In October 2005, Wisconsin’s infant mortality rate was 6.4 per 1,000 live births. The overall death rate was 8.4 per 1,000 population. Leading causes of death in 2002 were heart disease, cancer, and cerebrovascular diseases. Among Wisconsin adults 18 years of age and older, 21.9% were regular smokers in 2004. The HIV mortality rate in 2002 was 1.4 per 100,000 population. Wisconsin’s 121 community hospitals had about 14,800 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $1,282 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, there were 262 doctors per 100,000 residents, and 856 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005. In 2004, approxJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wisconsin

imately 11% of Wisconsin’s residents were uninsured. Medical degrees are granted by the University of Wisconsin at Madison and by the Medical College of Wisconsin (formerly part of Marquette University).

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 2,463,802 housing units, 2,172,924 of which were occupied; 69.9% were owner-occupied. About 65.2% of all units were single-family, detached homes. Rural areas had a higher proportion of deficient housing than urban areas, and substandard conditions were three times as common in units built before 1939, which account for about 21% of the existing housing stock. In 2004, utility gas was the most common energy source for heating. It was estimated that 97,491 units lacked telephone service, 9,105 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 9,348 lacked complete kitchen facilities. The average household size was 2.46 people. In 2004, 40,000 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $137,727. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,155, while renters paid a median of $609 per month.

32

Education

The first kindergarten in the state was established in Watertown, Wisconsin, in 1856. As of 2004, 88.8% of all Wisconsinites 25 years or older had completed high school; some 25.6% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 881,000 in fall 2002 but is expected to Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

drop to 847,000 by fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $9 billion. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 134,474. As of fall 2002, there were 329,443 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Wisconsin had 68 degree-granting institutions. The University of Wisconsin (UW) system is comprised of 13 degree-granting campuses, 13 two-year centers, and the University of Wisconsin-Extension, which has outreach and continuing education activities on all 26 UW campuses and in all 72 Wisconsin counties. The 11 other universities are Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Parkside (at Kenosha-Racine), Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, Stout (at Menomonie), Superior, and Whitewater. There were 35 private four-year institutions in 2005, including such leading institutions as Marquette University, Lawrence University, Ripon College, and Beloit College. Wisconsin also has a system of technical colleges.

33

Arts

Wisconsin offers numerous facilities for drama, music, and other performing arts, including Marcus Center for the Performing Arts in Milwaukee and the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. Milwaukee has a repertory theater and there are many other theater groups around the state. Summer plays are performed at an unusual garden theater at Fish Creek in the Door Peninsula. There is also an annual music festival at that site. The Pro Arte String Quartet in Madison and the Fine Arts Quartet in Milwaukee have been sponsored by the University of Wisconsin, which has also supported many other musical activities. 165

Wisconsin

Milwaukee’s four-theater Performing Arts Center. WISCONSIN DIVISION OF TOURISM.

Milwaukee is the home of the Great Lakes Opera Company, the Milwaukee Ballet Company, and the Milwaukee Symphony. Madison is home to the Madison Symphony, the Madison Opera, and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. The Wisconsin Arts Board aids artists and performing groups and assists communities in developing arts programs. The Wisconsin Humanities Council was founded in 1972.

34


In 2001, the state library system had a total of over 18.6 million volumes and circulation of more than 49.7 million. The Milwaukee Public Library, founded in 1878, and the Madison Public Library were two of the largest regional systems. The largest academic library is that of 166

the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The best known special library is that of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin at Madison, with 3.6 million books and numerous government publications and documents. In 2000, Wisconsin had 208 museums and historical sites. The State Historical Society maintains a historical museum in Madison and other historical sites and museums around the state. The Milwaukee Public Museum contains collections on history, natural history, and art. The Milwaukee Art Center and the Madison Art Center have large collections of the visual arts. Other leading art museums include the Elvehjem Museum of Art in Madison and the Theodore Lyman Wright Art Center at Beloit College. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wisconsin

The Circus World Museum at Baraboo occupies the site of the original Ringling Brothers Circus. Other museums of special interest include the Dard Hunter Paper Museum (Appleton), the National Railroad Museum (Green Bay), and the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame. More than 500 species of animals are on exhibit at the Milwaukee County Zoological Park; Madison and Racine also have zoos. Historical sites are Old World Wisconsin, an outdoor ethnic museum near Eagle, and the Taliesin estate of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, in Spring Green.

35

Communications

In 2004, about 95.5% of the state’s households had telephones. In addition, by June of that year, there were 2,831,645 mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 63.8% of Wisconsin households had a computer, and 57.4% had Internet access. In 2005, there were 34 major AM and 99 major FM radio stations. The state also had 28 major television stations.

36

Press

Founded in 1882 by Lucius Nieman, the Milwaukee Journal (now known as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) won a Pulitzer Prize in 1919 for distinguished public service and remains the state’s largest selling and most influential newspaper. Employee-owned since 1937, in late 2003, Journal Communications, the Milwaukee Journal’s parent company went public. In 2005, Wisconsin had 11 morning papers, 24 evening papers, and 18 Sunday papers. The leading papers, with their 2005 daily circulations, were the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (227,387 daily, 435,127 Sunday), the Wisconsin Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

State Journal (101,639 daily, 152,943 Sunday), and the Green Bay Press-Gazette (68,944 daily, 83,395 Sunday). As of 2005, there were more 223 weekly newspapers, as well as some 300 periodicals directed to a wide variety of special interests.

37


Wisconsin had estimated tourism revenues of $11.7 billion in 2004. The tourism industry directly and indirectly supports 309,000 jobs in the state. The state has ample scenic attractions and outdoor recreational opportunities. In addition to the famous Wisconsin Dells gorge, visitors are attracted to the Cave of the Mounds at Blue Mounds, the sandstone cliffs along the Mississippi River, the lakes and forests of the Rhinelander and Minocqua areas in the north, and Lake Geneva, a resort, in the south. There are three national parks in Wisconsin: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, on Lake Superior, and the St. Croix and Lower St. Croix scenic riverways. There are 48 state parks, covering 65,483 acres (26,193 hectares).

38

Sports

Wisconsin has three major league teams: the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball, the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League, and the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association. There are also numerous minor league baseball, basketball, and hockey teams in the state. The University of Wisconsin Badgers compete in the Big Ten Conference. Badger ice hockey teams have won the National Collegiate 167

Wisconsin

Fishing boats on the Menominee River, which flows along the Wisconsin-Michigan border. Fishing regulations are complicated here, since Michigan and Wisconsin have different rules. AP IMAGES.

Athletic Association (NCAA) championship six times. In football, they won the Rose Bowl in 1994, 1999, and 2000. The basketball team from Marquette University in Milwaukee advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 2003. Other annual sporting events include ski jumping tournaments in Iola, Middleton, and Wetsby; the World Championship Snowmobile Derby in Eagle River in January; the American Birkebeiner Cross-Country Race at Cable and Hayward in February; and the Great Wisconsin Dells Balloon Race in the Dells. Milwaukee is the site of the Greater Milwaukee Open in professional golf. Famous athletes native to Wisconsin include speedskaters Eric Heiden and Christine Witty and football legend Elroy (Crazy Legs) Hirsch. 168

39

Famous Wisconsinites

Wisconsinites who have won prominence as federal judicial or executive officers include Jeremiah Rusk (b.Ohio, 1830–1893), a Wisconsin governor selected as the first head of the Agriculture Department in 1889; Melvin Laird (b.Nebraska, 1922–1992), a congressman who served as secretary of defense from 1969–73; and William Rehnquist (1924–2005), named to the Supreme Court in 1971 and the 16th Chief Justice from 1986–2005. Joseph R. McCarthy (1908–1957) won attention in the Senate and throughout the nation for his anti-Communist crusade. William Proxmire (b.Illinois, 1915–2005), a Democrat, succeeded McCarthy in the Senate and eventually chaired the powerful Senate Banking Committee. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wisconsin

Wisconsin was the birthplace of several Nobel Prize winners, including Herbert S. Gasser (1888–1963), who shared a 1944 Nobel Prize for research into nerve impulses; John Bardeen (1908–1991), who shared the physics award in 1956 for his contribution to the development of the transistor; and Herbert A. Simon (1916– 2001), who won the 1978 prize in economics. Thornton Wilder (1897–1975), a novelist and playwright best known for The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1927), Our Town (1938), and The Skin of Our Teeth (1942)—each of which won a Pulitzer Prize, heads the list of literary figures born in the state. Hamlin Garland (1860–1940), a novelist and essayist was also a native, as was the poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850–1919). The novelist Edna Ferber (b.Michigan, 1887–1968) spent her early life in the state. Wisconsin is the birthplace of architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1869–1959) and the site of his famous Taliesin estate (Spring Green). The artist Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986) was born in Sun Prairie. Wisconsin natives who have distinguished themselves in the performing arts include Spencer Tracy (1900–1967) and Orson Welles (1915–1985). Magician and escape artist Harry


Houdini (Ehrich Weiss, b.Hungary, 1874–1926) was raised in the state. Speed-skater Eric Heiden (b.1958), a fivetime Olympic gold medalist in 1980, is another Wisconsin native.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Hart, Joyce. Wisconsin. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Heinrichs, Ann. Wisconsin. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2003. Lantier, Patricia. Wisconsin. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. McAuliffe, Emily. Wisconsin Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Murray, Julie. Wisconsin. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Parker, Janice. Wisconsin. Mankato, MN: Weigl Publishers, 2001. WEB SITES State of Wisconsin. www.wisconsin.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Wisconsin Department of Tourism. Travel Wisconsin. www.travelwisconsin.com (accessed March 1, 2007).

169

Wyoming State of Wyoming

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Derived from the

Delaware Indian words maugh-wau-wa-ma, meaning “large plains.” N I CKNAME : The Equality State; The Cowboy State. C AP ITAL: Cheyenne. ENT ERED UNION: 10 July 1890 (44th). O FFICIAL SEAL: A female figure holding the banner “Equal Rights” stands on a pedestal between pillars topped by lamps symbolizing the light of knowledge. Two male figures flank the pillars, on which are draped banners that proclaim “Livestock,” “Grain,” “Mines,” and “Oil.” At the bottom is a shield with an eagle, star, and Roman numerals XLIV, flanked by the dates 1869 and 1890. The whole is surrounded by the words “Great Seal of the State of Wyoming.” FLAG: A blue field with a white inner border and a red outer border (symbolizing, respectively, the sky, purity, and the Native Americans) surrounds a bison with the state seal branded on its side. M OT TO: Equal Rights. SONG: “Wyoming.” FLOWER: Indian paintbrush. TREE: Cottonwood. A NIMAL: Bison. B IRD: Western meadowlark. FISH: Cutthroat trout. G E M: Jade. FOSSIL: Knightia. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and Wyoming Equality Day, 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Day, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. Special observances are made on Arbor Day, last Monday in April; Native American Day, 2nd Friday in May; Juneteenth, 3rd Saturday in June; Birthday of Nellie Tayloe Ross, 29 November; Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 7 December; Wyoming Day, 10 December. T I ME : 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the Rocky Mountain region of the northwestern United States, Wyoming ranks ninth in size among the 50 states. The total area of Wyoming is 97,809 square miles (253,325 square kilometers), of which land comprises 96,989 square miles (251,201 square kilome171

Wyoming

ters) and inland water 820 square miles (2,124 square kilometers). The state has a maximum east–west extension of 365 miles (587 kilometers). Its extreme distance from north to south is 265 miles (426 kilometers). The state’s boundary length is 1,269 miles (2,042 kilometers).

2

Topography

The eastern third of Wyoming forms part of the Great Plains; the remainder belongs to the Rocky Mountains. Extending diagonally across the state from northwest to south is the Continental Divide, which separates the generally eastward-flowing drainage system of North America from the westward-flowing drainage of the Pacific states. Gannett Peak, in western Wyoming, at 13,804 feet (4,210 meters), is the highest point in the state. The lowest point in the state, 3,099 feet (945 meters), occurs in the northeast, on the Belle Fourche River. Wyoming’s largest lake, Yellowstone, lies in the heart of Yellowstone National Park. In Grand Teton National Park to the south are two smaller lakes, Jackson and Jenny. Major rivers include the Green, Yellowstone, Big Horn, Powder, Snake, Belle Fourche, and Cheyenne.

3

Climate

Wyoming is generally semiarid with localized desert conditions. Daily temperatures in Cheyenne range from 15°f (-9°c) to 38°f (3°c) in January and from 54°f (12°c) to 83°f (28°c) in July. The record low temperature, -66°f (-54°c), was set on 9 February 1933 at Riverside. The record high, 114°f (46°c), occurred at Basin on 12 July 1900. 172

Wyoming Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

515,004 4.3% 6.8% 98.1% 92.4% 0.7% 1.9% 0.6% 0.0% 2.4% 2.0%


Under 18 (23%)

65 and over (12%)

45 to 64 (29%)

18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (26%)

Major Cities by Population City Cheyenne Casper Laramie Gillette Rock Springs Sheridan Green River Evanston Riverton Cody

Population

% change 2000–05

55,731 51,738 26,050 22,685 18,772 16,333 11,787 11,459 9,430 9,100

5.1 4.2 -4.2 15.5 0.3 3.3 -0.2 -0.4 1.3 3.0



Wyoming

WYOMING Explanation Point of Interest City (less than 25,000 people) City (more than 25,000 people) State Capital

MONTANA


80

Area of Interest

N 0

25 25

0

CAMPBELL

SHERIDAN

BIG HORN

Yellowstone Nat’l Park

to ows Yell

Buffalo Bill St. Park Old Faithful

JOHNSON

Bighorn National Forest

Shoshone Nat’l Forest WASHAKIE

Be

HOT SPRINGS

lle

u Fo

R he rc

.

WESTON

Thunder Basin National Grassland

25 Thermopolis

IDAHO

Black Hills Nat’l For.

Gillette

90

Bridger-Teton Nat’l Forest

Black Hills N. F.

Devils Tower

Thunder Basin National Grassland

90

Cody

TETON

CROOK

Sheridan

. ne R

SOUTH DAKOTA

PARK

50 miles

50 kilometers

Hot Springs St. Park

Jackson FREMONT

NATRONA

Bridger-Teton Nat’l Forest Garfield Pk.

Bridger-Teton Nat’l Forest

Tabernacle Butte SWEETWATER

CARBON

Whiskey Pk.

Big Sandy St. Rec. Area

LINCOLN

Medicine Bow Nat’l Forest

Ice Cave Mtn.

. er R

at

etw

e Sw

Ft. Fetterman St. Hist. Site

. eR att Pl Casper

Pathfinder Reservoir

GOSHEN

NEBRASKA

Wind River Indian Res.

SUBLETTE

NIOBRARA

CONVERSE

Deadman Butte

25

ALBANY

Seminoe State Park Steamboat Mtn.

Seminoe Reservoir

Fontenelle Res.

Rawlins PLATTE

Rock Springs

UINITA

80

Medicine Bow Nat’l Forest LARAMIE

Green River

Evanston Wasatch National Forest

Flaming Gorge National Rec. Area

UTAH


Laramie Medicine Bow Nat’l Forest Medicine Bow Nat’l Forest

Curt Gowdy St. Park

Cheyenne 80

COLORADO

173

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The Grand Teton Peak, tallest of the Grand Teton National Park’s 19 peaks. THE WYOMING DIVISION OF TOURISM.

The average annual precipitation in Cheyenne is 14.5 inches (36 centimeters). The average annual snowfall in Cheyenne is 51.2 inches (130 centimeters).

4

Plants and Animals

Wyoming has more than 2,000 species of ferns, conifers, and flowering plants. Prairie grasses dominate the eastern third of the state, while desert shrubs (primarily sagebrush) cover the Great Basin in the west. Rocky Mountain forests consist largely of pine, spruce, and fir. In 2006, three plant species were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, including the Colorado butterfly plant, Ute ladies’ tresses, and desert yellowhead. 174

Game mammals include the mule deer, elk, and moose. The jackrabbit and antelope are plentiful. Wild turkey and sage grouse are leading game birds. There are 78 species of fish, of which rainbow trout is the favorite game fish. In 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed nine Wyoming animal species as threatened or endangered, including the black-footed ferret, grizzly bear, razorback sucker, Kendall Warm Springs dace, and Wyoming toad.

5


The state’s principal environmental concerns are conservation of scarce water resources and preservation of air quality. The Department of Environmental Quality, which was established in 1973 and reorganized in 1992, enforces meaJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wyoming

Wyoming Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493,782 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484,899 . . . . . . 98.2 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,476 . . . . . . . 1.7 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 739 . . . . . . . 0.1 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,289 . . . . . . . 0.7 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 934 . . . . . . . 0.2 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,737 . . . . . . . 0.6 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 . . . . . . . . — Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407 . . . . . . . 0.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

sures to prevent pollution of Wyoming’s surface water and groundwater and administers 21 air-monitoring sites to maintain air quality. Wyoming typically spends the most money per capita on the environment and natural resources relative to all other states in the union. Programs to dispose of hazardous waste and assure safe drinking water are administered by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2003, Wyoming had 42 hazardous waste sites listed in the EPA’s database, two of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. Wetlands cover about 1.25 million acres (505,857 hectares) of Wyoming and are administered and protected by the Wyoming Wetlands Act. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

6

Population

In 2006, Wyoming ranked 51st among the United States and the District of Columbia in population, with an estimated total of 515,004. Wyoming has the second-lowest population density in the country (5.2 persons per square mile/2 persons per square kilometer). Only Alaska is more sparsely populated. The median age in 2004 was 38.4 years. In 2005, about 12% of all residents were 65 years old or older while about 23% were 18 or younger. Leading cities in 2005 were Cheyenne, Casper, and Laramie, all of which had fewer than 60,000 residents. 175

Wyoming

Swan and elk on the bank of the Madison River in fire-damaged Yellowstone National Park. © JONATHAN BLAIR/CORBIS.

7

Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, there were 11,133 Native Americans residing in Wyoming, the largest tribe being the Arapaho. The black American population was 3,722. The Asian population was 2,771, with the largest group being the Chinese, who numbered 609 residents. In 2006, about 92.4% of the population was white and mostly of European descent, the largest groups being German, English, and Irish. Blacks represented just 0.7%, Hispanics and Latinos, 6.8%, and American Indians, 1.9%.

8

Languages

Generally, Wyoming English is North Midland with some South Midland elements, especially 176

along the Nebraska border. In 2000, 93.6% of the residents five years old or older spoke only English at home. Residents who spoke other languages at home, and the number of people speaking them, include Spanish, 18,606; German, 2,382; and various Native American languages, 1,795.

9

Religions

The religiously active population in Wyoming is split between Protestants, Catholics, and Mormons. In 2004, the Catholic Church had about 50,979 members. The other large single denomination is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), with 56,665 members in 2006. Other leading denominations included the Southern Baptist Convention, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wyoming

17,101 members in 2000; the United Methodist Church, 11,431 members in 2000; the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, 11,113; and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 10,038. Wyoming also had an estimated 430 Jews and 263 Muslims. There were 263,057 people (about 53% of the population) who were not counted as members of any religious organization in 2000.

10

Transportation

Wyoming is served chiefly by the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroads. The total trackage of these two Class I railroads in 2003 was 1,846 rail miles (2,972 kilometers), out of a total of 1,882 miles (3,030 kilometers) of railroad track in the state. This is due to double- and triple-tracking, primarily to haul coal from the Powder River Basin. Amtrak passenger rail service in and through the state was discontinued in 1997. Public highways and rural and urban roads, totaling 27,594 miles (44,426 kilometers) cross the state. As of 2004, there were some 651,000 registered motor vehicles and 380,180 licensed drivers. As of 2005, Wyoming had 90 airports and 23 heliports. Jackson Hole Airport in Jackson is the state’s main airport.

11

History

Although the first Europeans to visit Wyoming were French Canadian traders, the first modern exploration of the area was made by an American fur trader, John Colter, who traversed the northwestern part of the state in 1807–08, probably crossing what is now Yellowstone Park. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

After Colter, trappers and fur traders crisscrossed Wyoming. Between 1840 and 1867, thousands of Americans crossed Wyoming on the Oregon Trail, bound for Oregon or California. Very few, however, stayed in this harsh region. The event that brought population as well as territorial status to Wyoming was the coming of the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1868, Wyoming was organized as a territory; in the following year, 1869, Wyoming became the first territory or state that allowed women to vote. Wyoming became a center for cattle ranchers and foreign investors who hoped to make a fortune from free grass and the high price of cattle. The struggle between the large landowners and small ranchers culminated in the so-called Johnson County War of 1891–92. Statehood Wyoming became a state in 1890,

but growth remained slow. Attempts at farming proved unsuccessful in this high, arid region, and Wyoming to this day remains a sparsely settled ranching state. What growth has occurred has been primarily through the minerals industry, especially the development of coal, oil, and natural-gas resources during the 1970s national energy crisis. However, the worldwide oil glut in the early 1980s slowed the growth of the state’s energy industries. In 1984, the growth of the state’s nonfuel mineral industry slowed as well. Since then, the state has looked to tourism as an effective means of expanding its economy. In the summer of 1988, forest fires raged across Yellowstone National Park, devastating about one-third of the park’s area. 177

Wyoming

Wyoming state capitol. © DAVE G. HOUSER/CORBIS.

Wyoming’s small towns were struggling to keep their young people from moving away. In 2000, Wyoming’s population was aging faster than any other state: there were more people over age 35 than 34 or under. Unlike most of the nation, Wyoming in 2003 had a $169 million budget surplus, largely due to an increase in mineral revenues. In 2005, Wyoming submitted a petition to delist the gray wolf from the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s list of threatened and endangered species. In July 2006, the Fish and Wildlife Service decided against this request to remove the wolves from the list.

12

State Government

The Wyoming legislature consists of a 30-member senate and a 60-member house of representatives. Senators are elected to four-year terms 178

and representatives for two-year terms. Heading the executive branch are the following elected officials: the governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, comptroller, commissioner of finance, and superintendent of public instruction. There is no lieutenant governor. A bill passed by the legislature becomes law if signed by the governor, if left unsigned by the governor for three days while the legislature is in session (or 15 days after it has adjourned), or if passed over the governor’s veto by two-thirds of the members of each house. As of December 2004, the legislative salary was $125 per day during regular legislative sessions, and the governor’s salary was $130,000.

13

Political Parties

The Republicans have dominated Wyoming politics at the federal and state level, although Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wyoming

the state elected a Democratic governor in 2002. There were 246,000 registered voters in 2004. In 1998, 30% of registered voters were Democratic, 59% Republican, and 11% unaffiliated or members of other parties. Democratic governor Dave Freudenthal, who was elected in 2002, was reelected in 2006. Both of Wyoming’s senators, Mike Enzi (reelected in 2002) and Craig Thomas (reelected in 2006), are Republicans, as is Wyoming’s US Representative, Barbara Cubin (reelected in 2006). Following the 2006 midterm elections, there were 23 Republicans and 7 Democrats in the state senate; 43 Republicans and 17 Democrats in the state house. Fourteen women were elected to the state legislature in the 2006 elections, or 15.6%. Republican George W. Bush received 69% of the vote in the 2000 presidential election, while 28% went to Democrat Al Gore. In 2004, Bush once again secured 69% of the vote, while Democrat John Kerry received just 29% of the vote.

14

Local Government

Wyoming is subdivided into 23 counties, 98 municipalities, 48 public school districts, and 546 special districts and authorities. County officials include a clerk, treasurer, assessor, sheriff, attorney, three commissioners, and from one to five county judges. Municipalities may decide their own form of government, including mayorcouncil and council-manager.

15

Judicial System

Wyoming’s judicial branch consists of a supreme court with a chief justice and four other justices, district courts with a total of 222 judges, county courts, and justice of the peace courts. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wyoming Governors: 1890–2007 1890 1890–1893 1893–1895 1895–1899 1899–1903 1903–1905 1905–1911 1911–1915 1915–1917 1917–1919 1919–1923 1923–1924 1924–1925 1925–1927 1927–1931 1931–1933 1933–1939 1939–1943 1943–1949 1949–1951 1951–1953 1953–1955 1955–1959 1959–1961 1961–1963 1963–1967 1967–1975 1975–1987 1987–1995 1995–2002 2002–

Francis Emroy Warren Amos Walker Barber John Eugene Osborne William Alford Richards DeForest Richards Fenimore Chatterton Bryant Butler Brooks Joseph Maull Carey John Benjamin Kendrick Frank L. Houx Robert Davis Carey William Bradford Ross Franklin Earl Lucas Nellie Tayloe Ross Frank Collins Emerson Alonzo Monroe Clark Leslie Andrew Miller Nels Hanson Smith Lester Calloway Hunt Arthur Griswold Crane Frank Aloysius Barrett Clifford Joy Rogers Milward Lee Simpson John Joseph Hickey Jack Robert Gage Clifford Peter Hansen Stanley Knapp Hathaway Edgar J. Herschler Michael John Sullivan Jim Geringer Dave Freudenthal

Republican Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Republican Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Republican Democrat Democrat Republican Democrat

Wyoming’s violent crime rate (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) in 2004 was 229.6 per 100,000 persons. Crimes against property (burglary, larceny/theft, and motor vehicle theft) were 3,334.3 reported incidents per 100,000 people. Wyoming’s prison population totaled 1,980 as of 31 December 2004. Wyoming has a death penalty, and as of 1 January 2006, there were two persons under sentence of death.

16

Migration

Many people have passed through Wyoming, but relatively few have come to stay. Between 179

Wyoming

Wyoming Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties 1948–2004 YEAR

WYOMING WINNER

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN


1990 and 1998, Wyoming had a net loss of less than 500 in domestic migration but a net gain of 2,000 in international migration. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 2,264, and net internal migration was 1,771, for a net gain of 4,035 people.

17

Economy

The economic life of Wyoming is largely sustained by agriculture (chiefly feed grains and livestock) and mining (including petroleum and gas production). Mining and petroleum production grew rapidly during the 1970s, leading to a powerful upsurge in population. The absence of personal and corporate income taxes helped foster a favorable business climate during the 1990s. The state economy’s growth rate grew rapidly coming into the 21st century, from 1.1% in 1998 to 12.3% in 2000. Wyoming was not 180

greatly impacted by the 2001 bust in the information technology (IT) industry, as it had not been very involved in the IT boom years of the 1990s. In 2004, Wyoming’s gross state product (GSP) was $23.9 billion, of which mining accounted for $5.9 billion (25% of GSP), while real estate accounted for $2.1 billion (8.7% of GSP), and construction at $1.3 billion (5.3% of GSP).

18

Income

In 2005, Wyoming had a gross state product of $27 billion, 49th in the nation. In 2004, the state ranked 15th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a per capita (per person) income of $34,279 (the national average was $33,050). The median annual household income for 2002–04 was $43,641, compared to the national average of $44,473. For the period 2002–04, 9.6% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Manufacturing increased strikingly in Wyoming from 1977 to 1991. Value of shipments by manufacturers more than doubled from $1.287 billion to $2.733 billion. But these figures remain very small by national standards. In 2004, Wyoming’s manufacturing sector was largely centered on only two product subsectors, chemicals and fabricated metal products. The shipment value of all manufactured products in the state in 2004 was $5.01 billion. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wyoming

20

Labor

In 2006, the labor force in Wyoming numbered 292,000, with approximately 9,400 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 3.2%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. As of that date, 7.9% of the labor force was employed in construction; 19.7% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 6% in professional and business services; 12% in leisure and hospitality services; and 24.2% in government. Data for manufacturing, financial activities, and education and health services were unavailable. In 2005, of Wyoming’s 228,000 employed wage and salary workers, 18,000 were members of unions. This represented 7.9% of those so employed, while the national average is 12%.

21

Agriculture

In 2004, Wyoming had about 9,200 farms and ranches covering almost 34.4 million acres (13.9 million hectares). Total farm marketings in 2005 amounted to $1.1 billion, ranking 38th among the 50 states. Of this, livestock and animal products accounted for $984 million. Crops accounted for $146 million. Field crops in 2004 included barley, wheat, oats, sugar beets, dry beans, and hay.

22


For most of Wyoming’s territorial and state history, cattle ranchers have dominated the economy, even though the livestock industry is not large by national standards. In 2005, Wyoming had an estimated 1.35 million cattle and calves, valued at $1.38 billion. During 2004, there were 114,000 hogs and pigs, valued at $13.7 million. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wyoming farms and ranches produced 28.8 million pounds (13.1 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs in 2003 and an estimated 3.64 million pounds (1.7 million kilograms) of shorn wool in 2004. In 2003, Wyoming farmers sold 28,000 pounds (12,700 kilograms) of chicken and produced 54 million pounds (28.6 million kilograms) of milk.

23

Fishing

There is no important commercial fishing in Wyoming. Fishing is largely recreational, and fish hatcheries and fish-planting programs keep the streams well stocked. Wyoming’s streams annually provide 1.3 million angler days and 3.4 million fish; lakes generate 1.6 million angler days and a harvest of 4.1 million fish. There are two national fish hatcheries in the state (Saratoga and Jackson). In 2004, the state issued 247,583 sport fishing licenses.

24

Forestry

Wyoming has 10,995,000 acres (4,450,000 hectares) of forested land, equal to 17.8% of the state’s land area. Of this, 5,739,000 acres (2,323,000 hectares) are usable as commercial timberland. As of 2003, the state’s four national forests (Bighorn, Bridger-Teton, Medicine Bow, and Shoshone) covered a total of 9,238,000 acres (3,739,000 hectares). In 2004, lumber production totaled 165 million board feet. Ponderosa pine accounts for about 50% of the annual cut and lodgepole pine most of the rest. The remainder consists of Douglas fir, larch, Engelmann spruce, and other species. 181

Wyoming

25

Mining

The estimated value of nonfuel mineral production for Wyoming in 2003 was nearly $1.01 billion. Wyoming produced 3.34 million metric tons of bentonite in 2003, as well as 4 million metric tons of crushed stone. No metal production has been reported since 1984. Wyoming ranked 13th nationally in the value of nonfuel mineral production. Wyoming also ranked first in the nation in soda ash and bentonite production, and second in the output of grade-A helium. The state also ranked ninth in the production of gypsum. Major uses of Wyoming bentonite were as pet waste absorbent, drilling mud, pelletizing iron ore, in foundry sand, and as a waterproof sealant. Wyoming also led the nation in soda ash production from the world’s largest known resource of trona, a natural sodium carbonatebicarbonate. Trona mined in Wyoming was used to produce soda ash, caustic soda, sodium sulfite, sodium bicarbonate, sodium cyanide, and calcined trona. Wyoming is also known to have deposits of gold and silver, diamonds, copper, and metals belonging to the platinum group.

26

Energy and Power

In 2004, petroleum production was 141,000 barrels per day. Proven reserves totaled 628 million barrels. In 2004, reserves of natural gas were estimated at 22.6 trillion cubic feet (642.7 billion cubic meters). Natural gas production totaled 1.59 trillion cubic feet (45.21 billion cubic meters) in 2004. Wyoming has the three largest producing coal mines in the United States and total recoverable coal reserves estimated at 7.05 billion 182

tons. In 2000, the state’s active mines produced 396,493,000 tons of coal. Electric power production in 2003 totaled 43.6 billion kilowatt hours. Total installed capacity was 6.5 million kilowatts. In 2000, Wyoming’s total per capita energy consumption was 844 million Btu (212.7 million kilocalories), ranking it third among the 50 states, behind Alaska and Louisiana. Exported energy, however, is counted as intrastate consumption, thus inflating per capita energy usage.

27

Commerce

Wholesale sales totaled $3.3 billion in 2002; retail sales were $5.7 billion. Wyoming’s exports of products to other countries were valued at $669.07 million in 2005.

28

Public Finance

Wyoming’s biennial budget is prepared by the governor and submitted to the legislature at the beginning of each even-numbered calendar year. The fiscal year is from 1 July to 30 June. In 2004, Wyoming had revenues of $5.15 billion and expenditures of $3.59 billion. The highest general expenditures were for education ($1.07 billion), public welfare ($497 million), and highways ($415 million). The outstanding state debt was $909 million, or $1,797.49 per capita (per person).

29

Taxation

The state sales tax is 4%. Other taxes include those on cigarettes and gasoline, in addition to other taxes. Wyoming has no personal or corporate income tax. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wyoming

The state collected $1.74 billion in taxes in 2005, of which 30% came from the general sales tax, 10.4% from property taxes, 6.9% from selective sales taxes, and 52.7% from other taxes. Wyoming ranked 3rd among the states in terms of state and local tax burden in 2005, at $3,418 per capita. The national average was $2,192.

for heating. The average household size was 2.43 people. In 2004, 3,300 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $119,654. The median cost for mortgage owners was $954 per month. Renters paid a median of $534 per month.

30

32

Health

In October 2005, the infant mortality was 5.8 deaths per 1,000 live births. The state’s overall death rate was 8.3 per 1,000 population in 2003. The main causes of death were heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, and cancer. Among residents 18 years of age and older, 21.6% were reported to be regular smokers. In 2002, Wyoming had the highest suicide rate in the nation at 21.1 per 100,000 population. Wyoming’s 23 community hospitals had about 1,800 beds in 2003. The average expense for community hospital care was $943 per inpatient day in 2003. In 2004, there were 191 doctors per 100,000 residents, and 774 nurses per 100,000 residents in 2005. In 2004, about 15% of Wyoming’s residents were uninsured.

31

Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 232,637 housing units in Wyoming, ranking the state as having the smallest housing stock in the country. About 202,496 units were occupied; 69.9% were owner-occupied. About 65.4% of all units were single-family, detached homes. It was estimated that 11,242 units lacked telephone service, 1,229 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 1,198 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Utility gas was the most common energy source Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Education

In 2004, 91.9% of Wyoming residents age 25 and older were high school graduates and 22.5% had obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Total public school enrollment was estimated at 88,000 in fall 2002 and is expected to reach 89,000 in fall 2014. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $947.5 million. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 2,079. As of fall 2002, there were 32,605 students enrolled in college or graduate school. In 2005, Wyoming had nine degree-granting institutions and seven community colleges. The state controls and funds the University of Wyoming in Laramie, as well as the seven community colleges. There are no private colleges or universities, although the National Outdoor Leadership School, based in Lander, offers courses in mountaineering and ecology.

33

Arts

The Grand Teton Music Festival (formerly the Jackson Hole Fine Arts Festival) was established in 1962 and has continued to present an annual program of symphonic and chamber music performed by some of the nation’s top artists. The Cheyenne Civic Center serves as a venue for a variety of musical and theatrical groups, 183

Wyoming

including the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. Cheyenne is also home to the Cheyenne Little Theater Players, a community theater group that marked a 75-year anniversary in 2005. The Wyoming Council on the Arts funds local activities and organizations in the visual and performing arts, including painting, music, theater, and dance. The Wyoming Council for the Humanities has an active roster of speakers and ongoing history programs, as well as sponsoring a Native American Language Preservation program.

34


In 2001, Wyoming had 23 county public library systems with over 2.4 million volumes and a combined circulation of over 3.7 million. The University of Wyoming, in Laramie, had 1,227,000 volumes and 12,960 periodical subscriptions. There are at least 53 museums and historic sites, including the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne; the Buffalo Bill Historical Center (Cody), which exhibits paintings by Frederic Remington; and the anthropological, geological, and art museums of the University of Wyoming at Laramie.

35

Communications

In 2004, 94.6% of Wyoming households had telephones. In June of that year, there were 277,658 mobile telephone subscribers. In 2003, 65.4% of Wyoming households had a computer and 57.7% had Internet access. In 2005, Wyoming had 28 major radio stations, 7 AM and 21 FM, plus three major television stations. 184

36

Press

In 2005, there were nine daily newspapers and five Sunday newspapers in Wyoming. The major daily paper, the Casper Star–Tribune, had a 2005 circulation of 30,790 daily and 33,289 Sunday subscribers.

37


In 2004, the state hosted 8 million overnight visitors and 17.9 million day-trip travelers. The tourism and travel industry supports over 37,823 jobs. In 2002–03, Wyoming tourism increased by 6.5%, the highest increase in travel and tourism of any US state. There are two national parks in Wyoming (Yellowstone and Grand Teton) and 9 national forests. Devils Tower and Fossil Butte are national monuments, and Fort Laramie is a national historic site. Yellowstone National Park is the oldest and largest national park in the United States, featuring some 3,000 geysers and hot springs, including the celebrated Old Faithful. Just to the south of Yellowstone is Grand Teton National Park. Adjacent to Grand Teton is the National Elk Refuge, the feeding range of the continent’s largest known herd of elk.

38

Sports

There are no major league professional sports teams in Wyoming. Participation sports in Wyoming are typically Western. Skills developed by ranch hands in herding cattle are featured at rodeos held throughout the state. Cheyenne Frontier Days is the largest of these rodeos. Skiing is also a major sport, with Jackson Hole being the largest, best-known resort. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Wyoming

Many of Wyoming’s better-known individuals are associated with the frontier. William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody (b. Iowa, 1846–1917) established the town of Cody. A number of outlaws made their headquarters in Wyoming. The most famous were “Butch Cassidy” (Robert Leroy Parker, b. Utah, 1866–1909?) and the “Sundance Kid” (Harry Longabaugh, 1863?–1909?). Wyoming’s most famous entrepreneur was James Cash Penney (b. Missouri, 1875–1971), whose early experiences with J.C. Penney department stores was in Wyoming. Jackson Pollack (1912– 1956), known for his Impressionistic “all-over drip style” painting, was born in Cody.

40 Every 74 minutes, the Old Faithful geyser erupts in Yellowstone National Park. © COREL CORPORATION.

In collegiate sports, the University of Wyoming competes in the Mountain West Conference.

39

Famous Wyomingites

Important federal officeholders from Wyoming include Willis Van Devanter (b. Indiana, 1859–1941), who served on the US Supreme Court from 1910 to 1937. Richard Cheney (b. Nebraska, 1941), Wyoming’s US representative from 1979 to 1989 and the US secretary of defense from 1989 to 1992, was elected vicepresident on the Republican ticket with George W. Bush in 2000. Nellie Taylor Ross (b. Missouri, 1876–1977) became the first female governor of any state in 1925, serving later as director of the US Mint from 1933 to 1953. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Bibliography

BOOKS Bristow, M. J. State Songs of America. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. DuBois, Muriel L. Wyoming Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2003. Heinrichs, Ann. Wyoming. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2004. Kent, Deborah. Wyoming. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. Murray, Julie. Wyoming. Edina, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2006. Thomas, William. Wyoming. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2007. WEB SITES State of Wyoming. Wyoming Welcomes You. www. state.wy.us (accessed March 1, 2007). Wyoming Travel and Tourism. Wyoming: Forever West. www.wyomingtourism.org (accessed March 1, 2007). 185

District of Columbia District of Columbia

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : From “Columbia,”

a name commonly applied to the United States in the late 18th century, ultimately derived from Christopher Columbus. B ECAME US CAPITAL : 1 December 1800, when Congress first assembled in the city. O FFICIAL SEAL: In the background, the Potomac River separates the District of Columbia from the Virginia shore, over which the sun is rising. In the foreground, Justice, holding a wreath and a tablet with the word “Constitution,” stands beside a statue of George Washington. At the left of Justice is the Capitol; to her right, an eagle and various agricultural products. Below is the District motto and the date 1871; above are the words “District of Columbia.” FLAG: The flag, based on George Washington’s coat of arms, consists of three red stars above two horizontal red stripes on a white field. M OT TO: Justitia omnibus (Justice for all). FLOWER: American beauty rose. TREE: Scarlet oak. B IRD: Wood thrush. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December. TI ME: 7 AM EST = noon GMT.


1

Location and Size

Located in the South Atlantic region of the United States, the District of Columbia has a total area of 69 square miles (179 square kilometers), of which land takes up 63 square miles (163 square kilometers) and inland water 6 square miles (16 square kilometers). Its total boundary length is 37 miles (60 kilometers).

2

Topography

The District of Columbia, an enclave of western Maryland, lies wholly within the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The major physical features are the Potomac River and its nearby marshlands; the Anacostia River; Rock Creek; and the gentle hills of the north. The District’s average elevation is about 150 feet (46 meters). The highest point, at 410 feet (125 meters), is in the northwest, at 187

District of Columbia

Tenleytown. The lowest point is the Potomac, only 1 foot (30 centimeters) above sea level.

3

Climate

The climate of the nation’s capital is characterized by chilly, damp winters and hot, humid summers. The normal daily mean temperature is 58°f (14°c), ranging from 36°f (2°c) in January to 79°f (27°c) in July. The record low, -15°f (-26°c), was set on 11 February 1899. The record high, 106°f (41°c), was set on 20 July 1930. Annual precipitation is an average of 39.4 inches (100 centimeters) annually during 1971– 2000. Annual snowfall averages 17 inches (43 centimeters). The average humidity is 75% at 7 a.m. and 53% at 1 p.m.

4


581,530 1.7% 8.9% 98.5% 32.4% 56.8% 0.3% 3.0% 0.0% 6.0% 1.5%


65 and over (12%)

Under 18 (22%)

45 to 64 (24%)

18 to 24 (6%)

Plants and Animals

Most of the original plant life of the District was destroyed by urbanization. However, the District has long been known for its beautiful parks, which have about 1,800 varieties of flowering plants and 250 varieties shrubs and trees. Boulevards are shaded by stately sycamores, pine and red oaks, American lindens, and black walnut trees. Famous among the introduced species are the flowering Japanese cherry trees around the Tidal Basin. Magnolia, dogwood, and gingko are also characteristic. The District’s animal life includes squirrels, cottontails, English sparrows, and starlings. In April 2006, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed two species (Hay’s Spring amphipod and the puma) as endangered and one species (the bald eagle) as threatened.

188

District of Columbia Population Profile

25 to 44 (36%)

Major Cities by Population City Washington

Population

% change 2000–05

550,521

-3.8


5


The Environmental Regulation Administration (ERA) administers district and federal laws, reg-



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Goddard Space Flight Center

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National Zoo National Howard University Arboretum . Ave k r o wY Ne White House Union Constitution Ave. Station U.S. Capitol Independence Ave.

214

The Pentagon

50

95

Washington National Airport

495

395 236

4

295 5

A lexandr ia Andrews Air Force Base

95

Potomac River Mem. Pkwy.

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Mount Vernon

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189


ulations, and mayoral initiatives governing the environment and natural resources of the District of Columbia, and the surrounding metropolitan area. Its main duty is the protection of human health and the environment as they relate to pesticides, hazardous waste, underground storage tanks, water, air, soils, and fisheries programs. In 1996, the District had about 250 acres of wetlands, all palustrine (marsh) or riverine. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s database listed 29 hazardous waste sites in the District, only one of which was on the National Priorities Listas of 2006.

6

Population

In 2006, the District of Columbia outranked the state of Wyoming in population in with an estimated total of 581,530 residents. The population is 100% urban. The population density in 2004 was 9,378 persons per square mile (3,601.5 persons per square kilometer). Considered as a city, the District ranked 27th in the nation in 2005. In 2004, the median age was 35.8 years old. In 2005, of all residents, 12% were 65 years old or older, while 22% were under 18. The population was forecast to decline to 455,108 by 2025.

7

Ethnic Groups

In the 2000 census, black Americans were the largest ethnic or racial group in the District of Columbia, accounting for 60% of the population with 343,312 people. In 2006, black Americans accounted for 56.8% of the population. Southeast Asians have made up a significant proportion of immigrants, as have Mexicans and Central and South Americans. The District’s racial and ethnic minorities in 2000 included 190

44,953 Hispanics and Latinos and 15,189 Asians, including 3,734 Chinese and 2,845 Asian Indians. There were also 1,713 Native Americans living in the District. According to the census, there were 73,561 foreign-born residents in the District in 2000, accounting for 12.9% of the total population. In addition, the many foreign-born residents attached to foreign embassies and missions contribute to the District’s ethnic diversity.

8

Languages

Many different dialects of English are spoken in the Washington, DC, area. In 2000, 83.2% of all District of Columbia residents five years of age or older spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Spanish, Chinese, French, Italian, German, Arabic, Italian, and Vietnamese.

9

Religions

As of 2000, the largest number of religious adherents in Washington, DC, were Roman Catholic, with about 160,048 adherents. Mainline Protestants were next in numbers with the American Baptist Churches in the USA claiming 51,836 adherents and the Episcopal Church claiming 19,698 adherents. The Southern Baptist Convention had 38,852 adherents. The Jewish population was estimated at 25,500. About 26.8% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization. The Washington National Cathedral was established by Congress through an 1893 charter with the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation. The charter was signed by President Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


District of Columbia Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .572,059 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .558,613 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12,179 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,679 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 603 White and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,319 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,413 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . .1,389 Black or African American and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Black or African American and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2,312 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . 4 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,267

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 97.6 . . . . . . . 2.1 . . . . . . . 0.3 . . . . . . . 0.1 . . . . . . . 0.2 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.6 . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.4 ....... — ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.2


Benjamin Harrison, and the building was completed in 1912.

10

Transportation

Union Station, located north of the Capitol, is the District’s one rail terminal, from which Amtrak provides passenger service to the northeast corridor and southern points. As of 2006, Amtrak operated north-south and east-west service from Union Station. In all, four railroads operated 45 rail miles (72 kilometers) of track. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, or Metro, operates bus and subway transportation within the city and its suburbs in Maryland and Virginia. About 40% of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

District residents commute to work by public transportation. As of 2004, the District had 1,500 miles (2,415 kilometers) of public streets and roads. In that same year, there were some 228,000 motor vehicles registered, and 349,122 licensed drivers in the District. Three major airports handle the District’s commercial air traffic: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, just south of the city in Virginia; Dulles International Airport in Virginia; and Baltimore–Washington International Airport in Maryland. In 2004, passenger boardings for the three airports were: 7,661,532 for Reagan Washington National; 10,961,614 for Dulles; and 10,103,563 for 191


Baltimore–Washington. There were 14 heliports serving the District in 2005.

11

History

The English founded the Jamestown, Virginia, settlement in 1607. Originally part of the Maryland Colony, the region of the presentday capital had been carved up into plantations by the latter half of the 17th century. After the US Constitution (1787) provided that a tract of land be reserved for the seat of the federal government, Congress authorized George Washington to choose a site along the Potomac River in 1791. Washington made his selection and appointed Andrew Ellicott to survey the area. He then employed Pierre Charles L’Enfant, a French military engineer, to draw up plans for the federal city. L’Enfant’s design called for a wide roadway (now called Pennsylvania Avenue) to connect the Capitol with the President’s House (the White House), a mile away. L’Enfant was dismissed before completion of the work, and Ellicott carried out the plans. Although construction was delayed by lack of adequate financing, President John Adams and some 125 government officials moved into the District in 1800. On 3 May 1802, the city of Washington was incorporated, with an elected council and a mayor appointed by the president. In August 1814, during the War of 1812, British forces invaded and burned the Capitol, the President’s House, and other public buildings. These were rebuilt within five years. At the request of its residents, Virginia took back its portion of the District in 1846, confining the District to the eastern shore of the Potomac. The Civil War brought a large influx of Union soldiers, work192

ers, and freed slaves. The District’s population rose sharply, spurring the development of modern Washington. In 1874, a new form of government was established, headed by three commissioners appointed by the president. The 1930s brought a rise in public employment, growth of federal facilities, and the beginnings of large scale public housing construction. The White House was completely renovated in the late 1940s, and a huge building program coincided with the expansion of the federal bureaucracy during the 1960s. Post-War Era In more recent years, the District’s

form of government has undergone significant changes. The 23rd Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified on 3 April 1961, permitted residents to vote in presidential elections. In 1964, residents of the District voted for a president for the first time since 1800. Beginning in 1971, the District was allowed to send a nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives, and a local school board was also elected. Local self-rule began in 1975, when an elected mayor and council took office. There was a movement for statehood which won local approval, but was defeated by the US Senate in 1992, when they refused to consider the bill. The District has both prospered and suffered in the last two decades. An expanding economy increased the city’s office space by 25%, but at the same time, the city has been wracked by drug-related crime and by corruption in high places. In 1990, the District’s mayor of twelve years, Democrat Marion Barry, was convicted of possessing cocaine. Barry was succeeded that year by African American lawyer Sharon Pratt Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


Dixon, who promised to clean house “with a shovel, not a broom.” In 1994, Marion Barry, returning to political life after serving a six-month jail term for his drug conviction, defeated Republican Carol Schwartz in the mayoral contest. In the election of 1998, Anthony A. Williams was elected mayor. In 2002, Mayor Williams was reelected. He pledged to keep neighborhoods safe, to expand opportunities for District residents, and to target education improvement. Eleanor Holmes Norton serves as the District’s delegate to the House of Representatives.

12

State Government

The District of Columbia is the seat of the federal government and houses the principal parts of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The District of Columbia committees of the US Senate and House of Representatives oversee affairs within Washington, DC. The District elects a delegate to the US House who participates in discussions and votes on bills within the District of Columbia Committee, but who may not vote on measures on the actual floor of the House. The District has no representation in the Senate. Within the District, there is wide public support for statehood, but in 1992 Congress rejected District statehood by 63 votes. The bill for statehood, however, can be reintroduced. The Council of the District of Columbia, the legislative body for the District, has 13 representatives who serve four-year terms. The mayor and council members are elected by District voters. In 2004, the legislative salary was $92,500 per year. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

D.C. Presidential Vote by Major Political Parties, 1948–2004 YEAR

DEMOCRAT

REPUBLICAN

1964 *Johnson (D) 169,796 1968 Humphrey (D) 139,566 1972 McGovern (D) 127,627 1976 *Carter (D) 137,818 1980 Carter (D) 124,376 1984 Mondale (D) 180,408 1988 Dukakis (D) 159,407 1992 *Clinton (D) 192,619 1996 *Clinton (D) 158,220 2000 Gore (D) 171,923 2004 Kerry (D) 202,970 * Won US presidential election.

28,801 31,012 35,226 27,873 21,765 29,009 27,590 20,698 17,339 18,073 21,256

13

D.C. WINNER

Political Parties

Both the Democratic and Republican parties, the nation’s major political organizations, have headquarters in the District. Voters in the District itself are overwhelmingly Democratic, unfailingly casting their votes for the Democratic nominee in every election since 1964. In 2002 there were 363,211 registered voters. As of 2006, the District had three electoral votes. Eleanor Holmes Norton has been the District’s nonvoting member of the House of Representatives since 1991.

14

Local Government

In 1973, Congress provided the District with a home-rule charter, allowing residents to elect their own mayor and a city council of 13 members, all serving four-year terms. The mayor is the District’s chief executive, and the council is the legislative branch. Under constitutional authority, however, Congress can enact laws on any subject affecting the District, and all legislation enacted by the District is subject to congres193


sional veto. As of 2005, there were two public school systems in the District.

15

Judicial System

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia functions in a manner similar to that of a state supreme court. It also has original jurisdiction over federal crimes. The Superior Court of the District of Columbia serves as a trial court. The District of Columbia is the only US jurisdiction where the US Attorney’s Office, and not the local government, prosecutes criminal offenders for nonfederal crimes. According to the FBI Crime Index, the violent crime (murder/nonnegligent homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) rate in the District was 1,371.2 incidents per 100,000 population in 2004. Prisoners sentenced to serve more than one year fall under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Prisons. The last execution took place in 1957. District residents voted 2–1 against the death penalty in 1992.

16

Migration

The principal migrations have been an influx of Southern blacks after the Civil War and, more recently, the rapid growth of the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. In the period 2000– 05, net international migration totaled 20,618 people, while net domestic migration totaled -53,550, for a net loss of 32,932 people.

17

Economy

During the 1990s, the number of jobs in the service sector grew by about 50%, although other sectors saw declines in that same decade. The federal government is the District’s largest employer 194

(the public sector contributed 35.2% of the DC economy in 2001, compared with a 12% average in the rest of the states). The District’s economy was not as negatively affected by the national recession of 2001. The slowed national economy meant more work for government agencies. In 2004, the District’s gross state product (GSP) totaled $76.685 billion, of which professional and technical services accounted for the largest portion at $15.264 billion or nearly 20% of GSP, followed by real estate at $6.o68 billion or almost 8%. Of the 27,424 firms that had employees, an estimated 93.4% were small companies.

18

Income

In 2004, the District of Columbia ranked first in the United States with a per capita (per person) income of $51,155, compared to the national average of $33,050. For the period 2002–04, the median annual household income was $43,003, compared to the national average of $44,473. During the same period, 16.8% of the District’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19

Industry

Although not known as a manufacturing center, the District does have a small manufacturing sector. The Government Printing Office operates one of the largest printing plants in the United States. Also in the District is the Washington Post Company, publisher of the newspaper of that name and of Newsweek magazine. The company also owns television stations. In 2004, the shipment value of all manufactured products in the District totaled $271,285 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


million. In that same year, 1,876 people in the District worked in the manufacturing sector.

20

Labor

In 2006, the civilian labor force in the District of Columbia numbered 288,500, with approximately 16,000 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.5%, compared to the national average of 4.7%. About 1.8% of the labor force was employed in construction; 21.8% in professional and business services; 8% in leisure and hospitality services; and 33.4% in government. The District of Columbia serves as the headquarters of many labor organizations. In 2005, a total of 29,000 of the District’s 259,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of a union, representing 11.3% of those so employed, compared to the national average of 12%.

21

Agriculture

There is no commercial farming in the District of Columbia.

22


The District of Columbia has no livestock industry.

23

Fishing

There is no commercial fishing in the District of Columbia. Recreational fishing is accessible via a boat-launching facility on the Anacostia River. The Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery in Arkansas distributed 1,200 channel catfish within the District from 1995 to 1996. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

24

Forestry

There is no forestland or forest products industry in the District of Columbia.

25

Mining

There is no mining in the District of Columbia, although a few mining firms have offices there.

26

Energy and Power

In 2003, the District of Columbia’s total net generating capability was 806,000 kilowatts, with total electrical output at 74.144 million kilowatt hours. Petroleum fired plants accounted for all the power produced. The District has no proven reserves of crude petroleum and natural gas, nor does it have any refining capacity. All fossil fuel needs are supplied by the states of Maryland and Virginia.

27

Commerce

As of 2002, the District of Columbia’s wholesale trade sector had sales totaling $2.9 billion, while the retail trade sector had sales that same year of $3.06 billion. Food and beverage stores accounted for the largest portion of retail sales at $952.5 million, followed by health and personal care stores at $460.4 million, and clothing and clothing accessories stores at $416.2 million. Exports totaled $825 million in merchandise in 2005.

28

Public Finance

The budget for the District of Columbia is prepared in conjunction with the mayor’s office and reviewed by the city council, but is subject to 195


incomes of those who work inside the district, but live in the suburbs.

29

Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, the District of Columbia had three individual income tax brackets, ranging from 4.5% to 9%. However, those who work in the District but live in the suburbs are not taxed. The corporate income tax rate was a flat 9.975%. The District levies a 5.75% general sales and use tax, although food purchased for consumption off premises (such as at home) is exempt. The District has a property tax that in 2004 averaged $1,856 per capita (per person). There are also excise taxes on gasoline and cigarettes.

30

The Smithsonian Institution’s first building, “the Castle,” was completed in 1855. It houses administrative offices and the Smithsonian Information Center. © COREL CORPORATION.

review and approval by Congress. The fiscal year runs from 1 October through 30 September. The District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority was created in 1995 in order to deal with the District’s massive debt, and is in charge of its budget and financial planning. In 2004, federal government grants to the District totaled nearly $4.2 billion. The local tax base is marked by a shortage of taxable real estate, since much of the District is occupied by federal reservations and government buildings. Also, the District cannot tax the 196

Health

Health conditions in the nation’s capital are no source of national pride. In October 2005, the infant mortality rate was estimated at 10.6 per 1,000 live births, the highest in the United States. The crude death rate in 2003 was 9.8 per 1,000 population. As of 2002, the death rate (per 100,000 people) from heart disease was 291.8; for cancer, 227.4; for cerebrovascular diseases, 48.9; chronic lower respiratory disease, 23.3; and diabetes, 33.5. Of all residents, about 20.8% in 2004 were smokers. The HIVrelated death rate in 2002 was 40.8 per 100,000 population, the highest in the United States. In 2004, the reported AIDS case rate was 179.2 per 100,000. The District of Columbia’s 10 community hospitals had about 3,400 beds in 2003. In 2004, there were 752 physicians per 100,000 people, and 575 dentists. There were a total of 1,515 nurses in 2001. The daily average expense for hospital care was $1,824. Approximately Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


14% of all District residents did not have medical insurance in 2004.

31

Housing

In 2004, the District of Columbia had an estimated 276,600 housing units, of which 248,563 were occupied. Only 43.9% were owner-occupied, ranking the District as having the least number of homeowners in the nation. About 38% of all units dated from 1939 or earlier. Only 13% of all units were single-family, detached homes. About 30% were in buildings of 20 units or more. It was estimated that about 9,625 units were without telephone service, 985 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 961 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Most households relied on gas and electricity for heating. In 2004, a total of 1,900 new privately owned housing units were authorized for construction. The median home value was $334,702, placing the District as third in the nation for highest home values. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,612 while renters paid a median of $799 per month.

32

Education

The District of Columbia’s first public schools were opened in 1805. In 2004, of all residents 25 years of age or older, 86.4% were high school graduates and some 45.7% were college graduates. Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 75,000 in fall 2003, but was expected to drop to 74,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 16,376. As of fall 2002, there were 91,014 students enrolled in college or graduate school. As of 2005, the District of Columbia had 16 degreeJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

granting institutions, 14 private and 2 public. Some of the best-known private universities are American University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, and Howard University. The University of the District of Columbia, created in 1976 from the merger of three institutions, has an open admissions policy for District freshman undergraduate students. It has five academic colleges. The US Department of Agriculture Graduate School also operates within the District.

33

Arts

The District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities was founded in 1968 and is a partner with the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation. The Humanities Council of Washington, DC, was established in 1980, and acts in support of local programs. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, opened in 1971, and is the District’s principal performing arts center. Its five main halls, including the Opera House, Concert Hall, Eisenhower Theater, Terrace Theatre, and American Film Institute Theater, display gifts from at least 30 foreign governments, ranging from stage curtains and tapestries, to sculptures and crystal chandeliers. Major theatrical productions are also presented at the Arena Stage–Kreeger Theater, National Theatre, Folger Theatre, and Ford’s Theatre. Rep, Inc. is one of the few professional African American theaters in the United States. The New Playwrights’ Theatre of Washington is a nonprofit group presenting new plays by American dramatists. The District’s leading symphony is the National Symphony Orchestra, which performs at the Concert Hall of the Kennedy Center. The 197


Washington Opera performs at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House. During the summer months, the Carter Barron Amphitheater presents popular music and jazz. Concerts featuring the US Army, US Navy, and US Marine Corps bands and the Air Force Symphony Orchestra are held throughout the District.

34


Washington, DC, is the site of the world’s largest library, the Library of Congress, with a 1998 collection of more than 80 million items, including 26 million books and pamphlets. The Library, which is also the cataloging and bibliographic center for libraries throughout the United States, has permanent displays of the 1455 Gutenberg Bible, Thomas Jefferson’s first draft of the Declaration of Independence, and Abraham Lincoln’s first two drafts of the Gettysburg Address. The Folger Shakespeare Library contains rare Renaissance manuscripts and a full-size recreation of an Elizabethan theater. The District’s own public library system has a main library and 26 branches, with 2,472,000 volumes as of September 2001. The District of Columbia was home to at least 93 museums in 2000. The Smithsonian Institution—endowed in 1826 by an Englishman, James Smithson, who had never visited the United States—operates a vast museum and research complex that includes the National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of History and Technology, many of the District’s art museums, and the National Zoological Park. The Smithsonian National Gallery of Art houses one of the world’s outstanding collections of Western 198

art from the 13th century to the present. Among the capital’s other distinguished art collections are the Phillips Collection, the oldest museum of modern art in the United States; the Museum of African Art, located in the Frederick Douglass Memorial Home; and the Corcoran Gallery of Art, devoted primarily to American paintings, sculpture, and drawings of the last 300 years. The US National Arboretum, US Botanic Garden, and National Aquarium are in the city.

35

Communications

Washington, DC, is the home of the US Postal Service. As of 2004, about 91.9% of the District’s households had telephones. In June of that same year, there were 555,958 mobile wireless telephone subscribers In 2003, computers were in 64.3% of District households, and 56.8% had Internet access. In 2005, the District had 4 AM and 13 FM radio stations, and 7 television stations. The District had 1,999,870 television households, 70% of which ordered cable. A total of 47,433 Internet domain names were registered in the District in 2000.

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Press

Because the District of Columbia is the center of US government activity, hundreds of domestic and foreign newspapers maintain permanent news bureaus there. The District has one major newspaper, the Washington Post. In 2005, the Post, a morning paper, had an average daily circulation of 707,690 and a Sunday circulation of 1,007,487. In 2004, the Post had the sixth-largest daily circulation and the third-largest Sunday circulation in the country. The Washington Times, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


also published on weekday mornings, had a circulation of 100,603 (43,660 on Sunday). Press clubs active within the District include the National Press Club, Gridiron Club, American Newspaper Women’s Club, Washington Press Club, and White House Correspondents Association. There are more than 30 major Washingtonbased periodicals. Among the best known are National Geographic, U.S. News & World Report, Smithsonian, and New Republic. Important periodicals covering the workings of the federal government are the Congressional Quarterly and its companion, CQ Weekly Report.

37


As the nation’s capital, the District of Columbia is one of the world’s leading tourist centers. Tourism in the District generates more than $10 billion in direct spending each year and sustains about 260,000 jobs. In 2004, there were over 17.7 million domestic and over 1 million international visitors. The most popular sites include the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, White House, Capitol Hill, the Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, the National Zoo, the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, and many more. Across the Potomac in Virginia, are Arlington National Cemetery, site of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the grave of John F. Kennedy, and George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon.

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Sports

There are five six professional major league professional sports teams in Washington, DC: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the Redskins of the National Football League, the Nationals (formerly the Montreal Expos) of Major League Baseball, the Wizards (formerly the Bullets) of the National Basketball Association, the Mystics of the Women’s National Basketball Association, the Capitals of the National Hockey League, and DC United of Major League Soccer. Hockey and basketball are played in downtown Washington at the MCI Arena, which was opened for the 1997–98 season. The Redskins began the 1997 season in the new Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The Redskins have reached football’s Super Bowl five times, winning three times. The Bullets won the NBA championship in 1978. The Nationals opened their first season in the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in 2005 In college sports, the Georgetown Hoyas were a dominant force in basketball during the 1980s, reaching the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship game three times and winning the title in 1984.

39

Famous Washingtonians

Although no US president has been born in the District of Columbia, all but George Washington (b.Virginia, 1732–99) lived there while serving as chief executive. Inventor Alexander Graham Bell (b.Scotland, 1842–1922) was president of the National Geographic Society in his later years. Federal officials born in Washington, DC, include John Foster Dulles (1888–1959), secretary of state; J(John) Edgar Hoover (1895–1972), director of the FBI; and Robert C. Weaver (1907–1997), who as secretary of housing and urban development during the administration of President Lyndon 199


Among Washingtonians to achieve distinction in the creative arts were John Philip Sousa (1854–1932), bandmaster and composer; and composer-pianist-bandleader Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1899–1974).

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Elish, Dan. Washington, D.C. 2nd ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2007. Feeney, Kathy. Washington, D.C. Facts and Symbols. Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books, 2000. Goldish, Meish. Our Capital. New York: Newbridge Educational, 2001.

Bandmaster, composer, and inventor of the sousaphone, John Philip Sousa was born in Washington, DC. He is best known for his popular marches including “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “Semper Fidelis.” NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

B. Johnson was the first African American to hold cabinet rank. The designer of the nation’s capital was Pierre Charles L’Enfant (b.France, 1754–1825), whose grave is in Arlington National Cemetery. Also involved in laying out the capital were surveyor Andrew Ellicott (b.Pennsylvania, 1754– 1820) and mathematician-astronomer Benjamin Banneker (b.Maryland, 1731–1806), an African American who was an early champion of equal rights. Washingtonians who achieved military fame include Benjamin O. Davis (1877–1970), the first African American to become an Army general, and his son, Benjamin O. Davis Jr. (1912–2002), who was the first African American to become a general in the Air Force. 200

Heinrichs, Ann. Washington, D.C. Chanhassen, MN: Child’s World, 2006. Hicks, Terry Allan. The Capitol. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2006. Levy, Debbie. Kidding Around Washington, D.C.: What to Do, Where to Go, and How to Have Fun in Washington D.C. Emeryville, CA: John Muir Publications, 2000. Mitchell, Alexander D. Washington Then & Now. San Diego, CA: Thunder Bay Press, 2000. Sanders, Mark C. Washington, D.C. Austin, TX: Steadwell Books, 2000. Stein, R. Conrad. Washington, D.C. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. WEB SITES District of Columbia Government. Welcome to Washington, District of Columbia. www.dc.gov/ index.asp (accessed March 1, 2007). Washington, DC Convention and Tourism Corporation. Washington, DC: The American Experience. www.washington.org/index.cfm?bl nNavView=True&idContentType=36&idCurr entPage=7 (accessed March 1, 2007). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Puerto Rico Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

O RIGIN OF STATE NAM E : Spanish for “rich port.” N I CKNAME : Island of Enchantment. C AP ITAL: San Juan. B ECAME A COMM ONW E ALTH: 25 July 1952. O FFICIAL SEAL: In the center of a green circular

shield, a lamb holding a white banner reclines on the book of the Apocalypse. Above are a yoke, a cluster of arrows, and the letters “F” and “I,” signifying King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, rulers of Spain at the time of discovery; below is the commonwealth motto. Surrounding the shield, on a white border, are the towers of Castile and lions symbolizing Spain, crosses representing the conquest of Jerusalem, and Spanish banners. FLAG: From the hoist extends a blue triangle, with one white star; five horizontal stripes—three red, two white—make up the balance. M OT TO: Joannes est nomen ejus (John is his name). SONG: “La Borinquena.” FLOWER: Maga. TREE: Ceiba. A NIMAL: Coqui. B IRD: Reinita. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Three Kings Day (Epiphany), 6 January; Birthday of Eugenio Maria de Hostos, 2nd Monday in January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Presidents’ Day, 3rd Monday in February; Abolition Day, 22 March; Good Friday, Friday before Easter, March or April; Birthday of José de Diego, 3rd Monday in April; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Birthday of Luis Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Muñoz Rivera, 3rd Monday in July; Constitution Day, 25 July; Birthday of José Celso Barbosa, 25 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Discovery of America (Columbus Day), 12 October; Veterans’ Day, 11 November; Discovery of Puerto Rico Day, 19 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November, Christmas Day, 25 December. T I ME : 8 AM Atlantic Standard Time = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Situated on the northeast periphery of the Caribbean Sea about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) southeast of Miami, Florida, Puerto Rico is the easternmost and smallest island of the Greater Antilles group. Its total area is 3,515 square miles (9,104 square kilometers), including 3,459 square miles (8,959 square kilometers) of land and 56 square miles (145 square kilometers) of inland water. The main island measures 201

Puerto Rico

111 miles (179 kilometers) from east to west and 36 miles (58 kilometers) from north to south. Offshore and to the east are two major islands, Vieques and Culebra. Puerto Rico’s total boundary length is 378 miles (608 kilometers).

2

Topography

About 75% of Puerto Rico’s land area consists of hills or mountains too steep for intensive commercial cultivation. The Cordillera Central range, separating the northern coast from the semiarid south, has the island’s highest peak, Cerro de Punta, at 4,389 feet (1,338 meters). Puerto Rico’s best known peak, El Yunque (3,496 feet or 1,066 meters), stands to the east, in the Luquillo Mountains (Sierra de Luquillo). The north coast consists of a level strip about 100 miles (160 kilometers) long and 5 miles (8 kilometers) wide. Principal valleys are located along the east coast, from Fajardo to Cape Mala Pascua, and around Caguas, in the east-central region. Off the eastern shore are two small islands: Vieques, with an area of 51 square miles (132 square kilometers), and Culebra, covering 24 square miles (62 square kilometers). The longest river is the Rio de la Plata, extending 46 miles (74 kilometers) from Cayey to Dorado, where it empties into the Atlantic. There are few natural lakes but numerous artificial ones, of which Dos Bocas, south of Arecibo, is one of the most beautiful. Like many other Caribbean islands, Puerto Rico is the crest of an extinct submarine volcano. About 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of the island lies the Puerto Rico Trench, which at over 28,000 feet (8,500 meters) is one of the world’s deepest chasms. 202

Puerto Rico Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

3,927,776 3.1% 98.5% 95.1% 76.4% 7.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.0% 11.1% 4.9%


Under 18 (27%)

65 and over (13%)

45 to 64 (23%) 18 to 24 (10%)

25 to 44 (27%)

Major Cities by Population City San Juan Bayamón Carolina Ponce Caguas Guaynabo Arecibo Mayagüez Toa Baja Trujillo Alto

Population 433,412 224,670 187,468 186,112 141,693 101,280 101,283 97,886 94,867 78,439



Puerto Rico

3

Climate

Tradewinds from the northeast keep Puerto Rico’s climate steady, although tropical. San Juan has a normal daily mean temperature of 80°f (27°c), ranging from 77°f (25°c) in January to 82°f (28°c) in July; the normal daily minimum is 73°f (23°c), the maximum 86°f (30°c). The lowest temperature ever recorded on the island is 39°f (4°c); the highest was 103°f (39°c). The recorded temperature in San Juan has never been lower than 60°f (16°c) or higher than 97°f (37°c). Rainfall varies by region. Ponce, on the south coast, averages only 32 inches (81 centimeters) a year, while the highlands average 108 inches (274 centimeters); the rain forest on El Yunque receives an annual average of 183 inches (465 centimeters). San Juan’s average annual rainfall is 54 inches (137 centimeters), with its rainiest months being May through November. The word “hurricane” derives from hurakán, a term the Spanish learned from Puerto Rico’s Taino Indians. Several hurricanes have struck Puerto Rico in this century, including the devastating Hurricane Georges in 1998.

4

Plants and Animals

During the 19th century, forests covered about three-fourths of Puerto Rico. As of the 21st century, however, only one-fourth of the island is forested. Flowering trees still abound, and the butterfly tree, African tulip, and flamboyán (royal poinciana) add bright reds and pinks to Puerto Rico’s lush green landscape. Among hardwoods, now rare, are nutmeg, satinwood, Spanish elm, and Spanish cedar. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

PUERTO RICO

Arecibo

San Juan Fajardo

Aguadilla

Culebra

Cero de Punta 4,389 ft. Caguas 1,338 m.

Mayagüez Ponce

Vieques Punta Tuna

Punta Águila

Punta Brea

Cayo Cardona

Guayama

0

Caribbean Sea

10

20 Miles

0 10 20 Kilometers

N Puerto Rico

E

W S

The only mammal found by the conquistadores on the island was a kind of barkless dog, now extinct. Virtually all present-day mammals have been introduced, including horses, cattle, cats, and dogs. The only troublesome mammal is the mongoose, brought in from India to control reptiles in the cane fields and now wild in remote rural areas. Mosquitoes and sand flies are common pests, but the only dangerous insect is the giant centipede, whose sting is painful but rarely fatal. Perhaps the island’s best known inhabitant is the golden coqui, a tiny threatened tree frog. Marine life is extraordinarily abundant, including many tropical fish, crabs, and corals. Puerto Rico has some 200 bird species, many of which live in the rain forest. Thrushes, orioles, grosbeaks, and hummingbirds are common, and the reinita and pitirre are distinctive to the island. 203

Puerto Rico

Several parrot species are rare, and the Puerto Rican parrot is endangered. Also on the endangered list are the yellow-shouldered blackbird and the Puerto Rican plain pigeon, and Puerto Rican whippoorwill. The Mona boa and Mona ground iguana are threatened. There are three national wildlife refuges, covering a total of 2,425 acres (981 hectares).

In 2000, the population was estimated to be 75% urban and 25% rural. In 2005, about 27% of the population was under the age of 15 and about 13% was 65 years old or older. San Juan is Puerto Rico’s capital and largest city, with a 2005 population estimate of 433,412, followed by Bayamón, 224,670; Carolina, 187,468; Ponce, 186,112; and Caguas, 141,693.

5

7


US environmental laws and regulations are applicable in Puerto Rico. Land-use planning, overseen by the Puerto Rico Planning Board, is an especially difficult problem, since residential, industrial, and recreational developers are all competing for about 30% of the total land area on an island that is already more densely populated than any state of the United States except New Jersey. Pollution from highland latrines and septic systems and from agricultural and industrial waste is a potential hazard. The rum industry, for example, has traditionally dumped its waste into the ocean. Sewage discharges into the ocean remain a problem. As of 2003, the island had 16 hazardous waste sites, 10 of which were on the National Priorities List in 2006.

6

Population

Puerto Rico’s population was estimated at 3,927,776 in 2006, up from 3,522,037 in 1990. The population projection for 2010 is 4.4 million. With a population density of 1,137.4 per square mile (439.2 per square kilometer), Puerto Rico is one of the most densely populated areas of the world. 204

Ethnic Groups

Three main ethnic strands are the heritage of Puerto Rico: the Taino Indians, most of whom fled or perished after the Spanish conquest; black Africans, imported as slaves under Spanish rule; and the Spanish themselves. With an admixture of Dutch, English, Corsicans, and other Europeans, Puerto Ricans today enjoy a distinct Hispanic-Afro-Antillean heritage. In 2006, about 76.4% of the population was white (primarily of Spanish origin), 7.2% was black, 0.2% was Amerindian, and 11.1% was of some other race. Less than two thirds of all ethnic Puerto Ricans live on the island. Virtually all the rest reside on the US mainland. In 2000, there were 3.4 million people who identified themselves as Puerto Rican in the 50 states. The State of New York has almost half the US ethnic Puerto Rican population.

8

Languages

Spanish and English are the official languages of Puerto Rico, but Spanish remains dominant among the residents. From 1898 through the 1920s, US authorities unsuccessfully sought to make English the island’s primary language. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,808,610 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,650,195 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146,453 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88,324 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,255 White and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,533 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410 White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31,963 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . .1,378 Black or African American and Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574 Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Black or African American and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11,879 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,156 American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . 46 American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,701 Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,239 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 787 Three or more races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11,962

. . . . . 100.0 . . . . . . 95.8 . . . . . . . 3.8 . . . . . . . 2.3 ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . . 0.8 ....... — ....... — ....... — . . . . . . . 0.3 ....... — ....... — . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.1 ....... — . . . . . . . 0.3


Taino Indian terms that survive in Puerto Rican Spanish include such place names as Arecibo, Guayama, and Mayagüez, as well as hamaca (hammock) and canoa (canoe). Among many African borrowings are food terms like quimbombó (okra), guince (banana), and mondongo (a spicy stew).

9

Religions

During the first three centuries of Spanish rule, Roman Catholicism was the only religion permitted in Puerto Rico. About 85% of the population was still Roman Catholic in 2006, and the Church maintains numerous hospitals and schools on the island. Most of the remaining Puerto Ricans belong to other Christian denomJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

inations, which have been allowed on the island since the 1850s. Pentecostal churches have attracted a significant following, particularly among the urban poor of the barrios.

10

Transportation

Rivers are not navigable, and the only function of narrow-gauge rural railroads is to haul sugarcane to the mills during the harvesting season. Other goods are transported by truck. A few public bus systems provide intercity passenger transport, the largest being the Metropolitan Bus Authority (MBA), a government-owned company serving San Juan and nearby cities. The predominant form of public transportation outside the San Juan metropolitan area is the público, a privately 205

Puerto Rico

owned jitney service of small buses and cars. In many rural areas, this is the only form of public transit. In 2004, Puerto Rico had 264 miles (424 kilometers) of interstate highways, and 15,673 miles (25,217 kilometers) of local roads. A rail transit system (the Tren Urbano or Urban Train) began operations in December 2004, connecting San Juan to the surrounding urban areas with 16 stations along a 10.7-mile (17-kilometer), 30minute route. San Juan, the island’s principal port handled 9.6 million tons of cargo in 2001. Ponce and Mayagüez handle considerable tons of cargo as well. Ferries link the main island with Vieques and Culebra. Puerto Rico receives flights from the US mainland and from the Virgin Islands, the British West Indies, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic, as well as from Great Britain, France, Spain, and the Netherlands. Puerto Rico had 30 airports in 2004. Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport serviced 10.4 million passengers in 2002.

11

History

Archaeological finds indicate that at least three Native American cultures settled on the island now known as Puerto Rico long before its discovery by Christopher Columbus on 19 November 1493. The first group, belonging to the Archaic Culture, is believed to have come from Florida and relied on the products of the sea. The second group, the Igneri, came from northern South America and brought agriculture and pottery to the island. The third culture, the Taino, combined fishing with agriculture. A peaceful, sedentary tribe, the Taino were adept at stonework 206

and lived in many parts of the island. To these Indians, the island was known as Boriqúen. Columbus, accompanied by a young nobleman named Juan Ponce de León, landed at the western end of the island—which he called San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist)—and claimed it for Spain. Not until colonization was well under way would the island acquire the name Puerto Rico (literally, “rich port”), with the name San Juan Bautista applied to the capital city. The first settlers arrived on 12 August 1508, under the able leadership of Ponce de León, who sought to transplant and adapt Spanish civilization to Puerto Rico’s tropical habitat. The small contingent of Spaniards compelled the Taino, numbering perhaps 30,000, to mine for gold; the rigors of forced labor and the losses from rebellion reduced the Taino population to about 4,000 by 1514, by which time the mines were nearly depleted. With the introduction of slaves from Africa, sugarcane growing became the leading economic activity. Since neither mining or sugarcane was able to provide sufficient revenue to support the struggling colony, the treasury of New Spain began a subsidy which defrayed the cost of the island’s government and defense until the early 19th century. 16th to18th Centuries From the early 16th cen-

tury onward, an intense power struggle for the control of the Caribbean marked Puerto Rico as a strategic base of the first magnitude. After a French attack in 1528, construction of La Fortaleza (still in use today as the governor’s palace) was begun in 1533, and work on El Morro fortress in San Juan commenced six years later. The new fortifications helped repel a British attack led by Sir Francis Drake in 1595; a second force, arriving in 1598 under George Clifford, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Puerto Rico

Earl of Cumberland, succeeded in capturing San Juan, but the British were forced to withdraw by tropical heat and disease. In 1625, a Dutch attack under the command of Boudewijn Hendrikszoon was repulsed, although much of San Juan was sacked and burned by the attackers. By the 18th century, Puerto Rico had become a haven for pirates, and smuggling was the major economic activity. A Spanish envoy who came to the island in 1765 was appalled, and his report to the crown inaugurated a period of economic, administrative, and military reform. The creation of a native militia helped Puerto Rico withstand a fierce British assault on San Juan in 1797, by which time the island had more than 100,000 inhabitants. Long after most of the Spanish colonies in the New World had obtained independence, Puerto Rico and Cuba remained under Spanish rule. Despite several rebellions, most of them inspired by the Latin American liberator Simón Bolivar, Spain’s military might halted any revolution on the island. Puerto Rico became a shelter for refugees from Santo Domingo, Haiti, and Venezuela who were faithful to Spain, fearful of disturbances in their own countries, or both. As in Cuba, the sugar industry developed in Puerto Rico during this period favored the institution of slavery on the island. 19th Century The 19th century also gave birth,

however, to a new Puerto Rican civil and political consciousness. Puerto Rican participation in the short-lived constitutional experiments in Spain (1812–14 and 1820–23) fostered the rise of a spirit of liberalism. The Spanish constitution of 1812 declared that the people of Puerto Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Rico were no longer colonial subjects but were full-fledged citizens of Spain. Nevertheless, the Spanish crown maintained an alert, centralized, absolutist government in Puerto Rico with all basic powers concentrated in the captain general. Toward the middle of the 19th century, a criollo generation with strong liberal roots began a new era in Puerto Rican history. This group, which called for the abolition of slavery and the introduction of far-reaching economic and political reforms, also developed and strengthened the Puerto Rican literary tradition. The more radical reformers espoused the cause of separation from Spain and joined in a propaganda campaign in New York on behalf of Cuban independence. An aborted revolution began in the town of Lares in September 1868 (and coincided with an insurrection in Spain that deposed Queen Isabella II). Though it was soon quelled, this rebellion awakened a dormant sense of national identity among Puerto Ricans. The major reform efforts after 1868 revolved around abolitionism and autonomia, or self-government. Slavery was abolished in 1873 by the First Spanish Republic, which also granted new political rights to the islanders. The restoration of the Spanish monarchy two years later, however, was a check to Puerto Rican aspirations. During the last quarter of the century, leaders such as Luis Muñoz Rivera sought unsuccessfully to secure vast new powers of self-government. The imminence of war with the United States over Cuba, coupled with autonomist agitation within Puerto Rico, led Spain in November 1897 to grant to the island a charter with broad powers of self-rule. No sooner had an elected government begun to function in July 1898 than 207

Puerto Rico

US forces, overcoming Spanish resistance, took over the island. A cease fire was proclaimed on 13 August, and sovereignty was formally transferred to the United States with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in December, ending the Spanish-American War. The US government swept aside the selfgoverning charter granted by Spain and established military rule from 1898 to 1900. Civilian government was restored in 1900 under a colonial law, the Foraker Act, that gave the federal government full control of the executive and legislative branches, leaving some local representation in the lower chamber, or house of delegates. Under the Jones Act, Congress extended US citizenship to the islanders and granted an elective senate, but still reserved vast powers over Puerto Rico to the federal bureaucracy. 20th Century The early period of US rule saw

an effort to Americanize local institutions, and even tried to substitute English for the Spanish language. In the meantime, American corporate capital took over the sugar industry, developing a plantation economy so pervasive that, by 1920, 75% of the population relied on the cane crop for its livelihood. Glaring irregularities of wealth resulted, sharpening social and political divisions. This period also saw the development of three main trends in Puerto Rican political thinking. One group favored the incorporation of Puerto Rico into the United States as a state; a second group, fearful of cultural assimilation, favored self-government; while a third group wanted independence. The Depression hit Puerto Rico especially hard. With a population approaching two million by the late 1930s and with few occupational 208

opportunities outside the sugar industry, the island’s economy deteriorated. Mass unemployment and near-starvation were the results. Controlling the Puerto Rican legislature from 1932 to 1940 was a coalition of the Socialist Party, led by Santiago Iglesias, a Spanish labor leader who became a protégé of the American Federation of Labor; and the Republican Party, which had traditionally espoused statehood and had been founded in Puerto Rico by José Celso Barbosa, a black physician who had studied in the United States. The coalition was unable to produce any significant improvement, although under the New Deal a US government effort was made to supply emergency relief for the “stricken island.” Agitation for full political and economic reform or independence gained ground during this period. Great pressure was put on Washington for a change in the island’s political status, while social and economic reform was carried to the fullest extent possible within the limitations of the Jones Act. Intensive efforts were made to centralize economic planning, attract new industries through local tax exemptions (Puerto Rico was already exempt from federal taxation), reduce inequalities of income, and improve housing, schools, and health conditions. By 1955, income from manufacturing surpassed agriculture and was five times as great by 1970. The Popular Democratic Party (PDP), the dominant force in Puerto Rican politics from 1940 to 1968, favored a new self-governing relationship with the United States, distinct from statehood or independence. The party succeeded not only in bringing about significant social and economic change but also in obtaining Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Puerto Rico

from Congress, in 1950, a law allowing Puerto Ricans to draft their own constitution with full local self-government. This new constitution, approved in a general referendum on 3 March 1952, led to the establishment on 25 July of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico), which was constituted as an autonomous political entity in voluntary association with the United States. More advanced than most Caribbean countries in education, health, and social development, Puerto Rico suffered from growing political tensions in the early 1980s, with occasional terrorist attacks on US military installations and personnel. These tensions may have been exacerbated by the national recession of 1980–81, which had a particularly severe impact on Puerto Rico. At the same time, the island’s economy experienced a structural shift. Whereas 50% of jobs in Puerto Rico had been in agriculture in 1940, by 1989 that figure had dropped to 20%. Manufacturing jobs, in contrast, rose from 5 to 15% of total employment between 1940 and 1989. The economy grew at an estimated 2.2% in 2001. Due to adverse conditions in the global economy, however, the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate stood at 0.5% in 2002. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo caused 12 deaths and $1 billion in damage in Puerto Rico. In 1998, Hurricane Georges ravaged the island, causing damage estimated in the billions of dollars. 21st Century In the 2000 elections, Sila M.

Calderón was elected the island’s first female governor. During Calderón’s administration, Puerto Rico was faced with a growing crime rate, fueled by the drug trade. The economy was ailing, made worse by the phasing out of tax breaks that had been given to US companies to set up operations Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

on the island. Calderón did not run for a second term; in 2004, Anibal Acevedo Vila narrowly defeated former governor Pedro Rossello for the office. Political gridlock between the legislature and the governor resulted in the lack of a budget. On 1 May 2006, the government ran out of money. Nearly 100,000 Puerto Rican government employees lost their jobs, some 43 government agencies shut down, and the island’s 1,600 public schools were closed. In 2003, the US Navy withdrew from the island of Vieques, and approximately 15,000 acres of land previously used by the military were turned over to the US Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service, to be dedicated to a wildlife refuge closed to the public. Puerto Ricans had over the years protested the US military presence on Vieques, maintaining that military exercises carried out there were responsible for health and environmental problems. In 1999, an accident on the island during a US military training exercise had killed one Puerto Rican civilian and wounded four others. The 51st State? Puerto Rico’s political status remains a source of controversy. Statehood would give Puerto Rico representation in the US Congress and would make the island eligible for billions of dollars more a year in food stamps, medical insurance, and income support payments, which are currently set at levels far below those of states.

Statehood, however, would also incur the loss of tax benefits. Under current federal tax law for the commonwealth, individuals pay no federal income tax. More importantly, corporations pay no federal tax on profits, which has persuaded many companies, particularly manufacturers of 209

Puerto Rico

pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and electronics, to build plants in Puerto Rico. In a 1993 plebiscite, a slight majority of Puerto Rican voters chose to maintain the island’s status as an American commonwealth. The vote was conditioned, however, by a request that Congress modify the terms of the island’s commonwealth status. Specifically, Puerto Ricans asked for such “enhancements” as removing the federal ceiling on food stamps and extending Supplemental Security Income, a federal aid program, to elderly and disabled Puerto Ricans. They also requested that federal tax law, recently amended to reduce the exemptions corporations could claim from taxes on profits by 60%, be restored to its original form.

12

State Government

Since 1952, Puerto Rico has been a commonwealth of the United States, governed under the Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act and under a constitution based on the US model. The commonwealth legislature comprises a senate (Senado) of 27 or more members, 2 from each of 8 senatorial districts and 11 elected at large, and a house of representatives (Cámara de Representantes) of 51 or more members, 1 from each of 40 districts and 11 at large. Each senate district consists of five house districts. If a single party wins two-thirds or more of the seats in either house, the number of seats can be expanded (up to a limit of 9 in the senate and 17 in the house) to assure representation for minority parties. The governor, who may serve an unlimited number of four-year terms, is the only elected executive. Residents of Puerto Rico may not vote in US presidential elections. A Puerto Rican who settles 210

in one of the 50 states automatically becomes eligible to vote for president; conversely, a state resident who migrates to Puerto Rico forfeits such eligibility. Puerto Rico has no vote in the US Senate or House of Representatives, but a nonvoting resident delegate, elected every four years, may speak on the floor of the House, introduce legislation, and vote in House committees.

13

Political Parties

The Popular Democratic Party (PPD), founded in 1938, favors the strengthening and development of commonwealth status. The New Progressive Party (PNP), created in 1968 as the successor to the Puerto Rican Republican Party, is pro-statehood. Two smaller parties, each favoring independence for the island, are the Puerto Rican Independence Party, founded in the mid1940s and committed to democratic socialism, and the more radical Puerto Rican Socialist Party, which has close ties with Cuba. A breakaway group, the Renewal Party, led by the thenmayor of San Juan, Hernán Padilla, left the PNP and took part in the 1984 elections. In 1980, Governor Carlos Romero Barceló of the PNP, who had pledged to actively seek Puerto Rico’s admission to the Union if elected by a large margin, retained the governorship by a plurality of fewer than 3,500 votes. Former governor Rafael Hernández Colón defeated Romero Barceló’s bid for reelection in 1984 by more than 54,000 votes. Colon was reelected in 1988 and was succeeded in 1992 by Pedro Rossello, a New Progressive and a supporter of statehood, and who was reelected in 1996. In 2000, Sila M. Calderón was elected Puerto Rico’s first female governor, with 48.6% of the vote. The 2004 general elections were the second-closest in Puerto Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Puerto Rico

Rican history. A recount confirmed the winner, Anibal Acevedo Vila of the PPD. He was the first governor in Puerto Rican history not to have a resident commissioner of his same party, given that Luis Fortuno of the PNP won the post. Although Puerto Ricans have no vote in US presidential elections, the island does send voting delegates to the national conventions of the Democratic and Republican parties.

14

Local Government

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico had 78 municipios (municipalities) in 2006, each governed by a mayor and municipal assembly elected every four years. In fact, these governments resemble US county governments in that they perform services for both urban and rural areas. Many of the functions normally performed by municipal governments in the United States—for instance, fire protection, education, water supply, and law enforcement—are performed by the commonwealth government directly.

15

Judicial System

Puerto Rico’s highest court, the supreme court, consists of a chief justice and six associate justices. They are appointed, like all other judges, by the governor with the consent of the senate and serve until compulsory retirement at age 70. The court may sit in separate panels for some purposes, but not in cases dealing with the constitutionality of commonwealth law, for which the entire body convenes. Decisions of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico regarding US constitutional questions may be appealed to the US Supreme Court. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

The circuit court of appeals consists of 33 justices named by the governor with the consent of the senate. The court was created in 1994 as an intermediary tribunal between the courts of first instance and the supreme court. The nine superior courts are the main trial courts; superior court judges are appointed to 12-year terms. In 2003, superior courts were divided into 13 districts. These courts have original jurisdiction in civil cases not exceeding $10,000 and in minor criminal cases. District courts also hear preliminary motions in more serious criminal cases. Municipal judges, serving for five years, and justices of the peace, in rural areas, decide cases involving local ordinances. San Juan is the seat of the US District Court for Puerto Rico, which has the same jurisdiction as federal district courts on the US mainland.

16

Migration

Although migration from Puerto Rico to the US mainland is not an entirely new phenomenon— several Puerto Rican merchants were living in New York City as early as 1830—there were no more than 70,000 islanders in the United States in 1940. Mass migration, spurred by the booming postwar job market in the United States, began in 1947. The out-migration was particularly large from 1951 through 1959, when the net outflow of migrants from the island averaged more than 47,000 a year. According to the 2003 American Community Profile, an estimated 3,717,941 ethnic Puerto Ricans were living in the 50 states, or about 1.31% of the population. At least 32 cities had Puerto Rican communities of 5,000 or more. Puerto Ricans are found in significant numbers not only in New York but also in New 211

Puerto Rico

Jersey, Illinois, Pennsylvania, California, Florida, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

17

Economy

The island’s most important industrial products are pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, and food products. The sugar industry has gradually lost ground to dairy production and other livestock products in the agricultural sector. Tourism is the backbone of a large service industry, and the government sector has also grown. Tourist revenues and remittances from Puerto Rican workers on the US mainland largely counterbalance the island’s chronic trade deficit. The recession in the United States that began in 2001 negatively impacted the Puerto Rican economy more severely than the mainland economy. The 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks had an adverse effect on the Puerto Rican tourist industry. By 2003, the economy was showing signs of stabilizing. However, as of 2006, some of the same factors affecting the US economy, such as the ongoing war with Iraq and rising oil prices, affected the island’s economy as well.

18

Income

Per capita (per person) income in Puerto Rico, $12,031 in 2004, was far lower than in any of the 50 states during that year, but still greatly exceeded that of its Caribbean neighbors. Average family income on the island in 2004 was about $37,900.

19

Industry

In 1992, the value of manufactured shipments was $31 billion. Chemicals accounted for 43%; food and related products, 17%; and electronic 212

equipment, 9%. In 1995, 172,000 Puerto Ricans were employed in manufacturing. The leading employment categories are apparel and textiles, chemicals and allied products, food and foodrelated products, electric and electronic equipment, and instruments. The growth areas were electric and electronic equipment, up 47% from 1977, and instruments and related products, up 60%. There are more than 90 pharmaceutical plants representing 20 of the world’s leading drug and health companies. The largest included Johnson & Johnson (Rio Piedras), Abbott Chemicals (Barceloneta), Bristol-Myers Squibb (Humacao), Warner-Lambert (Vega Baja), and ScheringPlough (Manati). Baxter International (medical devices) is one of the commonwealth’s largest non-locally based manufacturers, with 10 plants; Westinghouse Electric (electric components) has 15; and Motorola (radio equipment), 4. In 2003, manufacturing accounted for 42.1% of GDP, more than double the percentage for the US mainland. Despite the phase-out of federal tax incentives for US firms, the pharmaceutical industry employed more than 30,000 people in 2005.

20

Labor

Puerto Rico’s civilian labor force as of 2006 numbered 1,417,300. The unemployment averaged 19.5%. In 2003, agriculture, forestry, and fishing accounted for about 2% of employment; construction and mining, 7%; manufacturing, 11%; wholesale and retail trade, 21%; finance, insurance, and real estate, 4%; transportation and other public utilities, 5%; services, 28%; and government, 21%. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Puerto Rico

Less than 10% of the labor force belongs to trade unions. Wages tend to adhere closely to the US statutory minimum, which applies to Puerto Rico.

try products in 2002 totaled $194.2 million and $78.7 million, respectively.

21

Although sport fishing, especially for blue marlin, is an important tourist attraction, the waters surrounding Puerto Rico are too deep to lend themselves to commercial fishery. Tuna brought in from African and South American waters was processed on the western shore, although some plants were closed as tax benefits to companies operating in Puerto Rico were phased out. Species produced by Puerto Rican aquaculture include saltwater shrimp, red tilapia fish, and ornamental species. Approximately 4,497,000 pounds (2,039,805 kilograms) of fish were produced in 2002, for a total value of $10.3 million. Fifty aquacultural farms were operating in 2002, up from 44 in 1998; aquaculture accounted for $2.9 million in sales that year.

Agriculture

In 1940, agriculture employed 43% of the work force; by 2000, about 3% of the Puerto Rican labor force had agricultural jobs. Nowhere is this decline more evident than in the sugar industry. Production peaked at 1.3 million tons in 1952. The hilly terrain makes mechanization difficult, and manual cutting contributes to production costs that are much higher than those of Hawaii and Louisiana. Despite incentives and subsidies, tobacco is no longer profitable, and coffee production— well adapted to the highlands—falls far short of domestic consumption, although about half of the crop is exported. Plantains are also an important crop. Ornamental plants, vegetables, and tropical fruits such as pineapples, mangoes, and bananas are also grown.

22


In early 2002, there were 281,371 cattle and 87,490 hogs on Puerto Rico farms and ranches. Sales of cattle and calves amounted to $36.5 million in 2002; hogs and pigs, $9.7 million. Dairy cattle numbered 153,097 in 2002; poultry for meat numbered 7.7 million; and chickens for egg production numbered 1.9 million in 2002. Puerto Rican dairy farms produced 373.3 million quarts of milk products valued at $194.2 million in 2002; egg production that year reached 17.6 million dozen. Sales of dairy products and poulJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

23

24

Fishing

Forestry

Puerto Rico lost its self-sufficiency in timber production by the mid-19th century, as population expansion and increasing demand for food led to massive deforestation. Puerto Rico must import nearly all of its wood and paper products. The public forest system covers 86,095 acres (34,842 hectares), of which 58,249 acres (23,573 hectares) are part of the Puerto Rico State Forest system and 27,846 acres (11,269 hectares) are part of the Caribbean National Forest.

25

Mining

The estimated value of nonfuel mineral commodities produced in Puerto Rico was $159 mil213

Puerto Rico

lion in 2000. Portland cement and crushed stone are the most valuable commodities. At least 11 different types of metallic mineral deposits, including copper, iron, gold, manganese, silver, molybdenum, zinc, lead, and other minerals, are found on the island. Also produced are industrial minerals (cement, stone, clay, and sand and gravel).

26

Energy and Power

Puerto Rico is almost totally dependent on imported crude oil for its energy needs. The island has not yet developed any fossil fuel resources of its own, and its one experimental nuclear reactor, built on the south coast at Rincon in 1964, was shut down after a few years. Solar-powered hot water heaters have been installed in a few private homes and at La Fortaleza. Inefficiency in the public transport system has encouraged commonwealth residents to rely on private vehicles, thereby increasing the demands for imported petroleum. Of Puerto Rico’s total energy requirements, about 93% is supplied by oil. In 2003, Puerto Rico consumed an estimated 218,000 barrels per day of oil; the vast majority of its imports came from American and Caribbean suppliers. Puerto Rico began importing liquefied natural gas in 2000 to supply its gas-fired plant in Penuelas. In 2003, an estimated 740 million cubic meters (26.1 billion cubic feet) was consumed. In 2002, Puerto Rico consumed 176,370 tons of coal, all of it imported. A new coal-fired plant in Guayama was recognized as one of the cleanest coal-fired plants in the world when it became operational in 2002. 214

27

Commerce

Wholesale trade in Puerto Rico in 2002 included some 2,313 establishments and major distributors, with sales of over $16.1 billion. Retail trade consists mainly of food and apparel stores. Two large shopping centers, Plaza las Americas and Plaza Carolina, are in the San Juan area. Retail trade during 2002 involved 11,465 establishments; total retail trade amounted to over $20.4 billion. Foreign trade is a significant factor in Puerto Rico’s economy. Trade between the United States and Puerto Rico is unrestricted. In 2003, the island’s imports were $33.7 billion, and exports were $55.2 billion. During 2001, the United States received $41.4 billion of Puerto Rico’s exports and supplied about $15.6 billion of its imports. Puerto Rico’s main trading partners, aside from the US, are the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, and Japan.

28

Public Finance

Puerto Rico’s annual budget is prepared by the Bureau of Budget and Management and submitted by the governor to the legislator, which has unlimited power to amend it. The fiscal year extends from July 1 to June 30. In the 1999/2000 fiscal year (the most recent for which data was available), revenues totaled $6.7 billion and expenditures amounted to $9.6 billion.

29

Taxation

The Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act stipulates that the Commonwealth is exempt from US internal revenue laws. The federal income tax is not levied on permanent residents of Puerto Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Puerto Rico

vehicles as well. Merchandise arriving from the US is subject to a tax of about 6.6%.

30

An office building in San Juan. © BERNARD BOUTRIT/ WOODFIN CAMP.

Rico, but federal Social Security and unemployment taxes are deducted from payrolls, and the commonwealth government collects an income tax. Corporations in Puerto Rico are also taxed. In 2004, the treasury reported total tax revenues of $7.24 billion. About $97.8 million was collected in property taxes. Income tax provided revenues of about $5.3 billion, with $2.7 billion from individual income tax and $1.8 billion from corporations and partnerships. There is no general sales tax, but there is a 5% tax on jewelry. There are also taxes on room charges at hotels. An excise tax applies for all inbound shipments and there are taxes on alcohol and motor Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Health

Infant mortality declined from 113 per 1,000 live births in 1940 to 9.14 in 2006. A resident of Puerto Rico born in 2006 is expected to live 78.4 years (74.46 years for males; 82.54 years for females). The leading causes of death were similar to those in most industrialized countries (heart disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus). Alcoholism and drug addiction are among the major public health problems, although suicide occurs less often than it does in most of the states. At the end of 2004, there were an estimated 10,079 residents with AIDS. In 2003, the death rate for HIV was estimated at 13.6 per 100,000 population. In 2002, Puerto Rico had 58 hospitals. In 2004, there were 254 doctors and 1,552 dentists per 100,000 people. In 2005, there were 383 registered nurses per 100,000 population.

31

Housing

In 2000, there were a total of about 1,418,476 housing units with 2.98 persons per unit, versus 867,697 units in 1980 when there were 3.66 persons per occupied unit. In 2000, about 1,261,325 units were occupied; 72.9% were owner-occupied. About 68% of all units were single-family detached homes and just over 25% of all units were built between 1970 and 1979. Nearly 24% of all units had no telephone service, 5.2% lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 1.5% lacked complete kitchen facilities. The median home value was $75,100. The median 215

Puerto Rico

monthly cost for a mortgage was $625 and the median monthly cost for rent was $297.

32

Education

Education is compulsory for children between 6 and 16 years of age, and nearly two out of ten commonwealth budget dollars goes to education. As of 2002, about 94.1% of the population was literate. In 2004, there were 584,916 students attending public school. Instruction is carried out in Spanish, but English is taught at all levels. In 2004, there were 1,489 public schools and 545 private schools in Puerto Rico. The primary state supported institution of higher learning is the University of Puerto Rico with its main campus at Rico Piedras. The system also includes doctorate-level campuses at Mayagüez and San Juan (for medical sciences), and four-year colleges at Aguadilla, Arecibo, Bayamon, Carolina, Cavey, Humacao, Ponce, and Utuado. The 39 private institutions in 2002/03 included Interamerican University, with campuses at Hato Rey, San German, and other locations, and the Catholic University of Puerto Rico, at Ponce. Total enrollment at higher education institutions was 191,552 in 2002/03.

33

Arts

The Tapia Theater in Old San Juan is the island’s major showcase for local and visiting performers, including the Taller de Histriones group and zarzuela (comic opera) troupes from Spain. The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture produces an annual theatrical festival. The Fine Arts Center is the largest center of its kind in the Caribbean. It features entertainment ranging from ballet, 216

opera, and symphonies to drama, jazz, and popular music. Puerto Rico has its own symphony orchestra and conservatory of music. The Opera de Camara tours several houses. Puerto Rico supports both a classical ballet company (the Ballets de San Juan), and the Areyto Folkloric Group, which performs traditional folk dances. Salsa, a popular style pioneered by such Puerto Rican musicians as Tito Puente, influenced the development of pop music on the US mainland during the 1970s.

34


In 1997, Puerto Rico’s public libraries contained about 609,391 volumes. The University of Puerto Rico Library at Rio Piedras held 1,804,010 books in 2003; the library of the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, in San Juan, has a collection of music written by Puerto Rican and Latin American composers. Among the some 50 museums in 2003, the Museo de Arte de Ponce (Luis A. Ferre Foundation) had paintings, sculptures, and archaeological artifacts, as well as a library. The Marine Station Museum in Mayagüez exhibits Caribbean marine specimens and sponsors research and field trips.

35

Communications

The Puerto Rico Telephone Company was founded in 1914 by the creators of International Telephone and Telegraph (ITT). In 1974, the Puerto Rican government bought the phone company from ITT. In 2004, there were an estimated 1.112 million telephone lines on the island. That year, there were an estimated 2.682 million cellular phone subscribers. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Puerto Rico

A receiver of the Arecibo Telescope hangs suspended by cables over the 1000-foot dish of the radio telescope below. © ROGER TESSMEYER/CORBIS.

As of 2006, there were 74 AM and 53 FM radio stations. In 2003, there were four commercial television channels/networks with six affiliates, one public broadcast television channel/ network, three cable television service companies (with 360,579 subscribers), and four satellite television providers. The total number of television broadcast stations reached 32 in 2006. There were 132 Internet hosts in 2005, servicing approximately 1 million Internet users.

36

Press

Puerto Rico has four major dailies: El Nuevo Dias, with the largest circulation in 2005— 203,153 mornings and 245,500 Sundays; El Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Voceo; Primera Hor; and the English-language San Juan Star, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1961. There are also 22 weekly and 8 monthly newspapers.

37


Only government and manufacturing exceed tourism in importance to the Puerto Rican economy. The industry has grown rapidly from 65,000 tourists in 1950 to 1.1 million in 1970 and 3 million in 2003. Tourism employs approximately 60,000 workers. During 2000/01, visitors spent $2.7 billion in Puerto Rico, a 14.2% increase over 1999/00. 217

Puerto Rico

Most tourists come for sunning, swimming, deep sea fishing, and the fashionable shops, night clubs, and casinos of San Juan’s Condado Strip. Attractions of old San Juan include two fortresses, El Morro and San Cristobal, San Jose Church (one of the oldest in the New World), and La Fortaleza, the governor’s palace. The government has encouraged tourists to journey outside of San Juan to destinations such as the rain forest of El Yunque, and the bird sanctuary and mangrove forest on the shores of Torrecilla Lagoon.

38

Sports

Baseball is very popular in Puerto Rico. There is a six-team professional winter league, in which many ball players from American and National league teams participate. Horse racing, cockfighting, boxing, and basketball are also popular. Other annual sporting events include the Copa Velasco Regatta, the first leg of the Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle, and the International Billfish Tournament in San Juan.

39

Famous

Elected to represent Puerto Rico before the Spanish Cortes in 1812, Ramón Power y Giralt (1775–1813), a liberal reformer, was the leading Puerto Rican political figure of the early 19th century. Power, appointed vice president of the Cortes, participated in the drafting of the new Spanish constitution of 1812. Ramón Emeterio Betances (1827–1898) became well known not only for his efforts to alleviate a cholera epidemic in 1855, but also for his crusade to abolish slavery in Puerto Rico and for his leadership in a racial separatist movement. 218

The dominant political figure in 20th-century Puerto Rico was Luis Muñoz Marin (1898– 1980), founder of the Popular Democratic Party in 1938 and president of Puerto Rico’s senate from 1940 to 1948. Muñoz, the first native-born elected governor of the island (1948–1964), devised the commonwealth relationship that has governed the island since 1952. Women have actively participated in Puerto Rican politics. Ana Roqué de Duprey (1853– 1933) led the Asociación Puertorriquena de Mujeres Sufragistas, organized in late 1926, while Milagros Benet de Mewton (1868–1945) presided over the Liga Social Sufragista, founded in 1917. Both groups actively lobbied for the extension of the right to vote to Puerto Rican women, not only in Puerto Rico but in the United States and other countries as well. Manuel A. Alonso (1822–1889) blazed the trail for a distinctly Puerto Rican literature with the publication in 1849 of El Gibaro, the first major effort to depict the traditions and mores of the island’s rural society. In the world of entertainment, Academy Award winners José Ferrer (1912–1992) and Rita Moreno (b.1931) are among the most famous. Notable in classical music is cellist-conductor Pablo Casals (b.Spain, 1875–1973), a longtime resident of Puerto Rico. Well known popular musicians include Tito Puente (b.New York, 1923–2000) and José Feliciano (b.1945). Roberto Clemente (1934–1972), one of baseball’s most admired performers and a member of the Hall of Fame, played on 12 National League All-Star teams and was named Most Valuable Player in 1966. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Puerto Rico

40

Bibliography

BOOKS Davis, Lucile. Puerto Rico. New York: Children’s Press, 2000. Brown, Jonatha A. Puerto Rico. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2006. Feeney, Kathy. Puerto Rico Facts and Symbols. Rev. ed. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2003. Heinrichs, Ann. Puerto Rico. Minneapolis, MN:


Compass Point Books, 2004. Milivojevic, JoAnn. Puerto Rico. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 2000. WEB SITES Government of Puerto Rico. Office of the Governor. fortaleza.govpr.org (accessed March 1, 2007). Paley Media, Inc. Puerto Rico. www.puertorico.com (accessed March 1, 2007). Welcome to Puerto Rico! welcome.topuertorico.org (accessed March 1, 2007).

219

United States Caribbean Dependencies

Navassa Navassa is a 2-square-mile (5-square-kilometer) island between Jamaica and Haiti in the Caribbean Sea. It was claimed by the United States under the Guano Act of 1856. The island, located at 18°24′ north and 75°1′ west, is uninhabited except for a lighthouse station under the administration of the US coast guard. In 1999 the US Fish and Wildlife Service established a wildlife refuge on the island to protect the island and its coral reef. Research expeditions to the island have identified over 240 species of fish. Several new species of fish and spiders have been documented on Navassa and in the ocean water surrounding it.

US Virgin Islands The US Virgin Islands lie about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Puerto Rico and 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) south-southeast of Miami, between 17°40′ and 18°25′ north and 64°34′ and 65°3′ west. The island group extends 51 miles (82 kilometers) north to south and 50 miles (80 kilometers) from east to west, with a total area of at least 136 square miles (353 square kilometers). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Only three of the more than fifty islands and cays are of significant size. These are St. Croix, which measures 84 square miles (218 square kilometers) in area; St. Thomas, which measures 32 square miles (83 square kilometers); and St. John, which measures 20 square miles (52 square kilometers). The territorial capital, Charlotte Amalie, is located on St. Thomas. Charlotte Amalie has one of the finest harbors in the Caribbean. St. Croix is relatively flat, with a terrain suitable for sugarcane cultivation. St. Thomas is mountainous and little cultivated, but it has many snug harbors. St. John, also mountainous, has fine beaches and lush vegetation; about two-thirds of St. John’s area has been declared a national park. The subtropical climate, with temperatures ranging from 70–90°f (21–32°c) and an average temperature of 77°f (25°c), is moderated by northeast trade winds. Rainfall, the main source of fresh water, varies widely, and severe droughts are frequent. The average yearly rainfall is 45 inches (114 centimeters), mostly during the summer months. The population of the US Virgin Islands was estimated at 108,605 in 2006, down from 221


UNITED STATES CARIBBEAN DEPENDENCIES NAVASSA Cana DameMarie Anse-d' Hainault

NAVASSA I.

Lighthouse

0

10

Grande Cayemite

Petit-Troude-Nippes

HAITI Les Anglais

20 Miles

l du Sud

Coteaux

Port-Salut 0 10 20 Kilometers

Pointe L'Abacou

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS Stumpy Point

U.K. VIRGIN ISLANDS

Charlotte Amalie ST. THOMAS

Enighed ST. JOHN

Caribbean Sea ST. CROIX

Christiansted 0

10 Miles

Baron Bluff

Hams Bay

Frederiksted 0

10 Kilometers

Southwest Cape

East Point

Great Pond Bay

Bethlehem

N E

W Navassa U.S. Virgin Islands

S

123,498 in 2002. St. Croix has two principal towns: Christiansted and Frederiksted. Economic development has brought an influx of new residents, mainly from Puerto Rico, other Caribbean islands, and the US mainland. About 80% of the population is black. Most are descendants of slaves who were brought from Africa in the early days of Danish rule. English is the official and most widely spoken language. 222

Some of the oldest religious congregations in the Western Hemisphere are located in the Virgin Islands. A Jewish synagogue there is the second-oldest in the New World. The Lutheran Congregation of St. Thomas, founded in 1666, is one of the three oldest congregations in the United States. Baptists make up an estimated 42% of the population, Roman Catholics 34%, and Episcopalians 17%. In 2000 there were 856 kilometers (531.6 miles) of roads in the US Virgin Islands; the US Virgin Islands has the only US roads where driving is done on the left side of the road. Cargoshipping services operate from the US ports of Baltimore, Maryland, and Jacksonville and Miami, Florida. Both St. Croix and St. Thomas have airports, with St. Croix’s facility handling the larger number of jet flights from the continental United States and Europe. Excavations at St. Croix in the 1970s uncovered evidence of a civilization perhaps as ancient as ad 100. Christopher Columbus, who reached the islands in 1493, named them for the martyred virgin St. Ursula. At this time, St. Croix was inhabited by Carib Indians, who were eventually driven from the island by Spanish soldiers in 1555. During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one controlled by the British, the other controlled by Denmark. Today these units are the British (UK) Virgin Islands and the US Virgin Islands. The separate history of the US Virgin Islands began with the settlement of St. Thomas by the Danish West India Company in 1672. St. John was claimed by the company in 1683 and St. Croix was purchased from France in 1733. The holdings of the company were taken over as a Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


Danish crown colony in 1754. Sugarcane, cultivated by slave labor, was the backbone of the islands’ prosperity in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The slaves revolted and the Danish colonizers brutally suppressed them. Finally, in 1848 Denmark abolished slavery in the colony. A long period of economic decline followed. Denmark sold the islands to the United States in 1917 for $25 million. The US Congress granted US citizenship to the Virgin Islanders in 1927. In 1931, administration of the islands was transferred from the Department of the Navy to the Department of the Interior, and the first civilian governor was appointed. In the late 1970s, the US Virgin Islands government began to consider ways to expand self-rule. A UN delegation in 1977 found little interest in independence, however, and a locally drafted constitution was voted down by the electorate in 1979. The chief executive of the US Virgin Islands is the territorial governor, elected by direct popular vote. (Until 1970 territorial governors were appointed by the US president.) Governor John DeJongh assumed the office on 1 January 2007. Constitutionally, the US Congress has plenary authority to legislate for the territory. Enactment of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands on 22 July 1954 vested local legislative power—subject to veto by the governor— in a unicameral legislature. Since 1972, the islands have sent one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives. Donna M. Christensen, a Democrat, was elected to serve a two-year term as representative in November 2006. Courts are under the US federal judiciary; the two federal district court judges are appointed by Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the US president. Territorial court judges, who preside over misdemeanor and traffic cases, are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislature. The district court has appellate jurisdiction over the territorial court. Tourism, which accounts for approximately 70% of both gross domestic product (GDP) and employment, is the islands’ principal economic activity. The number of tourists has risen dramatically since the 1960s, from 448,165 in 1964 to 2.6 million in 2005. Rum remains an important manufacture, with petroleum refining (on St. Croix) a major addition in the late 1960s. Economic development is promoted by the US-government– owned Virgin Islands Corp. In 2004 the per capita GDP was $14,500. The unemployment rate was 6.2% in 2004. Exports for 2001 totaled $4.23 billion while imports totaled $4.61 billion. The island’s primary export is refined petroleum products. Raw crude oil constitutes the Virgin Island’s principal import. In 1990, median family income was $24,036. The territorial Department of Health provides hospital and medical services, public health services, and veterinary medicine. Education is compulsory. The College of the Virgin Islands was the territory’s first institution of higher learning. There were about 70,900 main line telephones in 2004, and 41,000 mobile cellular phones. The Virgin Islands had 22 radio stations (6 AM, 16 FM) and 5 broadcast television stations in 2004. Education is compulsory. The College of the Virgin Islands is the territory’s first institution of higher learning. In 2002 the Virgin Islands had 16 radio stations and 2 television stations. 223


Bibliography BOOKS Philpott, Don. US & British Virgin Islands. Edison, NJ: Hunter, 2000. WEB SITES US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program.

224

Navassa Island: A Photographic Tour. coastal. er.usgs.gov/navassa/index.html (accessed March 1, 2007). US Fish and Wildlife Service. Navassa National Wildlife Refuge. Library.fws.gov/Refuges/ navassa_facts01.pdf (accessed March 1, 2007). US Virgin Islands. America’s Caribbean. www. usvitourism.vi (accessed March 1, 2007).


United States Pacific Dependencies

American Samoa American Samoa is a US territory that lies in the South Pacific Ocean. It is made up of seven small islands in the Samoan archipelago (chain of islands). American Samoa lies between 14° and 15°s and 168° and 171°w). The islands of American Samoa lie east of longitude 171° west. (The rest of the Samoan islands comprise the independent state of Western Samoa.) American Samoa has a total area (land and water) of 76 square miles (197 square kilometers). Five of the islands are volcanic, with rugged peaks rising sharply, and two are coral atolls. The climate is hot and rainy; normal temperatures range from 75°f (24°c) in August to 90°f (32°c) during December–February; mean annual rainfall is 130 inches (330 centimeters). The rainy season lasts from December through March. Hurricanes are common. Native plants include tree ferns, coconut, hardwoods, and rubber trees. There are few wild animals. As of mid-2005, the estimated population was 57,881, an increase over the 1986 population estimate of 37,500. However, the total population has remained relatively constant for many years because of the substantial number of Samoans who migrate to the United States. The Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

inhabitants, who are concentrated on the island of Tutuila, are almost pure Polynesian. Most people are bilingual: English and Samoan are the official languages. Most Samoans are Christians. The capital of the territory, Pago Pago, lies on Tutuila. Pago Pago has one of the finest natural harbors in the South Pacific and is a duty-free port. Passenger cruise ships stop there on South Pacific tours. Passenger and cargo ships arrive regularly from Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and the US west coast. There are regular air and sea services between American Samoa and Western Samoa, and scheduled flights between Pago Pago and Honolulu. American Samoa was settled by Melanesian migrants around 1000 bc. The Samoan islands were visited in 1768 by the French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville. He named them the Îles des Navigateurs (Islands of the Navigators) as a tribute to the skill of their native boatmen. In 1889, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany agreed to share control of the islands. The United Kingdom later withdrew its claim. Under the 1899 Treaty of Berlin, the United States was acknowledged internationally as having rights over all the islands of the 225


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Samoan group lying east of 171° west. Germany was acknowledged to have similar rights to the islands west of that meridian. The islands of American Samoa were officially ceded to the United States by the various 226

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ruling chiefs in 1900 and 1904. On 20 February 1929 the US Congress formally accepted sovereignty over the entire group. From 1900 to 1951, the territory was administered by the US Department of the Navy, and thereafter by the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


Department of the Interior. The basic law is the constitution of 1966. The executive branch of the government is headed by a governor who, along with the lieutenant governor, is elected by popular vote. Togiola Tulafono was elected governor in November 2004; the next election was scheduled for November 2008. Before 1977, the governor and lieutenant governor were appointed by the US government. Village, county, and district councils have full authority to regulate local affairs. The legislature (Fono) is composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The 15 counties elect 18 matais (chiefs) to four-year terms in the senate, while the 20 house members are elected for two-year terms by popular vote within the counties. (There is one appointed member from Swains Island.) The secretary for Samoan affairs, who heads the department of local government, is appointed by the governor. Under his administration are three district governors, the county chiefs, village mayors, and police officials. The judiciary, an independent branch of the government, functions through the high court and five district courts. Samoans living in the islands as of 17 April 1900 or born there since that date are nationals of the United States. The territory sends one delegate to the US House of Representatives. Democrat Eni F. H. Faleomavaega was reelected in November 2006; he has been the representative to the US Congress from American Samoa since 1989. The economy is primarily agricultural. Small plantations occupy about one-third of the land area; 90% of the land is communally owned. The principal crops are bananas, breadfruit, taro, papayas, pineapples, sweet potatoes, tapiJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

oca, coffee, cocoa, and yams. Hogs and poultry are the principal livestock raised; dairy cattle are few. The principal cash crop is copra. A third of the total labor force is employed by the federal and territorial government. The largest employers in the private sector, with more than 15% of the labor force, are two modern tuna canneries supplied with fish caught by Japanese, US, and Taiwanese fishing fleets. Canned tuna is the primary export. Most foreign trade is conducted with the United States. Samoans are entitled to free medical treatment, including hospital care. Besides district dispensaries, the government maintains a central hospital, a tuberculosis unit, and a leprosarium. US-trained staff physicians work with Samoan medical practitioners and nurses. The LBJ Tropical Medical Center opened in 1986. Education is a joint undertaking between the territorial government and the villages. School attendance is compulsory for all children from age 6 through 18. The villages furnish the elementary school buildings and living quarters for the teachers; the territorial government pays teachers’ salaries and provides buildings and supplies for all but primary schools. Since 1964, educational television has served as a basic teaching tool in the school system. About 97% of the population is literate. In 1997, total enrollment in American Samoa’s 29 public elementary and secondary schools was over 19,000. American Samoa Community College enrolled 1,178 in the fall of 2001. Radiotelegraph circuits connect the territory with Hawaii, Fiji, and Western Samoa. Every village in American Samoa has telephone service. 227


Guam Guam is the largest and most populous of the Mariana Islands in the Western Pacific. Guam (13° 28′ north and 144° 44′ east) has an area, including land and water, of 208 square miles (540 square kilometers) and is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) long and from 4–7 miles (6–12 kilometers) wide. The island is of volcanic origin; in the south, the terrain is mountainous, while the northern part is a plateau with shallow fertile soil. The central part of the island (where the capital, Agana, is located) is hilly. Guam lies in the typhoon belt of the Western Pacific and is occasionally subject to widespread storm damage. In May 1976, a typhoon with winds of 306 kilometers/hour (190 miles/hour) struck Guam, causing an estimated $300 million in damage and leaving 80% of the island’s buildings in ruins. Guam has a tropical climate with little seasonal variation. Average temperature is 26°c (79°f ). Rainfall is substantial, reaching an annual average of more than 200 centimeters (80 inches). Endangered species include the giant Micronesian kingfisher and Marianas crow. The mid-2006 population, excluding transient US military and civilian personnel and their families, was estimated at 171,019, an increase over the 1986 population of 117,500. The increase was attributed largely to the higher birthrate and low mortality rate. The Chamorro comprise about 37% of the permanent resident population. The Chamorro descend from the intermingling of the few surviving original Chamorro (Pacific Islander) with Spanish, Filipino, and Mexican settlers and later arrivals from the United States, United Kingdom, Korea, 228

China, and Japan. Filipinos (26%) are the largest ethnic minority. English and Chamorro are official languages. The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism. The earliest known settlers on Guam were the original Chamorro, who migrated from the Malay Peninsula to the Pacific around 1500 bc. When Ferdinand Magellan landed on Guam in 1521, it is believed that as many as 100,000 Chamorro lived on the island; by 1741, their numbers had been reduced to 5,000—most of the population either had fled the island or been killed through disease or war with the Spanish. A Spanish fort was established in 1565, and from 1696 until 1898, Guam was under Spanish rule. Under the Treaty of Paris that ended the Spanish-American War in 1898, the island was ceded to the United States and placed under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Navy. During World War II (1939–45), Guam was occupied by Japanese forces; the United States recaptured the island in 1944 after 54 days of fighting. In 1950, the island’s administration was transferred from the Navy to the US Department of the Interior. Under the 1950 Organic Act of Guam passed by the US Congress, the island was established as an unincorporated territory of the United States. Guamanians were granted US citizenship, and internal self-government was introduced. The governor and lieutenant governor have been elected directly since 1970. Felix P. Camacho was reelected governor in November 2006. A 15-member unicameral legislature elected for two years by adult suffrage is empowered to legislate on all local matters, including taxation and appropriations. The US Congress Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


reserves the right to annul any law passed by the Guam legislature, but must do so within a year of the date it receives the text of any such law. Judicial authority is vested in the district court of Guam. Appeals may be taken to the regular US courts of appeal and ultimately to the US Supreme Court. An island superior court and other specialized courts have jurisdiction over certain cases arising under the laws of Guam. The judge of the district court is appointed by the US president; the judges of the other courts are appointed by the governor. Guam’s laws were codified in 1953. Guam is one of the most important US military bases in the Pacific. The island’s economy has been profoundly affected by the large sums of money spent by the U.S. defense establishment. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the United States took the role of a major combatant in the Vietnam conflict, Guam served as a base for long-range US bombers. In 2005, there were 3,384 active-duty US military personnel stationed on the island. Prior to World War II, agriculture and animal husbandry were the primary activities. By 1947, most adults were wage earners employed by the US armed forces, although many continued to cultivate small plots to supplement their earnings. In 2002, agriculture accounted for 7% of gross domestic product (GDP); a considerable amount of arable land is taken up by military installations. Fruits and vegetables are grown and pigs and poultry are raised for local consumption, but most food is imported. Current fish catches are insufficient to meet local demand. Tourism became a major industry and sparked a boom in the construction industry in the mid-1980s. The number of visitors grew rapidly from 6,600 in 1967 to more than one milJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

lion per year in the mid-2000s. About 90% of tourists come from Japan. The Guam Rehabilitation Act of 1963 has funded the territory’s capital improvement program. Further allocations in 1969 and 1977 provided over $120 million for additional capital improvements and development of the island’s power installations. Total expenditures by the government of Guam were $445 million in 2000; revenues were $340 million. Guam’s foreign trade usually shows large deficits. The bulk of Guam’s trade is with the United States, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. US income tax laws are applicable in Guam; all internal revenue taxes derived by the United States from Guam are paid into the territory’s treasury. US customs duties, however, are not levied. Guam is a duty-free port. In its trade with the US mainland, Guam is required to use US shipping. Typical tropical diseases are practically unknown today in Guam. The Guam Memorial Hospital has a capacity of 208 beds. Village dispensaries serve both as public health units and first-aid stations. In addition, there are a number of physicians in private practice. Specialists from the US Naval Hospital in Guam, assisting on a part-time basis, have made possible a complete program of curative medicine. School attendance is compulsory from the age of 6 through 16. Twenty-five elementary schools, seven middle schools, four high schools, and an alternative school serve more than 30,000 students.

Howland, Baker, and Jarvis Islands Howland Island (0° 48′ north and 176° 38′ west), Baker Island (0° 14′ north and 176° 28′ 229


west), and Jarvis Island (0° 23′ south and 160° 1′ west) are three small coral islands. Each measures about 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers) in area. They belong to the Line Islands group of the central Pacific Ocean. All three are administered by the US government as unincorporated territories. Public entry is by special permit and is generally restricted to scientists and educators. Howland was first visited in 1842 by US sailors. It was claimed by the United States in 1857. It was worked for guano by US and British companies until about 1890. Howland Island was formally proclaimed a US territory in 1935–36. Baker Island lies 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Howland. Jarvis Island lies 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometers) east of Howland. Both were claimed by the United States in 1857, and their guano deposits were similarly worked by US and British enterprises. The United Kingdom annexed Jarvis in 1889. In 1935, the United States sent colonists from Hawaii to all three islands, which were placed under the US Department of the Interior in 1936. Baker Island was captured by the Japanese in 1942 and recaptured by the United States in 1944. The three islands are administered as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system. The three islands lack fresh water and have no permanent inhabitants. They are visited annually by the US coast guard. A lighthouse on Howland Island is named in honor of the US aviatrix Amelia Earhart, who vanished en route to the island on a round-the-world flight in 1937.

Johnston Atoll Johnston Atoll is located in the North Pacific 715 miles (1,151 kilometers) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. It consists of two islands—Johnston 230

(16° 44′ north and 169° 31′ west) and Sand (16° 45′ north and 169° 30′ west)—with a total land and water area of about 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers). The islands are enclosed by a semicircular reef. It was discovered by English sailors in 1807 and claimed by the United States in 1858. For many years, it was worked for guano and was a bird reservation. Commissioned as a naval station in 1941, it remains an unincorporated US territory under the control of the US Department of the Air Force. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was used primarily for the testing of nuclear weapons. Until late 2000, it was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete, and cleanup and closure of the facility was completed by May 2005. The population usually stood at 1,100 government personnel and contractors, but decreased significantly after the September 2001 departure of the US Army Chemical Activity Pacific (USACAP). As of May 2005, all US government personnel had left the island. The atoll is equipped with an excellent satellite and radio telecommunications system.

Midway The Midway Islands (28° 12′–17′ north and 177° 19′–26′ west) consist of an atoll and two small islets, Eastern Island (177° 20′ west) and Sand Island (177° 22′–24′ west), 1,300 miles (2,100 kilometers) west-northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. Total land and water area is 2 square miles (5 square kilometers). As of 2005, 40 people made up the staff of the US Fish and Wildlife service on the atoll. Midway Island was discovered and claimed by the United States in 1859 and formally Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


annexed in 1867. It became a submarine cable station early in the 20th century and an airline station in 1935. Midway became a US naval base in 1941 (during World War II) and was attacked twice by the Japanese, in December 1941 and January 1942. In one of the great battles of World War II, a Japanese naval attack on 3–6 June 1942 was repelled by US warplanes. Midway is a US unincorporated territory; there is a closed naval station, and the islands are important nesting places for seabirds. In 1993, administrative control of Midway was transferred from the US Department of the Navy to the US Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service.

Northern Marianas The Northern Marianas, a US commonwealth in the Western Pacific Ocean, is comprised of the Mariana Islands excluding Guam (a separate political entity). Located between 12° and 21° north and 144° and 146° east, it consists of 16 volcanic islands with a total land area of about 183.5 square miles (475 square kilometers). Only six of the islands are inhabited, and most of the people live on the three largest islands— Rota, 33 square miles (85 square kilometers); Saipan, 47 square miles (122 square kilometers); and Tinian, 39 square miles (101 square kilometers). The climate is tropical, with relatively little seasonal change; temperatures average 70–85°f (21–29°c). Relative humidity is generally high. Rainfall averages 85 inches (216 centimeters) per year. The southern islands, which include Rota, Saipan, and Tinian, are generally lower in elevation. They are covered with moderately heavy tropical vegetation. The northern islands are Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

more rugged, reaching a high point of 3,146 feet (959 meters) on Agrihan. The northern islands are generally barren due to erosion and insufficient rainfall. Pagan and Agrihan have active volcanoes, and typhoons are common from August to November. Insects are numerous and ocean birds and ocean wildlife are abundant. The Marianas mallard is a local endangered species. The Northern Marianas had an estimated population of 80,362 in mid-2005. Threefourths of the population is descended from the original Micronesian inhabitants, known as Chamorros. There are also many descendants of migrants from the Caroline Islands and smaller numbers of Filipino and Korean laborers and settlers from the US mainland. English, Chamorro, and Carolinian are official languages. However, only 10.8% of the population speaks English in the home. About 90% of the people are Roman Catholic. It is believed that the Marianas were settled by migrants from the Philippines and Indonesia. Excavations on Saipan have yielded evidence of settlement around 1500 bc. The first European to reach the Marianas, in 1521, was Ferdinand Magellan. The islands were ruled by Spain until the Spanish defeat by the United States in the Spanish-American War (1898). Guam was then ceded to the United States and the rest of the Marianas were sold to Germany. When World War I (1913–18) broke out, Japan took over the Northern Marianas and other German-held islands in the Western Pacific. These islands (the Northern Marianas, Carolines, and Marshalls) were placed under Japanese administration as a League of Nations mandate on 17 December 1920. Upon its withdrawal from the League in 1935, Japan began to fortify the islands. In 231


World War II the islands served as important military bases. Several of the islands were the scene of heavy fighting during the war. In the battle for control of Saipan in June 1944, some 23,000 Japanese and 3,500 US troops lost their lives in one day’s fighting. As each island was occupied by US troops, it became subject to US authority in accordance with international law. The US planes that dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bringing an end to the war, took off from Tinian. On 18 July 1947, the Northern Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall islands formally became a United Nations Trust Territory under US administration. This Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was administered by the US Department of the Navy until 1 July 1951, when administration was transferred to the Department of the Interior. From 1953 to 1962, the Northern Marianas, with the exception of Rota, were administered by the US Department of the Navy. The people of the Northern Marianas voted to become a US commonwealth by a majority of 78.8% in a plebiscite (general vote) held on 17 June 1975. A covenant approved by the US Congress in March 1976 provided for the separation of the Northern Marianas from the Caroline and Marshall Islands groups, and for the Marianas’ transition to a commonwealth status similar to that of Puerto Rico. The islands became internally self-governing in January 1978. On 3 November 1986, US president Ronald Reagan proclaimed the Northern Marianas a self-governing commonwealth; its people became US citizens. The termination of the trusteeship was approved by 232

the UN Trusteeship Council in May 1986 and received the required approval from the UN Security Council. On 3 November 1986, the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands came into force. A governor and a lieutenant governor are popularly elected for four-year terms. The legislature consists of nine senators elected for fouryear terms and eighteen representatives elected for two-year terms. A district court handles matters involving federal law and a commonwealth court has jurisdiction over local matters. The traditional economic activities were subsistence agriculture, livestock raising, and fishing, but much agricultural land was destroyed or damaged during World War II and agriculture has never resumed its prewar importance. Garment production and tourism are the mainstays of the economy. Tourism employs about 50% of the work force. The construction industry is also expanding, and there is some smallscale industry, chiefly handicrafts and food processing. The Northern Marianas is heavily dependent on funds from the US government. The United States also pays to lease property on Saipan, Tinian, and Farallon de Medinilla islands for defense purposes. The principal exports are garments, milk, and meat; imports include foods, petroleum, construction materials, and vehicles. US currency is the official medium of exchange. Health care is primarily the responsibility of the commonwealth government and has improved substantially since 1978. There is a hospital on Saipan and health centers on Tinian and Rota. The largest hospital in the commonwealth is a 76-bed, full service facility. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


Education is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 8 and 14, and literacy is high. Northern Marianas College had an enrollment of 1,101 in 2006. There are 2 AM, 3 FM, and 1 television stations.

Palmyra Atoll Palmyra, an atoll in the Central Pacific Ocean, contains 50 islets with a total area of some 4 square miles (10 square kilometers). Palmyra is situated about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) south-southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, at 5°52′ north and 162° 5′ west. Palmyra was first visited in 1802 by the USS Palmyra and formally annexed by the United States in 1912. It was under the jurisdiction of the city of Honolulu until 1959, when Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States. Palmyra is now the responsibility of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The atoll is privately owned by the Nature Conservancy. Kingman Reef, northwest of Palmyra Atoll at 6°25′ north and 162°23′ north, was discovered by the United States in 1874, annexed by the United States in 1922, and became a naval reservation in 1934. Now abandoned, it is under the control of the US Department of the Navy. The reef only has an elevation of 3 feet (1 meter) and is awash most of the time, making it hazardous for ships.

Wake Island Wake Island is actually a coral atoll and three islets (Wake, Peale, and Wilkes). Wake Island is about 5 miles (8 kilometers) long by 2.25 miles (3.6 kilometers) wide. It lies in the North Pacific 2,100 miles (3,380 kilometers) west of Honolulu, Hawaii, at 19°17′ north and 166°35′ east. The Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

total land and water area is about 3 square miles (8 square kilometers). Discovered by the British in 1796, Wake was long uninhabited. In 1898, a US expeditionary force en route to Manila, Philippines, landed on the island. The United States formally claimed Wake in 1899. It was made a US naval reservation in 1934, and became a civil aviation station in 1935. Captured by the Japanese during World War II on 23 December 1941, Wake was subsequently the target of several US air raids. It was surrendered by the Japanese in September 1945 and has thereafter remained a US unincorporated territory under the jurisdiction, since 1972, of the Department of the Air Force. As of 2001, only around 200 contractor personnel inhabited Wake Island. The island was no longer being used for missile launches by the US Army’s Space and Strategic Defense Command. It is a stopover and fueling station for civilian and military aircraft flying between Honolulu, Guam, and Japan.

Bibliography BOOKS Burgan, Michael. Puerto Rico and Outlying Territories. Milwaukee: World Almanac Library, 2003. Wukovits, John F. Pacific Alamo: The Battle for Wake Island. New York: New American Library, 2003. WEB SITES US Fish and Wildlife Service. Pacific/Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuges. Pacificislands.fws. gov/wnwr/pnorthwestnwr.html 233

United States The United States of America

C AP ITAL: Washington, DC (District of Columbia). C OAT OF ARMS: The American bald eagle is depicted

with a shield containing 13 vertical white and red stripes beneath a blue band. The eagle’s right talon clutches an olive branch, representing peace; his left talon holds 13 arrows, symbolizing military strength. The eagle’s beak holds a banner with the motto “E pluribus unum” (Out of many, one). Above the eagle’s head, a golden glory is breaking through a cloud and surrounds a constellation of 13 fivepointed stars on an azure field. FLAG: The flag consists of 13 alternate stripes, 7 red and 6 white; these represent the 13 original colonies. Fifty 5-pointed white stars, representing the present number of states in the Union, are placed in 9 horizontal rows alternately of 6 and 5 against a blue field in the upper left corner of the flag. M OT TO: In God We Trust. SONG: The Star-Spangled Banner. FLOWER: Rose. TREE: Oak. B IRD: Bald eagle. LEGAL HOLIDAYS : New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February (only in the northern and western states); Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Memorial or Decoration Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after the 1st Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Monday in November; Veterans or Armistice Day, 11 November; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas, 25 December. T I ME : Eastern, 7 am = noon GMT; Central, 6 am =

noon GMT; Mountain, 5 am = noon GMT; Pacific (includes the Alaska panhandle), 4 am = noon GMT; Yukon, 3 am = noon GMT; Alaska and Hawaii, 2 am = noon GMT; western Alaska, 1 am = noon GMT.

1

Location and Size

Located in the Western Hemisphere on the southern portion of the continent of North America, the United States is the third-largest country in the world. Its total area, including Alaska and Hawaii, is 9,631,420 square kilometers (3,718,691 square miles). The country shares borders with Canada and Mexico, with a total land boundary length of 12,034 kilome235

United States of America

ters (7,593 miles) and a total coastline of 19,924 kilometers (12,380 miles). Alaska, the 49th state, is separated from the contiguous 48 states by Canada. It forms a peninsula surrounded by the Arctic Ocean and the Pacific and is separated from Russia by the Bering Strait. The island state of Hawaii, the 50th state, is located in the Pacific Ocean. The nation’s capital, Washington, DC, is located near the midAtlantic coast.

2

Topography

Although the northern New England coast is rocky, along the rest of the eastern seaboard the Atlantic Coastal Plain rises gradually from the shoreline. Narrow in the north, the plain widens to about 320 kilometers (200 miles) in the south and in Georgia merges with the Gulf Coastal Plain that borders the Gulf of Mexico and extends through Mexico as far as the Yucatán. West of the Atlantic Coastal Plain is the Piedmont Plateau, bounded by the Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachians, which extend from southwest Maine into central Alabama, are old mountains, largely eroded away, with rounded contours and generally forested terrain. The highest Appalachian Peak, Mount Mitchell in North Carolina, reaches 2,037 meters (6,684 feet). Between the Appalachians and the Rocky Mountains to the west lies the vast interior plain of the United States. Running south through the center of this plain is the Mississippi River. Its major tributary, the Missouri, is the longest river in the country and the second longest in North America, with a total distance of 3,968 kilometers (2,466 miles). Its source is found in the Northern Rockies. The eastern reaches of the 236

United States Population Profile Total population estimate in 2006: Population change, 2000–06: Hispanic or Latino†: Population by race One race: White: Black or African American: American Indian /Alaska Native: Asian: Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: Some other race: Two or more races:

301,340,000 6.4% 14.5% 98% 74% 12% 1% 4% 0.1% 6% 2%


Under 18 (25%)

65 and over (12%)

45 to 64 (25%) 18 to 24 (9%)

25 to 44 (28%)


Population

% change 2000–05

New York City, NY Los Angeles, CA Chicago, IL Houston, TX Philadelphia, PA Phoenix, ZA San Antonio, TX San Diego, CA Dallas, TX San Jose, CA

8,143,197 3,844,829 2,842,518 2,016,582 1,463,281 1,461,575 1,256,509 1,255,540 1,213,825 912,332

1.7 4.1 -1.8 3.2 -3.6 10.6 9.8 2.6 2.1 1.9




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great interior plain are bounded on the north by the Great Lakes, which are thought to contain about half the world’s total supply of fresh water. They include Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. Lake Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

HAWAII

Oahu Molokai Honolulu Maui Lanai Mauna Kea 13,796 ft. Kahoolawe 4205 m. PACIFIC OCEAN Hilo Hawaii Niihau

75

United States

150 Miles

75 150 Kilometers

Superior, which covers an area of 82,732 square kilometers (31,820 square miles), is the largest lake in the country and the second-largest lake in the world (after the Caspian Sea). The five lakes are accessible to oceangoing vessels from 237


the Atlantic via the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The basins of the Great Lakes were formed by the glacial ice cap that moved down over large parts of North America some 25,000 years ago. The great interior plain consists of two major subregions: the fertile Central Plains and the more arid Great Plains. Although they appear flat, the Great Plains rise gradually from about 460 meters (1,500 feet) to more than 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) at their western extremity. The Continental Divide runs along the crest of the Rocky Mountains. The Rockies and the ranges to the west are part of the great system of young, rugged mountains that runs along western North, Central, and South America from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, Chile. In the continental United States, the series of western ranges, most of them paralleling the Pacific coast, are the Sierra Nevada, the Coast Ranges, the Cascade Range, and the Tehachapi and San Bernardino Mountains. Between the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada-Cascade mountain barrier to the west lies the Great Basin, a group of vast arid plateaus containing most of the desert areas of the United States, in the south eroded by deep canyons. The coastal plains along the Pacific are narrow. The most extensive lowland near the west coast is the Great Valley of California, lying between the Sierra Nevada and the Coast Ranges. There are 71 peaks in these western ranges of the continental United States that rise to an altitude of 4,267 meters (14,000 feet) or more. The greatest rivers of the Far West are the Colorado in the south and the Columbia in the northwest. Separated from the continental United States by Canadian territory, the state of Alaska occupies the extreme northwest portion of the North American continent. The Alaskan Peninsula 238

and the Aleutian Islands, sweeping west far out to sea, consist of a chain of volcanoes, many of which are still active. The state of Hawaii consists of a group of Pacific islands formed by volcanoes rising sharply from the ocean floor. The highest of these volcanoes, Mauna Loa, at 4,168 meters (13,675 feet), is located on the largest of the islands, Hawaii, and is still active. The lowest point in the United States is Death Valley in California, 86 meters (282 feet) below sea level. At 6,194 meters (20,320 feet), Mount McKinley in Alaska is the highest peak in North America. These topographic extremes suggest the geological instability of the Pacific Coast region. The San Andreas Fault in California still causes frequent earth tremors.

3

Climate

The East Coast is affected mostly by masses of air moving from west to east across the continent. Its climate is basically continental, with clear contrasts between seasons. Because Florida has the Gulf of Mexico lying to its west, however, it experiences only moderate differences between summer and winter temperatures. Mean annual temperatures vary considerably between north and south, ranging from 11°c (51°f ) in Boston to 24°c (76°f ) in Miami. Annual rainfall is generally more than 100 centimeters (40 inches). The Gulf and South Atlantic states are often hit by severe tropical storms in late summer and early autumn. The number of hurricanes and their severity have measurably increased in the past few years. From 1995 to 2003, there were a total of 32 major hurricanes with sustained winds of 111 miles per hour or greater. In 2005 there were a record-breaking 23 named Atlantic hurJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


United States Population by Race Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years. Number

Percent

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281,241,906 . . . . . 100.0 One race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274,595,678 . . . . . . 97.6 Two races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,368,075 . . . . . . . 2.3 White and Black or African American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 784,764 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,082,683 . . . . . . . 0.4 White and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 868,395 . . . . . . . 0.3 White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112,964 . . . . . . . . — White and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,206,251 . . . . . . . 0.8 Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native . . . . . . . . . . 182,494 . . . . . . . 0.1 Black or African American and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106,782 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . 29,876 . . . . . . . . — Black or African American and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417,249 . . . . . . . 0.1 American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52,429 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . 7,328 . . . . . . . . — American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93,842 . . . . . . . . — Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138,802 . . . . . . . . — Asian and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249,108 . . . . . . . 0.1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35,108 . . . . . . . . — Three or more races. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458,153 . . . . . . . 0.2 Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.

ricanes, three of which caused severe damage to the Gulf Coast region. Hurricane Katrina, which hit Florida on 25 August 2005, eventually developed into a category 4 hurricane that made landfall in southern Louisiana. Several levees protecting the low-lying city of New Orleans broke, flooding the entire region under waters that rose over the rooftops of homes. Over 1,000 were killed by the storm. Over 500,000 people were left homeless and without jobs. One month later, Hurricane Rita peaked as a category 5 hurricane before making landfall as a category 3 hurricane on 24 September 2005 between Sabine Pass, Texas, and Johnson’s Bayou, Louisiana. Hurricane Wilma followed on 24 October, makJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

ing landfall north of Everglades City in Florida as a category 3 hurricane. The prairie lands in the middle of the country have more drought than heavy rainfall. The average midwinter temperature in the extreme north—Minnesota and North Dakota—is about -13°c (9°f ) or less, while the average July temperature is 18°c (65°f ). In the Texas prairie region to the south, January temperatures average 10 to 13°c (50 to 55°f ) and July temperatures average 27 to 29°c (80 to 85°f ). Annual rainfall in this region can be as low as 46 centimeters (18 inches). The Great Plains are semiarid. Annual rainfall in the southern plains averages about 50 centimeters (20 inches) and in the northern plains 239


about 25 centimeters (10 inches). The contrast between summer and winter temperatures is extreme throughout the Great Plains. Maximum summer temperatures of more than 43°c (110°f ) have been recorded, while the average minimum temperature for January is -19°c (-3°f ). The higher reaches of the Rockies and the other western ranges have an alpine climate. The climate of the Western desert region varies considerably from north to south. In New Mexico, Arizona, and southeastern California, mean annual rainfall ranges from 8 centimeters (3 inches) to 76 centimeters (30 inches), while some of the mountainous areas of central Washington and Idaho receive at least 152 centimeters (60 inches) of rain per year. Phoenix, Arizona, has a mean annual temperature of 22°c (71°f ). The Pacific Coast has a maritime climate, with mild winters and moderately warm, dry summers. Los Angeles in the south has an average temperature of 13°c (56°f ) in January and 21°c (69°f ) in July; Seattle in the north has an average temperature of 4°c (39°f ) in January and 18°c (65°f ) in July. Precipitation ranges from an annual average of 4.52 centimeters (1.78 inches) at Death Valley in California (the lowest in the United States) to more than 356 centimeters (140 inches) in Washington’s mountain regions. Alaska has varied climatic conditions. The Aleutian Islands and the coastal panhandle strip have a moderate maritime climate. The interior is characterized by short, hot summers and long, bitterly cold winters. In the region bordering the Arctic Ocean, a polar climate prevails; the soil hundreds of feet below the surface remains frozen year round. Northeast ocean winds give Hawaii a mild, stable climate. The mean temperature in 240

Honolulu is 23°c (73°f ) in January and 27°c (80°f ) in July. Rainfall is moderate—about 71 centimeters (28 inches) per year—but it is much greater in the mountains. The lowest temperature recorded in the United States was -62°c (-79.8°f ) in Alaska at Prospect Creek Camp on 23 January 1971; the highest, 57°c (134°f ) in California at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley on 10 July 1913. The record annual rainfall is 1,468 centimeters (578 inches) on Maui in Hawaii in 1950.

4

Plants and Animals

At least 7,000 species and subspecies of indigenous plants have been categorized. The eastern forests contain a mixture of softwoods and hardwoods that includes pine, oak, maple, spruce, beech, birch, hemlock, walnut, gum, and hickory. The central hardwood forest contains oak, hickory, ash, maple, and walnut. Pine, hickory, tupelo, pecan, gum, birch, and sycamore are found in the southern forest, which stretches along the Gulf coast into the eastern half of Texas. The Pacific forest is the most spectacular of all because of its enormous redwoods and Douglas firs. In the southwest are saguaro (giant cactus), yucca, candlewood, and the Joshua tree. The central grasslands lie in the interior of the continent, where the moisture is not sufficient to support the growth of large forests. The tall grassland or prairie (now almost entirely under cultivation) lies to the east of the one-hundredth meridian. To the west of this longitude, where rainfall is frequently less than 50 centimeters (20 inches) per year, is the short grassland. Mesquite grass covers parts of west Texas, southern New Mexico, and Arizona. Short grass may be found in the highlands of the latter two states, while tall Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


grass covers large portions of the coastal regions of Texas and Louisiana and occurs in some parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. The Pacific grassland includes northern Idaho, the higher plateaus of eastern Washington and Oregon, and the mountain valleys of California. The region of the Western Cordillera is for the most part covered with desert shrubs. Sagebrush predominates in the northern part of this area, and creosote in the southern region, with saltbrush near the Great Salt Lake and in Death Valley. The lower slopes of the mountains running up to the coastline of Alaska are covered with coniferous forests as far north as the Seward Peninsula. The central part of the Yukon Basin is also a region of softwood forests. The rest of Alaska is heath or tundra. Hawaii has extensive forests of bamboo and ferns. Sugarcane and pineapple, although not native to the islands, now cover a large portion of the cultivated land. Small trees and shrubs common to most of the United States include hackberry, hawthorn, serviceberry, blackberry, wild cherry, dogwood, and snowberry. Wildflowers bloom in all areas, from the seldom-seen blossoms of rare desert cacti to the hardiest alpine species. Wildflowers include forget-me-not, fringed and closed gentians, jack-in-the-pulpit, black-eyed Susan, columbine, and common dandelion, along with numerous varieties of aster, orchid, lady’s slipper, and wild rose. An estimated 428 species of mammals characterize the animal life of the continental United States. Among the larger game animals are the white-tailed deer, moose, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, black bear, and grizzly bear. Some 25 important furry species are common, including the muskrat, red and gray Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

foxes, mink, raccoon, beaver, opossum, striped skunk, woodchuck, common cottontail, snowshoe hare, and various squirrels. The American buffalo (bison), millions of which once roamed the plains, is now found only on select reserves. Other mammals, such as the elk and the gray wolf, have been restricted to much smaller ranges. Year-round and migratory birds abound. Loons, wild ducks, and wild geese are found in lake country; terns, gulls, sandpipers, herons, and other seabirds live along the coasts. Wrens, thrushes, owls, hummingbirds, sparrows, woodpeckers, swallows, chickadees, vireos, warblers, and finches appear in profusion, along with the robin, common crow, cardinal, Baltimore oriole, eastern and western meadowlarks, and various blackbirds. Wild turkey, ruffed grouse, and ringnecked pheasant (introduced from Europe) are popular game birds. Lakes, rivers, and streams teem with trout, bass, perch, muskellunge, carp, catfish, and pike; sea bass, cod, snapper, and flounder are abundant along the coasts, along with such shellfish as lobster, shrimp, clams, oysters, and mussels. Garter, pine, and milk snakes are found in most regions. Four poisonous snakes survive, of which the rattlesnake is the most common. Alligators appear in southern waterways, and the Gila monster makes its home in the Southwest.

5


The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), created in 1970, is an independent body with primary regulatory responsibility in the fields of air and noise pollution, water and waste management, and control of toxic substances. Other federal agencies with environmental responsibil241


ities are the Forest Service and Soil Conservation Service within the Department of Agriculture, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service within the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The most influential environmental lobbies include the Sierra Club and its legal arm, the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund. Large conservation groups include the National Wildlife Federation, the National Audubon Society, and the Nature Conservancy. Greenpeace USA has gained international attention by seeking to disrupt hunts for whales and seals. Among the environmental movement’s most notable successes have been the inauguration (and mandating in some states) of recycling programs, the banning in the United States of the insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), the successful fight against construction of a supersonic transport (SST), and the gradual elimination of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) production by 2000. Outstanding problems include acid rain; inadequate facilities for solid-waste disposal; air pollution from industrial emissions; the contamination of homes by radon, a radioactive gas that is produced by the decay of underground deposits of radium and can cause cancer; runoffs of agricultural pesticides; continued dumping of raw or partially treated sewage from major cities into US waterways; and the decrease in arable land because of depletion, erosion, and urbanization. As of November 2005, the US Fish and Wildlife Service listed 997 endangered species, including 68 mammals, 77 birds, 74 fish, and 242

599 plants, and 275 threatened species, including 146 plants.

6

Population

The population of the United States in 2006 was estimated at 301,400,000. The median age of the population increased from 16.7 years in 1820 to 22.9 years in 1900, and to 35.3 years in 2000. The projected population for the year 2025 is at 349,419,000. Population density varies greatly from region to region; the average is 32 persons per square kilometer (80 per square mile). Suburbs have absorbed most of the shift in population distribution since 1950. Approximately 79% of the population lived in urban areas in 2005.

7

Ethnic Groups

The majority of the US population is of European origin, with the largest groups having primary ancestry traceable to the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ireland. Many Americans report multiple ancestries. Major racial and national minority groups include blacks (either of US, African, or Caribbean parentage), Chinese, Filipinos, Japanese, Mexicans, and other Spanishspeaking peoples of the Americas. According to 2006 estimates, about 74% of the US population are white; 12% black and/or African Americans; 4% Asian; and 1% Native Americans (including Alaskan Natives). About 2% of the population claim a mixed ancestry of two or more races. About 11.9% of all US citizens are foreign-born, with the largest numbers of people coming from Latin America (17,973,287) and Asia (9,254,705). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


Groups of Native Americans are most numerous in the southwestern states of Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, and California. A majority of the black population still resides in the South, the region that absorbed most of the slaves brought from Africa in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Many black Americans live in metropolitan areas, notably in Washington, DC; Atlanta; Chicago; Detroit; New Orleans; Newark; Baltimore; and New York City, which has a larger number of black residents than any other city. The Chinese population is highly urbanized, and concentrated particularly in cities of more than 100,000 population, mostly on the west coast and in New York City. Hawaii has been the most popular magnet for Japanese emigration. Hispanics in 2004 made up the largest minority group in the United States, accounting for about 14% of the population. Although Mexicans in the 21st century were still concentrated in the Southwest, they have settled throughout the United States; there are over 25 million Mexicans in the country. Spanish-speaking Puerto Ricans have largely settled in the New York metropolitan area. Since 1959, many Cubans have settled in Florida and other eastern states.

8

Languages

The primary language of the United States is English, enriched by words borrowed from the languages of Indians and immigrants, predominantly European. Spanish is also spoken by a sizable minority. When European settlement began, Indians living north of Mexico spoke about three hundred different languages now grouped into 58 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

different language families. Only two such families have contributed noticeably to the American vocabulary: Algonquian in the Northeast and Aztec-Tanoan in the Southwest. Dialect studies confirm that standard English is not uniform throughout the country. Major regional variations reflect patterns of colonial settlement. Dialectologists recognize three main dialects: Northern, Midland, and Southern. The Northern dialect is that of New England and its derivative settlements in New York; the northern parts of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa; and Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, northeastern South Dakota, and North Dakota. Midland speech extends in a wide band across the United States with two main subdivisions, North Midland and South Midland. North Midland speech extends westward from New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania into Ohio, Illinois, southern Iowa, and northern Missouri. South Midland speech was carried by the ScotchIrish from Pennsylvania down the Shenandoah Valley into the southern Appalachians, where it acquired many Southern speech features before it spread westward into Kentucky, Tennessee, southern Missouri, Arkansas, and northeast Texas. Southern dialect is spoken in the coastal savanna and Piedmont areas from Maryland south, in some areas of Florida, and in the lowlands and coastal areas of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and eastern Texas. In the western part of the United States, migration routes crossed and intermingled so much that no neat dialect boundaries can be drawn, although there are a few rather clear population pockets. The majority of Spanish speakers live in the Southwest, Florida, and eastern urban centers. Refugee immigration since the 1950s has greatly 243


increased the number of foreign-language speakers from Latin America and Asia.

9

Religions

Religious traditions in the United States are predominantly Judeo-Christian. Most Americans identify themselves as Protestants (of various denominations), Roman Catholics, or Jews. As of 2000, over 141 million Americans reported affiliation with a religious group. The largest single Christian denomination is the Roman Catholic Church, with an estimated membership of 66.4 million in 2004. Immigration from Ireland, Italy, Eastern Europe, French Canada, and the Caribbean accounts for the predominance of Roman Catholicism in the Northeast, Northwest, and some parts of the Great Lakes region, while Hispanic traditions and more recent immigration from Mexico and other Latin American countries account for the historical importance of Roman Catholicism in California and throughout most of the sunbelt. More than any other US religious body, the Roman Catholic Church maintains an extensive network of parochial schools. Jewish immigrants settled first in the Northeast, where the largest Jewish population remains. At last estimates, there were approximately 6.1 million Jews living in the United States. According to reported statistics, over 94 million people in the United States report affiliation with a Protestant denomination. Baptists predominate below the Mason-Dixon line and west to Texas. By far the nation’s largest Protestant group, the Southern Baptist Convention, which has about 16.2 million members. The American Baptist Churches claim some 1.4 million mem244

bers. A concentration of Methodist groups extends westward in a band from Delaware to eastern Colorado. The largest of these groups, the United Methodist Church, has about 8.2 million adherents. Lutheran denominations, reflecting in part the patterns of German and Scandinavian settlement, are most highly concentrated in the north-central states, especially Minnesota and the Dakotas. Two Lutheran synods, the Lutheran Church in America and the American Lutheran Church, merged in 1987 to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with more than 5 million adherents in 2004. In June 1983, the two major Presbyterian churches, the northernbased United Presbyterian Church in the USA. and the southern-based Presbyterian Church in the United States, formally merged as the Presbyterian Church (USA), ending a division that began with the Civil War. This group claimed 3.4 million adherents in 2004. Other Protestant denominations and their estimated adherents (2004) include the Episcopal Church, 2,334,000, and the United Church of Christ, 1,331,000. One Christian group, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon), with 5.4 million members (2004), was organized in New York in 1830 and since migrating westward has played a leading role in Utah’s political, economic, and religious life. Notable during the 1970s and early 1980s was a rise in the fundamentalist, evangelical, and Pentecostal movements. In the first half of the 1990s, Pentecostal churches reported 10.2 million adherents, representing more than 6% of the population reporting religious affiliation. Several million Muslims, followers of various Asian religions, a multiplicity of small Protestant Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


groups, and a sizable number of cults also participate in US religious life.

10

Transportation

The United States has well-developed systems of railroads, highways, inland waterways, oil pipelines, and domestic airways. Despite an attempt to encourage more people to travel by train through the development of a national network (Amtrak) in the 1970s, rail transport has continued to experience heavy financial losses. In 2003, there were 227,736 kilometers (141,424 miles) of mainline routes, all standard gauge. In 2000, Amtrak carried 84.1 million passengers. The most widely used form of transportation is the automobile, and the extent and quality of the United States road-transport system are the best in the world. More than 226 million vehicles—a record number—were registered in 2003, including more than 130.8 million passenger cars. In 2000 there were 4,346,068 motorcycles registered as well. The United States has a vast network of public roads, with a total length of approximately 6,393,603 kilometers (3,976,821 miles) in 2003. Major ocean ports or port areas are New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, New Orleans, Houston, and the San Francisco Bay area. The inland port of Duluth, Minnesota on Lake Superior handles more freight than all but the top-ranking ocean ports. In 2005, the United States had a merchant shipping fleet of 486 vessels, each of more than 1,000 gross registered tons (GRT), with a combined GRT of 12,436,658. In 2004, the United States had an estimated 14,857 airports. In 2005, a total of 5,120 had paved runways. As of 2000 the busiest airport Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

was Hartsfield in Atlanta, Georgia, which surpassed O’Hare in Chicago, Illinois. Revenue passengers carried by the airlines in 1940 totaled 2.7 million; by 2003, the figure was estimated at 588.997 million for US domestic and international carriers.

11

History

Origins The first Americans, distant ancestors

of the American Indians, probably crossed the Bering Strait from Asia at least 12,000 years ago. By the time Christopher Columbus came to the New World (as America was known) in 1492, there were probably about two million Native Americans living in the land that was to become the United States. The Spanish established the first permanent settlement at Saint Augustine in the future state of Florida in 1565, and another in New Mexico in 1599. During the early 17th century, the English founded Jamestown in present-day Virginia (1607) and Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts (1620). The Dutch and Swedish also established settlements in the seventeenth century, but the English eventually took over settlement of the East Coast except for Florida, where the Spanish ruled until 1821. The Southwest, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas also were part of the Spanish empire until the 17th century. The American Revolution The colonies enjoyed

a large measure of self-government until the end of the French and Indian War (1745–63), which resulted in the loss of French Canada to the British. To prevent further troubles with the Indians, the British government in 1763 prohib245


ited the American colonists from settling beyond the Appalachian Mountains. The British also enacted a series of tax measures, which the colonists protested, setting off a struggle between colonial and British authority. A series of conflicts led to the colonists’ decision to separate from British rule and set up their own independent government. George Washington was appointed commander in chief of the new American army, and on 4 July 1776, the 13 American colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence. The American Revolution was officially begun. British and American forces met in their first organized encounter near Boston on 17 June 1775. Numerous battles up and down the East Coast followed. The entry of France into the war on the American side eventually tipped the balance. On 19 October 1781, the British commander, Charles Cornwallis, surrendered his army at Yorktown, Virginia. American independence was acknowledged by the British in a treaty of peace signed in Paris on 3 September 1783. The Beginnings of American Government The first constitution uniting the 13 original states— the Articles of Confederation—denied Congress power to raise taxes or regulate commerce, and many of its authorized powers required the approval of a minimum of nine states. In 1787 Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance, providing for the establishment of new territories on the frontier. In that same year, a convention assembled in Philadelphia to revise the articles. The convention adopted an altogether new document, the present Constitution of the United 246

States, which greatly increased the powers of the central government at the expense of the states. This document was ratified by the states with the understanding that it would be amended to include a bill of rights guaranteeing certain fundamental freedoms. These freedoms—including the rights of free speech, a free press, and freedom of assembly, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, and the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury—are assured by the first ten amendments to the constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, adopted on 5 December 1791. The constitution did recognize slavery, and did not provide for universal suffrage. On 30 April 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States. The Federalist Party, to which Washington belonged, was opposed to the French Revolution (1789), while the Democratic-Republicans (an anti-Federalist party led by Thomas Jefferson) supported it. This division of the nation’s leadership was the beginning of the two-party system, which has been the dominant characteristic of the United States political scene ever since. Westward Expansion In 1803, President Thomas

Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from France, including all the present territory of the United States west of the Mississippi drained by that river and its tributaries. Exploration and mapping of the new territory, particularly through the expeditions of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, began almost immediately. To make room for the westward expansion of European American settlement, the federal government in 1817 began a policy of forcibly resettling the Indians. They were moved to what later became known as Indian Territory (now Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


Oklahoma); those Indians not forced to move were restricted to reservations. This “removal” of Native Americans to make way for European American settlement was a form of genocide (the deliberate destruction of a whole race, culture, or group of people). The Missouri Compromise (1820) provided for admission of Missouri into the Union as a slave state but banned slavery in territories to the west that lay north of 36°30´. In 1823, President James Monroe declared the Western Hemisphere closed to further colonization by European powers in a proclamation known as the Monroe Doctrine.

and New Mexico to the growing nation. A dispute with Britain over the Oregon Territory was settled in 1846 by a treaty that established the 49th parallel as the boundary with Canada.

Development

Industry

The Civil War Between December 1860 and

Farming expanded with westward migration. The cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793, greatly simplified cotton production, and the growing textile industry in New England and Great Britain needed a lot of cotton. The South remained an agricultural society based mostly on a one-crop economy. Large numbers of field hands were required for cotton farming, and black slavery became a significant part of the southern economy.

February 1861, the seven states of the Deep South—South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas— withdrew from the Union and formed a separate government. They were known as the Confederate States of America, under the presidency of Jefferson Davis. On 12 April 1861, the Confederates opened fire on Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, beginning the United States Civil War. Arkansas, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee quickly joined the Confederacy.

of

Farming

and

The successful completion of the Erie Canal (1825), linking the Great Lakes with the Atlantic, began a canal-building boom. Railroad building began in earnest in the 1830s, and by 1840 about 5,300 kilometers (3,300 miles) of track had been laid. New States and the Slavery Question In 1836, United States settlers in Texas revolted against Mexican rule and established an independent republic. Texas was admitted to the Union as a state in 1845. War with Mexico over a boundary dispute led in 1848 to the addition of California Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Westward expansion increased the conflict over slavery in the new territories. The KansasNebraska Act of 1854 repealed the Missouri Compromise and left the question of slavery in the territories to be decided by the settlers themselves. Finally, the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency in 1860 led strong supporters of slavery to decide to secede from the United States altogether.

For the next four years, war raged between the Confederate and Union forces, largely in southern territories. An estimated 360,000 men in the Union forces lost their lives, including 110,000 killed in battle. Confederate dead were estimated at 250,000, including 94,000 killed in battle. The North, with more fighters and resources, finally won. With much of the South in Union hands, Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union general Ulysses S. 247


Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia on 9 April 1865. The Post-Civil War Era President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 was the first step in freeing some four million black slaves. Their liberation was completed soon after the war’s end by amendments to the Constitution. Five days after General Lee’s surrender, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. During the Reconstruction era (1865–77), the defeated South was governed by Union Army commanders. The resulting bitterness of southerners toward northern Republican rule, which gave blacks the rights of citizens, including the right to vote, lasted for years afterward. By the end of the Reconstruction era, whites had reestablished their political domination over blacks in the southern states and had begun to enforce rules of segregation that lasted for nearly a century.

Outside the South, the age of big business dawned. Pittsburgh, Chicago, and New York emerged as the nation’s great industrial centers. The American Federation of Labor, founded in 1886, established a nationwide system of organized labor that remained dominant for many decades. During this period, too, the woman’s rights movement began to organize to fight for the right to vote. It took women until 1920 to win their constitutional right of suffrage. The 1890s marked the closing of the United States frontier for settlement and the beginning of United States overseas expansion. (Alaska had already been acquired from Russia for $7.2 million in 1867.) In 1898, at its own request, Hawaii was annexed as a territory by the United States. In the same year, as a result of the Spanish-American War, the United States added 248

the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico to its territories. A newly independent Cuba became virtually a protectorate of the United States until the 1950s. In 1903, the United States leased the Panama Canal Zone and started construction of a 68-kilometer (42-mile) canal, completed in 1914. World War I to World War II United States

involvement in World War I marked the country’s emergence as one of the great powers of the world. By late 1917, when United States troops joined the Allied forces in the fighting on the western front, the European armies were approaching exhaustion. American intervention may well have been a key element in the eventual victory of the Allies. Fighting ended with the armistice (truce) of 11 November 1918. President Woodrow Wilson played an active role in drawing up the 1919 Versailles peace treaty. The 1920s saw a major business boom, followed by the great stock market crash of October 1929, which ushered in the longest and most serious economic depression the country had ever known. The election of Franklin D. Roosevelt, in March 1933, began a new era in United States history, in which the federal government took a much greater role in the nation’s economic affairs. Relief measures were instituted, work projects established, and the federal Social Security program was set up. The National Labor Relations Act established the right of employees’ organizations to bargain collectively with employers. Following German, Italian, and Japanese aggression, World War II broke out in Europe during September 1939. In 1940, Roosevelt, ignoring a tradition dating back to Washington that no president should serve more than two Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


terms, ran again for reelection. He easily defeated his Republican opponent, Wendell Willkie. The United States was brought actively into the war by the Japanese attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii on 7 December 1941. United States forces waged war across the Pacific, in Africa, in Asia, and in Europe. Germany was successfully invaded in 1944 and conquered in May 1945. After the United States dropped the world’s first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the Japanese surrendered in August. Korean War and the Civil Rights Movement

The United States became an active member of the new world organization, the United Nations, during President Harry S. Truman’s administration. In 1949 the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) established a defensive alliance among a number of Western European nations and the United States. Following the North Korean attack on South Korea on 25 June 1950, the United Nations Security Council decided that members of the United Nations should go to the aid of South Korea. United States naval, air, and ground forces were immediately sent by President Truman. An undeclared war followed, which eventually was ended by a truce signed on 27 June 1953. During President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration, the United States Supreme Court’s decision in 1954 outlawed segregation of whites and blacks in public schools. In the early 1960s, sit-ins, freedom rides, and similar expressions of nonviolent resistance by blacks and their sympathizers—known collectively as the Civil Rights Movement—led to the end of some segregation practices. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

In the early 1960s, during the administration of President Eisenhower’s successor, John F. Kennedy, the Cold War heated up as Cuba, under the regime of Fidel Castro, aligned itself with the Soviet Union. In October 1962, President Kennedy successfully forced a showdown with the Soviet Union over Cuba in demanding the withdrawal of Soviet-supplied missiles from the nearby island. On 22 November 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated while riding in a motorcade through Dallas, Texas. Hours later, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was inaugurated president. President Johnson’s ambitious “Great Society” program sought to ensure black Americans’ rights in voting and public housing, to give the underprivileged job training, and to provide persons 65 and over with hospitalization and other medical benefits. The Vietnam War and Watergate In 1965,

President Johnson sent American combat troops into South Vietnam to support anti-communist forces, and he ordered United States bombing raids on communist North Vietnam. However, American military might was unable to defeat the Vietnamese guerrillas, and the American people were badly divided over continuing the undeclared war. Under President Richard M. Nixon (elected in 1968), the increasingly unpopular and costly war continued for four more years before a ceasefire was finally signed on 27 January 1973 and the last American soldiers were withdrawn. Two years later, the South Vietnamese army collapsed, and the North Vietnamese communist regime united the country. In 1972, President Nixon opened up relations with the People’s Republic of China, which had been closed to Westerners 249


since 1949. He also signed a strategic arms limitation agreement with the Soviet Union. (Earlier, in July 1969, American technology had achieved a national triumph by landing the first astronaut on the Moon.) The Watergate scandal began on 17 June 1972 with the arrest of five men associated with Nixon’s reelection campaign. They had been caught during a break-in at Democratic Party headquarters in the Watergate office building in Washington, DC. Although Nixon was reelected in November 1972, further investigations by the press and by a Senate investigating committee revealed a pattern of political “dirty tricks,” including illegal wire-tapping and other methods of spying on his opponents throughout his first term. The House voted to begin impeachment proceedings. On 9 August 1974, Nixon became the first president to resign the office. The American people’s trust in their government leaders was seriously damaged. The Reagan Era Gerald R. Ford was appointed

vice president in October 1973 to succeed ousted Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. Ford became president in August 1974 when Nixon resigned. Less than a month after taking office, President Ford granted a full pardon to Nixon for any crimes he may have committed as president. Ford’s pardon of Nixon probably contributed to his narrow defeat by a Georgia Democrat, Jimmy Carter, in 1976. During 1978–79, President Carter convinced the Senate to pass treaties ending United States sovereignty over the Panama Canal Zone. He also mediated a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, which was signed at the Camp David, Maryland, retreat in September 1978. But an economic recession and a prolonged quarrel with Iran over more than fifty US cit250

izens taken hostage in Tehran on 4 November 1979 caused the American public to doubt his leadership. Exactly a year after the hostages were taken, former California governor Ronald Reagan defeated Carter in the 1980 presidential election. The hostages were released on 20 January 1981, the day of Reagan’s inauguration. President Reagan used his popularity to push through significant policy changes. He made cuts in income taxes and more than doubled the military budget between 1980 and 1989, which also resulted in a doubling of the national debt. In an effort to balance the federal budget, Reagan cut welfare and Medicare benefits, reduced allocations for food stamps, and slashed the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency. Reagan’s appointment of Sandra Day O’Connor as the first woman justice of the Supreme Court was widely praised and won unanimous confirmation from the Senate. Protests were raised, however, about his decisions to help the government of El Salvador in its war against leftist rebels, to aid groups in Nicaragua trying to overthrow the leftist Sandinista government in their country, and to send American troops to Grenada in October 1983 to overthrow a leftist government there. Presidents Bush and Clinton Reagan was suc-

ceeded in 1988 by his vice president, George H. W. Bush. President Bush used his personal relationships with foreign leaders to bring about peace talks between Israel and its Arab neighbors, to encourage a peaceful unification of Germany, and to negotiate significant arms reductions with the Russians. Bush sent 400,000 American soldiers to lead the way in forming a multinational coalition to oppose Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


1990. The multinational forces destroyed Iraq’s main force within seven months. One of the biggest crises that the Bush administration encountered was the collapse of the savings and loan industry in the late 1980s. The federal government was forced by law to rescue the savings and loan banks, under the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (FSLIC), costing taxpayers more than $100 billion. In the 1992 presidential election, Democrat Bill Clinton (b.1946), governor of Arkansas, defeated Bush, winning 43% of the vote to Bush’s 38% and third-party candidate Ross Perot’s 18%. Clinton’s major achievements as president included the passage of a budget designed to raise revenue and thereby lower the deficit, which had ballooned during the Reagan and Bush years. Clinton also persuaded Congress to approve the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which removed or reduced tariffs on most goods moving across the borders of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In the 1994 midterm elections, the Republican Party gained control of both houses of Congress for the first time in more than 40 years. The elections indicated popular disappointment with the Clinton administration and the Democrat-controlled Congress. The nation’s economic recovery from the 1990–91 recession gained strength as the decade advanced, with healthy growth, falling unemployment, and moderate interest rate and inflation levels. Between 1995 and 1997, the value of the stock market increased 60%. Clinton’s faltering popularity rebounded in 1996 when he was reelected, becoming the first Democratic president elected to a second term since Franklin D. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Roosevelt. The Republicans retained control of both houses of Congress, however. In 1994, Attorney General Janet Reno appointed Kenneth Starr to the position of special prosecutor. His job was to investigate allegations of financial wrongdoing by President Clinton and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton. In 1998, the investigation expanded to include testimony related to a previous sexual harassment lawsuit brought against Clinton for actions allegedly taken while he was governor of Arkansas. In the same year, Starr submitted a report to Congress that resulted in the House of Representatives passing four articles of impeachment against President Clinton. In the subsequent trial in the Senate, however, the articles were defeated. In one of the closest and most controversial presidential elections in US history, Republican George W. Bush, son of a former president, was elected after defeating Democrat Vice President Al Gore in the electoral college (Gore won the popular vote). Bush took office on 20 January 2001. On 11 September 2001, nineteen hijackers crashed four passenger aircraft into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center; the Pentagon in Washington, DC; and a field in Stony Creek Township in Pennsylvania. The World Trade Center towers were destroyed. Approximately 3,000 people were confirmed or reported dead as a result of all four 11 September 2001 attacks. The terrorist organization alQaeda, led by Saudi Arabian-born Osama bin Laden, was believed to be responsible for the attacks. On 7 October 2001, the United States and Britain launched air strikes against Afghanistan, a country ruled by the Taliban regime that had sup251


ported the al-Qaeda organization. By December 2001, the Taliban were defeated. Remnants of alQaeda still remained in Afghanistan and the surrounding region, however. As of 2006, US soldiers remained in Afghanistan to suppress efforts by either the Taliban or al-Qaeda to regroup. In December 2001, the energy giant Enron Corporation declared bankruptcy after massive false accounting practices came to light. In June 2002, telecommunications giant WorldCom disclosed that it had hid $3.8 billion in expenses. The fraud led to WorldCom’s bankruptcy, the largest in US history. Throughout 2002, the United States stated that Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq must disarm itself of weapons of mass destruction. In November 2002, United Nations (UN) weapons inspectors returned to Iraq (they had been expelled in 1998), but the United States and the United Kingdom expressed dissatisfaction with inspectors’ progress, and stated that military force might be necessary to remove the Iraqi regime. France, Russia, and Germany, in particular, opposed the use of military force. This disagreement caused a rift between Western democracies. After diplomatic efforts at conflict resolution failed, war began on 19 March 2003. On 9 April, Baghdad fell to US forces, and work began on restoring basic services to the Iraqi population, including providing safe drinking water, electricity, and sanitation. On 1 May, President Bush declared that major combat operations had been completed. On 13 December 2003 Saddam Hussein was found hiding in a hole near his hometown of Tikrit and captured by US forces without resisting; he was tried by an Iraqi court, found guilty, and executed in 2006. 252

US forces increasingly became the targets of attacks in Iraq as an insurgency against the US military presence began. By 2006, more than 2,000 US soldiers had been killed in fighting. A referendum on a new Iraqi constitution was held in October 2005 and national elections were held in December 2005, after which a new Iraqi government was formed. In the 2004 US presidential election, President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney defeated Democratic challengers John Kerry and John Edwards. Bush received approximately 3 million more popular votes than Kerry, and won the electoral vote 286 to 251. The campaign was run on such issues as terrorism, the war in Iraq, the economy, and to a lesser extent issues of morality and values. In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina landed on the Gulf Coast of the United States in what was one of the worst natural disasters in US history. New Orleans felt the heaviest effects of the storm. Levees were breached by the storm surge and water submerged the city. More than 1,000 people died. Over 500,000 people were left homeless and without jobs.

12

Federal Government

The Constitution of the United States, signed in 1787, is the nation’s governing document. In the first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791 and known as the Bill of Rights, certain individual rights are guaranteed to United States citizens. In all, there have been 27 amendments to the Bill of Rights, including the 13th Amendment (1865), which banned slavery, and the 19th (1920), which gave women the right to vote. Suffrage is universal beginning at the age of 18, as set by the 26th Amendment (1971). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


The United States has a federal form of government, with the distribution of powers between federal and state governments constitutionally defined. The legislative powers of the federal government rest in Congress, which consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are 435 members of the House of Representatives. Each state is given a number of representatives in proportion to its population. Representatives are elected to serve two-year terms in every even-numbered year. The Senate consists of two senators from each state, elected to six-year terms. One-third of the Senate is elected in every even-numbered year. A bill that is passed by both houses of Congress in the same form is then given to the president, who may sign it or veto (reject) it. The president must have been born in the United States, at least 35 years old, and a resident of the United States for 14 years. Under the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 1951, a president may not be elected more than twice. The vice president, elected at the same time and on the same ballot as the president, serves as president pro tem of the Senate. The vice president assumes the power and duties of the presidency on the president’s removal from office or as a result of the president’s death, resignation, or inability to perform his duties. Both the president and the vice president can be removed from office after impeachment by the House and conviction at a Senate trial for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” The president nominates and, with the approval of the Senate, appoints ambassadors, consuls, and all federal judges, including the justices of the Supreme Court. As commander in chief, the president is ultimately responsible Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

for the management of the land, naval, and air forces, but the power to declare war belongs to Congress. The president conducts foreign relations and makes treaties with the advice and consent of the Senate. No treaty is binding unless it wins the approval of two-thirds of the Senate, however. The president’s independence also is limited by the House of Representatives, where all funding (appropriations) bills originate. The president also appoints his cabinet, subject to Senate confirmation. The cabinet consists of the secretaries who head the departments of the executive branch. As of 2006, the executive branch included the following cabinet departments: Agriculture (created in 1862), Commerce (1913), Defense (1947), Education (1980), Energy (1977), Health and Human Services (1980), Housing and Urban Development (1965), Interior (1849), Justice (1870), Labor (1913), State (1789), Transportation (1966), Treasury (1789), Veterans’ Affairs (1989), and Homeland Security (2002). Each state is divided into counties, municipalities, and special districts such as those for water, education, sanitation, highways, parks, and recreation. There are more than 3,000 counties in the United States and more than 19,000 municipalities, including cities, villages, towns, and boroughs.

13

Political Parties

Two major parties, Democratic and Republican, have dominated national, state, and local politics since 1860. Minority parties have been formed at various periods in American political history, but none has had any lasting national impact. The most successful minority party in recent decades was that of Texas billionaire Ross Perot in 1992. 253


Independent candidates have been elected to state and local office, but no candidate has won the presidency without major party backing. Traditionally, the Republican Party is more sympathetic to business interests and gets greater support from business than does the Democratic Party. A majority of blue-collar workers, by contrast, have generally supported the Democratic Party, which favors more lenient labor laws, particularly as they affect labor unions. Republicans promote private business and an increased role for state government, while Democrats generally support greater federal government participation and regulatory authority. In 1984, Geraldine A. Ferraro, a Democrat, became the first female vice-presidential nominee of a major United States political party. Also in 1984, presidential candidate Jesse L. Jackson was the first black ever to win a plurality in a state primary election. The 2004 presidential election was won by incumbent George W. Bush and his running mate Dick Cheney. They defeated Democrats John Kerry and John Edwards. Bush received 286 electoral votes, Kerry 251, and Edwards 1 when an elector wrote the name “John Edwards” in on the electoral ballot. Bush received a majority of the popular vote—50.73% to Kerry’s 48.27%— or 3 million more votes than Kerry. Voter turnout was the highest since 1968, at 64%. The composition of the 109th Congress after the 2004 election was as follows: 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and 1 Independent in the Senate; and 232 Republicans, 202 Democrats, and 1 Independent in the House of Representatives. Following the 2002 mid-term election, Nancy Pelosi became the Democratic Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, the first woman 254

to head either party in Congress. In the 109th Congress (2005–06), there were 68 women, 42 African Americans, 26 Hispanics, 6 Asians or Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders ethnicity, and 1 Native American in the House of Representatives. There were 14 women, 1 African American, 2 Hispanics, and 2 Asians or Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders ethnicity in the Senate.

14

Local Government

Governmental units within each state comprise counties, municipalities, and such special districts as those for water, sanitation, highways, and parks. and recreation. There are more than 3,000 counties in the United States; more than 19,000 municipalities, including cities, villages, towns, and boroughs; nearly 15,000 school districts; and at least 31,000 special districts. Additional townships, authorities, commissions, and boards make up the rest of the nearly 85,000 local governmental units. The 50 states are autonomous within their own spheres of government, and their autonomy is defined in broad terms by the 10th Amendment to the US Constitution. That amendment reserves to the states such powers as are not granted to the federal government and not denied to the states. The states may not, among other restrictions, issue paper money, conduct foreign relations, impair the obligations of contracts, or establish a government that is not republican in form. Subsequent amendments to the Constitution and many Supreme Court decisions added to the restrictions placed on the states. The 13th Amendment prohibited the states from legalizing the ownership of one person by another (slavery); the 14th Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


State Areas, Entry Dates, and Populations ORDER OF ENTRY

STATE

CAPITAL

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut* Delaware* Florida Georgia* Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland* Massachusetts* Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire* New Jersey* New Mexico New York* North Carolina* North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania* Rhode Island* South Carolina* South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia* Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Montgomery Juneau Phoenix Little Rock Sacramento Denver Hartford Dover Tallahassee Atlanta Honolulu Boise Springfield Indianapolis Des Moines Topeka Frankfort Baton Rouge Augusta Annapolis Boston Lansing St. Paul Jackson Jefferson City Helena Lincoln Carson City Concord Trenton Santa Fe Albany Raleigh Bismarck Columbus Oklahoma City Salem Harrisburg Providence Columbia Pierre Nashville Austin Salt Lake City Montpelier Richmond Olympia Charleston Madison Cheyenne

22 49 48 25 31 38 5 1 27 4 50 43 21 19 29 34 15 18 23 7 6 26 32 20 24 41 37 36 9 3 47 11 12 39 17 46 33 2 13 8 40 16 28 45 14 10 42 35 30 44

DATE OF ENTRY 14 December 1819 3 January 1959 14 February 1912 15 June 1836 9 September 1850 1 August 1876 9 January 1788 7 December 1787 3 March 1845 2 January 1788 21 August 1959 3 July 1890 3 December 1818 11 December 1816 28 December 1846 29 January 1861 1 June 1792 30 April 1812 15 March 1820 28 April 1788 6 February 1788 26 January 1837 11 May 1858 10 December 1817 10 August 1821 8 November 1889 1 March 1867 31 October 1864 21 June 1788 18 December 1787 6 January 1912 26 July 1788 21 November 1789 2 November 1889 1 March 1803†† 16 November 1907 14 February 1859 12 December 1787 29 May 1790 23 May 1788 2 November 1889 1 June 1796 29 December 1845 4 January 1896 4 March 1791 25 June 1788 11 November 1889 20 June 1863 29 May 1848 10 July 1890

POPULATION AT ENTRY

CENSUS 1990

CENSUS 2000

127,901 226,167 204,354 57,574 92,597 39,864 237,946 59,096 87,445 82,548 632,772 88,548 55,211 147,178 192,214 107,206 73,677 76,556 298,335 319,728 378,787 212,267 172,023 75,448 66,586 142,924 122,993 42,491 141,885 184,139 327,301 340,120 393,751 190,983 43,365 657,155 52,465 434,373 68,825 393,751 348,600 35,691 212,592 276,749 85,425 747,610 357,232 442,014 305,391 62,555

4,040,587 550,043 3,665,228 2,350,725 29,760,021 3,294,394 3,287,116 666,168 12,937,926 6,478,316 1,108,229 1,006,749 11,430,602 5,544,159 2,776,755 2,477,574 3,685,296 4,219,973 1,227,928 4,781,468 6,016,425 9,295,297 4,375,099 2,573,216 5,117,073 799,065 1,578,385 1,201,833 1,109,252 7,730,188 1,515,069 17,990,455 6,628,637 638,800 10,847,115 3,145,585 2,842,321 11,003,464 1,003,464 3,486,703 696,004 4,877,185 16,986,510 1,722,850 562,758 6,187,358 4,866,692 1,793,477 4,891,769 453,588

4,447,100 626,932 5,130,632 2,673,400 33,871,648 4,301,261 3,405,565 783,600 15,982,378 8,186,453 1,211,537 1,293,953 12,419,293 6,080,485 2,926,324 2,688,418 4,041,769 4,468,976 1,274,923 5,296,486 6,349,097 9,938,444 4,919,479 2,844,658, 5,595,211 902,195 1,711,263 1,998,257 1,235,786 8,414,350 1,819,046 18,976,457 8,049,313 642,200 11,353,140 3,450,654 3,421,399 12,281,054 1,048,319 4,012,012 754,844 5,689,283 20,851,820 2,233,169 608,827 7,078,515 5,894,121 1,808,344 5,363,675 493,782

†Census closest to entry date. ††Date fixed in 1953 by congressional resolution. *One of original 13 colonies.


255


Amendment deprived the states of their power to determine qualifications for citizenship; the 15th Amendment prohibited the states from denying the right to vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude; and the 19th, from denying the vote to women.

15

Judicial System

The Supreme Court, established by the United States Constitution, is the nation’s highest judicial body, consisting of the chief justice of the United States and eight associate justices. All justices are appointed for life by the president with the approval of the Senate. The Supreme Court acts as an appeals court for federal district courts, circuit courts of appeal, and the highest courts in the states. The Supreme Court also exercises the power of judicial review, determining the constitutionality of any state laws, state constitutions, congressional statutes, and federal regulations that are specifically challenged. The United States Congress establishes all federal courts lower than the Supreme Court. On the lowest level and handling the most federal cases are the district courts-including one each in Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the District of Columbia. District courts have no appeals jurisdiction; their decisions may be carried to the courts of appeal, which are organized into thirteen circuits. For most cases, this is usually the last stage of appeal, except where the court rules that a statute of a state conflicts with the Constitution of the United States, with federal law, or with a treaty. Special federal courts include the Court of Claims, Court of Customs and Patent Appeals, and Tax Court. 256

State courts operate independently of the federal judiciary. Most states have a court system that begins on the lowest level with a justice of the peace, and includes courts of general trial jurisdiction and appeals courts. At the highest level of the system is a state supreme court. The court of trial jurisdiction (sometimes called the county or superior court) has both original and appeals jurisdiction; all criminal cases and some civil cases are tried in this court. The state supreme court interprets the constitution and the laws of the state.

16

Migration

In 2002, a total of 1,063,732 immigrants entered the United States. About 342,099 were from Asia, 404,437 were from North America, 74,506 were from South America, 174,209 from Europe, 60,269 from Africa, and 5,557 from Oceania. The highest number of immigrants from a single country in 2002 came from Mexico (219,380). Since 1961, the federal government has supported and financed the Cuban Refugee Program. More than 500,000 Cubans were living in southern Florida by 1980. By 1990, 4% of Florida’s population was of Cuban descent. About 169,322 Cubans arrived between 1991 and 2000, and 27,520 arrived in 2002. Between 1975 and 1978, following the defeat of the US-backed Saigon (Vietnam) government, several hundred thousand Vietnamese refugees came to the United States. Under the Refugee Act of 1980, a ceiling for the number of admissible refugees is set annually. In 2002, the ceiling for refugees was 70,000. The population of refugees, asylees (persons granted political asylum), resettled refugees, and asylum-seekers with Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


pending claims was estimated at 5,250,954 in June 2003. During the same year, the newly formed Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS—formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service, or INS) received 66,577 applications for asylum. The United Nations reports that the United States is the leading destination of refugees, accounting for 63% of all resettlement worldwide. Large numbers of aliens—mainly from Latin America, especially Mexico—have illegally established residence in the United States after entering the country as tourists, students, or temporary visitors engaged in work or business. In November 1986, Congress passed a bill allowing illegal aliens who had lived and worked in the United States since 1982 the opportunity to become permanent residents. By the end of fiscal year 1992, 2,650,000 of a potential 2,760,000 eligible for permanent residence under this bill had attained that status. As of 2002, an estimated 33.1 million immigrants (legal and illegal) lived in the United States. Of this total, the Census Bureau estimated in 2000 that 8 to 9 million of them were illegal alien residents. Since Puerto Ricans are American citizens, no special authorization is required for their admission to the continental United States. The estimated net migration rate in 2005 was 3.31 migrants per 1,000 population.

17

Economy

The United States probably has a greater variety and quantity of natural resources than any other nation, with the possible exception of Russia. Because of its vast economic growth, however, the United States has come to depend increasingly on foreign sources for a long list of raw Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

materials. American dependence on oil imports was dramatically demonstrated during the 1973 Arab oil embargo, when serious fuel shortages developed in many sections of the country. Industrial activity within the United States expanded southward and westward for much of the 20th century, with the most rapid expansion occurring since World War II. Louisiana, Oklahoma, and especially Texas are centers of industries based on petroleum refining; aerospace and other high-technology industries are the basis of the new wealth of Texas and California, the nation’s leading manufacturing state. The industrial heartland of the United States consists of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, with steelmaking and automobile manufacturing among the leading industries. The Middle Atlantic states (New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) and the Northeast also are highly industrialized. In 2005 unemployment stood at 5.1%. It had fallen steadily through the 1990s, but then crept up. Inflation is an ever-present factor in the United States economy, although the United States’ inflation rate, estimated at 4% in 2005, tends to be lower than that of the majority of industrialized countries. National income per person stood at $41,800 in 2005, and the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) was $12.4 trillion. By 2000, stock market growth, which had soared in the 1990s, had slowed somewhat. Balanced-budget legislation was passed in 1997. The lawmakers wanted to balance the federal budget by 2002, for the first time since 1969. In early 2001, the government projected a budget surplus of $275 billion for that year. That projection would soon be reversed, however. 257


At the beginning of the 21st century, significant economic concerns included the nation’s sizable trade deficit, the increasing medical costs of an aging population, and the failure of the strong economy to improve conditions for the poor. Since 1975, gains in household income have been experienced almost solely by the top 20% of households. Economic growth came to a standstill in the middle of 2001, largely due to the end of the long investment boom, especially in the information technology sector. The economy was in recession in the second half of 2001, affecting both the manufacturing and service sectors. The 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States worsened the poor economic situation. The US economy, which had driven global growth during the 1990s, became the cause of a worldwide recession, dragging down the rest of North America, Europe, Japan, and the developing economies of Latin America and Southeast Asia, which are strongly influenced by trends in the US economy. The economy began to recover slowly in 2002, however, with GDP growth estimated at 2.45%. Nevertheless, domestic confidence in the economy remained low; coupled with major corporate failures (including Enron and WorldCom) and additional stock market declines, the recovery remained sluggish and uneven. Growth slowed at the end of 2002 and into 2003, and the unemployment rate rose to 6.3% in July 2003. Following the 2003 war in Iraq, consumer spending rebounded, as did stock prices; the housing market remained strong; inflation was low; additional tax cuts were passed; there was an easing of oil prices; and productivity growth 258

was strong. As a result of these factors, many analysts predicted the coming of a more favorable economic climate. Nevertheless, in 2003, the federal budget deficit was projected to reach $455 billion, the largest deficit on record. The American economy grew at a rate of 4.3% in the fall of 2005, despite the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed much of the port city of New Orleans and closed down a large portion of the energy industry. But the relatively fast-growing economy had a shaky foundation. Oil prices were at their highest level since the early 1980s; the inflation rate was at its highest level since 1991; wage growth was sluggish; and the jobs market was lagging the recovery. Consumer spending was increasingly tied to prices in the over-inflated housing market. The government ran a deficit of $412 billion in 2004, or 3.6% of GDP.

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Income

In 2005 the United States’ gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at $12.4 trillion, or $41,800 per person. The annual growth rate of GDP was estimated at 3.2%. The average inflation rate in late 2005 was above 4%.

19

Industry

Although the United States remains one of the world’s top industrial powers, manufacturing no longer plays as dominant a role in the economy as it once did. Between 1979 and 1998, manufacturing employment fell from 20.9 million to 18.7 million, or from 21.8% to 14.8% of national employment. Throughout the 1960s, manufacturing accounted for about 29% of total national income; by 1993, the proporJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


tion was down to about 18%. In 2004, industry accounted for 20% of national income. That year, 22.7% of the labor force was engaged in manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts. The Midwest leads all other regions in heavy industry, including the manufacturing of automobiles, trucks, and other vehicles. Leading manufacturing industries of durable goods include nonelectrical machinery, electric and electronic equipment, motor vehicles and equipment, and other transportation equipment. The principal manufacturing industries of nondurable goods are chemicals and allied products, food, printing and publishing, and petroleum and coal products. Large corporations are dominant, especially in areas such as steel, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, aircraft, petroleum refining, computers, soaps and detergents, tires, and communications equipment. Advances in chemistry and electronics have revolutionized many industries through new products and methods. Industries that have been best able to make use of new technology have done well, and the economies of some states, particularly California and Massachusetts, are largely based on it. In the 1980s and 1990s, the United States was the world leader in computer manufacturing. At the beginning of the 21st century, however, the high-tech manufacturing industry registered a decline. Employment in high-technology manufacturing fell by 415,000 jobs from January 2001 to December 2002. Semiconductor manufacturing had been migrating out of the United States to East Asian countries, especially China, Taiwan, and Singapore. Also, certain industries—such as clothing and steelmaking—have suffered from outmoded Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

manufacturing facilities that force the price of their products above the world market level. Automobile manufacturing was an ailing industry in the 1980s, but rebounded slightly in the 1990s. Passenger car production, which had fallen from 7.1 million in 1987 to 5.4 million in 1991, rose to more than 12 million by 2003.

20

Labor

The country’s civilian labor force, including those who were unemployed, totaled 149.3 million in 2005. The unemployment rate was 5.1% that year. Of the total work force in 2005, farming, fishing, and forestry accounted for 0.7% of the labor force, with manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts at 22.9%, managerial, professional, and technical workers at 34.7%, sales and office workers at 25.4%, and other services at 16.3%. Earnings of workers vary considerably with the type of work and the section of country. In 2003, the national average wage was $15.27 per hour for nonagricultural workers. Workers in manufacturing had a national average wage of $15.64. In 2002, 13.2% of wage and salary workers were union members—16.1 million US citizens belonged to a union that year. In 2002, there were 34 national labor unions that each claimed more than 100,000 members, the largest being the National Education Association, with 2.7 million members. The most important federation of organized workers in the United States is the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), whose affiliated unions had 13 million members as of 2003. As of 2003, however, 23 states had passed right-to-work laws, forbidding forced union membership as a condition of employment. 259


21

Agriculture

In 2004, agricultural exports reached $63.9 billion. Less than 2% of the population lives on farms. Arable land amounted to approximately 18% of the total. Substantial quantities of corn, the most valuable crop produced in the United States, are grown in almost every state. Annual production of selected US crops in 2004 included approximately 58.7 million tons of wheat, 299.9 million tons of corn, 10.5 million tons of rice, 85 million tons of soybeans, 5.1 million tons of cotton, and 398,800 tons of tobacco. The United States produces about 40% of the world supply of corn and 46% of the world supply of soybeans.

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The livestock population in 2005 included an estimated 95.8 million head of cattle, 60.6 million hogs, and 6.1 million sheep and lambs. That year, there were 1.9 billion chickens and 88 million turkeys. Milk production totaled 80.1 million metric tons in 2005, with Wisconsin, California, and New York together accounting for much of the total. Wisconsin, Minnesota, and California account for more than half of all US butter production, which totaled 608,900 metric tons in 2001. In that year, the United States was the world’s largest producer of cheese, with almost 4.5 million metric tons (24% of the world’s total). The United States produced an estimated 15% of the world meat supply in 2005. Also in 2005, meat animals accounted for $4.97 billion in exports and dairy and egg exports were valued at $1.17 billion. 260

23

Fishing

The 2003 commercial catch was 5.48 million tons. Food fish made up 80% of the catch, and nonfood fish, processed for fertilizer and oil, made up the remaining 20%. Alaska pollock, with landings of 1,524,904 tons, was the most important species in quantity among the commercial fishery landings. Other leading species included Gulf menhaden, Atlantic menhaden, Pacific cod, North Pacific hake, and American cupped oyster. In 2003, exports of fish products totaled $3.398 billion (fourth after China, Thailand, and Norway). Aquacultural production consists mostly of catfish, oysters, trout, and crayfish. In 2004, there were 1,147 catfish and 601 trout farms in the United States, with sales of $425 million and $64 million, respectively. Pollution is a problem of increasing concern to the US fishing industry. Dumping of raw sewage, industrial wastes, spillage from oil tankers, and blowouts of offshore wells are the main threats to the fishing grounds. Overfishing is also a threat to the viability of the industry in some areas, especially Alaska.

24

Forestry

US forestland covers about 226 million hectares (558.4 million acres), or 25% of the land area. Major forest regions include the eastern, central hardwood, southern, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific coast areas. National Forest Service lands account for approximately 19% of the nation’s forestland. Extensive tracts of land are under ownership of private lumber companies in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Oregon, and Washington. From 1990 to 2000, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


forested area increased by an average of 38,000 hectares (93,900 acres) per year. Domestic production of roundwood during 2004 amounted to 458.3 million cubic meters (16.2 billion cubic feet), of which softwoods accounted for roughly 60%. Other forest products in 2004 included 54.3 million metric tons of wood pulp, 83.6 million metric tons of paper and paperboard (excluding newsprint), and 44.2 million cubic meters (1.56 billion cubic feet) of wood-based panels. Federal timberlands are no longer open for private acquisition, although the lands can be leased for timber cutting and for grazing. In recent decades, the state governments also have moved in the direction of retaining forestlands and adding to their holdings when possible.

25

Mining

Rich in a variety of mineral resources, the United States is a world leader in the production of many important mineral commodities, such as aluminum, cement, copper, pig iron, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, potash, salt, sulfur, uranium, and zinc. The leading mineral-producing states are Arizona (copper, sand and gravel, portland cement, molybdenum); California (portland cement, sand and gravel, gold, boron); Michigan (iron ore, portland cement, sand and gravel, magnesium compounds); Georgia (clays, crushed and broken stone, portland and masonry cement, sand and gravel); Florida (phosphate rock, crushed and broken stone, portland cement, sand and gravel); Utah (copper, gold, magnesium metal, sand and gravel); Texas (portland cement, crushed and broken stone, magnesium metal, sand and gravel); and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Minnesota (iron ore, construction and industrial sand and gravel, crushed and broken stone). Oklahoma and New Mexico are important for petroleum and natural gas, and Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania are major coal producers. Iron ore supports the nation’s most basic nonagricultural industry: iron and steel manufacturing. The major domestic sources of iron ore have been in the Lake Superior area, with Minnesota and Michigan leading all other states in iron ore yields.

26

Energy and Power

The United States, with about 5% of the world’s population, consumes about 25% of the world’s energy. Conventional thermal sources from fossil fuels provided the greatest share of energy consumed in 2001: coal supplied 23%, natural gas 23%, and petroleum 39%. The rest was supplied by nuclear power, hydroelectric power, and renewable energy sources including geothermal, wind, photovoltaic, and wood and waste. In 2003, US coal production was an estimated 1.1 billion short tons. Natural gas production was 68.244 billion cubic meters (24.1 trillion cubic feet), and oil production was 7.4 million barrels per day. Proven reserves of crude oil totaled an estimated 29.4 billion barrels in 2003. Reserves of natural gas were about 5.29 trillion cubic meters (186.9 trillion cubic feet) that year, equal to more than 3% of the world’s proven reserves. Recoverable coal reserves amounted to around 246.6 billion tons at the end of 2004, more than 20% of the world’s total. Petroleum imports stood at 12.3 million barrels per day in 2003. By the mid-1990s, the nuclear portion of electricity generation represented about 20% 261


of the nation’s total electric power output. The number of nuclear power plants in operation peaked at 112 units in 1990, but had declined to 104 by 2002. In 2003, output by nuclear power generating plants had dropped to 98.794 million kilowatt hours. In the 1980s, the federal government began to promote such energy conservation measures as mandatory automobile fuel-efficiency standards and tax incentives for home insulation. The government also lifted controls on oil and gas prices, in the hope that a rise in domestic costs to world-market levels would provide a powerful economic incentive for consumers to conserve fuel. Also during the 1980s, increasing attention was paid to the development of solar power, synthetic fuels, geothermal resources, and other renewable energy technologies. In 2001 the United States had 1,694 megawatts of installed wind power.

27

Commerce

Total retail sales for 2004 were $3.5 trillion. Total e-commerce sales were estimated at $69.2 billion, an increase of 23.5% over 2003. The growth of great chains of retail stores, particularly in the form of the supermarket, was an important development in retail trade following the end of World War II. Nearly 100,000 singleunit grocery stores went out of business between 1948 and 1958; the independent grocer’s share of the food market dropped from 50% to 30% of the total in the same period. With the great suburban expansion of the 1960s emerged the planned shopping center. Between 1974 and 2000, the square footage occupied by shopping centers in the United States grew at a far greater rate than the nation’s population. 262

28

Public Finance

Under the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, the president is responsible for preparing the federal government budget. In fact, the budget is prepared by the Office of Management and Budget (established in 1970). The president submits a budget message to Congress in January. Under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Congress establishes targets for overall expenditures and broad functional categories, as well as targets for revenues, the budget deficit, and the public debt. The fiscal year runs from 1 October to 30 September. The public debt, subject to a statutory debt limit, has been raised by Congress 70 times since 1950. The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) estimated that in 2005 the United States’ central government took in revenues of approximately $2.1 trillion and had expenditures of $2.4 trillion. Revenues minus expenditures totaled approximately $-347 billion. Public debt in 2005 amounted to 64.7% of GDP. Total external debt was $8.837 trillion.

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Taxation

Measured as a proportion of the GDP, the total US tax burden is less than that in most industrialized countries. The greatest source of revenue for the federal government is the personal income tax, which is paid by citizens and resident aliens on their worldwide income. The main state-level taxes are sales and income taxes. The main local taxes are property and local income taxes. The United States has a progressive personal income tax structure that as of 2004, had a top rate of 35%. Individuals may also be subject to inheritance and gift taxes, as well as state and Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


local income taxes, all of which vary from stateto-state and locality-to-locality. Capital gains from assets held for under a year (short term) are taxed at higher rates than gains derived from assets held for more than a year (long term). Long term capital gains for individuals are taxed at a 15% rate, while those individuals who fall into lower-income tax brackets would be subject to a 5% rate.

30

Health

The US health care system is among the most advanced in the world, but escalating health care costs and lack of insurance leave many with inadequate care. As of 2006, some 46 million people, or 16% of the population, were without health insurance coverage. The percentage among the nation’s poor was much higher (roughly one-third). In response to rising costs, the popularity of managed care grew rapidly in the 1990s. By 2000, 59% of the population was insured by either an HMO (health maintenance organization) or PPO (preferred provider organization). In such organizations, medical treatment, laboratory tests, and other health services for each patient are subject to the approval of the insurer before they can be covered. From 1987 to 1996, enrollment in HMOs doubled. By the end of the decade, however, the quality of treatment under managed care organizations was coming under increased scrutiny. Life expectancy for someone born in 2005 was 77.71 years. In 2005, infant mortality was 6.5 per 1,000 live births. The birth rate in 2002 was 14.1 per 1,000 people. Leading causes of death in 2006 were heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular diseases Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

such as stroke, chronic lower respiratory diseases, accidents, diabetes mellitus, pneumonia and influenza, Alzheimer’s disease, suicide, and homicide. Cigarette smoking, which has been linked to heart and lung disease, has decreased overall since the late 1980s. There were a cumulative total of 750,000 acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases in the 1980s and 1990s, with 450,000 deaths from the disease. In the latter 1990s, both incidence and mortality decreased with the introduction of new drug combinations to combat the disease. In 2004, the number of people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS was estimated at 950,000, with the number of deaths from AIDS that year estimated at 14,000. As of 2000, 64% of Americans were reported to be either overweight or obese, with around 20% categorized as obese. Medical facilities in the United States included 5,810 hospitals in 2000. As of 2004, there were an estimated 230 physicians, 773 nurses, 59 dentists, and 69 pharmacists per 100,000 people. National health care spending reached $1 trillion in 1996 and was projected to reach $1.9 trillion in 2006.

31

Housing

The housing resources of the United States far exceed those of any other country, with 122,671,734 housing units serving about 109,902,090 households, according to 2004 American Community Survey estimates. About 67% of all units were owner-occupied, with about 10% of the total housing stock standing vacant. The average household had 2.6 people. The median home value was $151,366. The 263


median payment for rent and utilities of rental properties was $694 per month. About 3.5 million people experience temporary or prolonged periods of homelessness each year. Following World War II, new housing was constructed at a record-breaking pace; 1986 was the 38th successive year during which construction of more than one million housing units was begun. Most dwellings are one-family houses. Perhaps the most significant change in the housing scene has been the shift to the suburbs that was made possible by the widespread ownership of automobiles. Houses being built in the 1990s and 2000s were significantly larger than those built in the 1970s.

32

Education

Education is compulsory in all states, and it is considered to be a responsibility of each state and the local government. Generally, formal schooling begins at the age of 6 and continues up to age 17 or 18. Each state specifies the age and circumstances for compulsory attendance. Public schools are controlled and supported by the local authorities, as well as state or federal governmental agencies. Private schools are controlled and supported by religious or private organizations. Primary schooling is from grades one through eight. High schools (secondary) cover grades 9 through 12. The enrollment rate of three- to five-yearolds in preprimary schools was 58% in 2003. Approximately 92% of primary-school-aged children enroll in school, while 87% of those eligible attend secondary school. Pupil-teacher ratios average 15 to 1. Colleges include junior or community colleges, which offer two-year associate degrees; reg264

ular four-year colleges and universities; and graduate or professional schools. There are approximately 3,600 higher-education institutions. In 2003, it was estimated that about 83% of the tertiary (post-secondary school) age population were enrolled in tertiary education programs. The adult illiteracy rate has been estimated at about 1% for both men and women.

33

Arts

The nation’s arts centers are emblems of the importance of the performing arts in US life. New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, whose first concert hall opened in 1962, is now the site of the Metropolitan Opera House, three halls for concerts and other musical performances, two theaters, the New York Public Library’s Library and Museum of the Performing Arts, and The Juilliard School. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, opened in 1971; it comprises two main theaters, two smaller theaters, an opera house and a concert hall. The New York Philharmonic, founded in 1842, and conducted by Lorin Maazel as of in 2002, is the nation’s oldest professional musical ensemble. Other leading orchestras include those of Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington, DC’s National Symphony. Particularly renowned for artistic excellence are the Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Opera Company of Boston, Santa Fe Opera, New York City Opera, and Metropolitan Opera. The recording industry is an integral part of the music world. The US accounts for fully onethird of the global total of $40 billion in sales. Popular music (mostly rock), performed in halls Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


and arenas in every major city and on college campuses throughout the US, dominates record sales. In 2000, the Internet website Napster challenged the recording industry’s copyright privileges by offering free downloads of popular music. Though still financially insecure, dance still has a wide following. The American Ballet Theater, founded in 1940, is the nation’s oldest dance company still active today; the New York City Ballet is equally acclaimed. Other important companies include those of Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor, and Twyla Tharp, as well as the Feld Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and Pilobolus. Drama remains a principal performing art, not only in New York City’s renowned theater district but also in regional, university, summer, and dinner theaters throughout the US. Television and the motion picture industry have made film the dominant modern medium. The motion picture industry had receipts of $7.5 billion in 1999.

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The American Library Association has reported that, as of 2004, there were an estimated 117,664 libraries in the country, including 9,211 public libraries (with over 16,500 buildings), 3,527 academic libraries, 93,861 school libraries, 9,526 special libraries, 314 armed forces libraries, and 1,225 government libraries. The largest library in the country and the world is the Library of Congress, with holdings of over 130 million items, including 29 million books and other printed materials, 2.7 million recordings, 12 million photographs, 4.8 million maps, and 58 million manuscripts. The Library Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

of Congress serves as the national library and the site of the US Copyright Office. The country’s vast public library system is administered primarily by municipalities. The largest of these is the New York Public Library system with 89 branch locations and over 42.7 million items, including 14.9 million bound volumes. Other major public library systems include the Cleveland Public Library (over 9.7 million items), Los Angeles County Public Library (over 9.6 million items, 8.7 million books), the Chicago Public Library (6.5 million), the Boston Public Library system (6.1 million books, including 1.2 million rare books and manuscripts), and the Free Library of Philadelphia (6 million items). There are over 5,000 nonprofit museums in the United States. The Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, sponsors 18 national museums and the National Zoo. Sixteen of the Smithsonian national museums are located in the Smithsonian complex of Washington, DC. Other eminent US museums include the American Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Collection of American Art, the Frick Collection, and the Brooklyn Museum, all in New York City; the Boston Museum of Fine Arts; the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Museum of Natural History; the Franklin Institute and Philadelphia Museum of Art, both in Philadelphia; and the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum in San Francisco. Also of prominence are the Cleveland Museum of Art, the St. Louis Museum of Art, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. 265


35

Communications

The Post Office Department of the United States was replaced on 1 July 1971 by the US Postal Service, a financially autonomous federal agency. Numerous privately owned overnight mail and package delivery services also have been established. All major electronic communications systems are privately owned but regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. The United States uses wire and radio services for communications more extensively than any other country in the world. Radio serves a variety of purposes other than broadcasting. It is widely used by ships and aircraft for safety, and it has become an important tool in the movement of buses, trucks, and taxicabs. Forest conservators, fire departments, and the police all use radio as a necessary aid to operations. In 1999 broadcasting stations on the air comprised more than 10,000 radio stations (both AM and FM) and more than 1,500 television stations. Nearly 1,000 stations were affiliated with the 5 major networks. As of 1997, the United States had some 9,000 cable television systems. In 2003, there were an estimated 2,109 radios and 938 television sets for every 1,000 people. About 255 of every 1,000 people were cable subscribers. Also in 2003, there were 658.9 personal computers for every 1,000 people and 630 of every 1,000 people had access to the Internet. There were 198,098 secure Internet servers in the country in 2004.

36

Press

In 2005, there were more than 1,500 daily newspapers in the United States. Twenty large 266

newspaper chains account for almost 60% of the total daily circulation. The US daily newspapers with the largest circulations as of 2004 were as follows: USA Today, (national) 2,220,863; Wall Street Journal, (national) 2,106,774; New York Times, (New York) 1,121,057; Los Angeles Times, (CA) 902,164; New York Daily News, (NY) 715,052; Washington Post, (Washington, DC) 707,690; New York Post, (NY) 686,207; Chicago Tribune, (Illinois) 600,988; Houston Chronicle, (TX), 554,783; Dallas Morning News (TX), 519,014; San Francisco Chronicle (CA), 505,022; Chicago Sun-Times (IL), 481,980; Long Island/New York Newsday, (New York) 481,816; Boston Globe (MA), 451,471; Arizona Republic, 413,268; Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), 400,042; Journal-Constitution (Atlanta, GA), 386,015; Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), 381,094; Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), 368,883; and Cleveland Plain Dealer, (OH), 354,309. The most popular consumer magazine in the country in 2004 was AARP the Magazine, published bimonthly by the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) with a circulation of over 22.6 million. The two general circulation magazines that appealed to the largest audiences were Reader’s Digest (about 10 million) and TV Guide (about 9 million). Time and Newsweek were the leading newsmagazines, with weekly circulations of 4,034,272 and 3,135,476, respectively. The US book-publishing industry consists of the major book companies (mainly located in the New York metro area), nonprofit university presses distributed throughout the United States, and numerous small publishing firms. There were 135,000 book titles published in the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


United States in 2001, up from 51,863 titles in 1994. The US Constitution provides for freedom of speech and of the press in its Bill of Rights, and the government supports these rights. Citizens enjoy a wide range of opinions in all media, where debate, editorial opinion, and government opposition viewpoints are represented in some form or another. Nearly all media are privately owned.

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Foreign visitors to the United States numbered 41.2 million in 2003, down from 51 million in 2000. Of these visitors, 31% came from Canada and 25% from Mexico. With a few exceptions, such as Canadians entering from the Western Hemisphere, all visitors to the United States are required to have passports and visas. The United States has a total of 49 national parks. Among the most striking scenic attractions in the United States are the Grand Canyon in Arizona; Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico; Yosemite National Park in California; Yellowstone National Park in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming; Niagara Falls, partly in New York and partly in Canada; and the Everglades in Florida. Historical attractions include the Liberty Bell and Constitution Hall in Philadelphia; the Statue of Liberty in New York City; the White House, the Capitol, and the monuments to Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln in Washington, DC; the Williamsburg historical restoration in Virginia; the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas; and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Among many other popular tourist attractions are the movie and television studios in Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Los Angeles; the cable cars in San Francisco; casino gambling in Las Vegas, Nevada, and in Atlantic City, New Jersey; the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee; and such amusement parks as Disneyland (Anaheim, California) and Walt Disney World (near Orlando, Florida). For amount and variety of entertainment—theater, movies, music, dance, and sports—New York City has few rivals. Americans’ recreational activities range from home gardening to the major spectator sports, such as professional baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer, and horse racing, and college football and basketball. Participant sports are a favorite form of recreation, including jogging, aerobics, tennis, and golf. Skiing is a popular recreation in New England and the western mountain ranges. Sailing, power boating, and rafting are popular water sports. In 1994, the United States hosted the World Cup Soccer Championship. The United States hosted the Summer Olympics in 1904, 1932, 1984, and 1996. The Winter Olympics were held in the United States in 1960, 1980, and 2002.

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Sports

Baseball, long honored as the national pastime, is the nation’s leading professional team sport, with two major leagues having 30 teams (one in Canada). In the 1998 season, two teams were added to Major League Baseball—the Arizona Diamondbacks, playing in the National League West, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, playing in the American League East. In 2005, the Montreal Expos became the Washington DC Nationals, following the team’s move to Washington DC from Montreal. During the 2005 regular season, almost 75 million fans attended Major League 267


Baseball games. In 1992, the Toronto Blue Jays became the first non-US team to win the World Series. In addition, there is an extensive network of minor league baseball teams, each of them related to a major league franchise. The National Basketball Association, created in 1946, included 30 teams in 2005. A labor dispute resulted in a lockout of the players for nearly half the 1999–2000 NBA season. The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), founded in 1997, included 14 teams as of 2005. During the WNBA’s third season (1999), 1,959,733 fans attended regular season games, establishing an attendance record for women’s professional sports. In 2005, WNBA attendance totaled 1,805,937. In 2005, the National Football League included 32 teams; Houston, Texas, was awarded a franchise in 2002 to establish the 32nd team. The National Hockey League (NHL) expanded to 30 teams in 2000, when teams in St. Paul, Minnesota (Minnesota Wild), and Columbus, Ohio (Columbus Blue Jackets), played their inaugural seasons. In the 2003/2004 season, 20.3 million fans attended regular NHL season games. However, the entire NHL schedule for the 2004/2005 season was cancelled because of a labor dispute between the players and the team owners. As of 2005, Major League Soccer fielded 12 teams in two divisions. Several other professional sports are popular nationwide. Thoroughbred racing is among the nation’s most popular spectator sports, with an estimated 12 million fans visiting horse-racing tracks annually. Annual highlights of thoroughbred racing are the three jewels of the Triple Crown—the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes—most recently won by 268

Seattle Slew in 1977 and by Affirmed in 1978. In 2000, jockey Julie Krone became the first woman jockey to be inducted into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Harness racing is also popular; attracting millions of spectators annually and involving over $1.5 billion in wagering. In 1997, over 14.3 million fans watched greyhound racing. The prize money that Henry Ford won on a 1901 auto race helped him start his nowfamous car company two years later; since then, automobile manufacturers have backed sports car, stock car, and motorcycle racing at tracks throughout the US. From John L. Sullivan to Muhammad Ali, the personality and power of the great boxing champions have drawn millions of spectators ringside. Glamour and top prizes also draw national followings for tennis and golf, two professional sports in which women are nationally prominent. Other professional sports include bowling and rodeo. Football has been part of US college life since the game was born on 6 November 1869 with a New Jersey match between Rutgers and Princeton. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) coordinate collegiate football and basketball. Colleges recruit top athletes with sports scholarships in order to win media attention, and to keep the loyalty of the alumni, thereby boosting fundraising. Baseball, hockey, swimming, gymnastics, crew, lacrosse, track and field, and a variety of other sports also fill the intercollegiate competitive program The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), a national nonprofit organization founded in 1888, conducts the AAU/USA Junior Olympics, offering competition in 22 sports in order to help Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


identify candidates for international Olympic competition. St. Louis hosted the 1904 summer Olympics; Los Angeles was home to the games in 1932 and 1984. The winter Olympic games were held in Squaw Valley, Calif., in 1960, and at Lake Placid, New York, in 1932 and 1980. Atlanta hosted the summer Olympic games in 1996. Salt Lake City, Utah, was the site of the 2002 winter Olympic games.

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Famous Americans

Political and Military Figures Printer, inven-

tor, scientist, and statesman Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) was America’s outstanding figure of the colonial period. George Washington (1732–1799), military leader in the American Revolution and first president of the United States, is known as the father of his country. The chief author of the Declaration of Independence and the country’s third president was Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826). His leading political opponents were John Adams (1735–1826), the nation’s second president, and Alexander Hamilton (b.West Indies, 1755–1804), the first secretary of the treasury. James Madison (1751–1836), a leading figure in drawing up the United States Constitution, served as the fourth president. Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) led the United States through its most difficult period, the Civil War, during the course of which he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Jefferson Davis (1808–1889) served as the only president of the short-lived Confederacy. Among the foremost presidents of the 20th century were Nobel Peace Prize winner Theodore Roosevelt (1858– 1919); Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924), who led Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

the nation during World War I; and Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882–1945), who was elected to four terms spanning the Great Depression and World War II. The presidents during the 1961– 2000 period have been John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917–1963), Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908– 1973), Richard Milhous Nixon (1913–1994), Gerald Rudolph Ford (Leslie Lynch King Jr., 1913–2006), Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter Jr., b.1924), Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911– 2004), George Herbert Walker Bush (b.1924), and Bill Clinton (William Jefferson Blythe III, b.1946). George Walker Bush (b.1946) became the 43rd president and first president of the 21st century. Outstanding military leaders of the Civil War were Union general Ulysses Simpson Grant (1822–1885), who later served as the 18th president; and Confederate General Robert Edward Lee (1807–1870). Douglas MacArthur (1880– 1964) commanded the United States forces in Asia during World War II, oversaw the postwar occupation and reorganization of Japan, and directed United Nations forces in the first year of the Korean conflict. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) served as supreme Allied commander during World War II, later becoming the 34th president. General Colin Luther Powell (b.1937), former Secretary of State (2001–05) and highest ranking African American government official in the history of the United States (a position assumed by Condoleezza Rice in 2005), was a general in the army who also served as National Security Advisor (1987– 89) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–93). John Marshall (1755–1835), chief justice of the United States from 1801 to 1835, established the power of the Supreme Court through 269


Presidents of the US, 1789–2005 NAME (BIRTH–DEATH)

OTHER MAJOR OFFICES HELD

RESIDENCE AT ELECTION

PARTY

1

George Washington 22 February 1732–14 December 1799

Commander in Chief, Continental Army (1775–83)

Mt. Vernon, Va.

Federalist

2

John Adams 30 October 1735–4 July 1826

Representative, Continental Congress (1774–77); US vice president (1797–97)

Quincy, Mass.

Federalist

3

Thomas Jefferson 13 April 1743–4 July 1826

Representative, Continental Congress (1775–76); governor of Virginia (1779– 81); secretary of state (1790–93); US vice president (1797–1801)

Monticello, Va.

Dem.–Rep.

4

James Madison 16 March 1751–28 June 1836

Representative, Continental Congress (1780–83; 1786–88); US representative (1789–97); secretary of state (1801–9)

Montpelier, Va.

Dem.–Rep.

5

James Monroe 28 April 1758–4 July 1831

US senator (1790–94); governor of Virginia (1799–1802); secretary of state (1811–17); secretary of war (1814–15)

Leesburg, Va.

Dem.–Rep.

6

John Quincy Adams 11 July 1767–23 February 1848

US senator (1803–8); secretary of state (1817–25); US representative (1831–48)

Quincy, Mass.

National Republican

7

Andrew Jackson 15 March 1767–8 June 1845

US representative (1796–97); US senator (1797–98)

The Hermitage, Tenn.

Democrat

8

Martin Van Buren 5 December 1782–24 July 1862

US senator (1821–28); governor of New York (1829); secretary of state (1829–31); US vice president (1833–37)

New York

Democrat

9

William Henry Harrison 9 February 1773–4 April 1841

Governor of Indiana Territory (1801–13); US representative (1816–19); US senator (1825–28)

North Bend, Ohio

Whig

10

John Tyler 29 March 1790–18 January 1862

US representative (1816–21); governor of Virginia (1825–27); US senator (1827–36); US vice president (1841)

Richmond, Va.

Whig

11

James K. Polk 2 November 1795–15 June 1849

US representative (1825–39); governor of Tennessee (1839–41)

Nashville, Tenn.

Democrat

12

Zachary Taylor 24 November 1784–9 July 1850

—

Louisiana

Whig

13

Millard Fillmore 7 January 1800–8 March 1874

US representative (1833–35; 1837–43); US vice president (1849–50)

Buffalo, N.Y.

Whig

14

Franklin Pierce 23 November 1804–8 October 1869

US representative, (1833–37); US senator (1837–43)

Concord, N.H.

Democrat

15

James Buchanan 23 April 1791–1 June 1868

US representative (1821–31); US senator (1834–45); secretary of state (1845–49)

Lancaster, Pa.

Democrat

16

Abraham Lincoln 12 February 1809–15 April 1865

US representative (1847–49)

Springfield, Ill.

Republican

270



TERMS IN OFFICE1

VICE PRESIDENTS

NOTABLE EVENTS

30 April 1789–4 March 1793

John Adams

Federal government organized; Bill of Rights enacted (1791); Whiskey Rebellion suppressed (1794); North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee enter Union.

1

4 March 1797–4 March 1801

Thomas Jefferson

Alien and Sedition Acts passed (1798); Washington, D.C., becomes US capital (1800)

2


Aaron Burr George Clinton

Louisiana Purchase (1803); Lewis and Clark Expedition (1803–6); Ohio enters Union.

3

4 March 1809–4 March 1813 4 March 1813–4 March 1817

George Clinton Elbridge Gerry

War of 1812 (1812–14); protective tariffs passed (1816); Louisiana, Indiana enter Union.

4


Daniel D. Tompkins Daniel D. Tompkins

Florida purchased from Spain (1819–21); Missouri Compromise (1820); Monroe Doctrine (1823); Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Maine, Missouri enter Union.

5


John C. Calhoun

Period of political antagonisms, producing little legislation; road and canal construction supported; Erie Canal opens (1825).

6


John C. Calhoun Martin Van Buren

Introduction of spoils system; Texas Republic established (1836); Arkansas, Michigan enter Union.

7


Richard M. Johnson

Financial panic (1837) and subsequent depression.

8

4 March 1841–4 April 1841

John Tyler

Died of pneumonia one month after taking office.

9

4 April 1841–4 March 1845

—

Monroe Doctrine extended to Hawaiian Islands (1842); Second Seminole War in Florida ends (1842).

10


George M. Dallas

Boundary between US and Canada set at 49th parallel (1846); Mexican War (1846–48), ending with Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848); California gold rush begins (1848); Florida, Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin enter Union.

11

4 March 1849–9 July 1850

Millard Fillmore

Died after 16 months in office.

12

9 July 1850–4 March 1853

—

Fugitive Slave Law (1850); California enters Union.

13


William R. King

Gadsden Purchase (1853); Kansas–Nebraska Act (1854); trade opened with Japan (1854).

14


John C. Breckinridge

John Brown's raid at Harpers Ferry, Va. (now W. Va.; 1859); South Carolina secedes (1860); Minnesota, Oregon, Kansas enter Union.

15

4 March 1861–4 March 1865 4 March 1865–15 April 1865

Hannibal Hamlin Andrew Johnson

Confederacy established, Civil War begins (1851); Emancipation Proclamation (1863); Confederacy defeated (1865); Lincoln assassinated (1865); West Virginia, Nevada attain statehood.

16


271





PARTY

17

Andrew Johnson 29 December 1808–31 July 1875

US representative (1843–53); governor of Tennessee (1853–57; 1862–65); US senator (1857–62); US vice president (1865)

Greeneville, Tenn.

Republican

18

Ulysses S. Grant 27 April 1822–23 July 1885

Commander, Union Army (1864–65); secretary of war (1867–68)

Galena, Ill.

Republican

19

Rutherford B. Hayes 4 October 1822–17 January 1893

US representative (1865–67); governor of Ohio (1868–72; 1876–77)

Fremont, Ohio

Republican

20

James A. Garfield 19 November 1831–19 September 1881

US representative (1863–80)

Mentor, Ohio

Republican

21

Chester A. Arthur 5 October 1829–18 November 1886

US vice president (1881)

New York, N.Y.

Republican

22

Grover Cleveland 18 March 1837–24 June 1908

Governor of New York (1882–84)

Albany, N.Y.

Democrat

23

Benjamin Harrison 20 August 1833–13 March 1901

US senator (1881–87)

Indianapolis, Ind.

Republican

24

Grover Cleveland 18 March 1837–24 June 1908


New York, N.Y.

Democrat

25

William McKinley 29 January 1843–14 September 1901

US representative (1877–83; 1885–91); governor of Ohio (1892–96)

Canton, Ohio

Republican

26

Theodore Roosevelt 27 October 1858–6 January 1919

Governor of New York (1899–1900); US vice president (1901)

Oyster Bay, N.Y.

Republican

27

William H. Taft 15 September 1857–8 March 1930

Governor of Philippines (1901–4); secretary of war (1904–8); chief justice of the US (1921–30)

Washington, D.C.

Republican

28

Woodrow Wilson 28 December 1856–3 February 1924

Governor of New Jersey (1911–13)

Trenton, N.J.

Democrat

29

Warren G. Harding 2 November 1865–2 August 1923

US senator (1915–21)

Marion, Ohio

Republican

30

Calvin Coolidge 4 July 1872–5 January 1933

Governor of Massachusetts (1919–20); US vice president (1921–23)

Boston, Mass.

Republican

31

Herbert Hoover 10 August 1874–20 October 1964

Secretary of commerce (1921–29)

Stanford, Calif.

Republican

32

Franklin D. Roosevelt 30 January 1882–12 April 1945


Hyde Park, N.Y.

Democrat

272



TERMS IN OFFICE1

VICE PRESIDENTS

NOTABLE EVENTS

15 April 1865–4 March 1869

—

Reconstruction Acts (1867); Alaska purchased from Russia (1867); Johnson impeached but acquitted (1868); Nebraska enters Union.

17


Schuyler Colfax Henry Wilson

Numerous government scandals; financial panic (1873); Colorado enters Union.

18


William A. Wheeler

Federal troops withdrawn from South (1877); civil service reform begun.

19

4 March 1881–19 Sept. 1881

Chester A. Arthur

Shot after 4 months in office, dead 2½ months later.

20

19 Sept. 1881–4 March 1885

—

Chinese immigration banned despite presidential veto (1882); Civil Service Commission established by Pendleton Act (1883).

21


Thomas A. Hendricks

Interstate Commerce Act (1887)

22


Levi P. Morton

Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890); North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming enter Union.

23


Adlai E. Stevenson

Financial panic (1893); Sherman Silver Purchase Act repealed (1893); Utah enters Union.

24


Garret A. Hobart Theodore Roosevelt

Spanish–American War (1898); Puerto Rico, Guam, Philippines ceded by Spain; independent Republic of Hawaii annexed; US troops sent to China to suppress Boxer Rebellion (1900); McKinley assassinated.

25

14 Sept. 1901–4 March 1905 4 March 1905–4 March 1909

Charles W. Fairbanks

Antitrust and conservation policies emphasized; Roosevelt awarded Nobel Peace Prize (1906) for mediating settlement of Russo–Japanese War; Panama Canal construction begun (1907); Oklahoma enters Union.

26


James S. Sherman

Federal income tax ratified (1913); New Mexico, Arizona enter Union.

27


Thomas R. Marshall Thomas R. Marshall

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914); US Virgin Islands purchased from Denmark (1917); US enters World War I (1917); Treaty of Versailles signed (1919) but not ratified by US; constitutional amendments enforce prohibition (1919), enfranchise women (1920).

28

4 March 1921–2 Aug. 1923

Calvin Coolidge

Teapot Dome scandal (1923–24).

29

3 Aug. 1923–4 March 1925 4 March 1925–4 March 1929

Charles G. Dawes

Kellogg–Briand Pact (1928).

30


Charles Curtis

Stock market crash (1929) inaugurates Great Depression.

31

4 March 1933–20 Jan. 1937 20 Jan. 1937–20 Jan. 1941 20 Jan. 1941–20 Jan. 1945 20 Jan. 1945–12 April 1945

John N. Garner John N. Garner Henry A. Wallace Harry S Truman

New Deal social reforms; prohibition repealed (1933); US enters World War II (1941)

32


273





PARTY

33

Harry S Truman 8 May 1884–26 December 1972

US senator (1935–45); US vice president (1945)

Independence, Mo.

Democrat

34

Dwight D. Eisenhower 14 October 1890–28 March 1969

Supreme allied commander in Europe (1943–44); Army chief of staff (1945–48)

New York

Republican

35

John F. Kennedy 29 May 1917–22 November 1963

US representative (1947–52); US senator (1953–60)

Massachusetts

Democrat

36

Lyndon B. Johnson 27 August 1908–22 January 1973

US representative (1937–48); US senator (1949–60); US vice president (1961–63)

Johnson City, Tex.

Democrat

37

Richard M. Nixon 9 January 1913–22 April 1994

US representative (1947–51); US senator (1951–53); US vice president (1953–61)

New York, N.Y.

Republican

38

Gerald Rudolph Ford 14 July 1913–26 December 2006

US representative (1949–73); US vice president (1973–74)

Grand Rapids, Mich.

Republican

39

James Earl Carter, Jr. 1 October 1924

Governor of Georgia (1951–75)

Plains, Ga.

Democrat

40

Ronald Wilson Reagan 6 February 1911–5 June 2004

Governor of California (1967–76)

Los Angeles, Calif.

Republican

41

George Herbert Walker Bush 12 June 1924

US representative (1967–71) Vice president (1981–88)

Houston, Texas

Republican

42

William Jefferson Clinton 19 August 1946

Attorney general of Arkansas (1977–79) Governor of Arkansas (1979–81; 1983–92)

Little Rock, Arkansas

Democrat

43

George Walker Bush 6 July 1946

Governor of Texas (1994–2000)

Midland, Texas

Republican

1 In the event of a president’s death or removal from office, his duties are assumed to devolve immediately upon his successor, even if he does not immediately take the oath of office.

the principle of judicial review. Other important chief justices included Earl Warren (1891– 1974), whose period as chief justice from 1953 to 1969 saw important decisions on desegregation, reapportionment, and civil liberties. The justice who enjoyed the longest tenure on the court was William O. Douglas (1898–1980), who served from 1939 to 1975.

Native American chiefs renowned for their resistance to white invasion were Tecumseh (1768–1813), Geronimo (1829?–1909), Sitting Bull (1831?–1890), and Crazy Horse (1849?– 1877). Historical figures who have become part of American folklore include pioneer Daniel Boone (1734–1820); silversmith, engraver, and patriot Paul Revere (1735–1818); frontiersman

274



1 TERMS IN OFFICE

VICE PRESIDENTS

NOTABLE EVENTS

12 April 1945–20 Jan. 1949 20 Jan. 1949–20 Jan. 1953

Alben W. Barkley

United Nations founded (1945); US nuclear bombs dropped on Japan (1945); World War II ends (1945); Philippines granted independence (1946); Marshall Plan (1945); Korean conflict begins (1950); era of McCarthyism.

33

20 Jan. 1953–20 Jan. 1957 20 Jan. 1957–20 Jan. 1961

Richard M. Nixon Richard M. Nixon

Korean conflict ended (1953); Supreme Court orders school desegregation (1954); Alaska, Hawaii enter Union.

34

20 Jan. 1961–22 Nov. 1963

Lyndon B. Johnson

Conflicts with Cuba (1961–62); aboveground nuclear test ban treaty (1963); Kennedy assassinated.

35

22 Nov. 1963–20 Jan. 1965 20 Jan. 1965–20 Jan. 1969

Hubert H. Humphrey

Great Society programs; Voting Rights Act (1965); escalation of US military role in Indochina; race riots, political assassinations.

36

20 Jan. 1969–20 Jan. 1973 20 Jan. 1973–9 Aug. 1974

Spiro T. Agnew Spiro T. Agnew Gerald R. Ford

First lunar landing (1969); arms limitation treaty with Soviet Union (1972); US withdraws from Viet–Nam (1973); Agnew resigns in tax scandal (1973); Nixon resigns at height of Watergate scandal (1974).

37

9 Aug. 1974–20 Jan. 1977

Nelson A. Rockefeller

First combination of unelected president and vice president; Nixon pardoned (1974).

38

20 Jan. 1977–20 Jan. 1981

Walter F. Mondale

Carter mediates Israel-Egypt peace accord (1978); Panama Canal treaties ratified (1979); tensions with Iran (1979–81).

39

20 Jan. 1981–20 Jan. 1985 20 Jan. 1985–20 Jan. 1989

George H. Bush George H. Bush

Defense buildup; social spending cuts; rising trade and budget deficits; tensions with Nicaragua.

40

20 Jan. 1989–20 Jan. 1993

J. Danforth Quayle

Multi-national force repelled Iraqi invaders from Kuwait; savings and loan crisis; 1991 recession.

41

20 Jan. 1993–20 Jan. 1997 20 Jan. 1997–20 Jan. 2001

Albert Gore, Jr. Albert Gore, Jr.

North American Free Trade Agreement (1993); sent troops to Haiti to restore elected president deposed by a military coup (1994); Dayton Accords (1995); Whitewater and FBI files scandals (1995– 96); rapid stock market growth (1995–97); balanced federal budget plan (1997); Clinton impeached (1998).

42

20 Jan. 2001–20 Jan. 2005 20 Jan. 2005–

Richard Bruce Cheney Richard Bruce Cheney

$1.35 trillion tax cut through 2010; 9/11 terrorist attack and resulting war on terror and invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq; creation of the Department of Homeland Security.

43

were Robert Fulton (1765–1815), who developed the steamboat; Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791–1872), who invented the telegraph; and

Elias Howe (1819–1867), who invented the sewing machine. Alexander Graham Bell (b. Scotland, 1847–1922) invented the telephone. Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) was responsible for hundreds of inventions, among them the incandescent electric lamp, the phonograph, and a motion picture camera and projector. Two brothers, Wilbur Wright (1867–1912) and Orville Wright (1871–1948), designed, built, and flew the first successful motor-powered air-


275

David “Davy” Crockett (1786–1836); scout and Indian agent Christopher “Kit” Carson (1809– 1868); William Frederick “Buffalo Bill” Cody (1846–1917); and the outlaws Jesse Woodson James (1847–1882) and Billy the Kid (William H. Bonney, 1859–1881). Inventors and Scientists Outstanding inventors


plane. Amelia Earhart (1898–1937) and Charles Lindbergh (1902–1974) were aviation pioneers. Pioneers in the space program include John Glenn (b.1921), the first American astronaut to orbit Earth, and Neil Armstrong (b.1930), the first man to set foot on the Moon. Outstanding botanists and naturalists include George Washington Carver (1864– 1943), known especially for his work on industrial applications for peanuts, and John James Audubon (1785–1851) who won fame as an ornithologist and artist. Albert Abraham Michelson (b. Germany, 1852–1931) measured the speed of light and became the first of a long line of United States Nobel Prize winners. The theory of relativity was conceived by Albert Einstein (b. Germany, 1879– 1955), generally considered one of the greatest minds in the physical sciences. Enrico Fermi (b. Italy, 1901–1954) created the first nuclear chain reaction and contributed to the development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs. Also prominent in the splitting of the atom were J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904–1967) and Edward Teller (b. Hungary, 1908–2003). Jonas Edward Salk (1914–1995) developed an effective vaccine for polio, and Albert Bruce Sabin (1906–1993) contributed oral, attenuated live-virus polio vaccines. Social Reformers Social reformers of note

include Frederick Douglass (Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, 1817–1895), a prominent abolitionist; Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815– 1902) and Susan Brownell Anthony (1820– 1906), leaders in the women’s suffrage movement; Clara Barton (1821–1912), founder of the American Red Cross; Eugene Victor Debs 276

(1855–1926), labor leader and an organizer of the Socialist movement in the United States; and Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968), a central figure in the Civil Rights Movement and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Religious leaders include Roger Williams (1603–1683), an early advocate of religious tolerance in the United States; Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758), New England preacher and theologian; Joseph Smith (1805–1844), founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and his chief associate, Brigham Young (1801–1877); and Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910), founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science). Pat Robertson (b.1930), televangelist and leader of the Christian Coalition organization, and Jerry Falwell (b.1933), a fundamentalist Baptist pastor, televangelist, and founder of the Moral Majority movement and Liberty University, are contemporary leaders of the Christian religious right. Literary Figures The first American author

to be widely read outside the United States was Washington Irving (1783–1859). James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851) was the first popular American novelist. The writings of two men of Concord, Massachusetts—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) and Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)—influenced philosophers, political leaders, and ordinary men and women in many parts of the world. The novels and short stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) explore New England’s Puritan heritage. Herman Melville (1819–1891) wrote the novel Moby-Dick, a symbolic work about a whale hunt that has become an American clasJunior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


sic. Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835–1910) is the best-known American humorist. Other leading novelists of the later 19th and early 20th centuries were Henry James (1843– 1916), Edith Wharton (1862–1937), Stephen Crane (1871–1900), Willa Cather (1873–1947), and Sinclair Lewis (1885–1951), first American winner of the Nobel Prize for literature (1930). Later Nobel Prize-winning United States novelists include William Faulkner (1897–1962) in 1949; Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) in 1954; John Steinbeck (1902–1968) in 1962; Saul Bellow (b. Canada, 1915–2005), in 1976; Isaac Bashevis Singer (b. Poland, 1904– 1991) in 1978, and Toni Morrison (b.1931) in 1993. Among other noteworthy writers are James Thurber (1894–1961), Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (1896–1940), Elwyn Brooks (E. B.) White (1899–1985), Richard Wright (1908– 1960), Eudora Welty (1909–2001), James Baldwin (1924–1987), John Updike (b.1932), John Cheever (1912–1982), Norman Mailer (b.1923), and J. D. Salinger (b.1919). Notable 19th-century American poets include Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807– 1882), Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), Walt Whitman (1819–1892), and Emily Dickinson (1830–1886). Poets who came to prominence in the 20th century include Robert Frost (1874–1963), Ezra Pound (1885–1972), Marianne Moore (1887–1972), and Wallace Stevens (1879–1955). Carl Sandburg (1878– 1967) was a noted poet, historian, novelist, and folklorist. Robert Lowell (1917–1977), John Ashbery (b.1927), James Merrill (1926–1995), Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997), Maya Angelou (b.1928), Adrienne Rich (b.1929), and Sylvia Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Plath (1932–1963) are among the best-known poets since World War II. The foremost US playwrights include Eugene (Gladstone) O’Neill (1888–1953), who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1936; Tennessee Williams (Thomas Lanier Williams, 1911–1983); and Arthur Miller (1915–2005). Neil Simon (b.1927) is one of the nation’s most popular playwrights and screenwriters. Artists Two renowned painters of the early

American period were John Singleton Copley (1738–1815) and Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828). Outstanding 19th-century painters were James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834–1903) and John Singer Sargent (b. Italy, 1856–1925). In the twentieth century, Edward Hopper (1882– 1967), Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986), Norman Rockwell (1894–1978), and Andrew Wyeth (b.1917) achieved wide recognition, as did their more recent colleagues, abstract expressionists Jackson Pollack (1912–1956) and Mark Rothko (1903–1970) and “pop” artists Andy Warhol (1928–1987) and Jasper Johns (b.1930). Entertainment Figures The first great American

“showman” was Phineas Taylor “P. T.” Barnum (1810–1891). Outstanding figures in the motion picture industry include producers Samuel Goldwyn (1882–1974), Irving Thalberg (1899–1936), and Louis B. Mayer (1885–957); animation pioneer and entertainment entrepreneur Walter Elias “Walt” Disney (1906–1966); and legendary directors John Ford (1895–1973), Frank Capra (1897–1991), Sir Charles Spencer “Charlie” Chaplin (b. England, 1889–1978), Sir Alfred Hitchcock (b. England, 1899–1980), and George Orson Welles (1915–1985). More recent American directors who have achieved 277


renown include Steven Spielberg (b.1947), Martin Scorsese (b.1942), Woody Allen (Allen Konigsberg, b.1935), and Spike Lee (b.1957). World-famous American actors and actresses include Humphrey Bogart (1899–1957); Clark Gable (1901–1960); Cary Grant (Alexander Archibald Leach, b. England, 1904–1986); John Wayne (Marion Michael Morrison, 1907–79); Judy Garland (Frances Gumm, 1922–1969); Marlon Brando (1924–2004); Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jean Mortenson, 1926–1962); Dustin Hoffman (b.1937); Jack Nicholson (b.1937); Meryl Streep (b.1949); and Tom Hanks (b.1956). Among other great American entertainers are W. C. Fields (William Claude Dukenfield, 1880– 1946); Jack Benny (Benjamin Kubelsky, 1894– 1974); Fred Astaire (Fred Austerlitz, 1899– 1987); Bob (Leslie Townes) Hope (b. England, 1903–2003); Frank (Francis Albert) Sinatra (1915–1998); Elvis Aaron Presley (1935–1977); and Barbra (Barbara Joan) Streisand (b.1942). Composers and Musicians The songs of Stephen

Collins Foster (1826–1864) have achieved folksong status. Among the foremost composers are Edward MacDowell (1861–1908), Aaron Copland (1900–1990), and Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990). Leading composers of popular music are John Philip Sousa (1854–1932), George Gershwin (1898–1937), and Woody Guthrie (1912–1967). Prominent in the blues tradition are Leadbelly (Huddie Ledbetter, 1888–1949), Bessie Smith (1898?–1937), and Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield, 1915– 1983). Leading jazz figures include the composers Scott Joplin (1868–1917), Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1899–1974), and William “Count” Basie (1904–1984), and performers 278

Louis Armstrong (1900–1971), Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996), Billie Holiday (Eleanora Fagan, 1915–1959), John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie (1917–1993), Charlie “Bird” Parker (1920– 1955), John Coltrane (1926–1967), and Miles Davis (1926–1991). Sports Figures Among the many notewor-

thy sports stars are baseball’s Tyrus Raymond “Ty” Cobb (1886–1961) and George Herman “Babe” Ruth (1895–1948); football’s Jim Brown (b.1936); and golf ’s Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias (1914–1956). Billie Jean (Moffitt) King (b.1943) and sisters Venus (b.1980) and Serena (b.1981) Williams have starred in tennis; Joe Louis (Joseph Louis Barrow, 1914–1981) and Muhammad Ali (Cassius Marcellus Clay, b.1942) in boxing; Wilton Norman “Wilt” Chamberlain (1936–1999) and Michael Jordan (b.1963) in basketball; Mark Spitz (b.1950) in swimming; Eric Heiden (b.1958) in speed skating; and Jesse Owens (1913–1980) in track and field.

40

Bibliography

BOOKS DeGezelle, Terri. The Great Seal of the United States. Mankato MN: Capstone Press, 2004. Frank, Nicole. Welcome to the USA. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens, 2000. Hicks, Roger. The Big Book of America. Philadelphia: Courage Books, 1994. Kallen, Stuart A. Life in American during the 1960s. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2001. Kallen, Stuart A. The 1950s. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2000. Kallen, Stuart A. The 1980s. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1999. Kallen, Stuart A. The 1990s. San Diego: Lucent Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition


Books, 1999. Kallen, Stuart A. Striving into 2000. Edina, MN: Abdo & Daughters, 2001. Kronenwetter, Michael. America in the 1960s. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1998. Sabuda, Robert. America the Beautiful. New York: Little Simon, 2004. Sandak, Cass R. The United States. Austin, TX: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1997. Stewart, Gail. The 1970s. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1999.


Webb, Marcus. The United States of America. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2000. WEB SITES Country Analysis Briefs. www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/ cabs/Usa/Background.html (accessed March 1, 2007). Government Home Page. www.usa.gov (accessed March 1, 2007). Travel Industry of America. See America.org. www. seeamerica.org (accessed March 1, 2007). US Government’s Official Web Portal. www.usa.gov (accessed March 1, 2007).

279

Glossary

Generally refers to the Alps or other mountains; can also refer to a mountainous zone above the timberline.

alpine:

Based on how people refer to themselves, and refers to a person’s ethnic origin, descent, heritage, or place of birth of the person or the person’s parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States. The Census Bureau accepted “American” as a unique ethnicity if it was given alone, with an unclear response (such as “mixed” or “adopted”), or with names of particular states.

ancestry:

antebellum:

Before the US Civil War.

aqueduct: A large pipe or channel that carries water over a distance, or a

raised structure that supports such a channel or pipe. aquifer: An underground layer of porous rock, sand, or gravel that holds

water. Laws forbidding certain practices (e.g., conducting business, gaming, drinking liquor), especially on Sundays.

blue laws:

A bird (especially a young chicken) that can be cooked by broiling.

broilers:

BTU: The amount of heat required to raise one pound of water one degree

Fahrenheit. A financial plan for acquiring and improving buildings or land, paid for by the sale of bonds.

capital budget:

capital punishment:

Punishment by death.

All persons 16 years of age or older who are not in the armed forces and who are now holding a job, have been tempo-

civilian labor force:


281

Glossary

rarily laid off, are waiting to be reassigned to a new position, or are unemployed but actively looking for work. A railroad having gross annual revenues of $83.5 million or more in 1983.

Class I railroad:

A bank that offers to businesses and individuals a variety of banking services, including the right of withdrawal by check.

commercial bank:

compact: A formal agreement, covenant, or understanding between two

or more parties. consolidated budget: A financial plan that includes the general budget,

federal funds, and all special funds. constant dollars: Money values calculated so as to eliminate the effect of

inflation on prices and income. Refers to the “lower 48” states of the continental US that are enclosed within a common boundary.

conterminous US:

The climate typical of the US interior, having distinct seasons, a wide range of daily and annual temperatures, and dry, sunny summers.

continental climate:

A system of local government under which a professional administrator is hired by an elected council to carry out its laws and policies.

council-manager system:

A cooperative body that raises funds from its members by the sale of shares and makes loans to its members at relatively low interest rates.

credit union:

Money values that reflect prevailing prices, without excluding the effects of inflation.

current dollars:

A bank deposit that can be withdrawn by the depositor with no advance notice to the bank.

demand deposit:

The votes that a state may cast for president, equal to the combined total of its US senators and representatives and nearly always cast entirely on behalf of the candidate who won the most votes in that state on Election Day.

electoral votes:

A type of plant or animal threatened with extinction in all or part of its natural range.

endangered species:

282


Glossary

A level of money income below which a person or family qualifies for US government aid.

federal poverty level:

fiscal year:

A 12-month period for accounting purposes.

Coupons issued by the government to low-income persons for food purchases at local stores.

food stamps:

A financial plan based on a government’s normal revenues and operating expenses, excluding special funds.

general budget:

general coastline:

A measurement of the general outline of the US

seacoast. gross state product:

The total value of goods and services produced in

the state. The period between the last 32°f (0°c) temperature in spring and the first 32°f (0°c) temperature in autumn.

growing season:

Hispanic: A person who originates from Spain or from Spanish-speaking

countries of South and Central America, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. home-rule charter: A document stating how and in what respects a city,

town, or county may govern itself. hundredweight: A unit of weight that equals 100 pounds in the US and

112 pounds in Britain. A patient who is housed and fed—in addition to being treated—in a hospital.

inpatient:

installed capacity:

The maximum possible output of electric power at

any given time. A central mountain mass or the dominant part of a range of mountains.

massif:

A system of local government under which an elected council serves as a legislature and an elected mayor is the chief administrator.

mayor-council system:

A federal-state program that helps defray the hospital and medical costs of needy persons.

Medicaid:

A program of hospital and medical insurance for the elderly, administered by the federal government.

Medicare:

metric ton:

A unit of weight that equals 1,000 kilograms (2,204.62

pounds). Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

283

Glossary

metropolitan area:

In most cases, a city and its surrounding suburbs.

Refers to a zone in mountainous areas in which large coniferous trees, in a cool moist setting, are the main features.

montane:

An automobile insurance plan that allows an accident victim to receive payment from an insurance company without having to prove who was responsible for the accident.

no-fault insurance:

A medical doctor who is not employed by the federal US government.

nonfederal physician:

northern, north midland:

Major US dialect regions.

A public official empowered to hear and investigate complaints by private citizens about government agencies.

ombudsman:

per capita:

Per person.

Refers to the income an individual receives from employment, or to the total incomes that all individuals receive from their employment in a sector of business (such as personal incomes in the retail trade).

personal income:

piedmont:

Refers to the base of mountains.

A method by which a state governor (or the US president) may kill a bill by taking no action on it before the legislature adjourns.

pocket veto:

proved reserves: The quantity of a recoverable mineral resource (such as

oil or natural gas) that is still in the ground. public debt:

The amount owed by a government.

The followers of a religious group, including (but not confined to) the full, confirmed, or communicant members of that group.

religious adherents:

retail trade:

The sale of goods directly to the consumer.

The distribution of federal tax receipts to state and local governments.

revenue sharing:

right-to-walk: A measure outlawing any attempt to require union mem-

bership as a condition of employment. savings and loan association: A bank that invests the savings of deposi-

tors primarily in home mortgage loans. 284


Glossary

The act of withdrawal, such as a state that withdrew from the Union in the US Civil War.

secession:

Industries that provide services (e.g., health, legal, automotive repair) for individuals, businesses, and others.

service industries:

short ton:

A unit of weight that equals 2,000 pounds.

Social Security: As commonly understood, the federal system of old age,

survivors, and disability insurance. southern, south midland:

Major US dialect regions.

Generally refers to high mountainous areas just beneath the timberline; can also more specifically refer to the lower slopes of the Alps mountains.

subalpine:

The southernmost states of the US, extending from Florida to California.

sunbelt:

A federally administered program of aid to the aged, blind, and disabled.

supplemental security income:

tidal shoreline: A detailed measurement of the US seacoast that includes

sounds, bays, other outlets, and offshore islands. time deposit: A bank deposit that may be withdrawn only at the end of

a specified time period or upon advance notice to the bank. The difference, measured in dollars, between the value of finished goods and the cost of the materials needed to produce them.

value added by manufacture:

The sale of goods, usually in large quantities, for ultimate resale to consumers.

wholesale trade:


285

ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS AD—Anno Domini AFDC—aid to families with dependent children AFL–CIO—American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations AI—American Independent AM—before noon AM—amplitude modulation American Ind.—American Independent Party Amtrak—National Railroad Passenger Corp. b.—born BC—Before Christ Btu—British thermal unit(s) bu—bushel(s) c.—circa (about) C—Celsius (Centigrade) CIA—Central Intelligence Agency cm—centimeter(s) Co.—company comp.—compiler Conrail—Consolidated Rail Corp. Corp.—corporation CST—Central Standard Time cu—cubic cwt—hundredweight(s) d.—died D—Democrat e—evening E—east ed.—edition, editor e.g.—exempli gratia (for example) EPA—Environmental Protection Agency est.—estimated EST—Eastern Standard Time et al.—et alii (and others) etc.—et cetera (and so on) F—Fahrenheit FBI—Federal Bureau of Investigation FCC—Federal Communications Commission FM—frequency modulation Ft.—fort ft—foot, feet GDP—gross domestic products gm—gram GMT—Greenwich Mean Time GNP—gross national product GRT—gross registered tons Hist.—Historic I—interstate (highway)

286

i.e.—id est (that is) in—inch(es) Inc.—incorporated Jct.—junction K—kindergarten kg—kilogram(s) km—kilometer(s) km/hr—kilometers per hour kw—kilowatt(s) kwh—kilowatt-hour(s) lb—pound(s) m—meter(s); morning m3—cubic meter(s) mi—mile(s) Mon.—monument mph—miles per hour MST—Mountain Standard Time Mt.—mount Mtn.—mountain mw—megawatt(s) N—north NA—not available Natl.—National NATO—North Atlantic Treaty Organization NCAA—National Collegiate Athletic Association n.d.—no date NEA—National Education Association or National Endowment for the Arts N.F.—National Forest N.W.R.—National Wildlife Refuge oz—ounce(s) PM—after noon PST—Pacific Standard Time r.—reigned R—Republican Ra.—range Res.—reservoir, reservation rev. ed.—revised edition S—south S—Sunday Soc.—Socialist sq—square St.—saint SRD—States’ Rights Democrat UN—United Nations US—United States USIA—United States Information Agency W—west


NAMES OF STATES AND OTHER SELECTED AREAS Standard Postal Abbreviation(s) Abbreviation Alabama ...............................................................................................Ala. .................................. AL Alaska...................................................................................................* ...................................... AK Arizona .................................................................................................Ariz. ................................. AZ Arkansas ...............................................................................................Ark. .................................. AR California ..............................................................................................Calif. ................................ CA Colorado ..............................................................................................Colo. ................................ CO Connecticut ..........................................................................................Conn. ............................... CN Delaware ..............................................................................................Del. .................................. DE District of Columbia ..............................................................................D.C. ................................. DC Florida ..................................................................................................Fla. ................................... FL Georgia ................................................................................................Ga. ................................... GA Hawaii ..................................................................................................* ...................................... HI Idaho ....................................................................................................* ...................................... ID Illinois ...................................................................................................Ill...................................... IL Indiana .................................................................................................Ind. .................................. IN Iowa .....................................................................................................* ...................................... IA Kansas ..................................................................................................Kans. (Kan.) ..................... KS Kentucky ..............................................................................................Ky..................................... KY Louisiana ..............................................................................................La..................................... LA Maine ...................................................................................................Me. .................................. ME Maryland ..............................................................................................Md. .................................. MD Massachusetts ......................................................................................Mass. ............................... MA Michigan ..............................................................................................Mich. ............................... MI Minnesota ............................................................................................Minn. ............................... MN Mississippi ............................................................................................Miss. ................................ MS Missouri................................................................................................Mo. .................................. MO Montana ..............................................................................................Mont................................ MT Nebraska ..............................................................................................Nebr. (Neb.) ..................... NE Nevada .................................................................................................Nev. ................................. NV New Hampshire ....................................................................................N.H. ................................. NH New Jersey ...........................................................................................N.J. .................................. NJ New Mexico .........................................................................................N.Mex.(N.M.) .................. NM New York .............................................................................................N.Y. .................................. NY North Carolina ......................................................................................N.C. ................................. NC North Dakota .......................................................................................N.Dak. (N.D.) ................... ND Ohio .....................................................................................................* ...................................... OH Oklahoma ............................................................................................Okla. ................................ OK Oregon.................................................................................................Oreg. (Ore.) ..................... OR Pennsylvania.........................................................................................Pa. ................................... PA Puerto Rico ...........................................................................................P.R.................................... PR Rhode Island.........................................................................................R.I. ................................... RI South Carolina ......................................................................................S.C. .................................. SC South Dakota .......................................................................................S.Dak. (S.D.) .................... SD Tennessee .............................................................................................Tenn. ................................ TN Texas ....................................................................................................Tex. .................................. TX Utah .....................................................................................................* ...................................... UT Vermont ...............................................................................................Vt..................................... VT Virginia .................................................................................................Va. ................................... VA Virgin Islands ........................................................................................V.I. ................................... VI Washington ..........................................................................................Wash................................ WA West Virginia ........................................................................................W.Va. ............................... WV Wisconsin .............................................................................................Wis. ................................. WI Wyoming .............................................................................................Wyo. ................................ WY *No standard abbreviation


287

Index This index contains terms from all four volumes of this encyclopedia. The number of the volume is enclosed in brackets. The volume number is followed by the page number. For example, the reference [2]73 means that the indexed term can be found in volume 2 on page 73. Volume and page numbers in boldface type indicate a main encyclopedia entry.

A Abnaki tribe [4]76 Acadia National Park [2]110, 122–23 Acadians [2]88, 96 Accomac tribe [2]131 Agana, Guam (capital) [4]228 Agrihan [4]231 Aiken, South Carolina [3]260, 270, 274 Alabama [1]1–22 Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo [1]20 Alabama River [1]2 Alaska [1]23–40 Albany, New York (capital) [3]75 Albuquerque, New Mexico [3]71–74 Aleutian Islands [1]24, [4]238, 240 Aleuts [1]29–30, 33, 38, [2]130, 152, 179, [3]38, 114, [4]91, 117 Allegheny Mountains [3]152, [4]88, 134 Allegheny Plateau [3]152, [4]134 Allegheny River [3]152 American Indian Hall of Fame [3]192 288

American Indian Movement (AIM) [3]284 American Revolution [1]8, 145, 200, 278, [2]132, 181, [3]41, 263, [4]245–46, 269 American Samoa [4]225–27 Anacostia River [4]161, 169 Anadarko, Oklahoma [3]192 Anasazi [1]47 Anchorage, Alaska [1]29–31, 33, 35–36, 38–40 Andersonville prison camp [1]235 Annapolis, Maryland (capital) [2]125, 141–43 Apache tribe [3]66 Apalachee tribe [1]186 Apostle Islands National Lakeshore [4]167 Appalachian Highlands [3]76, [4]134 Appalachian Mountains [1]223, [3]110, 216, [4]108, 147, 236, 246 Arapaho tribe [1]118 Arctic Ocean [1]23–24, [4]236, 240 Arizona [1]41–59 Arkansas [1]61–80 Arkansas River [1]62, 67, 118, [2]44, [3]178, 182 Aspen Music Festival and School [1]134 Atakapa tribe [2]90 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Index

Athabaskan [1]26, 29 Atlanta, Georgia (capital) [1]203 Atlantic City, New Jersey [3]34, 36, 51–54, [4]267 Atlantic Coastal Plain [1]176, [3]34, 110, 258, [4]88, 161, 236 Atlantic Ocean [1]218, 223, [2]126, 148, 215, [3]222, 263 Augusta, Maine (capital) [2]107, 121–22 Austin, Texas (capital) [4]25, 33–34, 39, 48–51 Aztecs [1]46, 93

B Babbitt, Bruce [1]50, [3]55 Backbone Mountain [2]126 Badlands, North Dakota [3]138, 148 Baker Island [4]229–30 Balcones Escarpment [4]26, 28 Baltimore, Maryland [2]125–26, 129–33, 135–46 Barre, Vermont [4]80, 82 Baton Rouge, Louisiana (capital) [2]83 Beaufort Sea [1]23 Bennington, Vermont [4]71, 84 Bering Sea [1]24 Bible Belt [4]7 Big Black River [2]222 Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area [2]274 Bismarck, North Dakota (capital) [3]135 Black Hawk War [1]277–78 Black Hills [3]277–78, 280, 283–84, 288–89, 292 Block Island [3]241, 247, 255 Blue Mountains [4]114 Blue Ridge Mountains [1]218, [3]110, 131, 258, [4]88 Blue Ridge Parkway [3]131, [4]93, 108 Boise, Idaho (capital) [1]241 Boonville, California [1]90 Boston, Massachusetts (capital) [2]147, 150–55 Boulder, Colorado [1]124, 133–34 Boundary Peak [3]2 Boys Town [2]292 Buffalo National River [1]63 Butte Hill [2]266 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

C Caddo tribe [1]66–67, [2]90, [4]25, 34 Cajuns [1]6–7, [2]88, 96 California [1]81–115 California–Oregon Trail [2]49 Calumet River [2]4 Calusa tribe [1]186 Cape Cod, Massachusetts [2]148, 150, 152–54, 163, 165, 167, 169 Cape Hatteras, North Carolina [3]110, 112, 131 Cape Lookout [3]131 Cape Wrangell, Alaska [1]24 Carib Indians [4]222 Carlsbad Caverns [3]58, 73, [4]267 Carson City, Nevada (capital) [3]1, 14–15 Cascade Range [3]196, 198, 208, [4]112, 238 Cass Scenic Railroad [4]147 Caves Carlsbad Caverns [3]58, 73, [4]267 Craters of the Moon [1]256, 269 DeSoto Caverns [1]2 Jewel [3]292 Mammoth [2]66, 76, 80 Russell [1]2, 19–20 Wind [3] 291–92 Cayuga tribe [3]81, 84 Central Plains [1]258, [2]49, [3]136, [4]162, 238 Cerro de Punta, Puerto Rico [4]202 Chaco Canyon [3]73 Chamorro people [4]228, 231 Charles Mound [1]272 Charles River [2]164, 170 Charleston, South Carolina [3]262–63, 271–74 Charleston, West Virginia (capital) [4]133–34 Charlotte, North Carolina [4]8–9, 15, 22–23, 88, 236, 247 Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands (capital) [4]221 Chattahoochee River [1]220 Chattanooga, Tennessee [4]6–7, 10, 15–16, 18, 20–22 Chavez, Cesar [1]59, 104 Chemical Capital of the World [1]184 289

Index

Cherokee tribe (Nation) [1]6, 67, 210, 222–23, [2]69, [3]114, 116–17, 181, 183, 192, [4]8, 23, 51, 93 Chesapeake Bay [1]176, [2]125–26, 128, 130–31, 133, 143, [4]90, 93, 97, 102 Cheyenne tribe [1]124, [2]49, 275 Cheyenne, Wyoming (capital) [4]171–72 Chicago, Illinois [1]272, 274–84, 286–93 Chicago River [1]278 Chickamauga battlefield [1]235 Chickasaw National Recreation Area [3]192 Chickasaw tribe [1]67, [2]64, 227, [3]181, 183, [4]8 Chippewa tribe [2]204, [4]154 Chisholm Trail Museum [3]192 Chitimacha tribe [2]90 Chocolate World and Hersheypark [3]236 Choctaw tribe [1]6, 66–67, [2]227, [3]181, 183 Choptank River [1]162 Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands [4]222 Church of Christ, Scientist [2]153, 171, [4]276 Church of Scientology [1]91 Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky [2]80, 82 Circus Hall of Fame [1]213 Civil rights [1]6, 9, 21, 41, 97, 225, 292, [4]11, 37, 249, 276 Claremore, Oklahoma [3]192 Clinton, Bill [1]68, 70 Coahuiltecan tribe [4]33 Coast Range [3]196, 198 Cochise [1]49, 59 Colorado [1]117–37 Colorado Plateau [1]42, [3]58, [4]54 Colorado River [1]42, 48, 53, 84, 88, 97, 117–18, 128, [3]2, [4]28, 31, 54 Colorado Springs, Colorado [1]122, 124, 134–36 Columbia River [3]201, 208, [4]112, 114, 116, 118–19 Columbia, South Carolina (capital) [3]257–58 Columbus, Ohio (capital) [3]151–52, 156, 164–65 Comanche tribe [2]49, 54 Conchas reservoirs [3]58 Concord, New Hampshire (capital) [3]17–18 Conestoga tribe [3]222 290

Confederacy [1] 8, 20, 201, [2]81, 239, 247, [3]118, 183[4] 95 Connecticut [1]139–59 Connecticut River [1]144, 152, [2]148, 150, 152– 53, [4]76 Continental Divide [1]118, 120, [2]262, [3]58, [4]172, 238 Cordillera Central range [4]202 Cowpens National Battlefield [3]273 Crater of Diamonds [1]78 Crater Lake National Park [3]212 Craters of the Moon [1]256, 269 Craters of the Moon National Monument [1]269 Creek tribe [1]8, [4]8 Creoles [2]88 Cumberland Gap National Historical Park [2]76, 80 Cumberland Lake [2]64 Cumberland Plateau [1]2, [2]75, 77, [4]2, 17 Cumberland River [4]4, 8 Cumberland Valley [4]8 Custer State Park, South Dakota [3]283

D Dakota tribe [2]204, 206–207, 211 Dallas, Texas [4]31, 33, 36, 46, 48–51, 249 Dauphin Island [1]2, 20 de Soto, Hernando [1]8, 67, 224, [2]90, 227, [3]183 Death Valley [1]82, 84, 86, 88, [4]238, 240–41 Deer Isle [2]107 Delaware [1]161–76 Delaware River [1]180, [2]131, [3]39–40, 47, 216, 222–23, 228 Delaware tribe [2]6, 49 Delaware Water Gap [3]53, 236 Denver, Colorado (capital) [1]117 Des Moines, Iowa (capital) [2]23–24 DeSoto Caverns [1]2 Detroit, Michigan [2]7–8, 178–79 Devil’s Highway [1]47 Disney World [1]215, [4]267 Disneyland [1]112, [4]267 District of Columbia [4]187–200 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Index

Dixieland [2]102 Dodge City, Kansas [2]46, 49–50, 59 Dos Bocas [4]202 Dover, Delaware (capital) [1]161

E Eagle Mountain [2]200 Edgar Allen Poe Museum [4]106 Edison National Historic Site [3]52 Effigy Mounds National Monument [2]39 Eisenhower, Dwight D. [1]68, [2]58, 60, [3]43, 236, [4]49, 51, 249, 269 El Morro [4]206, 218 Ellis Island [3]42, 91 Empire State Building [3]103 Erie Canal [2]7, 182, [3]83–85, 157, [4]247 Erie, Lake [2]7, 174, [3]76, 78, 80, 84, 152, [4]237 Erie tribe [3]222 Eskimos [1]29, 33, [2]130, 152, [3]38, 114, [4]91, 117 Eugene, Oregon [3]200, 203, 211–12 Everglades [1]192

F Fargo, North Dakota [2]206, [3]138–41, 147–48 Florida [1]177–202 Florida Keys [1]192, 194, 199 Fort Frederica National Monument [1]235 Fort Larned [2]59 Fort McHenry [2]132 Fort Peck Reservoir [2]262 Fort Pulaski National Monument [1]235 Fort Scott [2]59 Fort Sumter [1]67, [3]118, 263, 273, [4]247 Fox tribe [2]247 Frankfort, Kentuky (capital) [2]63 Frederiksted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands [4]222 French and Indian War [1]224, 278, [2]206, 227, [3]85, 158, 235, [4]245 French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana [2]103–4 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

G Gateway Arch [2]251, 254, 258 Gatlinburg, Tennessee [4]21 Georgia [1]203–24 Geronimo [1]49, 59, [4]274 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania [3]224, 235–36 Gila Cliff Dwellings [3]72–73 Glacier Bay National Monument [1]39 Glacier National Park [2]274 Gold Rush [1]31, 33, 47, 72, 90, 94–95, 102 Golden Gate National Recreation Area [1]111 Goldwater, Barry [1]48–49, 58, 228, [2]29 Goshute tribe [4]58 Graceland [4]20–21 Grand Canyon [1]41–42, 44, 56, 58–59, [3]15, [4]267 Grand Ole Opry [4]20–21, 267 Grand Teton National Park [4]172, 174, 184 Grand Teton Peak [4]174 Great Awakening, The [1]159, 179, [4]138 Great Basin [3]2, 196, [4]54, 174, 238 Great Depression, The [1]262, 279, [2]51, 186, 228, [3]65, 105, [4]119, 140 Great Plains [1]95, 118, [2]44, 208, [3]58, 136, [4]26, 50, 172, 238–40 Great Salt Lake [4]54, 56, 68, 241 Great Salt Lake Desert [4]54 Great Smoky Mountains [3]110, 112–13, 131, [4]2, 6, 22 Great Smoky Mountains National Park [3]112–13, 131, [4]22 Green Mountains [1]140, [2]150, [4]72 Greenfield Village [2]194–95 Greensboro, North Carolina [3]114, 128, 130–32 Guadalupe Peak [4]26 Guam [4]228–29, 231, 233, 248, 256 Gulf Islands National Seashore [1]215, [2]238 Gulf of Alaska [1]23–24, 32, 39 Gulf of Mexico [1]192 [2]66, 215, 224, 226, [4]26, 236, 238 Gullah [1]223, [3]262 Guntersville Lake [1]2, 19 291

Index

H Hamlin, Hannibal [2]123 Harney Peak [3]278 Harpers Ferry National Historical Park [4]139, 147 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (capital) [3]215 Hartford, Connecticut (capital) [1]139–40 Hawaii [1]225–40 Helena, Montana (capital) [2]261 Hells Canyon National Recreation Area [3]212 Henry Ford Museum [2]194–95 Herbert Hoover National Historic Site [2]39 Hollywood, California [1]97, 109–13, [4]94 Hollywood Cemetery [4]94 Honolulu, Hawaii (capital) [1]225 Hoover Dam [1]42, 53, [3]2, 12 Hoover, Herbert [1]114, [2]38–39, 60, [3]107, 237, [4]38 Hopi tribe [1]46–47, 57 Howland Island [4]229–30 Hudson River [2]154, [3]34, 54, 75–76, 83–84, 169 Huron, Lake [2]174, 176, 189, [3]156, [4]237 Huron River [2]174 Huron tribe [2]181 Hurricane Carla [4]28

I Idaho [1]241–56 Iliniwek (Illinois) tribe [2]247 Illinois [1]257–79 Illinois River [3]188 Independence, Missouri [3]64, 277 Independence National Historical Park [3]236 Indiana [2]1–21 Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore [2]19 Indianapolis 500 [2]19 Indianapolis, Indiana (capital) [2]1, 5–8 Indians. See Native Americans Inouye, Daniel K. [1]253 Iowa [2]23–41 Iowa tribe [2]247 292

Iroquois tribe [3]81, 84, [4]23 Islands Block [3]241, 247, 255 Deer Isle [2]107 Isle au Haut [2]107 Isles of Shoals [3]17–18 Kauai [1]239–40 Kodiak [1]24 Maui [1]239–40 Mount Desert Island [2]107 Oahu [1]239–40 Santa Barbara [1]82, 84, 109 Sea [1]204 Isle Royale National Park [2]195

J Jack Pit Cave [4]28 Jackson, Mississippi (capital) [2]221 James River [4]107 Jamestown, Virginia [4]93–94, 107, 166, 245 Jarvis Island [4]230 Jefferson City, Missouri (capital) [2]241, 256–57 Jefferson Memorial [4]173 Jefferson, West Virginia [4]96, 139 Jerimoth Hill [3]242 Jewel Cave National Monument [3]292 Johnson, Lyndon B. [3]43, 161, [4]161 Johnston Atoll [4]230 Johnston Island [4]230 Jumano tribe [4]34 Juneau, Alaska (capital) [1]23

K Kanawha River [4]134, 138 Kansa tribe [4]54 Kansas [2]43–61 Kansas City, Missouri [2]48–49, 54, 256–58 Kansas–Nebraska Act [2]49, 283, [4]247 Karankawa [4]33 Keller, Helen [1]19 Kennebec River [2]108 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Index

Kennedy Space Center–Spaceport USA [1]197, 201 Kennesaw Mountain [1]235 Kentucky [2]63–82 Kentucky Derby [2]79–80, 82, [4]268 Key West [1]192, 194–95, 212–13 Kickapoo tribe [1]263, [4]155 Kiluaea Crater [1]242 King, Coretta Scott [1]21, 238 King, Martin Luther, Jr. [1]9, 21, 211, 221–23, [4]11, 276 King Philip’s War [2]155, [3]246 Kingdom of Hawaii. See Hawaii Kingman Reef [4]233 Kings Mountain [3]126, 273, [4]23 Kiowa tribe [2]49 Kodiak Island [1]24, 31

L Lakes Arbuckle [3]192 Carlyle [1]272 Champlain [3]76, 78, 84, [4]72, 76–77, 84 Erie, [2]7, 174, [3]76, 78, 80, 84, 152, [4]237 Geneva [4]167 Guntersville [1]2, 4, 19 Hopatcong [3]34 Huron [2]174, 176 Jackson [1]4 Michigan [1]260, 271 [2]2, 4–8, 174, [4]150, 163, 237 Okeechobee [1]194, 197–99, 208 Ontario [2]61, 174, [3]78–79, 84, [4]94, 237 Reelfoot [4]4–5 Roosevelt [1]42, [4]114 Salt [4]54, 56 Superior [2]174, 177, 200, [4]150, 155, 237, 245 Tahoe [1]84, 86–87, 112, [3]2, 14–15 Winnebago [2]181, 281, [4]150, 154, 163 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania [3]222, 230–31, 234 Lansing, Michigan (capital) [2]173, 178, 197 Las Vegas, Nevada [3]4, 6–8, 12–16 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

L’Enfant, Charles [4]166, 174 Leni–Lenape [1]180, [3]38, 41, 222 Lewis and Clark expedition [2]29, 266, [3]140, 201, 283, 293 Library of Congress [4]172–73, 265 Lincoln, Abraham [1]48, 210, 275, 277, [2]70, 79– 81, 145, 207, 266, [3]85, 132, 224, 292, [4]10, 23, 95, 269 Lincoln Memorial [4]173 Lincoln, Nebraska (capital) [2]277 Line Islands [4]230 Little House on the Prairie [2]59, [3]292 Little Rock, Arkansas (capital) [1]61 Loa, Utah [4]64 Los Angeles, California [1] 86, 89–93, 95–96, 103, 105, 109–14 Louisiana [2]83–106 Louisiana Purchase [1]67, 124, 200, [2]29, 49, 206, 247, 266, [3]183, [4]118 Louisiana Territory [1]72, 124, [2]29, 247, 258, [4]34, 246 Luquillo Mountains [4]202 Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Site [4]50 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center [4]50

M MacDonald, Peter [1]49 Mackinac Bridge, Michigan [2]180–81 Mackinac Island [2]196 Madison, Wisconsin (capital) [4]149, 154–56 Mahican tribe [4]76 Maine [2]107–24 Mammoth Cave National Park [2]66, 76, 80 Manahoac tribe [4]93 Mardi Gras [1]1, 20, [2]83, 103–4 Mariana Islands [4]228, 231, 256 Martha’s Vineyard [2]148, 150, 169 Maryland [2]125–46 Massachusetts [2]147–72 Mauna Kea Observatory [1]242 Mauna Loa [1]240, 242, [4]238 Menomini tribe [2]181 Merrimack River [3]22 293

Index

Mesa Verde [1]125, 136–37 Mesabi Range [2]200 Mexican War [1]47, 72, 124, [2]49, [4]35, 77, 109 Miami, Florida [1]183, 187–88 Miami tribe [2]7, 181 Michigan [2]173–97 Michigan, Lake [1]260, 271 [2]2, 4–8, 174, [4]150, 163, 237 Midway Islands [4]230–31 Milwaukee, Wisconsin [4]152, 154–56 Minneapolis, Minnesota [2]202–203 Minnesota [2]199–220 Mississippi [2]221–40 Mississippi River [1]62, 258, 266, [2]24, 200, 226, 246, [4]4, 150 Mississippi River Delta [2]84 Missouri [2]241–60 Missouri Compromise [1]67, 201, [2]29, 114, 247 Missouri Plateau [3]136, 278 Missouri River [2]24, 29, 39, 242, 247, [3]136, 140, 278 Mobile, Alabama [1]4 Mohawk [1]145, [3]76, 78, 81, 84, 94 Mojave Desert [1]84, 86 Monacan tribe [4]93 Monongahela River [3]218, 222 Montana [2]261–75 Montezuma Castle [1]56 Montgomery, Alabama (capital) [1]1 Montpelier, Vermont (capital) [4]71, 75, 84 Mormons [1]247, [4] 58–60 Mount Borah, Idaho [1]242 Mount Desert Island [2]107 Mount Hood [3]196 Mount McKinley [4]238 Mount Rainier [4]112, 115, 129 Mount Rogers [4]88 Mount Rushmore [3]277, 280, 292–93, [4]267 Mount Rushmore National Memorial [3]292 Mount St. Helens [4]112, 116, 119, 123, 125 Mount Shuksan [4]112 Mount Waialeale [1]228 Mount Washington [3]18, 20, 30 Mount Whitney [1]82 Mountains 294

Appalachian [1]2, 223, [2]126, 128, [3]110, 216, [4]236 Blue [4]88, 108, 114 Blue Ridge [1]218, [3]110, 258, [4]88, 108 Cascade Range [3]196, 198, 208, [4]112, 238 Cordillera Central [4]202 Great Smoky Mountains [3]110, 112–13, 131, [4]2, 6, 22 Green [4]72 Kennesaw [1]235 Kings [3]98, 126, 273, [4]23, 54, 201 Mount McKinley [4]238 Mount Rainier [4]112, 115, 129 Mount Rushmore [3]277, 280, 292–93, [4]267 Mount Washington [3]18, 20, 30 Ozark [1]62, 64, 76 Pikes Peak [1]118, 135 Ramapo [3]34, 38 Rocky [1]118, 121, [2]261–62, 264, [3]1, 57– 58, [4]171–72, 174, 236 Sassafras [1]176, 221, [3]154, 218, 258 Sierra Nevada [1]81–82, 84–86 Museo de Arte de Ponce [4]216 Muskogee tribe [3]192 Mystic Seaport [1]157

N Nanticoke River [1]162 Nanticoke tribe [1]166 Nantucket Island [2]150, 169 Napa Valley [1]105 Narragansett tribe [3]246 Nashville, Tennessee (capital) [4]1, 5, 7–12, 14–16, 19–23 Natchez tribe [2]227 National Parks Acadia [2]88, 96, 110, 122–23 Apostle Islands National Lakeshore [4]167 Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area [2]274 Chickasaw National Recreation Area [3]192 Crater Lake [3]196, 212 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Index

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park [2]76, 80 Glacier National Park [2]274 Golden Gate National Recreation Area [1]111 Grand Canyon National Park [1]56, 58, [3]15 Grand Teton National Park [4]172, 174, 184 Great Smoky Mountains National Park [3]112– 13, 131, [4]22 Gulf Islands National Seashore [1]215, [2]238 Hells Canyon National Recreation Area [3]212 Independence National Historical Park [3]236 Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore [2]19 Isle Royale National Park [2]195 Mammoth Cave National Park [2]66, 76, 80 Nez Percé National Historical Park [1]269 Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore [2]195 Sitka National Historical Park [1]39 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore [2]195 Theodore Roosevelt National Park [3]138, 147–48 Valley Forge National Historic Park [3]236 Wind Cave [3]291–92 Yellowstone [1]256, [2]262, 267, 274, [3]136, [4]172, 176–77, 184–85, 267 National Wildflower Research Center [4]30 Native Americans Abnaki [4]76 Accomac [2]131 Aleuts [1]29–30, 33, 38, [2]130, 152, 179, [3]38, 114, [4]91, 117 Anasazi [1]47 Apalachee [1]200 Arapaho [1]124, [2]49, [4]176 Atakapa [2]90 Athabaskan [1]26, 29 Caddo tribes [1]66–67, [2]90, [4]25, 34 Calusa [1]200 Carib Indians [4]222 Cayuga [3]81, 84 Chamorro people [4]228, 231 Chamorros [4]231 Cherokee [1]6, 67, 217, 224, 236–37, [2]69, 224, [3]114, 116–17, 177, 181, 183, 192, [4]1, 8, 23, 51, 93 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Cheyenne [1]123–24, [2]49, [3]183, 278, [4]171–72, 174–75, 183–84 Chickasaw [1]67, [2]64, 227, [3]177, 181, 183, 192, [4]8 Chippewa [2]204, 214, [4]152, 154 Chitimacha [2]90 Choctaw [1]6, 66–67, [2]227, [3]177, 181, 183 Coahuiltecan [4]33 Comanche [2]49, 54, [4]45 Conestoga (Susquehanna) [3]222 Creek [1]8, [4]8 Dakota [2]204, 206–207, 211 Delaware [2]6, 49 Erie [3]222 Eskimos [1]29, 33, 38 Fox [2]247 Goshute [4]58 Hopi [1]46–47, 57 Huron [2]174, 176 Iliniwek (Illinois) [2]247 Iowa [2]23–24, 26–41 Iroquois [3]81, 84, 151, [4]23 Jumano [4]34 Kansa [2]43, 49, 54 Karankawa [4]33 Kickapoo [1]277, [4]155 Kiowa [2]49 Leni–Lenape [1]180, [3]38, 41, 222 Mahican [1]139, [4]76 Manahoac [4]93 Menomini [2]181 Miami [2]7 Mohawk [1]145, [3]76, 78, 81, 84, 94 Monacan [4]93 mound builders [1]8, 77 Muskogee [3]192 Narragansett [3]241, 245–47, 255 Natchez [2]226–27, 238 Nauset [2]154 Navajo, [1]46, 49, 53, 57, [3]60, 62–63, 66, [4]57–58 Nez Percé [1]269 Nipmuc [2]154 Northern Paiute [1]261, [3]6–7 295

Index

Ojibwa [1]277, [2]49, 179, 181, 204 [3]140, [4]149, 154–55 Onondaga [3]81, 84 Osage [1]67, [2]44, 49, 54, 242, 247, 256, [3]177 Oto [2]277, 283 Ottawa [2]179, [3]167, 180 Paiute [1]88, 261, [3]6–7, [4]58 Passamaquoddy [2]112, 115 Pawnee [2]49, 54, 283 Pennacook [3]22 Penobscot [2]108, 111–12, 114–15 Peoria [1]274, 277, 284, 289–90 Pequot [1]145, 159 Piscataway [2]131, [3]39 Ponca [2]283, 292, [3]192 Potawatomi [1]277, [2]6–7, 179, 181, [4]155 Pueblo, [1]56, 122, [3]62–63, 66, 68, [4]34 Quapaw [1]61, 67 Roanoke Hatteras [3]116 Salishan [1]261 Sauk [1]277, [2]217, 220, 242, 247, [4]155 Seminole, [1]194, 198, 200–201, 220, 237, [3]177, 183, [4]28 Seneca [3]81, 84–85, 198, [4]134 Shapwailutan [1]261 Shawnee, [2]6, 48–49, 59, 69, [3]158, 222, [4]8, 138 Shoshone [1]256, 261, [4]181 Sioux [2]38, 40, 181, 199, 281 Susquehanna (Conestoga) [3]222 Susquehannock [2]131 Taino [4]203–206 Tequesta [1]200 Teton Sioux [3]140 Timucua [1]200 Tlingit–Haida [1]29 Tocobaga [1]200 Tonkawa [4]33 Tuscarora [3]38, 81, 84, 116–17, [4]138 Tutelo [4]93 Ute [1]128, 136, 259, [2]264, 280, [4]53, 58, 68, 116, 174 Wampanoag [2]154, [3]246 Washo [3]6–7 296

Wichita [2]46, 48–51, 54–55, 58–59, [3]180, 192 Winnebago [2]181, 281, [4]150, 154, 163 Woodland [1]152, 259, [2]29, 202, [3]288, [4]116, 128 Wyandot [2]49, 63, [3]158, 222 Yanktonai Sioux [3]140 Yuchi [4]8 Navassa [4]221, 224 Nebraska [2]277–93 Nevada [3]1–16 New Hampshire [3]17–32 New Jersey [3]33–56 New Mexico [3]57–74 New Orleans, Louisiana [2]29, 84, 86, 88–93, 97, 100–5, 226–27 New York [3]75–108 New York, New York [3]15–16 Newport, Rhode Island [3]246 Newspaper Rock [4]59 Nez Percé National Historical Park [1]269 Nez Percé tribe [1]246–47, [2]266 Niagara Falls, New York [3]78, 102–3, [4]267 Nook Farm Museum [1]158 North Carolina [3]109–33 North Dakota [3]135–49 Northern Marianas [4]231–33 Agrihan [4]231 Rota [4]231–32 Saipan [4]231–32 Tinian [4]231–32 Northern Paiute tribe [3]6–7 Northwest Territory [1]278, [2]7, 206, [3]158, [4]155

O O’Connor, Sandra Day [1]58, [4]51, 250 Ohio [3]151–76 Ohio River [2]2, 4, 6–7, 64, 69, 75, [3]152, 154, 156–58, 169, 171, [4]4, 139 Ojibwa tribe [1]263, [2]49, 179, 181, 204, 206, 211, [3]140, [4]154–55 Okanogan Highlands [4]114 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Index

Okefenokee Swamp [1]218, 220, 231, 236 Oklahoma [3]177–94 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (capital) [3]177–78, 180–84 Old Faithful geyser [4]185 Old Stone Fort [4]50 Olympia, Washington (capital) [4]111, 128 Olympic Mountains [4]111 Omaha, Nebraska [2]281, 283, 286–87, 289–92 Onondaga tribe [3]81, 84 Ontario, Lake [2]174, [3]78–79, 84, 94, [4]237 Oregon [3]195–213 Oregon Trail [1]261, 269, [2]280, [3]204, [4]177 Orlando, Florida [1]197, 199, 207, 210–11, 214–15 Osage tribe [1]67, [2]49, 54, 247 Oto tribe [2]283 Ottawa tribe [2]179 Ozark Mountains [1]62 Ozark Plateau [2]242, [3]178

P Pago Pago, American Samoa (capital) [4]225 Painted Desert [1]42 Paiute tribe [1]247, [3]6–7, [4]58 Palmyra Atoll [4]233 Palo Duro Canyon [4]50 Palouse Hills [4]114 Passaic River [3]36 Passamaquoddy tribe [2]112, 115 Pawnee tribe [2]49, 54, 283 Peale Island [4]233 Pecos River [4]26 Pennacook tribe [3]22 Pennsylvania [3]215–39 Penobscot tribe [2]115 Peoria tribe [1]263 Pequot tribe [1]145 Petrified Forest [1]42, 56 Phoenix, Arizona (capital) [1]41 Phoenix International Raceway [1]57 Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore [2]195 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Piedmont Plateau [1]2, 176, 218, [2]126, [3]110, 216, 258, [4]88, 236 Pierre, South Dakota (capital) [3]277 Pikes Peak [1]118, 135 Pine Barrens [3]34 Pinson Mounds [4]21 Pioneer Woman Statue and Museum [3]192 Piscataqua River [3]22 Piscataway tribe [2]131 Plymouth, Massachusetts [2]147 Point Barrow [1]24, 26 Ponca tribe [2]283, 292 Pony Express [1]111, [2]59, 257–58 Portland, Oregon [3]198–201, 206, 208–13 Potawatomi tribe [1]263, [2]6–7, 179, 181, [4]155 Potomac River [2]132, [4]134, 161, 166 Providence, Rhode Island (capital) [3]241–42 Pueblo tribe [1]123, [3]62–63, 66, 68, [4]34 Puerto Rico [4]201–19 Puerto Rico Trench [4]202 Puritans [1]144–45, [2]152, 154–55, [3]39, 41, 47

Q Quapaw tribe [1]67 Queen Liliuokalani [1]245, 253

R Radio City Music Hall [3]100 Raleigh, North Carolina (capital) [3]109 Ramapo Mountains [3]34 Red River [2]200, 206, 209, 213, [3]136, 140, 178, [4]43 Reelfoot Lake [4]4–5 Rehoboth Beach [1]189 Rhode Island [3]241–56 Rhode Island State House [3]248 Richmond, Virginia (capital) [4]87, 90–91 Rio de la Plata [4]202 Rivers Anacostia [4]161, 169 Black [2] 221–22 297

Index

Calumet [2]2, 4, 8, 13 Chattahoochee [1]218, 220, 224, 237 Choptank [1]176 Colorado [1]42 [2]44, 280, [3]2, 58, 69, [4]28, 31 Columbia [3]201, 208, [4]112, 114, 116, 118–19 Connecticut [1]144, 152, [2]148, 150, 152–53, [4]76 Delaware [1]180, [2]131, [3]39–40, 47, 216, 222–23, 228 Hudson [2]154, [3]34, 54, 75–76, 83–84, 169 Huron [2]174, 176, 181, 189, 195–96, [3]156, [4]154, 237 Illinois [3]188 Kanawha [4]134, 138, 143, 147 Kennebec [2]108, 112, 122 Merrimack [2]150, [3]18, 22, 27 Mississippi [1]62, 258, 266, [2]24, 200, 226, 246, [4]4, 150 Missouri [2]24, 29, 39, 242, 247, [3]136, 140, 278 Monongahela [3]218, 222, [4]138–39, 143–44 Nanticoke [1]176, 180, [3]222 Ohio [2]2, 4, 6–7, 64, 69, 75, [3]152, 154, 156–58, 169, 171, [4]4, 139 Passaic [3]34, 36, 39 Pecos [3]58, [4]26 Piscataqua [3]18, 22 Potomac [2]126, 132, [4]94, 134, 161–62, 166, 173 Red [2]200, 206, 209, 213, [3]136, 140, 178, [4]43 Saco [2]108, 112, [3]18 St. Lawrence Seaway [2]7, 181, 191, 206, 215, [3]157, 159, [4]155 Santa Cruz [1]47, 109 Savannah [1]218, 222–24, 230, 232, 234, 236– 37, [2]195, [3]258, 263, 270 Snake [1]64, 88, 196, 221, 256, 261, 265, 274, [2]150, 178, 224–25, [3]36, 57, 115, 151, 196, 201, [4]30, 114, 152, 172 Tippecanoe [2]2, [3]158 Wabash [1]272, 277, [2]1–2, 7, 17 White [2]2, [4]82 298

Whitewater [2]2, 123, [4]140, 147–48, 165 Roanoke Hatteras tribe [3]116 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum [3]171–72 Rock Creek [4]161 Rocky Mountains [1]41, 118, 123–24, [2]262, 264, [3]1, 58, 278, [4]54, 172, 236, 238 Rocky Mountain National Park [1]136 Roosevelt Lake [1]42, [4]114 Roosevelt, Theodore [1]42, 99, [2]20, [3]86, 105–6, 138, 147–48, 175, 292, [4]269 Rota [4]231–32 Russell Cave [1]2, 19–20

S Sacramento, California (capital) [1]81 Saginaw River [2]174 Saguaro National Monument [1]57 St. Augustine, Florida [1]200, 213, 215, 224 St. Croix, Virgin Islands [4]152, 167, 221–23 St. John, Virgin Islands [2]97, 108, 141, [3]98, 105, [4]92, 206, 221–22 St. John’s Church, Virginia [4]92 St. Lawrence Seaway [2]7, 181, 191, 206, 215, [3]157, 159, [4]155 St. Louis Arch [2]251 St. Paul, Minnesota (capital) [2]199 St. Petersburg, Florida [1]197, 214 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands [4]221–22 Saipan [4]231–32 Salem, Oregon (capital) [3]195 Salt Lake City, Utah (capital) [4]53–54 San Andreas Fault [1]84, [4]238 San Cristobal [4]218 San Francisco, California [1]81–82, 84–86, 88–96, 100 San Juan, Puerto Rico (capital) [4]201, 203–207, 210–11, 214–18 Sand Island, Johnston Atoll [4]230 Santa Barbara Islands [1]82, 84 Santa Cruz River [1]47 Santa Fe, New Mexico (capital) [3]57 Santa Fe Trail [2]49, 254, [3]64 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Index

Sassafras Mountain [3]258 Sauk tribe [1]263, [2]247, [4]155 Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan [2]176, 181 Savannah, Georgia [1]218, 222–24 Savannah River [1]218, 237, [3]270 Sea Islands [1]218, 224, [3]258, 262 Seattle, Washington [1]261, [4]115–19, 127–30, 240 Seminole tribe [1]184, 186–87, 223, [3]183 Seneca tribe [3]81, 84 Sequoia National Forest [1]87 Seward’s icebox [1]26 Shawnee tribe, [2]6, 49, 59, 69, [3]158, 222, [4]8, 138 Shoshone tribe [1]247, [4]58 Sierra de Luquillo [4]202 Sierra Nevada [1]81–82, 84–86 Silicon Valley [1]103 Sioux tribe [2]181, 275, 281, 292 Sitka National Historical Park [1]39 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore [2]195 Smithsonian Institution [4]170, 172–73 Snake River [1]256, 261, 265, [3]196, 201 Sonora Desert [1]42 South Bend, Indiana [2]5–7, 13, 17, 19 South Carolina [3]257–75 South Dakota [3]277–94 Spanish–American War [1]201, 237, 245, [3]175, [4]208, 228, 231, 248 Springfield, Illinois (capital) [1]257 Spruce Knob [4]134 Stone Mountain [1]218, 236 Superior, Lake [2]174, 177, 200, [4]150, 155, 237, 245 Susquehanna tribe [3]222 Susquehannock tribe [2]131

T Taino tribe [4]203–206 Tallahassee, Florida (capital) [1]177 Tennessee [4]1–24 Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway [2]64, [4]8 Tennessee Valley Authority [1]2, 7, [4]2, 10, 18, 24 Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States, Fifth Edition

Tequesta tribe [1]186 Teton Sioux [3]140 Texas [4]25–52 Theodore Roosevelt National Park [3]138, 147–48 Timms Hill [4]150 Timucua tribe [1]186 Tinian [4]231–32 Tippecanoe River [2]2 Tlingit–Haida [1]29 Tocobaga tribe [1]186 Toledo, Ohio [2]7, 180, 182, [3]156–57, 159, 168– 69, 172–73 Tonkawa tribe [4]33 Tonopah, Nevada [3]11 Topeka, Kansas (capital) [2]43 Trans–Alaska Pipeline [1]32, 36 Treaty of Guadalupe–Hidalgo [3]64, [4]59 Trenton, New Jersey (capital) [3]33 Tuscarora tribe [3]38, 81, 84, 116–17 Tutelo tribe [4]93 Tutuila, American Samoa [4]225

U Underground Railroad [1]146, [2]8, 18, 29, 50, [3]221 United States of America [4]233–79 US Air Force Academy [1]124, 135 US Caribbean Dependencies [4]221–24 US Pacific Dependencies [4]225–33 Agrihan [4]231 American Samoa [4]225–27 Baker Island [4]229–30 Howland Island [4]229–30 Jarvis Island [4]230 Johnston Atoll [4]230 Line Islands [4]230 Marianas Islands [4]232 Midway Islands [4]230–31 Northern Marianas [4]231–33 Palmyra Atoll [4]233 Peale Island [4]233 Rota [4]231–32 Saipan [4]231–32 299

Index

Tinian [4]231–32 Wake Island [4]233 Wilkes Island [4]233 Utah [4]53–69 Ute tribe [1]128, 136, [4]58

V Valley Forge National Historic Park [3]236 Vermilion Range [2]200 Vermont [4]71–86 Vicksburg, Mississippi [2]222, 224, 226–28, 238 Vicksburg National Military Park [2]228, 238 Vietnam Veterans Memorial [4]173 Vinalhaven [2]107 Virgin Islands of the United States [4]221–24 St. Croix [4]152, 167, 221–23 St. John [2]97, 108, 141, [3]98, 105, [4]92, 206, 221–22 St. Thomas [4]221–22 Virginia [4]87–110 Volcanoes [1]242, 252, [4]112, 231, 238

W Wabash River [2]2 Waikiki Beach [1]252 Wake Island [4]233 Wallace, George C. [1]9, 228 Walt Disney World [1]215, [4]267 Wampanoag tribe [2]154, [3]246 War of 1812 [1]8 Washington [4] 111–31 Washington, DC (capital) [4]187–200, 235 Washington Island [4]150 Washington Monument [4]110, 173 Washington Square Park, New York [3]96 Washo tribe [3]6–7

300

West Branch, Iowa [2]38–39 West Virginia [4]133–48 Western Reserve [3]156, 158, 168, 170–71 Wheeler Dam [1]2 Wheeler Peak [3]58 White House [1]20, 237, [3]54, 86, 106, 132, 174– 75, [4]49, 166, 173, 267 White Mountains [2]150, [3]18, 31 White River [2]2, [4]82 Whitewater River [2]2 Wichita, Kansas [2]46, 48–51, 54–55, 58–59 Wichita tribe [2]46, 48–51, 54–55, 58–59, [3]180, 192 Wilder, Laura Ingalls [2]59, [3]291–92 Wilkes Island [4]233 Will Rogers Memorial [3]192 Willamette Valley [3]196, 200–201 Willapa Hills [4]111 Wilmington, Delaware [1]176, 178–81, 183–84 Wind Cave National Park [3]291–92 Winnebago tribe [2]181, 281, [4]154 Wisconsin [4]149–69 Woodland Native Americans [2]29 Wyandot tribe [2]49, [3]158, 222 Wyoming [4]171–85

Y Yankee Stadium [3]104 Yanktonai Sioux [3]140 Yellowstone National Park [1]256, [2]267, 274, [4]172, 176–77, 184–85, 267 Yorktown, Virginia [3]118, [4]95, 107, 246 Yuchi tribe [4]8

Z Zion National Park [4]68


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