Kansas
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Kansas, derived from the Siouan word Kansa meaning "People of the south wind", is a midwestern state in the United States. The U.S. postal abbreviation for the state is KS and the state flower is the sunflower.
USS Kansas was named in honor of this state.
History
Main Article: History of KansasKansas, as part of the Louisiana Purchase, was annexed to the United States in 1803 as unorganized territory. Kansas then became part of the Missouri Territory until 1821. Then the Kansas-Nebraska Act became law on May 30, 1854 established the US territories of Nebraska and Kansas.
Fort Leavenworth was the first community in the area around 1827. To travellers enroute to Utah, California, or Oregon, Kansas was a waystop and outfitting place. On March 30, 1855 "Border Ruffians" from Missouri invaded Kansas during the territory's first election and forced the election of a pro-slavery legislature.
Kansas became the 34th state of the Union on January 29, 1861. Civil War veterans constructed homesteads in Kansas following the war. On February 19, 1861 it became the first U.S. state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages.
Law and Government
The State Capital is Topeka.
The Governor of the State is Kathleen Sebelius (Democrat) and the two U.S. Senators are Sam Brownback (Republican) and Pat Roberts (Republican).
See also: List of Kansas Governors
Geography
Main Article: List of Kansas countiesKansas is bordered by Oklahoma on the south, Missouri on the east, Nebraska on the north, and Colorado on the west. It is located equidistant from the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean. The geographic center of Northamerica is located in Osborne County. This spot is used as the central reference point for all maps produced by the government.
Economy
The 1999 total gross state product of Kansas was $81 billion placing Kansas 31st in the nation. Its Per capita Income is $27,816. The agricultural outputs of the state are cattle, wheat, sorghum, soybeans, hogs and corn. The industrial outputs are transportation equipment, food processing, publishing, chemical products, machinery, apparel, petroleum and mining.
Demographics
The population is 2,688,418, as of 2000. The largest city is Wichita.
Important Cities and Towns
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Education
Colleges and Universities
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Professional Sports Teams
- Kansas City T-Bones, Wichita Wranglers, Texas League, Minor league baseball