Missouri

Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas to the south, and Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska to the west. With over six million people, it is the 19th-most populous state. The largest cities are St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, and Columbia, and the capital is Jefferson City.

People have lived in Missouri for at least 12,000 years. The Mississippian culture built cities with special mounds before fading away in the 14th century. Later, the Osage and Missouria nations lived there when Europeans arrived. The French set up towns like Ste. Genevieve and St. Louis. The United States bought Missouri as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. It became a slave state in 1820 through the Missouri Compromise and had a complicated role during the American Civil War.

Today, Missouri is known as the "Gateway to the West" and the "Show Me State." It mixes Midwestern and Southern culture and is the birthplace of musical styles like ragtime, Kansas City jazz, and St. Louis blues. The state is famous for its barbecue styles and is a big center for beer brewing, home to Anheuser-Busch, the world's largest beer company. Popular tourist spots include the Lake of the Ozarks and Branson. Well-known universities such as the University of Missouri and Washington University in St. Louis help make the state an important place for education and business.

Etymology and pronunciation

Missouri is named after the Missouri River, which itself was named for the indigenous Missouria tribe. French colonists adapted their name, which means 'one who has dugout canoes'.

Missouri has many ways people say its name, with two common ways being mih-ZUR-ee and mih-ZUR-uh. Even today, people in Missouri say it differently, and there is no single "right" way.

Nicknames

Missouri is often called the "Show Me State", seen on its license plates. This nickname comes from a famous speech by Congressman Willard Vandiver in 1899. It means people from Missouri want to see proof before they believe something. Missouri also has other nicknames like "The Cave State" because it has many caves—more than any state except Tennessee. The state's official motto is "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law."

History

Main article: History of Missouri

Early history

Archaeological discoveries show people living in river valleys since around 9000 BCE. Before the year 1000, groups known as the Mississippian culture built big cities with large homes and huge earthwork mounds for important purposes. One of their main cities, Cahokia, was near present-day Collinsville, Illinois, and it was a center for trade reaching far north to the Great Lakes and south to the Gulf of Mexico. This civilization slowly declined by 1400 CE, and most people left long before Europeans arrived.

The land that is now Missouri was part of many territories with changing borders and many names over time. In the 1700s, French traders explored the area and named it Louisiana. French settlers from Canada created villages on both sides of the Mississippi River. The first European settlement in Missouri was Ste. Genevieve, founded around 1750. Early settlements included enslaved Africans and Native Americans, and farming was very important.

St. Louis was founded on February 14, 1764, by French fur traders. It became a key center for trading with Native American tribes up and down the rivers. The invention of the steamboat helped St. Louis grow even more.

19th century

Missouri became part of the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. It was called the “Gateway to the West” because many settlers started their journeys to the western United States from here. St. Charles was where the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition began in 1804.

Missouri was historically part of the Southern United States. Many early settlers came from states like Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, and they brought enslaved Africans with them to work on farms. These settlers mostly lived along the Missouri River in an area called “Little Dixie.”

The state shook during the powerful 1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes, but because there were not many people living there, few were hurt.

Admission as a state in 1821

In 1821, Missouri joined the United States as a slave state under the Missouri Compromise. The capital was first in St. Charles and later moved to Jefferson City in 1826.

originally had a straight western border, but the river has moved since then. In 1836, Missouri added more land from native tribes, making the Missouri River the border up north.

In the 1830s, people called Mormons began settling near Independence. Problems arose between them and earlier settlers, leading to conflict known as the Mormon War in 1838. By 1839, the Mormons were forced to leave Missouri.

Tensions over slavery grew, causing problems between Missouri and nearby states. Population grew quickly in the 1800s, with many new settlers from the North and South, as well as immigrants from Ireland and Germany.

Many farmers grew food for their families before the Civil War. Some larger farms, called plantations, were mostly in the “Little Dixie” area. By 1860, enslaved Africans made up less than 10% of Missouri’s population.

American Civil War

After Southern states began leaving the United States in 1861, Missouri’s legislature voted not to leave but wanted to support the Union. However, some leaders in Missouri wanted to join the Confederacy. This caused big disagreements in the state.

Union forces fought against Confederate supporters and local groups called guerrillas. Leaders like William Quantrill led small, fast attacks. The fighting caused a lot of trouble for families and communities.

Reconstruction and later 19th century

After the Civil War, Missouri stayed competitive in elections and did not take away the right to vote from African Americans. However, racial segregation laws were put in place.

20th century

During the Progressive Era, leaders from Missouri worked to end corruption and improve government. Joseph “Holy Joe” Folk was a governor who pushed for many changes to make government fairer and more modern.

Between the Civil War and World War II, Missouri changed from a rural Southern state to a more industrial state like the rest of the Midwest. Railroads helped Kansas City grow into a major transportation hub, and it also became an important place for meatpacking.

In the 1950s and 1960s, St. Louis and Kansas City lost jobs as factories closed. New highways allowed people to move to the suburbs. Both cities have been working to rebuild and attract new businesses.

21st century

In 2014, Missouri gained attention for protests that happened after an incident involving a police officer in Ferguson. In 2015, students at the University of Missouri protested against what they felt was poor handling of racist incidents on campus.

In 2018, plans were announced to move some government offices to Kansas City, and both Kansas City and St. Louis have been working to renew their downtown areas with new buildings and projects.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Missouri

Missouri touches eight different states, tied with its neighbor Tennessee for this record. It is bordered by Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee to the east across the Mississippi River, Arkansas to the south, and Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska to the west. The northern and southern borders are straight lines, but the Missouri Bootheel stretches south between the St. Francis and Mississippi rivers. The two biggest rivers are the Mississippi River, which forms the eastern border, and the Missouri River, which runs from west to east through the state, linking the major cities of Kansas City and St. Louis.

Although Missouri is usually considered part of the Midwest today, it was once seen as a border state because of people from the South settling there and because it allowed slavery before the Civil War. This Southern influence was strongest in the area called "Little Dixie", along the Missouri River, where many slaves lived.

Topography

North of the Missouri River, you’ll find the Northern Plains, which stretch into Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. These areas have gentle rolling hills left from ancient glaciation. Missouri has tall river bluffs along the Mississippi, Missouri, and Meramec Rivers. The southern part of the state rises into the Ozark Mountains, a high area with many hills and caves. The southeastern part, called the Missouri Bootheel, is flat, warm, and wet, and it’s where cotton and rice are grown. This area felt the strongest shakes from the big New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811 and 1812.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Missouri

Missouri has cool to cold winters and hot, humid summers. In the southern part, especially the Bootheel, summers can get even hotter and more humid. Because Missouri is far from big mountains or oceans, it can get very hot or very cold. The hottest temperature ever recorded was 118 °F (48 °C) at Warsaw and Union in 1954, and the coldest was −40 °F (−40 °C), also at Warsaw, in 1905.

Missouri is in Tornado Alley, so it often gets strong storms and tornadoes. On May 22, 2011, a very powerful tornado hit Joplin, causing lots of damage.

Flora and fauna

Main article: Wildlife of Missouri

Missouri has many different plants and animals. There is plenty of fresh water from the Mississippi River, Missouri River, Table Rock Lake, and Lake of the Ozarks, plus many smaller rivers and lakes. North of the Missouri River, the land is mostly rolling hills, while south of the river, there are lots of forests.

Counties

See also: List of counties in Missouri

Missouri has 114 counties and one special city, St. Louis, which is very crowded with 5,140 people living in each square mile. The biggest counties are St. Louis (1,004,125 people), Jackson (717,204 people), and St. Charles (406,262 people). Worth County is the smallest, with only 1,973 people. The largest counties by size are Texas (1,179 square miles) and Shannon (1,004 square miles), while Worth County is the smallest at just 266 square miles.

Cities and towns

See also: List of cities in Missouri and List of towns and villages in Missouri

Jefferson City is the capital of Missouri. The biggest cities are Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia, and Independence.

St. Louis is the main city of the biggest area in Missouri, with 17 counties and the city of St. Louis itself; eight of these counties are in Illinois. As of 2022, the St. Louis area was the 21st biggest in the country with 2.80 million people. Other big cities in this area include O'Fallon, St. Charles, St. Peters, Florissant, Chesterfield, Wentzville, Wildwood, University City, Ballwin, and Kirkwood.

Kansas City is Missouri’s largest city and the main city of the Kansas City area, which includes fourteen counties and five counties in Kansas. In 2022, it was the 31st biggest area in the U.S. with 2.21 million people. Other big cities here are Independence, Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, Liberty, Raytown, Gladstone, Grandview, and Belton.

Springfield is Missouri’s third-largest city and the main city of the Springfield-Branson area, home to 549,423 people across seven counties in southwest Missouri. Branson is a popular tourist spot in the Ozarks. Other cities in this area are Nixa, Ozark, and Republic.

Demographics

Missouri has a population of over six million people, making it the 19th-most populous state in the United States. In 2019, the population was estimated to be 6,137,428, which is a small increase since the 2010 census.

Most people in Missouri live in the two largest cities, St. Louis and Kansas City. The state has people from many different backgrounds, including German, Irish, English, and French. There are also communities from Mexico, China, India, Vietnam, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Missouri has a mix of different religions. Many people are Protestant or Roman Catholic, but there are also people who follow other religions or none at all. The state has a variety of industries, including agriculture, aerospace, and manufacturing. Missouri is known for its production of soybeans, pork, and wine. The state also has important resources like limestone and lead.

Culture

Music

Main article: Music of Missouri

Missouri has been home to many famous musicians. Some well-known names include rock pioneer Chuck Berry, singer Josephine Baker, and pop artist Sheryl Crow. The state also has strong ties to country music with artists like Sara Evans and Rhonda Vincent. Famous rap artists such as Eminem were born or lived in Missouri, and the state has many music theaters, especially in Branson.

Literature

Missouri is the birthplace of famous author Mark Twain, who wrote classics like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Other notable writers from Missouri include Kate Chopin and Tennessee Williams. Writer William Least Heat-Moon is known for his book Blue Highways, which tells stories about small towns across America.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Missouri

Missouri has a rich sports history. The state hosted the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, the first time the Olympic Games were held in the United States. Today, Missouri is home to several professional sports teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals in baseball, and the Kansas City Chiefs in football.

Heritage

Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park protects the history of Missouri's oldest European settlement. The park features historic buildings, including examples of special French Colonial architecture.

Government and politics

Main articles: Government of Missouri and List of governors of Missouri

Missouri has three main parts to its government: laws, courts, and leaders. The laws are made by two groups: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The courts include the Supreme Court and other lower courts. The leaders are headed by the Governor, who works with other elected leaders.

Missouri has had important leaders in the past, like Harry S Truman, who became the 33rd President of the United States. The state has also changed in how people vote for leaders over time.

Former status as a political bellwether

Further information: Political party strength in Missouri

For many years, Missouri was known for often choosing the same leader as the rest of the country in big elections. But in recent years, it has more often chosen leaders from one group of people.

Alcohol and tobacco laws

Main articles: Alcohol laws of Missouri and List of smoking bans in the United States § Missouri

Missouri has very relaxed rules about alcohol and tobacco. It is easy to buy alcohol in many places, and there are few limits on where and how tobacco can be used. This is partly because many people in Missouri prefer fewer rules.

Cannabis laws

See also: Cannabis in Missouri

In recent years, Missouri has changed its rules about a certain plant. Voters approved rules that allow doctors to recommend a special type of this plant for health reasons.

Education

Main article: Education in Missouri

The Missouri State Board of Education oversees public schools across the state. It has eight members chosen by the governor and approved by the Missouri Senate.

Children in Missouri must go to school from age seven to seventeen. They can attend public, private, or home schools. Kids aged five to seven can go to school if their parents choose, but it is not required. Missouri schools are usually split into three levels: elementary, middle (or junior high), and high school. Sports and competitions in high schools are managed by the Missouri State High School Activities Association.

Homeschooling is allowed in Missouri and does not need special approval from the state.

Missouri has many colleges and universities. The University of Missouri System includes schools in Columbia, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Rolla. Other schools include Truman State University, University of Central Missouri, and Southeast Missouri State University. Private schools like Washington University in St. Louis and Saint Louis University are also well known.

The state offers a $3000 scholarship called Bright Flight to the top students who stay in Missouri for college. There was a long-standing sports rivalry between the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas, especially in football and basketball, but they no longer play each other regularly.

Transportation

Missouri has two major airports: St. Louis Lambert International Airport and Kansas City International Airport. In the south, Springfield–Branson National Airport offers many direct flights, and people in central Missouri use Columbia Regional Airport to travel to cities like Chicago, Dallas, and Denver.

The state is important for trains. Kansas City and St. Louis are busy places for freight trains, and Amtrak passenger trains stop in many cities. St. Louis has a large light rail system called MetroLink, and Kansas City has its own streetcar system that started in 2016.

Many cities and towns have bus services, and companies like Greyhound and Trailways offer trips between cities. The Mississippi and Missouri Rivers are important for shipping, with St. Louis being a key place for boats.

Missouri has many roads, and after a program started in 2004, the state worked to improve highways. This helped reduce the number of traffic accidents over several years.