Oklahoma: The Sooner State

Oklahoma: The Sooner State — page 1 — INTRODUCTION Oklahoma occupies a unique place in U S history In the mid-1800s as the United States pushed westward the land that would later become Oklahoma remained mostly untouched by settlers The U S government had set the area aside as Indian Territory a home for various Native American peoples forced out of their homelands The state’s Native American heritage shows even in its name Oklahoma is a combination of two Choctaw Indian words okla meaning people and humma meaning red Although Oklahoma is usually thought to consist of flat prairies the state is truly breathtaking Its terrain is diverse with mountains as well as vast level plains In addition to Native Americans Oklahoma’s land has been inhabited by pioneers cowboys and outlaws All have contributed to the state’s rich past paving the way to the present 4 OKLAHOMA Robbers Cave State Park in Oklahoma is where outlaws such as Jesse James once stored their loot The state song is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma At one time it was Oklahoma A Toast by Harriet Parker Camden The barite rose a rock shaped like a rose is the state rock The state colors are green and white The musical Oklahoma the source of the state song won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1944

Oklahoma: The Sooner State — page 2 — INTRODUCTION 5 Oklahoma lies in the south-central portion of the United States It shares borders with six other states Arkansas and Missouri lie to the east Kansas and Colorado are to the north New Mexico is to the west and Texas is to the south Three interstate highways pass through Oklahoma City dividing the state north-south east-west and northeast-southwest Oklahoma City and Tulsa have international airports Numerous regional municipal and private airports are scattered throughout the state Oklahoma City is the transportation center of the state Oklahoma Location Map The state motto which is in Latin is Labor Omnia Vincit It translates as Labor Conquers All Things From 1890 to 1910 Guthrie was the capital of Oklahoma In 1910 Oklahoma City was named the capital city A monument marks the location where the states of Oklahoma New Mexico and Colorado all meet Capital Oklahoma City Population 3,450,654 Interstate highways Size 69,903 square miles 0 0 45 72 90 Mi 145 Km Scale Highest peak Black Mesa 4,973 feet

Oklahoma: The Sooner State — page 3 — 6 OKLAHOMA Oklahoma has an unusual nickname the Sooner State This nickname refers to the land-hungry settlers who came to the area during the Great Land Run in 1889 Although much of Oklahoma’s land was reserved for Native Americans the government made a plot of land available to new settlers Newcomers were told to line up at the Oklahoma border and at the signal race to claim the land Those who jumped the starting gun were called Sooners Boomer’s Paradise is another early nickname for Oklahoma This name refers to the people who illegally entered Native American territory They set up homes and communities on these reserved lands These nicknames serve as reminders of Oklahoma’s early history when Indians and settlers were wrestling over land and resources The state flag has a blue background with a Native American shield bearing a pipe and an olive branch At 69,903 square miles Oklahoma is the 20th largest state in the nation Oklahoma’s early settlers found the climate and soil suitable for growing wheat Today wheat is grown and harvested throughout the state The Homestead Act of 1862 offered settlers 160 acres of public land provided they lived on and improved the land for five years The act took effect in Oklahoma in 1889 when part of Indian Territory was opened for settlement

Oklahoma: The Sooner State — page 4 — INTRODUCTION 7 In 1909 the first Boy Scout troop in the United States was formed in Oklahoma The movie Twister a motion picture thriller about tornado chasers was filmed in Oklahoma a state known for its tornadoes There is an oil well under the Capitol in Oklahoma City Many Oklahomans have become famous astronauts They include Gordon Cooper Jr Owen Garriott William Pogue Thomas Stafford and Shannon Lucid Thomas Stafford Oklahoma was one of the last states to join the Union It was admitted on Nov 16 1907 becoming the 46th state Since then Oklahoma has achieved an integration of its Native American citizens into modern life that probably is unmatched by any other state A number of Oklahoma’s Indians have risen to positions of distinction Once basically agricultural the economy of Oklahoma today is an interesting blend of agriculture and industry Cowboys rodeos and country-music singers highlight Oklahoma’s ranching history while numerous oil wells reflect the importance of the energy industry to the modern state Quartz Mountain State Park in southwestern Oklahoma provides a habitat for many plants and animals The Oklahoma state seal is a tribute to the state’s Native American heritage The points of the central star feature the emblems of the Oklahoma Indian groups known as the Five Civilized Tribes

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