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KansasThis article is about the U.S. state. For other uses, see Kansas (disambiguation).
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.
The population is 2,688,418, as of 2000. The largest city is Wichita.
History
Main article: History of Kansas
Kansas, 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).
Kansas has a reputation as a progressive state with many firsts in legislative initiatives including being the first state to institute a system of workers compensation (1910). The Council-manager government was adopted by many larger Kansas Cities in the years following World War I while many American cities were being run by political machines or organized crime. Kansas schools both public and private continue to have some of the highest standards in the nation. Kansas was first among the states to ban the concept of separate but equal schools. Brown vs. Board of Education took place in Topeka, Kansas and banned racially segregated schools throughout the US.
See also:
List of Kansas Governors,
US Congressional Delegates
Geography
See also: List of Kansas counties
Kansas 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 North America is located in Osborne County. This spot is used as the central reference point for all maps produced by the government. The geographic center of the 48 contiguous states is located in Smith County.
Economy
The 1999 total gross state product of Kansas was $81 billion, placing it 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, commercial and private aircraft, food processing, publishing, chemical products, machinery, apparel, petroleum and mining.
Major cities and towns
See also: List of cities in Kansas
Population > 100,000 (urbanized area)
Population > 10,000 (urbanized area)
Important Suburbs [Suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri]
Colleges and universities
Professional sports teams
External links
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Countryman's Kansas
Includes links to various tourist attractions, organizations, and businesses across the state.
http://www.countrymanskansas.com/
Info USA Net
Links to tourism, radio stations, entertainment, universities, airports, museums and malls.
http://www.infousanet.com/Kansas/index.htm
50states - Kansas Community Pages
Directory of official, and near official, Kansas community web sites.
http://www.50states.com/city/kansas.htm
Access Kansas
Official website for the State of Kansas. Includes visitor guide, history, government and business information.
http://www.accesskansas.org/
Blue Skyways of Kansas
Includes information on libraries, communities, education, and government.
http://skyways.lib.ks.us
Kansas, from Kansas on the Net
Information about communities, counties, colleges, history, museums, organizations and poetry, including a way to find information on towns no longer occupied.
http://kotn.org/kansas.html
KansasInfo.com
Features travel information, events, arts, dining, attractions, education, businesses and maps. Site requires registration.
http://www.kansasinfo.com
Netstate Kansas Symbols and Emblems
State symbols and emblems, including the state flag and the state seal. Also includes an almanac, famous people, news and geography.
http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/ks_intro.htm
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