Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Maine

2019-03-03T16:51:25Z

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{{outdated|2012}}
{{USState
|name=Maine
|flag=Maine_State_Flag.gif
|motto="Dirigo" (I lead)
|nick=The Pine Tree State
|capital=Augusta
|language=None
|governor=Janet Mills
|gparty=Democrat
|senator2=Susan Collins
|s2party=Republican
|s2phone=(202) 224-2523
|s2email=http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCollins.Email&CFID=39113496&CFTOKEN=99427497 Contact
|senator1=Angus King
|s1party=Independent
|s1phone=(202) 224-5344
|s1email=https://www.king.senate.gov/contact Contact
|population=
|date=March 15, 1820 (23rd)
}}
'''Maine''' was the twenty-third state to enter into the union. Its capital is Augusta. It is one of the [[liberal]] bastions in the Northeast, along with much of [[New England]], and is generally has a high concentration of gay activist legislators. This is somewhat out of balance with the general trend of U.S. voters, a majority of whom consistently vote [[Republican]] and identify as [[conservative]].

The rocks of Maine are one of the oldest parts of the US, dating from the Devonian period.<ref>http://www.statefossils.com/me/me.html</ref> The last [[glaciers]] of the ice age shaped the coastline into the many [[peninsula]]s we see today and formed Maine's 2,000 [[island]]s.

The state Constitution of Maine, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says :
:''We the people of Maine, in order to establish justice, insure tranquility, provide for our mutual defense, promote our common welfare, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of liberty, acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity, so favorable to the design; and, imploring God's aid and direction in its accomplishment, do agree to form ourselves into a free and independent State, by the style and title of the State of Maine and do ordain and establish the following Constitution for the government of the same.''

==The earliest Mainers==
[[File:Portland Maine.jpg|frame|right|Portland, Maine.]]
Descendants of Ice Age hunters, the earliest Mainers were nicknamed Red Paint People, because they lined the graves of their dead with red clay. These graves are thought to date back five thousand years. There are also large heaps of oyster shells on the coast that are thought to date back to the Red Paint People.

The two earliest Native American tribes of Maine were the Micmacs in eastern Maine and the Abanakis, who are also sometimes called Wabanakis. The former were warlike, but the latter were mainly peaceful farmers and fishers. The only remaining Native Americans today, of the many tribes who once inhabited Maine, are 1500 Passamaquoddies, who live on two reservations, and 1200 Penobscots, who live on Indian Island in the Penobscot River.<ref>http://www.mainehistory.info/history.html</ref>

==Vikings in Maine==

Five hundred years earlier than [[Columbus]], the Viking raider Leif Ericson with a crew of 30 sailors are thought to have explored the Maine coast and possibly tried to establish a settlement here. The only piece of real evidence for this is the finding of an 11th century Norse coin in Brooklin, Maine along with other artifacts when a former Native American trading center was excavated. This is not conclusive though, as the coin may have been used in trade from Newfoundland or may have been brought very much later by the English or Portuguese.<ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/leif-ericson</ref>

==Colonization==

In 1498 John Cabot, who was employed by King Henry VII of England, may have explored the Maine coast, although there is no concrete evidence of his visit. A hundred years later, some European ships came ashore to repair the ships and gather fresh supplies.

The [[Plymouth Company]] established the first settlement at Popham in 1607, the same year that the Jamestown, VA, settlement was established. However, the severe Maine winter defeated the Popham colony so Jamestown is considered the first permanent settlement in America. The rigors of climate, difficulties of agriculture and attacks by Indians also wiped out many later English settlements that were established in the 1620s.

By 1700 there were only six surviving settlements. Massachusetts had acquired most of the land claims in Maine by that time, and this arrangement continued until Maine acquired its own statehood in 1820.<ref>http://www.mainehistory.info/timeline.html</ref>

==Disputes over ownership==

England and France disputed the ownership of Maine during the early eighteenth century. The French actively supported Indian raids on white settlements, thinking this would drive English settlers out.

William Pepperell of Kittery led Maine forces in the capture of the French fort at Louisburg, NS, in 1745. In 1763 the French surrendered all claims to the territory in the 1763 Treaty of Paris.

Massachusetts offered free 100-acre lots to prospective settlers once the Indian threat subsided and the French had withdrawn, and the population of Maine doubled to 24,000 by 1763, and to over 150,000 by 1800.<ref>http://www.mainehistory.info/history.html</ref>

==Maine during the Revolutionary War==

Mainers resisted the oppressive British taxes ten years before the Revolutionary War, seizing tax stamps at what was then called Falmouth but is now [[Portland]]. Customs agents were frequently attacked. A version of the [[Boston Tea Party]] happened in York, Maine in 1774 when a tea shipment was burned in York.

Hundreds of Mainers joined the struggle for independence. About 1,000 men died, sea trade was almost destroyed, and the British bombarded Falmouth (Portland). Maine's share of the Revolutionary War debt was higher than that later incurred by Maine's debt from the Civil War.

In 1775 the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War occurred off the coast of Machias and [[Benedict Arnold]] marched a band of revolutionaries through Maine in a valiant but doomed attempt at capturing [[Québec City]] and [[Montreal]].<ref>http://www.mainehistory.info/timeline.html</ref>

==Becoming a State==

After the [[Revolutionary War]], settlers on what was then a frontier area resented being ruled from 'away' in Boston and campaigned for separation from Massachusetts.

Politically powerful merchants resisted the separation movement until after the [[War of 1812]], when [[Massachusetts]] proved unable or unwilling to protect Mainers against the British.

Maine eventually became the 23rd State under the [[Missouri Compromise]] of 1820. Maine's position as a free state balanced Missouri's entry as a slave state the following year. The state constitution was rooted in political independence, [[freedom of religion|religious freedom]] and popular control of government.

William King, who served as president of the Constitutional Convention, was a shipbuilder and merchant from Bath. He subsequently became Maine's first governor.

At first Portland was the state capital, but in 1832 the capital was moved to [[Augusta]] because of its more central location.<ref>http://www.maine.gov/portal/facts_history/</ref>

==Maine and the Abolitionist movement==

Maine was admitted to the Union as a free state, but some Mainers were involved in activities related to [[slavery]], such as the [[Triangle Trade]].

However, the famous abolitionist speaker and writer [[William Lloyd Garrison]] made a speaking tour of Maine in 1832 arousing discussion and dispute. By 1834 there were branches of the American Antislavery Society in Maine and state and local organizations were taking part in antislavery activities and the dissemination of information.

Some Mainers, especially those who depended on southern trade, felt that the issue was best left alone, as a dispute might endanger the union, and felt that the South would abolish slavery in its own time if the North left it alone.

In 1836 the mayor of [[Portland]] refused permission for the Antislavery Society to meet in City Hall, but the meeting was held at the [[Quaker]] meetinghouse instead, despite being the target anti-abolition mobs. Similar disputes broke out in other towns, but public opinion began to be swayed by the information put out by antislavery societies.

In the spring of 1837, Maine and Georgia nearly came to blows over abolitionism after a group of Maine seamen took a runaway slave named Atticus home with them. Atticus was eventually betrayed back to his owner, but many Mainers played a subsequent part as stops on the [[Underground Railway]] that saw many slaves safely away from captivity.<ref>http://imaginemaine.com/mainestories/Atticus.html</ref>

Hannibal Hamlin was a Democratic Senator. However, he left the party in 1854 over the slavery issue and was a leading force in the formation of the Republican Party in Maine. He served as the state's first Republican governor and became the nation's first Republican vice president after the election of [[Abraham Lincoln]].

==Maine and Prohibition==

The world's first Total Abstinence Society was founded in Portland in 1815 and other temperance societies over the next two decades. Eventually, a state law prohibiting the sale of alcohol except for "medicinal and mechanical purposes" was passed. By 1851 a law banning the manufacture and sale of liquor was passed in 1851 and not repealed until 1934, along with the repeal of Prohibition in the rest of the United States.

==Maine and the Civil War==

Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin" at Brunswick, where her husband was a professor at Bowdoin College. The popular book aroused anti-slavery feelings throughout the northern states in the 1850s.

Around 73,000 Mainers served with the Union army, and about one in ten died during the Civil War.

Two great generals, Oliver Otis Howard and Joshua L Chamberlain. Howard distinguished himself at Gettysburg and Bull Run, and Chamberlain is remembered for his heroism at Little Round Top and for commanding the Union troops to whom Lee surrendered at Appomattox. After the war, Chamberlain became governor of Maine.

Howard was one of the main founders of Howard University and was its first president. Chamberlain later became president of Bowdoin College.

==Maine Politics==

Maine politics was dominated by the Republican Party from 1854 until the Democrat [[Edmund S. Muskie]] became governor in 1954. He and others broadened the Democratic base.

Muskie became one of Maine's Senators in 1958. He was prominent in the [[environmental movement]] and also considered expert in urban legislation and budget control. He was Hubert Humphrey's Vice Presidential nominee in 1968, and in 1972 was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. President [[Jimmy Carter]] appointed Senator Muskie Secretary of State in 1979.

Senator George Mitchell of Waterville succeeded Senator Muskie, and became Senate majority leader from 1988 until he retired in 1994. After his retirement, he was much respected for his attempts to work with both sides of the dispute to bring peace to Northern Ireland.

[[Margaret Chase Smith]] of Skowhegan was the first American woman elected to both houses of Congress. She was in the House of Representatives for nearly ten years, and then a Senator. She was a liberal Republican, and was notably honest, independent and courageous.

Maine is a hotbed of independent voters, who outnumber both enrolled Democrats and Republicans and determine the outcome of most elections today. Two political independents have been governors of Maine: James B Longley of Lewiston in 1974, and Angus S King of Brunswick in 1994.

Maine's current U.S. Senators, [[Olympia J. Snowe]] and [[Susan Collins]], are both moderate Republicans. The current Representatives, [[Mike Michaud]] and [[Chellie Pingree]], are both Democrats.<ref>http://www.maine.gov/portal/facts_history/</ref>

Since 2004, Maine has offered [[domestic partnership]]s, which are similar to [[same sex marriage]]<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/domestic-partnership-in-the-united-states Answers.com]</ref>

== Elected Officials ==

===Federal===
* Sen. [[Susan Collins]] (R)
* Sen. [[Angus King]] (I)
* Rep. [[Chellie Pingree]] [D, ME-01]
* Rep. [[Jared Golden]] [D, ME-02]

===Statewide===
* Governor [[Janet Mills]] (D)
* Attorney General [[Aaron Frey]] (D)
* Secretary of State [[Matthew Dunlap]] (D)
* State Auditor [[Pola Buckley]] (D)
* State Treasurer [[Henry Beck]] (D)

==Notable people from Maine==

Kennebunkport, Maine is the summer home of the Bush family, including former President [[George H. W. Bush]] and former President [[George W. Bush]].

[[Joshua Chamberlain]], a Union officer during the Civil War who quite possibly saved the Union in the Battle of Gettysburg with his "swinging gate maneuver", was born in Brewer and served as Maine's governor.

[[James G. Blaine]] dominated state and national Republican politics from the mid-1860s to the end of the century. He was speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Maine's senator, and served three Republican presidents as secretary of state. He was the presidential candidate for the Republican Party in 1884, but lost by a narrow margin to [[Grover Cleveland]].

[[Thomas B. Reed]] was Speaker of the House for three terms. He campaigned for reforms in House rules and wrote Reed's Rules of Order, which are still used in the Maine Legislature.

[[Margaret Chase Smith]] of Skowhegan was the first American woman elected to both houses of Congress.

[[George Mitchell]], a well-respected former senator. Instrumental in the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland.

[[Stephen King]], a wildly popular horror novelist, is a lifelong resident of Maine and sets many of his novels in the state.

[[E.B. White]], a writer best known for his children's books ''Stuart Little'' and ''Charlotte's Web'', lived in North Brooklin.

==References==
<references/>

{{USstates}}
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Maine]]

Rhode Island

2019-03-03T16:50:09Z

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{{outdated|2014}}
{{USState
|name=Rhode Island
|flag=Rhode_Island_State_Flag.gif
|motto="Hope"
|nick=The Ocean State
|capital=Providence
|language=None
|governor=Gina Raimondo
|gparty=Democrat
|senator1=Jack Reed
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-4642
|s1email=http://reed.senate.gov/contact/contact-share.cfm Contact
|senator2=Sheldon Whitehouse
|s2party=Democrat
|s2phone=(202) 224-2921
|s2email=http://whitehouse.senate.gov/contact/ Contact
|population=
|date=May 29, 1790 (13th)
}}
[[Image:Rhodeislandstatecap.JPG|thumb|370px|Rhode Island Capitol building.]]
'''Rhode Island''' is the smallest U.S. state in land area (48 miles long by 37 miles wide<ref>http://www.visitrhodeisland.com/regions/index.aspx</ref>) and one of the original thirteen colonies. Its area is 1,214 square miles, less than one-seventh the size of [[New Jersey]].

Its official name is actually "The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations."<ref>http://www.sec.state.ri.us/library/riinfo/riinfo/knowrhode</ref> So, even though it is the smallest state in the [[United States]], it has the longest name.

'''[[Providence]]''', the capital of Rhode Island, was founded by [[Roger Williams]]. It was the first government in the world to be founded on the principles of religious liberty, and separation of church and state. This was very different from the situation in Boston, which was ruled by the [[Puritan]] [[theocracy]]. [[Quaker]]s, for example, were welcome in Rhode Island but not permitted in [[Boston]]. For a while the Quakers controlled the colony of Rhode Island, and took an active part in [[King Phillips War]].

The state Constitution of Rhode Island, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We, the people of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and to transmit the same, unimpaired, to succeeding generations, do ordain and establish this Constitution of government.''

== Elected Officials ==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Jack Reed]] (D)
*Sen. [[Sheldon Whitehouse]] (D)
*Rep. [[David Cicilline]] [D, RI-01]
*Rep. [[James Langevin]] [D, RI-02]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Gina Raimondo]] (D)
*Lt. Governor [[Daniel McKee]] (D)
*Secretary of State [[Nellie Gorbea]] (D)
*Attorney General [[Peter Neronha]] (D)
*State Treasurer [[Seth Magaziner]] (D)

== Interesting facts about Rhode Island ==

* Rhode Island did not send any delegates to the [[Constitutional Convention]], which drafted the [[U.S. Constitution]]

* Shortly after the [[American Revolution]], Rhode Island imposed high taxes in interstate commerce and required its residents to use paper money

* Rhode Island is the only state that still celebrates Victory Day (victory over Japan).<ref>http://www.sec.state.ri.us/library/riinfo/riinfo/knowrhode</ref>

* Rhode Island was the first of the original thirteen colonies to declare its independence from [[Great Britain]]

* Rhode Island was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the [[Constitution]], and only ratified it after [[George Washington]] was president

* Rhode Island merchants controlled between 60% and 90% of the African slave trade to America after the [[American Revolution]]<ref>http://www.slavenorth.com/rhodeisland.htm</ref>

* The first [[Baptist]] Church in [[America]] was founded in 1671 [[Providence]], Rhode Island.

* The two state capitals in the United States that are the closest to each other are [[Providence]], Rhode Island and [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] (42 miles; 50 miles by highway).

* According to a report by the Communications Workers of America, Rhode Island has the fastest average broadband speed of any state.<ref>http://www.projo.com/business/content/bz_rhode_island_internet_speeds_07-06-07_NF6765T.2677fa3.html</ref>

==Notable Rhode Islanders==
*[[Nathanael Greene]]
*[[Esek Hopkins]]
*[[Oliver Hazard Perry]]
*[[Samuel Slater]]
*[[Gilbert Stuart]]
*[[Roger Williams]]

== See also ==

*[[State Governors]]

== References ==
<references/>

{{USstates}}
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:New England]]
[[Category:Colonial America]]

New York

2019-03-03T16:49:23Z

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{{USState
|name=New York
|flag=Newyorkflag.gif
|motto="Excelsior"
|nick=The Big Apple
|capital=Albany
|language=None
|governor=Andrew Cuomo
|gparty=Democrat
|senator2=Kirsten Gillibrand
|s2party=Democrat
|s2phone=(202) 224-4451
|s2email=no contact info
|senator1=Charles Schumer
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-6542
|s1email=http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/contact.cfm Contact
|population=
|date=July 26, 1788 (11th)
}}
'''New York''' state, one of the original [[Colonial America|13 colonies]], became a state in 1776 and was the 11th state to ratify the Constitution on July 26, 1788. In common use, "New York" most often refers to [[New York City]], the financial, news and cultural capital of the U.S.

The state Constitution of New York, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We The People of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our Freedom, in order to secure its blessings, DO ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION.''

==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Charles Schumer]] (D)
*Sen. [[Kirsten Gillibrand]] (D)
*Rep. [[Lee Zeldin]] [D, NY-01]
*Rep. [[Peter King]] [R, NY-02]
*Rep. [[Thomas Suozzi]] [D, NY-03]
*Rep. [[Kathleen Rice]] [D, NY-04]
*Rep. [[Gregory Meeks]] [D, NY-05]
*Rep. [[Grace Meng]] [D, NY-06]
*Rep. [[Nydia Velazquez]] [D, NY-07]
*Rep. [[Hakeem Jeffries]] [D, NY-08]
*Rep. [[Yvette Clarke]] [D, NY-09]
*Rep. [[Jerrold Nadler]] [D, NY-10]
*Rep. [[Max Rose]] [D, NY-11]
*Rep. [[Carolyn Maloney]] [D, NY-12]
*Rep. [[Adriano Espaillat]] [D, NY-13]
*Rep. [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]] [D, NY-14]
*Rep. [[Jose Serranol]] [D, NY-15]
*Rep. [[Eliot Engel]] [D, NY-16]
*Rep. [[Nita Lowey]] [D, NY-17]
*Rep. [[Sean Maloney]] [D, NY-18]
*Rep. [[Antonio Delgado]] [D, NY-19]
*Rep. [[Paul Tonko]] [D, NY-20]
*Rep. [[Elise Stefanik]] [R, NY-21]
*Rep. [[Anthony Brindisi]] [D, NY-22]
*Rep. [[Tom Reed]] [R, NY-23]
*Rep. [[John Katko]] [R, NY-24]
*Rep. [[Joseph D. Morelle]] [D, NY-25]
*Rep. [[Brian Higgins]] [D, NY-26]
*Rep. [[Chris Collins]] [R, NY-27]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Andrew Cuomo]] (D)
*Lt. Governor [[Kathy Hochul]] (D)
*Attorney General [[Leitita James]] (D)
*Secretary of State [[Rossana Rosado]] (D)
*State Comptroller [[Thomas DiNapoli]] (D)

==History==
see [[History of New York State]]

==Facts==
[[File:Liberty2.jpg|thumb|Statue of Liberty.]]
* Nickname: The Big Apple.
* State Capital: [[Albany]].
* Total area: 54,471.144 square miles (47,223.839 land and 7,247.305 inland water).
* Population: Based on the 2000 census – 18,976,457; 3rd most populous US state after California and Texas. Much of this population lives in New York City. "Upstate" New York has most of the land area in the state.
* State Song: "I Love New York"
* [[State flower|State Flower]]: [[Rose]]
*There are four mountain ranges in New York State: Adirondack, Catskill, Shawangunk and Taconic.
*The highest point in New York State is Mount Marcy in Essex County in the Adirondacks - 5,344 feet above sea level.
*The State has 70,000 miles of rivers and streams, 127 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline, 9,767 miles of shoreline which includes 8,778 miles of lake shoreline.

==Major Cities==
* [[New York City]] (largest both in its state and the U.S.).
* [[Albany]] (capital)
* [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]]
* [[Rochester]]
* [[Schenectady]]
* [[Syracuse]]

==Politics==
New York City is the center of American liberalism. "Upstate" is much more conservative and the suburbs are split. Republicans have a narrow 32-30 seat majority in the State Senate. However, Democrats dominate the State Assembly with a 99-50 seat majority.

In 1980 the state elected 17 Republicans to the House; in 2010 it elected only eight. However, due to population loss, New York only had 29 seats in 2010 compared to 39 in 1980 so the change isn't as dramatic as it seems at first glance.

==Miscellaneous==
New York is the home and birthplace of five American presidents, [[Martin Van Buren]], [[Millard Filmore]], [[Theodore Roosevelt]], [[Franklin Roosevelt]], and [[Donald Trump]].

==External links==
*[http://www.iloveny.com/ Official New York State Tourism Web Site]
*[http://www.ny.gov/governor/ New York State]

==Further reading==
* Blond, Becca, and China Williams. ''Lonely Planet New York State'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-New-York-State/dp/1741041252/ref=sr_1_8/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189477988&sr=1-8 excerpt and online search from Amazon.com], a guide book.
* Eisenstadt, Peter, Laura-Eve Moss, and Carole F. Huxley, eds. ''The Encyclopedia Of New York State'' (2005) 1900 pages of articles by experts. The best starting point.
* Jackson, Kenneth, ed. ''The Encyclopedia of New York City'' (1995), [http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-New-York-City/dp/0300055366/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240594479&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

{{USstates}}

[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:New York]]
[[Category:Urban History]]
[[Category:Eastern United States]]

Georgia

2019-03-03T16:48:26Z

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''For the country of Georgia, see this article: [[Republic of Georgia]].''
{{USState
|name=Georgia
|flag=Georgia_State_Flag.gif
|motto=<br/>
#"[[Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation]]"
#"Agriculture and commerce"
|nick=Empire State of the South
|capital=Atlanta
|language=English
|governor=Brian Kemp
|gparty=Republican
|senator1=Johnny Isakson
|s1party=Republican
|s1phone=(202) 224-3643
|s1email=http://isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm Contact
|senator2=David Perdue
|s2party=Republican
|s2phone=(202) 224-3521
|s2email=https://www.perdue.senate.gov/connect/email Contact
|population=
|date=January 2, 1788
}}
'''Georgia''' is a state in the southern [[United States]]. It was one of the original [[Colonial America|thirteen British colonies]] in the [[United States]]. It joined the Confederate States of America, [[Confederacy]], before the beginning of the [[American Civil War]].

The capital of Georgia and its largest city is [[Atlanta]].

The state Constitution of Georgia, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''To perpetuate the principles of free government, insure justice to all, preserve peace, promote the interest and happiness of the citizen and of the family, and transmit to posterity the enjoyment of liberty, we the people of Georgia, relying upon the protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution.''

[[File:Col-ga.jpg|thumb|300px|Oglethorpe builds Savannah]]

==Politics==
Georgia has been a [[red state]] in presidential elections since 1996, favoring the [[Republican]] candidates. It last favored a [[Democrat]] candidate in 1992 when it supported [[Bill Clinton]].

==Elected officials==
===Federal===
*Sen. [[Johnny Isakson]] (R)
*Sen. [[David Perdue]] (R)
*Rep. [[Buddy Carter]] [R, GA-1]
*Rep. [[Sanford Bishop]] [D, GA-2]
*Rep. [[Drew Ferguson]] [R, GA-3]
*Rep. [[Hank Johnson|Henry Johnson]] [D, GA-4]
*Rep. [[John Lewis]] [D, GA-5]
*Rep. [[Lucy McBath]] [D, GA-6]
*Rep. [[Rob Woodall]] [R, GA-7]
*Rep. [[Austin Scott]] [R, GA-8]
*Rep. [[Doug Collins]] [R, GA-9]
*Rep. [[Jody Hice]] [R, GA-10]
*Rep. [[Barry Loudermilk]] [R, GA-11]
*Rep. [[Rick Allen]] [R, GA-12]
*Rep. [[David Scott]] [D, GA-13]
*Rep. [[Tom Graves]] [R, GA-14]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Brian Kemp]] (R)
*Lt. Governor [[Geoff Duncan]] (R)
*Secretary of State [[Brad Raffensberger]] (R)
*Attorney General [[Christopher Carr]] (R)
*Agriculture Commissioner [[Gary Black]] (R)
*School Superintendent [[Richard Woods]] (R)
*Insurance Commissioner [[Ralph Hudgens]] (R)
*Labor Commissioner [[Mark Butler]] (R)

The Republican Party hold large majorities in both the State House and Senate, as of 2017.

==Memorials==
*Dem. Congressman, 7th District [[Larry McDonald]] (1935-1983), a conservative Member of Congress, was onboard [[Korean Airlines Flight 007]] when it was shot down by Soviet warplanes in 1983. His is the only reported Cold War death by the USSR of a sitting congressman. His memory is honored in renaming Interstate Highway 75, which runs from the Chattahoochee River northward to the Tennessee state line.
*[[Georgia Guidestones]]

==See also==
*[[Zell Miller]]
*[[State Governors]]

==External links==
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/2012/11/lawrence-patton-mcdonald-b_15.html A Forgotten Man: Congressman Larry McDonald] passenger on board [[KAL 007]] shot down by the Soviets on Sept. 1, 1983
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-crossing-of-jesse-helms-larry.html#!/2012/11/the-crossing-of-jesse-helms-larry.html The Crossing of Jesse Helms, Larry McDonald, Noelle Anne, and Little Stacy Marie]

{{USstates}}

[[Category:Georgia]]
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Red States]]
[[Category:East Coast of the United States]]
[[Category:Eastern United States]]
[[Category:The South]]
[[Category:Southern United States]]
[[Category:Gulf Coast of the United States]]
[[Category:Southeastern United States]]
[[Category:Regions of the United States]]
[[Category:United States Geography]]
[[Category:United States of America]]
[[Category:Geography]]

Ohio

2019-03-03T16:47:26Z

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{{USState
|name=Ohio
|flag=Ohio_State_Flag.gif
|motto=With God all things are possible
|nick=The Buckeye State
|capital=Columbus
|language=English
|governor=Mike DeWine
|gparty=Republican
|senator1=Sherrod Brown
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-2315
|s1email=http://brown.senate.gov/contact/ Contact
|senator2=Rob Portman
|s2party=Republican
|s2phone=(202) 224-3353
|s2email=http://portman.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm Contact
|population=
|date=March 1, 1803 (17th)
}}
'''Ohio''' is a "[[Rust Belt]]" state located in the [[Midwest]]ern region of the [[United States]], which on March 1, 1803, became the seventeenth state. The capital of Ohio is [[Columbus (city)|Columbus]]. Other large cities in Ohio include [[Cincinnati]] and [[Cleveland]], where the 2016 [[Republican National Convention]] was held. Ohio borders the states of [[Indiana]], [[Kentucky]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Michigan]], and [[West Virginia]]. The current [[Governors of Ohio|governor of Ohio]] is [[John Kasich]], a [[Republican]] who campaigned as a [[conservative]] but governs as a social [[liberal]] who vetoed the [[Heartbeat Bill]].

Ohio voters include a substantial percentage of [[pro-life]], [[working class]] [[Democrats]] who shifted enough to the [[Republican]] column to enable [[Donald Trump]] to garner 52% in 2016, despite [[Obama]] winning the state easily in 2008 and 2012. Rampant [[early voting]] of roughly a month in duration plagues its elections.

The state Constitution of Ohio, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We, the people of the State of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and promote our common welfare, do establish this Constitution.''

==History==
Chillicothe was the capital from the formation of the Ohio Territory from the [[Northwest Territory]] in 1800, until 1809, when it was moved to Zanesville for three years. Chillicothe was again the capital from 1812 until 1816, when Columbus became the capital because it was the geographical center of the state. Cincinnati was the largest and most important city until surpassed by Cleveland in the early 20th century.

Since 1940 fiscal conservatism has been a hallmark of Ohio leaders, including such Republicans governors as John Bricker, Thomas Herbert, and C. William O’Neill, as well as some Democrats, notably Martin Davey and Frank Lausche. Especially in the small towns and cities voters expressed low-tax, low-spending and pro-business sentiments.

Michael V. DiSalle, a Democrat elected in 1958, tried to convert Ohio to high spending, but angered the taxpayers after one term.<ref>Richard G. Zimmerman, ''Call Me Mike: A Political Biography of Michael V. DiSalle'' (2003)</ref> He was defeated by Republican [[James A. Rhodes]] (1909-2001), who branded DiSalle "Tax Hike Mike" and went on to become Ohio's longest serving governor (1962–70 and 1974–82). Rhodes eliminated or cut back the wasteful programs and concentrated instead on building of airports, state office buildings, prisons, and other public structures. Rhodes lowered taxes on small business owners, thereby building up the economy, while increasing funding to schools and universities.

Democrat Richard F. Celeste was defeated by Rhodes in 1978, but won the governorship in 1982 and defeated Rhodes's comeback effort in 1986. Celeste sought to increase state funding to education, health services, and welfare program; with the legislature in liberal hands he increased the state income tax by 90%. A referendum to overturn the tax increase failed, but in 1984, voters returned the Ohio Senate to Republican control.

==Boundary==
Congress defined Ohio's borders in the Enabling Act of 1802 as follows:

<blockquote>Bounded on the east by the Pennsylvania line, on the south by the Ohio River, to the mouth of the Great Miami River, on the west by the line drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami aforesaid, and on the north by an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, running east after intersecting the due north line aforesaid, from the mouth of the Great Miami until it shall intersect Lake Erie or the territorial line, and thence with the same through Lake Erie to the Pennsylvania line aforesaid.</blockquote>
This was based on the mistaken impression that the southern tip of Lake Michigan was further north than Toledo, Ohio. Fur trappers reported that this was incorrect at the time that the Ohio Constitution was drafting its border provisions. As a result, the Toledo Strip was created as a zone that was claimed by both Ohio and Michigan, resulting in the [[Toledo War]]. Ultimately, Michigan gave up the Toledo Strip in exchange for gaining the western portion of its Upper Peninsula when it was admitted to the union.

In 1980, the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] held that Ohio's southern boundary is the northern low-water mark of the Ohio River as it existed in 1792.<ref name="Ohio_v_Kentucky">{{Cite journal | url=http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=444&invol=335 | publisher = Find law | title = Ohio v. Kentucky, 444 U.S. 335 | date = January 21, 1980 | accessdate=2016-08-15}}</ref>

==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Sherrod Brown]] (D)
*Sen. [[Rob Portman]] (R)
*Rep. [[Steve Chabot]] [R, OH-01]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.house.gov/representatives/#state_oh|title=Directory of Representatives|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>
*Rep. [[Brad Wenstrup]] [R, OH-02]
*Rep. [[Joyce Beatty]] [D, OH-03]
*Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] [R, OH-04]
*Rep. [[Bob Latta]] [R, OH-05]
*Rep. [[Bill Johnson]] [R, OH-06]
*Rep. [[Bob Gibbbs]] [R, OH-07]
*Rep. [[Warren Davidson]] [R, OH-08]
*Rep. [[Marcy Kaptur]] [D, OH-09]
*Rep. [[Michael Turner]] [R, OH-10]
*Rep. [[Marcia Fudge]] [D, OH-11]
*Rep. [[Troy Balderson]] [R, OH-12]
*Rep. [[Tim Ryan]] [D, OH-13]
*Rep. [[David Joyce]] [R, OH-14]
*Rep. [[Steve Stivers]] [R, OH-15]
*Rep. [[Anthony Gonzalez]] [R, OH-16]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Mike DeWine]] (R)
*Lt. Governor [[Jon Husted]] (R)
*Attorney General [[Dave Yost]] (R)
*Secretary of State [[Frank LaRose]] (R)
*State Auditor [[Keith Faber]] (R)
*State Treasurer [[Robert Sprague]] (R)

==Presidents From Ohio==
Ohio was known as the "mother of presidents"; the last one was Harding, who won in 1920 by defeating another Ohioan, Governor James Cox.
*[1773-1841] 9th President -[[William Henry Harrison]]. Whig
*[1822-1885] 18th President -[[Ulysses Simpson Grant]], Republican
*[1822-1893] 19th President -[[Rutherford B. Hayes]], Republican
*[1831-1881] 20th President -[[James Garfield]], Republican
*[1833-1901] 23rd President -[[Benjamin Harrison]], Republican
*[1843-1901] 25th President -[[William McKinley]], Republican
*[1857-1930] 27th President -[[William Howard Taft]], Republican
*[1865-1923] 29th President -[[Warren Gamaliel Harding]], Republican

Taft's son [[Robert A. Taft]], a leading conservative, sought the GOP nomination in 1940, 1948 and 1952, losing each time to liberal Republicans from [[New York City]].

Ohio is a [[swing state]] in presidential elections. No Republican has won the presidency without Ohio's electoral votes.

==Chant==
Ohioans usually engage in a call and reply type chant when celebrating their state. The leader yells "O,H" and the crowd replies with "I,O". Both presidential candidates have used this at rallies across the state in 2012.

==Bibliography==
* [http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/browse.php Ohio History Central], authoritative short articles, with images, audio and video files
===Surveys and textbooks===
* Bell, Carol Willsey. ''Ohio Guide to Genealogical Sources.'' (1988). 372 pp.
* Benedict, Michael Les and Winkler, John F., eds. ''The History of Ohio Law.'' (2 vol. 2004). 946 pp.
* Booth, Stephane Elise. ''Buckeye Women: The History of Ohio's Daughters.'' (2001). 239 pp.
* Borcyczka, Raymond and Cary, Lorin Lee. ''No Strength without Union: An Illustrated History of Ohio Workers, 1803-1980.'' (1982). 328 pp.
* Cayton, Andrew R. L. ''Ohio: The History of a People'' (2002), 473pp
* Grant, H. Roger and Clarence Wunderlin. ''Ohio On The Move: Transportation In Buckeye State'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/Ohio-Move-Transportation-Buckeye-Bicentennial/dp/0821412841/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212898827&sr=8-1 excerpt]
* Knepper, George W. ''Ohio and Its People''. (3rd ed. 2003), textbook; ISBN 0-87338-791-0 [http://www.questia.com/read/112035631?title=Ohio%20and%20Its%20People online edition]
* Lafferty, Michael B., ed. ''Ohio's Natural Heritage.'' (1979). 324 pp.
* Parker, Gregory; Sisson, Richard; and Coil, William Russell, eds. ''Ohio & the World: Essays toward a New History of Ohio.'' (2005). 199 pp.
* Sisson, Richard, ed. ''The American Midwest: An Interpretive Encyclopedia'' (2006), very right regional encyclopedia by scholars
* Smith, Thomas H., ed. ''An Ohio Reader. Vol. 1, 1750 to the Civil War. Vol 2. Reconstruction to the Present.'' (1975). 763 pp. articles by historians
===History to 1860===
* Blue, Frederick J. ''Salmon P. Chase: A Life in Politics'' (1987) [http://www.questia.com/read/22807164?title=Salmon%20P.%20Chase%3a%20A%20Life%20in%20Politics online edition]
* Bond Jr., Beverley W. ''The Foundations of Ohio. Volume: 1.'' 1941. detailed history to 1802. [http://www.questia.com/read/24153066?title=The%20Foundations%20of%20Ohio%20-%20Vol.%201 online edition]
* Brown, Jeffrey P., and Andrew R. L. Cayton, eds. ''The Pursuit of Public Power: Political Culture in Ohio, 1787-1861'' (1994)
* Buley, R. Carlyle. ''The Old Northwest'' (1950), Pulitzer Prize winner
* Carter, Harvey Lewis. ''The Life and Times of Little Turtle: First Sagamore of the Wabash.'' (1987). 275 pp.
* Cayton, Andrew R. L. ''The Frontier Republic: Ideology and Politics in the Ohio Country, 1780-1825'' (1986)
* Cayton, Andrew R.L. and Stuart D. Hobbs. ''The Center of a Great Empire: The Ohio Country in the Early Republic'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Center-Great-Empire-Country-Republic/dp/0821416480/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212898827&sr=8-9 excerpt and text search]
* Fox, Stephen C. ''The Group Bases of Ohio Political Behavior, 1803-1848.'' (1989). 349 pp.
* Giesen, Myra Jayne. "Late Prehistoric Populations in the Ohio Area: Biological Affinities and Stress Indicators." PhD dissertation, anthropology. Ohio State U. 1992. 271 pp. DAI 1993 53(8): 2872-A. DA9238180 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Hendrick, Booraem V. ''The Road to Respectability: James A. Garfield and His World, 1844-1852'' (1988)
* Hurt, R. Douglas. ''The Ohio Frontier: Crucible of the Old Northwest, 1720-1830''. (1996). ISBN 0-253-21212-X 418pp
* Jones, Robert Leslie. ''History of Agriculture in Ohio to 1880.'' (1983). 416 pp.
* Leet, Don R. ''Population Pressure and Human Fertility Response: Ohio, 1810-1860.'' (1978). 291 pp.
* Maizlish, Stephen E. ''The Triumph of Sectionalism: The Transformation of Ohio Politics, 1844-1856'' (1983), 310pp
* O'Donnell, James H. ''Ohio's First Peoples''. (2004). Indian tribes.
* Ratcliffe, Donald J. ''The Politics of Long Division: The Birth of the Second Party System in Ohio, 1818-1828.'' (2000). 455 pp.
* Ratcliffe, Donald J. ''Party Spirit in a Frontier Republic: Democratic Politics in Ohio, 1793-1821'' (1998). 336 pp. [http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=9223922805209 online review]
* Rokicky, Catherine M. ''Creating a Perfect World: Religious and Secular Utopias in Nineteenth-Century Ohio.'' (2002). 181 pp.
* Utter, William T. ''The Frontier State: 1803-1825,'' vol. 2 of History of the State of Ohio (1942).
* VanVugt, William E. ''British Buckeyes: The English, Scots, and Welsh in Ohio, 1700-1900.'' (2006). 295 pp.
* Weisenburger, Francis P. ''The Passing of the Frontier, vol. 3'' (1941), detailed history of 1830s and 1840s
* Winkle, Kenneth J. ''The Politics of Community: Migration and Politics in Antebellum Ohio.'' (1988). 239 pp.
===History 1860-1920===
* Comer, James Ray. "Immigration and Foodways in Ohio, 1870-1920." PhD dissertation Bowling Green State U. 2001. 369 pp. DAI 2001 62(6): 2217-A. DA3016141 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Downes, Randolph C. ''The Rise of Warren Gamaliel Harding, 1865-1920.'' (1970). 734 pp
* Gerber, David A. ''Black Ohio and the Color Line, 1860-1915.'' (1977). 500 pp.
* Hoogenboom, Ari. ''Rutherford B. Hayes: Warrior and President.'' (1995). 626 pp.
* Jensen, Richard. ''The Winning of the Midwest: Social and Political Conflict, 1888-1896'' (1971)
* Jordan, Philip D.''Ohio Comes of Age: 1873-1900 Volume 5'' (1968)
* Klement, Frank L. ''The Limits of Dissent: Clement L. Vallandigham and the Civil War.'' (1998). 351 pp.
* Morton, Jack Devon. "Ohio's Gallant Fight: Northern State Politics during the Reconstruction Era, 1865-1878." PhD dissertation. U. of Virginia 2005. 274 pp. DAI 2005 66(1): 313-A. DA3161251 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Roseboom, Eugene. ''The Civil War Era, 1850-1873, vol. 4'' (1944), detailed general history
* Semsel, Craig Robert. "Built to Move Millions: Transit Vehicle Manufacture in Ohio, 1880-1938." PhD dissertation Case Western Reserve U. 2001. 720 pp. DAI 2002 62(9): 3162-3163-A. DA3027315 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Weeks, Philip, ed. ''Buckeye Presidents: Ohioans in the White House.'' (2003). 240 pp.
* Wheeler, Kenneth W., ed. ''For the Union: Ohio Leaders in the Civil War.'' (1968) 497 pp.
===History 1920 to present===
* Bower, Kevin Patrick. "Relief, Reform, and Youth: The National Youth Administration in Ohio, 1935-1943." PhD dissertation U. of Cincinnati 2003. 201 pp. DAI 2003 64(5): 1787-A. DA3092078 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Coil, William Russell. "'New Deal Republican': James A. Rhodes and the Transformation of the Republican Party, 1933-1983." PhD dissertation Ohio State U. 2005. 345 pp. DAI 2005 66(6): 2357-A. DA3180621 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Davies, Richard O. ''Defender of the Old Guard: John Bricker and American Politics.'' (1993). 271 pp.
* Giffin, William W. ''African Americans and the Color Line in Ohio, 1915-1930.'' (2005). 312 pp.
* Lamis, Alexander P. and Sharkey, Mary Anne, eds. ''Ohio Politics.'' (1994). 417 pp. textbook
* Lieberman, Carl, ed. ''Government, Politics, and Public Policy in Ohio.'' (1995). 277 pp. textbook
* Patterson, James T. ''Mr. Republican: A Biography of Robert A. Taft.'' (1972). 749 pp.
* Van Tine, Warren, et al. ''In the Workers' Interest: A History of the Ohio AFL-CIO, 1958-1998.'' (1998). 219 pp.
* Zimmerman, Richard G. ''Call Me Mike: A Political Biography of Michael V. Disalle'' (2003)

===Localities and regions===
* Curl, Donald W. ''Murat Halstead and the Cincinnati Commercial.'' (1980). 186 pp
* Hirsimaki, Eric. ''Lima: The History. '' (1986). 351 pp.
* Moore, Jonathan Barrons. "Local Economic Development in the Post-industrial Service Economy: Manufacturing Communities in the Ohio River Valley." PhD dissertation Ohio State U. 2003. 255 pp. DAI 2004 65(3): 1065-A. DA3124375 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Painter, Sue Ann. ''Architecture in Cincinnati: An Illustrated History of Designing and Building an American City.'' (2006) 368pp; ISBN 978-0-8214-1701-0 [http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=213131210777630 online review]
* Ross, Steven J. ''Workers on the Edge: Work, Leisure, and Politics in Industrializing Cincinnati, 1788-1890'' (1985), new social history [http://www.questia.com/read/58918181?title=Workers%20on%20the%20Edge%3a%20Work%2c%20Leisure%2c%20and%20Politics%20in%20Industrializing%20Cincinnati%2c%201788-1890 online edition]
* Van Tassel, David D.. and John J. Grabowski, eds. ''The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History'' (1987), also online
* Van Tassel, David D.. and John J. Grabowski, eds. ''Cleveland: A Tradition of Reform'' (1986)
* Ware, Jane. ''Building Ohio: A Traveler's Guide to Ohio's Urban Architecture.'' (2001). 330 pp.
* Wheeler, Kenneth H. "Local Autonomy and Civil War Draft Resistance: Holmes County, Ohio" ''Civil War History'', Vol. 45, 1999
* WPA. ''Cincinnati: A Guide to the Queen City and Its Neighbors'' (1943), 574pp; famous guide book, with history [http://www.questia.com/read/72509386?title=Cincinnati%3a%20A%20Guide%20to%20the%20Queen%20City%20and%20Its%20Neighbors online edition]
===Primary historical sources===
* Bentley, Anna Briggs. ''American Grit: A Woman's Letters from the Ohio Frontier.'' ed. by Emily Foster, (2002). 344 pp. [http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=168301062659261 online review]
* Dee, Christine, ed. ''Ohio's War: The Civil War in Documents.'' (2007). 244 pp. [http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=80721191089204 online review]
* Foster, Emily, ed. ''The Ohio Frontier: An Anthology of Early Writings.'' (1996). 229 pp.
* Gebby, Margaret. ''Farm Wife: A Self-Portrait, 1886-1896.'' ed. by Virginia E. McCormick. (1990). 243 pp.
* Johnson, Tom L. ''My Story'' (1993), reform mayor of Cleveland
* Saxbe, William B. and Franklin, Peter D. ''I've Seen the Elephant: An Autobiography.'' (2000). 267 pp. Saxbe was a politician and US Senator 1946-74
* Shriver, Phillip R., Jr. and Clarence E. Wunderlin. eds. ''Documentary Heritage Of Ohio'' (2001)

==See also==
* [[John W. Bricker]]
* [[Cleveland]]
* [[Columbus]]
* [[Cincinnati]]
* [[Toledo]]

==References==
<references/>

{{USstates}}

[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Ohio]]

Ohio

2019-03-03T16:47:10Z

ESchafly:

{{USState
|name=Ohio
|flag=Ohio_State_Flag.gif
|motto=With God all things are possible
|nick=The Buckeye State
|capital=Columbus
|language=English
|governor=John Kasich
|gparty=Republican
|senator1=Sherrod Brown
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-2315
|s1email=http://brown.senate.gov/contact/ Contact
|senator2=Rob Portman
|s2party=Republican
|s2phone=(202) 224-3353
|s2email=http://portman.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm Contact
|population=
|date=March 1, 1803 (17th)
}}
'''Ohio''' is a "[[Rust Belt]]" state located in the [[Midwest]]ern region of the [[United States]], which on March 1, 1803, became the seventeenth state. The capital of Ohio is [[Columbus (city)|Columbus]]. Other large cities in Ohio include [[Cincinnati]] and [[Cleveland]], where the 2016 [[Republican National Convention]] was held. Ohio borders the states of [[Indiana]], [[Kentucky]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Michigan]], and [[West Virginia]]. The current [[Governors of Ohio|governor of Ohio]] is [[John Kasich]], a [[Republican]] who campaigned as a [[conservative]] but governs as a social [[liberal]] who vetoed the [[Heartbeat Bill]].

Ohio voters include a substantial percentage of [[pro-life]], [[working class]] [[Democrats]] who shifted enough to the [[Republican]] column to enable [[Donald Trump]] to garner 52% in 2016, despite [[Obama]] winning the state easily in 2008 and 2012. Rampant [[early voting]] of roughly a month in duration plagues its elections.

The state Constitution of Ohio, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We, the people of the State of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and promote our common welfare, do establish this Constitution.''

==History==
Chillicothe was the capital from the formation of the Ohio Territory from the [[Northwest Territory]] in 1800, until 1809, when it was moved to Zanesville for three years. Chillicothe was again the capital from 1812 until 1816, when Columbus became the capital because it was the geographical center of the state. Cincinnati was the largest and most important city until surpassed by Cleveland in the early 20th century.

Since 1940 fiscal conservatism has been a hallmark of Ohio leaders, including such Republicans governors as John Bricker, Thomas Herbert, and C. William O’Neill, as well as some Democrats, notably Martin Davey and Frank Lausche. Especially in the small towns and cities voters expressed low-tax, low-spending and pro-business sentiments.

Michael V. DiSalle, a Democrat elected in 1958, tried to convert Ohio to high spending, but angered the taxpayers after one term.<ref>Richard G. Zimmerman, ''Call Me Mike: A Political Biography of Michael V. DiSalle'' (2003)</ref> He was defeated by Republican [[James A. Rhodes]] (1909-2001), who branded DiSalle "Tax Hike Mike" and went on to become Ohio's longest serving governor (1962–70 and 1974–82). Rhodes eliminated or cut back the wasteful programs and concentrated instead on building of airports, state office buildings, prisons, and other public structures. Rhodes lowered taxes on small business owners, thereby building up the economy, while increasing funding to schools and universities.

Democrat Richard F. Celeste was defeated by Rhodes in 1978, but won the governorship in 1982 and defeated Rhodes's comeback effort in 1986. Celeste sought to increase state funding to education, health services, and welfare program; with the legislature in liberal hands he increased the state income tax by 90%. A referendum to overturn the tax increase failed, but in 1984, voters returned the Ohio Senate to Republican control.

==Boundary==
Congress defined Ohio's borders in the Enabling Act of 1802 as follows:

<blockquote>Bounded on the east by the Pennsylvania line, on the south by the Ohio River, to the mouth of the Great Miami River, on the west by the line drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami aforesaid, and on the north by an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, running east after intersecting the due north line aforesaid, from the mouth of the Great Miami until it shall intersect Lake Erie or the territorial line, and thence with the same through Lake Erie to the Pennsylvania line aforesaid.</blockquote>
This was based on the mistaken impression that the southern tip of Lake Michigan was further north than Toledo, Ohio. Fur trappers reported that this was incorrect at the time that the Ohio Constitution was drafting its border provisions. As a result, the Toledo Strip was created as a zone that was claimed by both Ohio and Michigan, resulting in the [[Toledo War]]. Ultimately, Michigan gave up the Toledo Strip in exchange for gaining the western portion of its Upper Peninsula when it was admitted to the union.

In 1980, the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] held that Ohio's southern boundary is the northern low-water mark of the Ohio River as it existed in 1792.<ref name="Ohio_v_Kentucky">{{Cite journal | url=http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=444&invol=335 | publisher = Find law | title = Ohio v. Kentucky, 444 U.S. 335 | date = January 21, 1980 | accessdate=2016-08-15}}</ref>

==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Sherrod Brown]] (D)
*Sen. [[Rob Portman]] (R)
*Rep. [[Steve Chabot]] [R, OH-01]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.house.gov/representatives/#state_oh|title=Directory of Representatives|accessdate=February 15, 2015}}</ref>
*Rep. [[Brad Wenstrup]] [R, OH-02]
*Rep. [[Joyce Beatty]] [D, OH-03]
*Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] [R, OH-04]
*Rep. [[Bob Latta]] [R, OH-05]
*Rep. [[Bill Johnson]] [R, OH-06]
*Rep. [[Bob Gibbbs]] [R, OH-07]
*Rep. [[Warren Davidson]] [R, OH-08]
*Rep. [[Marcy Kaptur]] [D, OH-09]
*Rep. [[Michael Turner]] [R, OH-10]
*Rep. [[Marcia Fudge]] [D, OH-11]
*Rep. [[Troy Balderson]] [R, OH-12]
*Rep. [[Tim Ryan]] [D, OH-13]
*Rep. [[David Joyce]] [R, OH-14]
*Rep. [[Steve Stivers]] [R, OH-15]
*Rep. [[Anthony Gonzalez]] [R, OH-16]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Mike DeWine]] (R)
*Lt. Governor [[Jon Husted]] (R)
*Attorney General [[Dave Yost]] (R)
*Secretary of State [[Frank LaRose]] (R)
*State Auditor [[Keith Faber]] (R)
*State Treasurer [[Robert Sprague]] (R)

==Presidents From Ohio==
Ohio was known as the "mother of presidents"; the last one was Harding, who won in 1920 by defeating another Ohioan, Governor James Cox.
*[1773-1841] 9th President -[[William Henry Harrison]]. Whig
*[1822-1885] 18th President -[[Ulysses Simpson Grant]], Republican
*[1822-1893] 19th President -[[Rutherford B. Hayes]], Republican
*[1831-1881] 20th President -[[James Garfield]], Republican
*[1833-1901] 23rd President -[[Benjamin Harrison]], Republican
*[1843-1901] 25th President -[[William McKinley]], Republican
*[1857-1930] 27th President -[[William Howard Taft]], Republican
*[1865-1923] 29th President -[[Warren Gamaliel Harding]], Republican

Taft's son [[Robert A. Taft]], a leading conservative, sought the GOP nomination in 1940, 1948 and 1952, losing each time to liberal Republicans from [[New York City]].

Ohio is a [[swing state]] in presidential elections. No Republican has won the presidency without Ohio's electoral votes.

==Chant==
Ohioans usually engage in a call and reply type chant when celebrating their state. The leader yells "O,H" and the crowd replies with "I,O". Both presidential candidates have used this at rallies across the state in 2012.

==Bibliography==
* [http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/browse.php Ohio History Central], authoritative short articles, with images, audio and video files
===Surveys and textbooks===
* Bell, Carol Willsey. ''Ohio Guide to Genealogical Sources.'' (1988). 372 pp.
* Benedict, Michael Les and Winkler, John F., eds. ''The History of Ohio Law.'' (2 vol. 2004). 946 pp.
* Booth, Stephane Elise. ''Buckeye Women: The History of Ohio's Daughters.'' (2001). 239 pp.
* Borcyczka, Raymond and Cary, Lorin Lee. ''No Strength without Union: An Illustrated History of Ohio Workers, 1803-1980.'' (1982). 328 pp.
* Cayton, Andrew R. L. ''Ohio: The History of a People'' (2002), 473pp
* Grant, H. Roger and Clarence Wunderlin. ''Ohio On The Move: Transportation In Buckeye State'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/Ohio-Move-Transportation-Buckeye-Bicentennial/dp/0821412841/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212898827&sr=8-1 excerpt]
* Knepper, George W. ''Ohio and Its People''. (3rd ed. 2003), textbook; ISBN 0-87338-791-0 [http://www.questia.com/read/112035631?title=Ohio%20and%20Its%20People online edition]
* Lafferty, Michael B., ed. ''Ohio's Natural Heritage.'' (1979). 324 pp.
* Parker, Gregory; Sisson, Richard; and Coil, William Russell, eds. ''Ohio & the World: Essays toward a New History of Ohio.'' (2005). 199 pp.
* Sisson, Richard, ed. ''The American Midwest: An Interpretive Encyclopedia'' (2006), very right regional encyclopedia by scholars
* Smith, Thomas H., ed. ''An Ohio Reader. Vol. 1, 1750 to the Civil War. Vol 2. Reconstruction to the Present.'' (1975). 763 pp. articles by historians
===History to 1860===
* Blue, Frederick J. ''Salmon P. Chase: A Life in Politics'' (1987) [http://www.questia.com/read/22807164?title=Salmon%20P.%20Chase%3a%20A%20Life%20in%20Politics online edition]
* Bond Jr., Beverley W. ''The Foundations of Ohio. Volume: 1.'' 1941. detailed history to 1802. [http://www.questia.com/read/24153066?title=The%20Foundations%20of%20Ohio%20-%20Vol.%201 online edition]
* Brown, Jeffrey P., and Andrew R. L. Cayton, eds. ''The Pursuit of Public Power: Political Culture in Ohio, 1787-1861'' (1994)
* Buley, R. Carlyle. ''The Old Northwest'' (1950), Pulitzer Prize winner
* Carter, Harvey Lewis. ''The Life and Times of Little Turtle: First Sagamore of the Wabash.'' (1987). 275 pp.
* Cayton, Andrew R. L. ''The Frontier Republic: Ideology and Politics in the Ohio Country, 1780-1825'' (1986)
* Cayton, Andrew R.L. and Stuart D. Hobbs. ''The Center of a Great Empire: The Ohio Country in the Early Republic'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Center-Great-Empire-Country-Republic/dp/0821416480/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212898827&sr=8-9 excerpt and text search]
* Fox, Stephen C. ''The Group Bases of Ohio Political Behavior, 1803-1848.'' (1989). 349 pp.
* Giesen, Myra Jayne. "Late Prehistoric Populations in the Ohio Area: Biological Affinities and Stress Indicators." PhD dissertation, anthropology. Ohio State U. 1992. 271 pp. DAI 1993 53(8): 2872-A. DA9238180 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Hendrick, Booraem V. ''The Road to Respectability: James A. Garfield and His World, 1844-1852'' (1988)
* Hurt, R. Douglas. ''The Ohio Frontier: Crucible of the Old Northwest, 1720-1830''. (1996). ISBN 0-253-21212-X 418pp
* Jones, Robert Leslie. ''History of Agriculture in Ohio to 1880.'' (1983). 416 pp.
* Leet, Don R. ''Population Pressure and Human Fertility Response: Ohio, 1810-1860.'' (1978). 291 pp.
* Maizlish, Stephen E. ''The Triumph of Sectionalism: The Transformation of Ohio Politics, 1844-1856'' (1983), 310pp
* O'Donnell, James H. ''Ohio's First Peoples''. (2004). Indian tribes.
* Ratcliffe, Donald J. ''The Politics of Long Division: The Birth of the Second Party System in Ohio, 1818-1828.'' (2000). 455 pp.
* Ratcliffe, Donald J. ''Party Spirit in a Frontier Republic: Democratic Politics in Ohio, 1793-1821'' (1998). 336 pp. [http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=9223922805209 online review]
* Rokicky, Catherine M. ''Creating a Perfect World: Religious and Secular Utopias in Nineteenth-Century Ohio.'' (2002). 181 pp.
* Utter, William T. ''The Frontier State: 1803-1825,'' vol. 2 of History of the State of Ohio (1942).
* VanVugt, William E. ''British Buckeyes: The English, Scots, and Welsh in Ohio, 1700-1900.'' (2006). 295 pp.
* Weisenburger, Francis P. ''The Passing of the Frontier, vol. 3'' (1941), detailed history of 1830s and 1840s
* Winkle, Kenneth J. ''The Politics of Community: Migration and Politics in Antebellum Ohio.'' (1988). 239 pp.
===History 1860-1920===
* Comer, James Ray. "Immigration and Foodways in Ohio, 1870-1920." PhD dissertation Bowling Green State U. 2001. 369 pp. DAI 2001 62(6): 2217-A. DA3016141 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Downes, Randolph C. ''The Rise of Warren Gamaliel Harding, 1865-1920.'' (1970). 734 pp
* Gerber, David A. ''Black Ohio and the Color Line, 1860-1915.'' (1977). 500 pp.
* Hoogenboom, Ari. ''Rutherford B. Hayes: Warrior and President.'' (1995). 626 pp.
* Jensen, Richard. ''The Winning of the Midwest: Social and Political Conflict, 1888-1896'' (1971)
* Jordan, Philip D.''Ohio Comes of Age: 1873-1900 Volume 5'' (1968)
* Klement, Frank L. ''The Limits of Dissent: Clement L. Vallandigham and the Civil War.'' (1998). 351 pp.
* Morton, Jack Devon. "Ohio's Gallant Fight: Northern State Politics during the Reconstruction Era, 1865-1878." PhD dissertation. U. of Virginia 2005. 274 pp. DAI 2005 66(1): 313-A. DA3161251 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Roseboom, Eugene. ''The Civil War Era, 1850-1873, vol. 4'' (1944), detailed general history
* Semsel, Craig Robert. "Built to Move Millions: Transit Vehicle Manufacture in Ohio, 1880-1938." PhD dissertation Case Western Reserve U. 2001. 720 pp. DAI 2002 62(9): 3162-3163-A. DA3027315 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Weeks, Philip, ed. ''Buckeye Presidents: Ohioans in the White House.'' (2003). 240 pp.
* Wheeler, Kenneth W., ed. ''For the Union: Ohio Leaders in the Civil War.'' (1968) 497 pp.
===History 1920 to present===
* Bower, Kevin Patrick. "Relief, Reform, and Youth: The National Youth Administration in Ohio, 1935-1943." PhD dissertation U. of Cincinnati 2003. 201 pp. DAI 2003 64(5): 1787-A. DA3092078 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Coil, William Russell. "'New Deal Republican': James A. Rhodes and the Transformation of the Republican Party, 1933-1983." PhD dissertation Ohio State U. 2005. 345 pp. DAI 2005 66(6): 2357-A. DA3180621 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Davies, Richard O. ''Defender of the Old Guard: John Bricker and American Politics.'' (1993). 271 pp.
* Giffin, William W. ''African Americans and the Color Line in Ohio, 1915-1930.'' (2005). 312 pp.
* Lamis, Alexander P. and Sharkey, Mary Anne, eds. ''Ohio Politics.'' (1994). 417 pp. textbook
* Lieberman, Carl, ed. ''Government, Politics, and Public Policy in Ohio.'' (1995). 277 pp. textbook
* Patterson, James T. ''Mr. Republican: A Biography of Robert A. Taft.'' (1972). 749 pp.
* Van Tine, Warren, et al. ''In the Workers' Interest: A History of the Ohio AFL-CIO, 1958-1998.'' (1998). 219 pp.
* Zimmerman, Richard G. ''Call Me Mike: A Political Biography of Michael V. Disalle'' (2003)

===Localities and regions===
* Curl, Donald W. ''Murat Halstead and the Cincinnati Commercial.'' (1980). 186 pp
* Hirsimaki, Eric. ''Lima: The History. '' (1986). 351 pp.
* Moore, Jonathan Barrons. "Local Economic Development in the Post-industrial Service Economy: Manufacturing Communities in the Ohio River Valley." PhD dissertation Ohio State U. 2003. 255 pp. DAI 2004 65(3): 1065-A. DA3124375 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Painter, Sue Ann. ''Architecture in Cincinnati: An Illustrated History of Designing and Building an American City.'' (2006) 368pp; ISBN 978-0-8214-1701-0 [http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=213131210777630 online review]
* Ross, Steven J. ''Workers on the Edge: Work, Leisure, and Politics in Industrializing Cincinnati, 1788-1890'' (1985), new social history [http://www.questia.com/read/58918181?title=Workers%20on%20the%20Edge%3a%20Work%2c%20Leisure%2c%20and%20Politics%20in%20Industrializing%20Cincinnati%2c%201788-1890 online edition]
* Van Tassel, David D.. and John J. Grabowski, eds. ''The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History'' (1987), also online
* Van Tassel, David D.. and John J. Grabowski, eds. ''Cleveland: A Tradition of Reform'' (1986)
* Ware, Jane. ''Building Ohio: A Traveler's Guide to Ohio's Urban Architecture.'' (2001). 330 pp.
* Wheeler, Kenneth H. "Local Autonomy and Civil War Draft Resistance: Holmes County, Ohio" ''Civil War History'', Vol. 45, 1999
* WPA. ''Cincinnati: A Guide to the Queen City and Its Neighbors'' (1943), 574pp; famous guide book, with history [http://www.questia.com/read/72509386?title=Cincinnati%3a%20A%20Guide%20to%20the%20Queen%20City%20and%20Its%20Neighbors online edition]
===Primary historical sources===
* Bentley, Anna Briggs. ''American Grit: A Woman's Letters from the Ohio Frontier.'' ed. by Emily Foster, (2002). 344 pp. [http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=168301062659261 online review]
* Dee, Christine, ed. ''Ohio's War: The Civil War in Documents.'' (2007). 244 pp. [http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=80721191089204 online review]
* Foster, Emily, ed. ''The Ohio Frontier: An Anthology of Early Writings.'' (1996). 229 pp.
* Gebby, Margaret. ''Farm Wife: A Self-Portrait, 1886-1896.'' ed. by Virginia E. McCormick. (1990). 243 pp.
* Johnson, Tom L. ''My Story'' (1993), reform mayor of Cleveland
* Saxbe, William B. and Franklin, Peter D. ''I've Seen the Elephant: An Autobiography.'' (2000). 267 pp. Saxbe was a politician and US Senator 1946-74
* Shriver, Phillip R., Jr. and Clarence E. Wunderlin. eds. ''Documentary Heritage Of Ohio'' (2001)

==See also==
* [[John W. Bricker]]
* [[Cleveland]]
* [[Columbus]]
* [[Cincinnati]]
* [[Toledo]]

==References==
<references/>

{{USstates}}

[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Ohio]]

Iowa

2019-03-03T16:46:07Z

ESchafly:

''See the [[Iowa caucuses]] for the political event''.
{{USState
|name=Iowa
|flag=Iowa_State_Flag.gif
|motto="[[Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain|Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain]]"
|nick=The Hawkeye State
|capital=Des Moines
|language=English
|governor=Kim Reynolds
|gparty=Republican
|senator1=Chuck Grassley
|s1party=Republican
|s1phone=(202) 224-3744
|s1email=http://grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm#emailform Contact
|senator2=Joni Ernst
|s2party=Republican
|s2phone=(202) 224-3254
|s2email=http://www.ernst.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact Contact
|population=
|date=December 28, 1846 (29th)
}}
'''Iowa''' is located in the Midwestern region of the [[United States]] and on December 28, 1846 became the twenty-ninth state to enter into the union. During the [[American Civil War]], Iowa supported the United States. The capital of Iowa is [[Des Moines]], which is also its largest city. The current governor of Iowa is Kim Reynolds ([[Republican]]).

The [[Iowa Caucus]] is the first primary contest for [[Democratic]] and [[Republican]] [[president]]ial candidates. That makes it an important campaigning spot for prospective candidates.

On Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2002, the Iowa legislature passed an 'English-Only' bill with the effect of making English the state's only official language. The names of Des Moines, Dubuque, and Cerro Gordo counties were unaffected.

Iowa was the first Midwestern state to legalize [[same-sex marriage]].<ref>[http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20101103/NEWS09/11030390/Iowans-dismiss-three-justices Iowans dismiss three justices]</ref> It was not by legislation, but through [[judicial activism]].
On April 3, 2009, in a unanimous decision, the Iowa state supreme court overturned a 10-year-old ban on same-sex marriage. The decision states, "“This approach does not disrespect or denigrate the religious views of many Iowans who may strongly believe in marriage as a dual-gender union, but considers, as we must, only the constitutional rights of all people, as expressed by the promise of equal protection for all.” The only way to overturn this decision is through an amendment to the state constitution, which would not be possible until 2012 at the earliest.<ref>The Des Moines Register, ''Unanimous ruling: Iowa marriage no longer limited to one man, one woman'', by JEFF ECKHOFF and GRANT SCHULTE, April 3, 2009 [http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090403/NEWS/90403010]</ref>

In 2017, the Iowa legislature, with massive GOP majorities,<ref>Russell, Joyce (November 9, 2016). [http://iowapublicradio.org/post/iowa-senate-turns-republican-tuesday-voting#stream/0 Iowa Senate Turns Republican in Tuesday Voting]. ''Iowa Public Radio''. Retrieved April 29, 2017.</ref> passed and enacted legislation massively expanding [[gun rights]], including enacting and expanding a stand-your-ground law, providing legal advantages to gun owners, and giving additional rights to minors, among other provisions.<ref>De Lea, Brittany (April 13, 2017). [http://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/2017/04/13/iowa-passes-massive-expansion-gun-rights-more-states-to-follow.html Iowa Passes Massive Expansion of Gun Rights, More States to Follow?]. ''Fox Business''. Retrieved April 29, 2017.</ref> The state also enacted [[voter ID legislation]],<ref>Klukowski, Ken (May 6, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/06/iowa-adopts-voter-id-law/ Iowa Adopts Voter-ID Law]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 6, 2017.</ref> defunded [[Planned Parenthood]],<ref>Hellmann, Jessie (May 19, 2017). [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/334199-four-planned-parenthood-clinics-to-close-in-iowa-after-defunding Four Planned Parenthood clinics to close in Iowa after defunding]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved May 20, 2017.</ref> and passed a law outlawing abortion if the child's heartbeat is detected.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iowa-abortion/iowa-governor-signs-fetal-heartbeat-abortion-ban-into-law-idUSKBN1I52ID Iowa governor signs 'fetal heartbeat' abortion ban into law]. ''Reuters''. May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2018.</ref><ref>Freiburger, Calvin (May 4, 2018). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-iowa-governor-signs-bill-banning-abortions-on-babies-with-heartbea Iowa governor signs bill banning abortions on babies with beating hearts]. ''LifeSiteNews''. Retrieved May 4, 2018.</ref><ref>Berry, Susan (May 4, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/05/04/iowa-bans-all-abortions-after-point-of-detection-of-fetal-heartbeat/ Iowa Bans All Abortions After Point of Detection of Fetal Heartbeat]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 4, 2018.</ref>

The state Constitution of Iowa, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says in the preamble:
:''WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF IOWA, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuance of those blessings, do ordain and establish a free and independent government, by the name of the STATE OF IOWA, the boundaries whereof shall be as follows:''

==Elected officials==
===Federal===
*Sen. [[Chuck Grassley]] (R)
*Sen. [[Joni Ernst]] (R)
*Rep. [[Abby Finkenauer]] [D, IA-1]
*Rep. [[David Loebsack]] [D, IA-2]
*Rep. [[Cindy Axne]] [D, IA-3]
*Rep. [[Steve King]] [R, IA-4]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Kim Reynolds]] (R)
*Lt. Governor [[Adam Gregg]] (R)
*Secretary of State [[Paul Pate]] (R)
*State Auditor [[Rob Sand]] (D)
*Agriculture Secretary [[Mike Naig]] (R)
*State Treasurer [[Michael Fitzgerald]] (D)
*Attorney General [[Tom Miller]] (D)

==References==
<references/>

{{USstates}}
[[Category:States of the United States]]

Minnesota

2019-02-13T00:16:46Z

ESchafly:

{{USState
|name=Minnesota
|flag=Minnesota_State_Flag.gif
|motto=L'Etoile du nord (The star of the north)
|nick=The North Star State; the Gopher State; Land of 10,000 Lakes
|capital=Saint Paul
|language=None
|governor=Tim Walz
|gparty=Democrat
|senator1=Amy Klobuchar
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-3244
|s1email=http://klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm Contact
|senator2=Tina Smith
|s2party=Democrat
|s2phone=202-224-5641
|s2email=https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/one_item_and_teasers/franken.htm Contact
|population=5,220,393 (est.)
|date=May 11, 1858 (32nd)
}}
[[Image:Stout27.gif|right|thumb|County Map]]

[[Image:Seal mncolor.gif|right|thumb|State Seal]]
'''Minnesota''' (from the Dakota "Mini sota") is located in the Midwestern region of the [[United States]] and on May 11, 1858 became the thirty-second state to enter into the union. During the [[American Civil War]] Minnesota supported the Union Army. The capital of Minnesota is [[Saint Paul (city)|Saint Paul]] and the largest city is [[Minneapolis]]. These cities are sometimes referred to as the [[Twin cities|Twin Cities]], due to their close proximity. The current governor of Minnesota is [[Tim Walz].

President [[Donald Trump]] did well in Minnesota in 2016, but could not quite carry this [[liberal]] State.

The state Constitution of Minnesota, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We, the people of the state of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings and secure the same to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution.''

==Climate==
Minnesota's climate ranges from hot, humid Summers to cold, snowy Winters. The state experiences all four seasons distinctly. Severe weather ranges from thunderstorms, hail and occasional tornadoes during the mid-Spring and Summer to subzero temperatures, heavy snowfalls and blizzards during the late-Fall, Winter and early-Spring.

==Geography==
Minnesota is nicknamed the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" due to its large number of natural freshwater lakes. The nickname is not an exaggeration as the actual number of lakes is about 11,842. The southern third and western edge of the state have very few lakes, but the rest of the state is dotted with small (less than 50 acres) to very large (over 100,000 acres) lakes only a few miles apart at most. The largest lake entirely within the state is Red Lake in Beltrami County, which is divided by a natural peninsula into Upper Red Lake and Lower Red Lake. The lake is 288,831 acres, or about 451.3 sq. miles, in size. The estimated total miles of shoreline of all of Minnesota's lakes is greater than the shorelines of California, Florida and Hawaii combined. As a result of this large number of lakes, Minnesota has a booming resort business, with over 1000 resorts of various kinds spread throughout the state. Year-round fishing is also a major draw for residents and visitors.

Excluding the southern border, a large portion of Minnesota's borders are defined by rivers and lakes. Big Stone Lake, Lake Traverse and the Red River compose most of the state's western border with North and South Dakota. The northern border with Canada is primarily defined by the Rainy River and Rainy Lake. Finally, the eastern border with Wisconsin includes Lake Superior and the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers.

The Mississippi River's headwaters are located at Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota.

==Politics of Minnesota==
Minnesota has been historically a [[Democratic]] state. They have not gone Republican in a Presidential election since [[Richard Nixon]] in 1972. However, in the 2010 elections, Republicans won a majority of both chambers of the Minneota Legislature for the first itme since 1970. The 2008 Republican National Convention was held in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Minnesota is the only state in the Union in which the national Democratic Party actually is represented by the state-level [[Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party]] (DFL). All Democratic politicians in and from Minnesota work under the DFL header, though this now is an issue primarily of tradition than actual meaning.

==2011 Government Shutdown==
The state government of Minnesota shut down on July 1, 2011, due to DFL politicians' unwillingness to compromise on taxes and spending, despite the GOP's best efforts to avert a crisis with a compromise measure. Governor Mark Dayton, in particular, held a rigid line on taxes, and compromised only when it became clear how much the shutdown was hurting ordinary Minnesotans.

The shutdown ended July 20, 2011, with a spending bill negotiated by the GOP, DFLers, and Dayton.

==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Amy Klobuchar]] (DFL)
*Sen. [[Tina Smith]] (DFL)
*Rep. [[Jim Hagedorn]] [R, MN-01]
*Rep. [[Angie Craig]] [DFL, MN-02]
*Rep. [[Dean Phillips]] [DFL, MN-03]
*Rep. [[Betty McCollum]] [DFL, MN-04]
*Rep. [[Ilhan Omar]] [DFL, MN-05]
*Rep. [[Tom Emmer]] [R, MN-06]
*Rep. [[Collin Peterson]] [DFL, MN-07]
*Rep. [[Pete Stauber]] [R, MN-08]

===Statwide===
*Governor [[Tim Walz]] (DFL)
*Lt. Governor [[Peggy Flanagan]] (DFL)
*Secretary of State [[Steve Simon]] (DFL)
*Attorney General [[Keith Ellison]] (DFL)
*State Auditor [[Julie Blaha]] (DFL)
{{USstates}}
[[Category:States of the United States]]

Minnesota

2019-02-13T00:16:27Z

ESchafly:

{{USState
|name=Minnesota
|flag=Minnesota_State_Flag.gif
|motto=L'Etoile du nord (The star of the north)
|nick=The North Star State; the Gopher State; Land of 10,000 Lakes
|capital=Saint Paul
|language=None
|governor=Tim Walz
|gparty=Democrat
|senator1=Amy Klobuchar
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-3244
|s1email=http://klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm Contact
|senator2=Tina Smith
|s2party=Democrat
|s2phone=202-224-5641
|s2email=https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/one_item_and_teasers/franken.htm Contact
|population=5,220,393 (est.)
|date=May 11, 1858 (32nd)
}}
[[Image:Stout27.gif|right|thumb|County Map]]

[[Image:Seal mncolor.gif|right|thumb|State Seal]]
'''Minnesota''' (from the Dakota "Mini sota") is located in the Midwestern region of the [[United States]] and on May 11, 1858 became the thirty-second state to enter into the union. During the [[American Civil War]] Minnesota supported the Union Army. The capital of Minnesota is [[Saint Paul (city)|Saint Paul]] and the largest city is [[Minneapolis]]. These cities are sometimes referred to as the [[Twin cities|Twin Cities]], due to their close proximity. The current governor of Minnesota is [[Mark Dayton]], a wealthy [[Leftist]] [[Democrat]] who is a principal heir to the Target retail store fortune.

President [[Donald Trump]] did well in Minnesota in 2016, but could not quite carry this [[liberal]] State.

The state Constitution of Minnesota, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We, the people of the state of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings and secure the same to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution.''

==Climate==
Minnesota's climate ranges from hot, humid Summers to cold, snowy Winters. The state experiences all four seasons distinctly. Severe weather ranges from thunderstorms, hail and occasional tornadoes during the mid-Spring and Summer to subzero temperatures, heavy snowfalls and blizzards during the late-Fall, Winter and early-Spring.

==Geography==
Minnesota is nicknamed the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" due to its large number of natural freshwater lakes. The nickname is not an exaggeration as the actual number of lakes is about 11,842. The southern third and western edge of the state have very few lakes, but the rest of the state is dotted with small (less than 50 acres) to very large (over 100,000 acres) lakes only a few miles apart at most. The largest lake entirely within the state is Red Lake in Beltrami County, which is divided by a natural peninsula into Upper Red Lake and Lower Red Lake. The lake is 288,831 acres, or about 451.3 sq. miles, in size. The estimated total miles of shoreline of all of Minnesota's lakes is greater than the shorelines of California, Florida and Hawaii combined. As a result of this large number of lakes, Minnesota has a booming resort business, with over 1000 resorts of various kinds spread throughout the state. Year-round fishing is also a major draw for residents and visitors.

Excluding the southern border, a large portion of Minnesota's borders are defined by rivers and lakes. Big Stone Lake, Lake Traverse and the Red River compose most of the state's western border with North and South Dakota. The northern border with Canada is primarily defined by the Rainy River and Rainy Lake. Finally, the eastern border with Wisconsin includes Lake Superior and the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers.

The Mississippi River's headwaters are located at Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota.

==Politics of Minnesota==
Minnesota has been historically a [[Democratic]] state. They have not gone Republican in a Presidential election since [[Richard Nixon]] in 1972. However, in the 2010 elections, Republicans won a majority of both chambers of the Minneota Legislature for the first itme since 1970. The 2008 Republican National Convention was held in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Minnesota is the only state in the Union in which the national Democratic Party actually is represented by the state-level [[Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party]] (DFL). All Democratic politicians in and from Minnesota work under the DFL header, though this now is an issue primarily of tradition than actual meaning.

==2011 Government Shutdown==
The state government of Minnesota shut down on July 1, 2011, due to DFL politicians' unwillingness to compromise on taxes and spending, despite the GOP's best efforts to avert a crisis with a compromise measure. Governor Mark Dayton, in particular, held a rigid line on taxes, and compromised only when it became clear how much the shutdown was hurting ordinary Minnesotans.

The shutdown ended July 20, 2011, with a spending bill negotiated by the GOP, DFLers, and Dayton.

==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Amy Klobuchar]] (DFL)
*Sen. [[Tina Smith]] (DFL)
*Rep. [[Jim Hagedorn]] [R, MN-01]
*Rep. [[Angie Craig]] [DFL, MN-02]
*Rep. [[Dean Phillips]] [DFL, MN-03]
*Rep. [[Betty McCollum]] [DFL, MN-04]
*Rep. [[Ilhan Omar]] [DFL, MN-05]
*Rep. [[Tom Emmer]] [R, MN-06]
*Rep. [[Collin Peterson]] [DFL, MN-07]
*Rep. [[Pete Stauber]] [R, MN-08]

===Statwide===
*Governor [[Tim Walz]] (DFL)
*Lt. Governor [[Peggy Flanagan]] (DFL)
*Secretary of State [[Steve Simon]] (DFL)
*Attorney General [[Keith Ellison]] (DFL)
*State Auditor [[Julie Blaha]] (DFL)
{{USstates}}
[[Category:States of the United States]]

Lupe Valdez

2019-02-13T00:14:10Z

ESchafly:

{{Infobox officeholder
|name=Guadalupe "Lupe" Valdez
|image=
|office=[[Sheriff]] of [[Dallas|Dallas County]], [[Texas]]
|term_start = January 1, 2005
|term_end = December 6, 2017
|preceded= Jim Bowles
|succeeded= Marian Brown
|birth_date=October 11, 1947
|birth_place= [[San Antonio]], Texas
|death_date =
|death_place =
|resting_place=
|party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]
|alma_mater=Southern Nazarene University<br>
University of Texas at Arlington
|occupation=Law enforcement officer<br>
Captain in the [[United States Army]]
}}
'''Guadalupe Valdez''', known as '''Lupe Valdez''' (born October 11, 1947), is a [[Mexico|Mexican]]-[[United States|American]] law enforcement official who served from 2005 to 2017 as the [[sheriff]] of [[Dallas|Dallas County]], [[Texas]].

On December 6, 2017, she resigned her position as sheriff to run successfully for the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] nomination for [[governor]] of Texas. In the May 22, 2018, runoff contest, she narrowly defeated intra-party rival, Andrew White, a [[Houston, Texas|Houston]] entrepreneur and the son of the late Governor [[Mark White]]. Valdez was defeated in the November 6 general election by the incumbent [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Greg Abbott]].<ref>{{cite web|aouthor=Gromer Jeffers, Jr.|title=Lupe Valdez resigns as Dallas County sheriff, announces her run for Texas governor|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-politics/2017/12/06/dallas-county-sheriff-lupe-valdez-resign-wednesday-run-governor|accessdate=March 17, 2018 |publisher=''Dallas News''|date=December 6, 2017}}</ref>

In the [[primary election]] held on March 6, 2018, Valdez led a nine-candidate field with 42.6 percent of the ballots cast. Andrew White trailed with 28.9 percent and then lost to Valdez in the May 22 runoff.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/mar06_324_state.htm|title=Election Returns|date=March 6, 2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=March 17, 2018}}</ref>

The youngest of eight children of migrant farm workers, Valdez was reared in her native [[San Antonio]], Texas. After working for a time in the farm fields herselp, she entered college and earned a bachelor's degree from Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, [[Oklahoma]]. She then earned a master's degree in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Texas at Arlington.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2018-elections/2018/02/16/farm-mansionlupe-valdez-relishes-underdog-role-race-texas-governor|title=From farm to mansion? Lupe Valdez relishes underdog role in race for Texas governor|dateMarch 17, 2018|publisher=''Dallas News''|accessdate=March 6, 2018}}</ref>

After service in the [[United States Army]], having advanced to the rank of captain, she became a jailer in a county jail and then a federal penitentiary. She retired in 2004 from the Customs Service within the [[United States Department of Homeland Security]] to run for sheriff in Dallas County. She is the first [[lesbian]] to have been the Dallas County sheriff.<ref name=fikac>Peggy Fikac, "Valez, White marked by contrast in styles," ''San Antonio Express-News'', March 17, 2018, pp. 1, A10.</ref>

White has presented himself as a "moderate" in the race in contrast to the outspoken [[liberal]] Valdez, who led in ten of the fifteen largest counties in the state in the primary and showed particular strength in heavily Hispanic [[Laredo]] in Webb County in south Texas. Two former [[African-American]] candidates endorsed White, Cedric Davis, Sr., a former mayor of Balch Springs who ran for governor, and Michael Cooper, an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, a post held by the Republican [[Dan Patrick]]. Cooper said that he believes White is "the only candidate with a viable strategy" to unseat Abbott in November.<ref name=fikac/>

Political prognosticators had indicated that Valdez's liberal Hispanic base was more likely to turn out for the runoff than were supporters of Andrew White.<ref name=fikac/> On March 27, Valdez collected endorsements from twenty-two of the fifty-five Democratic members of the Texas House, most of whom are her fellow Hispanics. Valdez predicted that the endorsement will enhance "the unity growing behind our campaign. With this broad support, our movement is bringing together Texans of all backgrounds to fight for a new vision for Texas."<ref name=valdezbacking>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmtonline.com/news/politics/texas/article/22-Dem-state-reps-endorse-Lupe-Valdez-for-governor-12787425.php?utm_campaign=hptexas|title=22 Dem state reps endorse Lupe Valez for governor|publisher=''Laredo Morning Times''|author=Mike Ward|date=March 28, 2018}}</ref>

Valdez carries the backing of a plethora of liberal interest groups, the [[AFL-CIO]], [[Planned Parenthood]], Texas Tejano Democrats, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, and Stonewall Democrat chapters in Houston, Dallas, Denton, San Antonio, and [[Austin]]. Intra-party rival Andrew White also carried liberal backing from the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, the Harris County Young Democrats, the Houston Stonewall Young Democrats and the state's three largest newspapers, including ''The Houston Chronicle''.<ref name=valdezbacking/>

Two days after her gubernatorial nomination, Valdez was questioned about her $12,000 debt in [[property tax]]es on seven properties that she owns in two counties. Valdez said that she is retiring the debt in monthly installments. She blamed her situation on high taxation in the "failed leadership" of the Abbott administration.<ref>Mike Ward and Allie Morris, "Valdez's tax bills in spotlight: Democratic gov hopeful owes more than $12,000", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', May 25, 2018, pp. 1, A10.</ref>

In August 2018, Valdez reported to having lost or misplaced a firearm loaned to her while she was Dallas County sheriff. She has advocated heavy penalties to parents who fail to stop their children from using firearms.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2018/08/13/pistol-former-dallas-county-sheriff-gubernatorial-candidate-missing/|title=Gun Issued To Former Dallas County Sheriff Running For Governor Missing|publisher=Dfw.cbslocal.com|date=August 13, 2018|accessdate=August 14, 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Valdez, Lupe}}
[[Category:Texas]]
[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Democrats]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:United States Army]]
[[Category:Homosexuals]]

Wyoming

2019-02-13T00:12:43Z

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{{USState
|name=Wyoming
|flag=Wyoming_State_Flag.gif
|motto=Equal Rights
|nick=The Equality/Cowboy State
|capital=Cheyenne
|language=English
|governor=Mark Gordon
|gparty=Republican
|senator2=John Barrasso
|s2party=Republican
|s2phone=(202) 224-6441
|s2email=http://barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.ContactForm Contact
|senator1=Mike Enzi
|s1party=Republican
|s1phone=(202) 224-3424
|s1email=http://enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.EmailSenatorEnzi Contact
|population=
|date=July 10, 1890 (44th)
}}
[[Image:wyoming.jpg|thumb|right]]
'''Wyoming''' is a [[conservative]] state in the western [[United States]], and the first state to block new [[liberal]] science standards that promote the falsehoods of [[global warming]] and [[evolution]]. Wyoming became a state on July 10, 1890. It was the 44th state to join the union. It is the home of the world renowned [[Yellowstone National Park]]. In 2000 its population was a little more than 500,000, the lowest of any state in the country. The state capital is [[Cheyenne (city)|Cheyenne]]. The current Governor is [[Mark Gordon]].

The state Constitution of Wyoming, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political and religious liberties, and desiring to secure them to ourselves and perpetuate them to our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution.''

==Industry==
Wyoming is the number one [[coal]] producer in the United States, having surpassed [[West Virginia]] and [[Kentucky]] in coal production since the 1980s, largely due to surface (or strip) [[mining]] activity in the [[Powder River Basin]].

==Politics==

Wyoming is a strongly conservative state, having voted Republican in all Presidential elections from 1968 onwards.

==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Mike Enzi]] (R)
*Sen. [[John Barrasso]] (R)
*Rep. [[Liz Cheney]] (R)

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Mark Gordon]] (R)
*Secretary of State Edward Buchanan (R)
*Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Ballow (R)
*State Auditor Kristi Racines (R)
*State Treasurer Curt Meier (R)

==Energy==
[[File:WY-oil.jpg|thumb|350px]] The Powder River Basin, in northeastern Wyoming, is one of the largest coal-producing region in the world, accounting for 40% of all coal mined in the United States.<ref>See [http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=WY Energy Information Administration, State Report 2009]</ref>

Wyoming’s major geologic basins contain some of the largest fossil fuel deposits in the United States. Wyoming’s estimated recoverable coal reserves are second only to [[Montana]]’s, its dry natural gas reserves are second only to those in [[Texas]], and its crude oil reserves are among the largest in the Nation. Wyoming has over a dozen of the Nation’s largest oil and gas fields, including the Pinedale and Jonah natural gas fields, which rank among the top 10 in the country.

Wyoming has substantial wind power potential. The Southern Wyoming Corridor, where a gap in the Rocky Mountains channels strong winds across the plains, is ideally suited for wind power development. Wind power resources also exist in the northwestern part of the State. Although Wyoming’s aggregate energy demand is low, per capita energy consumption is the second highest in the Nation due to an energy-intensive economy that is dependent on fossil fuel extraction, processing, and transportation. The industrial sector, which includes Wyoming’s mining, oil, and gas industries, is the State’s leading consumer of energy.

===Petroleum===
Wyoming typically accounts for 3% of annual U.S. oil production. The State is a transportation crossroads for Canadian crude oil imports and local Rocky Mountain production flowing to U.S. Midwest and Mountain markets. The State has five oil refineries, which lie in the southern and eastern parts of the State. Wyoming’s total petroleum consumption is low, and refineries deliver much of their product to markets in neighboring States. Wyoming is one of the few States in the Nation that allow the statewide use of conventional motor gasoline. (Most States require the use of specific gasoline blends in non-attainment areas due to air-quality considerations.)

Although its proven crude oil reserves account for only about 3% of the U.S. total, Wyoming has enormous deposits of oil shale rock, known as marlstone, which can be converted into crude oil through destructive distillation. The Green River Formation, a group of basins in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, contains the largest known oil shale deposits in the world. Wyoming’s oil shale deposits, concentrated in the Green River and Washakie Basins in the southwestern part of the State, contain an estimated 300 billion barrels of oil, equal to about one-fourth of the world’s proven oil reserves. Although this natural resource holds tremendous promise, oil shale development remains speculative and faces several major obstacles involving technological feasibility, economic viability, resource ownership, and environmental considerations. Wyoming’s oil shale deposits are less favorable for commercial extraction than those in [[Utah]] and [[Colorado]] because they are generally situated in thinner, less continuous layers.

===Natural Gas===
Wyoming is one of the top natural gas-producing States in the Nation and typically accounts for almost one-tenth of U.S. natural gas production. Drilling activities take place throughout the State, but most of Wyoming’s production comes from fields in the Greater Green River Basin.

Recovery of coalbed methane from coal seams in the Powder River Basin has grown rapidly since the late 1990s and now accounts for about one-fifth of State natural gas production. Wyoming is the third leading coalbed methane producer in the United States, after [[Colorado]] and [[New Mexico]]. The full potential of Powder River Basin coalbed methane resources has not been tapped due to the basin’s few pipelines and rugged terrain. The Bureau of Land Management approved new drilling in the basin in 2003, which may encourage increased production from that area.

Unlike other major U.S. natural gas producing regions, Wyoming’s natural gas production is expanding. However, State consumption is low and Wyoming generally consumes less than one-tenth of the natural gas it produces. Major pipeline systems deliver the majority of Wyoming supply to markets in the Midwest and [[California]], and natural gas producers have proposed a new pipeline to ease transportation constraints and help move Wyoming’s increasing output to the Midwest. The proposed system, known as the Rockies Express Pipeline and scheduled to be in service by January 2008, will originate in northwestern Colorado and add supply in Wyoming’s Greater Green River Basin for delivery to Midwest markets.

===Coal, Electricity, and Renewables===
The Powder River Basin in northeastern Wyoming is the largest coal-producing region in the Nation, accounting for nearly two-fifths of all coal mined in the United States. Power River Basin coal seams are thick and facilitate surface mining, making extraction easy and efficient. As a result, the price of Powder River Basin coal at the mine mouth is less than that of coal produced elsewhere in the country. Powder River Basin coal also has lower sulfur content than other coal varieties, making it attractive for electricity generators that must comply with strict emission standards.

More than thirty States receive coal from Wyoming, and several Midwestern and Southern States are highly or entirely dependent on Wyoming supply. Two railroads, operating the Powder River Basin Joint Line, move coal out of the Powder River Basin. In May 2005, three train derailments severely damaged the Joint Line, causing the railroads to curtail promised deliveries to electric utilities in several States. The affected utilities were forced to either buy more expensive coal supplies from other sources or reduce coal use by using other, more expensive fuels. A second railroad line serving the Powder River Basin has been proposed to provide an alternative coal transportation route and alleviate bottlenecks on the Joint Line.

Coal-fired power plants dominate Wyoming electricity generation. Small hydroelectric facilities and a growing number of wind farms also contribute to the electric power grid. Although most of Wyoming’s wind power facilities are in the southeastern part of the State, its largest wind facility is situated in the southwest corner of the State. State electricity demand is low, and Wyoming exports electricity to neighboring States. Electricity transfers may reach as far as California in the future. In April 2005, four western State governors agreed to develop a 1,300-mile high-capacity power line from Wyoming to California that would allow as much as 12 thousand megawatts of electricity to flow from the energy-rich Rocky Mountain region to high-demand markets in California.
==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{USstates}}

[[Category:Wyoming]]
[[Category:States of the United States]]

Utah

2019-02-13T00:10:28Z

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{{USState
|name=Utah
|flag=Utah_State_Flag.gif
|motto="Industry"
|nick=The Beehive State
|capital=Salt Lake City
|language=English
|governor=Gary Herbert
|gparty=Republican
|senator2=Mike Lee
|s2party=Republican
|s2phone=(202) 224-5444
|s2email=https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/one_item_and_teasers/Lee_Mike.htm Contact
|senator1=Mitt Romney
|s1party=Republican
|s1phone=(202) 224-5251
|s1email=https://www.senate.gov/senators/116thCongress/RomneyMitt.htm Contact
|population=
|date=January 4, 1896 (45th)
}}

'''Utah''', known as the ''Beehive State'', is the forty-fifth state to enter into the union, achieving statehood on Jan. 4, 1896. Approximately 62% of Utah's residents are members of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]] ([[Mormons]]), although this number is on the wane.
<ref>http://www.sltrib.com/ci_2886596</ref>

The state's capital and largest city is [[Salt Lake City]]. The [[Great Salt Lake]], located in northern Utah, is the largest saltwater lake in the Western hemisphere.<ref>http://www.utah.com/stateparks/great_salt_lake.htm</ref>

The state bird is the California Seagull. The state insect is the European Honey Bee.

The state Constitution of Utah, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we, the people of Utah, in order to secure and perpetuate the principles of free government, do ordain and establish this CONSTITUTION.''

==History==

The first permanent European settlement of Utah came in 1847 when members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, led by [[Brigham Young]], settled there, which ended their long westward trek to escape persecution. Peace would prove illusory, as relations with [[Native American]]s and white non-Mormons would turn sour. The infamous [[Mountain Meadows Massacre]] of 1857 led to over 100 deaths.<ref>[http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=1c234dc029133110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&locale=0 The Mountain Meadows Massacre]</ref><ref>http://www.cesnur.org/testi/morm_01.htm</ref> Utah was admitted into the Union in 1896, after the Church banned [[polygamy]] on the basis that a new revelation from God had commanded this.

==Politics==
[[File:Great Salt Lake ISS 2003.jpg|thumb|right|Great Salt Lake]]
Utah is among the reddest of red states, having elected [[President Bush]] by some of the highest margins of any state in both 2000 and 2004 and supporting [[John McCain]] in 2008. [[Salt Lake City]] is generally the only exception, having a mayor, Rocky Anderson, who is very liberal.<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17154193/</ref> Both of the state's Senators ([[Mitt Romney]] and [[Mike Lee]]) are [[Republican]]s, and all four of the state's Representatives are Republicans.<ref>http://www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd?state=UT</ref>

==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Mitt Romney]] (R)
*Sen. [[Mike Lee]] (R)
*Rep. [[Rob Bishop]] [R, UT-01]
*Rep. [[Chris Stewart]] [R, UT-02]
*Rep. [[John Curtis]] [R, UT-03]
*Rep. [[Ben McAdams]] [D, UT-04]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Gary Herbert]] (R)
*Lt. Governor [[Spencer Cox]] (R)

==Out of wedlock births==

Utah has the lowest rate in the nation of out of wedlock births at 18%. The highest is [[Mississippi]] with 53%.<ref>San Diego Union-Tribune Newspaper, Nov. 9th, 2008</ref>

==Notable people from Utah==

*[[Orson Scott Card]], science-fiction writer best known for the ''Ender's Game'' series, has lived in Orem.
*[[Orrin Hatch]] - Republican U.S. Senator from Utah, serving since 1977.
*[[Jon Huntsman, Jr.]], 2012 presidential candidate, current U.S. ambassador to Russia
*[[Thomas S. Monson]], President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as of 2008, was born in Salt Lake City.
*[[Ken Jennings]], who made a record 74 straight appearances on the game show ''Jeopardy'', lives in Utah.
*[[Donny Osmond]] and [[Marie Osmond]] - singers and actors; both were born in Ogden.
*[[Brigham Young]], perhaps the most important person in the history of the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints other than the founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., was part of the aforementioned settling of the state in the 1840s.
*[[Steve Young]] - Hall of Fame quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. Steve is a direct descendant of [[Brigham Young]].
*[[Mario Capecchi]] - Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for "Discoveries for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells."

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Utah.html Utah Cities] on [[City-data.com]]
==See also==
*[[Bountiful Utah Temple]]
*[[Logan Utah Temple]]
*[[Manti Utah Temple]]
*[[Monticello Utah Temple]]

{{USstates}}
[[Category:Utah]]

New Mexico

2019-02-13T00:09:40Z

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{{USState
|name=New Mexico
|flag=New_Mexico_State_Flag.gif
|motto=Crescit eundo (It grows as it goes)
|nick=The Land of Enchantment
|capital=[[Santa Fe]]
|language=English, Spanish
|governor=Michelle Lujan Grisham
|gparty=Democrat
|senator1=Martin Heinrich
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-5521
|s1email=
|senator2=Tom Udall
|s2party=Democrat
|s2phone=(202) 224-6621
|s2email=http://tomudall.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm Contact
|population=
|date=January 6, 1912 (47th)
}}
'''New Mexico''', the colony and territory of '''Santa Fe de Nuevo México''' from 1598-1912 was a Mexican territory from 1821-1848 and an American territory from 1848-1912, became the 47th state to join the union on January 6, 1912. It is the fifth largest of the [[United States]], with a total land area of 121,412 square miles.<ref>http://www.newmexico.gov/</ref> New Mexico has the largest [[Hispanic]] population, and second largest [[Native American]] population, percentage-wise, of any US State. The State has a bold history and colorful culture, the official state question is "red or green?" in reference to the State's unique [[Chile (Capsicum)|chile pepper]]. Politically the State is very much as Independent swing state that usually votes for incumbents and, much like West Texas, the state also leans towards [[Libertarian]] political stances especially in Central and Western New Mexico. The capital of the state is [[Santa Fe]], and its largest city is [[Albuquerque]].

Despite popular opinion, New Mexico's name originates from long before it was a territory of Mexico or the United States. New Mexico was named by Spanish explorers who mistook the advanced Pueblo natives as being related to the Mexica ([[Aztecs]]). The full name of the colony, as well as the Mexican and American territories, was Santa Fe de Nuevo México (Holy Faith of New Mexico).

The state is bordered by [[Colorado]], [[Arizona]], [[Utah]], [[Oklahoma]] and [[Texas]]. It also borders [[Mexico]].

The state Constitution of New Mexico, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We, the people of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty, in order to secure the advantages of a state government, do ordain and establish this constitution.''

==History==
===Native Americans===
The Native American groups of New Mexico are the Pueblo, and the Athabaskan groups of the Apache and Navajo. The Navajo Nation also is present in Arizona and Utah. Prior to these modern peoples, the current area of New Mexico was the home of the Mogollon, Hohokam, and the ancestors to the modern Pueblo peoples called the Ancient Pueblo, commonly known as the [[Anasazi]].
====Ancient Pueblo====
The Ancient Puebloans (commonly known by the Navajo name Anasazi), were great builders that built monolithic cities throughout the American Southwest, they were primarily centered around the current area of New Mexico. Some of the monolithic cities have stood the test of time, such as Sky City at the Acoma Pueblo and the ancient structures at Taos Pueblo; both of these Pueblos are widely believed to be longest continuously inhabited places in the United States. Some of their cities have long been abandoned, such as the ruins at Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. The government of the Pueblos was extremely similar to the Greek [[city-state]]s, and they continue to run as city-states.
===Santa Fe de Nuevo México (1598-1912)===
The Spanish colony of Santa Fe de Nuevo México was started by Juan de Oñate in 1598, who initially believed that, similar to the Aztecs, the town dwelling Pueblo natives to be rich in Gold. He attempted to make the colony into a vice-royalty, but was unable to convince the leaders back in Europe. Instead the Spanish leadership from Europe made increasingly brutal laws against the Spanish colonists and the Pueblo natives. They banned Pueblo religious practices, and punished poorer colonists and Pueblos with forced labor and taxes.
====Pueblo Revolt (1680)====
The Pueblo first attempted to request more religious liberty, as the Pueblo religion was largely peaceful in nature, but Pueblo leaders that attempted the request were publicly executed. Popé, a Pueblo man from Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo near Santa Fe, became a charismatic leader of the Pueblo groups. He lead the Pueblos in a unified revolt against the Spanish, this was the first successful revolt of Americans against oppressive European rule.<ref>[http://newmexico.heavensentgaming.com/encyclopedia/history/ New Mexico History] on the [[New Mexico Cultural Encyclopedia, Lexicon, and News]]</ref> The Pueblos allowed the Spanish colonists to flee to [[El Paso]].
====Return of the colonists (1692)====
The Pueblo continued to use and maintain the facilities in Santa Fe, the Palace of the Governors became a small place of government for the Pueblos, but since the Pueblos continued to be city-states nothing more came of it. The Pueblo also converted numerous Catholic churches into Pueblo kivas. Diego de Vargas lead the colonists back to New Mexico in 1692, in what was called the Bloodless Reconquest. The Spanish gave clemency to the Pueblos, and the Pueblo people agreed to peace under the agreement of greater representation and better religious freedoms. The Pueblo and Spanish still had several contentions, but relations between them was much better this time around, especially since forced labor and taxes were no longer enforced. They would often work together to stave off attacks from the Apache, Navajo, and Comanche. Eventually peace was also made with the Apache, Navajo, and Comanche.
====Mexican territory (1821)====
Mexico declared independence in 1821. Mexico's policies worsened relations with the Native Americans, and again caused the resurgence in raids upon Spanish and Pueblo towns. This was the beginning of the Wild West, which lasted through the Mexican and American territorial phases, New Mexico was a major part of the Wild West supplying major Western icons such as the cowboy, the Sheriff, [[Billy the Kid]], old Spanish town squares, and the settings of deserts, prairies, and mountains. Troubles from the neighbors to the east also became an issue, [[Texas]] declared its own Independence from Mexico, and attempted to annex everything east of the Rio Grande. All the while, Mexico was taking land from the original settlers of New Mexico as well as American land-grantees.
====American territory (1848)====
The Mexican–American War resulted in New Mexico becoming an American territory, mostly due to the promise of the American government again repairing relations with the Apache, Navajo, and Comanche. U.S. Presidents [[Zachary Taylor]] and [[Abraham Lincoln]] both called for the immediate statehood of New Mexico, in order to side-step the impending [[Civil War]], since New Mexico's law had already prohibited slavery since the Pueblo Revolt. Unfortunately, statehood did not come to New Mexico until 1912. The New Mexico Campaign during the Civil War was an important battlefield, the Confederacy attempted to capture Albuquerque but was only temporarily successful. This instead bolstered the American soldiers, consisting mostly of descendants of New Mexican Spanish and Pueblo, to chase the Texan Confederate soldiers to the largest Civil War battle in the American West at Glorieta Pass.
===The State of New Mexico (1912)===
New Mexico became the 47th State of the Union in 1912. The Daughters of the American Revolution pushed for a State flag in 1920, and that call was answered in 1925 by Dr. Harry P. Mera. The flag consists of the Zia Pueblo sun symbol in Spanish red on a field of Spanish yellow, this design has won the North American Vexillological Association's best flag design for U.S. states, territories, or Canadian provinces numerous times.

:I salute the flag of the state of New Mexico, the Zia symbol of perfect friendship among united cultures.
::from the New Mexico Statutes and Court Rules, Section 12-3-3, to be said after the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.

During [[World War II]], New Mexico played a pivotal role as not only the namesake of the [[New Mexico-class battleship]], but also as the birthplace of the Navajo Code Talkers who created the only uncracked code of WWII which saved countless lives in the Pacific Theatre, and more importantly as the primary place of research and technology at Los Alamos which housed some of the smartest men in the country including [[Albert Einstein]], and the White Sands Military Testing Facility for testing the Nuclear bomb.

New Mexico has continued to be at the forefront of science, including Sandia Labs and the Los Alamos Laboratories. Technology by Ed Roberts' MITS, with their Altair computer kits, attracted both [[Paul Allen]] and [[Bill Gates]] to start [[Microsoft]] in [[Albuquerque]]; [[Intel]] has continued this trend by having a fabricating facility in Rio Rancho, near Albuquerque, where they build [[Central processing unit|CPU]]s. Innovate ABQ, a free-market concept in Albuquerque, is currently under development as a "start-up for start-ups" that is set to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation, in order to continue New Mexico's scientific and technological progress.

==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Martin Heinrich]] (D)
*Sen. [[Tom Udall]] (D)
*Rep. [[Deb Haaland]] [D, NM-01]
*Rep. [[Xochitl Torres Small]] [D, NM-02]
*Rep. [[Ben Ray Luján]] [D, NM-03]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Michelle Lujan Grisham]] (D)
*Lt. Governor [[Howie Morales]] (D)
*Attorney General [[Hector Balderas]] (D)
*Secretary of State [[Maggie Toulouse Oliver]] (D)
*State Auditor [[Brian Colon]] (D)
*State Treasurer [[Tim Eichenberg]] (D)
*Land Commissioner [[Stephanie Richard]] (D)

== Population ==
The total population of 2,085,572 includes a high number of peoples of Hispanic origin and of [[Native American]] (Indian) descent.<ref>http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/35000.htm</ref> The most populous group of Hispanic origin peoples are the descendants of the original settlers, those prior to the 1848 American territorial phase, they are referred to as [[Nuevomexicano]]s or Hispanos. The largest groups of Native American descent are the [[Pueblo]], [[Navajo]], and [[Apache]].

The cities with the largest populations are:
=== Metropolitan ===
*[[Albuquerque]], 545,852 (887,077 in its metropolitan area including; [[Belen]], [[Jemez Pueblo]], [[Rio Rancho]], [[Sandia Pueblo]], [[Santa Ana Pueblo]], [[Moriarty]], and [[Zia Pueblo]])
*[[Las Cruces]], 97,618 (209,233 in its metropolitan area including; [[Hatch]], [[Mesilla]], and [[Sunland Park]])
*[[Santa Fe]], 67,947 (144,170 in its metropolitan area including; [[Edgewood]], [[Española]], [[Nambé Pueblo]], and [[San Ildefonso Pueblo]])
*[[Farmington]], 45,877 (130,004 in its metropolitan area including; [[Aztec, New Mexico|Aztec]], [[Bloomfield]], and [[Shiprock]])
*[[Clovis, New Mexico|Clovis]]-[[Portales]] Combined Statistical Area, 63,224 (including [[Cannon Air Force Base]], [[Elida]], [[Texico]], [[Grady]], and [[Melrose]])

===Micropolitan===
The top five micropolitan areas, by population, are:
*[[Gallup, New Mexico|Gallup]], 21,678 (71,492 in its micropolitan area including [[Zuni Pueblo]])
*[[Roswell]], 48,411 (65,645 in its micropolitan area including; [[Dexter, New Mexico|Dexter]], [[Hagerman]], and [[Lake Arthur]])
*[[Hobbs]], 34,122 (64,727 in its micropolitan area including; [[Eunice]], [[Jal]], and [[Lovington]])
*[[Alamogordo]], 30,403 (63,797 in its micropolitan area including; [[Cloudcroft]] and [[Tularosa]])
*[[Carlsbad]]-[[Artesia]], 45,877 (53,829 in its micropolitan area including; [[Hope, New Mexico|Hope]] and [[Loving, New Mexico|Loving]])

Other non-metropolitan population centers are; [[Silver City]], [[Las Vegas, New Mexico|Las Vegas]], [[Taos]], [[Grants, New Mexico|Grants]], [[Deming]], [[Ruidoso]], [[Los Alamos]], and [[Tucumcari]].

== Language ==
New Mexico is often falsely assumed to be a bilingual state, however, it is officially known as an English Plus state. [[American English]] is considered the de facto language, with [[New Mexican English]] being the dominant dialect. Citizens are encouraged to be multi-lingual, and/or to interact and familiarize themselves with other languages. According to the "English Plus Declaration" the reasoning was for the "economic and cultural benefit of our state and the nation." It could also be surmised that is was also for the preservation of [[New Mexican Spanish]] and the Native American languages of Jemez, Jicarilla, Keresan, Mescalero-Chiricahua, Navajo, Picuris, Southern, Tiwa, Taos, Tewa, and Zuni; as the resolution was urged by the New Mexico State Task Force on Modern and Classical Languages.

There was initially a movement to push for the state declaration of English as the official language of the state. This, instead, produced a counter-trend based on the "position of English in the United States needs no official legislation to support it." The state also recognized "the national interest since it promotes the concept that all members of our society have full access to opportunities to effectively learn English plus develop proficiency in a second or multiple languages." This decision proved beneficial to the United States during World War II, as the Navajo Code Talkers, by simply speaking Navajo, created the most effective code of the war which saved numerous allied troops.

== Culture ==
The culture of New Mexico was nearly lost to history, during the Mexican and American territorial phases, liberalism took hold throughout the major city centers within the state. Suppression and shunning of the native cultures almost left the state without an identity. Once Route 66 ran through the central cities of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, travelers began to look for authentic New Mexican culture, which was nowhere to be found within the newer "downtown" areas; Native Americans, [[Nuevomexicano]]s, descendants of the Wild West including cowboys and buffalo soldiers, and the impoverished railroad working Asian Americans had moved to poorer parts of town referred to as "old towns". Travelers and tourists began visiting these old town areas looking for authentic New Mexican cuisine and culture. Thanks to the free market, these groups became wealthy enough to reinvigorate the old town areas, and expanded into buying land in the downtown areas. The culture of New Mexico again came under fire during the [[Californication]] of the American West during the 1970s.

Much to the chagrin of those wishing to suppress the American culture of New Mexico; the New Mexican culture eventually became so pervasive within the state that the folk [[New Mexico music]] became a local popular music, and the [[New Mexican cuisine]] staple [[Chile (Capsicum)|chile pepper]] being found in everything from traditional New Mexican stews, enchiladas, and tamales to popular American foods such as french fries, hamburgers, and ranch dressing.

== Climate ==

New Mexico's weather is usually sunny and dry, with little rainfall all year. This is especially true in the south, however in the northern and central parts of the state, especially in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and along the Rio Grande, there is more moderate precipitation and usually snow during the winter.<ref>http://weather.nmsu.edu/News/climate-in-NM.htm</ref>

[[Image:nmexico.jpg|200px|right]]
== Geography ==

The land was most prominently featured in Wild West films; [[desert]]s, [[prairie]]s, [[forest]], and several [[mountain]]ous regions, being at the southernmost end of the [[Rocky Mountains]] including the [[Sangre de Cristo]] mountain range, the [[Jemez Mountains]],<ref>http://www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/jemez_mountains/</ref> and the Sandia Mountains. One of the most prominent rivers west of the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]], the [[Rio Grande]], runs through the center of the State from north to south.

The highest point in New Mexico is [[Wheeler Peak]] at 13,161 feet above sea level, and the lowest point is at [[Red Bluff Reservoir]], 2,842 feet above sea level.<ref>http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/nm_geography.htm</ref>

== Agriculture and Mining ==

Agriculture is important to New Mexico, but the lack of irrigation hinders using much of the land for farming. Much of the land is used for [[ranching|grazing]] [[livestock]], especially [[sheep]]. More than two-thirds of New Mexico's farm income comes from livestock products. Including dairy, honey, and meat; New Mexico's desert honey is offers a unique flavor profile, and in Tucumcari there is a cheese factory that specializes in New Mexican artisan cheeses.

Much of the farmed land is located around the three major rivers which flow through the state: the [[Rio Grande]], [[Pecos River]], and [[San Juan River]]. Most of the cash crops grown in New Mexico are grown in The Mesilla Valley, on the Rio Grande, around the town of [[Hatch, New Mexico|Hatch]], which is well known for its peppers, particularly the New Mexico [[Chile (Capsicum)|chile pepper]] which has numerous varieties, such as Big Jim, Joe E. Parker, and Roy Naky; other places grow their own varieties of said chile pepper such as the Albuquerque metropolitan area in Corrales down south into Isleta, and each of the Pueblos and old Spanish towns have their own varieties of the chile as well.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugoCk5fv2zg</ref> Other crops grown in the State include; beans (pinto, black, anasazi, mitla, garpanzo, fava, etc.), pecans, squash, melons, watermelons, pistachios, radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, sunflowers, peanuts, and pistachios.<ref>http://www.dreamingnewmexico.org/food/ff-crops/50-crops</ref> New Mexico has the oldest wine growing market in the country, as monks were growing wine grapes as early as the 1500s.

Another large industry in the state is mining, particularly [[copper]], [[silver]], and [[uranium]].<ref>http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108250.html</ref>

==Transportation ==

Interstate [[Highway]]s 10, 25 and 40 traverse the state. New Mexico's largest commercial airport is Albuquerque's [[Albuquerque International Sunport|International Sunport]].<ref>http://nmshtd.state.nm.us/</ref>

== Places of Interest ==
[[File:The Rio Grande River running through Albuquerque, New Mexico.jpg|thumb|The Rio Grande River running through Albuquerque.]]
*[[Carlsbad Caverns National Park]]
*Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monuments
*[[Bandelier National Monument]]
*Elephant Butte Reservoir
*Inscription Rock at [[El Morro National Monument]]
*[[White Sands National Monument]]

== Notable people associated with New Mexico ==
[[Image:O'Keefe Belladonna.jpg|frame|right|Bella Donna by [[Georgia O'Keeffe]], 1939.]]

*[[Ralph Bunche]] (Nobel Peace Prize winner)
*[[John Denver]] (singer)
*Holly Holm (UFC fighter)
*Henry McCarty ([[Billy the Kid]])
*[[Demi Moore]] (actress)
*[[Georgia O'Keeffe]] (painter)
*[[Mario J. Lucero]] and [[Isabel Ruiz Lucero]] (co-founders of [[Heaven Sent Gaming]])
*[[Susana Martinez]] (Governor)
*Juan de Oñate (founder of New Mexico)
*Porfirio Podres (folk hero San Popo)
*Popé (leader during the Pueblo Revolt)
*[[Bill Richardson]] (former Governor)
*Johnny Tapia (champion boxer)
*Albert Sanchez (musician [[Al Hurricane]])
*Al Unser and Bobby Unser (auto racers)
*Diego de Vargas (leader during the Bloodless Reconquest)

==References==
<references/>

{{USstates}}
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:New Mexico]]
[[Category:Latinos]]
[[Category:Western United States]]
[[Category:Manhattan Project]]

Kansas

2019-02-13T00:08:55Z

ESchafly:

{{USState
|name=Kansas
|flag=Kansas_State_Flag.gif
|motto="[[Ad astra per aspera]]" (To the Stars Through Difficulties)
|nick=The [[Sunflower]] State
|capital=Topeka
|language=English
|governor=Laura Kelly
|gparty=Democratic
|senator2=Jerry Moran
|s2party=Republican
|s2phone=(202) 224-6521
|s2email=http://moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=e-mail-jerry Contact
|senator1=Pat Roberts
|s1party=Republican
|s1phone=(202) 224-4774
|s1email=http://roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.EmailPat Contact
|population=
|date=January 29, 1861
}}
'''Kansas''' is a Midwestern state which became the 34th state admitted to the Union on January 29, 1861. Its capital is [[Topeka]], and its largest cities are, in order, [[Wichita]], Overland Park, and Kansas City. The name ''Kansas'' comes from a Sioux word meaning "people of the south wind." Its most prominent state college is the [[University of Kansas]], long a basketball powerhouse.

The state Constitution of Kansas, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges, in order to insure the full enjoyment of our rights as American citizens, do ordain and establish this constitution of the state of Kansas, with the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at a point on the western boundary of the state of Missouri, where the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude crosses the same; thence running west on said parallel to the twenty-fifth meridian of longitude west from Washington; thence north on said meridian to the fortieth parallel of north latitude; thence east on said parallel to the western boundary of the state of Missouri; thence south with the western boundary of said state to the place of beginning.''

==History==
Kansas was admitted as a [[free state]] in the midst of [[Bleeding Kansas|guerilla warfare]] between pro-slavery and abolitionist forces that erupted in the wake of the passage of the [[Kansas-Nebraska Act]] of 1854.<ref>http://www.legendsofamerica.com/OZ-BleedingKansas.html</ref> This act had provided for an election to determine whether Kansas would be a free state or a slave state, and many people flooded into the state to vote. The vote process was not easy, and was rife with accusations of voter fraud.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/lincoln/kansas.htm</ref> Noted abolitionist [[John Brown]] led anti-slavery forces during some of this time period. This violence continued after Kansas was admitted to the union on January 29, 1861, and the worst example was the virtual destruction of the city of [[Lawrence]] by pro-slavery guerilla [[William Quantrill]] on August 21, 1863, which killed most of the male population of the town.<ref>http://www.legendsofamerica.com/OZ-Lawrence2.html</ref>

==Politics==
Kansas is a reliable example of a conservative state, having voted for the [[Republican]] candidate in every Presidential election since 1968. Their federal delegation is mostly Republican, [[Pat Roberts]] and [[Sam Brownback]], are Republicans. Pat Roberts' current term of office is up in 2008. However, the state had a Democratic governor, Kathleen Sebelius, from 2003 until 2009, and elected a new Democratic governor in 2018. The past ten Governors have alternated between Republican and Democrats, which shows the independent nature of Kansans in politics going back to pre-statehood. Kansas has a rich history of influence on the Republican party going back to [[William Allen White]] to [[Bob Dole]].

==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Pat Roberts]] (R)
*Sen. [[Jerry Moran]] (R)
*Rep. [[Roger Marshall]] [R, KS-01]
*Rep. [[Steve Watkins]] [R, KS-02]
*Rep. [[Sharice Davids]] [D, KS-03]
*Rep. [[Ron Estes]] [R, KS-04]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Laura Kelly]] (D)
*Lt. Governor [[Lynn Rogers]] (D)
*Secretary of State [[Scott Schwab]] (D)
*Attorney General [[Derek Schmidt]] (R)
*State Treasurer [[Jacob LaTurner]] (R)
*Insurance Commissioner [[Vicki Schmidt]] (R)

==Miscellaneous==
Kansas exports more wheat than any other state. Kansas's economy is heavily dependent upon agriculture.<ref>http://www.fas.usda.gov/info/factsheets/CAFTA/ks.html</ref>

Kansas's motto is ''ad astra per aspera'', which is Latin for "to the stars through difficulties." Its state flower is the sunflower, its state tree is the cottonwood, and its state bird is the Western meadowlark.

[[Helium]] was first found in natural gas at the University of Kansas in Lawrence in 1905.<ref>http://www.news.ku.edu/2000/00N/AprNews/Apr7/bailey.html</ref>

The term "What would Jesus do?" was first used by Charles Sheldon, a Topeka minister, in 1896.<ref>http://www.mastersimage.com/articles/ihs.htm</ref>

Cawker City is home to the world's largest ball of twine, which has a 40-foot circumference,<ref>http://skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/Cawker/twine.html</ref> and Greensburg is home to the world's deepest hand dug well, which is 109 feet deep.<ref>http://www.bigwell.org/bigwell.html</ref> This well survived a large [[tornado]] that destroyed most of the town on May 4, 2007.<ref>http://www.kansas.com/233/story/65407.html</ref>

Although Dorothy Gale, in the 1900 book and 1939 film ''The Wizard of Oz'', is from Kansas, L. Frank Baum, the author of the Oz books, had never been to Kansas, and based his description of a state where 'everything was grey' on his experiences as a newspaper man in [[North Dakota]].

The operational headquarters of telecommunications giant Sprint Nextel is located in Overland Park.

The default position for the mapping program [[Google Earth]] is Lawrence.<ref>http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/dec/21/lawrence_pinpointed_center_google_earth/</ref>

The largest tallgrass prairie reserve remaining in the [[United States]] is the [[Flint Hills]] in eastern Kansas.

The state flower of Kansas is the [[Sunflower]].

==Notable Kansans==

[[Sam Brownback]], current US Senator and former 2008 Presidential candidate, was born in Parker, attended Kansas State University, and currently represents Kansas in the Senate.

[[Bob Dole]], former US Senator and the 1996 Republican nominee for President, grew up in Russell.

[[Amelia Earhart]], the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, was from Abilene.

[[Dwight Eisenhower]], president of the United States from 1952 to 1960, grew up in Abilene.

[[Thomas Frank]], an author who is most well known for his book ''What's the Matter with Kansas?'', a look at the political history of Kansas written from a liberal perspective.

[[Dwight Frye]], actor, best known for playing as Renfield in Dracula and Igor in Frankenstein (both in 1931), was from Salina

[[Dennis Hopper]], actor, was from Dodge City

[[James Naismith]], inventor of the game of basketball, was a professor and coach at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

[[Gordon Parks]], an award-winning African-American photographer and writer, was from Fort Scott.

[[Fred Phelps]], founder of the [[Westboro Baptist Church]]

[[Jim Ryun]], a three time Olympic gold medalist who held the world record in the mile run and served several terms in the House of Representatives, is originally from Wichita but now lives in Lawrence.

[[William Allen White]], a journalist who is most well known for his bitter piece of conservative satire, ''What's the Matter With Kansas?'', lived in Emporia. (Note: The title of the aforementioned Frank book is a reference to the article by White, which precedes Frank's book by over 100 years.)

The 1970s progressive rock band [[Kansas (band)|Kansas]], known for the songs [[Carry On My Wayward Son]] and [[Dust in the Wind]] takes its name from the state.

==Sports==

The [[University of Kansas]]'s men's basketball team is a traditional powerhouse, having produced such NBA greats as Wilt Chamberlain and Danny Manning, and having won the 1988 national championship. The [[Kansas State University]] football team has also been relatively successful as of late. The Wildcats have advanced to the Big XII Championship game twice.

[[Wichita]] has been home to many minor level sports including the Wichita Wings(indoor soccer), Wichita Wind (hockey), Wichita Aeros,(Baseball), Wichita Wranglers, (baseball), Wichita Stealth,(football), Wichita Aviators (football), Wichita Wild (football). Wichita is also the annual home to the [http://www.nbcbaseball.com/index.cfm?NavID=1&SubNavID=0 National Baseball Congress] tournament. The NBC hosts teams from though out the country in a two-week 24 hour a day tournament.

==Education==

The Kansas Board of Regents supervises six public universities in Kansas: The University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, and Pittsburg State University. There are also several private universities in Kansas, including Washburn University in [[Topeka]], which is known for its law school. Just a few of the others include MidAmerica Nazarene University in [[Olathe]], Friends University in [[Wichita]], and Baker University in Baldwin City.

==See also==
*[[Pullman Co. v. Kansas]]

==References==
<references/>

{{USstates}}

[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Kansas]]
[[Category:Great Plains]]
[[Category:Plains of the United States]]
[[Category:Wild West]]
[[Category:Red States]]

Jared Polis

2019-02-13T00:07:38Z

ESchafly:

'''Jared Polis''' is the [[liberal]] [[Jewish]] [[American]] [[homosexual]] governor of [[Colorado]]. A member of the [[Democratic Party]], he was first elected to the House in 2008.

Polis is one of the richest members of Congress,<ref>[http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/ss/Wealthiest-Members-of-Congress_7.htm The 10 Wealthiest Members of Congress]</ref> Polis is "the first openly gay man elected to the House as a nonincumbent,"<ref name="stifle">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/22/anti-lgbt-discrimination-stifle-free-speech-critics-say/ Gay Discrimination Bill Will Stifle Free Speech, Advance 'Homosexual Agenda,' Critics Say]</ref> and a [[activism|radical activist]]. He is the sponsor of the [[Homosexual Classrooms Act]].

Polis used the slogan "Hatred has no place in the classroom" to promote the bill, probably making a reference to [[hate speech]] rules. But critics, such as Neal McCluskey, associate director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the [[Cato Institute]], have charged that [[hate crimes]] laws do less to stop "hate speech" against individuals than to censor '''any criticism''' of protected groups or their activities. A minister preaching against [[homosexuality]] from the pulpit can be arrested, on the grounds that his blanket criticism of sin is "hurtful" to those who choose to engage in the sin preached against.<ref name="stifle"/> A [[Militant atheism|militant atheist]], in June 2013, he introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would have created "[[Atheism|atheist chaplains]]" in the U.S. military.<ref>http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2013/06/14/dem-rep-wants-atheist-chaplains-for-u-s-military/</ref>

==Business==
Polis founded and ran several high-tech start-ups including Bluemountain.com, American Information Systems, Inc., Proflowers.com and Dan’s Chocolates.<ref>http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/index.php?s=about&id=23</ref>

While still attending [[Princeton University]], Polis co-founded his first company, American Information Systems, a success he followed with the launching of bluemountain.com and proflowers.com. He has been named an “[[Entrepreneur]] of the Year” by Ernst and Young.<ref name="polis.house.gov">[http://polis.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Jared_Polis_Biography_7_20_11.pdf, congressional bio, accessed Aug. 1, 2011]</ref>

==Congress==
First elected to represent Colorado’s Second Congressional District in 2008, Polis serves on the powerful Committee on Rules. He also serves on the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, as a Democratic Caucus Regional Whip, co-chairman of the New Democrat Coalition Education Task Force, chair of the Immigration Task Force of the [[Congressional Progressive Caucus]], and co-chairman of the LGBT Equality Caucus. Additionally, he co-chairs the U.S.-[[Mexico]] Congressional Caucus and the Congressional Caucus on [[Nepal]], and is a member of the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors.<ref name="polis.house.gov"/>

==Congressional Progressive Caucus==
As of February 20, 2009 Jared Polis was listed as a member of the [[Congressional Progressive Caucus]].<ref>[http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?ContentID=166&ParentID=0&SectionID=4&SectionTree=4&lnk=b&ItemID=164 Congressional Progressive Caucus website: Caucus Member List]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Homosexual agenda]]
* [[Atheism and public schools]]
* [[Homeschooling]]
* [[Politically correct]] [[Indoctrination]] by [[Public schools in the United States]] and [[Common Core]] [[Public school values]], [[Professor values]], [[Liberal values]], [[Hollywood values]], [[Fashion industry values]], [[San Francisco values]], and [[Gun control]] [[Propaganda]]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Polis, Jared}}

[[Category:United States Representatives]]
[[Category:111th United States Congress]]
[[Category:112th United States Congress]]
[[Category:113th United States Congress]]
[[Category:114th United States Congress]]
[[Category:Homosexuals]]
[[Category:Homosexual Agenda]]
[[Category:Atheists]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:American Jews]]
[[Category:Colorado]]
[[Category:Anti Second Amendment]]

Colorado

2019-02-13T00:06:46Z

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{{USState
|name=Colorado
|flag=Colorado_State_Flag.gif
|motto="Nil Sine Numine" (Nothing Without the Deity)
|nick=The Centennial State
|capital=Denver
|language=English
|governor=Jared Polis
|gparty=Democrat
|senator1=Cory Gardner
|s1party=Republican
|s1phone=(202) 224-5941
|s1email=www.gardner.senate.gov/contact-cory/email-cory Contact
|senator2=Michael Bennet
|s2party=Democrat
|s2phone=(202) 224-5852
|s2email=mailto:senator_bennet@bennet.senate.gov Contact
|population=
|date=August 1, 1876 (38th)
}}
[[Image:colorado.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Colorado]]
'''Colorado''' became the 38th state of the [[United States]] with its admission to Statehood on August 1, 1876. It is known for its [[skiing]] and snowboarding resorts, such as Vail and Aspen in the [[Rocky Mountains]], which run north-south through the state. In the mountains and plains the winters are usually very cold and produce many snowstorms. However, along the front range (where Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Greeley and most large cities are located), the weather is more mild and is very sunny.

The [[United States Air Force Academy]] and [[North American Aerospace Defense Command]] are located in [[Colorado Springs]], Colorado.

The state Constitution of Colorado, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, in order to form a more independent and perfect government; establish justice; insure tranquility; provide for the common defense; promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the "State of Colorado."''

==Elevation==

A number of Colorado cities are located near the Front Range of the Rockies, at elevations of around 5,000 feet. [[Denver]], its capital and largest city, is sometimes called "The Mile-High City", because the official elevation of Denver City Hall is exactly 5,280 feet.

[[Mount Elbert]] is the highest point in Colorado, at an elevation of 14,440 feet. It is one of over 500 mountains in the state that exceed 13,000 feet. The entire state lies at an elevation over 3,000 feet.

At elevations of 5,000 feet, the air is thinner and air pressure is lower than at sea level. It is not unusual for visitors to feel lightheaded for a day or two until they adjust (but actual altitude sickness is very rare). At this altitude, skies are a clearer, brighter blue than at sea level. At that elevation, water boils at only 203 degrees F, compared to 212 degrees at sea level, so cooking recipes have to be modified.

== History ==

The [[Native American]] (Indian) groups indigenous to Colorado were the [[Anasazi]] and Utes who lived in the mountainous regions, and several tribes who lived in the flatlands and near the rivers at various times including the [[Cheyenne]], Arapaho, Kiowa, Comanche, Pawnee and [[Sioux]].<ref>http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/history/histfaqs.htm</ref>

It is believed that in 1541 the Spanish explorer [[Francisco Vázquez de Coronado]] was the first European on record to have entered the land that is now Colorado.<ref>http://www.colorado.gov/</ref> The Spanish called the area Colorado because of its red colored earth.<ref>The name is also sometimes credited to a [[Jesuit]], Francisco Garcia, who in 1776 named the land after the [[Colorado River]]. ''Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names'' (Oxford 2005) p 116</ref>

The United States acquired part of what is now Colorado in 1803 through the [[Louisiana Purchase]]. In 1848 [[Mexico]] ceded claims to the rest of it. There were no European settlers or forts. Before gaining statehood, Colorado was part of the [[Nebraska]], [[Utah]], [[Kansas]], and [[New Mexico]] Territories, and in 1861 Congress created the Territory of Colorado. The state now encompasses 104,247 square miles.

The state is bordered by [[Wyoming]], [[Nebraska]], [[Kansas]], [[Oklahoma]], [[New Mexico]], and [[Utah]]. The population of Colorado is approximately 4,750,000.

==Official Symbols==

Colorado has many official state symbols including:<ref>[http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/history/symbemb.htm Colorado Department of Personnel and Adminstration Website]</ref>
*State Bird: Lark Bunting
*[[State flower|State Flower]]: [[Rocky Mountain Columbine]]
*State Animal: Big Horn Sheep
*State Fish: Greenback Cutthroat Trout
*State Tree: Colorado Blue Spruce
*State Folk Dance: Square Dance
*State Fossil: Stegosaurus
*State [[Gemstone]]: [[Aquamarine]]
*State Insect: Colorado Hairstreak Butterfly
*State Song: "Where the Columbines Grow" and "Rocky Mountain High"

==Notable Coloradoans==
*[[James Dobson]], Christian psychologist and writer. Former head of the group [[Focus on the Family]].
*[[John Elway]], former quarterback for the [[Denver Broncos]].
*[[Greg Ryder]], County, Western, Western swing, ballad, folk, and popular singer and guitarist based in Durango
*[[Tom Tancredo]], former US Representative.

==Elected officials==
===Federal===
*Sen. [[Cory Gardner]] (R)
*Sen. [[Michael Bennet]] (D)
*Rep. [[Diana DeGette]] [D, CO-1]
*Rep. [[Joe Neguse]] [D, CO-2]
*Rep. [[Scott Tipton]] [R, CO-3]
*Rep. [[Ken Buck]] [R, CO-4]
*Rep. [[Doug Lamborn]] [R, CO-5]
*Rep. [[Jason Crow]] [D, CO-6]
*Rep. [[Ed Perlmutter]] [D, CO-7]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Jared Polis]] (D)
*Lt. Governor [[Dianne Primavera]] (D)
*Secretary of State [[Jena Griswold]] (D)
*Attorney General [[Phil Weiser]] (D)
*State Treasurer [[Dave Young]] (D)

==See also==
* [[Rocky Mountains]]
* [[Denver]]
* [[:Category:Colorado Universities|Colorado Universities]]
* [[Purple state]]s - swing states that can vote either [[Republican]] or [[Democratic]]
* [[Blue state]]s or [[Democratic]]
* [[Red state]]s - [[Republican]]

==Bibliography==
* Abbott, Carl, Stephen J. Leonard, and David McComb. ''Colorado: A History of the Centennial State.'' 2nd ed 1982.
* Athearn, Robert G. ''The Coloradans.'' 1976. popular history
* Athearn, Robert G. ''Rebel of the Rockies: A History of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad.'' 1962.
* Baker, James H., and Leroy R. Hafen, eds. ''History of Colorado.'' 5 vol State Historical Society of Colorado, 1927, with many short biographical sketches
* Bancroft, Hubert Howe, ''History of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, 1540-1888'' (1890) 828 pages; famous classic; [https://books.google.com/books?id=oOgNAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA1&dq=intitle:colorado&num=30&as_brr=1 online edition]
* Eugene H. Berwanger. ''The Rise of the Centennial State: Colorado Territory, 1861-76,'' (2007) 208 pages
* Cassels, E. Steve. ''The Archeology of Colorado.'' Boulder: Johnson Books, 1983
* Cronin, Thomas E. and Robert D. Loevy. ''Colorado Politics & Government: Governing the Centennial State,'' (1993) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=99501359 online edition]
* Ellis, Elmer. ''Henry Moore Teller: Defender of the West.'' 1941.
* Ellis, Richard N., and Duane A. Smith. ''Colorado: A History in Photographs.'' 1991.
* Gulliford, Andrew. ''Boomtown Blues: Colorado Oil Shale, 1885-1985.'' 1989.
* Hafen, Le Roy R. ''Colorado: The Story of a Western Commonwealth.'' 1933.
* Hogan, Richard. ''Class and Community in Frontier Colorado.'' 1990.
* Lamm, Richard D., and Duane A. Smith. ''Pioneers and Politicians: 10 Colorado Governors in Profile.'' 1981. popular
* Lorch, Robert S. ''Colorado's Government.'' 5th ed. 1991. textbook
* Ormes, Robert M. ''Guide to the Colorado Mountains.'' 7th ed. 1979.
* Parsons, Eugene. ''The Making of Colorado: A Historical Sketch'' (1908) 324 pages [https://books.google.com/books?id=zxpTFuvCjkwC&pg=PA13&dq=intitle:colorado&num=30&as_brr=1 online edition]
* Rohrbough, Malcolm J. ''Aspen: The History of a Silver Mining Town, 1879-1893.'' 1986. scholarly study
* Scamehorn, Lee. ''High Altitude Energy: A History of Fossil Fuels in Colorado'' (2002) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=109824963 online edition]
* Scamehorn, Lee. ''Mill & Mine: The Cf&I in the Twentieth Century'' (1992) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=94821694 online edition]
* Schulte, Steven C. ''Wayne Aspinall and the Shaping of the American West'' (2002) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=110174827 online edition]
* Smith, Duane A. ''Henry M. Teller: Colorado's Grand Old Man,'' 2002 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=110175465 online edition]
* Sprague, Marshall. ''Money Mountain: The Story of Cripple Creek Gold'' (1979) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=99375096 online edition]
* Ubbelohde, Carl, Maxine Benson, and Duane Smith. ''A Colorado History.'' 6th ed. 1988. textbook
* Wright, James Edward. ''The Politics of Populism: Dissent in Colorado.'' 1974. on 1890s

===Primary sources===
* Ubbelohde, Carl, ed. ''A Colorado Reader'' (2nd ed 1964)
* Fossett, Frank. ''Colorado: A Historical, Descriptive and Statistical Work on the Rocky Mountain Gold and Silver Mining Region'' (1878) 470 pages [https://books.google.com/books?id=iscJAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA5&dq=intitle:colorado&num=30&as_brr=1 online edition]
* Fossett, Frank. ''Colorado, Its Gold and Silver Mines: Farms and Stock Ranges, and Health and Pleasure Resorts'' (1880), 1184 pages [https://books.google.com/books?id=tbWNs55lt3kC&pg=PA1&dq=intitle:colorado&num=30&as_brr=1 online edition]
* Parsons, Eugene. ''A Guidebook to Colorado'' (1911) 390 pages [https://books.google.com/books?id=AgAlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1&dq=intitle:colorado&num=30&as_brr=1 online edition]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{USstates}}

[[Category:Colorado]]
[[Category:Western United States]]
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Purple States]]
[[Category:Blue States]]
[[Category:Intermountain States]]
[[Category:Mountain States]]
[[Category:Great Plains]]
[[Category:Plains of the United States]]
[[Category:United States of America]]
[[Category:Great Plains]]
[[Category:Plains of the United States]]
[[Category:Wild West]]
[[Category:Intermountain West]]
[[Category:Mountain States]]

Arizona

2019-02-13T00:05:02Z

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[[File:Arizona State Seal.jpg|right|150px]]
{{USState
|name=Arizona
|flag=Arizona_State_Flag.gif
|motto="Ditat Deus"(God Enriches)
|nick=The Grand Canyon State
|capital=Phoenix
|language=English
|governor=Doug Ducey
|gparty=Republican
|senator1=Kyrsten Sinema
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-2235
|s1email=
|senator2=Martha McSally
|s2party=Republican
|s2phone=(202) 224-4521
|s2email=http://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-jeff
|population=
|date=February 14, 1912
}}
'''Arizona''' on February 14, 1912 became the forty-eighth state to enter the union, and the last of the "lower 48" (contiguous) states to enter. It is known as the [[Grand Canyon]] State. Its capital and largest city is [[Phoenix (city)|Phoenix]].<ref>http://az.gov/</ref>

Arizona has always been politically conservative, but until 1952 the conservative Democrats were in control. Thanks to [[Barry Goldwater]], Republicans built a strong base and controlled the electoral vote. In recent years, the state has gained population rapidly and the two parties are evenly matched.

The growth engine of large scale immigration from California and Mexico, and housing construction collapsed with the [[Recession of 2008]], and the economy is struggling.

The state Constitution of Arizona, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution.''

== Geography & Population ==

*The state is bordered by the following states: [[California]], [[Nevada]], [[Utah]], [[Colorado]], and [[New Mexico]] (the latter three meet at a single point known as the "Four Corners", the only place where four states meet; the site is a popular tourist attraction which allows people to photograph themselves physically in four states), as well as Mexico.
[[File:Tucson1.jpg|thumb|120px]]
*Total Land Area: 113,635 square miles

*Highest Elevation: 12,633 ft (Humphreys Peak)

*Population (in 2005): 5,939,292

*Most populated cities in Arizona:

:[[Phoenix (city)|Phoenix]], Population: 1,321,045
:[[Tucson]], Population: 486,699
:Mesa, Population: 396,375
:Glendale, Population: 218,812
:Scottsdale, Population: 202,705 <ref>http://www.theus50.com/arizona/cities.php</ref>

Arizona has a large population of people of [[Native American]] descent. The Indian tribes who inhabited the land that is now Arizona include the [[Apache]], [[Navajo]], [[Mojave]] and [[Yavapai]].<ref>http://www.theus50.com/arizona/history.shtml</ref>

==Political culture==
In more recent years, the [[Republican Party]] has generally dominated Arizona politics and the [[Arizona legislature|state legislature]]. In 2004, President [[George W. Bush]] won the state's ten electoral votes by a margin of 10 percentage points with 55% of the vote, and in 2008 [[John McCain]] won the state with 54% of the vote. Republicans control both chambers of the state legislature. Their two [[United States Senator]]s are Republican and no Democrat holds statewide office. This was until 2018 when the voters elected Democrat Kyrsten Sinema over Martha McSally. However, Arizona became the first U.S. state to vote against an anti-gay marriage amendment in the 2006 midterm elections. Although [[gay marriage]] is still illegal in Arizona, this amendment would have abolished civil unions and domestic partnerships for [[homosexual]] couples. Arizona has consistently been a [[red state]] in presidential elections since 1952, except in 1996 when [[Bill Clinton]] won the state. Excepting Clinton, the last [[Democrat]] to win Arizona in a presidential election was [[Harry Truman]] in 1948.

== Notable Arizonans ==

*[[Barry Goldwater]] (Conservative leader), GOP presidential nominee in 1964
* [[John McCain]] (Republican leader), GOP presidential nominee in 2008
*[[Frank Lloyd Wright]] (Architect)
*[[Stewart Udall]] (former Congressman and Secretary of the Interior)
*[[Erma Bombeck]] (Writer)
*[[William Rehnquist]] (Supreme Court chief justice)
*[[Sandra Day O'Connor]] (Supreme Court justice)
*[[James Rhodes]] (Republican leader in Congress)

==Elected Officials==
===Federal===
*Senator [[Kyrsten Sinema]] (D)
*Senator [[Martha McSally]] (R)
*Rep. [[Tom O'Halleran]] [D, AZ-1]
*Rep. [[Ann Kirpatrick]] [D, AZ-2]
*Rep. [[Raul Grijalva]] [D, AZ-3]
*Rep. [[Paul Gosar]] [R, AZ-4]
*Rep. [[Andy Biggs]] [R, AZ-5]
*Rep. [[David Schweikert]] [R, AZ-6]
*Rep. [[Ruben Gallego]] [D, AZ-7]
*Rep. [[Debbie Lesko]] [R, AZ-8]
*Rep. [[Greg Stanton]] [D, AZ-9]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Doug Ducey]] (R)
*Attorney General [[Mark Brnovich]] (R)
*Secretary of State [[Katie Hobbs]] (D)
*State Treasurer [[Kimberly Yee]] (R)
{{clear}}

==See also==
* [[Senator from Arizona]]
* [[Survivalism]] and [[Survivalist retreat]]s

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{USstates}}

[[Category:Arizona]]
[[Category:Red States]]
[[Category:Mountain States]]
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Western United States]]
[[Category:Regions of the Western United States]]
[[Category:Regions of the United States]]
[[Category:United States Geography]]
[[Category:United States of America]]
[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Survivalism]]
[[Category:Free States]]
[[Category:Constitutional Carry]]

Nevada

2019-02-13T00:04:23Z

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{{USState
|name=Nevada
|flag=Nevada_State_Flag.gif
|motto="All for Our Country"
|nick=The Silver State
|capital=Carson City
|language=None
|governor=Steve Sisolak
|gparty=Democratic
|senator2=Jacky Rosen
|s2party=Democratic
|s2phone=(202) 224-6244
|s2email=https://www.rosen.senate.gov/contact_jacky Contact
|senator1=Catherine Cortez Masto
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-3542
|s1email=http://www.cortezmasto.senate.gov/content/contact-senator Contact
|population=
|date=October 31, 1864 (36th)
}}
'''Nevada''' is the 7th largest state geographically and the 35th largest state by population in the [[United States]]. Although it is known for legalized [[gambling]] and semi-legalized [[prostitution]],<ref>Prostitution is prohibited by state law in Clark County (Las Vegas) and by local law in Lincoln County (north of Las Vegas) and in Washoe County (Reno), the independent city of Carson City (the state capital), and Douglas County (south of Carson City; the latter three areas listed effectively make it illegal in the area surrounding [[Lake Tahoe]]).</ref><ref>http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost/community/archives/com.gormley.prostitute.html</ref> its voters are generally [[conservative]] and voted for [[George W. Bush]] twice; however, influx of liberals escaping their self-created problems in California have turned Nevada into a [[blue state]] or at least placed it into the competitive category. Its senators include Democrats [[Catherine Cortez Masto]] and [[Jacky Rosen]].

Nevada was admitted to the Union on October 31, 1864 by [[Abraham Lincoln]] during the [[Civil War]]; as a result, one of the State's mottos is "Battle Born."<ref>http://www.leg.state.nv.us/general/FACTS.cfm</ref>

The state Constitution of Nevada, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We the people of the State of Nevada Grateful to Almighty God for our freedom in order to secure its blessings, insure domestic tranquility, and form a more perfect Government, do establish this Constitution.''

==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[Catherine Cortez Masto]] (D)
*Sen. [[Jackie Rosen]] (D)
*Rep. [[Dina Titus]] [D, NV-01]
*Rep. [[Mark Amodel]] [R, NV-02]
*Rep. [[Susie Lee]] [D, NV-03]
*Rep. [[Steven Horsford]] [D, NV-04]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Steve Sisolak]] (D)
*Lt. Governor [[Kate Marshall]] (D)
*Secretary of State [[Barbara Cegavske]] (R)
*Attorney General [[Aaron Ford]] (D)
*State Controller [[Catherine Bryne]] (D)
*State Treasurer [[Zach Conine]] (D)
[[Image:Nevada test site.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The first tests of nuclear weapons were conducted in Nevada]]

==Notable people from Nevada==
*Andre Agassi, one of the most successful tennis players of all time, was born in Las Vegas.
*Gee Jon, the first person to be executed in a gas chamber, was executed at Nevada State Prison.
*Pat Nixon, former First Lady, was born in Ely.
*[[Harry Reid]], the former Senate Majority Leader and the first Mormon to attain this position, was born in Searchlight.
*[[Karl Rove]], President George W. Bush's Chief of Staff, grew up in Sparks.

== References ==
<references/>

{{USstates}}
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Western United States]]

California

2019-02-13T00:01:23Z

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{{USState
|name=California
|flag=California_State_Flag.gif
|motto=Eureka (I have found it)
|nick=The Golden State
|capital=Sacramento
|language=English
|governor=Gavin Newsom
|gparty=Democrat
|senator1=Dianne Feinstein
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-3841
|s1email=http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.EmailMe Contact
|senator2=Kamala Harris
|s2party=Democrat
|s2phone=(202) 224-3553
|s2email=http://www.harris.senate.gov/content/contact-senator Contact
|population=35 million
|date=September 9, 1850 (31st)
}}
'''California''' is an illustration of the failure of [[liberal]] policies, as the State is virtually insolvent, has one of the worst educational systems in the world, and has lost many high-achievers to other states. Known as the Golden State, it became the 31st state on September 9, 1850. It is located on the west coast of the [[United States]], by the [[Pacific Ocean]] and bordered by [[Oregon]], [[Nevada]] and [[Arizona]]. It is the largest state in population but will be surpassed by the more [[conservative]] [[Texas]] by 2050. Its governor is [[Gavin Newsom]]. It has served as a poster child for [[liberalism]] since the 1960s, as in [[Hollywood values]] and [[San Francisco values]], especially [[Los Angeles]] and [[San Francisco]].

However, the California economy has surpassed the [[atheist]]ic [[United Kingdom]], which illustrates that an atheistic ideology (which prevails in the UK) is even less productive than a [[liberal]] one. Still, liberals ran California into the economic ground. In 2012, its [[leftist]] politicians proposed making its citizens pay an extra $9-billion in new taxes, with half of that going into [[government]] pensions.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/05/15/how-california-budget-blunders-led-to-my-divorce-from-golden-state/</ref> In 2015, California faces a worsening water shortage after years of failed liberal policies toward the problem. Attempts at voluntary self-restraint in the use of water have been unsuccessful in its [[Leftist]] culture.

The state Constitution of California, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says:
:''We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure and perpetuate its blessings, do establish this Constitution.''

==Economy==
The economy has been badly battered by the [[Recession of 2008]], especially by the collapse of the state's [[housing bubble]]. Unemployment in August 2009 reached 12.2%, the highest since 1940. Home building this year is less than a quarter of what it was in 2005, and 500,000 of the state's job losses have been in construction, finance, real estate and industries related to construction. The state budget is in crisis, because it relied heavily on personal income taxes. The financial collapse greatly reduced personal wealth of rich Californians, and job losses related to the housing bust combined to sharply reduce that source of revenue. After bitter debate in the legislature a budget was passed in July 2009. It closed a roughly $24 billion two-year gap with extensive cuts to social services, parks and education, which in turn reduced consumer spending among laid off and furloughed government workers.Also greatly damaging the economy is their very [[socialist]] nature, being a state in which welfare is easy to come by increasing mass numbers of homeless how live to drink and get high

==Another budget crisis==
An ugly budget crisis in 2009 was resolved after months of squabbling, with budget cuts, accounting gimmicks, and new taxes. The legislature in 2009 cut billions from education, healthcare and social services while temporarily hiking income, sales and vehicle taxes. The 2010 budget deficit is projected at $21 billion which must be closed somehow.

Suggested solutions include raising tobacco taxes; cutting pensions for retired public workers; repealing corporate tax breaks passed in 2008 and 2009; revising the tax rules for commercial and residential property; reducing the 2/3 legislative vote needed to pass a budget; and strengthening the firewall that protects local government and transportation money from being raided by the state. "There's a lot of people putting chess pieces on the board right now," said Jon Coupal, president of the anti-tax Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. "The question is which of those chess pieces will be moving."<ref>Shane Goldmacher, "California faces a projected deficit of $21 billion," [http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget-deficit18-2009nov18,0,7647152.story ''LosAngeles Times'' Nov. 18, 2009]</ref>

==History==
see [[History of California]]

==Miscellaneous facts==
*California was the first state to remove [[school prayer]] from its [[public school]]s, legalize [[abortion]] in the later [[1960s]] (1967 for "therapeutic" reasons, "on-demand" in 1969) before the U.S. Supreme Court's ''[[Roe v. Wade]]'' in 1973 and passed the U.S.' first [[no-fault]] [[divorce]] laws, signed by Governor [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1969.
*California surpassed France in 2000 to become the fifth largest economy in the world
*Los Angeles hosted the Summer [[Olympics]] in [[Olympics#1932 Los Angeles|1932]] and [[Olympics#1984 Los Angeles|1984]].
*The California [[Redwood]] was named the official state tree in 1937.<ref>http://www.learncalifornia.org/doc.asp?id=678</ref>
*The [[state flower]] is the [[Golden poppy]]
*San Bernardino County is the largest county in the United States; [[Los Angeles]] is the largest by population.<ref>http://www.50states.com/facts/calif.htm</ref>
*Since 2000, California has offered [[domestic partnership]]s, which are similar to [[same sex marriage]].<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/domestic-partnership-in-the-united-states Answers.com]</ref> Same-sex marriage was briefly legal in 2008, but this ended when Proposition 8, a voter referendum to define marriage as only being between a man and woman, passed.

==Politics==

From 2003-2011 California's governor was liberal Republican [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]]. This is the same position that was once held by conservative icon [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1966-74. California is considered to be one of the [[blue state|"blue-est" states]], consistently voting for Democratic legislative and Presidential candidates since 1992, mixed in with numerous Republican governors. Los Angeles and San Francisco are the centers of liberalism, while San Diego and other cities outside these localities are much more conservative. Prior to 1992, California was consistently a [[red state]].

[[Richard Nixon]] is the only President to have been born in California, but he lived in New York when elected in 1968. [[Ronald Reagan]] was a resident when elected in 1980.

In the past, conservative areas of California included Orange and Ventura Counties, but Ventura County (Simi Valley) is heavily [[Democrat]] now like most of California. The [[Ronald Reagan]] Presidential Library is located in Ventura County. [[Orange County, California|Orange County]] has also become significantly more left-wing because of immigration. The California GOP has become significantly weaker since the 1980s mainly because weak, liberal leadership that ostracized conservatives and tried to turn the party into a "Democrat-lite" party.<ref>Donnelly, Tim (November 20, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/midterm-election/2018/11/20/donnelly-california-republican-party/ Donnelly: The California Republican Party Was Destroyed by Its Moderate Leaders and Donors]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 20, 2018.</ref>

==Business climate==
California scores poorly in state ratings of business climate. In a CNBC survey, it ranked 32nd overall but last in "cost of business" and 49th in "business friendliness." IT (Intel, Google, Hewlett Packard, Cisco, Apple, Yahoo!) and biotechnology remain strengths, but some traditional industries are struggling. High costs, as well as tax breaks from other states, have caused movie studios to shift production from California. In 1996, feature films involved 14,500 production days in Los Angeles County; in 2008, the total had fallen in half. Businessmen both in California and those who have moved out of the state have said that California has declared war on its own economy, with Los Angeles and San Francisco taking particular delight in job-killing legislation.

==Budget Crises==
The state has had two severe budget crises in 2009, caused by high spending, a plunge in tax revenue (caused by the decline in income of the wealthy who pay most of the taxes), and a refusal of enough Republicans to provide the two-thirds majority in the legislature needed to raise taxes. Long term borrowing is not allowed—the state has to balance its budget annually, but many gimmicks are used.

With a $26 billion deficit in its $92 billion budget, the state ran out of money and issued IOU's (warrants) before the solution was reached: massive spending cuts. In February 2009, the Legislature raised the state sales tax, bringing the total—including local sales taxes—to about 9 cents or more. Top income tax rates, already among the highest in the country, were raised. So were motor vehicle registration fees. Spending cuts approved in February and July are deep. Together, the cuts equal almost 30% of the general revenue fund and will affect schools, prisons, colleges and welfare. Some welfare benefits will be cut by half. California's student-teacher ratio, now about a third above the national average, will probably go even higher. The high prestige University of California system lost 20% of its state payments. It is raising tuition and student fees by 9.3%, imposing salary reductions of 4% to 10% on more than 100,000 workers, and postponing faculty hires until improvements occur.

Republicans claimed victory in the end, as they achieved large budget cuts and no new taxes.

==Elected officials==
===Federal===
*Sen. [[Kamala D. Harris]] [D, CA]
*Sen. [[Dianne Feinstein]] [D, CA]
*Rep. [[Doug LaMalfa]] [R, CA-1]
*Rep. [[Jared Huffman]] [D, CA-2]
*Rep. [[John Garamendi]] [D, CA-3]
*Rep. [[Tom McClintock]] [R, CA-4]
*Rep. [[Mike Thompson]] [D, CA-5]
*Rep. [[Doris O. Matsui]] [D, CA-6]
*Rep. [[Ami Bera]] [D, CA-7]
*Rep. [[Paul Cook]] [R, CA-8]
*Rep. [[Jerry McNerney]] [D, CA-9]
*Rep. [[Josh Harder]] [D, CA-10]
*Rep. [[Mark DeSaulnier]] [D, CA-11]
*Rep. [[Nancy Pelosi]] [D, CA-12]
*Rep. [[Barbara Lee]] [D, CA-13]
*Rep. [[Jackie Speier]] [D, CA-14]
*Rep. [[Eric Swalwell]] [D, CA-15]
*Rep. [[Jim Costa]] [D, CA-16]
*Rep. [[Ro Khanna]] [D, CA-17]
*Rep. [[Anna G. Eshoo]] [D, CA-18]
*Rep. [[Zoe Lofgren]] [D, CA-19]
*Rep. [[Jimmy Panetta]] [D, CA-20]
*Rep. [[TJ Cox]] [D, CA-21]
*Rep. [[Devin Nunes]] [R, CA-22]
*Rep. [[Kevin McCarthy]] [R, CA-23]
*Rep. [[Salud Carbajal]] [D, CA-24]
*Rep. [[Katie Hill]] [D, CA-25]
*Rep. [[Julia Brownley]] [D, CA-26]
*Rep. [[Judy Chu]] [D, CA-27]
*Rep. [[Adam Schiff]] [D, CA-28]
*Rep. [[Tony Cárdenas]] [D, CA-29]
*Rep. [[Brad Sherman]] [D, CA-30]
*Rep. [[Pete Aguilar]] [D, CA-31]
*Rep. [[Grace Napolitano]] [D, CA-32]
*Rep. [[Ted Lieu]] [D, CA-33]
*Rep. [[Jimmy Gomez]] [D, CA-34]
*Rep. [[Norma Torres]] [D, CA-35]
*Rep. [[Raul Ruiz]] [D, CA-36]
*Rep. [[Karen Bass]] [D, CA-37]
*Rep. [[Linda Sánchez]] [D, CA-38]
*Rep. [[Gil Cisneros]] [D, CA-39]
*Rep. [[Lucille Roybal-Allard]] [D, CA-40]
*Rep. [[Mark Takano]] [D, CA-41]
*Rep. [[Ken Calvert]] [R, CA-42]
*Rep. [[Maxine Waters]] [D, CA-43]
*Rep. [[Nanette Barragán]] [D, CA-44]
*Rep. [[Katie Porter]] [D, CA-45]
*Rep. [[J. Luis Correa]] [D, CA-46]
*Rep. [[Alan Lowenthall]] [D, CA-47]
*Rep. [[Harley Rouda]] [D, CA-48]
*Rep. [[Mike Levin]] [D, CA-49]
*Rep. [[Duncan D. Hunter]] [R, CA-50]
*Rep. [[Juan Vargas]] [D, CA-51]
*Rep. [[Scott Peters]] [D, CA-52]
*Rep. [[Susan Davis]] [D, CA-53]

===Statewide===
* [[Governor of California|Governor]] [[Gavin Newsom]] (D)
* Lieutenant Governor [[Eleni Kounalakis]] (D)
* Secretary of State [[Alex Padilla]] (D)
* Attorney General [[Xavier Beccara]] (D)
* State Treasurer [[Fiona Ma]] (D)
* State Controller [[Betty Yee]] (D)

==Energy==
[[File:CA-oil.jpg|thumb|375px|right]][[File:Oil-symbol.jpg|thumb|300px|right]] California is rich in conventional and renewable energy resources. It has large crude oil and substantial natural gas deposits in six geological basins, located in the Central Valley and along the Pacific coast. Most of those reserves are concentrated in the southern San Joaquin Basin. More than a dozen of the Nation's 100 largest oil fields are located in California, including the Belridge South oil field, the second largest oil field in the contiguous United States. In addition, Federal assessments indicate that large undiscovered deposits of recoverable oil and gas lie offshore in the federally administered Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), although Federal law currently prohibits oil and gas leasing in that area. California's renewable energy potential is extensive. The State's hydroelectric power potential ranks second in the Nation (behind Washington State), and substantial geothermal and wind power resources are found along the coastal mountain ranges and the eastern border with Nevada. High solar energy potential is found in southeastern California's sunny deserts.<ref>See [http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=CA Energy Information Administration, State Report 2009]</ref>

California is the most populous state in the nation and its total energy demand is second only to Texas. Although California is a leader in the energy-intensive chemical, forest products, glass, and petroleum industries, the State has one of the lowest per capita energy consumption rates in the country. The California government's energy-efficiency programs have contributed to low per capita energy consumption. Driven by high demand from California's many motorists, major airports, and military bases, the transportation sector is the State's largest energy-consumer. More motor vehicles are registered in California than any other State, and worker commute times are among the longest in the country.

===Petroleum===
California is one of the top producers of crude oil in the [[United States]], with output accounting for more than one-tenth of total U.S. production. Drilling operations are concentrated primarily in Kern County and the Los Angeles basin, although substantial production also takes place offshore in both State and Federal waters. Concerns regarding the cumulative impacts of offshore oil and gas development, combined with a number of major marine oil spills throughout the world in recent years, have led to a permanent moratorium on offshore oil and gas leasing in California waters and a deferral of leasing in Federal waters. However, development on existing State and Federal leases is not affected and may still occur within offshore areas leased prior to the effective date of the moratorium.

A network of crude oil pipelines connects production areas to refining centers in the Los Angeles area, the San Francisco Bay area, and the Central Valley. California refiners also process large volumes of Alaskan and foreign crude oil received at ports in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and the Bay Area. Crude oil production in California and Alaska is in decline and California refineries have become increasingly dependent on foreign imports. Led by Saudi Arabia and Ecuador, foreign suppliers now provide more than two-fifths of the crude oil refined in California; however, California's dependence on foreign oil remains less than the national average.

California ranks third in the United States in petroleum refining capacity and accounts for more than one-tenth of total U.S. capacity. California's largest refineries are highly sophisticated; they are capable of processing a wide variety of crude oil types and are designed to yield a high percentage of light products like motor gasoline. To meet strict Federal and State environmental regulations, California refineries are configured to produce cleaner fuels, including reformulated motor gasoline and low-sulfur diesel.

Most California motorists are required to use a special motor gasoline blend called California Clean Burning Gasoline (CA CBG). In the ozone non-attainment areas of Imperial County and the Los Angeles metropolitan area, motorists are required to use California Oxygenated Clean Burning Gasoline, and the Los Angeles area is also required to use oxygenated motor gasoline during the winter months. By 2004, California completed a transition from methyl tertiary butyl-ether (MTBE) to ethanol as a gasoline oxygenate additive, making California the largest ethanol fuel market in the United States. There are four ethanol production plants in central and southern California, but most of California's ethanol supply is transported by rail from corn-based producers in the Midwest. Some supply is also imported from abroad.

Due to the relative isolation and specific requirements of the California fuel market, California motorists are particularly vulnerable to short-term spikes in the price of motor gasoline. No pipelines connect California to other major U.S. refining centers, and California refineries often operate at near maximum capacity due to high demand for petroleum products. When an unplanned refinery outage occurs, replacement supplies must be brought in via marine tanker. Locating and transporting this replacement gasoline (which must conform to the State's strict fuel requirements) can take from two to six weeks.

===Natural Gas===
California natural gas production typically accounts for less than 2 percent of total annual U.S. production and satisfies less than one-fifth of State demand. Production takes place in basins located in northern and southern California, as well as offshore in the Pacific Ocean. California receives most of its natural gas by pipeline from production regions in the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest, and western Canada. As with crude oil production, California natural gas production is in decline. However, State supply has remained relatively stable due to increasing amounts of natural gas shipped from the Rocky Mountains. California markets are served by two key natural gas trading centers—the Golden Gate Center in northern California and the California Energy Hub in southern California—and the State has nearly a dozen natural gas storage facilities that help stabilize supply. In part to help meet California's demand for natural gas, several companies have proposed building liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals in southern California.

===Coal, Electricity, and Renewables===
Natural gas-fired power plants typically account for more than one-half of State electricity generation. California is one of the largest hydroelectric power producers in the United States, and with adequate rainfall, hydroelectric power typically accounts for close to one-fifth of State electricity generation. California's two nuclear power plants account for almost one-fifth of total generation. Due to strict emission laws, only a few small coal-fired power plants operate in California.

California leads the nation in electricity generation from nonhydroelectric renewable energy sources. California generates electricity using wind, geothermal, solar, fuel wood, and municipal solid waste/landfill gas resources. A facility known as “The Geysers,” located in the Mayacamas Mountains north of San Francisco, is the largest complex of geothermal power plants in the world, with more than 750 megawatts of installed capacity. California has numerous wind farms in five major wind resource areas, and several new projects are currently under construction. The world's largest solar power facility operates in California's Mojave Desert. Two southern California utilities are planning to build new solar farms, a 500-megawatt facility in the Mojave Desert and a 300-megawatt plant in the Imperial Valley. These proposed plants would dwarf existing U.S. solar generation capacity. To further boost renewable energy use, California's Energy Action Plan includes incentives that encourage Californians to install solar power systems on their rooftops.

===Imports===
Due to high electricity demand, California imports more electricity than any other State. States in the Pacific Northwest deliver power to California markets primarily from hydroelectric sources, while States in the Desert Southwest deliver power primarily from coal- and natural gas-fired sources. Hydroelectric power comes to California primarily through the Western USA interconnection, which runs from northern Oregon to southern California. The system, also known as the Pacific Intertie, is the largest single electricity transmission program in the United States. Although the Pacific Intertie was originally designed to transmit electricity south during California's peak summer demand season, flow is sometimes reversed overnight and has occasionally been reversed during periods of reduced hydroelectric generation in the Northwest. California restricts the use of coal-fired generation within its boundaries; however, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) operates the coal-fired Intermountain power plant in Utah, which delivers three-fourths of its output to LADWP and other California municipal utilities. A recent California law forbids utilities from entering into long-term contracts with conventional coal-fired power producers. Intermountain's existing contracts with southern California cities are set to expire in 2027.

===Energy crisis===
In 2000 and 2001, California suffered an energy crisis characterized by electricity price instability and four major blackouts and caused by a supply and demand imbalance. Multiple factors contributed to this imbalance, including: a heavy dependence on out-of-State electricity providers, drought conditions in the northwest that reduced hydroelectric power generation, a rupture on a major natural gas pipeline supplying California power plants, strong economic growth leading to increased electricity demand in western States, an increase in unplanned power plant outages, and unusually high temperatures that increased electricity demand for air-conditioning and other cooling uses. Following the energy crisis, the California State government created an Energy Action Plan designed to eliminate outages and excessive price spikes. To achieve these goals, the plan calls for optimizing energy conservation, building sufficient new generation facilities, upgrading and expanding the electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure, and ensuring that generation facilities can quickly come online when needed.

==Spectator Sports==

California has more professional sports teams than any other state.

*[[NBA]] - [[Los Angeles Lakers]], [[Los Angeles Clippers]], [[Golden State Warriors]], [[Sacramento Kings]]
*[[NHL]] - [[Anaheim Ducks]], [[Los Angeles Kings]], [[San Jose Sharks]]
*[[NFL]] - [[Oakland Raiders]], [[San Francisco 49ers]], and [[San Diego Chargers]]
*[[Baseball]] - [[Los Angeles Angels]] of Anaheim, [[San Diego Padres]], [[Oakland Athletics]], [[San Francisco Giants]], [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]

In college sports, [[UCLA]] and [[USC]] have recently had great success, in [[basketball]] and [[football]] respectively.

==Education==

The state of California has three tiers of public higher education: the California community colleges, the [[California State University]] (CSU) system, and the [[University of California]] (UC) system. Here are some notable universities from California.
*[[California Institute of Technology]]
*[[Stanford University]]
*[[University of California, Berkeley]]
*[[University of California, Los Angeles]]
*[[University of California, San Francisco]], primarily a medical school
*[[University of Southern California]]

==Places of Interest==
[[Image:California’s Peaks.jpg|right|300px]]
*[[Alcatraz Island]] ([[San Francisco]])
*[[Beverly Hills]]
*[[Disneyland]]
*[[Golden Gate Bridge]] ([[San Francisco]])
*[[Hollywood]] and elsewhere in [[Los Angeles]]
*[[Monterey Bay Aquarium]]
*[[Redwood Forest]]
*[[Yosemite]]
{{Clear}}

==Major Cities==
*[[Los Angeles]]
*[[Berkeley]]
*[[Oakland]]
*[[San Diego]]
*[[San Francisco]]
*[[San Jose]]
*[[Sacramento]]

==See also==
* [[Jefferson State]]
* [[Strategic relocation]] - [[vote with your feet]] [[Free States Movement]]
* [[Left Coast]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.ca.gov Official Website]
* [http://www.ocregister.com/articles/california-330643-year-county.html]

==References==
<references/>

{{USstates}}

[[Category:California]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]
[[Category:Western United States]]
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[[Category:Blue States]]
[[Category:Gun Control]]
[[Category:Homosexual Agenda]]
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