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Missouri
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Originally part of the Louisiana Purchase, Missouri was admitted as a state in 1821 as part of the Missouri Compromise. It earned the nickname "Gateway to the West" because it served as a departure point for settlers heading to the west. During the Civil War, Missouri, a slave state, was split with portions adhering to the Union, and others secceeding with the southern states.
The capital of Missouri is Jefferson city and the current governor of the state is Bob Holden[?] (Democrat). Missouri's two U.S. senators are Christopher S. Bond[?] (Republican) and Jim Talent[?] (Republican). Missouri has 9 districts in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The current constitution of Missouri, the fourth constitution for the state, was adopted in 1945 and provides for 3 branches of government, the legislative, judicial and executive branches. The legislative branch consists of two bodies, the House of Representatives and the Senate. These bodies comprise the General Assembly of the State of Missouri.
The House of Representatives has 163 members that are apportioned based on the last decennial census. The Senate consists of 34 members from districts divided such that the population of each district is approximately equal.
The Judicial department consists of a supreme court consisting of 7 judges. Superior and inferior courts are also provided.
The executive branch is headed by the Governor.
See: List of Missouri counties
Missouri is bounded on the north by Iowa; on the east, across the Mississippi River, by Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee; on the south by Arkansas; and on the west by Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska (the latter two across the Missouri River.)
North of the Missouri River lie the northern plains that stretch into Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. Here, gentle rolling hills remain behind from a glacier that once had extended from the north to the Missouri River.
The Ozark plateau begins south of the river and extends into Arkansas and Oklahoma. Springfield, Missouri in southwestern Missouri lies on the Ozark plateau. Southern Missouri is the home of the Ozark mountains and extends into Arkansas.
The southeastern part of the state is home to the bootheel, part of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. This region is the lowest, flatest and wetest part of the state. It is also the most fertile. It is here that one finds cotton and rice production.
Missour's total gross state product for 1999 was $170 billion placing it 18th in the nation, while its 2000 Per Capita Personal Income was $27,445 or 28th in the nation. Major industries include aerospace, transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, printing/publishing, electrical equipment, light manufacturing.
The agriculture products of the state are beef, soybeans, pork, dairy products, hay, corn, poultry, and eggs. Missouri is ranked 6th in the nation for the production of hogs and 7th for cattle. As of 2001, there were 108,000 farms, the second largest number in any state after Texas.
Missouri has vast quantities of limestone. Other minerals mined are lead, coal, portland cement and crushed stone. Missouri produces the most lead of all of the states in the Union with most of these mines in the central eastern portion of the state. Missouri also ranks first or near first among the production of lime.
Tourism, services and wholesale/retail trade follow manufacturing in importance.
| Modified USGS/University of Missouri map Note: Modified map released under the GNU FDL. |
6.6% of its population were reported as under 5, 25.5% under 18, and 13.5% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51.4% of the population.
5.1% of Missourians spoke a language other than English at home. The 1997 birth and death rates were:
| Births: | 74,037 |
| Deaths: | 54,322 |
| Infant deaths: | 564 |
151,196 Missourians were foreign born. 81.3% were high school graduates (higher than the national average) while 21.6% had a bachelor's degree or higher.
The mean commute time to work was 23.8 minutes. The homeownership rate in 2000 was 70.3% with the mean value of the owner occupied dwelling being $89,900. There were 2,194,594 househoulds with 2.48 people per household. The median household money income for 1999 was $37,934 with the 1999 Per Capita Money Income of $19,936. There were 11.7% (637,891) Missourians living below the poverty line in 1999.
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See also: United States, Missouri River, Missouri tribe.
And then descended
And, pausing beneath the pantry floor,
And muttered, "This is a beastly bore.
I'll try this dining
I'll warn you now that it's simple fare:
And the wine that's known as _ordinaire_,
No prowling feline
You think that my life is hard, mayhap,
I ain't afraid of no cat nor trap."
"Don't use such grammar,
And caught dyspepsia, and lost his train,
And said some things that were quite profane.
"Try entertaining
About THE MORAL these verses teach:
The meaning of which Etruscan speech
Pray keep your dwelling
THE IMPECUNIOUS CRICKET
AND
THE FRUGAL ANT
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That she became intolerant
She had a small and frugal mind
Nor was her temperament the kind
That, knocking at her wicket,
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Without elucidation,
Of several months' duration.
He paused beside her door-step, and,
He called attention with his hand
"I joined," said he, "an opera troupe.
And left me on the hostel stoop,
And frankly ask for clothing."
"I look on you with loathing.
Your hands have soiled the fence, too.
Your watch--if you have sense to."
THE MORAL is: Albeit lots
The sluggard, when his means are scant,
THE PAMPERED LAPDOG
AND
THE MISGUIDED ASS
A woolly little terrier pup
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