Oklahoma Land Rush
Oklahoma Land Rush began at twelve noon 1889 when the government opened 1,900,000 acres of land bought from the Creek and Seminole Indians. People raced to obtain the best plots of land. By evening 50,000 people had established home sites in the region. Children could learn more at an excellent primary resource: Land Rush. They could also research the differences between a “sooner” and a “boomer.”
Participants Waiting for the Land Rush
Cherokee Strip Land Rush occurred in 1893. At noon 100,000 settlers raced to stake parcels of land in what is now Oklahoma. Over 6.5 million acres were settled in just one day. Older children can learn more at: Land Rush.
Oklahoma Flag
Oklahoma became the forty-sixth state of the United States in 1907. French trappers visited the area around 1700. Several Native American groups were relocated to Oklahoma, only to be forced out later. Oil and gas were and still are important sources of income. Oklahoma’s name can be traced to a Choctaw word okla humma, meaning land of the red people. Its nickname is the Sooner State. Oklahoma ranks 20th in size and 35th in population. Oklahoma City is the capital. Idea: Oklahoma has a panhandle. Children could look at a United States map and find out which other states also have panhandles. Children can visit the America’s Library website and learn about kolaches at: Oklahoma.