History: The Native Americans in Iowa more than 13,000 years ago started as hunters and gatherers, living in a Pleistocene glacial landscape. At the time of European exploration, numerous civilized tribes were living in the area including the Oneota Dakota, Ho-Chunk, Iowa, and Otoe. Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet (French explorers) were first Europeans to […]
History: For thousands of years, Kansas was occupied a variety of Native Americans, notably the Kansa Tribe who gave their name to both the river and the state. In 1827, Americans settled Kansas with the establishment of Fort Leavenworth. After the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, both pro-and anti-slavery settlers rushed in. There was so much […]
History: It is likely that humans were present as long as 14,500 years ago in the Idaho area. The earliest European visitors were French fur trappers, which is why Idaho has so many French place and town names (like Coeur d’Alene). The first non-indigenous settlement was established on the shore of Lake Pend Oreille in […]
History: Native peoples lived in this area, as in other Midwest states, going back about 8000 years. Some of the tribes known to occupy Indiana were the Shawnee, Miami, and Illini. The first European explorer was Robert Cavelier, Sierur de la Salle. The French established an economic and military presence during the 1600 and 1700s […]
History: The Mississippian group of Native Americans lived in the Illinois area continually for about 7000 years. They built a huge urban center called Cahokia which includes Monks Mound, the largest Pre-Columbian structure north of Mexico. Later, they united as a group called the Illini, which gave the state its name. French explorers Jacques […]
History: Prior to settlement by Europeans, Georgia was inhabited by the mound building cultures of Native Americans. The colony of Georgia was founded on February 12, 1733, by James Ogelthorpe. Later it was briefly invaded by the Spanish in 1742, then was ruled directly by the king of England. Georgia was one of the original […]
History: The first people to settle Hawaii were Polynesians, who came as early as 300 CE from the Marquesas Islands. These early Hawaiians had no written language, but passed down many rich myths and legends, and practical knowledge about animals, plants, and the ocean. The first European to visit Hawaii was Captain James Cook, the […]
History: Native Americans entered Florida from the north around 12,000 years ago. They continued arriving in small numbers after 500 BCE, with contacts with Cuba, the Bahamas, and possibly the Yucatan region of Mexico. There was conflict between the Spanish, French, and English for the land and wealth of the region. Juan Ponce de Leon, […]
History: The area which is now the state of Colorado was inhabited by Native Americans (Ancient Pueblo, Ute, Apache, and Comanche) for more than 13,000 years. The Spanish Empire claimed western and southern Colorado as part of its New Mexico territory, becoming part of New Spain and later Mexico. The eastern and northern part, however, […]
History: Wisconsin was home to several Native American tribes such as the Ojibwa, Sauk, Fox, Kickapoo, and Pottawatomie. The first European visitor was French explorer Jacques Marquette in 1673. The French, and later the British after 1763, were mainly interested in fur trading. When ceded to the U.S. after the Revolutionary War, Wisconsin became part […]
