Montana. The Treasure State. CultureGrams. 41st State. Climate. Geography. States Edition. Established 1889

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1 States Edition 2014 The Treasure State Established st State means mountain in Spanish. The town of Eureka calls itself the Christmas Tree Capital of the World because of the many thousands of Christmas trees it produces each year. A world record for temperature change in a 24-hour period was set in Browning in The temperature dropped 100 degrees, from 44 F (7 C) to -56 F (-49 C). Glacier National Park has 250 lakes within its boundaries. Together, the elk, deer, and antelope populations outnumber the humans in. is home to seven Native American reservations. Water from s rivers and streams empties into three different oceans the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans. has the largest grizzly bear population in the continental United States. Yellowstone National Park, in southern and northern Wyoming, was the first national park in the country. Climate Because of its northern location, s climate can be extreme. But the weather varies a lot depending on where you are. Average daytime temperatures in the state range from 28 F (-2 C) in January to 85 F (29 C) in July. However, on the plains in eastern, the summers can be very hot and the winters very cold. Winter temperatures are often below 0 F (-18 C). Sometimes, the cold weather is moderated by warm chinook winds (warm dry winds that blow from the Rocky Mountains). Much of this region is also dry, with an average of only about 13 inches (33 cm) of precipitation a year. In western, winters tend to be milder and summers cooler. The weather is also wetter. The Rocky Mountains receive up to 25 feet (8 m) of snow in some years. Average Seasonal High and Low Temperatures Spring: 56/32 F Summer: 80/51 F Fall: 56/32 F Winter: 32/14 F Geography 1

2 is the fourth largest state, with a total area of 147,046 square miles (380,847 sq km). Only Alaska, California, and Texas are larger. is made up of basically two regions: the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. The Rocky Mountains are located in western. This area consists of high mountains and deep valleys. The Great Plains region covers the eastern two-thirds of the state. This area is mainly flat, ideal for grazing cattle and farming. The state s largest river is the Missouri, which flows eastward and eventually empties into the Mississippi River. Rivers on the west side of, such as the Clark Fork and Kootenai rivers, flow westward to the Pacific Ocean. Resources and Economy became known as the Treasure State because of its mineral resources. The minerals that contribute the most to the state s economy today are coal, oil, natural gas, platinum, palladium, and gold. But there are other treasures in. The land is valuable for farming and ranching. Wheat is s leading crop. Barley, oats, and sugar beets are important as well. ns also harvest the state s large forestlands, producing lumber, plywood, and paper products. But the biggest part of s economy involves service industries. These include financial services, real estate, government work, and trade. s colorful history and scenic beauty contribute to a thriving tourist industry. Time Line Thousands of years before the arrival of European explorers and settlers, Native American tribes inhabit AD 500 AD 500 Bison become extremely plentiful across the Northern Plains region and become the focus of human activity in the area for the next 1,300 years Horses begin to spread across the Western Plains, transforming life for Native Americans in many ways Canadians François and Louis Vérendrye explore southeast, journeying farther west than any known Europeans had gone The United States buys most of from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase, without informing the many bands of Native Americans who live there Lewis and Clark explore 2

3 1807 s first trading post is established 1812 David Thompson, the great explorer and fur trapper, begins exploring northwest and by 1827 has mapped nearly 2 million square miles (5 million sq km) of the Pacific Northwest 1851 The U.S. government makes its first treaty with native tribes in the region, agreeing to pay tribes food and supplies in exchange for permission to build roads and railroads across tribal lands 1862 Two prospectors discover gold at Grasshopper Creek, starting the gold rushes 1864 The U.S. Congress creates the Territory 1872 Congress creates Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in U.S. history 1875 The U.S. government orders s Native Americans onto reservations to open up more land for gold mining and settlements 1876 Sioux, Arapahoe, and Northern Cheyenne warriors defeat Custer and his troops in a military action at the Battle of the Little Bighorn 1877 Chief Joseph of the Nez Percé, refusing to settle on a reservation far from his home, conducts a 1,400-mile (2,253 km) march with 700 men, women, and children while under constant attack by the U.S. Army; he surrenders in on 5 October 1881 Marcus Daly strikes copper at the Anaconda Mine in Butte; the first railroad enters 1889 becomes the 41st state Glacier National Park is established 3

4 1916 ns elect Jeannette Rankin, the first female member of the U.S. Congress 1955 Open-pit mining begins in Butte with the start of the Berkeley Pit, which becomes the largest open-pit mine in the United States 1961 Mike Mansfield, a U.S. senator for since 1952, is elected U.S. Senate majority leader; he serves until 1976, the longest term in American history 1972 adopts a new state constitution, remarkable for ensuring citizens rights to privacy, human dignity, and a clean and healthy environment 1988 Forest fires burn large areas of drought-stricken and Yellowstone National Park 1992 As a result of the 1990 federal census, loses one of its two representatives in Congress 1995 Wolves are returned to Yellowstone National Park Summer wildfires burn nearly one million acres and destroy hundreds of homes 2005 and the Rocky Mountain region become the fastest-growing part of the United States 2009 Gray wolves are taken off the endangered species list, and the state's first ever legal wolf hunt opens 2011 An ExxonMobil pipeline running under Yellowstone River near Billings ruptures, dumping 1,000 barrels of oil PRESENT Plains Indians 4

5 Native American tribes have lived in and moved across for thousands of years. The Bannock, Salish, Kootenai, Shoshone, and Kalispell lived in the Rocky Mountain region. They hunted, fished, and gathered plants. The Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Crow, Assiniboine, Gros Ventre, and other groups lived in the Rockies and on the Great Plains, migrating into different areas of the region over time. When horses arrived in the Northern Plains, starting in the early 1700s, they changed the lives of many Native Americans, especially those tribes living on the Great Plains. With horses, they could travel, trade, and transport their belongings over a much wider area, and they could hunt bison farther away from the villages. Guns came into the region from the northeast. Guns and horses intersected on the Northern Plains, launching the Plains Indians into a period of tremendous economic and military power. Louisiana Purchase Native American tribes dominated and controlled present-day until the 1800s. In 1803, the United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million. The new territory, which doubled the size of the United States, included much of present-day. President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to learn about the region. Lewis and Clark traveled up the Missouri River, across the Rocky Mountains, and west to the Pacific, mapping the region and recording their observations about the people and places they encountered. Their explorations immediately increased interest in the great resources of the West. Traders and Trappers The fur trade brought a whole new economic activity to North America. Trappers and traders, who supplied beaver pelts to fur companies like the Hudson s Bay Company, pressed westward in search of beaver for hats and coats. The fur trade followed the Lewis and Clark expedition into. Fur trader Manuel Lisa started the first trading post in 1807, at the mouth of the Bighorn River. Other trading posts quickly followed. For the next 40 years, trappers and traders came in search of beaver pelts. By the late 1830s the fur trade had wiped out nearly all of s beaver, and the fur trade switched to bison robes. By 1880 the North American bison was almost extinct. Gold Rush After gold was discovered in California in 1848, people started to look for gold in other parts of the country as well. In 1862, prospectors discovered gold at Grasshopper Creek, in what is now southwestern. Word spread fast, and miners poured into the area in hopes of striking it rich. Stores, saloons, and suppliers followed the miners, creating rough-and-tumble mining camps almost overnight. Miners established local courts to settle mining disputes, but without a government, communities struggled to enforce rules and laws. The gold rushes brought thousands of non-native settlers into, creating towns like Virginia City, Butte, and Helena and forever changing the way people lived there and used the land. Little Bighorn As more settlers came to in the 1800s, they wanted land for towns and ranches and water for mining and irrigation. They spread onto Native Americans traditional lands, cut trees, diverted streams, hunted game, and killed off the bison, the center of Plains Indian life. Settlers behaved differently, held different beliefs about the world, and wanted different things than the Native Americans did. Many conflicts 5

6 erupted, and settlers pressured the government to move all Indian people to reservations (lands that tribes reserved for themselves through treaties with the U.S. government). Each tribe followed a different strategy for survival during this time. Some tribes chose negotiations; other tribes chose armed resistance. In one of the most famous battles, a group of Sioux, Arapahoe, and Cheyenne, under the leadership of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, defeated Colonel George Armstrong Custer and his troops at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, in June of This dramatic victory humiliated the U.S. military right before the nation s 100th birthday (on 4 July). The U.S. hunted down the remaining free bands, and by 1880 almost all of s Native Americans had been moved to reservations. A People s Revolution Political change has marked s recent history. In 1972, ns wrote and adopted a new state constitution to replace the original 1889 constitution. The new constitution gave ordinary citizens greater power to make and repeal laws, protected individual rights, and made state government more responsive to the needs of the people. In the years that followed, the legislature passed new laws to help protect the state from the environmental damages of mining. It also passed human rights laws to protect people from discrimination and inhumane treatment and required the state to do more to educate people about s Native American heritage. ns now struggle to balance economic growth with environmental conservation and are trying to protect people s quality of life in a changing world. Population Although it is the fourth largest state, ranks 44th in terms of population. On average, there are only about 6 people per square mile (2 per sq km). By comparison, the national average is 78 per square mile (30 per sq km). A little more than half of the population lives in urban (city) areas. Most ns can trace their ancestry to western Europe. But the state does have a relatively large Native American population; most of them live on one of the seven reservations. The largest cities in the state are Billings, Missoula, and Great Falls. 6

7 Government Capital: Helena State Abbreviation: MT Governor: Steve Bullock (Democrat) U.S. Senators: 2 Max Baucus (Democrat) Jon Tester (Democrat) U.S. Representatives: 1 Republicans: 1 State Senators: 50 State Representatives: 100 Counties: 56 The legislature meets in odd-numbered years in January. Native Americans who live on reservations have their own police and judicial system. Famous People Sitting Bull Sitting Bull Sioux leader Dana Carvey Comedian Gary Cooper Academy Award winning actor Marcus Daly Mine owner A. B. Guthrie Author Chet Huntley Television newscaster Evel Knievel Motorcycle daredevil David Lynch Film director Judy Martz Olympic figure skater and first female governor of Jeanette Rankin First woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives Charles M. Russell Old West artist James Welch Author 7

8 Michelle Williams Actress Gary Cooper Jeanette Rankin Michelle Williams Native America The Crow and Blackfoot tribes were two of the largest tribes inhabiting what is now before European settlers arrived. The Crow lived in large teepees made of animal skin stretched over wood poles. The teepees were large enough to hold several beds as well as a fireplace in the middle. A hole in the roof let the smoke out. Women were very important in the Crow tribe. Children inherited things through their mother s line, and when a couple married, the man moved into the woman s home. After Europeans brought horses to the area, the Crow were known for their large horse herds, which had thousands of horses each. The Blackfoot were a tribe who moved frequently, following the buffalo they hunted. When white settlers came to the area, the Blackfoot way of life was permanently changed, as they no longer had room to roam and the buffalo population became almost extinct. has seven reservations and is home to eleven federally recognized tribes: Assiniboine, Blackfoot, Chippewa, Cree, Crow, Gros Ventre, Kootenai, Little Shell, Northern Cheyenne, Salish, and Sioux. There are also important communities of Métis and Pimbina Chippewa, who do not have a reservation. Together, Native Americans make up about 6.5 percent of s total population. s native people are working to change the economic and social problems that were created during the early reservation years. Tribes are buying back land that was taken from them and building sustainable industries on their reservations. They celebrate their cultural strength by hosting powwows, religious ceremonies, and other events. They are publishing their own tribal histories so people can learn more about each tribe and its contributions to history. A state policy called Indian Education for All is changing the way people learn about Native American histories and cultures not as a small part of s story, but as a very important and valuable part of the story of. 8

9 Western Art s connection to its Western past is seen in its cultural life. C. M. Russell, one of the state s most famous artists, frequently painted Western subjects such as cowboys, buffalo, and cattle drives. At the age of 16, Russell moved from Missouri to to work on a ranch. Fascinated with wildlife and the cowboys and ranchers who worked the land, Russell began painting scenes of western life. One of his early works, entitled Waiting for a Chinook, became quite well-known and his work spread across the country. Russell created thousands of works of art, using many different mediums from oil paints and watercolors to clay and bronze sculptures. At the time of his death in 1926, Russell was an internationally recognized artist of the American West. Glacier National Park Glacier National Park was established in Originally inhabited by the Blackfoot, Salish, and Kootenai Native Americans, this area began to be a place of interest for early explorers, miners, homesteaders, and tourists in the 1890s. Once the Great Northern Railroad successfully crossed the Continental Divide at Marias Pass along the southern edge of the park, more and more people stopped in to stay at one of the many lodges and enjoy the beauties of nature. The park gets its name from the many glaciers that carved out its mountains thousands of years ago. Popular activities while visiting the park include a drive along Going-to-the-Sun Road through Logan Pass, hiking up to Hidden Lake, and viewing the Weeping Wall a section of waterfalls flowing over and through a section of cliffs. Glacier National Park now covers more than one million acres, and close to two million visitors come every year. State Symbols State Bird Western meadowlark Five states claim the western meadowlark as their state bird. State Tree Ponderosa pine Early ns used wood from this tree for homes, telegraph poles, railroad ties, and mine braces. State Flower Bitterroot Both Native Americans and early pioneers ate the root of this plant. It was adopted as the state flower in

10 State Animal Grizzly bear Adult grizzlies may grow to be 8 feet (2 m) in length and can weigh as much as 1,000 pounds (453 kg). Other Symbols Songs: Melody and Fish: Blackspotted cutthroat trout Fossil: Duck-billed dinosaur Butterfly: Mourning cloak Gemstones: Sapphire and agate Grass: Bluebunch wheatgrass State Motto Oro y Plata This Spanish phrase means Gold and Silver. Pro Sports Teams There are currently no professional sports teams in. For More Information See or contact Travel, PO Box , Helena, MT 59620; phone (800) VISIT-MT; web site You can also visit ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. It is against the law to copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by any means without strict written permission from ProQuest. 10 ProQuest 789 East Eisenhower Parkway Ann Arbor, Michigan USA Toll Free: Fax:

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