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Lower Plains: Kansas, Nebraska

Government In 1937, Nebraska became the only U.S. state with a unicameral, or single- house, legislature. The 49 members of this single assembly are called sena- tors. They are elected to four-year terns, but are allowed by law to serve two consecutive terms. Nebraska’s state legislature is also unique in being the only nonpartisan state legislature in the nation. This means that candidates for election do not have their political party listed on the ballot. Members of Nebraska’s executive branch of government include the gov-

Nebraska’s last major campaign in the Plains Indian Wars was the Battle of Summit Springs in 1869, which was fought just outside Nebraska’s border, in Colorado. However, minor skir- mishes continued in Nebraska’s pan- handle until Lakota war chief Crazy Horse was killed in 1877 in the Pine Ridge region of northwestern Nebraska. By 1890, almost all of Nebraska’s Native American tribes had ceded their lands to the U.S. gov- ernment. They were moved to reserva- tions in Oklahoma.

In February 2013, Nebraskans were surprised when longtime Lieutenant Governor Rick Sheehy (red shirt) resigned sud- denly. It turned out that Sheehy had been involved in a scandal involving thousands of calls to four women using his state- issued cellphone.