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Lower Plains: Kansas, Nebraska

Internet Resources http://nebraskahistory.org/index.shtml

The home page of the Nebraska Historical Society has information about Nebraska’s history, as well as online exhibits on many topics related to the state. http://www.visitnebraska.com/ The Nebraska Tourism Commission provides this online guide to sights and cities in the Cornhusker State. http://www.nebraskastudies.org Browse photos, videos, maps, timelines, and more to learn about Nebraska’s his-

tory from the 16th century to the present. http://www.nebraskaflyway.com/index.php

Learn about the sandhill cranes that flock to Nebraska’s Platte River, one of the most spectacular congregations of migrating birds anywhere on the planet.

Text-Dependent Questions 1. What is the Ogallala Aquifer? How is it important to Nebraska? 2. What role did railroads play in Nebraska’s settlement and development? 3. What is unique about Nebraska’s state legislature?

Research Project Nebraska’s early settlers had to cope with many challenges, including droughts, grasshop- per infestations, and dust storms. Using the Internet or your school library, learn more about what life was like for Nebraska’s pioneers. Try to find first-hand accounts of 19th- century life on the prairie.