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bid for statehood. The Nebraska
Legislature removed this restriction,
and the territory entered the Union as
the 37th state on March 1, 1867. Its
state motto—”Equality before the
law”—reflects this episode.
Although the Civil War had drawn
to a close, a different conflict was
intensifying in Nebraska—a conflict
between the new settlers and the orig-
inal inhabitants of the land.
Historically, the area that is now
Nebraska was home to a number of dif-
ferent
indigenous
tribes, including the
Pawnee, Omaha, Oto, Ponca, Lakota
(Sioux), Cheyenne, and Arapaho.
The Pawnee were the largest
Native American tribe in the area. At
the time of the Louisiana Purchase,
they numbered close to 10,000. They
lived in central Nebraska, as did the
Ponca. The Omaha and Oto lived pri-
marily along the Missouri River, in
eastern Nebraska. These tribes were
semi-sedentary
. For part of the year,
they hunted buffalo. But for most of
the year, they lived in permanent
dwellings and raised crops.
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Lower Plains: Kansas, Nebraska
The first person to file a claim for
land under the Homestead Act of
1862 was Daniel Freeman, who
claimed 160 acres in Nebraska.
Today, the National Park Service
maintains Homestead National
Monument at the location of
Freeman’s claim. This national
park includes a visitors center,
where students can learn about
homesteading and nature.