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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.
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-
51
Lower Plains: Kansas, Nebraska
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.