Nebraska is generally considered to be part of the Great Plains and Praries region of the United States. Regions, however are mental constructs and are therefore subjective. Regions are "satisfactory if they identify patterns, make combinations of discrete information understandable, and help clarify spatial complexity" (Regional Landscapes). The eastern edge of the state overlaps with the Agricultural Core. Bordering Nebraska are the states of South Dakota to the north, Iowa to the east, Missouri to the southeast, Kansas to the south, Colorado to the southwest,and Wyoming to the west. I will explore the patterns and characteristics of these two regions more in depth in the sections devoted to their specific chapters.
Nebraska is still largely a rural state in spite of the fact that "rural life with rural occupations, though held as an ideal, is fading" (Regional). More than 75% of Canadians and Americans live in urban areas. In 1790 over 90% of Americans were farmers--that percentage has declined steadily ever since. Now less than 1%, only about 3 million Americans, operate farms. Urbanization has resulted in several key elements that geographers identify. One of these elements is a rectangular-grid street layout. In Lincoln, Nebraska where I have spent most of my Christmas vacations and some of my summers visiting this grid system makes navigating the downtown streets relatively simply. Coming from Westlake Village, a suburban area in California where the residential streets seemed to be winding and circuituous with names unrelated to the streets' locations; this urban method of organization always struck me as logical and sensible. An online city guide to Lincoln, http://www.nebraska-lincoln.com/info.html, aptly describes the layout: "With a few exceptions, Lincoln’s major arterials are laid out in a simple grid. Numbered streets run north to south and in the older sections of town, lettered streets run east to west. O Street is the northsouth dividing line. The downtown district follows the grid system, too. Many downtown streets are one-way" (Lincoln). Large cities grow for certain reasons. Omaha, Nebraska for example has an important transportation role through its railroad connections. This tie to the railroads continues to sustain the city and import the city's special character.
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Industrialization
The urbanization of the United States was due in a large part to industrialization. "Most cities were founded and grew quickly when manufacturing industries became the primary economic stimulus" (Regional). Regional specialization occurs due to the variations of industrial raw materials that are available in different areas. Nebraska, for example, is a leading producer of corn. Thus, many corn-based ethanol manufacturing plants have been built throughout Nebraska in recent years. Below is graph showing Nebraska's nonfarm employment by industry; manufacturing jobs remained relatively stable from 2001-2006 with around 100,000 employed.
High Mobility
Residential Mobility is high in the United States. Around 20% of all Americans change location in any given year. Moving depends upon push and pull factors. Negative characteristics of a given location are termed push factors and postive characteristics of a potential location are termed pull factors. Pull factors for Nebraska could be a lower cost of a living and a low crime rate. Push factors for those moving from the state are frequently better employment opportunites found elsewhere or warmer weather with more temperate conditions than are found in the Midwest. Currently the United States has entered a postindustrial phase. Employment growth has primarily occurred in professions and services rather than in manufacturing. Thus employment opportunites are growing faster in areas that offer more amenities. The state of Nebraska has seen an overall population change of 5% in 1997.
The United States exports and makes domestic use of many different kinds of raw materials, "foodstuffs lead raw material exports. In 2005, U.S. agricultural exports exceeded $238 billion" (Regional). Many of the crops, grains, and meats that the United States exports are in part grown, raised and produced in Nebraska. Corn and soybeans are two of the major crops grown in Nebraska. Below is a picture of a beautiful cornfield:
High Income and High Consumption
Americans have a high average income compared to the rest of the world. [edit] States ranked by per capita income. Nebraska is the thirty-third richest state in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $19,613 (2000).
Based on 2000 Census data for 1999[6]
Connecticut – $28,766
District of Columbia – $28,659
New Jersey – $27,006
Massachusetts – $25,952
Maryland – $25,614
Colorado – $24,049
Virginia – $23,975
New Hampshire – $23,844
New York – $23,389
Delaware – $23,305
Minnesota – $23,198
Illinois – $23,104
Washington – $22,973
California – $22,711
Alaska – $22,660
Michigan – $22,168
Nevada – $21,989
Rhode Island – $21,688
United States of America – $21,587
Florida – $21,557
Hawaii – $21,525
Wisconsin – $21,271
Georgia – $21,154
Ohio – $21,003
Oregon – $20,940
Pennsylvania – $20,880
Vermont – $20,625
Kansas – $20,506
Indiana – $20,397
North Carolina – $20,307
Arizona – $20,275
Missouri – $19,936
Iowa – $19,674
Texas – $19,617
Nebraska – $19,613
Maine – $19,367
Tennessee – $19,393
Wyoming – $19,134
South Carolina – $18,795
Alabama – $18,189
Utah – $18,185
Kentucky – $18,093
Idaho – $17,841
North Dakota – $17,769
Oklahoma – $17,646
South Dakota – $17,562
New Mexico – $17,261
Montana – $17,151
Louisiana – $16,912
Arkansas – $16,904
West Virginia – $16,477
Mississippi – $15,853
Puerto Rico – $8,185
States ranked by number of places with per capita incomes above national average
Connecticut 82.8%
New Jersey 76.4%
Massachusetts 73.6%
Rhode Island 69.2%
Maryland 53.8%
New Hampshire 52.4%
New York 48.4%
California 40.3%
Florida 37.8%
Delaware 37.3%
Colorado 35.0%
Washington 31.0%
Virginia 30.9%
Hawaii 29.5%
Nevada 28.4%
Vermont 27.3%
Michigan 26.7%
Kentucky 25.3%
Wisconsin 24.0%
Alaska 23.8%
Ohio 22.9%
Illinois 22.0%
North Carolina 22.0%
Pennsylvania 21.6%
Wyoming 21.0%
Minnesota 18.1%
Texas 17.4%
Arizona 16.1%
Oregon 15.6%
Indiana 14.9%
South Carolina 13.6%
Maine 13.5%
Utah 12.8%
Tennessee 12.6%
Missouri 11.9%
Georgia 11.1%
New Mexico 9.8%
West Virginia 9.6%
Alabama 9.3%
Iowa 7.4%
Kansas 7.0%
Louisiana 6.2%
North Dakota 6.2%
Idaho 5.9%
Mississippi 4.9%
Montana 4.7%
Arkansas 4.4%
South Dakota 4.0%
Oklahoma 3.6%
Nebraska 3.4%
The economy of the United States is "increasingly dependent on energy, education, and innovation. These facets feed each other in an economic cause-and-effect chain" (Regional). Below is a chart showing Nebraska's energy and resource consumption for 2006:
Nebraska's Total Energy Consumption by Fuel Type and by Sector
Primary Energy Resources: in BTU's
Coal 0.1 7.5 * 0.0 216.1 223.6 7.6 223.6
Hydroelectric Power 0.0 0.0 - - 9.2 9.2 0.0 9.2
Natural Gas 29.7 39.0 38.4 4.0 3.3 114.5 111.1 114.5
Nuclear Electric Power - - - - 106.8 106.8 - 106.8
Petroleum 3.5 58.4 6.3 170.0 0.3 238.4 238.2 238.4
Asphalt and Road Oil - 8.6 - - - 8.6 8.6 8.6
Aviation Gasoline - - - 0.3 - 0.3 0.3 0.3
Distillate Fuel (or Light Oil) 1.1 32.2 0.6 61.7 0.3 95.7 95.6 95.7
Jet Fuel - - - 5.2 - 5.2 5.2 5.2
Kerosene * 0.1 * - - 0.1 0.1 0.1
LPG6 (Propane) 1.0 7.7 5.7 0.2 - 14.6 14.6 14.6
Lubricants - 0.2 - 1.9 - 2.1 2.1 2.1
Motor Gasoline 1.1 6.8 - 100.8 - 108.7 108.7 108.7
Ethanol - - - 2.8 - 2.8 2.8 2.8
Petroleum Coke - - - - 0.0 0.0 - 0.0
Residual Fuel (or Heavy Oil) 0.3 1.1 - 0.0 * 1.4 1.4 1.5
Other Petroleum - 1.6 - - - 1.6 1.6 1.6
Wood and Waste (or Biomass) 0.7 4.5 3.0 - 0.3 8.6 8.2 8.6
Wood - - 3.0 - - 3.0 3.0 3.0
Other 0.5 0.0 0.1 - 0.4 1.0 0.6 1.0
Geothermal Energy 0.5 0.0 0.1 - 0.0 0.6 0.6 0.6
Electricity Net Imports - - - - * * - *
Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic Energy - - * - 0.0 * * *
Wind - - - - 0.4 0.4 - 0.4
Total Primary Energy Consumption 34.5 109.4 47.8 174.0 336.3 702.9 - -
Electricity 29.0 29.4 29.9 0.0 - - 88.3 -
Net Interstate Flow of Electricity/Losses - - - - - - - -52.7
Net End-Use Energy Consumption 63.3 138.7 77.8 174.1 - - 453.9 -
Electrical System Energy Losses 64.2 65.1 66.1 0.0 - - 195.4 -
Total End-Use Energy Consumption 127.6 203.8 143.9 174.1 - - 649.3 -
Total Energy Consumption 127.6 203.8 143.9 174.1 - - 649.3 649.3
Political Complexity:
Nebraska has generally been a republican state; in only one election did the democrats carry Nebraska--the 1964 election of Lyndon Johnson. Wikipedia has an excellent overview of Nebraska legislation and politics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebraska#Nebraska_politics. I have included some excerpts from the site:
"Despite the current Republican domination of Nebraska politics, the state has a long tradition of electing centrist members of both parties to state and federal office; examples include George Norris (who served few years in the Senate as an independent), J. James Exon, and Bob Kerrey. This tradition is illustrated by Nebraska's current senators: former Senator Chuck Hagel was considered a maverick within his party, while Ben Nelson is arguably one of the most conservative members of the Democratic Party in the Senate."
"Nebraska is the only state in the United States with a unicameral legislature; that is, a legislature with only one house. Although this house is officially known simply as the "Legislature", and more commonly called the "Unicameral", its members still call themselves "senators". Nebraska's Legislature is also the only state legislature in the United States that is nonpartisan. The senators are elected with no party affiliation next to their names on the ballot, and the speaker and committee chairs are chosen at large, so that members of any party can be chosen for these positions. The Nebraska Legislature can also override a governor's veto with a three-fifths majority, in contrast to the two-thirds majority required in some other states.
The Nebraska Legislature meets in the third Nebraska State Capitol building, built between 1922 and 1932. It was designed by Bertram G. Goodhue. Built from Indiana limestone, the Capitol's base is a cross within a square. A 400-foot domed tower rises from this base. The Golden Sower, a 19-foot bronze statue representing agriculture, crowns the Capitol. The state Capitol is considered an architectural achievement. It has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects."
"For years, United States Senator George Norris and other Nebraskans encouraged the idea of a unicameral legislature, and demanded the issue be decided in a referendum. Norris argued:
“ The constitutions of our various states are built upon the idea that there is but one class. If this be true, there is no sense or reason in having the same thing done twice, especially if it is to be done by two bodies of men elected in the same way and having the same jurisdiction. ”
"Unicameral supporters also argued that a bicameral legislature had a significant undemocratic feature in the committees that reconciled Assembly and Senate legislation. Votes in these committees were secretive, and would sometimes add provisions to bills that neither house had approved. Nebraska's unicameral legislature today has rules that bills can contain only one subject, and must be given at least five days of consideration.
Finally, in 1934, due in part to the budgetary pressure of the Great Depression, Nebraska's unicameral legislature was put in place by a state initiative. In effect, the Assembly (the house) was abolished; as noted, today's Nebraska state legislators are commonly referred to as "Senators".
Further information: Nebraska Supreme Court
"The judicial system in Nebraska is unified, with the Nebraska Supreme Court having administrative authority over all Nebraska courts. Nebraska uses the Missouri Plan for the selection of judges at all levels. The lowest courts in Nebraska are the county courts, above that are twelve district courts (containing one or more counties). The Court of Appeals hears appeals from the district courts, juvenile courts, and workers' compensation courts. The Nebraska Supreme Court is the final court of appeal.
From 2008 to 2009, from when the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the state's only method of execution, electrocution, was in conflict with the state's constitution, Nebraska had no active death-penalty law. (Prior to that ruling, Nebraska was the only place in the world that used electrocution as the sole method of execution.) In May 2009, the legislature passed and the governor signed a bill that changed the method of execution in Nebraska to lethal injection, enabling further capital punishment.[15] However, executions in Nebraska had been infrequent; none had been carried out in the 21st century, and in the last few decades the state had strongly flirted with the idea of a moratorium on, or complete abolition of, capital punishment."
Nebraska's Representation
"Nebraska's U.S. senators are Mike Johanns (R), the junior senator, and Ben Nelson (D), the senior senator. Nebraska has three representatives in the House of Representatives: Jeff Fortenberry (R) of the 1st district; Lee Terry (R) of the 2nd district; and Adrian M. Smith (R) of the 3rd district.
Nebraska is one of two states that allow for a split in the state's allocation of electoral votes in presidential elections. Since 1991, two of Nebraska's five are awarded based on the winner of the statewide election while the other three go to the highest vote-getter in each of the state's three congressional districts. The only time Nebraska's electoral votes have been split was in the 2008 presidential election, when four votes went to Republican John McCain and one electoral vote went to Barack Obama."
Below is a photo of Nebraska's beautiful Capitol building:
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