October 31, 1864 Nevada Becomes a State

Nevada is a state with many contrasting vistas. You can find mountains, valleys, and deserts, along with large cities, all in one area. Many mountains are covered with pine forests, while beautiful clear streams flow through the canyons. The lakes in the grassy valleys have large trout for the fishermen, and in many areas, you can see geysers and hot springs among the rocks. In some areas, you will find bighorn sheep grazing on the plateaus, while in others, you will find white patches called alkali flats reaching out through the deserts. You can also find gray-green sagebrush, along with the flowers of the cactus, the yucca, and the sagebrush plants. Nevada gets the least amount of rain of any of the states, so any farming that is done depends heavily on irrigation. Many projects have been implemented to supply irrigation. Hoover Dam power plant, on the Colorado River, supplies electric power for Arizona, California, and Nevada. The state has a history of mining, and mining is still important to its economy today. Many famous people are from Nevada, including Pat Nixon, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Sarah Winnemucca.

Look at the map of Nevada below. Label the capital of Nevada. Locate the cities of Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Reno, Virginia City, Overton, Carson City, Minden, Winnemucca, Elko, Owyhee, Hawthorne, Panaca, Alamo, Mesquite, Boulder City, Beatty, and Gabbs, and label them on the map. Now label the Sierra Nevada, Toiyabe Range, Toquima Range, Snake Range, Toana Range, and Boundary Peak. Also, locate the Colorado River, Muddy River, Owyhee River, Bruneau River, Salmon River, Humboldt River, Carson River, Walker River, Truckee River, Lake Tahoe, Walker Lake, Pyramid Lake, Ruby Lake, Franklin Lake, and Lake Mead, and label them. Lastly, label the states or bodies of water that border Nevada. When you have finished, move on to the timeline of Nevada history on the next page and the research prompts that follow.

1830

1843

1848

1857

1858

1859

1861

1864

1902

1907

1910

1928

1930

1935

1950

1963

1967

1998

2002

2009

2. The Comstock Lode is discovered

3. Legislation is approved to bury nuclear waste in Nevada

4. Construction of the Hoover Dam is completed

5. Mormon settlers leave the Nevada area and return to the Great Salt Lake

6. Nevada becomes the 36th state in the Union

7. The Water Project is created to supply an increased amount of water for the Las Vegas area

8. John C. Fremont begins the first complete exploration of the Nevada area

9. The first federal irrigation project in the country, Nevada's Newlands Irrigation Project, is completed

10. The United States Supreme Court settles a dispute between Arizona, California, and Nevada concerning how much water they can use from the Colorado River

11. Nevada’s first newspaper is founded

12. Yucca Mountain is no longer approved as an option for storing nuclear waste

13. William Wolfskill begins traveling what would become the Old Spanish Trail from Santa Fe to Los Angeles, which helped trade in Nevada

14. Congress gives authorization for the Hoover Dam to be constructed

15. A testing area is set up northwest of Las Vegas by the Atomic Energy Commission

16. Gold is discovered at Goldfield

17. Work begins on the Hoover Dam

18. The name Nevada is chosen for the area when it becomes a territory

19. The McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas completes their expansion project

20. The United States acquires the Nevada area from Mexico

©2017 Bonnie Rose Hudson WriteBonnieRose.com Research Prompt #1 Many of the people who went to California for the 1849 gold rush traveled through Nevada on their way. Do some research and find out what trails were the most popular for them to travel. How close did they come to the Virginia City area where silver was discovered just a few years later? How do you think the miners felt who did not “get rich” in California when they realized they'd passed by an area full of riches? Do we all sometimes focus our attention on what we hope is ahead instead of enjoying the riches right in our own backyard? Are there ways you can think of that we can learn to avoid doing this?

______

©2017 Bonnie Rose Hudson WriteBonnieRose.com Research Prompt #3 When testing of nuclear weapons began in Nevada, not all of the health risks associated with radiation were known. If they had been known, do you think those who made the decisions about nuclear weapons testing would have felt our need to be able to defend ourselves would have made the risks and dangers acceptable?

______

©2017 Bonnie Rose Hudson WriteBonnieRose.com Timeline of Nevada History Answer Key William Wolfskill begins traveling what would become the Old Spanish Trail from Santa Fe to Los Angeles, which helped trade in Nevada 1830 John C. Fremont begins the first 1843 complete exploration of the Nevada area The United States acquires the Nevada area from Mexico 1848 Mormon settlers leave the Nevada 1857 area and return to the Great Salt Lake

Nevada’s first newspaper is founded 1858

1859 The Comstock Lode is discovered

The name Nevada is chosen for the area when it becomes a territory 1861

1864 Nevada becomes the 36th state in the Union

Gold is discovered at Goldfield 1902 The first federal irrigation project in the country, Nevada's Newlands 1907 Irrigation Project, is completed Laws making gambling illegal went into effect in Nevada 1910 Congress gives authorization for 1928 the Hoover Dam to be constructed

Work begins on the Hoover Dam 1930

1935 Construction of the Hoover Dam is completed A testing area is set up northwest of Las The United States Supreme Court settles Vegas by the Atomic Energy Commission 1950 a dispute between Arizona, California, and Nevada concerning how much 1963 water they can use from the Colorado River The Water Project is created to supply an increased amount of water for the Las Vegas area 1967 The McCarran International Airport in 1998 Las Vegas completes their expansion project Legislation is approved to bury nuclear waste in Nevada 2002

Yucca Mountain is no longer approved 2009 as an option for storing nuclear waste