Oklahoma

Seeds of a Nation

by Deanne Durrett

In 1803, Oklahoma became United States territory as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The first American explorers reported that the land was the Great American Desert and unfit for anyone to live there except Indians. As American settlement advanced, Indians (including the Five Civilized Tribes) were relocated to Indian Territory. Over one hundred years later, Oklahoma became the 46th state. It is a land of wheat fields, cattle ranches, mountains, woods, lakes, and oil wells. Tulsa, Oklahoma was once the oil capitol of the world. The state's history, however, is intertwined with tribal history. Today, true to its name, Oklahoma is still the home of many Red People. (Oklahoma means red people in the Choctaw language.)

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003