American Government
Missouri History & Government
Missouri History
• First Inhabitants to Today
First Inhabitants
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Began with early hunters around 12,000
B.C.
Mainly hunted big game
Then progressed through to smaller
game and fish
Some lived in caves
Graham Cave State Park
By 900 A.D. Mississippian tribes
controlled much of present day Missouri
Began farming around the rivers, and
became sedentary
Missouri, Osage, Delaware, and the Shawnee
were present in Missouri
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Osage the most dominant of the Mississippian
tribes
First Inhabitants (Con’t)
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By the beginning of the early 1700’s
Europeans began moving into
Missouri
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Europeans also devastated their
populations through diseases and war
Began pushing the Indians west
Early Explorers
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The French were the first Europeans to
explore present-day Missouri
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De La Salle took possession of Missouri for
the French
Originally known as Illinois County by the
French
In 1673 French Explorer Louis Joliet and
Father Jacques-Marquette explored from
present-day Green Bay, WI to the
Arkansas River
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Marquette was a Jesuit priest and Joliet was
an map-making explorer
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First descriptions of Missouri and Illinois
Early Explorers (Con’t)
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First permanent resident was a French
Jesuit Priest, Father Gabriel Marest
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Established a trading post in the fall of 1700
called Fort Orleans
However, his first settlement was abandoned
shortly afterwards
The first permanent settlement in
Missouri was St. Genevieve
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Established by French Canadian Farmers in
1750
In 1785 a great flood washed away St.
Genevieve
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However they did rebuild St. Genevieve
Early Explorers (Con’t)
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The Establishment of St. Louis
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In 1764, French fur traders, Pierre
Laclede and René Auguste Chouteau,
established St. Louis
Flourished due to it relative location to
the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers
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French trade with Indians flourished towards
the 1800’s
Trading of Hands
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Although Missouri was not involved in the
French and Indian War, in 1762 France
ceded territory west of the Mississippi to
Spain
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French trading and culture still the dominant
influence
Then by 1800 the land west of the
Mississippi was receded back to France
The French then sold the land west of the
Mississippi to the United States for $15
million
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Called the Louisiana Purchase
Trading of Hands (Con’t)
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Lewis and Clark Expedition
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Organized by President Thomas
Jefferson in order to get a detailed
description of the newly purchased land
The expedition set out from St. Louis in
1804 and followed the Missouri River
with their Indian guide
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Shoshone, Female Indian named Sacagawea
Made it all the way to the Pacific Ocean
and back
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Having made discoveries for the U.S.
citizens of the different types of plants,
animals, Indians, and land features
Establishment of Missouri
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New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-12
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Series of earthquakes that devastated
the area
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Estimated to be 7.0 on the Richter scale
Created tsunami like waves in the
Mississippi, giving the impression that
the Mississippi River was flowing
backwards
By 1811, the steamboat and lead
mining became the two major
industries of the territory of Missouri
Establishment of Missouri (Con’t)
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In 1812, the territory of Missouri was
established
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However the question of whether it was to
become a slave state or not became a national
debate
Missouri Compromise
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In 1821 Missouri became the 24th state that
was officially admitted as a slave state
The compromise also stated that no states
could be admitted as slave states over the
36º30’ N latitude line
Establishment of Missouri (Con’t)
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Current boundaries were established
after Native Americans gave up Platte
County in 1837
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Northwest corner of Missouri
Fur trade a major source of income
Mormons
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Founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in New York
in 1823
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Claimed to have been met by Father God, Jesus
Christ and other angels through visions
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Given the job to restore Christian Doctrine
Was given Golden Plates to translate into The Book of
Mormon
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Used stones to translate the golden plates
Took place during the “Second Great
Awakening” Period
Mormons (Con’t)
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Formed a religious group and moved
to Ohio
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Established first temple in Kirtland, Ohio
Smith toured Independence, Missouri
and encouraged followed to settle
there
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Planned to established the “City of Zion”
or the “New Jerusalem” in 1831
Mormons lived in close-knit communities
Mormons (Con’t)
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Non-Mormon Missourians were
suspicious of Mormon beliefs
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Mass meeting of Missourians drafted a
statement telling Mormons not to settle
in Jackson County
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Mormon newspaper burned, leaders tarred
and feathered
Mormons (Con’t)
• Some Mormons left, and the Church asked
governor for protections
• More violence followed, many Mormons left
• Many lost their possessions
• State legislature established Caldwell
County as new settlement site
• Far West was the main town
• Grew in population, and Mormons determined to stay
in Missouri
“Mormon Wars” in 1838
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Mormons had been started to establish
colonies in counties around Caldwell
County, angering Non Mormons
Governor Boggs raised a militia, and state that
Mormons were enemies and must be killed or
driven from state
Mormon leaders surrendered and Far West
was looted
Smith and others were court-martialed and
sentenced to be shot
Alexander Doniphan, brigadier general in
Missouri militia, refused
“Mormon Wars” in 1838 (Con’t)
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New trials and leaders either found
not guilty or escaped
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Established Nauvoo in Illinois
Joseph Smith was murdered in 1844
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Murderers acquitted
Brigham Young led Mormons on trail
north of Platte River to Salt Lake
Valley in Utah in 1847
Major Events Pre-Civil War
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Santa Fe and Oregon trails
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Both had starting points in
Independence, Westport and St. Joseph
Missouri
Individuals would caravan along the
routes to trade
Pony Express established in 1860
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Carried mail from St. Joseph, Missouri to
San Francisco, California
Stephen Austin
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Considered the “Father of Texas”
Raised during his teen years in current
Washington County Missouri
His father received a grant from Mexico to
establish the colony of Texas
Then his father died but passed on the grant to
Stephen
Stephen then moved nearly 1200 AngloAmericans to present day Texas
Eventually won independence from Mexico
Shortly after Stephen Austin died
Slavery in Missouri
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With the passage of the KansasNebraska Act in 1854, the question of
slavery was left up to those states
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Pro-slavery Missourians became very
active trying to win Kansas for the slave
cause up to the Civil War
Slavery in Missouri (Con’t)
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Bleeding Kansas
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Border war and struggle between pro
and anti-slavery individuals in Kansas
and Missouri
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Pro-Slavery individuals, mainly from
Missouri, were called “Border Ruffians”
Anti-Slavery individuals, mainly from Kansas,
were called Red-legs or Jayhawkers
Slavery in Missouri (Con’t)
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Dred Scott Decision of 1857,
Supreme Court
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African-Americans were not equal
citizens
Congress had no authority to prohibit
slavery in federal territories
African-Americans could not use federal
courts to sue
Slaves could not be taken away from
owners without due process
Election of 1860
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In 1958 Abraham Lincoln and Stephen
Douglas, ran for the Illinois senate
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The most debated question was over the
Kansas-Nebraska Act and it’s
constitutionality
Douglas won the senate seat
Both individuals ran for President in the
1860 election
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Douglas the Democrat
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Missouri the only state he won
Abraham Lincoln the Republican
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Won the election while only receiving 40% of the
popular vote
Civil War and Missouri
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Though admitted in the 1820’s as a
slave state, Missouri aligned itself
with the Union in the Civil War
Missouri’s governor Claiborne Jackson
tried to align Missouri with the
confederacy
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But Union Captain Nathaniel Lyons
forced the Jackson government to
southern Missouri
Jackson
Lyons
Civil War and Missouri (Con’t)
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Jackson then organized a militia in
southern Missouri, which was controlled by
Sterling Price
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Confederate Price and Union Lyons battled
against one another at Wilsons’ Creek on
August 10, 1861
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Confederates won, however Union soldiers maintained
controlled of most of Missouri
Guerilla Warfare continued throughout
Missouri during the Civil War
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After the Battle at Wilsons’ Creek, mainly
guerilla warfare
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Especially between Kansas and Missouri border
Civil War and Missouri (Con’t)
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General Order #11
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In response to the Lawrence Massacre, Union
General Thomas Ewing accused western
Missourians of supporting the massacre
Ewing declared order #11, which forced the
evacuation of four counties near Kansas City
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Ewing burned the cities to the ground
George Caleb Bingham painted a famous
painting called “General Order no. 11”
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Propaganda against Ewing
Constitution of 1865 and 1875
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Missouri Constitution of 1865
abolished slavery and limited the
rights of individuals who helped the
confederacy during the Civil War
Missouri Constitution of 1875 allowed
local, city governments to have some
autonomy, though still subordinate to
the state legislature
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A first in U.S. state history
Missouri Constitution of 1945
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Bill of Rights
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Popular sovereignty
Missouri subject only to U.S. constitution
Religious freedom
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No public support for religious institutions
Freedom of Speech
Due Process of Law
No Unreasonable Search and Seizure
Trial by Jury
Missouri Constitution of 1945 (Con’t)
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Bill of Rights (Con’t)
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Right to bear arms
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No concealed weapons
Compensation for eminent Domain
Right of Labor to organize and bargain
collectively
Crime victim’s rights
Executive Branch
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Governor
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30 years old
15 years a citizen of the United States
10 years a resident of Missouri
Powers
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Executive
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Manage the budget
Carry out legislation
Appointments
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Department heads, with Senate approval
Members of state boards and commissions
Vacancies in county offices
Fill Vacancies in state-wide elective offices and
Congress
Governor
Jay Nixon
Executive Branch (Con’t)
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Powers (Con’t)
Military
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Commander-in-Chief of state militia except when
called into federal service
Civil defense and disaster relief
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State of state address, recommends legislation
Direct appeal to voters
Veto, Line item of appropriations bills
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Excuse or free someone from punishment
reprieve – Delay Punishment
Commute – Lessen Punishment
Extradition
Legislative
Political Influence
Pardons and reprieves
Lieutenant Governor
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Same qualifications as Governor
Acts as governor if:
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Death, conviction, impeachment,
resignation, absence, disability of
Governor
May vote to break ties in Senate
Member of boards and commissions
Lieutenant Governor
Peter Kinder
Succession
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Lieutenant Governor
President Pro Tempore
Speaker of the House
Secretary of State
Auditor
Treasurer
Attorney General
Other state positions
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Auditor
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30 years old
Resident of state 10 years
Determines if tax money is being spent
efficiently, economically and legally
Other state positions (Con’t)
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Secretary of State
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25 years old
Resident of state for at least one year
Keeps non-financial records
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prepares ballots and certifies elections
keeper of Great Seal to authenticates official
acts of governor
Other state positions (Con’t)
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Treasurer
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Same qualifications as Secretary of State
Chief financial officer
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Nearly $17 Billion in tax revenues
Attorney General
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Must be an attorney
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Represents the legal interests of the state
Render official opinions to executive,
legislative and county prosecutors
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May start proceedings to oust corporations from
state
Departments
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Administration
Agriculture
Conservation
Corrections
Economic Development
DESE
Health
Higher Education
Departments (Con’t)
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Insurance
Labor and Industrial Relations
Mental Health
Natural Resources
Public Safety
Revenue
Social Services
Transportation
Legislative Branch
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General Assembly
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Bicameral
Sessions begin on first Monday in
January, may end in Mid-May
Special Sessions
Legislative Branch (Con’t)
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House
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Lower House
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Speaker of the House
163 Members
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Districts set by a commission after each
census
Resident of district for one year required
Term is 2 years
Legislative Branch (Con’t)
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Senate
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Upper House
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Lieutenant Governor
34 Members
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30 years old requirement
resident of district for one year required
Term is 2 years
Legislative Branch (Con’t)
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Laws
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Bills may only deal with one subject
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Must pass both houses
Governor may sign or veto
Override requires 2/3 vote of both
houses
Other Subjects
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Reapportionment
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Changing election lines to equalize population
Required with every 10 year census
Special Interest Groups
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Often involved in developing legislation
Initiative
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Change old law, make new law, change
Constitution
To Propose an initiative must have 5% of voters
in 2/3 of districts for law
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8% for Constitutional and statutory initiative
Other Subjects (Con’t)
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Referendum
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Voters may reject any act of General
Assembly
5% of voters in 2/3 of districts
Number of legal voters determined by
last election for governor
Judicial Branch
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Supreme Court
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7 Judges
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Term 12 years
Must have been citizen for 15 years
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Qualified voter for 9 years
30 Years old
Must be attorney
Judicial Branch (Con’t)
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Supreme Court (Con’t)
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Chief Justice
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Original Jurisdiction
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US statutes and Treaties
Missouri Constitutional Statutes
State Revenue Laws
Death Penalty
Appellate Jurisdiction
Judicial Branch (Con’t)
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Court of Appeals
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32 Judges
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12 year terms
Same qualifications as Supreme Court
Cases appeal from lower courts
Circuit Court
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45 Judicial Circuits
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6 year terms for judges
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4 years for associate circuit judges
Levels
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Circuit Division
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Felonies, civil cases over $25,000, probate
Two types
Grand and Petit
Judicial Branch (Con’t)
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Circuit Court (Con’t)
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Associate Circuit Division
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Municipal Division
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One Associate judge in each county
Small claims court, misdemeanors, traffic cases
with jury trial
Traffic Violations, code violations
Judges are popularly elected
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Except Appellate and Supreme Court
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Non-partisan court plan
Elections
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General Elections
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Tuesday after first Monday in November
of even numbered years
Primary elections
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First Tuesday of August of evennumbered years
Special Elections – As needed
Local Elections
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Generally first Tuesday of April
State Seal
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Bears represent strength and bravery
Salus Populi Supreme Lex Esto
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Let the Welfare of the People be the
Supreme Law