堪萨斯州小档案：
人口：约280万
面积：约213，063平方公里，排名第14位
州府：托皮卡Topeka
堪萨斯州，名称来自印第安语（苏族之语），其意义为“南风区域内的人”People of the South Wind。
1831年开始殖民。1861年1月29日成为美国34州。以向日葵花Sunflower为州花。本州别名叫做向日葵之州”Sunflower－State。本州箴言：“排除万难，追求幸福”To the Stars through Difficulties。
州府是托皮卡Topeka，位于本州东北部。大都市维契托Wichita在本州中南部，通称飞机城。这是美国中部飞机工业最大的都市。州内大专学院有53所，其中以堪萨斯大学为最著名。它位于州府以东之罗伦斯Lawrence，创于1864年。
本州特征有二：第一，它是美国大陆48州地理中心。第二，它的冬小麦产量，在美国50州中，列第1位。
本州位于美国大陆中部。北界内布拉斯加州。南邻俄克拉荷马州。西接科罗拉多州。东与密苏里州毗连。由西北角到东南角可分三区：（A）西部是高平原，面积最大，约占本州面积三分之二，高度有1千多公尺，地面已被切割，出现沟谷丘陵。（B）东北部冰碛区，面积很小，也被切割。（C）东南部是大平原区，高度只有200公尺。本区气候，冬季内已无刺骨的寒风夏季内却有薰人的暖风（墨西哥湾暖气流北上）。降雨量中等。
本州河流由于地面向东南倾斜，适合筑灌溉渠，已建有数百座小型人造湖。本州主要景观：（A）波状起伏的广大麦田（冬小麦）。（B）牧场里到处散布着牛群。（C）农舍之旁建有高耸的谷仓及秣草仓。（D）油田区内有数不清的油井铁架Oil well derricks。主要作物是冬小麦，被誉为世界早餐之州（因为近年来美国小麦畅销欧、亚、非）。其次为芦黍。牛甚多，约700万头，在50州内列第4位。平均每个州民可有牛3头。矿产有石油及天然气，产量均富。在本州中部之奥提斯有世界最大之制氦工厂。
Introduction简介
Occupying the central position in the conterminous（相接的）United States，Kansas is one of the nation’s leading agricultural states．It is 15th in size among the states．Kansas is bordered by Nebraska，Missouri，Oklahoma，and Colorado．
Kansas is rich with history．In fact，Kansas’history predates（居先）statehood and even that of the United States．From the first documented traveler，over 400years of trials，tribulations（苦难），and triumphs（胜利）have helped mold Kansas into the vibrant，prosperous，rich State we know today．
In 1540，Coronado found his way to Kansas near the present－day Lindsborg，as he was exploring the new world in search of gold．But，what he did find was land which he viewed as the best that I have ever seen for producing all the products of Spain？
Although Coronado is believed to be the first traveler to Kansas，the Native Americans were the first inhabitants．Eight Indian Tribes lived in Kansas before the coming of the white man．They included the Kansas，Osage and Pawnee．They lived in small villages and hunted buffalo（〈美〉［动］美洲野牛），raised corn，beans and squash（南瓜）．There were many reasons why Native American nations came to this land．Much like the Kansas we know today，they saw great opportunity in moving here．Buffalo as far as the eye could see roamed the prairies；the fecund（肥沃的）soil was perfect for growing crops；the many rivers and streams provided enough of a water supply to settle and live peaceful，stationary lives．
In 1719，French adventurers claimed the region for France．They came to trade with the Indians．They built Fort Orleans near the mouth of the Osage River in 1724．Kansas warriors destroyed the fort a year later．In 1762France ceded（放弃）the Louisiana territory to Spain．In 1800，the Treaty of Madrid gave the land back to France．
In 1809the United States acquired the land including Kansas in the Louisiana Purchase．The southwest corner of the state was acquired from Texas in 1850．
In 1812Missouri became a state excluding（排斥）the area of Kansas．In 1825，the federal government made Kansas Indian territory．From 1825to 1840，nearly 30tribes gave up land and moved to the Kansas territory，including the Shawnee，Delaware，Chippewa，Iowa，Wyandotte，and Kickapoo．In 1827，Col．Henry Leavenworth established Kansas’first white settlement．
The exploration of the western half of the United States probably can be considered the most important event in the development of Kansas．As the highly populated east coast began to crowd and promises of new world success diminished（减少），people followed the stories of opportunity and prosperity west．Thus，the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails opened and acted as a river of hope flowing to the Pacific Ocean．As pioneers followed dreams and fled hardship，they found Kansas to be the best of all worlds．For in Kansas，people could settle their families on wide open，farmable land，escape societal and religious persecution（迫害），and begin to live their dreams．
Unfortunately，the pioneers didn’t find themselves free of all trouble．As more and more settled，disputes［争夺（土地，胜利等）］arose among Native Americans and settlers，and settlers themselves．There just wasn’t enough of this great land to go around．A solution was to build forts（堡垒）to keep the peace and protect travelers．As a result，towns like Fort Leavenworth and（Fort）Hays were established．
In the 1840’s，Kansas lay in the path of the settlers rush to Utah and California．Some pioneers，seeing the agricultural promise of Kansas，settled here instead．Treaties with the Indians were made and broken and in 1858，gold discoveries in Colorado brought a rush of settlers through the reservations in the western part of the state．Angry indians made many raids（袭击）and uprisings（起义）that lasted until 1878．
In 1854，President Pierce signed the Kansas－Nebraska act which created the Territory of Kansas．The boundaries included much of Colorado，as well as what is now known as Pikes Peak．It also provided that regional settlers would determine if the state were to be free or slave．Bitter battles between the factions gave the name “Bleeding Kansas”to the territory．An election in 1855decided for the slavery forces．Angry “Free Staters”met in Topeka and set up a rival government but the U．S．refused to recognize that government．
Lawrence was attacked and ransacked（到处搜索，洗劫）in 1856because pro－slavery forces wanted to put an end to Lawrence residents’harboring of slaves．Retaliatory（报复的）efforts were led by John Brown，his sons，and others．These led to the Battle of Black Jack，where several hundred slave－state Missourians avenged（为……报复，报仇）Brown’s actions．Osawatomie was almost completely destroyed in a later encounter between Brown and the Missourians．