Ad astra per aspera (Latin) ("To the stars through difficulties") | ||||||||
| Capital | Dodge City | |||||||
| Largest City | Garden City | |||||||
| Other Cities | Great Bend, Hays, Liberal | |||||||
| Language | English | |||||||
| Demonym | Kansan, Jayhawker | |||||||
| Legislature | Kansas Legislature | |||||||
| Governor | John Doll (R) | |||||||
| Lieutenant Governor | Ron Ryckman (R) | |||||||
| Area | 40,201 sq mi | |||||||
| Population | 231,578 (2020 Census) | |||||||
| Admission | January 29, 1861 (USA) | |||||||
| Currency | Buffalo Dollar | |||||||
| Abbreviations | KS | |||||||
Kansas is a state in the United States of America, admitted as a free state January 29, 1861, on the brink of the American Civil War. It had been a hotbed of violence as factions had fought to have it declared a slave state. It was one of three new states added to strengthen the war effort in the north.
In the days after the Soviet attacks in 1983, local leaders struggled with their identity as Americans. After particpating with neighboring states in the Lakota War, they briefly declared itself the "Free State of West Kansas" in 1991, but joined with other former US states to form the "Provisional United States of America" the next year. Reclaiming the name "Kansas" the government in Dodge City claimed the original boundaries, but the thirty participating counties of west Kansas (approx 22,000 sq mi) are generally recognized as the "official" Kansas.
History[]
Pre-Doomsday[]
For millennia, the land that is presently Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans. The first European to set foot in present-day Kansas was Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, who explored the area in 1541.
In 1803, most of modern Kansas was secured by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Southwest Kansas, however, was still a part of Spain, Mexico, and the Republic of Texas until the conclusion of the Mexican-American War in 1848. From 1812 to 1821, Kansas was part of the Missouri Territory. The Santa Fe Trail traversed Kansas from 1821 to 1880, transporting manufactured goods from Missouri and silver and furs from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Wagon ruts from the trail are still visible in the prairie today.
In 1827, Fort Leavenworth became the first permanent settlement of white Americans in the future state. The Kansas-Nebraska Act became law on May 30, 1854, establishing the U.S. territories of Nebraska and Kansas, and opening the area to broader settlement by whites. Kansas Territory stretched all the way to the Continental Divide and included the sites of present-day Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo.
Missouri and Arkansas sent settlers into Kansas all along its eastern border. These settlers attempted to sway votes in favor of slavery. The secondary settlement of Americans in Kansas Territory were abolitionists from Massachusetts and other Free-Staters, who attempted to stop the spread of slavery from neighboring Missouri. Directly presaging the American Civil War, these forces collided, entering into skirmishes that earned the territory the name of Bleeding Kansas. Kansas was admitted to the United States as a slave-free state on January 29, 1861, making it the 34th state to enter the Union. By that time the violence in Kansas had largely subsided.
After the Civil War, many veterans constructed homesteads in Kansas. Many African Americans also looked to Kansas as the land of "John Brown," and led by men like Benjamin "Pap" Singleton began establishing black colonies in the state. At the same time, the Chisholm Trail was opened and the Wild West era commenced in Kansas. In one year alone, 8 million head of cattle from Texas boarded trains in Dodge City bound for the East, earning Dodge the nickname "Queen of the Cowtowns."
In part as a response to the violence perpetrated by cowboys, on February 19, 1881 Kansas became the first U.S. state to adopt a Constitutional amendment prohibiting all alcoholic beverages.
In the 20th century, Kansas was adversely affected by severe drought in the 1930's. This disaster, coupled with the Great Depression, resulted in a decrease in the population of the state. With the economy and weather stabilizing during and after World War II, Kansas rebounded.
However, the early history of problematic race relations returned, bringing about the historic Brown vs the Board of Education of Topeka case before the US Supreme Court which outlawed "separate, but equal" facilities (May 17, 1954). Such facilities were judged inherently "unequal" and thus a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
In 1966, the weather proved still to be a problem in Kansas, with thunderstorms instead of drought. On June 8th of that year a rare "K5" tornado tore through the western half of the state, causing damage amounting to over $100 million.
Doomsday[]
With military targets located in the more heavily populated east, the population there -- including the state government -- was obliterated on September 25, 1983. However, the sparsely populated western part of the state was mainly unscathed. However, communications were totally severed from both state and federal agencies.
As the winter approached, many thought "nuclear winter" would overwhelm the state, so an emergency government was set up in Dodge City, rallying the government agencies in surrounding counties to provide food and shelter for local residents first, and then to refugees as they began to come into town from the devastated east. Food and shelter was rationed to endure the winter and, since "nuclear winter" did not come, there was plenty for everyone. However when the summer proved to be more severe, many feared a "dust bowl" as had hit fifty years earlier. Adjustments were made to the changing weather patterns, though, and famine was averted.
One of the biggest problems was the fallout from the bombardment of the silos near Cheyenne. The prevailing winds had dropped a moderate amount of ash and dust onto the central part of the state, leaving a certain part of the population mildly irradiated due to exposure in the early weeks after Doomsday. Some, who had not heeded public warnings before the bombs began to fall, would contract severe radiation sickness and die within weeks of exposure. Others, who had simply disregarded safety protocol, would begin to develop cancers over the years.
In these chaotic days, state representative and speaker of the Kansas House Mike Hayden (who had been at home in Colby when his office and many of his friends were destroyed) became a natural leader among the survivor communities that became the de facto "state of Kansas." As a result, he became the interim "governor" of the settlements, serving as a representative to the constitutional convention after serving as an officer in the Kansas militia during the Lakota War. As a result, he is considered the 41st governor of Kansas by modern political historians.
Rebirth of a state[]
By the end of the Lakota War in nearby Wyoming and Montana, the survivors in western Kansas had begun to form associations to better cope with life cut off from friends and relatives in other parts of North America. The historic town of Dodge City became a regional gathering place for influential leaders which included former county governments, state representatives, and federal employees who had been serving in federal court houses in Dodge City and Garden City. Mike Hayden served as "governor" when the association declared itself the "Free State of West Kansas" in 1991.
This independence, though, lasted less than a year as the population overwhelmingly agreed to rejoin then Provisional United States under the restored constitution of 1991. The state's official name reverted to simply "Kansas" in 1992.
more to come ...
Geography[]
Kansas is mostly set in the Great Plains which happen to be great for farming. It also helps it is set within the Arkansas River Basin which is good for water when not in a drought. Kansas's highest point is Mount Sunflower at 4,039 ft which is owned by a couple of farmers in Wallace County, Kansas. Most of the population of Kansas lives near the Arkansas River with some of its largest cities (Garden City, Dodge City, and Great Bend) being on the river. Kansas has full control over the 31 most western "original" counties with more shakier control over the next 2 columns of Counties but still has full control over the major highways (Old US and Kansas level), anything along the Arkansas River, and the cities of Great Bend, Pratt, Russell, and Hays inside the 2 columns of counties. Other than the major cities previously listed, raiders cause havoc across trade convoys and local farms because of minimal frontier force action.
Adjacent States and Nations[]
- North - Nebraska
- South - Cimarron
- West - Colorado
- East - Hutchinson (Nation)
Government and Politics[]
Election of 2010/2012[]
Senator Samuel Dale "Sam" Brownback, 45th governor of Kansas (fourth of the new state), after two terms as a senator in Torrington and a term in the governor's chair already under his belt, won decisively against Democratic challenger John Doll to continue in his office. Brownback had been a survivor in the hectic days in Manhattan, Kansas, after the destruction of Kansas City. Having migrated with his young family to the safety of the west, he had become prominent in the early efforts of the state's restructuring in Dodge City. A signer of the revised constitution in 1991, he was elected to continue as a representative of the new state that year. After a term in the House, he was elected in 1994 to the Senate. Some political analysts predict he may choose to run for president in 2012, but he denied this rumor. It was later confirmed that Brownback was lying as he did run in the Republican primary, but failed to get more primary votes then Vice President Mike Simpson. Simpson later chose Brownback as Running Mate at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Butte, Montana. Simpson and Brownback later won the 2012 election and Kansas's own Brownback became the Vice President of the United States.
2016 Election[]
Sam Brownback was reelected vice president with Kansas voting about 27 points Republican.
2024 Election[]
The State of Kansas was the 2nd most Republican state this election voting for its own Sam Brownback by over 38.7% more then Heidi Heitkamp. The only state more Republican then Kansas was Cimarron which voted about 9 points more Republican. Brownback ended up losing the presidential election. This election, Kansas reelected Republican Senator Tracy Mann and elected eight Seats for the House of Representatives, Six Republican Wins, One Democrat Win, One Ranchers Party Win, with a Republican seat flipping to the Ranchers Party.
Culture[]
Sports[]
Baseball[]
The Kansas Royals represent Kansas in the United States Baseball League taking there name from the former Kansas City Royals from what used to be Kansas City. They play at Buck O'Neil Stadium at 600 W Ross Blvd, Dodge City, KS.
Football[]
The Dodge City Chiefs represent Dodge City and Kansas in the North American Football League taking their name from the former Kansas City Chiefs from the crater of Kansas City. They are based in Dodge City's New Memorial Stadium at 400 W Comanche St, Dodge City, KS.
Education[]
One of the main institute of Post-Secondary learning in Kansas is the University of Kansas in Dodge City. The university is a shell of what it used to be back before Doomsday. The University currently teaches about half of the students it used to teach from before Doomsday with similar acceptance rates. Fort Hays State University takes the place of KU's main rival with similar amounts of students
Media[]
Newspapers[]
Kansas has 3 major newspaper networks. The Garden City Telegram, the Dodge City Daily Globe, and the Kansas Star. The Garden City Telegram publishes 6 days a week, The Dodge City Daily Globe publishes daily, and the Kansas Star publishes weekly and is headquartered in Hays, Kansas. It is named after the Kansas City Star which was destroyed during Doomsday.
Weatherman on KBSD reporting the temperature highs for Feb 14, 2025.
Television[]
Kansas has 3 main news networks which are KBS with CBS on channels 12, 7 and 6, KTN with ABC on channels 13 and 4, and the PBS' Smoky Hills Public Television on channels 21 and 9.
KUPKKAKEland Television Network (KTN)[]
The Former KAKEland (now KUPKKAKEland) Television Network (KTN) branch in Garden City is now the main broadcasting station for KTN and is affiliated with ABC. It broadcasts anything from news to sports to politics.
Kansas Broadcasting System (KBS)[]
The Former Kansas Broadcasting System (KBS) branch in Gray County, Kansas is now the main broadcasting channel for KBS and is affiliated with CBS. It broadcasts anything from weather and news to Sunday cartoons. They famously sent one of their reporters into the center of Greensburg during a very dangerous tornado and the reporter nearly got sucked into the tornado while reporting on the situation.
Smoky Hills Public Television (Public Broadcasting Service/PBS)[]
Smoky Hills Public Television broadcasts under KDCK/KOOK for PBS (not just affiliated) in Dodge City/Hays. They first aired merely a year before Doomsday and airs things like many high school sports games, and stuff about public affairs.
Radio[]
Most radio stations occupy Kansas' 3 major cities which are Hays, Dodge City, and Garden City. A couple transmit from Great Bend.
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