Missouri facts for kids

Missouri is a state located in the Midwestern United States. It ranks 21st in land area among U.S. states. Missouri shares borders with eight other states: Iowa to the north; Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee to the east (across the Mississippi River); Arkansas to the south; and Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska to the west.

The southern part of Missouri is home to the Ozarks, a beautiful forested highland known for its timber, minerals, and outdoor activities. The St. Francois Mountains in this region are incredibly old, about 1.5 billion years old! The state is named after the Missouri River, which flows through its center and joins the Mississippi River, forming Missouri's eastern border. With over six million people, Missouri is the 19th most populated state in the country. Its largest cities are St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, and Columbia. The state capital is Jefferson City.

People have lived in what is now Missouri for at least 12,000 years. The Mississippian culture built large cities and mounds here starting in the 800s AD. Native American groups like the Osage and Missouria lived in the area when Europeans arrived in the 1600s. The French claimed the land as part of Louisiana, founding towns like Ste. Genevieve in 1735 and St. Louis in 1764. After a short time under Spanish rule, the United States bought Missouri as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Many American settlers moved to the new Missouri Territory, and Missouri became a key starting point for westward expansion. It joined the U.S. as a slave state in 1821 through the Missouri Compromise. During the American Civil War, Missouri was a "border state," meaning it had divided loyalties and saw a lot of fighting. After the war, both Greater St. Louis and the Kansas City metropolitan area grew into major industrial and business centers.

Today, Missouri is divided into 114 counties and the special independent city of St. Louis. It's known by nicknames like the "Mother of the West," the "Cave State," and the "Show Me State." Missouri's culture is a mix of Midwestern and Southern influences. It's the birthplace of music styles like ragtime, Kansas City jazz, and St. Louis blues. You can also find delicious Kansas City-style barbecue and St. Louis-style barbecue throughout the state.

Missouri is famous for brewing beer, being home to Anheuser-Busch, one of the world's largest beer companies. It also produces Missouri wine, especially in the Missouri Rhineland. Outside the big cities, popular places to visit include the Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake, and Branson. Some large companies based in Missouri include Cerner, Express Scripts, Monsanto, and H&R Block. Important universities here are the University of Missouri, Saint Louis University, and Washington University in St. Louis.

Understanding Missouri: Name and Nicknames

The Name Missouri: Its Origin and Sound

The state of Missouri gets its name from the Missouri River. The river, in turn, was named after the Missouria people, an indigenous tribe who spoke a Siouan language. French colonists heard their name as Wimihsoorita, which means "One who has dugout canoes."

You might hear people say "Missouri" in a few different ways. The most common pronunciations sound like "mih-ZUR-ee" or "mih-ZUR-uh." Even people who live in Missouri might use different pronunciations! Experts say there's no single "correct" way to say it. Sometimes, people even write it as "Missour-ee" or "Missour-uh" to show how it sounds.

Missouri's Famous Nicknames

Missouri doesn't have an official state nickname, but it's widely known as the "Show Me State." This phrase even appears on its license plates. One popular story says it came from a speech by Congressman Willard Vandiver in 1899. He said, "I'm from Missouri, and you have got to show me," meaning he was skeptical and needed proof. This idea of being "from Missouri" means you're not easily convinced. Some researchers believe the phrase was used even before the 1890s. Another idea is that it refers to Missouri miners who went to Colorado and needed frequent instructions because they were new to the mining methods there.

Other nicknames for Missouri include "The Lead State" and "The Mother of the West." It's also called the "Cave State" because it has over 7,300 recorded caves, which is the second-highest number in the U.S. Perry County has the most caves and the longest single cave in the state.

Missouri's official state motto is "Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto." This is a Latin phrase that means "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law."

Missouri's Past: A Look at History

Early Settlements and Cultures

Archaeological digs along Missouri's river valleys show that people have lived here since about 9000 BCE. Around 1000 CE, the Mississippian culture built important centers at what is now St. Louis and across the Mississippi River at Cahokia. These cities had thousands of homes and are famous for their huge earthwork mounds. These mounds were used for religious, political, and social reasons. Cahokia was a major trading hub, connecting areas from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. This civilization faded by 1400 CE, and most of its people left before Europeans arrived.

For a long time in the 1700s, the land that became Missouri was mostly empty, acting as a peaceful buffer between different Native American tribes. French traders and missionaries explored the whole Mississippi Valley and called the area "Louisiana." French Canadian settlers began crossing the Mississippi River around 1750, creating the first European settlement in Missouri at Ste. Genevieve. They came from villages on the east side of the river where the soil was getting worn out.

These early settlements included many enslaved African and Native American people. Their labor was very important for farming and the fur trade. Ste. Genevieve became a successful farming area, growing enough wheat, corn, and tobacco to send tons of crops downriver to New Orleans.

St. Louis was founded in 1764 by French fur traders, Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau. From 1764 to 1803, Spain controlled this area as part of New Spain. St. Louis became the main center for the fur trade with Native American tribes. Furs were shipped from St. Louis down to New Orleans and then to Europe. This trade made St. Louis an early financial hub and helped some people become very wealthy. The city grew even more after the invention of the steamboat, which made river trade much easier.

Missouri in the 1800s

In 1803, the United States bought Louisiana from France in the Louisiana Purchase. Missouri became known as the Gateway to the West because it was a major starting point for explorers and settlers heading west. St. Charles, near St. Louis, was where the Lewis and Clark Expedition began their journey up the Missouri River in 1804. St. Louis was also a key supply point for many years for people traveling west.

Many early settlers in western Missouri came from the southern U.S. and brought enslaved African Americans with them. They wanted to continue their farming culture, which relied on slavery. These settlers mostly lived in 17 counties along the Missouri River, in an area called "Little Dixie."

Missouri was hit by powerful 1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes in 1811 and 1812. Because there weren't many people living there at the time, few lives were lost.

Becoming a State in 1821

In 1821, Missouri became a state as part of the Missouri Compromise, which allowed it to be a slave state. The first temporary capital was in St. Charles. In 1826, the capital moved to its permanent location in Jefferson City, also on the Missouri River.

In 1836, an area called the Platte Purchase was added to the state's northwest corner. This made the Missouri River the border north of the Kansas River. This addition made Missouri the largest state in the Union at the time.

In the early 1830s, Mormon settlers moved to Missouri. Differences in religion and views on slavery led to conflicts between these new settlers and the older residents. The Mormon War happened in 1838, and by 1839, Mormons were forced to leave Missouri.

From the 1830s to the 1860s, Missouri's population nearly doubled every ten years. Most new people were Americans, but many Irish and German immigrants also arrived. Many German immigrants were against slavery, while some Irish immigrants supported it.

Before the American Civil War, most Missouri farmers grew just enough food for themselves. Most slaveholders owned fewer than five enslaved people. Larger farms with many enslaved people were mostly found in the "Little Dixie" area. By 1860, enslaved African Americans made up less than 10% of Missouri's population.

Missouri During the Civil War

When Southern states started leaving the Union in 1861, Missouri was divided. A special state meeting voted against leaving the Union but also didn't fully support it. After the Battle of Fort Sumter, the pro-Southern Governor Claiborne F. Jackson ordered state militia to gather in St. Louis. He secretly asked for weapons from the Confederacy. Union General Nathaniel Lyon acted quickly, surrounding the militia camp and forcing them to surrender. As Union soldiers marched the prisoners through St. Louis, a riot broke out, and some Union soldiers were killed. This event, called the Camp Jackson Affair, made the divisions in the state even worse.

Governor Jackson then appointed Sterling Price to lead the new Missouri State Guard. Union General Lyon quickly advanced, forcing Jackson and Price to leave the capital. In Neosho, Missouri, Jackson called a meeting of the state legislature, and they voted for Missouri to leave the Union. However, many pro-Union lawmakers were not there.

Because the elected governor was gone and many lawmakers were scattered, the state convention met again. They declared all state offices empty and put Hamilton Gamble in as the new governor. President Lincoln's government immediately recognized Gamble's government as the legal one. This allowed Missouri to raise pro-Union forces to fight for the Union Army.

Fighting continued between Union forces and a combined army of Missouri State Guard and Confederate troops. After some battles, the Confederate forces retreated. For the next three years, much of the fighting in Missouri was guerrilla warfare. Groups like those led by Captain William Quantrill and famous figures like Frank James and Jesse James used quick, small attacks. These groups were known for their daring actions. Stories about the James brothers became like an American "Robin Hood" myth.

Missouri in the 1900s and 2000s

From the 1890s to the 1920s, a time known as the Progressive Era, many Missouri leaders worked to end corruption and improve politics, government, and society. Joseph "Holy Joe" Folk was a key leader who became governor in 1904. He worked to make Missouri a leader in public morality and strict law enforcement. He helped pass laws to regulate elections, improve education, and control child labor.

Between the Civil War and the end of World War II, Missouri changed from a mostly farming economy to one that included industry and services. The growth of railroads made Kansas City a major transportation center. The cattle industry and refrigerated train cars also made Kansas City a big meatpacking hub. The first half of the 1900s was a very important time for Kansas City, and its downtown area saw many new Art Deco skyscrapers being built.

In 1930, a serious illness called diphtheria spread near Springfield, killing about 100 people. Doctors quickly brought medicine to the area and stopped the outbreak.

In the mid-1950s and 1960s, cities like St. Louis and Kansas City lost many jobs in railroads and manufacturing. This was similar to what happened in other industrial cities in the Midwest. In 1956, St. Charles claims to be where the first interstate highway project began. These new highways made it easy for people to move from cities to newer homes in the suburbs. Today, these major cities have been working to create new types of economies and adapt to changes in their populations.

Missouri Today: The 21st Century

In 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture decided to move some of its offices to Kansas City. This, along with projects like the KC Streetcar and the Sprint Center Arena, has brought new offices, hotels, and homes to downtown Kansas City. Both Kansas City and St. Louis are seeing their downtown areas grow with new developments and renovated historic buildings.

Missouri's Landscape and Weather

Missouri shares its borders with eight different states, which is a lot! Only its neighbor, Tennessee, borders as many. Missouri is bordered by Iowa to the north; Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee across the Mississippi River to the east; Arkansas to the south; and Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska (across the Missouri River) to the west. The Missouri Bootheel is a unique part of the state that extends south between the St. Francis and Mississippi rivers. The two biggest rivers are the Mississippi, which forms the state's eastern border, and the Missouri River, which flows through the state from west to east. These rivers connect the two largest cities, Kansas City and St. Louis.

Missouri is usually considered part of the Midwest. However, because many early settlers came from the South and it was a slave state before the Civil War, some people historically saw it as a "border state." The "Little Dixie" counties along the Missouri River had the most enslaved people.

In 2005, Missouri's national parks and other recreational areas welcomed over 16 million visitors. These natural spaces bring in millions of dollars each year.

Missouri's Land Features

North of the Missouri River, and in some places just south of it, you'll find the Northern Plains. These rolling hills were shaped by glaciers long ago. Missouri also has many tall bluffs along the Mississippi, Missouri, and Meramec Rivers. Southern Missouri is home to the Ozark Mountains, which are a dissected plateau surrounding the very old St. Francois Mountains. This area also has karst topography, meaning it has lots of sinkholes and caves because of the high amount of limestone in the ground.

The southeastern part of the state is called the Missouri Bootheel. This region is the lowest, flattest, warmest, and wettest part of Missouri. It's also very fertile, with cotton and rice being the main crops. The Bootheel was the center of the four major New Madrid Earthquakes in 1811 and 1812.

Missouri's Climate and Weather

Missouri generally has a humid continental climate. This means it has cool, sometimes cold, winters and hot, humid, and wet summers. In the southern part of the state, especially in the Bootheel, the climate is more humid subtropical. Because Missouri is in the middle of the United States, far from large mountains or oceans, it often experiences extreme temperatures. Its weather is influenced by cold air from the Arctic and hot, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico. The highest temperature ever recorded in Missouri was 118°F (48°C) in Warsaw and Union on July 14, 1954. The lowest was -40°F (-40°C), also in Warsaw, on February 13, 1905.

Missouri is located in Tornado Alley, so it often experiences severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. On May 22, 2011, a very powerful EF-5 tornado hit Joplin, killing 158 people and destroying about a third of the city. This tornado caused billions of dollars in damage and was one of the deadliest in American history. St. Louis and its suburbs have also been hit by severe tornadoes, including an EF4 tornado that damaged Lambert-St. Louis International Airport on April 22, 2011. One of the worst tornadoes in American history struck St. Louis on May 27, 1896, killing at least 255 people.

Monthly normal high and low temperatures for various Missouri cities in °F (°C).
City	Avg.	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Columbia	High	37 (3)	44 (7)	55 (13)	66 (19)	75 (24)	84 (29)	89 (32)	87 (31)	79 (26)	68 (20)	53 (12)	42 (6)	65.0 (18.3)
Columbia	Low	18 (−8)	23 (−5)	33 (1)	43 (6)	53 (12)	62 (17)	66 (19)	64 (18)	55 (13)	44 (7)	33 (1)	22 (−6)	43.0 (6.1)
Kansas City	High	36 (2)	43 (6)	54 (12)	65 (18)	75 (24)	84 (29)	89 (32)	87 (31)	79 (26)	68 (20)	52 (11)	40 (4)	64.4 (18.0)
Kansas City	Low	18 (−8)	23 (−5)	33 (1)	44 (7)	54 (12)	63 (17)	68 (20)	66 (19)	57 (14)	46 (8)	33 (1)	22 (−6)	44.0 (6.7)
Springfield	High	42 (6)	48 (9)	58 (14)	68 (20)	76 (24)	85 (29)	90 (32)	90 (32)	81 (27)	71 (22)	56 (13)	46 (8)	67.6 (19.8)
Springfield	Low	22 (−6)	26 (−3)	35 (2)	44 (7)	53 (12)	62 (17)	67 (19)	66 (19)	57 (14)	46 (8)	35 (2)	26 (−3)	45.0 (7.2)
St. Louis	High	40 (4)	45 (7)	56 (13)	67 (19)	76 (24)	85 (29)	89 (32)	88 (31)	80 (27)	69 (21)	56 (13)	43 (6)	66.2 (19.0)
St. Louis	Low	24 (−4)	28 (−2)	37 (3)	47 (8)	57 (14)	67 (19)	71 (22)	69 (21)	61 (16)	49 (9)	38 (3)	27 (−3)	48.0 (8.9)
Source:

Missouri's Wildlife and Forests

Missouri has a wide variety of plants and animals, including some species found only here. The state has a lot of fresh water from the Mississippi River, Missouri River, Table Rock Lake, and Lake of the Ozarks, plus many smaller rivers, streams, and lakes. North of the Missouri River, the state has rolling hills like the Great Plains. South of the Missouri River, you'll find forests mainly made up of oak and hickory trees.

Missouri's public forests, like the Mark Twain National Forest, are used for recreation and business. After World War II, more people started using these forests for fishing, hiking, camping, and logging. In the 1930s and 1940s, people like Aldo Leopold worked to protect forest areas that felt wild and untouched. Their efforts led to the Wilderness Act of 1964, which set aside wilderness areas where nature is preserved and humans are only visitors.

How Missouri is Governed

Missouri's government is set up with three main parts: the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. This is outlined in the Constitution of Missouri, which was adopted in 1945.

The legislative branch makes the laws. It has two groups: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together, they are called the Missouri General Assembly. The House has 163 members, and the Senate has 34 members.

The judicial branch interprets the laws. It includes the Supreme Court of Missouri (with seven judges), the Missouri Court of Appeals (which hears appeals in Kansas City, St. Louis, and Springfield), and 45 local trial courts called Circuit Courts.

The executive branch carries out the laws. It is led by the Governor of Missouri and includes five other statewide elected officials.

Harry S Truman (1884–1972), who became the 33rd President of the United States, was born in Lamar. He served as a judge and then as a U.S. Senator for Missouri before becoming Vice President. After his presidency, he lived in Independence.

Missouri's People and Culture

Population and Diversity in Missouri

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1810	19,783		—
1820	66,586		236.6%
1830	140,455		110.9%
1840	383,702		173.2%
1850	682,044		77.8%
1860	1,182,012		73.3%
1870	1,721,295		45.6%
1880	2,168,380		26.0%
1890	2,679,185		23.6%
1900	3,106,665		16.0%
1910	3,293,335		6.0%
1920	3,404,055		3.4%
1930	3,629,367		6.6%
1940	3,784,664		4.3%
1950	3,954,653		4.5%
1960	4,319,813		9.2%
1970	4,676,501		8.3%
1980	4,916,686		5.1%
1990	5,117,073		4.1%
2000	5,595,211		9.3%
2010	5,988,927		7.0%
2020	6,154,913		2.8%
Source: 1910–2020

As of July 1, 2019, Missouri's population was estimated to be over 6.1 million people. More than half of all Missourians live in the state's two largest metropolitan areas: St. Louis and Kansas City. Missouri's population density is very close to the national average.

Many immigrants have come to Missouri. In 2018, the top countries of origin for immigrants were Mexico, China, India, Vietnam, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The largest ancestry groups in Missouri are German, Irish, English, American, and French. German Americans are found throughout the state. African Americans make up a large part of the population in St. Louis, Kansas City, and some areas along the Missouri River Valley. Kansas City has growing immigrant communities from Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

In 2004, about 3.4% of Missouri's population was born outside the U.S. About 5.1% of residents reported speaking a language other than English at home.

Missouri racial breakdown of population

Racial composition	1990	2000	2010	2020
White	87.7%	84.9%	82.8%	77.0%
Black	10.7%	11.3%	11.6%	11.4%
Asian	0.8%	1.1%	1.6%	2.2%
Native	0.4%	0.4%	0.5%	0.5%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander	–	0.1%	0.1%	0.2%
Other race	0.4%	0.8%	1.3%	2.1%
Two or more races	–	1.5%	2.1%	6.7%

Languages Spoken in Missouri

Most people in Missouri speak English. A small number of people, about 5.1%, speak another language at home. Spanish is spoken in Latino communities in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas.

Missouri is also home to a very rare dialect of French called Missouri French. The people who speak it are descendants of French pioneers from the late 1600s. This dialect developed separately from French spoken in Canada and Louisiana. Today, very few elderly people still speak Missouri French, and it is almost gone.

Religion in Missouri

A study in 2014 showed that 80% of Missourians identify with a religion. Most of these, 77%, are Christians. The other 3% follow non-Christian religions. The remaining 20% do not identify with a religion.

Many different Christian groups are present in Missouri. The largest groups include the Southern Baptist Convention, the Roman Catholic Church, and the United Methodist Church. There are also communities of Mormons, Jewish people, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus.

Several religious organizations have their main offices in Missouri. These include the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod in Kirkwood and the United Pentecostal Church International in Hazelwood, both near St. Louis. Independence, near Kansas City, is a headquarters for several Latter-day Saint groups. Springfield is known as a Christian center and is home to the Assemblies of God USA.

Missouri's Economy and Industries

In 2023, Missouri's total economic output was estimated at $422 billion. The average income per person in 2023 was $61,302. Major industries in Missouri include aerospace, transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, printing, electrical equipment, and financial services. Beer production is also a big industry.

Missouri is a strong agricultural state. Its main farm products are beef, soybeans, pork, dairy products, hay, corn, poultry, sorghum, cotton, rice, and eggs. Missouri ranks 6th in the U.S. for hog production and 7th for cattle. It's also in the top five states for soybean production and fourth for rice. In 2001, Missouri had the second-highest number of farms in any state, after Texas. The state is also actively growing its wine industry. Agriculture adds $33 billion to Missouri's economy and supports over 378,000 jobs.

Missouri has large amounts of limestone. Other important minerals mined here are lead, coal, and crushed stone. Missouri produces more lead than any other state. Most lead mines are in the central eastern part of the state. Missouri also ranks first or close to first in producing lime, which is used to make Portland cement.

The state also has a growing science, agricultural technology, and biotechnology field. Monsanto, once a very large biotech company, was based in St. Louis until it was bought by Bayer AG in 2018.

Tourism is also very important to Missouri's economy. People visit the state's many rivers, lakes, caves, and parks. Besides state parks, Missouri is home to Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis and the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. A popular show cave is Meramec Caverns in Stanton.

Missouri is unique because it's the only state with two Federal Reserve Banks. One is in Kansas City, serving western Missouri and several other states. The other is in St. Louis, serving eastern Missouri and parts of other states.

Getting Around Missouri: Transportation

Airports in Missouri

Missouri has two main airports: St. Louis Lambert International Airport and Kansas City International Airport. In southern Missouri, the Springfield–Branson National Airport (SGF) offers many direct flights. People in Mid-Missouri use Columbia Regional Airport (COU) to fly to cities like Chicago, Dallas, or Denver.

Rail Travel in Missouri

Two of the nation's busiest rail centers are in Missouri. Kansas City is a major hub for several large railroad companies. It's the second-largest freight rail center in the U.S. (but handles the most weight). Like Kansas City, St. Louis is a major destination for train freight. Springfield is also an important operational center for BNSF Railway.

Amtrak passenger trains serve many cities in Missouri, including Kansas City, St. Louis, Jefferson City, and Springfield. There are plans for a high-speed rail route in Missouri as part of a larger network.

The only urban light rail system in Missouri is MetroLink, which connects St. Louis with suburbs in Illinois and St. Louis County. The KC Streetcar in downtown Kansas City opened in May 2016.

The Gateway Multimodal Transportation Center in St. Louis is the state's largest multi-use transportation center. It's in downtown St. Louis and serves as a hub for MetroLink, the MetroBus system, Greyhound, Amtrak, and taxis.

Bus Services in Missouri

Many cities in Missouri have regular bus systems, and many rural counties have public transit services. Companies like Greyhound and Trailways offer bus service between cities in Missouri.

Rivers for Transportation

The Mississippi River and Missouri River can be used by commercial boats and barges along their entire lengths in Missouri. The Missouri River was made deeper for boats, and the Mississippi River has a series of locks and dams to help boats travel. St. Louis is a major destination for barge traffic on the Mississippi.

Roads and Highways in Missouri

Missouri has a large network of roads and highways. After a special vote in 2004, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) started a program to improve many miles of highways. This program aimed to make roads smoother and safer. From 2006 to 2011, the number of traffic deaths in Missouri decreased each year.

Major Cities and Towns in Missouri

Largest cities or towns in Missouri Source:
Rank	Name	Pop.
1	Kansas City	509,297
2	St. Louis	286,578
3	Springfield	170,067
4	Columbia	128,555
5	Independence	121,202
6	Lee's Summit	103,465
7	O'Fallon	93,663
8	St. Charles	71,184
9	St. Joseph	70,656
10	Blue Springs	59,518

Jefferson City is the capital city of Missouri. The five largest cities in the state are Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia, and Independence.

St. Louis is the main city of Missouri's largest metropolitan area. This area includes 17 counties and the independent city of St. Louis, with eight of its counties in Illinois. In 2022, the St. Louis metropolitan area had about 2.80 million people. Some of the major cities in the St. Louis metro area in Missouri include O'Fallon, St. Charles, and Chesterfield.

Kansas City is Missouri's largest city and the main city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. This area includes 14 counties, with five of them in Kansas. In 2022, it was the 31st-largest metropolitan area in the U.S., with about 2.21 million people. Other major cities in the Kansas City metro area in Missouri include Independence, Lee's Summit, and Blue Springs.

Springfield is Missouri's third-largest city and the main city of the Springfield-Branson Metropolitan Area. This area has a population of 549,423 and includes seven counties in southwestern Missouri. Branson is a popular tourist spot in the Ozarks.

Learning in Missouri: Education

Missouri's Education System

The Missouri State Board of Education oversees all public education in Missouri. It has eight members chosen by the governor and approved by the Missouri Senate.

Children in Missouri must attend school from ages seven to seventeen. If a child between five and seven is enrolled in public school, they must attend regularly. Missouri schools are usually divided into elementary school, middle school or junior high school, and high school. The public school system goes from kindergarten to 12th grade. High school sports and competitions are managed by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA).

Homeschooling is allowed in Missouri and is a way to meet the school attendance requirement. The state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not monitor or regulate homeschooling.

A special school for gifted students is the Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics and Computing, located at Northwest Missouri State University.

Colleges and Universities in Missouri

The University of Missouri System is the state's public university system. The largest university in the state is the University of Missouri in Columbia. Other universities in the system include University of Missouri–Kansas City, University of Missouri–St. Louis, and Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Missouri started several teacher training schools, which are now universities like Truman State University, the University of Central Missouri, and Missouri State University. Lincoln University and Harris–Stowe State University were founded in the mid-1800s and are historically black colleges and universities.

Among private schools, Washington University in St. Louis and Saint Louis University are two highly-ranked universities in the U.S. There are also many junior colleges, trade schools, and other private universities. A.T. Still University was the first medical school in the world to focus on osteopathic medicine.

Missouri offers a $2000 scholarship called Bright Flight to the top three percent of high school graduates who attend a university in the state.

The old border rivalries between Missouri and Kansas continue in sports, especially between the University of Missouri and University of Kansas. This was the oldest college rivalry west of the Mississippi River. Even though Missouri left the Big 12 Conference in 2012, the rivalry between the two universities is still strong.

Missouri's Culture: Music, Literature, and Sports

Music from Missouri

Many famous musicians were born or lived in Missouri. These include rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry, singer and actress Josephine Baker, "Queen of Rock" Tina Turner, pop singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow, and rappers Nelly, Chingy, and Akon. All of them are from or have lived in St. Louis.

Country singers from Missouri include Chris Janson, Sara Evans, Ferlin Husky, and Porter Wagoner. Rapper Eminem was born in St. Joseph and also lived in Kansas City. Ragtime composer Scott Joplin lived in St. Louis and Sedalia. Jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker lived in Kansas City.

The Kansas City Symphony and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra are the state's main orchestras. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest in the nation. Branson is well-known for its many music theaters, often named after famous performers.

Missouri in Literature

Missouri is the home state of famous author Mark Twain. His classic novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are set in his childhood hometown of Hannibal. Other well-known authors from St. Louis include Kate Chopin, T. S. Eliot, and Tennessee Williams. Kansas City-born writer William Least Heat-Moon lives in Rocheport and is famous for his book Blue Highways. Novelist Daniel Woodrell, who writes about life in the Missouri Ozarks, was born in Springfield.

Missouri in Film

Filmmaker and animator Walt Disney spent part of his childhood in Marceline and started his artistic career in Kansas City, where he founded the Laugh-O-Gram Studio.

Several movies have been made based on Mark Twain's novels. The musical Meet Me in St. Louis is about the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. Parts of the movie National Lampoon's Vacation were filmed in Missouri. The Thanksgiving movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles was partly shot at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. The award-winning 2010 film Winter's Bone was filmed in the Missouri Ozarks. Up in the Air, starring George Clooney, was filmed in St. Louis. The 1973 movie Paper Moon was partly filmed in St. Joseph. Most of the HBO film Truman (1995) was filmed in Kansas City and Independence. Gone Girl, a 2014 film, was filmed in Cape Girardeau.

Sports in Missouri

Missouri hosted the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, which was the first time the games were held in the United States.

Missouri is home to several professional major league sports teams:

• MLB: St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals
• NFL: Kansas City Chiefs
• NHL: St. Louis Blues
• MLS: St. Louis City SC

Some former professional major league teams that played in Missouri include:

• National Football League:
  • St. Louis Cardinals (moved to Arizona)
  • St. Louis Rams (moved from Los Angeles, then back to Los Angeles)
• Major League Baseball (American League):
  • St. Louis Browns (moved to Baltimore)
  • Kansas City Athletics (moved to Oakland)
• National Basketball Association:
  • St. Louis Bombers
  • St. Louis Hawks (moved to Atlanta)
  • Kansas City Kings (moved to Sacramento)
• National Hockey League:
  • Kansas City Scouts (moved to Denver, then New Jersey)
  • St. Louis Eagles
• Major League Soccer:
  • Kansas City Wiz/Kansas City Wizards (moved to Kansas City, Kansas)

Images for kids

• 

  Map of Southwest Missouri Railroad Company c 1907

See also

In Spanish: Misuri para niños