ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Historical outline of Missouri

Alright, so let's imagine we are going on a fun adventure through the history of Missouri, just like a storybook!

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, before any people lived in Missouri, there were lots of big, amazing animals called dinosaurs. They roamed the land, but then something happened, and all the dinosaurs disappeared. Scientists called this event an "extinction" and it happened millions and millions of years ago.

After the dinosaurs, different Native American tribes came to live in Missouri. They built houses called "wigwams" and traveled around to hunt animals and gather food. These Native Americans were very good at using the natural resources around them, like wood, animal skins, and plants for food and medicine.

Fast forward to a time when new people arrived in Missouri. The first person to explore this area was a man named Hernando de Soto, who was from Spain. He came to Missouri in 1541 and was one of the first Europeans to see this land. Others from France and Spain also began to explore and claim parts of Missouri for their countries.

But in 1803 something really big happened. The United States, under President Thomas Jefferson, bought a huge piece of land from France called the Louisiana Purchase, which included Missouri. This made Missouri a part of the United States!

Now, people from the east started coming to Missouri. They brought with them things like wagons, tools, and even horses! They built towns and cities, and soon the land was filled with farms and fields. People planted crops like corn and wheat, and raised animals like cows and pigs. It became a very busy place!

But there was a problem. Some people wanted to have slaves, who were treated very badly and were not allowed to be free. Other people thought this was wrong and wanted to stop it. This caused a big disagreement and led to the American Civil War, which was fought from 1861 to 1865. Missouri was a "border state," which means it was in between the North and the South and people there had different opinions. It was a very difficult time.

After the Civil War, Missouri started to grow even more. People built factories and railroads to help with transportation. They made things like clothes, tools, and even cars! Missouri became an important state for industry and trade. People from all over came to live and work here.

Today, Missouri is filled with big cities like St. Louis and Kansas City, beautiful parks and forests, and lots of friendly people. It is known for its delicious food, like barbeque and fried chicken, and even has famous sports teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and the St. Louis Cardinals.

And there you have it, little adventurer, a brief and simplified tale of Missouri's history. Isn't history fascinating? Now, are you ready to go out and explore Missouri yourself one day?