Missouri Homeland Security and Emergency Services Resources

France laid claim to Missouri in 1682 and ceded it to Spain in 1762. In 1802, the land was ceded back to France as a part of the Louisiana Territory. Anxious to get rid of the troublesome frontier, Napoleon Bonaparte sold it to the U.S. for $15,000,000 in 1803. And, in 1821, Missouri became the 24th state to enter the Union.

Missouri earned the nickname "Gateway to the West" during the California Gold Rush in 1848. Independence and Saint Louis along with several other towns became departure points for people on their way to California to seek their fortunes in gold and for people making their way to the Oregon and Santé Fe trails.

Missouri enjoys a diversified economy, manufacturing, agriculture, service industries and travel and tourism all combine to play significant roles in the economy. The states mines supply 90 percent of the nations lead and it also holds natural resources of zinc, barite, limestone, iron ore and timber.

It's one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of automobiles, only coming in second behind Michigan. Food processing is the fastest growing industry in the state, but it also holds a strong base in defense in aerospace technology. The top agriculture products include hay, corn, rice and grains. And, the state is ranked high among all the states that supply cattle, turkeys and hogs as well.

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