1. Nevada: History, Contemporary Government & Constitution

2. Nevada History: Fremont Expedition (1840s) Utah Territory (until 1861)
Nevada Territory (1861 – 1864
Role of Joseph Nye – Nevada and President Lincoln (why statehood?)
1st Constitutional Convention (1863)
2nd Constitutional Convention (1864)
Longest telegram ever transmitted
Statehood: October 31st, 1864
Election – landslide for Lincoln
Ratification of the 13th Amendment

3. Nevada “Rush for Washoe” – the Comstock Lode Boom & Bust economy –
1900 – population “under 50,000”
$300 Cure (1906) – legalization of divorce
1930s – legalization of gambling
1940s – role in WWII – 100,000 population
1950s – rise of Las Vegas – largest city by 1959
1960s – rise of corporate gaming
1970 – 700,000 population

4. Nevada
1980s & 1990s – continued growth – fastest growing state in the nation for 3 decades
2000 – 2.2 million population
2010 – 2.7 million population (census)
2014 – report: Clark County grew by 100,000 last year

5. Nevada
Modern issues:
Growth (Nevada refuses to grow up – example: budget structure approved in 1961 (300,000 population) – still using it today
Water
Land – 87% of land owned by Federal Government
BLM (Interior Department)
Forestry (Agriculture Department)
Reservation (Interior Department)
Military (Defense Department)
Nevada Test Site (Energy Department)
Education
Colony of California (“Californication” of Nevada?)

6. Nevada Government Nevada Constitution
Executive (4-year terms) – constitutional officers
Governor - Brian Sandoval (R)
Lt. Governor - Mark Hutchison (R)
Secretary of State – Barbara Cegavske (R)
Attorney General – Adam Laxalt (R)
Secretary of Treasury – Dan Schwartz (R)
State Controller - Ron Knecht (R)

7. Nevada Government Legislature LH – State Assembly UH – State Senate
42 seats
2-year term (term limits: 6 terms/12 years )
UH – State Senate
21 seats
4-year term (staggered) (term limits: 3 terms/12 years 1996)
Impact of 2010 census = 73% of seats from Clark County

8. Nevada Government Judiciary 17 counties 35 incorporated cities
District courts
New Appellate Courts (North & South) Approved in November (ballot issue)
State supreme court
7 supreme court justices
6-year term
Most senior justice becomes chief justice for 2-year term
17 counties
35 incorporated cities
110,000 square miles (7th largest state by size)