It Happened in Kansas: Remarkable Events That Shaped History, First Edition - Paperback

by Sarah Smarsh (Author)

It Happened in Kansas features over 25 chapters in Kansas history. Lively and entertaining, this book brings the varied and fascinating history of the Sunflower State to life.

Back Jacket

True Tales from the Sunflower State's Past--from the fossils of Twelve Mile Creek to the Flying Spaghetti Monster A land of political paradoxes as extreme as those of its weather, Kansas is a state that both helped win women the right to vote and first banned alcohol. It Happened in Kansas goes behind the scenes to tell its story, in short episodes that reveal the intriguing people and events that have shaped the Sunflower State. Learn how the destruction of Lawrence, an abolitionist stronghold, on May 21, 1856, fed John Brown's thirst for revenge. Remember Amelia Mary Earhart, the adventurous child who grew up to make her hometown of Atchison, Kansas, proud. Follow the exploits of charlatan John R. Brinkley, the "Goat-Gland Doctor" who went from preying on rural communities to taking America and the world by storm.

Author Biography

Sarah Smarsh is an award-winning freelance writer and an assistant professor of English at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, where she teaches creative nonfiction writing. A Kansas native, she has written for the Huffington Post, Kansas City's the Pitch, and newspapers across the Midwest.