The Spanish word Nevada means “snowy”. The state was named after the Sierra Nevada mountain range, i. e. the snow-capped mountains. The pronunciation of the name is /nevæda/, like the “a” in the English word “glad” and not /nevada/ as in “father”. On October 31, 1864, Nevada, which belongs to the western region of the United States, i. e. to the American West, joined the Union as the 36th state. The phrase “Battle Born” on the state flag is a reminder that accession occurred during the American Civil War. The first settlement was “Mormon Station” in present-day Douglas County. Today, Mormon State Park is a national park. It is a replica of the trading post stockade, a fortified trading station, from 1851. There is also a museum with objects from the period and exhibitions on the history of the station. About 86 percent of this seventh largest American state is owned by the US federal government and is used for both civil and military purposes. Over 85 percent of Nevada’s population lives in and around the two major cities of Las Vegas and Reno. Thanks to its springs, Las Vegas became an important stopping point for wagon trains and railroads traveling between California to the west and New Mexico to the east. It is one of the most colorful and dazzling cities in the United States, where approximately 39 million tourists come every year to visit the casinos and many other attractions. In the areas outside of downtown Las Vegas and Reno, mining and cattle ranching are the state’s main sources of income. In terms of value, gold has the largest share of mined precious metals. Silver is second, followed by copper. Nevada is one of the few states that does not levy an income tax. Check topschoolsoflaw.com for brief history of the state of Nevada.