Which historic event is known as "The Great Oklahoma Land Rush"?

The Great Oklahoma Land Rush refers specifically to the event in 1893 when settlers raced to claim land in what is now Oklahoma. This event was significant because it marked the opening of a large area of previously unoccupied land for settlement by non-Native Americans. The land was opened up following the government’s decision to allow settlers into these so-called "Unassigned Lands."

On April 22, 1893, at noon, thousands of hopeful homesteaders lined up at the borders of the territory, ready to stake their claims. The rush is notable not only for the sheer number of participants but also for the chaotic and often lawless atmosphere that characterized the event, including horse races and legal disputes over land parcels afterward. This land rush played a crucial role in shaping the demographic and cultural landscape of Oklahoma, leading to its eventual statehood.

Other events like the establishment of the Panhandle region, the relocation of Native American tribes, and the signing of the Indian Removal Act, are significant in their own rights but do not describe the same event as the land rush of 1893. The land rush is particularly remembered as a pivotal moment in American westward expansion and the settlement of the Southern Plains.