俗语说，“罗马城不是一夜之间建成的。”但在1889年4月，俄克拉何马州的俄克拉何马市（Oklahoma City）和加斯里（Guthrie）名符其实地就在一夜之间变成两座居民人数超过1万的城市。那是在美国出现的首次土地哄抢，构成了整个俄克拉何马土地哄抢热（Oklahoma Land Rush）的一幕。 此前受到限制的美国土地到此时按先来先得的原则向定居者开放。

1889年4月22日中午，有5万多人聚集在一起，索取联邦政府向定居者开放的8000平方公里的土地。合法的定居者可索取多达0.65平方公里的土地。每个定居者如能改进土地，就可得到土地所有权。

一些定居者因急于抢地而非法进入了这片无人居住的土地并在那里藏身到可以合法进入。这些人被称为“捷足者”（sooners）。俄克拉何马州的别名“捷足者之州”（the Sooner State）正是由此而来。

有关俄克拉何马州的详情，请见DiscoverAmerica.com。

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http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/chinese/inbrief/2012/07/201207189312.html#axzz43nd0oY4q

As the saying goes, “You can’t build something overnight.” But in April 1889, Oklahoma City and Guthrie, Oklahoma , became established cities with more than 10,000 residents literally overnight. It was all part of the Oklahoma Land Rush, the first land run in which previously restricted land in the United States was opened to settlers on a first-come, first-serve basis.

More than 50,000 people gathered at noon on April 22, 1889, to claim a piece of the 8,000 square kilometers made available by the federal government. Legal settlers could claim up to .65 square kilometers of land. Each could receive the title to the land provided that the settler could improve it.

Some settlers were so eager to grab land that they illegally entered the unoccupied territory and hid until it was legal to enter. These individuals were labeled “sooners.” That’s where Oklahoma derives its nickname, the Sooner State.

Find out more about Oklahoma at DiscoverAmerica.com.

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