Oklahoma History Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Oklahoma History facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Oklahoma's Beer and Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement (ABLE) Commission regulates what industry? → Manufacturing, distribution, and retail sale of alcoholic beverages
2. Which five tribes are collectively known as the 'Five Civilized Tribes' of Oklahoma? → Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole
3. When the Five Civilized Tribes negotiated Reconstruction treaties with the U.S. in 1866, which stakeholder concern was central to those negotiations? → The status of formerly enslaved people (freedmen) within tribal nations
4. Which Oklahoma city earned the nickname 'Oil Capital of the World' and became a center for petroleum refining quality control in the early 20th century? → Tulsa
5. A historian studying the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 finds conflicting death toll estimates ranging from 36 to 300. What is the best research practice? → Triangulate across multiple credible sources and acknowledge uncertainty
6. What communication tool did Oklahoma tribal nations increasingly use from the 1990s onward to inform members and assert sovereignty claims publicly? → Tribal websites, social media, and tribal newspapers
7. What are the Oklahoma Academic Standards (OAS) for Social Studies designed to ensure students develop? → Civic knowledge, geographic reasoning, historical thinking, and economic literacy
8. Phillips Petroleum Company, a major Oklahoma-based energy firm, was co-founded in Bartlesville in 1917 by which brothers? → Frank and L.E. Phillips
9. What was the Enabling Act of 1906, as it related to Oklahoma statehood? → It authorized Oklahoma and Indian Territory to form a state government
10. How should an Oklahoma History professional handle a situation outside their scope of competency? → Recognize limitations and refer to or consult with appropriate specialists
11. The Oklahoma Constitutional Convention of 1906 produced one of the longest state constitutions. How many delegates attended? → 112
12. The 1889 Land Run posed significant risk management challenges for settlers primarily because of which unresolved issue? → Lack of established water rights and land boundary surveys
13. What regulatory challenge did the McGirt v. Oklahoma (2020) Supreme Court decision create for Oklahoma's criminal justice system? → Shifted jurisdiction over crimes on tribal land from state to federal and tribal courts
14. During Oklahoma statehood negotiations in 1907, which risk to the Five Tribes' sovereignty was most formally documented and debated? → Dissolution of communal land ownership under allotment
15. The Dawes Act of 1887 is central to understanding Oklahoma's land history. Which type of evidence would best demonstrate its impact on tribal land ownership? → Quantitative land acreage data before and after allotment
16. The Oklahoma Supreme Court is the highest court for what types of cases? → Civil cases
17. The first governor of Oklahoma was chosen. → Charles Haskell
18. On what date did Oklahoma officially become the 46th state of the United States? → November 16, 1907
19. When evaluating a website about Oklahoma statehood history, which factor most increases source credibility? → The content is authored by a named historian and cites primary sources
20. Which research method would best capture the social experience of Oklahoma's Exodusters who settled in the state in the 1870s–1880s? → Combining oral history collections with community newspapers from that era
21. Which Oklahoma agency operates the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to fund projects that reduce the risk of future disasters? → Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management
22. Which Oklahoma constitutional provision established the Corporation Commission to regulate railroads and other public utilities? → Article IX
23. Guthrie and Oklahoma City were both established on the same day during the Land Run of 1889. What approximate populations did they reach within hours? → Both had populations of approximately 10,000-15,000 by nightfall
24. What was the 'Osage Reign of Terror' in the 1920s? → A series of murders targeting wealthy Osage for their oil headrights
25. What was the Dawes Act of 1887's primary impact on Native American tribes in Indian Territory? → It allotted tribal communal land to individual Native Americans
26. Which Oklahoma legislation established the current framework for teacher evaluation and professional development accountability? → Oklahoma Teacher and Leader Effectiveness (TLE) Evaluation System
27. Which tribe established the first Native American newspaper, the Cherokee Phoenix, in 1828? → Cherokee Nation
28. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was signed by which U.S. President? → Andrew Jackson
29. The First Regiment of New Mexico Cavalry Volunteers under Kit Carson helped build Fort Nichols in the Oklahoma Panhandle. What position did he have? → Colonel
30. Which provision of Oklahoma's original constitution prohibited what type of business practice to protect small merchants? → Anti-monopoly and anti-trust provisions targeting large corporations