History of the Split of Dakota Territory into 2 States

History of the Split of Dakota Territory into 2 States

On Traveling Through History, we take a look at the history of the Dakota Territory, its formation, culture, economic environment and the reasons why it was split into 2 separate states as the union was forming.  We review the reasons behind the split, as well as a look at the cultures of both states - NORTH DAKOTA and SOUTH DAKOTA.

The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.  The Dakota Territory consisted of the northernmost part of the land acquired in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, as well as the southernmost part of Rupert's Land, which was acquired in 1818 when the boundary was changed to the 49th parallel.  The name refers to the Dakota branch of the Sioux tribes which occupied the area at the time. Most of Dakota Territory was formerly part of the Minnesota and Nebraska territories.

Following the Civil War, hostilities continued with the Sioux until the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie.  By 1868, creation of new territories reduced Dakota Territory to the present boundaries of the Dakotas.  Territorial counties were defined in 1872, including Bottineau County, Cass County and others.  On February 22, 1889, outgoing President Cleveland signed an omnibus bill that divided the Territory of Dakota in half.  North Dakota and South Dakota became states simultaneously on November 2, 1889.  President Harrison had the papers shuffled to obscure which one was signed first and the order went unrecorded.  The bill also enabled the people in the new Territories of North Dakota and South Dakota, as well as the older territories of Montana and Washington, to write state constitutions and elect state governments.

We take a look at a video about the split of the Dakota Territory into 2 states!

Check out our first part of this series on the Splitting of Virginia into 2 States -- https://youtu.be/p9DuaP1Wl8E?si=_nb19z0I87XJ6ucW

Check out our second part of this series on the Splitting of Carolinas into 2 States -- https://youtu.be/zCx21iuw15U?si=A8RQA2JFEFX6qfK6 

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