USA North Dakota - The History : USA  

USA North Dakota - The History - Travel guide

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USA North Dakota - The History

The History

The first known farmers in the region were Native Americans of the Mandan tribe. Other agricultural tribes included the Arikara and the Hidatsa. Seminomadic and nomadic tribes included the Cheyenne, Cree, Sioux, Assiniboin, Crow, and Ojibwa (Chippewa). The explorers Lewis and Clark wintered with the Mandans during their expedition of 1804-06.

In 1837, the introduction of smallpox by settlers decimated the Mandans. Gen. Alfred H. Sully joined Gen. Henry H. Sibley of Minnesota in campaigns against the Sioux in 1863-66. Led by Chief Inkpaduta, the Sioux were defeated in the battles of Big Mound (Kidder County, July 24-25, 1863), Dead Buffalo Lake (July 26, 1863), Stony Lake (Burleigh County, July 28, 1863), Whitestone Hill (Dickey County, September 3-5, 1863), and Killdeer Mountain (Dunn County, July 28-29, 1864).

A treaty was signed in 1868, but whites broke it in 1876, after gold was discovered on Native American land in the Black Hills. War resumed, and the Sioux were defeated and confined to reservations.

The 1st Europeans was the French Canadians explorer Sieur de la Verendrye in 1738. Lewis and Clark followed the Missouri River through North Dakota in 1804-06. The North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company established trading posts in the Red River valley at an early date.

The first settlements were made at Pembina in 1812 by Scottish and Irish families (the Red River Settlement).

Fort Union was established in 1828, serving as a base of operations for John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company, which controlled the region's trade. In 1832, the paddlewheel steamer Yellowstone traveled up the Missouri River, enhancing trade and transportation.

The first permanent settlement was established in 1851 when another group settled at Pembina. The 1st post office was established at Pembina in 1851, with Norman Kittson as Postmaster.

Several military posts were established starting in 1857. Free land was opened in 1863, and the Northern Pacific Railroad was chartered in 1864. The first cattle ranch was established in 1878.

Railroads were constructed in the 1870s and 80s, luring thousands of European immigrants, principally Scandinavians, Germans, and Czechs.

France and Great Britain claimed lands including North Dakota at various times.

Acquired by U.S. Most of present North Dakota was acquired from France through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The U.S. obtained northeastern North Dakota by treaty with Great Britain in 1818 and took possession of Pembina in 1823

With the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 the northwestern half of North Dakota became part of the United States. The southeastern half was acquired from Great Britain in 1818 when the international line with Canada was fixed at the 49th parallel.

Organized as Dakota Territory (which included lands that eventually became North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming) on March 2, 1861.

North Dakota became the 39th State to Unite under America on November 2, 1889.