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Minnesota Becomes a Territory.
In 1849 Minnesota had become a territory, and with any new territory lots of future farmers were looking for the american dream. The new fertile land was tempting and like every other area the Native Americans had already made this their home, but the new territory wanted more land of their own. Situations like this lead to 'treaties', and that is exactly what happened. -
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US History Timespan
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Rail Road Boom.
In the 1850's railroads were becoming huge, and the way they made their money was selling land for town sites! -
The start of the trouble
Now in 1851 the first treaty happened (which was actually two treaties), including the territory of Minnesota and the Dakota. The Dakota gave up 21 million acres of land, and were paid 1,655,000 dollars. Lot of money right? Well the Dakota also had to pay 275,00 dollars, as well as another 30,000 for schools. By the end of the taxes the US government had gained back 80% of the money. -
Two Treaties
Now the Dakota was made of four bands, Sisseton, Wahpeton, Mdewakanton, and the Wahpekute. The Mdewakanton and the Wahpekute signed on one treaty, and Sisseton, Wahpeton signed the other. This treaty placed the four bands on the north and south sides of the Minnesota river. -
Reservations Come Into Play.
After the treaties of 1851 reservations were made for the Dakota. Even though these places were now their home the US government never actually gave them the rights to it. Remember that 30,00 dollars from before? Well even more of that was used to improve the reservations, now why would the government improve something that could be just thrown away? Because of the fact they could just move whenever they wanted the government made a bill so the Dakota would own the land. -
Calculations
In 1860 a man named Charles Mix found out how much land the Indians possessed exactly, the calculations were that the south side had 32000 acres and the north had 569,600 acres. In total the two sides had 889,600 acres of land. You may think that's a big number but when you convert it to miles its about 139 miles in length for all of the Native population. If you were to drive that at 65 MPH it would take you about 2 hours and 18 minutes. -
The Bill.
The bill that showed the Dakota owned their land was passed by Congress! -
Railroad Construction Begins.
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The Bill Goes to the President.
Even though the congress passed the bill, the president never actually signed the bill. The Dakota never owned their land. Thinking about it all they did was get placed into a new land, given money, had it taken away, then starved and neglected as the payments of food and money were always late. -
More Railroads.
By 1858 the state had 27 railroads, and the newest track had a plan to pass near the Dakota reservation. Because the Dakota had control of the Minnesota river the railroad companies thought of them as a problem. They couldn't build town sites on the reservation, so they only saw one solution, move them. -
Statehood!
In 1858 Minnesota had its statehood! -
Problem Solved.
Because the railroad companies couldn't possibly find another place to put its railroad the Dakota was taken to sign away the northern half of their reservation, leaving them to only live in the southern half. The land they "sold" (keep in mind it wasn't their land) was sold to settlers and they were given the proceeds. These proceeds were mostly taken for taxes though. -
Struggles Begin.
The Dakota were completely reliant on the pay of money and supplies from the government, as well as the crops they could grow from the 1851 treaty but the 1858 treaty signed their death certificate. The payments were lower then before and somehow even more late. The Dakotas were now overcrowded, their land had been taken by the railroad and white settlers, and they were starving with little to none supplies. -
Andrew Myrick.
Andrew Myrick was a trader who owned a trading post with his wife. In 1862 he spoke these words to the starving and abused Dakota, "If they are hungry, let them eat grass." -
Starvation.
In 1862 there was a major crop failure, followed by another later government payment. -
Breaking Points.
By the time winter was coming again the abuse had to stop, a tribe of the Dakota attacked white farmers and killed most of their family. This gave.. motivation for others to attack as well. The war had started. -
Revenge.
Andrew Myrick literately ate his words. Threw all the dead they had found him, his mouth stuffed full of grass and dead. -
A bloody, and cruel end.
In November of the same year the war had come to a end. 303 Dakota went to 'court', there was no witnesses or attorneys included, one judge sentenced almost all the men in less then 5 minutes. President Lincoln managed to save 284 of the men from the death sentence but 38 were hanged. It was the largest mass killing in one day in history. -
After Math.
The remaining sentenced Dakota were sent to Iowa, where more then half died. The other Dakota were evicted from there 10 mile 'home' and sent to reservations in Crow Creek. Later on the Dakota learned that their late payments were actually fully ready at a fort, they just never bothered to send them. They had even gone four years without a single shipment.
