Statehood 1889

South Dakota

The area that is now South Dakota was first claimed by France in 1682 as part of Louisiana, though it was sparsely developed due to lack of resources. France ceded the territory to Spain following the Seven Years' War via the Treaty of Fontainebleau (1762), and Spain held it as Spanish Louisiana until retroceding it back to France in 1801. France then sold the territory to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, with the formal transfer of Upper Louisiana occurring on Three Flags Day in St. Louis on 9–10 March 1804. South Dakota was part of the Territory of Dakota from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when it was admitted to the Union as the state of South Dakota.

Statehood
1889
Historic sites
1,415
Military engagements
167

Pre-contact era

The source text notes that South Dakota's history spans several millennia, from its first inhabitants to recent issues facing the state. However, the provided source text does not include detailed information about pre-contact indigenous peoples beyond this general statement.

Colonial history

The vast French Louisiana was not widely developed, due to a lack of human and financial resources. The area was under French control from 1682 to 1762.

There was little Spanish presence in the wide expanses of what they called the 'Illinois Country'. Spain agreed to continue administering the colony until French officials arrived and formalized the transfer.

France's control was brief; Napoleon Bonaparte made plans to further develop France's control but strained by operations in the Caribbean and Europe, he sold the territory to the United States.

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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Explore South Dakota records

1,415
National Register historic sites
National Register listings ›
167
Military engagements
Military history records ›
8
Indigenous groups
Heritage records ›
3
Notable figures
Born in South Dakota ›
8
Colonial-era events
1492 to early statehood ›
South Dakota counties
Census population history ›
Sources

State history content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Historic sites data: National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

About South Dakota

When did South Dakota become a state?
South Dakota was admitted to the Union in 1889.
What European powers colonized South Dakota?
The territory that became South Dakota passed through several colonial periods. The vast French Louisiana was not widely developed, due to a lack of human and financial resources. The area was under French control from 1682 to 1762. There was little Spanish presence in the wide expanses of what they called the 'Illinois Country'. Spain agreed to continue administering the colony until French officials arrived and formalized the transfer. France's control was brief; Napoleon B
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