Austin.3.24.11

By Austin

A

South Dakota’s biggest industry is agriculture. We produce wheat, corn, alfalfa, soybeans, cattle, pigs, and sheep to name a few.

B

The bison once numbered 60,000,000. The white pioneers, hunters, and soldiers hunted and killed until the population declined to under 1,000. Today they are back to 250,000 and protected by federal law.

C

The Sioux Indian Chiefs fought for the land west of the Missouri River to Montana to remain Indian land. The Laramie Treaty was broken by the government and the Natives were forced off.

D

Gold was discovered near Deadwood and Lead in 1876. Deadwood soon became known as one of the “Wildest Towns of the West”- home to Wild Bill Hickock and “Calamity Jane” known as a sharpshooter.

E

Big Stone Lake is the point of lowest elevation at 962 ft.The highest point is Harney Peak in the Black Hills at 7,242 ft.

Big Stone Lake

Harney Peak

F

South Dakota became the fortieth state in the U.S. in 1889. DakotaTerritory became North Dakota and South Dakota. No one knows what state was really first President Harrison shuffled the papers. North Dakota came first alphabetically so it was named the thirty- ninth state.

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G

The Great Dakota Boom was the discovery of gold in the Black Hills ofSouth Dakota. Mining towns sprang up and were populated by gold seekers(1874)

H

The Homestead Act of1862 gave 160 acres of free land to settlers (the homesteaders) if they built a home and lived in it for at least five years.

I

Most South Dakotans have European roots. Immigrants from Germany, Norway,Sweden, and Denmark make up the ancestry of many South Dakotans.

J

James (Wild Bill) Butler Hickok was the fastest shot in the West. He wasshot and killed by Jack McCall. Seven months later Jack McCall was hanged for the crime

Korczak Ziol Kowski began work on the Crazy Horse Monument in the BlackHills. When completed, it will be the largest sculpture in the world.

K

L

Lewis and Clark’s expedition, known as the Corps of Discovery, entered was is now known as South Dakota on August 21,1804. They spent fifty-four days here.

M

Mount Rushmore was carved by Gutzom Borglum and his son. The four Presidents chosen for the Monument were: Abraham Lincoln, who held the country together during the Civil war, George Washington, who represents the beginning of our nation, Teddy Roosevelt, who allowed the building of the Panama Canal, and Tomas Jefferson whopurchased the Louisiana Territory.

N

The number of counties in South Dakota equal 66. Each county has a county seat wherecounty officers are located – the courthouse. We live in Yankton county. Yankton is thecounty seat.

O

Oscar Howe was one of South Dakota’s famous artists. He was born on the Crow CreekIndian Reservation in 1915. He taught at USD.

P

In 1889 Pierre became the state capitol. It had a small population and not muchcommerce, but it was located in the center of the state.

Q

A quick factoid: Belle Fourche, SD is the geographic center of the United states.

R

Nine reservations in South opened new land for non-native people.

S

South Dakota’s dams reservoirs are:

Dams•Gavin’s Point Dam•Fort Randall Dam•Big Bend Dam•Oahe Dam

Reservoirs•Lewis and Clark Lake•Lake Francis Case•Lake Sharpe•Lake Oahe

T

Terry Peak and Deer Mountain are enjoyed for skiing near the town of Lead in theBlack Hills.

U

The underground world in South Dakota takes us to Jewel Cave and Wind Cavein the Black Hills. They are the third and seventh longest in the world. Jewel Cave is 122miles long and the Wind Cave is 93 miles long.

V

The Verendrye brothers were two French explorers who buried a lead plate in what is now Pierre, South Dakota and claimed it for France (1743)

W

One of the saddest events in the Indian Wars was the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1870.Nearly three hundred Natives, including women and children, were killed. This led tothe Natives moving onto Reservations. 1890

X

Explorers in South Dakota that were (the earliest known) came from Europe. In 1743 theVerendrye brothers left a lead plate near Fort Pierre.

Y

Yankton was the capital of the Dakota Territory from 1861-1883

Z

Zitkala-Sa a Yankton Dakota Sioux, was born in 1876 and died in 1938. She becameactive in working for women’s rights in Washington, D.C. when women had no power orinfluence. She was also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin.

Factoid

Some South Dakota historical figures are: Crazy horse (Sioux Chief), Herbert Humphrey(U.S. Vice President), Paul Goble and Laura Ingalls (authors), and Billy Mills (Olympic Gold Medal winning track star).

Famous South Dakotans