North Dakota
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums

Part of the country’s Midwest, North Dakota takes its name from one of the Siouan-speaking peoples resident in this region. At the time of the first European arrivals, this area was home to a diverse range of indigenous groups, including the Assiniboin, Ojibwa, Cree, and Mandan. European fur traders began moving into the area in the late 18th century, parts of which were claimed by Britain and parts by France. The United States then purchased this land in the early 19th century, establishing the Dakota Territory in 1861. The 1880s saw substantial settlement by European American farmers, with the Territory being split into two halves in 1889, both of which became states that year.