Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Dakota,

Originally formed a part of Minnesota Territory. It was a portion of the great Louisiana purchase in 1803. The Nebraska Territory was formed in 1854, and comprised a part of what became Dakota. The latter Territory was organized by act of Congress, approved March 2, 1861, and included the present States of Montana and Washington. In 1863 a part of the Territory was included in Idaho, of which the northeastern part was organized as Montana in 1864, and the southern part was transferred to Dakota. In 1868 a large area was taken from Dakota to form Wyoming Territory. The first permanent settlements of Europeans in Dakota were made in 1859, in what were then Clay, Union, and Yankton counties. The first legislature convened March 17, 1862. Emigration was limited until 1866, when settlers began to flock in, and population rapidly increased. In 1889, two States were created out of the Territory of Dakota, and admitted to the Union as State of North Dakota (q. v.) and State of South Dakota (q. v.).