Dakota Territory

Acquired as part of the Louisiana Purchase, the Dakota Territory is a sparsely inhabited region home to the aggressive Sioux Indians. The region was officially recognized as an organized territory in 1861. Settlement of the region has been slow due to fears of the native population, but the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie halted outright hostilities between the Sioux and the U.S. government. Yankton is the government seat of the territory, and the only area where the reach of the government is truly felt. The territory gets its name from the Dakota Indians, who make up a sizable portion of the Sioux tribe.