Study the early exploration and territory to statehood maps to answer the following questions:
- How did Europeans and Americans gain knowledge about North America?
- How did European governments make claim on land in North America?
- How did this impact the Native Americans already living on the land?
- How did the United States acquire the land?
- How much of what is now North Dakota part of the Louisiana Purchase?
- What was Dakota Territory? What were the boundaries? Where was the capitol located? Why did it move?
Start with what students already know. Discuss what their knowledge is based on. How do they know?
Have students work individually or in groups to research the origins of Dakota Territory. Have them write a brief summary and share back to the class what they discovered. Facilitate a discussion about what they learned. What surprised them the most?