This website is a comprehensive look at the history surrounding the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. As you navigate the oral histories, documents, images, and artifacts, make sure to explore the following features for your classroom:
- Learn about Minnesota's first peoples through maps of the Dakota homeland and the Oceti Ŝakowiŋ, Dakota language and word pronunciations, and an interactive map of Dakota place names and Dakota communities today.
- Oral histories by Dakota and Settler descendants are referenced throughout. They talk about the war, it's causes, the aftermath as well as life today. They are an important tool for discussing how history is remembered.
- See the loss of Native land through an interactive map that shows the development of the United States.
- Explore an annotated breakdown of the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux that explains the language in a treaty, and an interactive map of Minnesota treaties.
- View an interactive map of the U.S.-Dakota War.
- View a video about the Internment Camp at Fort Snelling which shows an animation created from primary source research and oral narratives.
- Read an annotated letter written by a Dakota prisoner of war.
- Find resources for educational initiatives today.
See how the information is scaffolded and how it aligns with the new social studies standards here.
The resources below will help in curriculum and lesson development.
Dakota History, Culture, and Language
It is very important to speak to Dakota people about sharing their history with your classroom to promote the accurate, non-biased, and balanced view of American history.
Bdote Memory Map. Web interactive and resources.
Dakota Wicohan. Tools and resources for Dakota language
Indians of the Midwest, Past and Present. The Newberry
Lakota Winter Counts. An online exhibit and resources. The Smithsonian.
NativeWeb. Education and Youth Resources: k-12.
National Museum of the American Indian. Collections and classroom resources.
Oceti Sakowin: The People of the Seven Council Fires. Native American Public Telecommunications. Movie and resources.
We Shall Remain. Movie and teacher's guide. PBS.
Newcomers
Forest, Fields, and the Falls. A graphic web novel describing the lives of real Minnesota lumberers, sawmillers, flour millers and farmers.
Minnesota Territory, 1849-58, web interactive. Minnesota Historical Society.
TimePieces. A searchable timeline of Minnesota history. Minnesota Historical Society.
Government, Acts , Policies, Treaties
American Indian Issues: An Introductory and Curricular Guide fo Educators. The Wild Rivers Teaching American History Project.
DocsTeach. Docments and activities. The National Archives.
U.S. Dakota War 1862: History Site Treaty Center. Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies. University of Minnesota.
1862
1862 Visual Resources Database. Minnesota Historical Society.
Commemorating Controversy: The U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 Speaker Series. Gustavus Adolphus College.
Minnesota Human Rights History, 1862. The Dakota Conflict film
U.S. Dakota War 1862: History Site Treaty Center. Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies. University of Minnesota.
The Dakota Conflict WebQuest. NativeWeb.
1862 Dakota Conflict. Voices Education Project.
Today
Indians of the Midwest, Past and Present. The Newberry.
Initiatives and Events. Minnesota Historical Society.
Waziyatawin. Educator and Activist.
Other
Best of the Web Nominations: Education, 2011. Museums and the Web.
Canku Ota. Many Paths. An Online Newspaper Celebrating Native America.
Digital History. Comprehehensive, interactive, resource for U.S. history.
Educator's Portal for searching MHS resources. The Minnesota Historical Society.
Explore Your Community: A Community Heritage Poster for the Classroom. The American Folklife Center. Library of Congress.
Grinde, Donald A. Jr. Teaching American Indian History: A Native American Voice. American Historical Association.
Libary of Congress. Digital collections and classroom resources.
Minnesota, a History of the Land. Film and guide. The University of Minnesota.
Oyate. Catalog of books that have appropriate portrayals of Native peoples, compiled by Native people.
The Benefits of Teaching Controversial Issues. ProCon.org
