Requirements
- There are no prerequisites.
Description
This course is an introduction to the U.S. - Dakota War of 1862. It offers a broad glance at the people, places, and events that contributed to this important and tragic part of Minnesota history. Beginning from pre-European contact, this course on the U.S. - Dakota War creates a context for understanding what happened and why. Throughout the course, you will learn about the Dakota people and culture. You will learn about traders, missionaries, and settlers that came to Minnesota and how they impacted the Dakota way of living. This includes lessons about significant historical figures such as Little Crow, Henry Sibley, Alexander Ramsey, and Stephen Riggs. You will learn how the land exchanged hands through a series of treaties. You will learn how all these factors contributed the outbreak of War in Minnesota in 1862. Finally, you will learn about war itself and its unfortunate aftermath, including an understanding of the tragic hanging of 38 Dakota in Mankato, Minnesota, and why it's still relevant today. By the end of this course, you will have a much better understanding of what the U.S. - Dakota War was and who was involved as well as a much deeper interest in this important history.
Who this course is for:
- Students ages 10 to 15 who are studying Minnesota History as a part of the their class curriculum at school or home.
Instructor
- 4.9 Instructor Rating
- 14 Reviews
- 652 Students
- 1 Course
Hello. My name is Colin Mustful and I am a Minnesota author and historian who focuses largely on the U.S. - Dakota War of 1862. While attending graduate school in Mankato, I came across the statue of a buffalo that commemorates the hanging of thirty-eight Dakota Indians in Mankato on December 26, 1862, the largest mass execution in United States history. I was shocked to find out that such a tragic event happened right where I lived and even more shocked that I had never learned about it in school. This sparked my curiosity on the subject and led to me to do my own researching and writing on the topic. I have since completed three cross-genre novels and one textbook regarding the people, places, and events of the U.S. - Dakota War of 1862. It is my goal to introduce and educate people about this complex, tragic, and often misunderstood part of Minnesota history. Hopefully, this will lead to discussion, understanding and reconciliation.