In 1889 President Cleveland's presidency came to an end, and
Benjamin Harrison became President. He was the grandson of that
William Henry Harrison who died after he had been President for a
few weeks.
During President Harrison's term of office six new states were
admitted into the Union. The two first of these were North and
South Dakota, the name in Indian meaning "allies." It was the name
the allied North-Western tribes gave themselves. But their neighbours
called them Nadowaysioux, which means "enemies." The white people,
however, shortened it to Sioux, and North Dakota is sometimes called
the Sioux State.
Both North and South Dakota were formed out of the Louisiana Purchase.
In 1861 they had been organised as [585] the territory of Dakota.
Seventeen years or so later they were divided into North and South
Dakota and were admitted as states in November, 1889.
Two or three days later Montana was admitted. This state was formed
partly out of the Louisiana Purchase, and partly out of the Oregon
country. The Rocky Mountains cross the state, and its name comes
from a Spanish word meaning "mountainous."
After Lewis and Clark explored the country many fur traders were
attracted to it. But it was not until gold was discovered there
that settlers came in large numbers. In spite of terrible trouble
with the Indians, and much war and bloodshed, year by year the
settlers increased, and in 1889 the territory was admitted as a
state.
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