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North Dakota was first settled by Native Americans several thousand years ago. The major tribes in the area by the time of settlement were the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Sioux, and Chippewa.
By the time European trade goods were making their way through native trade routes, the Mandan had developed a notably advanced agricultural and trading society.
La Vérendrye was one of the first Europeans to explore the area. He visited the Mandan around 1738 and was astounded by their level of development. Limited trade with European powers followed through the end of the century.The Mandan villages played a key role in the native trade networks because of their location and permanency. Their location at the northernmost reaches of the Missouri River placed them near the closest portages to the Hudson Bay basin and thus the fastest access to French and British traders. Additionally, valuable Knife River flint was produced not far from the villages.
In the 1820sEvents and Trends Nationalistic independence movements helped reshape the world during this decade: Greece declares independence from the Ottoman Empire ( 1821). Several countries declared their independence from Spain and Portugal: The Republic of Gran C, much of the native population was wiped out by a smallpox epidemic, forcing the Mandan and Hidatsa to live together. Later the Arikara would be forced northward by the Sioux, and would join together with the Mandan and Hidatsa to form the Three Affiliated Tribes.
The first real settlement in the state was at PembinaPembina (pronounced PEM in uh, with the stress on the first syllable) is a city located in Pembina County, North Dakota. It is at the northern end of Interstate 29, on the Canada- U. Pembina is a significant crossing for road traffic headed to and from Wi. It was used as a trading post, but it was taken down when the 49th parallel border was surveyed. The area was later resettled by MétisThe Metis (pronounced "MAY tee", SAMPA: ["meti], in French: [me"tis] or, [mE"tIs]) are an ethnic group of the Canadian prairies and Ontario. This community of descent consists of individuals descended from marriages of Cree, Ojibway and Saulteaux women to.
Fur trading spurred the development of riverboat trade on the Missouri towards the middle of the century. BismarckBismarck is the capital of North Dakota, a state of the United States of America. It is named for the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck. As of the 2000 census, it has a population of 55,532. It is the county seat of Burleigh County, and sits directly ac and Fort Union near present-day WillistonWilliston is a city located in Williams County, North Dakota. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 12,512. It is the county seat of Williams County 6. The local paper is the Williston Herald''. Sloulin Field International Airport serv became significant ports of call during the steamboat age. Most of North Dakota would be settled later.