History of North Dakota
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. North Dakota was explored by French Canadians in 1738–1740 and acquired by the U.S. in 1803. The first settlements were made at Pembina in 1812 by Scottish and Irish families while the area was in dispute between the U.S. and Great Britain. In 1818, the U.S. obtained the northeast part of North Dakota by treaty with Great Britain and took possession of Pembina in 1823. North Dakota gained statehood in 1889
