General description and brief history of South Dakota

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

The state of South Dakota became part of the United States on November 2, 1889. It is located in the Midwest of the country. The origin of its name is connected with the name of one of the tribes that lived in this territory several centuries ago. The local economy is dominated by the agro-industrial complex.

A Brief History

Before the advent of the colonialists, several warring peoples lived here. The most numerous among them were the Dakota, Lakota and Arikara aboriginal groups. The bloodiest conflict between them occurred in the fourteenth century. It went down in history as the Crow Creek Massacre. The first Europeans who appeared here in 1743 were the French. The expedition was led by the La Veredi brothers, who immediately declared the territory French property. After that, the region became part of the Louisiana colony. Sixty years later, South Dakota was included in the list of lands that France sold to the United States. In the fifties of the nineteenth century, according to an agreement signed by representatives of the Sioux Indians with the American authorities, the natives ceded the right to ownthese lands. The state was officially incorporated into the United States on November 2, 1889.

Geography

The total area of the state is almost 200 thousand square kilometers. It borders Nebraska to the south, Minnesota to the east, North Dakota to the north, Montana to the northwest, and Wyoming to the southwest. The capital of South Dakota is called Pierre, and its largest city is Sioux Falls. The population of the state is 844,877 (as of 2013). Three key physiographic regions stand out in its relief - the Great Plains in the western part, lowlands in the east, as well as the Black Hills mountain range covered with ancient forests. The Missouri River is a natural boundary between the first two of them. In addition to it, the White River, Cheyenne and James are considered large local waterways.

Climate

The continental climate type prevails over the territory of the state, which is characterized by hot summers and cold long winters. Spring and autumn here are very short-lived and at the same time pronounced. In January, the temperature ranges from 16 to 2 degrees below zero. In July, the thermometers show from 16 to 32 degrees Celsius. In the west, South Dakota is characterized by high aridity, but the average annual rainfall increases as it approaches the eastern regions. It should also be noted that the eastern part of the state is located on the so-called tornado alley - destructive whirlwinds can pass through its territory up to thirty times a year.

Economy

Bagriculture is the backbone of the local economy. The most common crops grown here are wheat, beans and corn. There are no large mineral deposits in the region. Despite this, South Dakota boasts a well-established extraction of sand, coal, limestone and gravel. The leading direction of industry was the processing of agricultural products, as well as the production of ethyl alcohol. Among other things, the state produces cement, plastic products, metal structures, jewelry, and fire equipment.

Tourist attraction

The most significant sights of the state are located in the mountains. The most famous and popular is the national memorial - Rock Rushmore. In the thirties of the twentieth century, bas-reliefs of four American presidents were carved on one of its slopes. It should be noted that this is one of the most visited sites throughout the country. More than three million travelers from all over the world come here every year. Other places of interest are the Badlands and Wind Cave National Parks. If the first of them boasts unique landscapes, then the second is a cave, the length of which exceeds 220 kilometers (this is the fifth indicator in the world). Among other things, South Dakota is famous for the annual gathering of bikers, which has been held in the local city of Sturgis for more than seventy years. It is usually attended by several hundred thousand motorcyclists.