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Organic act
President James Buchanan signed an organic act which made the Dakota territory which had parts of Montana and Wyoming and had North and South Dakota in it. The Organic Act explained what had to be done in order for the Territory of Dakota to follow federal law. -
Alexander McKenzie
Alexander was a Northern Pacific railroad worker and he was elected as sheriff he was in that position for 12 years. The pacific railroad chose him as their political agent and McKenzie had gotten lots of political power. People talked about moving the territorial capital from Yankton to Bismarck because the main line of the Northern Pacific Railroad went through Bismarck. McKenzie was great friends with Governor Nehemiah Ordway. -
The capital
Yankton, SD was the first capital of the Dakota Territory, A bill was passed into law saying that the capital was going to be moved. People living in Yankton were furious about the capital switching. -
Statehood
The republic party pressured into making the Dakota territory two states so they could have more Senate power. On November 2, people gathered for the signing by President Harrison to make the Dakotas two different states. Harrison also shuffled the papers so no one would know which state came first. So ND is the 39th because "N" comes before "S" in the alphabet. -
John Burke
John Burke was elected governor of North Dakota, when he was governor he had changed the influence of railroads. North Dakotans were thankful for Burke for honesty and sincerity. He was asked to run for the president of the US but he rejected the offer. Burke was appointed treasury of the US by President Woodrow Wilson. He served on the supreme court for 13 years after he came back from being retired.