Why The United States Has Two Dakotas: North Dakota and South Dakota

[@hannabaal150]

A farm in North Dakota was right on the southern border, and when a new survey showed the farm was actually in South Dakota, the farmer said, "Well, the winters will be milder."

[@arribaficationwineho32]

Love this!

[@rayfordd6152]

😂😂 I’m a few miles north of the border in ND. Very funny!

[@emptyhand777]

I heard it different. An old widow lived alone on her farm just south of the 49th parallel. Surveyors came one day and told her the farm may be in Canada. After the survey was completed, the surveyors told her the property was still in ND. The old woman was relieved and said, thank goodness, I heard those Canadian winters were really cold.

[@jsl151850b]

@@emptyhand777 I may FB this,

[@JH-wk9gw]

As a North Dakotan Fargo and grand forks can be annexed my Minnesota any time plz

[@Euthenon]

Even while split up, the Dakota’s are immense states, South Dakota alone is almost the size of Great Britain.

[@brokkrep]

But less population than the city of Cologne/Köln.

[@stickynorth]

Just like Saskatchewan just above it... 1.0 million people in a huge area... Same climate, same ethnic mix essentially of Germanic immigrants and indigenous peoples... Personally I think Saskatchewan and Manitoba should merge into Saskitoba with a combined population of 2.3 million... But as an Albertan, that's just me wanting to address some political shortchanging that ALWAYS happens here...

[@JPJ432]

@@stickynorth Alberta and Saskatchewan should join the US. Whether combined to make 1 state or 2 I believe together we could form a better Union. Canada is so far Left and controlled by London I don’t think there is much hope left, but for those 2 provinces to join the US I believe there is more hope for the US. Note: I don’t say Manitoba as I don’t think London and Ontario will let them go and give the US access to the Hudson Bay. Wouldn’t hurt either to have some of the Northern Territories though to create a railroad from Alberta to Alaska!

[@MortonT1958]

@@JPJ432What does London, UK have to do with controlling Canada except as a member of the Commonwealth? The UK is on the verge of losing Scotland. That is more than enough to concern themselves with. Their influence on Canada, anyway, especially in the Prairies is negligible.

[@3dbee47]

@@MortonT1958 Maybe they meant London, canada

[@gumbyshrimp2606]

They need to set aside their differences and combine into one state with a new name: NorthSouth

[@maple9706]

The great northern plain state lmao

[@kaymish6178]

Don't they usually take the first half of the first name then combine it with the second part of the second name making North Dakota.

[@djrom66]

Or just keep the original name…..the Dakota Territory.

[@hfjjor3681]

@@djrom66 Or just DAKOTA.

[@spddiesel]

Naw, stay two Dakotas, but split it into East and West Dakota. Or Dakota and West Dakota, like the Virginias.

[@scottgould6590]

Now I need to know why there are two Carolinas (and why the north one is significantly larger than the south).

[@MrJgray1319]

They were never a territory, more of a province under the British throne before the revolution. This history is on Wikipedia and some older South Carolina text books.

[@christineperez7562]

There were 8 nobel royal's of England that had claimed Carolina. They split the land up because the 8 didn't get along. People also ask Who were the 8 nobles who founded South Carolina? This charter issued by King Charles II of England proposed the formation of the Lords Proprietors and gave the lands of Carolina to the eight proprietors: the Earl of Clarendon, Duke of Albemarle, Lord Craven, Lord Berkeley, Lord Ashley, Sir George Carteret, William Berkeley and Sir John Colleto

[@alvexok5523]

That's what I thought when seeing the title of this video, if we're asking why there's both a North and South Dakota, we should also ask why there's a North and South Carolina. And also, why is there a Virginia and West Virginia

[@AO968]

​@@alvexok5523 The Virginia split was because of the Civil War. Or rather, the events leading up to it. Virginia seceded from the Union to form the Confederacy, but the people in the northwest area didn't approve of this and eventually (roughly 2 years later) voted to secede from Virginia and apply for statehood, which was granted soon after. They're the only state that "switched sides", having joined the Union after its ratification into statehood.

[@alvexok5523]

@@AO968 Yes, that's right. It's been many years since I took American history in school and I forgot learning about the Virginia split and other details of the Civil War. And I guess I've never gotten around to googling it either, same with why the Carolinas were split up into North and South, I'll go ahead and google it.

[@vincenthaegebaert1854]

The same thing happened in Canada. We got Saskatchewan and Alberta because Ontario was afraid one new province would become too powerful and threaten Ontario's monopoly on power. (Canada does NOT have a equal representative senate.) So, keep everyone else small to keep Ontario in power.

[@tysonfontanez]

A lot that I’ve learned about Canadian history and geography (which is admittedly not much since I’m from the US) seems like it boils down to Ontario and Quebec being petty lol

[@vincenthaegebaert1854]

@@tysonfontanez It is.🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@johnkemp4370]

My grandfather was originally a Canadian Army officer/ engineer and road builder for the Canadian government north of there. Circa 1895-1900. My great grandfather owned a bank in Sturgis. He convinced my grandfather to buy the Canadian equipment and move to the Dakotas where he built all of the first graded roads from 1900-1920 in the Dakota territories. He moved to east texas in 1920 and built the first graded road between Shreveport and Athens Texas based in Kilgore where he retired.

[@homomorphic]

One can never have enough Dakotas

[@DavidM2002]

One Dakota, two Dakota, three Dakota four...or was that potatoes ?

[@randysteele6753]

You say Sioux City when talking about railroad connections, but the town is called Sioux Falls, SD, not Sioux City, IA. Very interesting VID. Thanks

[@butiliketacos]

Geoff, I would encourage you too look into the relationship between Sioux City, Iowa's old Elevated railway and Chicago's.

[@MasterShake9000]

There’s a (north) Sioux City in SoDak, too

[@rb98769]

@@MasterShake9000 AND a (south) Sioux City in Nebraska

[@MrGencyExit64]

Don't forget Dakota Fanning, our 3rd Dakota.

[@BillGreenAZ]

And Dodge Dakota, our 4th Dakota.

[@GlacialErratic]

ND born and raised. It is a common opinion that Dakota Territory should have been split vertically instead. Creating East and West Dakota. In hind sight this would have been more in line with the social culture within the areas. Next time, we'll get it right.😘

[@daveharrison84]

There is the same feeling in Washington/Oregon.

[@trevordavis2760]

IF you where from the real Dakota (We where signed in first as a state too), you'd know we do split it East and West River!! Annddd Yes East River rules!!

[@GlacialErratic]

@@trevordavis2760 Show me one single document that refers to the states of East Dakota and West Dakota, while you are at it, find any reference to which state entered the union first. Be it North, South, East or West. Nothing would make me happier than to detach from the east of either of these states.

[@brianmiller1077]

Set the border at ND 18 and whatever SD road is it's equivalent?

[@_Devil]

I'd like to see a video on why the two Carolina's exist!

[@MsThorne2009]

Virginia and West Virginia as well.

[@MikeCee7]

This was very interesting. Before this video, I could only name two cities in those entire two states combined. (one being “Fargo”, only from my Sesame Street days in the 70s) They should make this an AP course, & required for every Floridian to take! I hope our governor will approve it 😂

[@brianmiller1077]

As some one living in ND, I couldn't believe part of the Electric Company was made there (the recurring sketch, "Fargo North, Decoder" is what I think you're thinking of)

[@MikeCee7]

@@brianmiller1077from my memory, I don’t recall part of Sesame Street actually being filmed there. I just recall, that it was a reoccurring character who said he’s from Fargo, North Dakota. just like him Gilda Radner on SNL played Rosanne RosannaDanna from Fort Lee, New Jersey. (maybe I’m wrong, maybe they showed outside scenes from Fargo)

[@brianmiller1077]

@@MikeCee7"Fargo North, Decoder" was an Electric Company sketch not Sesame Street. Six year old me assumed it was filmed at the PBS affiliate

[@MikeCee7]

@@brianmiller1077 yes thanks. I forgot about the name/show Electric Company. (i.e. I forgot they were two different shows) We used to watch those two shows, (back to back) when I was in elementary school (during the actual school day, in the classroom) & they just blurred together to me. (from my memory)

[@RichV20]

Hitler, North Dakota

[@py8554]

I knew why there are two Virginia states (the Civil War and all that) but I didn't know why there are two Dakota states. Thanks for informing me about this lesser known bit of American history!

[@jbaronde]

Also, more details. There was a corrupt territory gov at the time named Ordway. He moved the capital from Yankton to Bismarck through lots of bribery and direct payments. Also, took bribes to choose county seats. Later he was removed from office and faced legal consequences. But the moving of the capital had a lot to do with the local N v S split. There's no really good reason for there to be two Dakota's. The population warrants one state in 1889 and in 2023. It's really silly.

[@alansach8437]

No one would question this if these two sparsely populated states had different names. Like Dakota and South Canada (for example). But because they are both called Dakota folks question why there are two of them. With their small populations you could also question why Idaho and Wyoming are two different states, or Montana and Wyoming....why not one state?

[@riedjacobsen8620]

DAKOTA was too nice and awesome to be admitted as a single state. Of course they had to split it up into two states.

[@rasoirwolf]

If you live in Minnesota, it's a bit more of a question you'd ask, when you know ppl who moved here from both North Dakota and South Dakota and you have a bit of extra thinkin' time.

[@robertmillar9279]

Correction: It is Sioux Falls, SD. Not Sioux City, which is in Iowa.

[@xxxxxx-tq4mw]

The New England state of Maine used to be a part of Massachusetts. what happened ? Had Maine been a state during the revolution, there’d have been 14 colonies.

[@malcolm20091000]

I have a relative who lives in the Northwestern corner of East South Dakota.

[@TheJBerg]

If we're going to start combining states, start with all those county sized states in New England: Delaware, New Jersey, Road Island.

[@brianjonker510]

and we will name it Brand New England

[@BMrider75]

New Jersey !? That's not in New England! Road ?! Road?! Rhode....... Appalling gerrymandering is USA's biggest problem.

[@bananabob2185]

Well done and very informative!

[@NeroPiroman]

if dakotas, virginias and carolinas united, we would have 3 empry state slots for portorico, US virgin islands and mariana islands (combined with guam)

[@geraldmiller5260]

Monument Valley is a strange picture choice for North and South Dakota.

[@seehu52]

4:24 *Sioux Falls, not Sioux City (a city in Iowa)

[@CapAnson12345]

We liked it so much we got one of each.

[@shawnsnow7748]

Great video. Benjamin Harrison defeated Grover Cleveland in the election of 1888 (only by winning the Electoral College however). It's actually during Harrison's administration that ND, SD, MT, ID, WY and WA enter the union--the first three in 1889 and latter three in 1890. Grover Cleveland when on to win a non-consecutive re-election in 1892.

[@dannyhightower911]

Yes, but the agreement to let the Dakotas Washington and Montana into the Union as states was signed by President Grover Cleveland in February 22, 1889. They were admitted later like you said but the agreement to let them in was signed by Cleveland in 1889.

[@HawkOnHOG]

Washington entered statehood in November of 1889.

[@missano3856]

I'm from ND and it has long been said that East and West Dakota would have been the more sensible division.

[@MexicoAdventurer]

I love both North Dakota and South Dakota. They're both Awesome States.

[@leewest356]

I understand that the party in power in Congress when you they were made states decided on 2 states in order to add 4 more senators to their power base.

[@poodee9395]

Love your channel and you're kind of eye candy. ❤

[@Grafvollundr]

As a South Dakotan, I can assure you there is really just one Dakota.

[@codymoe4986]

Yup, West Dakota.

[@lagodifuoco313]

@@codymoe4986 East Dakota.

[@jamisojo]

What do you think South Dakota should be called them Ryker?

[@Grafvollundr]

@@jamisojo Best Dakota, clearly.

[@Mockingbird_Taloa]

if you don't have a video on the (almost) State of Sequoyah, it would be a good topic for you! It's almost the exact opposite of how the US wound up with two Dakotas, with the a sprinkle of anti-Indigenous racism added in (just like how New Mexico was refused admittance for so long partly because even the Democratic party wasn't all in on a majority-Hispanic state).

[@alexgg7499]

My question always been how they do the lines

[@marihoverson]

As a North Dakotan, I think we have bigger small towns than South Dakota just from driving through. It’s amazing how it feels like South Dakota feels like a barren wasteland before hitting the massive Rapid City lights at night. People are used to driving long distances so we have been to every major city several times all over the state. The people here are nicer too. Everything is cheaper. As a former southern CA native, I like it up here in the north way better. It was refreshing to know places and people like this still exist without having to do the impossible of traveling back in time.

[@jamesclaptrap614]

I live in SD. They should be East and West Dakota.

[@wayne-oo]

I think you missed the bigger reason ! While you made many valid points the real reason was much more political, after Texas earned its statehood , congress learned big states had more representatives and at the time Texas had too much power politically ! Along with Oregon territory the Dakota territory were to large and congress didn’t want to loose control to 3 or 4 states !

[@zeroturn7091]

This has always been the reason, it’s the reason why there is pushback to admitting new states.

[@SGTDuckButter]

Great job, I’ve always wondered.

[@iboKirby]

Even thought North Dakota has 2 republican senators and one republican house representative today, it was only 2011 when all three were democrats.

[@zee-fr5kw]

Democrats used to not hate Americans and rural areas :(

[@mathewfinch]

@user-ti9lh4di1j rural people used to vote for their best interests, instead of voting for Republicans who want to hurt them in exchange for a promise to mass exterminate the people they find "racially inferior."

[@atticus8659]

@@zee-fr5kw Democrats no, but liberals yes. I know I do....

[@jamisojo]

@@atticus8659 yeah. Liberals really suck. Unfortunately, so do a lot of conservatives.

[@DavidM2002]

Tim Cahill : "It is said that as a somewhat deflated George Armstrong Custer lay bleeding in the Montana dirt at the Little Big Horn, he turned his glazed and dimming eyes east and said, 'At least we won't have to go back through South Dakota. "

[@AquaStockYT]

One Dakota, Two Dakota's, Neither three nor four! Come with Geoff to learn why we didn't make some more!

[@joshsimko701]

At the beginning the cutting the camera chot forward and backwards kinda gave me a headache. I love the channel though

[@Promano1978]

Brutally removed - you have two break some eggs to make an omelette

[@danmac805]

The new combined State would then only have 2 Senators. NOT 10. Creepy now the way it is.

[@rensocruz1866]

Great video 👍

[@SteppesoftheLevant]

I remember fairly odd parents when they became 1 state

[@thataboytrevor8486]

Oregon territory also went up into what would be barely into what would become BC because when the British gave independence to Canada the western part was not in control of British and Canada but then they eventually joined Canada a lot of people don’t know this. But it very hard to find the map.

[@lonnievickerman1990]

It's weird that we have other states that are decided but it makes our 50 states we are known for

[@lovatojonasfan1]

North Dakota: made famous by the fact it was mentioned in the hit movie Logan.

[@rightwingsafetysquad9872]

The real reason is that having 49 states would feel incomplete. Needed to make it an even 50.

[@covid-192]

As a South Dakotan… WE WONT ASSOCIATE OURSELVES WITH THE CRAZIES UP NORTH😂

[@jamisojo]

No offense taken. SD has enough crazies already. 😉

[@Emperor_Toxatine]

I am friends with a North Dakotan. And according to him that makes me friends of 20% of the states population. Which is neat.

[@jerrybesch8532]

Yeah the great dakota civil war was what created the north and the south. It's still a very touchy subject to many dakotan natives.

[@unclecreepy4185]

*Geoff makes a video about why there’s 2 Dakotas* The Carolinas and The Virginias: Are we jokes to you?

[@Artuar3CRaFT]

Now we need an explanation to why there is two Carolinas.

[@billcame6991]

Why? 4 senators instead of 2.

[@jackempson3044]

What about NC and SC and Virginia and West Virginia?

[@bcicav626]

To Dakotas is like throwing twice.

[@jacksoncatalano1452]

The use of the word “ceded” when referring to the theft of land from indigenous peoples is pretty passive and doesn’t accurately represent the ways the land was acquired. I get that you mentioned the way it was acquired, but using passive language like ceded undermines that.

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

Conquered. There fixed it.

[@coasterblocks3420]

@@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST or stolen. As opposed the Hawaii which is illegally occupied.

[@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST]

@@coasterblocks3420 that was conquered too genius but you can have it back it’s worthless. Take the coast of commiefornia while you’re at it and Portland and Seattle please!!

[@coasterblocks3420]

@@MAXIMUSMINIMALIST no, Hawaii is illegally occupied. Look it up. As for Democrat governed California, the U.S. Democrats can’t even be regarded as left, by global measure, as they’re to the right of most mainstream right wing parties in the developed world.

[@jrod264winmag]

Maybe the American thieves should return to Europe and leave this land for Russia or China…. Errr I mean the native Americans to defend with there bows and arrows

[@rattanack1413]

We are gonna need a northen california and southern california with a state line. Maybe a middle california.

[@stevensauvageau4394]

Wages are higher in Nodak because of the oil & coal industries. Nodak has a division 1 hockey team(UND) with 8 national championships & a division 1 football team (NDSU) with 9 FCS championships. SDSU finally got one but you have a long way to go to catch up. Congrats. Sodak may be a few degrees warmer in winter, but I wouldn't call it Florida. Sodak has Sturgis & Mt. Rushmore if you're into that type of stuff. Hey Sodak, get a hockey team. Then you might be as cool as Nodak. Either way, the rest of the US has no clue where No/So Dakota is anyway so what does it matter. That might be a good thing.

[@dezheathen]

Digging the Timbers shirt

[@stevehurl298]

Combine both N.D. and S.D. into a single state, admit Puerto Rico, and you don't even have to change the stars of the American flag.

[@CobyTravelWriter]

In my sci-fi world, I combine north and south Dakota into one state

[@brucearterbury1856]

Please look up the watershed map. Back when rivers made natural boundaries, the state lines made some sense. However, after 100 years of elected officials failing to address the water scarcity west of the Mississippi River, it seems only a threat to re-draw state lines according to the watershed map could make something positive happen.

[@MyNameIsUnavailable]

You forgot Dakota #4 Dakota Prescott. He's in Dallas somewhere.

[@leoschenk2118]

I have literally wondered this absent-mindedly for a decade lol

[@darrylbunch6929]

I heard they needed 2 more Senators to represent the buffalos.

[@blaquenoise]

So what about North and South Carolina or Virginia and West Virginia?

[@brentevje5939]

You can ask the same question about the Carolinas

[@daveharrison84]

The Carolinas each have a lot of people so they aren't being unfairly overrepresented in the national government by having 2 states instead of 1. The same isn't true for the Dakotas.

[@mrhilzy01]

You left the fact part of Minnesota, Montana, and Wyoming made the Dakota Territory.

[@STC987]

Why is there a North and South Carolina? Why is there a Virginia and West Virginia?

[@marsrover001]

Re-combine them, add Puerto Rico, don't have to change flags. I'm just saying it's the easiest option.

[@joefarrugia7413]

Enjoyed the video. A bit of advice (not that you did anything wrong): slow down a bit when narrating. Not a race. And add some personality to the narration. Too serious and “flat.” I’ve wondered why many videos are rushed when an extra minute or two would be nicer. Great volume … so many “whisperers” making videos these days. Nice job!

[@dougadams9419]

What about Virginia and West Virginia? And North and South Carolina?

[@stevenbrown5210]

There was going to be 4 Dakota's until 1 Dakota 2 Dakota 3 Dakota FLOOR! 😂

[@isaiahwinbrone]

Do they have barber shops over there

[@mr-vet]

The Dakotas, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana should all be one single state or treated that way for federal representation.

[@michaelangelo7511]

It’s easy . One is north and one is south. 😅

[@kdscanlo]

Imagery is featured prominently in this video that falsely represents the area described. Monument valley is located in northern Arizona along the southern Utah border.

[@deaconguidry3514]

If you ever visit Louisiana the State is one but anythiing North of Bunkie might as well be Arkansas or North Louisiana. The food the people, the language the landscape is totally different.

[@homesteadhaven2010]

That is so true. We live in Southern Mississippi. People down here think anything 50 miles north is Yankees. I have to laugh, we are originally from Minnesota.

[@zeroturn7091]

@@homesteadhaven2010 the Delta, Jackson, and the Coast are very different from the rest of Mississippi.

[@kimmieRH05]

Why are there two Carolina’s? With North being significantly larger than South.

[@jacoblahr]

There is more people in the Sacramento California area (Sacramento and Placer counties) than the whole state of North Dakota and most of S. Dakota combined lol. I live in northern cali

[@deathbystereo5322]

Cool story bro

[@semourphatasses6558]

There are 2 Carolina's too!

[@danielsweeney6742]

What about North and South Carolina?

[@owensymens]

West Virginia/Virginia, North Carolina/South Carolina

[@AMorgan57]

I like the information but I ask you to reconsider the jump cuts of your headshots. Distracting.

[@michaelh.sanders2388]

Sioux Falls in the 1950' and 60's was a children's paradise. The whole place was our playground. Too bad it could not last.

[@BillGreenAZ]

It was a great place to grow up in and be from but I have moved on to warmer climates as I grow older.

[@77thTrombone]

Not mentioned: _Lakota_ vs _Dakota_ My first time here. So I'm sure I'll find the story about the lady in Missouri's boot heel here. Looking forward to that.

[@boydmcree9085]

What about north and south Carolina,?

[@chipsrafferty8362]

North Carolina-South Carolina next.

[@ecamp6360]

I motice no one is talking about combining the Carolinas. That, of course, wouldn't work because there would be civil war over barbecue.

[@romecottrell6444]

That's not 🚫 such a big deal , the U.S also have 2 Carolinas North Carolina and South Carolina 🤔.

[@billmacmillan5373]

I always thought it was a ploy to have twice as many US Senators as California.

[@rino7789]

Will we be getting a video on why there are two Carolinas?

[@John-vz6lb]

Well, you see, one is geographically North in relation to the other one, which is south, hence the names, north and south Dakota.

[@ChrisNoonetheFirst]

Geoff, you were close to the correct answer by recognizing that federal politics was the key factor in maximizing the number of states Republicans could create in the Land Rush era, but you missed the fact that the Republican Congress added SIX new states during the Harrison administration, not just four.

[@MikeTooleK9S]

“under the stony gaze of the presidents, the people rule”

[@Jacob-ps5cl]

Next do a video on why the United states has 50 of them!

[@martinminihan7187]

I, a proud South Dakotan who enjoys making fun of North Dakotans, have long been a fan of joining to become one singular Dakota. If we merged we could make Puerto Rico a state and keep the same amount of stars on the US flag. 😂

[@jw5592]

What about north and South Carolina as well as East and West Virginia ?

[@parthin]

Politics is also we maintain some teeny-tiny states in the NE that should be one state. It's got to be a pain for the people there - different laws within an easy drive.

[@atticus8659]

What else is a pain is that states like the Dakotas, Alaska & Idaho have the same voting power in the Senate as states like Texas, New York & California.