Treaty of Mendota

Quick Facts: Who was Treaty of Mendota?

Subject:

Treaty of Mendota

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1851 treaty between the US and Dakota people, opening southern Minnesota to settlement.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Treaty of Mendota (10 Stat. 954) was signed in Mendota, Minnesota, on August 5, 1851, between the United States federal government and the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute Dakota people of Minnesota. The agreement was signed near Pilot Knob on the south bank of the Minnesota River and within sight of Fort Snelling.

Career & Major Achievements

The treaty stipulated that the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute bands were to receive US$1,410,000 in return for relocating to the Lower Sioux Agency on the Minnesota River near present-day Morton, Minnesota along with giving up their rights to a significant portion of southern Minnesota. With the signing of the Treaty of Mendota along with the earlier Treaty of Traverse des Sioux (10 Stat. 949), most of southern Minnesota became open to white settlement.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The first treaty with the Dakota was the Treaty with the Sioux, signed in 1805 at Pike Island, which ceded 100,000 acres at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers so that the U.S. government could build Fort Snelling. U.S. Army Lt. Zebulon Pike, the negotiator for the U.S., valued the land at $200,000.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1805: 1805 Milestone — The first treaty with the Dakota was the Treaty with the Sioux, signed in 1805 at Pike Island, which ceded 100,000 acres at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers so that the U.
2. 1851: 1851 Milestone — 954) was signed in Mendota, Minnesota, on August 5, 1851, between the United States federal government and the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute Dakota people of Minnesota.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Treaty of Mendota

True or False: “True or false: The Treaty of Mendota stipulated that the Dakota people would receive payment for giving up their rights to southern Minnesota.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The treaty stipulated that the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute bands were to receive US$1,410,000 in return for relocating and giving up their rights to a significant portion of southern Minnesota.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Arne Garborg — Historical peer (Born in 1851) (1851): Pioneering Norwegian writer and champion of Landsmål (Nynorsk) literary reform.
• Arthur Evans — Historical peer (Born in 1851) (1851): Pioneering archaeologist who defined Aegean Bronze Age civilization through excavations at Knossos.
• Alexis de Tocqueville — Historical peer (Born in 1805) (1805): French philosopher known for analyzing Western democracy and social trends.
• August Bournonville — Historical peer (Born in 1805) (1805): Pioneering Danish ballet master and choreographer, founder of the Bournonville School.

Frequently Asked Questions about Treaty of Mendota