NORTH DAKOTA

“Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable”

Dashalena Sieng
Mr. Pham’s Class, Room C7
Rio Calaveras
May 18, 2018
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

State Introduction 2
State History 4
State Facts 5
State Geography 6
State Economy 7
Famous People 8
Closing 10
Bibliography 11
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STATE INTRODUCTION

My name is Dashalena and the state I have a report on is North Dakota.

Before I research anything about my state, I already know that North Dakota is the

top producer for honey in the nation and is the top producer for sunflowers in the

United States. North Dakota is surrounded by South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota,

and is located in the midwestern and northern regions of the United States. North

Dakota’s state nicknames are the Peace Garden State, Flickertail State, and the

Roughrider State. The Peace Garden State is North Dakota’s nickname because it

became so popular that it was formally adopted by North Dakota legislature in

1975. Flickertail State became one of North Dakota’s nickname because of the

Richardson ground squirrels. The animal flicks its tail in a characteristic manner

when running or before entering its burrow. The Roughrider State became one of

North Dakota’s nickname because of Theodore Roosevelt’s Roughriders of the

Spanish-American War which includes several of North Dakota’s cowboys.

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STATE HISTORY

In 1738 through 1740, a group of French Canadians explored North Dakota.

The group’s reason to explore this area was because they were in search of a water

passage to the Pacific. This group was led by fellow French Canadian, Sieur de la

Vérendrye, an explorer, fur trader, and a military officer. Because of the

significance of fur trading, Britain, Spain, and France all hoped to form an

inhabitants in the area. In 1812, the first houses were built in the city, Pembina, by

the Irish and Scottish families while the area was still in dispute between the U.S

and Great Britain. Only until 1851, was when the Dakota territory was finally

organized. North Dakota entered the union on November 2, 1889. North Dakota is

the 39th state.

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State Facts

Area: 71,230

Capital: Bismarck

Population: 755,393 in 2017

5 Major Colleges/Universities: University of Jamestown, University of

North Dakota, Dickinson State University, Minot State University, and North

Dakota State University

Known for: Sheep, durum wheat, barley, oats, canola, flaxseed, lentils, and

edible beans

Tourist Attractions: Dakota Dinosaur Museum, International Peace Garden,

National Buffalo Museum, and Fargo Air Museum

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STATE GEOGRAPHY

North Dakota is bordered by Canada on the north. On the east, North Dakota

is bordered by Minnesota, while on the west, it is bordered by Montana. Major

rivers include the James River, Red River, and the Missouri River. There are three

main geographic areas, the Red River Valley, the Drift Prairie, and the Great

Plains. The Red River Valley is flat and one of the most fertile place in the world.

The Drift Prairie is recognized by stream valleys, several lakes, and rolling hills.

The Great Plains is an area that has many hills and is wealthy in mineral deposits.

One of the famous mountains in North Dakota is the Turtle Mountains, which is a

great tourist attraction. A popular valley in North Dakota is the Badlands that is

located southwestern of North Dakota. The Badlands had been shaped by the wind

and waters into a peculiar yet magnificent formation.

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STATE ECONOMY

Farms cover 90% of North Dakota’s land making this state one of the most

rural states. North Dakota is ranked first in one of the nation's production of durum

and spring wheat. Other agricultural products include barley, rye, sunflower, dry

edible beans, sheep, honey, sugar beets, hay, beef cattle, hogs, oats, and flax seeds.

Two of the major rivers, the Missouri and Red Rivers, were formerly crucial

transportation routes for North Dakota. Now they serve as an important function

for irrigating the state’s agriculture.

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FAMOUS PEOPLE

Peggy Lee is one of the most famous jazz singers of

her time. She was born in Jamestown, North Dakota, on May 26, 1920. Peggy

joined the Benny Goodman band in 1941 and produced a song called “I Got it Bad

and That Ain’t Good.” She is possibly best known for providing vocals for a

Disney movie, Lady and the Tramp.

Louis L'Amour is known for his novels of the west.

He had many jobs in his early career which includes longshoreman, lumberjack,

miner, and an elephant handler. Louis was born in Jamestown, North Dakota, on

March 22, 1908. He entered the army during World War 2 which put a hold to his
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career. Louis published 3 novels a year and before his death, he sold millions of his

copies of his book.

Lawrence Welk is a musician with a rough past.

Lawrence Welk was born Strasburg, North Dakota to immigrant parents on a farm.

He dropped out of school after fourth grade and could only speak German in his

early life. His first instrument was a hand down accordion but continued to sell fur

pelts until he could buy a better quality and more expensive. By age 17, he decided

he wanted to be a musician He agreed to work with his father on the family farm

until age 21 only under one condition, he was to work in exchange for the 400$

accordion. Lawrence left for South Dakota to find work as a musician. His local

television show was picked by ABC in 1955. Which became one of the most top-

rated programs on television.

CLOSING
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What I like about North Dakota is that it has many agricultural factors that

make it one of the most rural states. One thing I found out about my state is that it

resembles more of a countryside rather than a town. Another is that North Dakota

produces enough soybean to make 483 billion crayons. Lastly, North Dakota is the

top producer for honey in the nation.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/north-dakota/state-
nickname/peace-garden-state

http://www.teachersfirst.com/share/states/states.cfm?state=nd

https://www.50states.com/ndakota.htm

https://www.abcteach.com/States/StateTOC.htm