South Dakota
| Capital | Pierre |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Mount Rushmore State |
| Governor | Kristi Noem, R |
| Senator | Mike Rounds, R (202) 224-5842 Contact |
| Senator | John Thune, R (202) 224-2321 Contact |
| Population | 890,000 (2020) |
| Ratification of Constitution/or statehood | November 2, 1889 (40th) |
|
Motto: "Under God the people rule" |
South Dakota is part of the Midwest, and is on the northern Great Plains; it was the fortieth state to enter into the Union, on November 2, 1889. It entered the same day as North Dakota, but is considered to be second because of the alphabetical order. The state capital is Pierre, and the largest city is Sioux Falls.[1]
Acquired in the Louisiana Purchase, the region that is now South Dakota was originally part of the Dakota Territory, before being separated from North Dakota.
The state is bordered on the north by North Dakota, on the south by Nebraska, on the east by Minnesota and Iowa, and on the west by Wyoming and Montana.[2]
South Dakota is known for its Black Hills, the highest point of which is 7,242 ft at Harney Peak. The indigenous Indian peoples are the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota tribes, which make up the Sioux Nation. Lewis and Clark traveled through South Dakota in 1804 and 1806 on their journey to the West Coast.[3]
The state Constitution of South Dakota, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe. It says:
- We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties, in order to form a more perfect and independent government, establish justice, insure tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and preserve to ourselves and to our posterity the blessings of liberty, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the state of South Dakota.
Contents
Elected Officials
Federal
- Sen. Mike Rounds (R)
- Sen. John Thune (R)
- Rep. Dusty Johnson (R)
Statewide
- Governor Kristi Noem (R)
- Lt. Governor Larry Rhoden (R)
- Secretary of State Steve Barnett (R)
- Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg (R)
- State Auditor Rich Sattgast (R)
- State Treasurer Josh Haeder (R)
Famous Places in South Dakota
Mount Rushmore is the most famous site in South Dakota, it is a mountain carved to show the heads of 4 United States Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt,and Abraham Lincoln.
Other notable sites include:
- Badlands National Park
- Black Hills National Forest
- Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
- Black Hills Caves
State Facts
- Population: 781,919 [4]
- State Tree: Black Hills Spruce
- State Flower: Pasque
- State Animal: Coyote
- State Bird: Chinese ring-necked pheasant
- State Mineral: Rose quartz
Notable people from South Dakota
- Tom Brokaw (TV newscaster)
- Hubert H. Humphrey (former US Vice President 1965-1969)
- Cheryl Ladd (Actress)
- Mary Hart (TV talk show host)
- Tom Daschle (former Senator) [5]
References
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