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Before settlers came, South Dakota was home to nomadic tribes of Native Americans. These tribes lived off the buffalo herds that dominated the plains. Ancestors of the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota still call South Dakota home today. You can learn more about them with our lesson Native Americans in South Dakota.

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Thanks to the Homestead Act of 1862, any adult male could claim a piece of wild Dakota Territory for $10 by building a house and planting crops. If settlers — called homesteaders — could tough it out for five years, they could keep the 160 acres of land. People flocked from around the world, claiming the area and trying their hand at the American dream. South Dakota's most famous homesteader is Laura Ingalls Wilder.

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COLORING PAGE: STEAM TRAIN

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James Butler Hickok, better known as Wild Bill, was a famous soldier, scout, wagon master, and lawman. In 1876, he came to Deadwood as a professional gambler, but he met his end in Saloon #10 when he was gunned down during a poker game.

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Adventurous and outspoken, Calamity Jane represented the wild American frontier. A larger-than-life figure, she made her name as a sharpshooter and scout before following Wild Bill to Deadwood. Now, the infamous pair rests beside each other in Mt. Moriah Cemetery.

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The West

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For Kids: The Dakota Territory & Wild West

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