If you attended sixth grade history class in the State of Minnesota, you've probably heard of the treaties of Traverse des Sioux and Mendota. You've also probably heard that those treaties were both corrupt and important to the foundation of the state. But perhaps you need a refresher on what exactly that means. 

You're in luck: on this podcast, we touch on many of the major treaties from the 1840s and 1850s. You'll hear about the shady exploits of Henry Rice and how he mysteriously convinced the Dakota to sign an unfavorable treaty. You'll gasp at the lengths to which Henry Sibley will go to make a profit for himself and his fellow fur traders. You can't help but marvel at the witty and courageous--yet heartbreaking--remarks from Dakota, Ojibwe, and Winnebago negotiators. Wabasha, Sleepy Eyes, Flat Mouth, Big Canoe, and Hole-in-the-Day are just some of the indigenous leaders vital to this story. 

There are many complexities which make this story difficult to tell, but this episode can be your primer on some of the things you may have forgotten from history class. 

Sam Temple and Logan Ledman discuss and explain Chapter Eight of North Country, by Mary Lethert Wingerd.

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