
Learn from home – An Online Course about the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862

In August of 1862, Minnesota was shook by war. After years of oppression and genocidal policies, a faction of Dakota soldiers retaliated by attacking, killing, and taking captive several hundred noncombatant U.S. citizens living throughout south and southwestern Minnesota. The attacks, which have become known as the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862, lasted more than a month before being put down by U.S. forces led by Henry Hastings Sibley. In the aftermath, thirty-eight Dakota men were hanged in Mankato, Minnesota, in what remains the largest mass execution in United States history. Shortly thereafter, all Dakota and Ho-chunk peoples were exiled from beyond the borders of the state of Minnesota by act of Congress.
The U.S. – Dakota War of 1862 was much more than a series of battles. It involved years of cultural and social change and included the contribution and perspectives of many different groups of people. In order to understand the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862, it is important to carefully consider all the elements that eventually led to unavoidable conflict.
With this online course, students will come away with three valuable results.
- Students will be able to critically evaluate the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862: when, why, and how it happened.
- Students will be able to identify the people and events that were relevant to the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862.
- Students will be able to place the U.S. – Dakota War within its historical context with an understanding of the various influences and perspectives involved.
This easy-to-follow course includes seven lessons. Each lesson contains the following:
- 3 Specific Learning Targets
- A 3-6 Minute Video Lecture with Relevant Images
- A Printable List of Key Terms and Concepts
- Biographies of Key People Provided Through Lecture and a Printable Resource
- Printable Discussion Questions and Practice Activity Related to the Current Lesson
- A Six Question Multiple-Choice Quiz
Click the video below to watch a course preview.
Find the course at Udemy.com where you can learn more and preview various lectures: https://www.udemy.com/course/the-us-dakota-war-of-1862/

Colin Mustful is a Minnesota author and historian whose work focuses on the complicated and tumultuous time period when land was exchanged between Native and American hands. Using elements of fiction and nonfiction, Mustful’s work relies on real historical figures and documentation while creating compelling narratives that bring history to life. You can learn more about the author and his work at his website, www.colinmustful.com.