Mapping the Aftermath: An Exploration in GIS of the Sioux Uprising of 1862

Abstract

On December 26th, 1862 the largest mass execution in United States History occurred as 38 Sioux Indians were hanged in Mankato, MN. This event marked the end of the Sioux Uprising of 1862, also known as the Dakota War or Dakota Conflict of 1862. This gruesome war came at a time when focus was shifted elsewhere; on the Civil War and because of this the Sioux Uprising is seldom talked about and relatively unknown. This applied thesis gives brief background on the war, and also an ESRI Story Map, Map Tour Web App which is usable on phones, tablets, and computers to show a tour of monuments, plaques, and markers associated with the Sioux Uprising. This Map Tour allows those who cannot visit these areas a chance to see them and read them but also allows for a spatial display of the war.