Quote:
Originally Posted by Harry Lime
I've always wondered why North Dakota and South Dakota didn't just join up and become Dakota. This explains why.
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There are two Dakotas because the Republicans won the House and Senate in the elections of 1888.
The States of Montana, New Mexico, "Dakota", and Washington were all expected to be admitted to the Union shortly, with Montana and New Mexico expected to be reliably Democrat, Dakota and Washington Republican.
However, after the Republican victories in 1888, the Democrats were forced to accept the less-favorable deal of Washington, Montana, and then
two Dakotas. A situation in which, while the Republicans "got" three states, at least the Democrats "got" one.