The same weather systems sweep across Saskatchewan and the Dakotas. The same droughts parch the land. The same floods overwhelm the same watersheds. Climate change is already affecting the northern plains, and its impacts don't stop at the 49th parallel.
Temperature:
Mount Rushmore is many things simultaneously:
Long before Saskatchewan, North Dakota, or South Dakota existed, the northern plains were home to Indigenous peoples whose territories, trade routes, and relationships paid no attention to lines that wouldn't be drawn for centuries.
Major Nations of the Region:
North Dakota and South Dakota weren't always separate. From 1861 to 1889, they were simply "Dakota Territory"—a vast expanse of prairie, badlands, and Black Hills that stretched from Minnesota to Montana.
The split, when it came, was largely political. In 1889, the Republican-controlled Congress faced a dilemma: Dakota Territory was ready for statehood, but admitting it as a single state would add only two senators (likely Republican). Splitting it would add four. The math was compelling.
Agreement for the Placement of Alaska with Yukon Territory
PLACING AUTHORITY: The United States of America
RECEIVING TERRITORY: Yukon Territory, Canada
CHILD: The State of Alaska
CO-SIGNER: Northwest Territories, Canada
INTERESTED OBSERVERS: The Russian Federation (acknowledged but not party)
Re: File 2026-YT-ADOPT-001 (Yukon Territory Application to Adopt State of Alaska)
FILE NUMBER: OTT-IGA-2026-YT-AK-001
DATE RECEIVED: [DATE]
STATUS: Under Review (Expedited - Northern Affairs Priority)
State: Alaska
Proposed Adoptive Parent: Yukon Territory
Form Note: Yes, we know we're bigger. We've thought about this.
I, THE STATE OF ALASKA, do hereby consent to my adoption by Yukon Territory, and I acknowledge this is unusual.
I am Alaska. I am:
Home Study Assessment for Prospective Adoptive Parent
Collected in support of Yukon's Application to Adopt Alaska
Relationship: Sibling Territory, Former Single Entity, Co-Signer on Application
FILE: QC-INTER-2026-YT-AK-001
PRIORITY: Low (Does not affect Quebec directly)
INTEREST LEVEL: Mild curiosity
Quebec has reviewed Yukon's application to adopt Alaska.
Our initial reaction: "C'est audacieux." (This is audacious.)
Our considered position: We are... intrigued.