 When the Minnesota Territory was established in 1848 the Native American settlements in the territory still rivaled the American settlements in size . According to some scholars , the Mandan / Hidatsa village of Like @-@ a @-@ Fishhook in what is now North Dakota , with a population of 700 , was the largest settlement in the Minnesota Territory . The numerous other settlements in the territory gave a total Native American population of over 25 @,@ 000 in 1849 which easily outnumbered the <unk> " white " settlers . 
