1. In 1889, South Dakota was officially granted statehood on November 2. However, the road to statehood was a long and difficult one. The territory had to go through several failed attempts to draft a state constitution and a long-standing battle with Congress over the allocation of public lands.

2. On November 1, 1911, South Dakota experienced its deadliest natural disaster when a massive forest fire swept through the Black Hills region. The fire, which was started by sparks from a logging train, destroyed more than 1,000 square miles of forest and claimed the lives of 52 people.

3. The Crazy Horse Memorial, which is still under construction, held its first blast ceremony on November 1, 1947. The memorial, which is dedicated to the legendary Lakota warrior, is being carved into the side of a mountain in the Black Hills and when complete will be the largest mountain carving in the world.

4. In 1973, a group of Native Americans from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, who were protesting against the government's treatment of their people, occupied the town of Wounded Knee. The standoff lasted for several weeks and resulted in a shootout between the protesters and federal agents, leaving two dead and several wounded.

5. On November 1, 2000, South Dakota became the first state to hold a statewide digital election. The online election was held to allow military personnel and other overseas citizens to cast their ballots easily and securely. Over 2,000 people participated in the historic election.