Mankato Tapestries
Description: On December 26, 1862, in Mankato, Minnesota, the execution of 38 Dakota men was attended by more than 4000 spectators. It was the largest mass execution in the history of the United States and carried out at the direction of President Abraham Lincoln. The executions were the results of over 300 men being tried in a matter of weeks by a biased military tribunal at the end of a war with little to no evidence other than hearsay evidence. Many defendants did not speak the language of those conducting the trials and were offered no assistance in presenting their defense. There will never be justice for these 38, but they can be remembered.
Description: A Native American rides on horseback in the background, symbolizing Minnesota's Native American heritage. In a field in the foreground, a farmer plows a field, while his axe, gun, and powder horn rest on a stump nearby. The field and plow represent the importance of agriculture. The tools used by the Native American and the farmer represent the tools used for labor and hunting in the past, while the stump represents the importance of lumber in Minnesota's history. Next to the field, a river and waterfall symbolize the Mississippi River and St. Anthony Falls. Three pine trees in the background represent the pine regions of St. Croix, Mississippi, and Lake Superior. The flag features the motto in french "L'Étoile du Nord" - the star of ...
