# Why did North Dakota try to secede in the '30s? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2000, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898 "2000-11-06T03:31:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![schief2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@schief2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schief2)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2000, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/1 "2000-11-06T03:31:32Z")
I was doing some reading today and came across a (frustratingly vague) reference to this very scenario. From what I could gather, the governor got in a bit of tiff with the feds and decided screw it, we’re outta here…he apparently barricaded himself in his office for a month or two and announced North Dakota’s secession from the union. So what’s the deal? Anyone know what he was so pissed off about? Even the state history on ND’s official website only makes reference to his being involved in “campaign law violations” and has no mention of seceding. And how did it all get resolved? Obviously North Dakota’s still around to house Titan missiles and have the Coen brothers make movies about it… ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2000, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/2 "2000-11-06T03:45:33Z")
Did he give up on the secession idea when he found out that no one in the U.S. really cared? ---
**Author:** ![barker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@barker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barker)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2000, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/3 "2000-11-06T04:49:24Z")
> [@](#): > > In 1933, William “Fighting Bill” Langer took office as Governor of North Dakota. Although he was hugely popular, he soon exhausted his support when he demanded that state employees contribute to the state Republican party. As some of these salaries were paid with federal money, he was convicted of conspiring to defraud the U.S. government in June of 1934. He refused to resign, and barricaded himself in his office. He issued a declaration of martial law and announced North Dakota’s secession from the United States. Only after the state Supreme Court ruled in July that he was ineligible to hold office did he step down. Langer was later re-elected, and served out his second term in a much quieter fashion. From [gravy.net](http://gravy.net) ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2000, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/4 "2000-11-06T04:55:38Z")
The secession proposal rates an entry in the [Footnotes to History](http://www.gravy.net/~jim/nations.html) page (an “overview of ephemeral states, micronations, secessionist states, and every other kind of country you never heard of in high school.”): > [@](#): > > North Dakota- In 1933, William “Fighting Bill” Langer (pictured at right) took office as Governor of North Dakota. Although he was hugely popular, he soon exhausted his support when he demanded that state employees contribute to the state Republican party. As some of these salaries were paid with federal money, he was convicted of conspiring to defraud the U.S. government in June of 1934. He refused to resign, and barricaded himself in his office. He issued a declaration of martial law and announced North Dakota’s secession from the United States. Only after the state Supreme Court ruled in July that he was ineligible to hold office did he step down. Langer was later re-elected, and served out his second term in a much quieter fashion. This [index of manuscripts at the Insitute for Regional Studies](http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndirs/collections/manuscripts/business/Anders/scope&content.html) at North Dakota State University in Fargo mentions a “resolution that Western United States secede from the East”. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2000, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/5 "2000-11-06T04:57:13Z")
Darn! Beat me to it, and by six whole minutes. That’s what comes of excessive proofreading, I guess… Even more embarassing, I messed up the line spacing on part of the post after all. ---
**Author:** ![barker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@barker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barker)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2000, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/6 "2000-11-06T05:07:08Z")
But your cites are so much better **MEB** I tend to get lazy at this time of the night. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/7 "2000-11-07T00:50:28Z")
Actually, my curiosity is now at least mildly aroused. I wonder if anybody else has more info on this incident. Any North Dakotans out there? Does this mean y’all put “Fergit, hell!” bumper stickers on your cars up there? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/8 "2000-11-07T05:24:47Z")
And if North Dakota suceded now they’d be the world’s fifth or so largest nuclear power. Think twice about pissing them off. ---
**Author:** ![northdakotatroy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@northdakotatroy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/northdakotatroy)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/9 "2011-11-22T23:08:32Z")
The truth is North Dakota did not try to secede, our Governor did. Governor William Langer was convicted of defrauding the Federal Government, and the state Supreme Court declared Lt. Gov Ole Olson the new Governor. Governor Langer declared North Dakota independent, declared martial law, and barricaded himself in the Governor’s mansion, demanding a meeting with the Supreme Court. He eventually relented and went to jail. He was released, appealed his conviction (which he eventually won), and got re-elected. He later served as a Senator. So the truth is, North Dakota never tried to secede, our Governor just got a little crazy when he was convicted of a crime. Colorful guy, that William Langer. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/10 "2011-11-22T23:12:45Z")
In other words, what somebody else posted **11 freaking years ago**! Learn to read dates, newb. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/11 "2011-11-22T23:15:12Z")
Interesting stuff, **northdakotatroy.** You might not have noticed that you are adding to an 11-year old thread, although new data is always welcome. And speaking of welcome, welcome to the SDMB. I hope you’ll stick around for more than one post, and join us in the Pursuit Of Knowledge, otherwise known as Fighting Ignorance (It’s taking longer than we thought). ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/12 "2011-11-22T23:30:28Z")
Waitaminute, are you telling me that the population of North Dakota is so starved for amusement that they elected a governor who tried to make the state secede, and when he finished with that, they elected him again? And we trust these people with nukes? Oh, god, we’re all going to die aren’t we. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/13 "2011-11-22T23:51:34Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Waitaminute, are you telling me that the population of North Dakota is so starved for amusement that they elected a governor who tried to make the state secede, and when he finished with that, they elected him again? And we trust these people with nukes? Oh, god, we’re all going to die aren’t we. Well, ya gotta understand that North Dakota is home to cattle, wind, land, wind, tumbleweeds, grass, rocks, wind, cattle, snow, heat, and wind. The people who live there have looked upon the grim, dead face of a nuclear winter and dubbed it January; the prospect of being blasted does not frighten them as much as the idea of watching Southerners trying to drive on ice amuses them. ---
**Author:** ![northdakotatroy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@northdakotatroy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/northdakotatroy)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/14 "2011-11-23T00:01:52Z")
Wow. I’m shocked that everybody is so friendly here. Sorry for disturbing your lives. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/15 "2011-11-23T00:04:54Z")
I know this is a zombie, but North Dakota also produces about 80% of the country’s [Durum wheat](http://www.ndwheat.com/consumers/default.asp?ID=429) which is what most pasta is made of. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/16 "2011-11-23T00:05:50Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > the prospect of being blasted does not frighten them as much as the idea of watching Southerners trying to drive on ice amuses them. Ok, that is pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/17 "2011-11-23T14:03:11Z")
> [@northdakotatroy](#): > > Wow. I’m shocked that everybody is so friendly here. > > Sorry for disturbing your lives. I can’t apologize for someone else’s rudeness, but I can explain. For a long time, this board wasn’t indexed by search engines, and the board culture came to regard deliberate or inadvertent resurrection of long-dead threads as something of a faux pas. The thread got labeled a “zombie” (because someone brought it back from the dead) and we’d all make fun of the person who didn’t notice it was ancient. Since the board began to be indexed by Google/Yahoo!/whatever, we’ve had a lot of zombie resurrections happen by simple ignorance that a) the thread even was 11 years old or whatever and b) the board culture says don’t drag these up for no good reason. So I can’t apologize for **silenus** , but I can at least explain some part of his rudeness… ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/18 "2011-11-23T14:20:11Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > You might not have noticed that you are adding to an 11-year old thread, although new data is always welcome. And speaking of welcome, welcome to the SDMB. > [@northdakotatroy](#): > > Wow. I’m shocked that everybody is so friendly here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/19 "2011-11-23T17:02:42Z")
Hey, A fellow Nodakian! Just as long as you aren’t from Minot…we’ll be ok. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898/20 "2011-11-23T17:13:21Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Waitaminute, are you telling me that the population of North Dakota is so starved for amusement that they elected a governor who tried to make the state secede, and when he finished with that, they elected him again? This is exactly what I was thinking. What was going on with that electorate? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-north-dakota-try-to-secede-in-the-30s/39898.md?page=2)