The District Court of Minnesota is the state trial court of general jurisdiction in the U.S. state of Minnesota .
89-487: The Minnesota Constitution provides that the district court has original jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases and such appellate jurisdiction as may be prescribed by law. Appeals from these courts usually go to the Minnesota Court of Appeals . Minnesota Court Rule 146 creates a Complex Case Program (CCP) in the district courts, assigning complex cases to a single judge from beginning to end. Per Rule 146.01,
178-575: A trunk highway system overseen by the state and methods of funding roadways overseen by smaller political divisions within Minnesota. Sections 4 and 5 in Article X also describe the taxation of fuel and vehicles used in relation to airborne transportation, including aircraft and supplemental vehicles. In 1920, the Babcock Amendment authorized 70 " constitutional route " (CR) highways cris-crossing
267-582: A Democrat, sent a certified copy of the Democratic version to Washington, D.C. to be ratified by the Senate. A copy of the Republican version was also sent by an unknown party, and there is good historical evidence to show that both versions were available to Congress members. Additionally, the Republican version was sent with the bill returned to Minnesota. The Minnesota State Legislature began to convene before
356-487: A biennial budget isn't passed by the end of June in an odd-numbered year, the effect is a government shutdown, as happened in 2005 and again in 2011 . Similar to the Tennessee State Constitution , bills brought before the legislature may deal with only one subject. Article XIV of the constitution is dedicated to discussing the public highway system of the state and the methods of funding. It authorizes
445-588: A constitutional convention. An election in Minnesota Territory to select Republican and Democratic delegates to a state constitutional convention was held on June 1, 1857, following passage of an enabling act by the U.S. Congress on February 26 of that year ("The Enabling Act for a State of Minnesota"). The Republican version, as drafted by William Winthrop, a Yale Law graduate, abolitionist, future Civil War officer, and leading scholar of military law, called for universal male suffrage. The convention
534-463: A decline in air quality. Other factors negatively affecting Iowa's environment include the extensive use of older coal-fired power plants , fertilizer and pesticide runoff from crop production, and diminishment of the Jordan Aquifer . The 2020–2023 North American drought has affected Iowa particularly: As of January 2024, Iowa was in its 187th consecutive week of at least moderate drought ,
623-419: A member of the complementary convention. In the end, each convention signed their own copies of the document. The two were essentially identical, but had about 300 differences in punctuation , grammar , and wording because of errors in transcription produced as copyists worked late into the night on August 28. The Republican version, written on white paper , ran 39 pages and was signed by 53 delegates, while
712-485: A state, and St. Croix County was left to its own devices. In response, the settlers in the area held a convention in Stillwater and passed resolutions calling for Congress to establish a new territory named Minnesota. An election was held to choose a new territorial delegate to Congress, and Henry Hastings Sibley was elected. This marked the beginning of Minnesota as a territory. Congress responded to this request by passing
801-459: A universal education system in the future state. Voting was restricted to white male citizens or those who had declared their intention to become citizens. The act granted veto power to both the territorial governor and Congress, with the governor's veto able to be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the assembly. In contrast, Congress's veto could not be overridden. The establishment of the territorial government of Minnesota in 1849 greatly encouraged
890-595: Is a line along 43 degrees, 30 minutes north latitude. The southern border is the Des Moines River and a not-quite-straight line along approximately 40 degrees 35 minutes north, as decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in Missouri v. Iowa (1849) after a standoff between Missouri and Iowa known as the Honey War . Iowa is the only state whose east and west borders are formed almost entirely by rivers. Carter Lake, Iowa ,
979-591: Is an accepted version of this page Iowa ( / ˈ aɪ . ə w ə / EYE -ə-wə ) is a state in the upper Midwestern region of the United States . It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the east and southeast, Missouri to the south, Nebraska to the west, South Dakota to
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#17328631093691068-621: Is categorized as the Central forest-grasslands transition ecoregion. The Northern, drier part of Iowa is categorized as part of the Central tall grasslands . There is a dearth of natural areas in Iowa; less than 1% of the tallgrass prairie that once covered most of Iowa remains intact; only about 5% of the state's prairie pothole wetlands remain, and most of the original forest has been lost. As of 2005 Iowa ranked 49th of U.S. states in public land holdings. Threatened or endangered animals in Iowa include
1157-531: Is featured prominently in the constitution as Article I. There are seventeen sections, including many that echo the amendments to the United States Constitution by subject, but not necessarily by language. The Minnesota Supreme Court , which has final authority over how the Bill of Rights is interpreted, has given conflicting signals about when the state Bill of Rights should be interpreted differently from
1246-400: Is often criticized by advocates of public transportation ( buses , light rail , etc.), which they believe is inappropriately funded. While highways have a consistent source of money, Metro Transit has had to frequently petition the legislature for funding. Minnesota's constitution is characterized by a combination of the commonwealth pattern, which emphasizes the philosophical nature of
1335-520: Is part of the Driftless Area , consisting of steep hills and valleys which appear as mountainous. Several natural lakes exist, most notably Spirit Lake , West Okoboji Lake , and East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa ( see Iowa Great Lakes ). To the east lies Clear Lake . Man-made lakes include Lake Odessa, Saylorville Lake , Lake Red Rock , Coralville Lake , Lake MacBride, and Rathbun Lake. Before European settlement, 4 to 6 million acres of
1424-462: Is ranked among the best states and it performs highly on metrics such as governance, education, infrastructure, and safety. Like many other states , Iowa takes its name from its predecessor, Iowa Territory , whose name in turn is derived from the Iowa River , and ultimately from the ethnonym of the indigenous Ioway people . The Ioway are a Chiwere -speaking Siouan Nation , who were once part of
1513-575: Is the only city in the state located west of the Missouri River. Iowa has 99 counties , but 100 county seats because Lee County has two. The state capital, Des Moines , is in Polk County . Iowa's bedrock geology generally decreases in age from east to west. In northwest Iowa, Cretaceous bedrock can be 74 million years old; in eastern Iowa Cambrian bedrock dates to c. 500 million years ago. The oldest radiometrically dated bedrock in
1602-516: The 1900 census , though Iowa now has a predominantly urban population. The Iowa Economic Development Authority, created in 2011 has replaced the Iowa Department of Economic Development and its annual reports are a source of economic information. Iowa is bordered by the Mississippi River on the east along with the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River on the west. The northern boundary
1691-584: The French and Indian War , transferred ownership to their ally, Spain. Spain practiced very loose control over the Iowa region, granting trading licenses to French and British traders, who established trading posts along the Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers . Iowa was part of a territory known as La Louisiane or Louisiana , and European traders were interested in lead and furs obtained by Indigenous people. The Sauk and Meskwaki effectively controlled trade on
1780-551: The Ho-Chunk Confederation that inhabited the area now corresponding to several Midwest states. The Ioway were one of the many Native American nations whose territory comprised the future state of Iowa before the time of European colonization. When Indigenous peoples of the Americas first arrived in what is now Iowa more than 13,000 years ago, they were hunters and gatherers living in a Pleistocene glacial landscape. By
1869-808: The Indiana Territory ) that surrendered much of Illinois to the U.S. enraged many Sauk and led to the 1832 Black Hawk War . The Sauk and Meskwaki were forced to sell some of their land in the Mississippi Valley to the U.S. in 1832 in the Black Hawk Purchase Treaty and sold their remaining land in Iowa in 1842, most of them moving to a reservation in Kansas. In 1837, some the Potawatomi from Illinois were resettled in Iowa, while many Meskwaki later returned to Iowa and settled near Tama, Iowa ;
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#17328631093691958-577: The Late Archaic period , Native Americans in Iowa began utilizing domesticated plants. The subsequent Woodland period saw an increased reliance on agriculture and social complexity, with increased use of mounds, ceramics, and specialized subsistence. During the Late Prehistoric period (beginning about AD 900) increased use of maize and social changes led to social flourishing and nucleated settlements. The arrival of European trade goods and diseases in
2047-760: The Meskwaki Settlement remains to this day. In 1856 the Iowa Legislature passed an unprecedented act allowing the Meskwaki to purchase the land. However, in contrast to the unprecedented act of the Iowa Legislature, the United States Federal Government, through the use of Treaties, forced the Ho-Chunk from Iowa in 1848, and forced the Dakota from Iowa by 1858. Western Iowa around modern Council Bluffs
2136-427: The Mississippi River , averages 52 °F (11 °C). Snowfall is common, with Des Moines getting about 26 days of snowfall a year, and other places, such as Shenandoah getting about 11 days of snowfall in a year. Spring ushers in the beginning of the severe weather season. As of 2008, Iowa averaged about 50 days of thunderstorm activity per year. As of 2015, the 30-year annual average of tornadoes in Iowa
2225-522: The Organic Act of Minnesota , which established the territory and provided for its government. This act remains one of the constitutional documents of the state. The Organic Act served as the constitution for the Minnesota Territory from June 1849 until May 1858, when Minnesota became a state. The boundaries of the Minnesota Territory included the eastern half of the Dakotas to the Missouri River, but this area
2314-587: The U.S. Congress established the Territory of Iowa . President Martin Van Buren appointed Robert Lucas governor of the territory, which at the time had 22 counties and a population of 23,242. Almost immediately after achieving territorial status, a clamor arose for statehood. On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29th state in the Union when President James K. Polk signed Iowa's admission bill into law. Once admitted to
2403-614: The U.S. Highway system was created in 1926, many of these roads were made up of one or more U.S. highways. Today, they now use a mix of Minnesota state highways , U.S. highways, and Interstate highways . There is some ambiguity in how literally the Minnesota Department of Transportation must interpret the constitutional routes. In some cases, the routes no longer directly serve communities they were once designated for, but are routed along nearby interstates instead. The strong support given to automobile and aircraft transportation
2492-629: The War of 1812 , and Fort Shelby in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin , also fell to the British. Black Hawk took part in the siege of Fort Madison. Another small military outpost was established along the Mississippi River in present-day Bellevue . This poorly situated stockade was similarly attacked by hundreds of Indigenous people in 1813, but was successfully defended and later abandoned until settlers returned to
2581-584: The interior least tern , piping plover , Indiana bat , pallid sturgeon , the Iowa Pleistocene land snail , Higgins' eye pearly mussel , and the Topeka shiner . Endangered or threatened plants include western prairie fringed orchid , eastern prairie fringed orchid , Mead's milkweed , prairie bush clover , and northern wild monkshood . The explosion in the number of high-density livestock facilities in Iowa has led to increased rural water contamination and
2670-755: The " rocket docket ". These include district courts in Dakota and St. Louis Counties (since 2013), Hennepin and Olmstead Counties (since 2016), and the entirety of the Sixth Judicial District (since 2019). The rocket docket is typified by early judicial involvement, limited discovery, curtailed continuances, and the setting early trial dates. The program is mandatory, but assigned parties can seek to opt out. The first two pilot project judges were Jerome B. Abrams in Dakota County and Eric Hylden in St. Louis County. In May 2024,
2759-496: The 2003 case of [1] State v. Carter, the court held that a police dog's "sniff" of a rented storage locker is a "search" under the state Bill of Rights even though it is not a search under the federal Bill of Rights. In the 1994 case of Ascher v. Commissioner of Public Safety, the court held that DWI sobriety checkpoints, while constitutional under the Fourth Amendment, were unconstitutional under Article 1, Section 10. Some of
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2848-765: The Army of the Potomac in Virginia and fought under Union General Philip Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley . Many died and were buried at Andersonville. They marched on General Nathaniel Banks ' ill-starred expedition to the Red River. Twenty-seven Iowans have been awarded the Medal of Honor , the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government, which was first awarded in
2937-721: The CCP's objective is promoting "effective and efficient judicial management of complex cases in the district courts, avoid unnecessary burdens on the court, keep costs reasonable for the litigants and to promote effective decision making by the court, the parties and counsel." In addition to the single assigned judge highly involved in case management throughout the litigation process, the CCP's core principles involve mandatory disclosures of information, setting firm trial dates, and requiring judicial and staff education and training in complex case management. A number of district courts have expedited civil litigation track programs, sometimes referred to as
3026-503: The Civil War. Iowa had several brigadier generals and four major generals— Grenville Mellen Dodge , Samuel R. Curtis , Francis J. Herron , and Frederick Steele —and saw many of its generals go on to state and national prominence following the war. Following the Civil War, Iowa's population continued to grow dramatically, from 674,913 people in 1860 to 1,624,615 in 1880. The American Civil War briefly brought higher profits. In 1917,
3115-399: The Democratic version, written on blue-tinged paper, was 37 pages long and had 51 signatures. On October 13, an election to approve the constitution was held. Ballots only provided for an affirmative answer, which probably reduced the number of negative votes since doing so required altering the ballot. The tally was 30,055 for acceptance and 571 for rejection. The territorial secretary,
3204-470: The Depression. The crisis spurred a major, decade-long population decline. After bottoming out in the 1980s, Iowa's economy began to reduce its dependence on agriculture. By the early 21st century, it was characterized by a mix of manufacturing, biotechnology, finance and insurance services, and government services. The population of Iowa has increased at a slower rate than the U.S. as a whole since at least
3293-510: The Indochina War. An exception was required for this resettlement as State Dept policy at the time forbid resettlement of large groups of refugees in concentrated communities; an exception was ultimately granted and 1200 Tai Dam were resettled in Iowa. Since then Iowa has accepted thousands of refugees from Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Bhutan, and Burma. The farm crisis of the 1980s caused a major recession in Iowa, causing poverty not seen since
3382-556: The Iowa portion of the Quad Cities . Iowa is home to 940 small towns, though its population is increasingly urbanized as small communities and rural areas decline in population. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, Iowa was a part of French Louisiana and Spanish Louisiana ; its state flag is patterned after the flag of France . After the Louisiana Purchase , pioneers laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in
3471-572: The Louisiana Purchase into two parts—the Territory of Orleans and the District of Louisiana, with present-day Iowa falling in the latter. The Indiana Territory , created in 1800, exercised jurisdiction over this portion of the District; William Henry Harrison was its first governor. Much of Iowa was mapped by Zebulon Pike in 1805, but it was not until the construction of Fort Madison in 1808 that
3560-636: The Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed more expansive protections for Minnesotans than the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause provides. Although the text of Section 10 is exactly the same as the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the Minnesota Supreme Court has frequently interpreted it differently, so as to provide more expansive protections for persons subject to criminal prosecution under state law. For example, in
3649-554: The Mississippi River within the Iowa Territory remained unoccupied by European Americans. It, therefore, did not require a civil government for the next eight years. When Iowa became a state in 1846, Minnesota became an unorganized territory without issue. The area east of the Mississippi River had several hundred American settlers and was organized as St. Croix County within Wisconsin Territory. However, in 1848, Wisconsin became
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3738-464: The Mississippi in the late 18th century and early 19th century. Among the early traders on the Mississippi were Julien Dubuque , Robert de la Salle , and Paul Marin . Along the Missouri River at least five French and English trading houses were built before 1808. In 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte took control of Louisiana from Spain in a treaty . After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase , Congress divided
3827-476: The Protohistoric period led to dramatic population shifts and economic and social upheaval, with the arrival of new tribes and early European explorers and traders. There were numerous native American tribes living in Iowa at the time of early European exploration. Tribes which were probably descendants of the prehistoric Oneota include the Dakota , Ho-Chunk , Ioway , and Otoe . Tribes which arrived in Iowa in
3916-598: The Supreme Court expanded the rocket docket program statewide, giving all judicial districts without the docket an opportunity to opt-in to the program. It is common to refer to the "district courts" in the plural, as if each court in each judicial district is a separate court; this is the usage found in Chapter 484 of the Minnesota Statutes, which governs the jurisdiction, powers, procedure, organization, and operations of
4005-506: The U.S. established tenuous military control over the region. Fort Madison was built to control trade and establish U.S. dominance over the Upper Mississippi, but it was poorly designed and disliked by the Sauk and Meskwaki, many of whom allied with the British, who had not abandoned claims to the territory. Fort Madison was defeated by British-supported Indigenous people in 1813 during
4094-403: The Union, the state's boundary issues resolved, and most of its land purchased from Natives, Iowa set its direction to development and organized campaigns for settlers and investors, boasting the young frontier state's rich farmlands, fine citizens, free and open society, and good government. Iowa has a long tradition of state and county fairs. The first and second Iowa State Fairs were held in
4183-455: The United States entered World War I and farmers as well as all Iowans experienced a wartime economy. For farmers, the change was significant. Since the beginning of the war in 1914, Iowa farmers had experienced economic prosperity, which lasted until the end of the war. In the economic sector, Iowa also has undergone considerable change. Beginning with the first industries developed in the 1830s, which were mainly for processing materials grown in
4272-514: The admittance of Minnesota to the Union . Nearly 120 amendments have been approved (often multiple items at once), with perhaps the most significant being a reorganization in 1974 to simplify the document, making it easier for modern readers to comprehend and reducing the extensive verbiage. It is believed that the constitution was amended twice prior to ratification. Minnesota's settlement and organization were influenced by three factors: force, as it
4361-513: The area in the mid-1830s. After the war, the U.S. re-established control of the region through the construction of Fort Armstrong , Fort Snelling in Minnesota , and Fort Atkinson in Nebraska . The United States encouraged settlement of the east side of the Mississippi and removal of Indians to the west. A disputed 1804 treaty between Quashquame and William Henry Harrison (then governor of
4450-550: The area, Iowa has experienced a gradual increase in the number of business and manufacturing operations. The transition from an agricultural economy to a mixed economy happened slowly. The Great Depression and World War II accelerated the shift away from smallholder farming to larger farms, and began a trend of urbanization. The period after World War II witnessed a particular increase in manufacturing operations. In 1975, Governor Robert D. Ray petitioned President Ford to allow Iowa to accept and resettle Tai Dam refugees fleeing
4539-628: The armed forces, over one-sixth of whom were killed before the Confederates surrendered at Appomattox . Most fought in the great campaigns in the Mississippi Valley and in the South . Iowa troops fought at Wilson's Creek in Missouri , Pea Ridge in Arkansas , Forts Henry and Donelson, Shiloh, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Rossville Gap as well as Vicksburg, Iuka, and Corinth. They served with
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#17328631093694628-406: The assembly. The governor's veto could be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the assembly, while Congress's veto was final. The act also placed a limitation on the legislative assembly's ability to pass laws concerning the disposal of public land. It imposed higher taxes on non-residents' property compared to residents' property. It reserved sections 16 and 36 in every township for the establishment of
4717-456: The constitution was ratified, although officials elected to other positions such as governor did not begin acting in their official roles until later. The first two acts created by the legislature were amendments to the constitution, and they were approved by voters on April 15, 1858. One authorized a loan to railroads of US$ 5 million, and the other related to the term of office of the first state officers. Amended constitutions were apparently
4806-697: The constitution, and the frame-of-government pattern, which focuses on the structure of state government and the distribution of powers within the state. This is typical of western states in the United States. The Minnesota Constitution is relatively short, ranking among the shorter constitutions in the country. Still, it includes explicit provisions for the powers and duties of state officers, schools, taxes, banking, highways, and legislative apportionment, as well as extensive sections on natural resource conservation and progressive social policy Elazar, Daniel (1999). Minnesota Politics and Government . University of Nebraska. ISBN 0803218524 . Iowa This
4895-733: The constitutional convention held in St. Paul in July 1857, tensions between Democratic and Republican delegates were high and the two groups ended up writing separate versions of the constitution. However, the two documents were almost identical, with minor differences in spelling, grammar, and style. The two versions were then submitted to the voters of the state as required by the Enabling Act and both were approved, resulting in Minnesota having two original constitutions. The state's constitution has served for almost 160 years and has not undergone significant revision, although there have been periodic proposals for
4984-537: The district court. However, the Minnesota Constitution only refers to "a district court" in the singular (as a single statewide court). As the Court of Appeals has recognized, "Minnesota trial benches were consolidated into a single district court." In 2019 there were 289 judges of the district court in Minnesota. They are assigned to geographic districts. Each district has three or more judges, who are elected by
5073-437: The expense of more rural counties. Iowa, in common with other Midwestern states (especially Kansas , Nebraska , North Dakota , and South Dakota ), is feeling the brunt of rural flight , although Iowa has been gaining population since approximately 1990. Some smaller communities, such as Denison and Storm Lake , have mitigated this population loss through gains in immigrant laborers. Another demographic problem for Iowa
5162-425: The fairgrounds were being used as an army supply depot; and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States . Iowa supported the Union during the Civil War , voting heavily for Abraham Lincoln , though there was an antiwar " Copperhead " movement in the state, caused partially by a drop in crop prices caused by the war. There were no battles in the state, although the Battle of Athens , Missouri, 1861,
5251-399: The federal one. For example, Section 3 states that "the liberty of the press shall forever remain inviolate, and all persons may freely speak, write and publish their sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of such right." The First Amendment to the United States Constitution , by contrast, states that "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of
5340-403: The growth and development of the state. The population increased from around 4,000 non-natives in 1849 to 150,000 in 1857, on the eve of statehood. This growth was facilitated by the territorial government's efforts to extinguish Native American land claims and enable settlers to acquire titles to their lands. About three-quarters of the state was opened to non-Indian settlement between establishing
5429-600: The heart of the Corn Belt . In the latter half of the 20th century, Iowa's agricultural economy began to transition to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing, processing, financial services , information technology , biotechnology , and green energy production. Politically, Iowa is notable for the Iowa Caucuses , an influential event in national politics, as well as its high levels of voter turnout and foundational leadership in civil rights including early adoption or support of black suffrage , women's rights , and same-sex marriage . Iowa's standard of living
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#17328631093695518-437: The late prehistoric or protohistoric periods include the Illiniwek , Meskwaki , Omaha , and Sauk . The first known European explorers to document Iowa were Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet who traveled the Mississippi River in 1673 documenting several Indigenous villages on the Iowa side. The area of Iowa was claimed for France and remained a French territory until 1763. The French, before their impending defeat in
5607-403: The longest stretch since the 1950s. 96% of areas are affected by drought. Iowa has a humid continental climate throughout the state ( Köppen climate classification Dfa ) with extremes of both heat and cold. The average annual temperature at Des Moines is 50 °F (10 °C); for some locations in the north, such as Mason City, the figure is about 45 °F (7 °C), while Keokuk , on
5696-481: The more developed eastern part of the state at Fairfield . The first fair was held October 25–27, 1854, at a cost of around $ 323. Thereafter, the fair moved to locations closer to the center of the state and in 1886 found a permanent home in Des Moines. The State Fair has been held annually since then, except for a few exceptions: 1898 due to the Spanish–American War and the World's Fair being held in nearby Omaha, Nebraska ; from 1942 to 1945, due to World War II , as
5785-402: The northwest of the state receiving less than 28 inches (71 cm). The pattern of precipitation across Iowa is seasonal with more rain falling in the summer months. Virtually statewide, the driest month is January or February, and the wettest month is June owing to frequent showers and thunderstorms some of which produce hail, damaging winds or tornadoes. In Des Moines, roughly in the center of
5874-554: The northwest, and Minnesota to the north. Iowa is the 26th largest in total area and the 31st most populous of the 50 U.S. states , with a population of 3.19 million. The state's capital , most populous city , and largest metropolitan area fully located within the state is Des Moines . A portion of the larger Omaha, Nebraska, metropolitan area extends into three counties of southwest Iowa. Other metropolitan statistical areas in Iowa include Iowa City , Cedar Rapids , Waterloo-Cedar Falls , Ames , Dubuque , Sioux City , and
5963-489: The ones viewed by Congress during the ratification process. The validity of the early laws passed by the Legislature is somewhat in doubt, although they have never been challenged in court . In 1971, the legislature created a commission to study the constitution and make recommendations to maintain its utility. After reviewing the document for two years, it was recommended that the constitution be amended to rewrite it in modern language and allow easier reference. The amendment
6052-517: The other provisions in the Minnesota Bill of Rights are for trial by jury and due process of law . Amongst other rules, the state legislature may not meet in regular session "after the first Monday following the third Saturday in May of any year." The governor may call a special session following that date to handle unresolved issues from the regular session or to deal with unforeseen events such as emergency funding following natural disasters. Minnesota's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, so if
6141-432: The power to assign judges from one district to serve in another. There are ten judicial districts, each comprising one or more of Minnesota's 87 counties : Minnesota Constitution The Constitution of the State of Minnesota was initially approved by the residents of Minnesota Territory in a special election held on October 13, 1857, and was ratified by the United States Senate on May 11, 1858, marking
6230-401: The press." Despite the affirmative protections of Section 3, the Minnesota Supreme Court has followed the majority position of most states, rejected the position of the Supreme Court of California in the landmark case of Robins v. Pruneyard Shopping Center , and stubbornly refused to interpret such language any differently from the First Amendment. The court's most recent case on this issue
6319-405: The state is the 2.9 billion year old Otter Creek Layered Mafic Complex. Precambrian rock is exposed only in the northwest of the state. Iowa can be divided into eight landforms based on glaciation , soils , topography , and river drainage. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state, some of which are several hundred feet thick. Northeast Iowa along the Upper Mississippi River
6408-532: The state was covered with wetlands, about 95% of these wetlands have been drained. Iowa's natural vegetation is tallgrass prairie and savanna in upland areas, with dense forest and wetlands in flood plains and protected river valleys, and pothole wetlands in northern prairie areas. Most of Iowa is used for agriculture; crops cover 60% of the state, grasslands (mostly pasture and hay with some prairie and wetland) cover 30%, and forests cover 7%; urban areas and water cover another 1% each. The southern part of Iowa
6497-630: The state, over two-thirds of the 34.72 inches (88.2 cm) of rain falls from April through September, and about half the average annual precipitation falls from May through August peaking in June. Iowa's population is more urban than rural, with 61 percent living in urban areas in 2000, a trend that began in the early 20th century. Urban counties in Iowa grew 8.5% from 2000 to 2008, while rural counties declined by 4.2%. The shift from rural to urban has caused population increases in more urbanized counties such as Dallas , Johnson , Linn , Polk , and Scott , at
6586-563: The state. Until the 1974 modification of the constitution (see section below), these were enumerated in the document itself, though today they are listed in the Minnesota Statutes (§161.114). Still, the general routes cannot be altered or removed without amending the constitution and are therefore somewhat fixed. In many cases, the constitutional route numbers do not match highway numbers. In fact, it has been common for CR highways to be composed of several different trunk highways . When
6675-452: The states for common schools, a state university, public buildings, and salt springs, and provided that 5 percent of the proceeds of the sale of federal public lands in Minnesota be granted to the state for building public roads. It also set Minnesota's final borders and provided for concurrent jurisdiction on the Mississippi and other rivers and waters bordering the state, declaring that they should be "common highways and forever free." During
6764-427: The territorial government and achieving statehood. The Enabling Act was a piece of legislation passed by Congress in 1857 that enabled the people of Minnesota to form a state by holding an election for a constitutional convention, writing a constitution, approving it through a referendum, and submitting it to Congress for admission to the Union. The Enabling Act also established the basic system of federal land grants to
6853-475: The territorial governor and legislative assembly. The act also defined the qualifications for voting, which were restricted to free white males who were citizens or had declared their intention to become citizens. The legislative assembly had the power to pass legislation on any subject consistent with the Constitution of the United States, and both the territorial governor and Congress had the right to veto acts of
6942-426: The territory's residents elected. The Minnesota Historical Society was also established in the territory in 1849 and is now the oldest state institution in Minnesota. The Organic Act of Minnesota established the territory and provided for its government, including creating a legislative assembly and a judicial system. Local governments were also established, with the right to appoint or elect officers as determined by
7031-456: The time European explorers and traders visited Iowa, Native Americans were largely settled farmers with complex economic, social, and political systems. This transformation happened gradually. During the Archaic period (10,500 to 2,800 years ago), Native Americans adapted to local environments and ecosystems, slowly becoming more sedentary as populations increased. More than 3,000 years ago, during
7120-496: The voters of the district in nonpartisan judicial elections to six-year terms. Candidates file for a specific judgeship by seat number. Vacancies are filled by appointment of the governor . The chief judge and assistant chief judge of each district are elected from judges of that district to exercise general administrative authority over the courts of the district. The chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court has
7209-458: Was State v. Wicklund , in 1999, which involved a failed attempt by fur-coat protesters to demonstrate at the privately owned but publicly financed Mall of America. By contrast, Section 16 addresses the "freedom of conscience," or more generally freedom of religion. In the 1990 case of State v. Hershberger , which involved the Amish's successful attempt to be declared exempt from a state traffic law,
7298-558: Was 47. In 2008 , twelve people were killed by tornadoes in Iowa, making it the deadliest year since 1968 and also the second most tornadoes in a year with 105, matching the total from 2001. Iowa summers are known for heat and humidity, with daytime temperatures sometimes near 90 °F (32 °C) and occasionally exceeding 100 °F (38 °C). Average winters in the state have been known to drop well below freezing, even dropping below −18 °F (−28 °C). As of 2018, Iowa's all-time hottest temperature of 118 °F (48 °C)
7387-486: Was approved by voters on November 5, 1974. This did not alter the meaning of the constitution, although if there is a case where meaning is ambiguous, the original document remains the final authority. The earlier wording of the constitution, including all of the amendments approved since adoption in 1857, is printed in the Minnesota Legislative Manual 1973–74 , pages 445–484. A bill of rights
7476-525: Was conquered by European powers and later the United States; accident, as some European settlers arrived following the fur trade and American civilians drifted into the territory seeking opportunities; and choice, as the American settlers in the territory decided to establish a civil society. In 1838, the region that is now Minnesota was divided between the Iowa and Wisconsin territories. The part of Minnesota west of
7565-590: Was fought just across the Des Moines River from Croton, Iowa , and shots from the battle landed in Iowa. Iowa sent large supplies of food to the armies and the eastern cities. Much of Iowa's support for the Union can be attributed to Samuel J. Kirkwood , its first wartime governor. Of a total population of 675,000, about 116,000 men were subjected to military duty. Iowa contributed proportionately more soldiers to Civil War military service than did any other state, north or south, sending more than 75,000 volunteers to
7654-480: Was held in Saint Paul from July 13 to August 29. However, the divisions between the two political parties were so great that they each held their own separate conventions and never met together aside from five people from each party who met in a conference committee to create a document acceptable to both sides. Still, the tension was so extreme that delegates would not sign anything that had previously been signed by
7743-457: Was recorded at Keokuk on July 20, 1934, during a nationwide heat wave; as of 2014, the all-time lowest temperature of −47 °F (−44 °C) was recorded in Washta on January 12, 1912. Iowa has had a relatively smooth gradient of varying precipitation across the state; from 1961 to 1990, areas in the southeast of the state received an average of over 38 inches (97 cm) of rain annually, and
7832-475: Was subsequently detached when Minnesota became a state. The capital of the Minnesota Territory was St. Paul , which became the permanent state capital after an unsuccessful attempt was made in 1857 to move the capital to St. Peter . The Minnesota Territory was governed by an appointed governor and secretary and had an appointed judicial system. It also had a legislative assembly consisting of a nine-member council and an eighteen-member house of representatives, which
7921-517: Was used as an Indian Reservation for members of the Council of Three Fires . The first American settlers officially moved to Iowa in June 1833. Primarily, they were families from Ohio , Pennsylvania , New York , Indiana , Kentucky , and Virginia who settled along the western banks of the Mississippi River , founding the modern day cities of Dubuque and Bellevue near the site of Julien Dubuque's 1785–1810 lead mining operation. On July 4, 1838,
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