116-614: The Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway is a federally protected system of riverways located in eastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin . It protects 252 miles (406 km) of river, including the St. Croix River (on the Wisconsin/Minnesota border), and the Namekagon River (in Wisconsin), as well as adjacent land along the rivers. The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway is one of
232-469: A palisade erected around the encampment on Pike Island, just below the fort, to protect native people from the soldiers and settlers. Conditions there were poor and between 125 and 300 died of disease. Around 400 Dakota men were tried after the war. 303 were sentenced to death, but Abraham Lincoln reviewed the convictions and approved 39 of the death sentences. In December 1862, 38 of them were hanged. In early 1863, Ramsey resigned as governor to become
348-570: A quixotic effort to "dump Nixon " at the 1956 Republican National Convention . Stassen gained a reputation as a liberal , particularly when, as president of the American Baptist Convention in 1963, he joined Martin Luther King Jr. in his march on Washington, D.C. He was a prime representative of the socially-progressive " Rockefeller Republican " wing of American Republicanism. Hubert Humphrey (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978)
464-511: A Minnesota native. Mondale or Hubert Humphrey were on the Democratic ticket as candidates for president or Vice President in the 1964 , 1968 , 1976 , 1980 , and 1984 elections. Historically, Republicans have come close to winning Minnesota—Ronald Reagan lost by a small margin in 1984, and Donald Trump was defeated by 44,593 votes in 2016. Trump's near-win has motivated the GOP to invest heavily in
580-470: A combination of aggressive grassroots events and original television spots, designed by quirky advertising man Bill Hillsman , using the phrase "Don't vote for politics as usual." He spent considerably less than his opponents (about $ 600,000), and is widely regarded as one of the first candidates to effectively use the Internet as a medium of reaching out to voters in a political campaign. Ventura went on to gain
696-413: A congressional map for the state's new tenth district. Like many agriculture-based states, Minnesota lost a congressional seat after the 1930 census . The then-Conservative controlled legislature passed a map which Governor Floyd Olson then vetoed. The House of Representatives attempted to overrule and force the state Secretary of State to implement the map. He was sued, and the case made its way through
812-469: A crushing defeat as Reagan was re-elected in a landslide victory in which Mondale carried only his home state of Minnesota and the District of Columbia . Mondale also quickly stepped into the 2002 U.S. Senate race against Norm Coleman , when Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash two weeks before the election. Coleman narrowly won the election, 49.5% to 47.3%. Paul Wellstone (July 21, 1944 – October 25, 2002)
928-497: A diverse population in terms of age, birthplace, ancestry, and socioeconomic status, with a well-educated populace and a median household income around $ 77,000. Minnesota's racial demographics have significantly diversified since its early settlement period. As of 2020, according to U.S. census data, the white population had fallen to 77.5% from over 98% in the early to mid-20th century. Concurrently, other racial populations have markedly increased. The Black population has risen to 7%,
1044-596: A key role in the 1952 Republican contest when he released his delegates to Dwight D. Eisenhower . This helped Eisenhower to defeat Robert A. Taft on the first ballot. He served in the Eisenhower Administration, filling posts including director of the Mutual Security Administration (foreign aid) and Special Assistant to the President for Disarmament. During this period he held cabinet rank and led
1160-513: A leading spokesman for the progressive wing in his time. He served in the Senate from 1991 until his death in a plane crash on October 25, 2002. His wife, Sheila , and daughter, Marcia, also died in the crash. They had two other grown children, David and Mark, who now co-chair the Wellstone Action nonprofit group. Jesse Ventura (born July 15, 1951) was elected the 38th Governor of Minnesota in
1276-458: A pro-civil-rights plank in the Party's platform. Eugene McCarthy (March 29, 1916 – December 10, 2005) was a longtime member of the U.S. Congress . He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971. His anti-war stance and popularity prior to the 1968 Democratic National Convention likely convinced Lyndon Johnson to drop out of the race . In
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#17328478691511392-499: A third of the state forested . Nearly all Minnesota's prairies and oak savannas have been fragmented by farming, grazing, logging, and suburban development. While loss of habitat has affected native animals such as the pine marten , elk , woodland caribou , and bison , others like whitetail deer and bobcat thrive. Minnesota has the nation's largest population of timber wolves outside Alaska, and supports healthy populations of black bears , moose , and gophers . Located on
1508-681: A vast wilderness of pine and spruce trees mixed with patchy stands of birch and poplar . Much of Minnesota's northern forest has undergone logging, leaving only a few patches of old growth forest today in areas such as the Chippewa National Forest and the Superior National Forest , where the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has some 400,000 acres (162,000 ha) of unlogged land. Although logging continues, regrowth and replanting keep about
1624-570: Is prairie and farmland. More than 60% of Minnesotans (about 3.8 million) live in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, known as the "Twin Cities", which is Minnesota's main political , economic , and cultural hub and the 16th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Other minor metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas include Duluth , Mankato , Moorhead , Rochester , and St. Cloud . Minnesota, which gets its name from
1740-452: Is Bloomington's Mall of America . Minnesota is one of 45 U.S. states with its own lottery ; its games include multi-jurisdiction draws , in-house draws, and other games. Politics of Minnesota Minnesota is known for a politically active citizenry, with populism being a longstanding force among the state's political parties. Minnesota has consistently high voter turnout, ranking highest or near-highest in recent elections. This
1856-601: Is a 72-mile-long (116 km) corridor along the Mississippi River through the Minneapolis–St. Paul Metropolitan Area connecting a variety of sites of historic, cultural, and geologic interest. Saint Paul , in east-central Minnesota along the banks of the Mississippi River, has been Minnesota's capital city since 1849, first as capital of the Territory of Minnesota , and then as the state capital since 1858. Saint Paul
1972-548: Is a largely rural area that saw a significant swing toward Republicans in 2016, with Trump carrying every county. While Democrats hoped to win back voters in 2020 and 2024 by highlighting the negative impact of Trump's trade policies on agriculture, Republicans made further gains by, among others, promoted the benefits of the USMCA trade agreement. The progressive Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party , formed in 1920, provided three governors, four United States senators, and eight members of
2088-410: Is a nationally renowned smallmouth bass fishery. Other fish species present in the riverway include walleye , northern pike , sturgeon , muskellunge , and catfish. The Namekagon River upstream of Hayward, Wisconsin is well known for its brown and brook trout fishing. Besides fishing , the riverway is a popular destination for canoeing , boating , camping , tubing , and hunting . Camping
2204-815: Is adjacent to Minnesota's most populous city, Minneapolis; they and their suburbs are collectively known as the Twin Cities metropolitan area , the country's 16th-largest metropolitan area and home to about 55% of the state's population. The remainder of the state is known as " Greater Minnesota " or "Outstate Minnesota". The state has 17 cities with populations above 50,000 as of the 2010 census. In descending order of population, they are Minneapolis , Saint Paul , Rochester , Duluth , Bloomington , Brooklyn Park , Plymouth , Saint Cloud , Woodbury , Eagan , Maple Grove , Coon Rapids , Eden Prairie , Minnetonka , Burnsville , Apple Valley , Blaine , and Lakeville . Of these, only Rochester, Duluth, and Saint Cloud are outside
2320-604: Is also the last time the state voted for a non-incumbent Republican, and only once (2016) has the state voted to the right of the nation since. Minnesotans have voted for Democratic presidential candidates ever since 1976, more times consecutively than any other state outside of the South, and longer than any other ongoing streak. Minnesota and the District of Columbia were the only electoral votes not won by incumbent Republican President Ronald Reagan in 1984 . Minnesota voters instead chose former vice president and Senator Walter Mondale ,
2436-627: Is due in part to its same-day voter registration laws; previously unregistered voters can register on election day with evidence of residency. The major political parties are the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) and the Republican Party of Minnesota , along with the state-recognized minor parties: Grassroots–Legalize Cannabis , Legal Marijuana Now , and the Libertarian Party of Minnesota . The DFL
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#17328478691512552-583: Is expected to be a boon for third parties . The drive for IRV began in the 1990s as part of the Green Party's platform, although all political parties except the Republicans supported it in the Minneapolis referendum. Minnesota's two U.S. senators are elected at large: Minnesota has eight congressional districts . There were 9th and 10th districts but they were eliminated in 1963 and 1933 respectively. Since
2668-511: Is home to 11 federally recognized Native American reservations (seven Ojibwe, four Dakota), and its culture, demographics, and religious landscape reflect Scandinavian and German influence. This heritage continues to affect the state's racial demographics, making it one of the country's least diverse states, but in recent decades, Minnesota has become more multicultural, due to both larger domestic migration and immigration from Latin America, Asia,
2784-518: Is known as the Driftless Zone for its absence of glacial drift . Much of the remainder of the state has 50 feet (15 m) or more of glacial till left behind as the last glaciers retreated. Gigantic Lake Agassiz formed in the northwest 13,000 years ago. Its flatbed now is the fertile Red River valley, and its outflow, glacial River Warren , carved the valley of the Minnesota River and
2900-550: Is named for his nephew, Charles Alfred Pillsbury ). Frank B. Kellogg (December 22, 1856 – December 21, 1937) was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate from Minnesota in 1916 and served from March 4, 1917, to March 3, 1923. He was a delegate to the Fifth International Conference of American States at Santiago, Chile in 1923, and served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to
3016-614: Is provided at dozens of National Park Service-designated sites, at state parks along the river, and, in certain sections, anywhere users wish to camp. The riverway also includes numerous hiking trails, some of which are designated in winter for cross-country skiing . The riverway is managed overall by the National Park Service . The riverway headquarters and main visitor center are located in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin , with an additional visitor center in Trego, Wisconsin operated during
3132-455: Is the largest at 962,700 acres (389,600 ha; 3,896 km ) and deepest (at 1,290 ft (390 m)) body of water in the state. Minnesota has 6,564 natural rivers and streams that cumulatively flow for 69,000 miles (111,000 km). The Mississippi River begins its journey from its headwaters at Lake Itasca and crosses the Iowa border 680 miles (1,090 km) downstream. It is joined by
3248-555: The 1968 presidential election , McCarthy unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for President of the United States to succeed incumbent Lyndon Johnson on an anti- Vietnam War platform. He would unsuccessfully seek the presidency five times altogether. (He is not to be confused with Senator Joseph Raymond McCarthy who sought out Communist spies within the federal government.) Orville Freeman (May 9, 1918 – February 20, 2003)
3364-455: The 2018 mid-term elections the Republican party recovered both the 8th district and the 1st district , as the former representative of the first district, Tim Walz (D) ran for and was elected governor. The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party flipped two Twin Cities suburban districts, the 2nd and the 3rd district with candidates Angie Craig and Dean Phillips , which maintained
3480-722: The Dakota language , has been inhabited by various Native Americans since the Woodland period of the 11th century BCE. Between roughly 200 and 500 CE, two areas of the indigenous Hopewell tradition emerged: the Laurel complex in the north, and Trempealeau Hopewell in the Mississippi River Valley in the south. The Upper Mississippian culture , consisting of the Oneota people and other Siouan speakers, emerged around 1000 CE and lasted through
3596-508: The Horn of Africa , and the Middle East. The state has the nation's largest population of Somali Americans and second-largest Hmong community . Minnesota's standard of living and level of education are among the highest in the U.S., and it is ranked among the best states in metrics such as employment, median income, safety, and governance. The word Minnesota comes from the Dakota name for
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3712-699: The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 provided the tribes with a mechanism of self-government. This gave Natives a greater voice within the state and promoted more respect for tribal customs because religious ceremonies and native languages were no longer suppressed. After World War II, industrial development quickened. New technology increased farm productivity through automation of feedlots for hogs and cattle, machine milking at dairy farms, and raising chickens in large buildings. Planting became more specialized, with hybridization of corn and wheat, and farm machinery such as tractors and combines became
3828-491: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources . The Chippewa and Superior national forests comprise 5.5 million acres (22,000 km ). The Superior National Forest in the northeast contains the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness , which encompasses over a million acres (4,000 km ) and a thousand lakes. To its west is Voyageurs National Park . The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA)
3944-677: The Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party , and was the first member of the Farmer–Labor Party to win the office of governor in Minnesota. The party, founded in 1918 had a good deal of success in Minnesota as a statewide third party, with three governors and four U.S. senators serving during the 1920s and 1930s. The party platform called for protection for farmers and labor union members, government ownership of some industries, and social security laws. There were unsuccessful attempts to develop
4060-519: The Minnesota River at Fort Snelling, by the St. Croix River near Hastings , by the Chippewa River at Wabasha , and by many smaller streams. The Red River drains the northwest part of the state northward toward Canada's Hudson Bay. Approximately 10.6 million acres (4,300,000 ha; 43,000 km ) of wetlands are within Minnesota's borders, the most of any state outside Alaska. Minnesota has four ecological provinces: prairie parkland, in
4176-639: The Minnesota River , which got its name from one of two words in Dakota: " mní sóta ", which means "clear blue water", or " Mníssota ", which means "cloudy water". Early explorers interpreted the Dakota name for the Minnesota River in different ways, and four spellings of the state's name were considered before settling on "Minnesota" in 1849, when the Territory of Minnesota was formed. Dakota people demonstrated
4292-733: The Minnesota gubernatorial election of 1998 and served from January 4, 1999, to January 6, 2003, without seeking a second term. Ventura ran as a candidate for the Reform Party of Minnesota (but joined the Independence Party of Minnesota when it broke from its association with the Reform Party of the United States of America ) and narrowly, but unexpectedly beat the major-party candidates: Saint Paul mayor Norm Coleman ( Republican ) and Minnesota Attorney General Hubert H. "Skip" Humphrey III ( Democratic–Farmer–Labor ). His campaign consisted of
4408-666: The Mississippi Flyway , Minnesota hosts migratory waterfowl such as geese and ducks , and game birds such as grouse , pheasants , and turkeys . It is home to birds of prey , including the largest number of breeding pairs of bald eagles in the lower 48 states as of 2007, red-tailed hawks , and snowy owls . Hawk Ridge is one of the premier birdwatching sites in North America. The lakes teem with sport fish such as walleye , bass , muskellunge , and northern pike , while brook , brown , and rainbow trout populate streams in
4524-548: The University of Minnesota recover from debt in its early years, and later served as a regent . Since then, he has become known as "The Father of the University". Pillsbury Hall at the University of Minnesota is named in his honor. He tried his hand at several different types of businesses, including hardware, real estate and lumber, though his greatest success came when he founded C.A. Pillsbury and Company along with his family (it
4640-515: The 17th and 18th centuries. 19th-century European settlers, especially Scandinavians, established Protestant denominations, particularly Lutheranism . Catholicism also continued to be significant due to Irish immigrants, and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis serves a substantial Catholic community. The 20th and 21st centuries witnessed growth in other Christian denominations and non-Christian religions due to further immigration, leading to
4756-401: The 1950s but was hampered by malapportionment in the legislative maps. Redistricting has often been very contentious in Minnesota. For 1913, the legislature passed a legislative map which was litigated the following year, for reasons including malapportionment. The Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the map, following many other states in a pre- Reynolds v. Sims era. The legislature also passed
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4872-409: The 2006 mid-term election, Democrats were elected to all state offices except for governor and lieutenant governor, where Republicans Tim Pawlenty and Carol Molnau narrowly won reelection. The DFL also posted double-digit gains in both houses of the legislature, elected DFLer Amy Klobuchar to the U.S. Senate, and increased the Democratic U.S. House caucus by one, Tim Walz ( MN-01 ). However, in
4988-572: The 2010 mid-terms, the 8th district , a Democratic stronghold for decades in the Iron Range , elected Republican Chip Cravaack over long-time incumbent Jim Oberstar , splitting the delegation again, 4 to 4. Republicans also captured both houses of the Minnesota Legislature for the first time in decades. However, Democratic candidate Mark Dayton won control of the governorship, making all of Minnesota's statewide elected officials Democrats. In
5104-551: The 2012 election, Democrat Rick Nolan recaptured Oberstar's seat, bringing the ratio to 5 Democrats and 3 Republicans again at the national level. They also captured majorities in both chambers of the Minnesota Legislature. In 2016, Donald Trump was defeated by just 44,593 votes in 2016. Trump's near-win has motivated the GOP to invest heavily in the state, matching resources allocated to other key Midwestern battlegrounds like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. During
5220-534: The Asian population to 5.3%, and those identifying as two or more races to 6.1%. In the 2017 American Community Survey , 5.1% of Minnesota's population were of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race): Mexican (3.5%), Puerto Rican (0.2%), Cuban (0.1%), and other Hispanic or Latino origin (1.2%). The ancestry groups claimed by more than 5% of the population were German (33.8%), Norwegian (15.3%), Irish (10.5%), Swedish (8.1%), and English (5.4%). Minnesota has
5336-466: The Dakota people, and dislocated the Mdewakanton from their homelands along Mille Lacs Lake . Explorers such as Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut , Father Louis Hennepin , Jonathan Carver , Henry Schoolcraft , and Joseph Nicollet mapped the state. The region was part of Spanish Louisiana from 1762 to 1802. The portion of the state east of the Mississippi River became part of the United States at
5452-978: The Federal Indian Commissioner . His successor, Governor Henry Swift , raised the bounty to $ 200/scalp. A total of $ 325 was paid out to four people collecting bounties, including for Little Crow who was killed in July 1863. Upon becoming Indian Commissioner, Ramsey set out to get Ojibwe lands too. In 1863 he negotiated the Treaty of Old Crossing , whereby the Ojibwe ceded all their land in northern Minnesota and moved to reservations. Logging, farming, and railroads were mainstays of Minnesota's early economy. The sawmills at Saint Anthony Falls and logging centers of Pine City , Marine on St. Croix , Stillwater , and Winona processed vast quantities of timber. These cities were on rivers that were ideal for transportation. St. Anthony Falls
5568-516: The Iron Range to achieve an odd number of House and Senate seats, a longtime practice by the legislature. Voters also had sued to overturn the 1966 maps, and the federal district court intervened, drawing a map with 35 Senate districts and 105 House districts. In Minnesota State Senate v. Beens, the Supreme Court overturned the district court. The district court returned with a new plan, which brought
5684-618: The Minnesota Legislature were nonpartisan, though members organized into a Conservative Caucus and a Liberal Caucus. Most Republicans joined the Conservatives and most Farmer Laborites joined the Liberals, while the Democrats were more split. The Farmer Labor Party was successful statewide in the 1930s but only controlled the Minnesota House of Representatives twice. The DFL had more success by
5800-646: The Minnesota River valley. In the weeks that followed, Dakota warriors killed hundreds of settlers, causing thousands to flee the area. The six-week war ended with the defeat of the eastern Dakota and 2,000 in custody, who were eventually exiled to the Crow Creek Reservation by the Great Sioux Reservation in Dakota Territory . The remaining 4,500 to 5,000 Dakota mostly fled the state into Rupert's Land . As many as 800 settlers were killed during
5916-766: The Minnesota State Demographic Center, Minnesota had a population of about 5.7 million in 2020, making it the 22nd-most populous U.S. state. Its fertility rate in 2021 was slightly below the replacement rate at 1.75, but the state has seen growth over the past century through more births than deaths, and significant immigration. A destination for European immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily from Scandinavia , Germany , and Ireland , it now attracts people from Latin America , primarily Mexico ; East Africa , particularly Somalis and Ethiopians ; and South and Southeast Asia , especially Hmong , Vietnamese , and Indians . The state has
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#17328478691516032-474: The Minnesota and Mississippi rivers to create a military reservation. The construction of Fort Snelling followed between 1819 and 1825. Its soldiers built a grist mill and a sawmill at Saint Anthony Falls , which were harbingers of the water-powered industries around which Minneapolis later grew. Meanwhile, squatters, government officials, and others had settled near the fort; in 1839 the army forced them off military lands, and most moved downriver, just outside
6148-663: The Twin Cities metropolitan area, which became the Metropolitan Council in 1967. In 1971, under Governor Wendell Anderson , a series of legislation called the "Minnesota Miracle" led to a broad reform in financing of Minnesota public schools and local governments that created a fairer distribution in taxation and education. Two postwar Minnesota governors, former dentist Rudy Perpich and former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura , attracted national attention for their unconventional manner, but both enjoyed some popularity within
6264-476: The Twin Cities metropolitan area. Minnesota's population continues to grow, primarily in the urban centers. The populations of metropolitan Sherburne and Scott counties doubled between 1980 and 2000, while 40 of the state's 87 counties lost residents over the same period. The United States Navy has recognized multiple Minnesota communities . According to the United States Census Bureau and
6380-521: The U.S. House of Representatives from the 1920s until its merger with the Democratic Party in 1944. The moderate Reform Party was able to elect the former mayor of Brooklyn Park , and former professional wrestler , Jesse Ventura to the governorship in 1998 . The Minnesota branch of the Reform party split off from the national party due to unhappiness about Pat Buchanan's influence in the party, and
6496-500: The U.S. government and the eastern Dakota and Ojibwe gradually forced the natives off their lands and onto reservations . As conditions deteriorated for the eastern Dakota, tensions rose, leading to the Dakota War of 1862 . The conflict was ignited when four young Dakota men, searching for food, killed a family of white settlers on August 17. That night, a faction of Little Crow 's eastern Dakota decided to try to drive all settlers out of
6612-412: The U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the south, and North Dakota and South Dakota to the west. It is the 12th-largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd-most populous , with around 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes"; it has 14,420 bodies of fresh water covering at least ten acres each. Roughly a third of the state is forested . Much of the remainder
6728-451: The US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. Once primarily a producer of raw materials, Minnesota's economy has transformed to emphasize finished products and services. Perhaps the most significant characteristic of the economy is its diversity;
6844-855: The United Kingdom from 1923 to 1925. He was United States Secretary of State in the Cabinet of President Calvin Coolidge 1925–1929. In 1928, he was awarded the Freedom of the City in Dublin, Ireland and in 1929 the government of France made him a member of the Legion of Honor . As Secretary of State, he coauthored the Kellogg-Briand Pact , signed in 1928. Proposed by its other namesake, French foreign minister Aristide Briand ,
6960-459: The United States. At 31 he was the youngest governor to serve in Minnesota and was seen as an "up and comer" after delivering the keynote address at the 1940 Republican National Convention. At that convention, he helped secure the Republican Party nomination for Wendell Willkie . Stassen was a delegate at the San Francisco Conference that established the United Nations, and president of the University of Pennsylvania from 1948 to 1953. Stassen
7076-418: The Upper Mississippi downstream from Fort Snelling . Minnesota is geologically quiet today; it experiences earthquakes infrequently, most of them minor. The state's high point is Eagle Mountain at 2,301 feet (701 m), which is only 13 miles (21 km) away from the low point of 601 feet (183 m) at the shore of Lake Superior. Notwithstanding dramatic local differences in elevation, much of
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#17328478691517192-399: The arrival of Europeans in the 17th century. French explorers and missionaries were the earliest Europeans to enter the region, encountering the Dakota , Ojibwe , and various Anishinaabe tribes. Much of what is now Minnesota formed part of the vast French holding of Louisiana , which the United States purchased in 1803. After several territorial reorganizations, the Minnesota Territory
7308-480: The country's largest Somali population, and the largest Hmong population per capita. Minnesota also has the largest Norwegian American and Swedish American populations. Since the 1960s, Minnesota's immigrant population has been shaped by its status as a major area for refugee resettlement. As of 2018, Minnesota had the largest refugee population per capita of any state, with 2% of the country's population but 13% of its refugees. The largest groups of refugees over
7424-503: The country. Its growth was initially based on timber, agriculture, and railroad construction. Into the early 20th century, European immigrants arrived in significant numbers, particularly from Scandinavia , Germany, and Central Europe . Many were linked to the failed revolutions of 1848 , which partly influenced the state's development as a center of labor and social activism . Minnesota's rapid industrialization and urbanization precipitated major social, economic, and political changes in
7540-478: The early 1960s, the state's congressional districts have been drawn by a judicial panel due to the legislature's failure to enact a redistricting plan after every decennial census. U.S. House of Representatives : John S. Pillsbury (July 29, 1828 – October 18, 1901) served as the 8th Governor of Minnesota from January 7, 1876, to January 10, 1882. Pillsbury was a noted philanthropist and often anonymously donated funds to causes he favored. In particular, he helped
7656-412: The end of the American Revolutionary War , when the Second Treaty of Paris was signed. Land west of the Mississippi was acquired with the Louisiana Purchase , though the Hudson's Bay Company disputed the Red River Valley until the Treaty of 1818 , when the border on the 49th parallel was agreed upon. In 1805, Zebulon Pike bargained with Native Americans to acquire land at the confluence of
7772-596: The establishment of Buddhist , Hmong folk religion , Muslim , and Hindu communities, as well as a sizable Jewish community. A growing number of people identify as non-religious , in line with national trends. As of 2014, 74% of Minnesotans identified as Christian, 5% belonged to non-Christian faiths, and 20% identified as religiously unaffiliated, according to the Pew Research Center. The Spanish, Cushite, Beja, Somali, Miao, Hmong, Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Amharic, Karen, and Niger-Congo languages are spoken in Minnesota. ( NH = Non-Hispanic ) Note:
7888-456: The far northeast to 160 days in southeast Minnesota near the Mississippi River. Average temperatures range from 37 to 49 °F (3 to 9 °C). Average summer dewpoints range from about 58 °F (14 °C) in the south to about 48 °F (9 °C) in the north. Average annual precipitation ranges from 19 to 35 inches (48 to 89 cm). Droughts occur every 10 to 50 years. Minnesota has been affected by climate change and warmed over
8004-402: The final months of both the 2000 and 2004 campaigns. However, in the 2008 United States presidential election , Barack Obama won the state by more than 10 percentage points. Minnesota's congressional delegation is split with 4 Democratic and 4 Republican members of Congress and mostly has been split since the early 1990s. (See United States congressional delegations from Minnesota .) In
8120-437: The floor of the primordial ocean ; the remains of this volcanic rock formed the Canadian Shield in northeast Minnesota. The roots of these volcanic mountains and the action of Precambrian seas formed the Iron Range of northern Minnesota. Since a period of volcanism 1.1 billion years ago, Minnesota's geological activity has been more subdued, with no volcanism or mountain formation, but with repeated incursions of
8236-435: The flour mills powered by St. Anthony Falls . Although less than 1% of the population is now employed in the agricultural sector, it remains a major part of the state's economy, ranking sixth in the nation in the value of products sold. The state is the nation's largest producer of sugar beets , sweet corn , and peas for processing, and farm-raised turkeys . Minnesota is also a large producer of corn and soybeans, and has
8352-432: The industry. In 2016 the state produced 60% of the country's usable iron ore. The mining boom created the port of Duluth, which continues to be important for shipping ore, coal, and agricultural products. The manufacturing sector now includes technology and biomedical firms, in addition to the older food processors and heavy industry. The nation's first indoor shopping mall was Edina's Southdale Center , and its largest
8468-589: The isolated Northwest Angle in Lake of the Woods County is the only part of the 48 contiguous states north of the 49th parallel . The state is part of the U.S. region known as the Upper Midwest and part of North America's Great Lakes region . It shares a Lake Superior water border with Michigan and a land and water border with Wisconsin to the east. Iowa is to the south, North Dakota and South Dakota are to
8584-508: The largest privately owned company in the United States, and Carlson Companies , the parent company of Radisson Hotels . Minnesota's per capita personal income in 2019 was $ 58,834, the thirteenth-highest in the nation. Its 2019 median household income was $ 74,593, ranking thirteenth in the U.S. and fifth among the 36 states not on the Atlantic coast. Minnesota's earliest industries were fur trading and agriculture. Minneapolis grew around
8700-607: The late 19th and early 20th centuries; the state was at the forefront of labor rights , women's suffrage , and political reform. Consequently, Minnesota is relatively unique among Midwestern states in being a reliable base for the Democratic Party , having voted for every Democratic presidential nominee since 1976, longer than any other U.S. state. Since the late 20th century, Minnesota's economy has diversified away from traditional industries such as agriculture and resource extraction to services, finance, and health care. Minnesota
8816-432: The legislative maps in 1964 under the principle of one man, one vote and again the court deferred to the legislature to redraw the maps. The legislature and Governor Karl Rolvaag fought over new maps, before one was signed into law in 1966. In 1971, the legislature passed a new map during a special session, but Governor Wendell R. Anderson vetoed the map over its use of multimember districts in Minneapolis, Duluth, and
8932-729: The maps were grossly malapportioned. In Magraw v. Donovan , the courts agreed, but allowed the legislature time to redraw the maps. In 1959, the legislature passed a map which made minor changes, notably preserving the districts in Southeastern, Central, and Northeastern Minnesota. It increased the number of legislative districts in Hennepin and Ramsey County from 14 to 19 (two members were elected to each legislative district in Minneapolis while in Ramsey County two house districts were nested within each legislative district). Voters again sued to overturn
9048-511: The military reservation, to the area that became St. Paul. Minnesota was part of several territorial organizations between acquisition and statehood. From 1812 to 1821 it was part of the Territory of Missouri that corresponded with much of the Louisiana Purchase. It was briefly an unorganized territory ( 1821–1834 ) and was later consolidated with Wisconsin, Iowa and half the Dakotas to form
9164-438: The most food cooperatives per capita in the United States. Forestry remains strong, including logging , pulpwood processing and paper production, and forest products manufacturing. Minnesota was famous for its soft-ore mines, which produced a significant portion of the world's iron ore for more than a century. Although the high-grade ore is now depleted, taconite mining continues, using processes developed locally to save
9280-455: The name to early settlers by dropping milk into water and calling it mní sóta . Many places in the state have similar Dakota names, such as Minnehaha Falls ("curling water" or waterfall), Minneiska ("white water"), Minneota ("much water"), Minnetonka ("big water"), Minnetrista ("crooked water"), and Minneapolis, a hybrid word combining Dakota mní ("water") and - polis ( Greek for "city"). The state seal features
9396-634: The norm. University of Minnesota professor Norman Borlaug contributed to these developments as part of the Green Revolution . Increased mobility enabled more specialized jobs. Minnesota became a center of technology after World War II. Engineering Research Associates was formed in 1946 to develop computers for the United States Navy . It later merged with Remington Rand , and then became Sperry Rand . William Norris left Sperry in 1957 to form Control Data Corporation (CDC). Cray Research
9512-636: The original eight National Wild and Scenic Rivers , largely as a result of legislation by senators Walter Mondale of Minnesota and Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. The largest scenic riverway east of the Mississippi River , it lies within parts of eight counties in Wisconsin: Bayfield , Burnett , Douglas , Pierce , Polk , St. Croix , Sawyer , and Washburn ; and three in Minnesota: Chisago , Pine , and Washington . The upper St. Croix
9628-635: The party into a national Farmer–Labor Party in the early 1920s. The Minnesota Democratic Party, led by Hubert H. Humphrey, was able to merge with the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1944. Since 1944 the two parties together make up the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. Harold E. Stassen (April 13, 1907 – March 4, 2001) was the 25th Governor of Minnesota from 1939 to 1943 and a later perennial candidate for other offices, most notably and frequently President of
9744-515: The past decades have been Hmongs, Somalis, Ethiopians, and Vietnamese; other major refugee groups that have recently been settling in Minnesota include Burmese, Liberians, Ecuadorians, Congolese, Russians, and Ukrainians. Minnesota also receives large numbers of non-refugee immigrants, primarily from Mexico, India, China, Korea, and Canada. Minnesota's religious landscape is also diverse, having evolved significantly over its history. The area's first Christian influence came from Catholic missionaries in
9860-600: The past few years. Rising temperatures have affected natural habitats and many species that live in them. For example, the lakes' water is warming, which affects fish populations: trout, a cold-water fish, is losing its habitat, while the habitat of bass, a warm-water fish, is growing. Minnesota's first state park, Itasca State Park , was established in 1891, and is the source of the Mississippi River. Today Minnesota has 72 state parks and recreation areas, 58 state forests covering about four million acres (16,000 km ), and numerous state wildlife preserves, all managed by
9976-581: The phrase Mni Sóta Makoce ("the land where the water reflects the skies"), the Dakota name for the larger region. When Europeans arrived in North America, the Dakota people lived in what is now Minnesota. The first Europeans to enter the region were French voyageurs , fur traders who arrived in the 17th century. They used the Grand Portage to access trapping and trading areas further into Minnesota. The Anishinaabe (also known as Ojibwe or Chippewa) were migrating into Minnesota, causing tensions with
10092-441: The pilot school breakfast program and is most often remembered for today's U.S. Food Stamp Program . Walter Mondale (January 5, 1928 – April 19, 2021) was the 42nd vice president of the United States (1977–1981) under President Jimmy Carter . He was also a two-term United States Senator from Minnesota and the Democratic Party nominee for president in 1984 against the incumbent, Republican Ronald Reagan . Mondale suffered
10208-427: The presidential votes cast, gaining Major Party status for the party. The Green Party lost that status in 2004, but retains minor party status having exceeded a 2% threshold. In the 2006 election, voters in Minneapolis approved a referendum (by a decisive 65% to 35%) to utilize the single transferable vote (STV)—commonly referred to as "instant-runoff voting" and "ranked choice voting"—in future city elections, which
10324-441: The ratio of 5 Democrats and 3 Republicans representing Minnesota at the national level. The 2018 mid-term election also saw the election of Ilhan Omar as representative of Minnesota's 5th congressional district . She gained national recognition for her involvement with The Squad , a progressive group of four newly-elected representatives including New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez . From 1915 to 1973, elections to
10440-497: The relative outputs of its business sectors closely match the United States as a whole. Minnesota's economy had a gross domestic product of $ 383 billion in 2019, with 33 of the United States' top 1,000 publicly traded companies by revenue headquartered in Minnesota, including Target , UnitedHealth Group , 3M , General Mills , U.S. Bancorp , Ameriprise , Hormel , Land O' Lakes , SuperValu , Best Buy , and Valspar . Private companies based in Minnesota include Cargill ,
10556-402: The sea, which left behind multiple strata of sedimentary rock . In more recent times , massive ice sheets at least one kilometer thick ravaged the state's landscape and sculpted its terrain. The Wisconsin glaciation left 12,000 years ago. These glaciers covered all of Minnesota except the far southeast, an area characterized by steep hills and streams that cut into the bedrock . This area
10672-460: The short-lived Territory of Michigan (1834–1836). From 1836 to 1848, Minnesota and Iowa were part of the Territory of Wisconsin . From 1838 to 1846, Minnesota west of the Mississippi River was part of the Territory of Iowa . Minnesota east of the Mississippi was part of Wisconsin until 1848. When Iowa gained statehood, western Minnesota was in an Unorganized Territory again. Minnesota Territory
10788-502: The southeast and northeast. Minnesota experiences temperature extremes characteristic of its continental climate , with cold winters and hot summers. The lowest temperature recorded was −60 °F (−51 °C) at Tower on February 2, 1996. The highest was 114 °F (46 °C) at Moorhead on July 6, 1936. Meteorological events include rain, snow, blizzards, thunderstorms, hail, derechos , tornadoes, and high-velocity straight-line winds . The growing season varies from 90 days in
10904-401: The southwestern and western parts of the state; the eastern broadleaf forest ( Big Woods ) in the southeast, extending in a narrowing strip to the state's northwestern part, where it transitions into tallgrass aspen parkland ; and the northern Laurentian mixed forest , a transitional forest between the northern boreal forest and the broadleaf forests to the south. These northern forests are
11020-618: The state courts before going to the United States Supreme Court. In Smiley v. Holm , the Court overturned the State Supreme Court and struck down the map, leading congressional seats in the 1932 House elections to be elected held at-large. The next year, a new congressional map was passed and implemented, staying in place until 1961. In 1958, a group of voters sued to overturn the still in place 1913 legislative maps, arguing
11136-782: The state is a gently rolling peneplain . Two major drainage divides meet in Minnesota's northeast in rural Hibbing , forming a triple watershed . Precipitation can follow the Mississippi River south to the Gulf of Mexico , the Saint Lawrence Seaway east to the Atlantic Ocean, or the Hudson Bay watershed to the Arctic Ocean. The state's nickname "Land of 10,000 Lakes" is apt, as there are 11,842 Minnesota lakes over 10 acres (4 ha) in size. Minnesota's portion of Lake Superior
11252-426: The state legislature down to its current 67 senators and 134 representatives. In 2020, The Washington Post released an article that categorized the state into five regions based on political attitudes: Minneapolis and Saint Paul , the suburban regions of those two cities, the Iron Range , a section of southeastern Minnesota, and the remaining parts of the state (dubbed "Greater Minnesota"). Greater Minnesota
11368-426: The state, matching resources allocated to other key Midwestern battlegrounds like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. In the early 2000s, presidential campaigns have viewed the 27 electoral college votes from Minnesota, Wisconsin , and Iowa as a bloc that is subject to swing toward either major party, and equal in value to Florida's 27 electoral votes. This analysis resulted in dozens of visits by candidates in
11484-450: The state. After a period of mostly divided government during the 21st century, the DFL ( Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party ) gained control of all three branches of Minnesota's government and passed significant reforms in the 2023 legislative session , moving the state in a progressive direction. Minnesota is the second northernmost U.S. state (after Alaska ) and northernmost contiguous state, as
11600-517: The summer. Large areas along both sides of the river are also managed by state agencies and include state parks and state forests. Minnesota Minnesota ( / ˌ m ɪ n ə ˈ s oʊ t ə / MIN -ə- SOH -tə ) is a state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by
11716-467: The treaty intended to provide for "the renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy". He was awarded the 1929 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition. He was associate judge of the Permanent Court of International Justice from 1930 to 1935. Floyd B. Olson (November 13, 1891 – August 22, 1936) served as the 22nd Governor of Minnesota from January 6, 1931, to August 22, 1936. He was a member of
11832-649: The war. Minnesota Governor Alexander Ramsey subsequently declared that "the Sioux Indians of Minnesota must be exterminated or driven forever beyond the borders of the state" and placed a bounty of $ 25/scalp on the heads of the eastern Dakota men. Over 1,600 eastern Dakota women, children, and elderly walked from the Lower Sioux Agency to Fort Snelling to be held until the spring thaw allowed riverboats to take them out of Minnesota to Crow Creek Indian Reservation. William Crooks , commander of 6th Minnesota , had
11948-476: The west, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba are to the north. With 86,943 square miles (225,180 km ), or approximately 2.25% of the United States, Minnesota is the 12th-largest state. Minnesota has some of the earth's oldest rocks, gneisses that are about 3.6 billion years old (80% as old as the planet). About 2.7 billion years ago basaltic lava poured out of cracks in
12064-629: Was admitted to the Union as the 32nd state in 1858. Minnesota's official motto, L'Étoile du Nord ("The Star of the North") is the only state motto in French . This phrase was adopted shortly after statehood and reflects both the state's early French explorers and its position as the northernmost state in the contiguous U.S. As part of the American frontier , Minnesota attracted settlers and homesteaders from across
12180-463: Was a co-founder and chairman of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party and a three-term Governor of Minnesota , the first from the DFL. Freeman served as United States Secretary of Agriculture under presidents Kennedy and Johnson. He recognized that needy people were starving just as grain surpluses had driven prices down. Freeman advocated farm exports and supported controls on production sometimes idling farm land for years. Freeman worked toward
12296-510: Was a two-term U.S. Senator from Minnesota. He was a member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party and was a professor of political science at Carleton College before being elected to the Senate in 1990. Wellstone was in a line of left-of-center or progressive senators of the DFL. The first three, Hubert H. Humphrey, Eugene McCarthy, and Walter F. Mondale, were all prominent in the national Democratic Party and Wellstone became
12412-619: Was established with the discovery of iron in the Vermilion and Mesabi ranges in the 1880s, followed by the Cuyuna Range in the early 1900s. The ore went by rail to Duluth and Two Harbors for ship transport east via the Great Lakes . Industrial development and the rise of manufacturing caused the population to shift gradually from rural areas to cities during the early 20th century. Nevertheless, farming remained prevalent. Minnesota's economy
12528-509: Was formed on March 3, 1849. The first territorial legislature, held on September 2, 1849, was dominated by men of New England ancestry. Thousands of pioneers had come to create farms and cut timber. Minnesota became the 32nd U.S. state on May 11, 1858. The founding population was so overwhelmingly of New England origins that the state was dubbed "the New England of the West". Treaties between
12644-457: Was formed when Seymour Cray left CDC to form his own company. Medical device maker Medtronic also started business in the Twin Cities in 1949. The nonprofit Mayo Clinic , which was founded in 1864 in Rochester , grew to become one of the country's leading medical systems, and, by the 21st century, Minnesota's largest private employer. In 1957, the legislature created a planning commission for
12760-604: Was founded in 1944 when the Minnesota Democratic Party and Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party merged. The party is affiliated with the national Democratic Party . Supporters of the DFL are often referred to as "DFLers" in Minnesota as an alternative to "Democrats". The state Republican Party is affiliated with the national Republican Party . Historically, the state was a Republican stronghold, never voting Democratic from statehood until 1932, however, since then it has voted Democratic all but thrice- 1952, 1956, and 1972. 1952
12876-467: Was hit hard by the Great Depression , resulting in lower prices for farmers, layoffs among iron miners, and labor unrest. Compounding the adversity, western Minnesota and the Dakotas were hit by drought from 1931 to 1935. New Deal programs provided some economic turnaround. The Civilian Conservation Corps and other programs around the state established some jobs for Indians on their reservations, and
12992-503: Was later best known for being a perennial candidate for the Republican Party nomination for president. His strongest bid for the presidential nomination was in 1948, when he won a series of upset victories in early primaries . Polls showed that he would beat Harry S. Truman if nominated. He lost the nomination to Thomas Dewey , however, who had already lost in the presidential election of 1944 to Franklin D. Roosevelt . Stassen played
13108-498: Was later tapped to provide power for flour mills. Innovations by Minneapolis millers led to the production of Minnesota "patent" flour, which commanded almost double the price of "bakers'" or "clear" flour which it replaced. By 1900, Minnesota mills, led by Pillsbury , Northwestern , and the Washburn-Crosby Company, an ancestor of General Mills , were grinding 14.1% of the nation's grain. The state's iron-mining industry
13224-490: Was renamed the Independence Party . The Independence Party had been able to sustain sufficient support to maintain major party status until 2014. The state's Green Party has elected several city council members and other local office-holders in Duluth , Minneapolis and Winona , and has made strong runs for state legislature during the past two election cycles. In 2000, Green Party candidate Ralph Nader received just over 5% of
13340-399: Was the 38th Vice President of the United States, serving under President Lyndon Johnson . Humphrey twice served as a United States Senator from Minnesota, and served as Democratic Majority Whip . He was a founder of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party and Americans for Democratic Action . He served as mayor of Minneapolis from July 2, 1945, to November 30, 1948. In 1968 Humphrey
13456-544: Was the nominee of the Democratic Party in the United States presidential election but lost to Republican Richard Nixon . In one of the most renowned speeches in American political history, Humphrey told the 1948 Democratic National Convention : "the time has arrived in America for the Democratic Party to get out of the shadows of states' rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights," winning support for
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