Minnesota, which gets its name from 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 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 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.[2] 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 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.[12] Minnesota's rapid industrialization and urbanization precipitated major social, economic, and political changes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; the state was at the forefront of labor rights, women's suffrage, and political reform.[13] 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.[14]
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 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,[15] but in recent decades, Minnesota has become more multicultural, due to both larger domestic migration and immigration from Latin America, Asia, the Horn of Africa, and the Middle East. The state has the nation's largest population of Somali Americans and second-largest Hmong community.[16] Minnesota's standard of living and level of education are among the highest in the U.S.,[17] and it is ranked among the best states in metrics such as employment, median income, safety, and governance.[18]
Etymology
The word Minnesota comes from the Dakota[19] name for the Minnesota River, which got its name from one of two words in Dakota: "mní sóta", which means "clear blue water",[20][21] or "Mníssota", which means "cloudy water".[22][23] 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.[24]Dakota people demonstrated the name to early settlers by dropping milk into water and calling it mní sóta.[23]
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").[25] The state seal features the phrase Mni Sóta Makoce ("the land where the water reflects the skies"), the Dakota name for the larger region.[26]
In 1805, Zebulon Pike bargained with Native Americans to acquire land at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers to create a military reservation. The construction of Fort Snelling followed between 1819 and 1825.[31] 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 the military reservation, to the area that became St. Paul.[32]
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 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.[33]
When Iowa gained statehood, western Minnesota was in an Unorganized Territory again. Minnesota Territory was formed on March 3, 1849. The first territorial legislature, held on September 2, 1849,[34] was dominated by men of New England ancestry.[35] 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".[36][33][37][38]
Mixed Dakota-Europeans who were rescued by "non-hostile" Dakota. The girl in the foreground wrapped in the striped blanket is Elise Robertson, the sister of Thomas Robertson, a mixed blood who acted as an intermediary between the Dakota and the European-Americans during the Dakota War of 1862
Treaties between 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.[39] 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 the Minnesota River valley. In the weeks that followed, Dakota warriors killed hundreds of settlers, causing thousands to flee the area.[40] 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.[30] As many as 800 settlers were killed during the war.[41]
Minnesota Governor Alexander Ramsey subsequently declared that "the Sioux Indians of Minnesota must be exterminated or driven forever beyond the borders of the state"[42] 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.[43]William Crooks, commander of 6th Minnesota, had a palisade erected around the encampment on Pike Island, just below the fort, to protect native people from the soldiers and settlers.[44] Conditions there were poor and between 125 and 300 died of disease.[45][46] 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.[30]
In early 1863, Ramsey resigned as governor to become 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.[46] 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.[30] St. Anthony Falls 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.[47] 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.[48]
The state's iron-mining industry 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.[30]
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 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 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.[31]
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 the norm. University of Minnesota professor Norman Borlaug contributed to these developments as part of the Green Revolution.[31] Increased mobility enabled more specialized jobs.[31]
In 1957, the legislature created a planning commission for the Twin Cities metropolitan area, which became the Metropolitan Council in 1967.[52] 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.[53][54] 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 the state.[52][53] 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.[55][56]
Minnesota has some of the earth's oldest rocks, gneisses that are about 3.6billion years old (80% as old as the planet).[60][61] About 2.7billion years ago basalticlava poured out of cracks in the floor of the primordial ocean; the remains of this volcanic rock formed the Canadian Shield in northeast Minnesota.[60][62] The roots of these volcanic mountains and the action of Precambrian seas formed the Iron Range of northern Minnesota. Since a period of volcanism 1.1billion years ago, Minnesota's geological activity has been more subdued, with no volcanism or mountain formation, but with repeated incursions of the sea, which left behind multiple strata of sedimentary rock.[60]
In more recent times, massive ice sheets at least one kilometer thick ravaged the state's landscape and sculpted its terrain.[60] The Wisconsin glaciation left 12,000 years ago.[60] 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 is known as the Driftless Zone for its absence of glacial drift.[63] Much of the remainder of the state has 50 feet (15m) 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 the Upper Mississippi downstream from Fort Snelling.[60] Minnesota is geologically quiet today; it experiences earthquakes infrequently, most of them minor.[64]
The state's high point is Eagle Mountain at 2,301 feet (701m), which is only 13 miles (21km) away from the low point of 601 feet (183m) at the shore of Lake Superior.[62][65] Notwithstanding dramatic local differences in elevation, much of the state is a gently rolling peneplain.[60]
The state's nickname "Land of 10,000 Lakes" is apt, as there are 11,842 Minnesota lakes over 10 acres (4ha) in size.[67] Minnesota's portion of Lake Superior is the largest at 962,700 acres (389,600ha; 3,896km2) and deepest (at 1,290ft (390m)) body of water in the state.[67] Minnesota has 6,564 natural rivers and streams that cumulatively flow for 69,000 miles (111,000km).[67] The Mississippi River begins its journey from its headwaters at Lake Itasca and crosses the Iowa border 680 miles (1,090km) downstream.[67] It is joined by 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 10.6million acres (4,300,000ha; 43,000km2) of wetlands are within Minnesota's borders, the most of any state outside Alaska.[68]
Minnesota has four ecological provinces: prairie parkland, in 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.[69] These northern forests are a vast wilderness of pine and spruce trees mixed with patchy stands of birch and poplar.
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.[76] Meteorological events include rain, snow, blizzards, thunderstorms, hail, derechos, tornadoes, and high-velocity straight-line winds. The growing season varies from 90 days in 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).[77] Average summer dewpoints range from about 58°F (14°C) in the south to about 48°F (9°C) in the north.[77][78] Average annual precipitation ranges from 19 to 35 inches (48 to 89cm). Droughts occur every 10 to 50 years.[77]
Minnesota has been affected by climate change and warmed over 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.[79]
Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Minnesota[80]
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 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.[83] The remainder of the state is known as "Greater Minnesota" or "Outstate Minnesota".[84]
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.[86]
According to the United States Census Bureau and 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.[89] 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.[90] 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.[7] The state has 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.[91]
Race and ethnicity
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.[92] Concurrently, other racial populations have markedly increased. The Black population has risen to 7%, the Asian population to 5.3%, and those identifying as two or more races to 6.1%.
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.[97] The largest groups of refugees over 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.[98][99] Minnesota also receives large numbers of non-refugee immigrants, primarily from Mexico, India, China, Korea, and Canada.
Country of origin of first and second-generation immigrants (2023)[100][101]
Minnesota's religious landscape is also diverse, having evolved significantly over its history. The area's first Christian influence came from Catholic missionaries in 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 the establishment of Buddhist, Hmong folk religion, Muslim, and Hindu communities, as well as a sizable Jewish community.[102][103] 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.[104]
Languages
The Spanish, Cushite, Beja, Somali, Miao, Hmong, Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Amharic, Karen, and Niger-Congo languages are spoken in Minnesota.[105]
Historical racial and ethnic composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: 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; the relative outputs of its business sectors closely match the United States as a whole.[106] Minnesota's economy had a gross domestic product of $383billion in 2019,[107] with 33 of the United States' top 1,000 publicly traded companies by revenue headquartered in Minnesota,[108] 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, the largest privately owned company in the United States,[109] and Carlson Companies, the parent company of Radisson Hotels.[110]
Minnesota's per capita personal income in 2019 was $58,834, the thirteenth-highest in the nation.[111] 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.[112]
Minnesota's earliest industries were fur trading and agriculture. Minneapolis grew around the flour mills powered by St. Anthony Falls. Although less than 1% of the population is now employed in the agricultural sector,[114] it remains a major part of the state's economy, ranking sixth in the nation in the value of products sold.[115] 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,[116] and has the most food cooperatives per capita in the United States.[117]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 the industry. In 2016 the state produced 60% of the country's usable iron ore.[116] 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'sSouthdale Center, and its largest is Bloomington's Mall of America.
Minnesota produces ethanol fuel and is the first to mandate its use, a 10% mix (E10).[118] In 2019 there were more than 411 service stations supplying E85 fuel, comprising 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.[119] A 2% biodiesel blend has been required in diesel fuel since 2005. Minnesota is ranked in the top ten for wind energy production. The state gets nearly one-fifth of all its electrical energy from wind.[120]
Xcel Energy is the state's largest utility and is headquartered in the state;[121] it is one of five investor-owned utilities.[122] There are also a number of municipal utilities.[122] There are also 44 electric distribution cooperatives serving retail electric consumers throughout the state.[123]
State taxes
Minnesota has a progressive income tax structure; the four brackets of state income tax rates are 5.35%, 7.05%, 7.85%, and 9.85%.[124] As of 2008 Minnesota was ranked 12th in the nation in per capita total state and local taxes.[125] In 2008 Minnesotans paid 10.2% of their income in state and local taxes; the U.S. average was 9.7%.[125] The state sales tax in Minnesota is 6.875%, but clothing, prescription drug medications and food items for home consumption are exempt.[126] The state legislature may allow municipalities to institute local sales taxes and special local taxes, such as the 0.5% supplemental sales tax in Minneapolis.[127]Excise taxes are levied on alcohol, tobacco, and motor fuel. The state imposes a use tax on items purchased elsewhere but used within Minnesota.[126] Owners of real property in Minnesota pay property tax to their county, municipality, school district, and special taxing districts.
The Minnesota State Fair, advertised as The Great Minnesota Get-Together, is an icon of state culture. In a state of 5.5million people, there were more than 1.8million visitors to the fair in 2014, setting a new attendance record.[131] The fair covers the variety of Minnesota life, including fine art, science, agriculture, food preparation, 4-H displays, music, the midway, and corporate merchandising. It is known for its displays of seed art, butter sculptures of dairy princesses, the birthing barn, and the "fattest pig" competition. In September 1927, John Philip Sousa and his band gave the premiere performance of "The Minnesota March" at the fair before a grandstand crowd of 12,000.[132] One can also find dozens of varieties of food on a stick, such as Pronto Pups, cheese curds, and deep-fried candy bars. On a smaller scale, many of these attractions are offered at numerous county fairs.
Minnesotans have low rates of premature death, infant mortality, cardiovascular disease, and occupational fatalities.[133][134] They have long life expectancies,[135] and high rates of health insurance and regular exercise.[133][136][137] These and other measures have led two groups to rank Minnesota as the healthiest state in the nation; however, in one of these rankings, Minnesota descended from first to sixth in the nation between 2005 and 2009 because of low levels of public health funding and the prevalence of binge drinking.[133][138] While overall health indicators are strong, Minnesota does have significant health disparities in minority populations.[139]
On October 1, 2007, the Freedom to Breathe Act took effect, outlawing smoking in restaurants and bars in Minnesota.[140]
U.S. News & World Report's 2020–21 survey ranked 4,554 hospitals in the country in 12 specialized fields of care, and placed the Mayo Clinic in the top four in most fields. The hospital ranked first on the best hospitals honor roll. The only specialty where it fell outside the top ten was ophthalmology.[144] The Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota are partners in the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics, a state-funded program that conducts research into cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart health, obesity, and other areas.[145]
One of the first acts of the Minnesota Legislature when it opened in 1858 was the creation of a normal school in Winona. Minnesota's commitment to education has contributed to a literate and well-educated populace. In 2009, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Minnesota had the second-highest proportion of high school graduates, with 91.5% of people 25 and older holding a high school diploma, and the tenth-highest proportion of people with bachelor's degrees.[146] In 2015, Minneapolis was named the nation's "Most Literate City", while St. Paul placed fourth, according to a major annual survey.[147] In a 2013 study conducted by the National Center for Educational Statistics comparing the performance of eighth-grade students internationally in math and science, Minnesota ranked eighth in the world and third in the United States, behind Massachusetts and Vermont.[148] In 2014, Minnesota students earned the tenth-highest average composite score in the nation on the ACT exam.[149] In 2013, nationwide in per-student public education spending, Minnesota ranked 21st.[150] While Minnesota has chosen not to implement school vouchers,[151] it is home to the first charter school.[152]
Transportation in Minnesota is overseen by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) at the state level and by regional and local governments at the local level. Principal transportation corridors radiate from the Twin Cities metropolitan area and along interstate corridors in Greater Minnesota. The major Interstate highways are Interstate35 (I-35), I-90, and I-94, with I-35 and I-94 connecting the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, and I-90 traveling east–west along the southern edge of the state.[154] In 2006, a constitutional amendment was passed that required sales and use taxes on motor vehicles to fund transportation, with at least 40% dedicated to public transit.[155] There are nearly two dozen rail corridors in Minnesota, most of which go through Minneapolis–St. Paul or Duluth.[156] There is water transportation along the Mississippi River system and from the ports of Lake Superior.[157]
Two Metro Green Line trains on the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities campus
Minnesota is governed pursuant to the Minnesota Constitution, which was adopted on October 13, 1857, roughly one year before statehood.[161] Like all U.S. states and the federal government, Minnesota has a republican system of political representation with power divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.[162] The state constitution includes a bill of rights that reaffirms many of the same rights and freedoms as its federal counterpart, with some protected more strongly and explicitly.[161]
The executive branch is led by Minnesota's governor, currently Tim Walz, a DFLer who took office on January 7, 2019. Walz is also Kamala Harris's running mate in the 2024 United States presidential election. As chief executive, the governor appoints the heads of state agencies and is responsible for faithful execution of the law. As commander-in-chief of the state's armed forces, the governor also has command and control over the Minnesota National Guard.[163] A cabinet consisting of the lieutenant governor and the heads of Minnesota's 22 state agencies consults and assists the governor in the business of state government.[164]
Aside from the governor and lieutenant governor, who are elected on a joint ticket, Minnesotans separately elect three other constitutional officers: a secretary of state, an attorney general, and a state auditor.[163][c][d][e] These five "executive officers" together constitute the Executive Council, which has certain statutory responsibilities in matters of state finance, emergency management, and public lands administration.[170]
The Minnesota Legislature is a bicameral body consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The state has 67 districts, each with about 60,000 people. Each district has one senator and two representatives, each senatorial district being divided into A and B sections for members of the House. Senators serve for four years and representatives for two years.
Since 2023, both the House and Senate have had a slim DFL majority.[171]
Judiciary
Minnesota's court system has three levels. Most cases start in the district courts, which are courts of general jurisdiction. There are 279 district court judgeships in ten judicial districts. Appeals from the trial courts and challenges to certain governmental decisions are heard by the Minnesota Court of Appeals, consisting of 19 judges who typically sit in three-judge panels. The seven-justice Minnesota Supreme Court hears all appeals from the tax court, the workers' compensation court of appeals, first-degree murder convictions, and discretionary appeals from the court of appeals; it also has original jurisdiction over election disputes.[172]
Two specialized courts within administrative agencies have been established: the workers' compensation court of appeals, and the tax court, which deals with non-criminal tax cases.
The State of Minnesota was created by the United States federal government in the traditional and cultural range of lands occupied by the Dakota and Anishinaabe peoples as well as other Native American groups. After many years of unequal treaties and forced resettlement by the state and federal government, the tribes re-organized into sovereign tribal governments. Today, the tribal governments are divided into 11 semi-autonomous reservations that negotiate with the U.S. and the state on a bilateral basis:
The first six of the Anishinaabe bands compose the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, the collective federally recognized tribal government of the Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, and White Earth reservations.
Minnesota is known for a politically active citizenry, and populism has been a long-standing force among the state's political parties.[175][176] Minnesota has a consistently high voter turnout. In the 2008 U.S. presidential election, 78.2% of eligible Minnesotans voted–the highest percentage of any U.S. state–versus the national average of 61.2%.[177] That figure was surpassed in 2020, when 79.96% of registered voters participated in the general election.[178] Voters can register on election day at their polling places with evidence of residency.[179]
Hubert Humphrey brought national attention to the state with his address at the 1948 Democratic National Convention. Minnesotans have consistently cast their Electoral College votes for Democratic presidential candidates since 1976, longer than any other state. Minnesota is the only state in the nation that did not vote for Ronald Reagan in either of his presidential campaigns. Minnesota has voted for the Democratic nominee in every presidential election since 1960, with the exception of 1972, when the state was won by Republican Richard Nixon.
Both the Democratic and Republican parties have major-party status in Minnesota, but its state-level Democratic party has a different name, officially known as the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL). It was formed out of a 1944 alliance of the Minnesota Democratic and Farmer–Labor parties.
The state has had active third-party movements. The Reform Party, now the Independence Party, was able to elect former mayor of Brooklyn Park and professional wrestlerJesse Ventura to the governorship in 1998. The Independence Party has received enough support to keep major-party status. The Green Party, while no longer having major-party status, has a large presence in municipal government,[180] notably in Minneapolis and Duluth, where it competes directly with the DFL party for local offices. Major-party status in Minnesota (which grants state funding for elections) is reserved for parties whose candidates receive five percent or more of the vote in any statewide election (e.g., governor, secretary of state, U.S. president).
The state's U.S. Senate seats was split in the early 1990s and in the 108th and 109th Congresses, Minnesota's congressional delegation was split, with four representatives and one senator from each party. In the 2006 mid-term election, Democrats were elected to all state offices, except governor and lieutenant governor, where Republicans Tim Pawlenty and Carol Molnau narrowly won reelection. The DFL posted double-digit gains in both houses of the legislature, elected Amy Klobuchar to the U.S. Senate, and increased the party's U.S. House caucus by one. Keith Ellison (DFL) was elected as the first African American U.S. Representative from Minnesota, as well as the first Muslim elected to Congress nationwide.[181] In 2008, DFLer and former comedian and radio talk show host Al Franken defeated incumbent Republican Norm Coleman in the U.S. Senate race by 312 votes out of three million cast.
In the 2010 election, Republicans took control of both chambers of the Minnesota legislature for the first time in 38 years and, with Mark Dayton's election, the DFL party took the governor's office for the first time in 20 years. Two years later, the DFL regained control of both houses, and with Dayton in office, the party had same-party control of both the legislative and executive branches for the first time since 1990. Two years later, the Republicans regained control of the Minnesota House,[182] and in 2016, the GOP also regained control of the State Senate.[183]
In 2018, the DFL retook control of the Minnesota House, while electing DFLer Tim Walz as Governor.
In a 2020 study, Minnesota was ranked as the 15th easiest state for citizens to vote in.[184]
The Twin Cities area is the fifteenth largest media market in the United States, as ranked by Nielsen Media Research. The state's other top markets are Fargo–Moorhead (118th nationally), Duluth–Superior (137th), Rochester–Mason City–Austin (152nd), and Mankato (200th).[185]
Two of the largest public radio networks, Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) and Public Radio International (PRI), are based in the state. MPR has the largest audience of any regional public radio network in the nation, broadcasting on 46 radio stations as of 2019.[188][189] PRI weekly provides more than 400 hours of programming to almost 800 affiliates.[190] The state's oldest radio station, KUOM-AM, was launched in 1922 and is among the 10-oldest radio stations in the United States. The University of Minnesota-owned station is still on the air, and since 1993 broadcasts a college rock format.
Sports, recreation and tourism
Minnesota has an active program of organized amateur and professional sports. Tourism has become an important industry, especially in the Lake region. In the North Country, what had been an industrial area focused on mining and timber has largely been transformed into a vacation destination. Popular interest in the environment and environmentalism, added to traditional interests in hunting and fishing, has attracted a large urban audience within driving range.[191]
The Minnesota Twins have played in the Major League Baseball in the Twin Cities since 1961. The Twins began play as the original Washington Senators, a founding member of the American League in 1901, relocating to Minnesota in 1961. The Twins won the 1987 and 1991 World Series in seven-game matches where the home team was victorious in all games. The Twins also advanced to the 1965 World Series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games. The team has played at Target Field since 2010.
Minnesota also has minor-league professional sports teams. The Minnesota Swarm of the National Lacrosse League played at the Xcel Energy Center until the team moved to Georgia in 2015. The St. Paul Saints, who play at CHS Field in St. Paul, are the Triple-A minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.
Minnesotans participate in high levels of physical activity,[198] and many of these activities are outdoors. The strong interest of Minnesotans in environmentalism has been attributed to the popularity of these pursuits.[199]
In the warmer months, these activities often involve water. Weekend and longer trips to family cabins on Minnesota's numerous lakes are a way of life for many residents. Activities include water sports such as water skiing, which originated in the state,[200]boating, canoeing, and fishing. More than 36% of Minnesotans fish, second only to Alaska.[201]
State and national forests and the 72 state parks are used year-round for hunting, camping, and hiking. There are almost 20,000 miles (32,000km) of snowmobile trails statewide.[205] Minnesota has more miles of bike trails than any other state,[206] and a growing network of hiking trails, including the 235-mile (378km)Superior Hiking Trail in the northeast.[207] Many hiking and bike trails are used for cross-country skiing during the winter.
↑ Hmong people are a stateless group; the majority of Hmong in Minnesota have immigrated from either Laos or Thailand.
↑ The secretary of state is custodian of state records and the state seal, registers businesses, and administers elections. The secretary of state also processes notary public applications and administers Minnesota's address confidentiality program for victims of crime, among other responsibilities.[165]
↑ The attorney general is the chief law officer for the state of Minnesota, representing state agencies in legal proceedings and issuing written opinions on questions of law. As chief law officer, the attorney general also enforces state consumer protection and antitrust laws, regulates charities, and advocates for people and small businesses in utilities matters, among other responsibilities.[166]
↑ The state auditor supervises and audits the finances of Minnesota's 3,600 local governments, which altogether spend over $40 billion annually.[167] The state auditor also performs under contract the annual single audit of federal programs administered by state agencies and their subrecipients. Public expenditures overseen by the state auditor thus exceed standalone state spending by 15.3 percent.[168][169]
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References
↑ "State Seal". Minnesota Secretary Of State. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
↑ "Greater Minnesota Refined & Revisited"(PDF). Greater Minnesota Status Report. Minnesota State Demographic Center. January 2017. Archived(PDF) from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
↑ Frohlich, Thomas; Hess, Alexander E.M.; Kent, Alexander; Serenbetz, Robert (September 23, 2014). "America's Most (and Least) Educated States". 24/7 WallStreet. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
↑ New Lakota dictionary. Lakota Language Consortium (2008).
↑ "Mnisota". Dakota Dictionary Online. University of Minnesota Department of American Indian Studies. 2010. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
↑ "Mnisota". Dakota Dictionary Online. University of Minnesota Department of American Indian Studies. 2010. Archived from the original on May 25, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
1 2 3 4 Gilman, Rhoda R. (July 1, 1991). The Story of Minnesota's Past. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society Press. ISBN978-0-87351-267-1.
1 2 Minnesota: A History of the State By Theodore Christian Blegen page 202-203
↑ "City History". Welcome to the City of Crystal, MN. Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
↑ New England in the Life of the World: A Record of Adventure and Achievement By Howard Allen Bridgman page 112
↑ A Collection of Confusable Phrases By Yuri Dolgopolov page 309
↑ Sketches of Minnesota, the New England of the West. With incidents of travel in that territory during the summer of 1849. With a map by E. S. SEYMOUR page xii
↑ Northern Lights: The Stories of Minnesota's Past By Dave Kenney, Hillary Wackman, Nancy O'Brien Wagner page 94
↑ Anderson, Gary Clayton (2019). Massacre in Minnesota: The Dakota War of 1862, the Most Violent Ethnic Conflict in American History. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. P. 107 ISBN978-0-8061-6434-2
↑ "Forced Marches & Imprisonment". The U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Minnesota Historical Society. August 23, 2012. Archived from the original on March 20, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
1 2 Minnesota Bounties On Dakota Men During The US-Dakota War, Hamline University, C. Rotel, 2013,Archived September 22, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
↑ Fye, W. Bruce (2010). "PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: The Origins and Evolution of the Mayo Clinic from 1864 to 1939: A Minnesota Family Practice Becomes an International "Medical Mecca"". Bulletin of the History of Medicine. 84 (3): 323–357. doi:10.1353/bhm.2010.0019. ISSN0007-5140. JSTOR44448967. PMID21037395. S2CID44839983.
1 2 Gilman, Rhoda R. (1991). The Story of Minnesota's Past. Saint Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society. ISBN0-87351-267-7.
1 2 Berg, Tom (2012). Minnesota's miracle: learning from the government that worked. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN978-0-8166-8053-5.
↑ Kenney, Dave; Saylor, Thomas (2013). Minnesota in the 70s. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press. ISBN978-0-87351-900-7.
↑ Bison disappeared in the mid-19th century; the last bison was reported in southwest Minnesota in 1879. Moyle, J. B. (1965). Big Game in Minnesota, Technical Bulletin, no. 9. Minnesota Department of Conservation, Division of Game and Fish, Section of Research and Planning. p.172. As referenced in Anfinson, Scott F. (1997). Southwestern Minnesota Archaeology. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society. p.20. ISBN978-0-87351-355-5.
↑ "Itasca State Park". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on April 3, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
↑ "Places To Go". National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on April 13, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2008.
↑ Hibbs, James (November 1, 2016). "Analysis of the 2015 Population and Household Estimates"(Presentation). Demographic Reports and Analysis. Minnesota State Demographics Center. p.2. Archived(PDF) from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018. Minnesota's estimated population in 2015 is 5,485,238. Over half (54.8%) of Minnesota's population lives in the seven Twin Cities area counties that make up Region 11. The population of Region 11 has surpassed three million.
↑ "Greater Minnesota Refined and Revisited"(PDF). Minnesota State Demographics Center. State of Minnesota: Department of Administration. Archived(PDF) from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
1 2 "Wealth of Resources". Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Archived from the original on December 12, 2006. Retrieved November 26, 2006.
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↑ "Minnesota: Profile Analysis". U.S. Energy Information Administration. March 15, 2018. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
↑ "How to fringe". Fresh Art Delivered Daily. Minnesota Fringe Festival. 2006. Archived from the original on November 14, 2006. Retrieved November 22, 2006.
↑ "Explore Minnesota Living"(PDF). Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Archived(PDF) from the original on August 22, 2006. Retrieved August 16, 2006.
↑ "Governor's Cabinet". Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan. Archived from the original on October 10, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
↑ "Water Skiing History". ABC of Skiing. MaxLifestyle.net "Go Skiing like Max!". 2006. Archived from the original on April 21, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
↑ "Turning Snow into Sport". Explore Minnesota Experiences. Minnesota Department of Tourism. Archived from the original on April 1, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
↑ "Home". USA Bandy. Archived from the original on February 11, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
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