| The history of Minnesota concerns the state of | | | | British. Spain claimed the rest of the region |
| Minnesota that forms part of the United States | | | | comprising the current state. |
| of America. It is located along the northern border | | | | However, no Spanish explorers had come through |
| with Canada, at the western shore of Lake | | | | the area, and it was eventually transferred to |
| Superior. | | | | French hands in 1800. |
| The first people came to region that now forms | | | | In the late 18th century, The United States came |
| Minnesota during the last Ice Age, following herds | | | | into being. A portion of previously British territory |
| of large game. The Anishinaabe, the Sioux, and | | | | in Minnesota was soon claimed by Americans. The |
| the other Native American inhabitants of the | | | | Northwest Territory was formed in 1787 and |
| region represent the ancestors of these first | | | | included lands east of the Mississippi, including the |
| early settlers. European presence began with the | | | | northeastern region around Lake Superior. |
| coming of French fur traders in the 1600s. During | | | | In 1800, the Northwest Territory was divided into |
| the 1800s most of the Native American | | | | two parts. The western portion became Indiana |
| population was pushed out as American settlers | | | | Territory while the eastern part became Ohio. |
| moved westward. By 1858, thousands of people | | | | Also in 1800, a wide swath of land once claimed |
| had come to build farms and cut timber, and | | | | by Spain became French territory, but it didn't |
| Minnesota became the 32nd US state. | | | | stay that way for long. The Louisiana Purchase |
| evidence indicates that human beings first came | | | | brought most of what is now Minnesota under |
| to the region about 12,000 to 10,500 years ago | | | | the control of Americans in 1803. |
| (10,000 BC to 8500 BC). | | | | In 1809, the eastern portion of Minnesota again |
| Clovis points have been discovered in the area, | | | | changed names, this time becoming Illinois |
| but dating stone tools is difficult. Some Native | | | | Territory until the State of Illinois was formed in |
| Americans believe that humans came to North | | | | 1818. The land became part of Michigan Territory. |
| America even before this time. | | | | The western part of the state became known as |
| Some of the earliest evidence of a sustained | | | | part of Missouri Territory in 1812, until it became |
| presence in the area comes from a site known | | | | unorganized in 1821 when Missouri became a |
| as Bradbury Brook near Lake Mille Lacs which | | | | state. |
| was used around the year 7500 BC. Before long, | | | | The western portion of Minnesota was merged |
| extensive trading networks apparently began to | | | | into Michigan Territory along with the eastern |
| grow. The body of an early resident known as | | | | portion that was already part of that region in |
| "Minnesota Woman" was discovered in 1931 in | | | | 1834. It was separated off in 1836 to become |
| Otter Tail County. Radiocarbon dating determined | | | | Wisconsin Territory. Another two years, and Iowa |
| that she had come through the area in | | | | Territory was separated off in 1838. |
| approximately 6600 BC. She had a conch shell | | | | The area was split off again when Iowa was |
| from a snail species known as Busycon perversa, | | | | formed from Iowa Territory in 1846. |
| which has only been known to exist in Florida. | | | | Minnesota Territory finally came into being on |
| Several hundred years later, the climate of | | | | March 3, 1849. The territory stretches west to |
| Minnesota warmed significantly. | | | | the Missouri River. A flurry of other activities |
| Archaeologists have found that stone tools shrank | | | | occur the same year as cities and counties are |
| in this time as native people transitioned from | | | | incorporated and new agencies are formed under |
| hunting (very) big game toward smaller creatures. | | | | the new government (such as the Minnesota |
| Hooks, nets, and harpoons were also devised for | | | | Historical Society). |
| catching fish. | | | | On May 11, 1858, Minnesota was admitted into |
| Around 5000 BC, people on the shores of Lake | | | | the Union as the 32nd state. |
| Superior (in Minnesota and portions of what is | | | | In 1805, two years after the Louisiana Purchase, |
| now Michigan, Wisconsin, and Canada) were the | | | | Zebulon Pike purchased land from the Dakota that |
| first on the continent to begin making metal tools. | | | | would later become the basis of Fort Snelling. For |
| They used pieces of ore with high concentrations | | | | Americans, this was the first region that could be |
| of copper. The pieces were initially pounded into a | | | | legally settled. However, a permanent U.S. |
| rough shape, heated to reduce brittleness, and | | | | presence didn't come to the new land for more |
| pounded again to refine the shape, and heated | | | | than a decade. |
| again. Edges could be made sharp enough to be | | | | In 1837, treaties were signed individually with the |
| useful as knives or spear points. | | | | Mdewakanton Dakota and Ojibwe, ceding land |
| Native people began intentionally leaving their mark | | | | between the St. |
| around 3000 BC. Stone carvings depicting people | | | | Croix and Mississippi so that lumberjacks could |
| and animals were carved into rock faces until just | | | | come in and start logging. |
| a few hundred years ago. Pieces of pottery | | | | The Ho-Chunk were moved in 1847 by the U.S. |
| began to appear at shortlived settlements about | | | | government after a treaty was signed with them. |
| 2000 years later. Around 700 BC, burial mounds | | | | They were moved from northeast Iowa and |
| were first created. The practice of making | | | | southeast Minnesota into a reservation in the |
| mounds also continued until about the time white | | | | central part of the state where Todd County |
| settlers began moving into the area. At one time, | | | | currently is. The reservation was meant to be a |
| 10,000 such mounds dotted the state. | | | | buffer zone between the Dakota and Ojibwe |
| By 800 AD, wild rice became a staple crop in the | | | | tribes, which were continuing to come into conflict. |
| region, much like corn farther to the south. Within | | | | Also in 1847, the Ojibwe ceded a section of land |
| a few hundred years, the Mississippian culture | | | | west of the Mississippi in central Minnesota to the |
| reached into the southeast portion of the state, | | | | U.S. government. |
| and large villages were formed. | | | | The Dakota tribes ceded a massive swath of |
| The Dakota Indian culture may have descended | | | | southern Minnesota in 1852, except for a region |
| from some of the peoples of the Mississippian | | | | along the western part of the Minnesota River. |
| culture. | | | | Two vast stretches of land were ceded by the |
| According to local legend, the earliest Europeans | | | | Ojibwe in following years. The first comes in 1854, |
| to arrive were Vikings from Scandinavia around | | | | and composed most of the modern Arrowhead |
| the year 1362. The Kensington Runestone was | | | | Region. The next year, another parcel of land |
| reportedly found in the field of Olaf Ohman near | | | | stretching most of the way across the state was |
| Alexandria, Minnesota in 1898. Most scholars | | | | ceded. |
| dismiss it as a hoax, however. | | | | In 1855, The Winnebago tribe moved again, from |
| Around 1550, the legendary Iroquois Indian leader | | | | their settlement in Todd County to a smaller one |
| Hiawatha came through the area. | | | | in Blue Earth County. The Todd County |
| It was a few more centuries before contact | | | | settlement was wooded, a relatively unfamiliar |
| between Europeans and Native Americans of | | | | area for the tribe, which was more accustomed |
| Minnesota could be confirmed. In the late 1650s, | | | | to prairie life. |
| Pierre Esprit Radisson and Sieur des Groseilliers | | | | In 1858, another blow was dealt to the Dakota |
| were probably the first to meet Dakota Indians | | | | tribe as half of their land around the Minnesota |
| while following the southern shore of Lake | | | | River (the northern bank) was ceded. |
| Superior (which would be northern Wisconsin). The | | | | Representatives of the tribe had gone to |
| north shore was explored in the 1660s. Among | | | | Washington, D.C. to discuss grievances about |
| the first to do this was Claude Allouez, a | | | | payments, but were instead pressured into signing |
| missionary on Madeline Island. He made an early | | | | another treaty. |
| map of the area in 1671. | | | | In 1863 and 1864, another large swath of land |
| Also around this time, the Ojibwe Indians reached | | | | was ceded by the Ojibwe to the United States. A |
| Minnesota as part of a westward migration. | | | | small area of land around Red Lake within this |
| Having come from a region around Maine, they | | | | section remained in Ojibwe hands. |
| were experienced at dealing with white traders. | | | | The last of the northern Ojibwe lands outside of |
| They dealt in furs and possessed guns. Tensions | | | | Red Lake in Minnesota are ceded in 1866 and |
| rose between the Ojibwe and Dakota in the | | | | 1867. |
| ensuing years. | | | | Native people had been on the land for millennia. |
| In 1671, France signed a treaty with a number of | | | | Many of the earliest major villages were part of |
| tribes to allow trade. Various explorers and | | | | the Mississippian civilization, though that society |
| traders were soon coming through the region. | | | | came apart long before Europeans came into the |
| French trader Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut was | | | | area. The Ojibwe came in the mid-17th century, |
| soon in the area and trading with the local tribes. | | | | and the earliest white settlements by French |
| Du Lhut explored the western area of Lake | | | | explorers appeared soon after, but didn't take |
| Superior (hence the city of Duluth) and areas | | | | root. |
| south of there. He helped to arrange a peace | | | | A military encampment known as Fort St. |
| agreement between the Dakota and Ojibwe | | | | Anthony appeared at the confluence of the |
| tribes in 1679. | | | | Minnesota and Mississippi rivers in 1819. The first |
| Father Louis Hennepin with companion Michel Aco | | | | winter, more than 30 people died when supplies |
| (and possibly another) headed north from the | | | | ran low in a temporary encampment down near |
| area of Illinois after coming into that area with an | | | | the river. |
| exploration party headed by René Robert | | | | In the following five years, the men quarried |
| Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. They were captured | | | | stone and felled trees to build the fort, soon |
| by a Dakota tribe in 1680. While with the tribe, | | | | named for Colonel Josiah Snelling, who led the |
| they came across and named the Falls of St. | | | | group. The fort was built to protect the American |
| Anthony. Soon, du Lhut negotiated to have | | | | fur trade by preventing British traders from |
| Hennepin's party released from captivity. Hennepin | | | | taking business away from U.S. traders. |
| returned to Europe and wrote a book, published in | | | | At the fort, Lawrence Taliaferro was an agent of |
| 1683, about his travels where many portions | | | | the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. He spent 20 |
| (including the part about St. Anthony Falls) were | | | | years at the site, finally resigning in 1839. A |
| strongly embellished. | | | | community known as Mendota began growing |
| Explorers still searching for the fabled Northwest | | | | across the river, but squatters also made their |
| Passage and large inland seas in North America | | | | presence known in another nearby camp. A |
| continued to pass through the state. In 1731, the | | | | number of the people at the fort didn't appreciate |
| Grand Portage trail was first passed through by a | | | | the new presence, Taliaferro among them. The |
| European, Pierre La Vérendrye. He used a | | | | fort imposed new restrictions a few times, |
| map written down on a piece of birch bark by | | | | forcing the squatters to head downriver. |
| Ochagach, an Assiniboin guide. | | | | The squatters, mostly from the ill-fated Selkirk |
| The North West Company, which traded in fur | | | | Colony in what is now the Canadian province of |
| and competed with the Hudson's Bay Company, | | | | Manitoba, next settled a site known as Fountain |
| was established along the Grand Portage in | | | | Cave. |
| 1783–1784. | | | | This site wasn't quite far enough for the officers |
| The area of Minnesota was first claimed by | | | | at the fort, so the squatters were forced out |
| France in the 17th century, before anyone had | | | | again, this time naming their settlement Pig's Eye |
| even visited the area. | | | | after Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant, a popular |
| Explorers came through over the course of about | | | | moonshiner of the colony. The name was later |
| a century. In 1763, the French ceded much of | | | | changed to Lambert's Landing and then finally |
| their claimed territory in North America to the | | | | Saint Paul. However, the earliest name for the |
| Kingdom of Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris | | | | area comes from an Indian colony Im-in-i-ja Ska, |
| following the Seven Years' War. Northern regions | | | | meaning "White Rock" and referring to the |
| of Minnesota now came under the control of the | | | | limestone bluffs nearby. |