Travel Minnesota: A History

When I was in 6th grade, we spent the entire year studying the history of Minnesota.

So let me recap what I remember about Minnesota history from 23 years ago.

image courtesy of julycoaron

First here's what I don't remember

1. What year Minnesota became a state.  (if you must know it 1858, but I only remember because I looked it up for my father in law who was born, raised, and still resides in Wisconsin)
2. Who were the first people to live her besides the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes. 
3. Why St. Paul became the capital
4. Why there's a little bump on the western border
5. What the reason for the Red River running north instead of south is

I'm sure there are plenty other facts I don't remember I learned in 6th grade, but I can tell you that it is not Mr. Witt's fault.  He was definitely one of my favorite teachers BY FAR!

Let's move on to what I do remember.

1. Minnesota's state bird is the loon; the state mushroom is the morel (and why we have to have a state mushroom is beyond me); the drink is milk (move over Wisconsin); the muffin is blueberry (oh, yeah!  go blueberry!); the state flower is the pink ladyslipper (however, I have only ever seen one in Wisconsin); the state rock is the Lake Superior Agate; and the state motto is in French but means "Star of the North"  (because of the lower 48 states, Minnesota has the most northern border).
2. The French fur traders were very active here. (I remember this because we had to write a pretend fur traders journal and one of my entries was that I saw a bullet heading towards me and I saved a child's life or something.  Yeah, I was getting sick of writing, "6 pelts in my traps today" or "no pelts today. I may need to move my traps.")
3. They discovered iron in northern Minnesota (now known as the iron range) and developed taconite by mixing iron with steel?  (I'm a little fuzzy on that detail).
4. There was a big logging boom.  (when?  I'm not sure)
5. There are indian burial grounds called "mounds" somewhere.  But to tell you the truth, I didn't really understand how these were different than hills with items buried in them.   I'm not trying to be disrespectful.  I really just didn't get it.

Does this entice you to come see my awesome state?  If not, keep coming back on Thursdays and I will give you another chunk of fascinating history.  From here on out, it's gonna be researched by my presently.  Not by me when I was in 6th grade.

I promise!