Minnesota

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State of Minnesota

Flag of Minnesota Seal of Minnesota Nickname(s): North Star State, The Land of 10,000 Lakes, The Gopher State, State of Hockey Motto(s): L'Etoile du nord
Capital	Saint Paul
Largest city	Minneapolis
Area	Ranked 12th
- Total	87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)
- Width	250 miles (400 km)
- Length	400 miles (645 km)
- % water	8.4
- Latitude	43°34'N to 49°23'50.26"N
- Longitude	89°34'W to 97°12'W
Population	Ranked 21st
- Total (2000)	4,919,479
- Density	61.80/sq mi  23.86/km² (31st)
- Median income	$55,914 (5th)
Elevation
- Highest point	Eagle Mountain[1] 2,301 ft  (701 m)
- Mean	1,198 ft  (365 m)
- Lowest point	Lake Superior[1] 601 ft  (183 m)
Admission to Union	May 11, 1858 (32nd)
Governor	Tim Pawlenty (R)
U.S. Senators	Mark Dayton (D) Norm Coleman (R)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Abbreviations	MN US-MN
Web site	www.state.mn.us

Minnesota (IPA: [ˌmɪnəˈsoʊɾə]) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12^th largest state in the U.S., and the 21^st most populous with over five million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the 32^nd state in 1858. Its image as a primarily white, Scandinavian, and Lutheran state still has some truth, but it is changing, with substantial influxes of African, Asian, and Hispanic immigrants joining the descendants of European immigrants and Native American descendants of the original inhabitants.

Nearly three out of five Minnesota residents live in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, the center of transportion, business, and industry, and home to an internationally-known arts community. The remainder of the state, often referred to as Greater Minnesota, consists of western prairies now given over to intensive agriculture, eastern deciduous forests, also heavily farmed and settled, and the less-populated northern boreal forest. The state is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes", and those lakes and the other waters for which the state is named, together with state and national forests and parks offer residents and tourists a vigorous outdoor lifestyle.

The extremes of the climate contrast with the moderation of Minnesota’s people. The state is known for its moderate-to-progressive politics and social policies and its civic involvement and voter turnout. It ranks among the healthiest states by a number of measures, with the fifth highest median household income and has one of the most highly-educated and literate populations.^[2]

Contents 1 Origin of the name 2 Geography 2.1 Geology and Terrain 2.2 Flora and fauna 2.3 Climate 2.4 Lakes and rivers 2.5 Protected lands 3 History 4 Cities and towns 5 Demographics 5.1 Population 5.2 Race and ancestry 5.3 Religion 6 Economy 6.1 Industry and commerce 6.2 Energy use and production 6.3 State taxes 7 Culture 7.1 Fine arts and architecture 7.2 Entertainment 7.3 Popular culture 8 Socio-economic 8.1 Education 8.2 Health 9 Transportation 10 Law and government 10.1 Executive 10.2 Legislative 10.3 Judicial 10.4 Regional government 10.5 Federal representation 11 Politics 12 Media 13 Sports 14 State symbols 15 See also 16 References 16.1 Cited references 16.2 General references 17 External links

[edit] Origin of the name

The word Minnesota comes from the Dakota name for the Minnesota River, mnisota. Mni (sometimes mini, or minne) can be translated as "water". Mnisota is then translated as sky-tinted water or somewhat clouded water.^[3][4] Native Americans demonstrated the name to early settlers by dropping milk into water and calling it mnisota. Many locations in the state contain the Dakota word for water, such as Minnehaha Falls ("Waterfall", not "laughing waters" as is commonly thought), Minneiska ("White water"), Minnetonka, ("Big water"), Minnetrista ("Crooked water"), and Minneapolis which is a combination of mni and the Greek word for "city", polis.^[5]

[edit] Geography

Minnesota is the northernmost state except for Alaska; its Northwest Angle is the only part of the 48 contiguous states lying north of the 49^th Parallel. Minnesota is in the sub-region known as the Upper Midwest. The state borders Wisconsin on the east, and shares a water border in Lake Superior with Michigan. Iowa is to the south, North Dakota and South Dakota are west, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba are north. With 87,014 square miles (225,365 km²), or approximately 2.25% of the United States,^[6] Minnesota is the 12^th largest state, and second largest among the Midwestern states.

[edit] Geology and Terrain

Main article: Geology of Minnesota

Much of the state is relatively flat, but pockmarked with lakes, having been eroded by glacial periods during the Ice Ages.^[7]

The extreme southeastern portion of the state is part of the Driftless Zone, which was not covered by the last Wisconsin glaciation.^[8] It is here that Lake Pepin and the rugged high bluffs of the Mississippi River are found. The northeastern portion of the state is on the Canadian Shield and is covered by rugged ranges of hills, notably the Mesabi Range, rich in iron ore, the Sawtooth Mountains along the shore of Lake Superior, the Misquah Hills, and the Laurentian Highlands in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Two continental divides meet in the northeastern part of Minnesota, creating three watersheds. Rain falling in the state can follow the Mississippi River south to the Gulf of Mexico, the St. Lawrence Seaway east to the Atlantic Ocean, or the Hudson Bay watershed to the Arctic Ocean.^[9]

The state's high point is Eagle Mountain at 2,301 ft (701 m) and a low of 602 ft (183 m) at the shore of Lake Superior.^[10] Minnesota is one of the most geologically stable regions in the country. It experiences earthquakes rarely, most of which are minor; the strongest earthquake in the last century occurred near Morris in 1975 and rated between 4.6 and 4.8 in magnitude on the Richter scale.^[11]

[edit] Flora and fauna

Three of the biomes of North America converge in Minnesota: the Great Plains of the west, the Big Woods deciduous forest of the southeast, and the Northern Boreal forest of the Canadian Shield.^[12] Much of Minnesota's northern forest was logged, leaving only a few patches of old growth forest such as in the Chippewa National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness,^[13] but regrowth keeps a large portion of the state forested. The northern coniferous forests are a vast wilderness of pine and spruce forests mixed with patchy stands of birch and poplar. While loss of habitat has created troubles for native animals such as the pine marten, North American elk, buffalo, cougar, woodland caribou and bobcat, the state contains the nation's largest population of timber wolves outside Alaska and supports healthy populations of black bear, moose and whitetail deer. Recent DNR reports have indicated an increase in cougar reports over the past decade, but many sightings have been attributed to people raising them as pets and releasing them. The last known wild cougar to be hunted was taken in 1897.^[14] Located on the Mississippi Flyway, the state hosts migratory waterfowl such as geese and ducks, as well as game birds such as grouse, pheasants, and turkeys. Minnesota's lakes teem with the many sport fish of the region including walleye, bass, muskellunge, and northern pike. The streams in the southeast are populated with brook trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout.

See also: Category:Fauna of Minnesota and Category:Flora of Minnesota

[edit] Climate

Main article: Climate of Minnesota

Minnesota endures temperature extremes characteristic of its continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. Meteorological events include rain, snow, hail, blizzards, polar fronts, tornadoes, thunderstorms, and high-velocity straight-line winds. The growing season varies from 90 days per year in the Iron Range to 160 days in southeast Minnesota near the Mississippi River, and mean average temperatures range from 36^oF to 49^oF.^[15] Dewpoints range from about 6^oF to 70^oF.^[15] Annual average precipitation ranges from 19 inches to 35 inches, and droughts occur every 10 to 50 years, depending on location.^[15]

[edit] Lakes and rivers

The state's nickname, The Land of 10,000 Lakes, is no exaggeration. In fact, there are 11,842 lakes over 10 acres in size.^[16] The Minnesota portion of Lake Superior is the largest (962,700 acres) and deepest (1,290 feet) body of water in the state.^[16]

Minnesota has 6,564 natural rivers and streams that traverse a total of 69,000 miles.^[16] The Mississippi River begins a 680 mile journey through Minnesota from its headwaters at Lake Itasca.^[16] It is joined at Fort Snelling by the Minnesota River, and in the southeast by many trout streams. The Red River of the North, in the bed of glacial Lake Agassiz, drains the northwest part of the state northward toward Canada's Hudson Bay.

See also: List of lakes in Minnesota and List of Minnesota rivers

[edit] Protected lands

Minnesota is home to a wide variety of public open space and park lands. Minnesota's first state park, Itasca State Park, which is the official source of the Mississippi River, was established in 1891.^[17] Today Minnesota has 71 State Parks. The state has two national forests, the Chippewa National Forest and the Superior National Forest. Inside of the Superior National Forest on the northeastern border of the state, lies the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which encompasses over a million acres and 1000 lakes. The state also has 53 state forests and numerous other wildlife preserves and regional parks. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is in charge of managing state parks and forests.

See also: Category:Parks in Minnesota

[edit] History

Main article: History of Minnesota

Before European settlement, Minnesota was populated by the Anishinaabe, the Sioux, and the other Native Americans. European presence began with the arrival of French fur traders in the 1600s. During this century, the Ojibwe Indians migrated westward to Minnesota, and this caused tensions with the Sioux.^[18] Explorers such as Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut, Father Louis Hennepin, Jonathan Carver, Henry Schoolcraft, and Joseph Nicollet, among others, mapped out the state.

In 1805, Zebulon Pike acquired land at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers. This was followed by the construction of Fort Snelling between 1819 and 1825.^[19]

The soldiers built a grist mill and a sawmill at Saint Anthony Falls, and as industry later sprung up around the falls, the city of Minneapolis grew up around it. Meanwhile, squatters, government officials, and tourists had settled in the vicinity of the fort. In 1839, the Army forced them to move downriver, and they settled in an area that became St. Paul.^[20] Minnesota Territory was formed on March 3, 1849. By 1858, thousands of people had come to build farms and cut timber, and Minnesota became the 32nd US state on May 11, 1858.

A number of treaties with the Sioux and Ojibwe gradually forced them off their land and onto smaller reservations. As conditions became less favorable for the Sioux, tensions rose, and the Sioux Uprising of 1862 resulted. The result of the six-week war was the execution of 38 Indians, the largest mass execution in United States history, and the exile of most of the rest of the Sioux to the Crow Creek Reservation in Nebraska.^[21]

The early economy of Minnesota was based on logging and farming. The sawmills at Saint Anthony Falls, as well as logging centers like Marine on St. Croix, Stillwater, and Winona, processed a large amount of lumber. These cities were well-situated on rivers that were ideal for transportation.^[21] Later, Saint Anthony Falls was tapped to provide power for flour mills. Innovations by Minneapolis millers led to the production of Minnesota "patent" flour, widely regarded as the finest bread flour of its time. By 1900, Minnesota mills, led by Pillsbury and the Washburn-Crosby Company (a forerunner of General Mills), were grinding 14.1% of the nation's grain.^[22]

Minnesota became established as an iron mining state with the discovery of iron in the Vermilion Range and the Mesabi Range in the 1880s, followed by the discovery of iron in the Cuyuna Range in the early 1900s. The iron was shipped by rail to Two Harbors and Duluth, then loaded onto ships and transported eastward through the Great Lakes.^[21]

As a result of industrial development and the rise of manufacturing, the population gradually shifted from rural areas to cities during the early 1900s. Nevertheless, farming remained strong throughout the state. During the years of the Great Depression, the Minnesota economy was hit hard, resulting in lower prices paid to farmers, layoffs among iron miners, and various instances of labor unrest. On top of that, western Minnesota and the Dakotas were hit by drought from 1931 through 1935. Programs as part of the New Deal provided some economic turnaround. The Civilian Conservation Corps and other programs around the state established jobs for Indians on their own reservations. The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 provided a self-government mechanism for the Indian tribes. This had the effect of providing more of a voice within the state and promoting more respect for tribal customs, as religious ceremonies and native languages were no longer suppressed.^[19]

After World War II, the pace of industrial development quickened. Technological developments increased productivity on farms, such as 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 mechanical equipment such as tractors and combines became the norm. University of Minnesota professor Norman Borlaug contributed to this knowledge as part of the Green Revolution.^[19] During this time, suburban development accelerated as a result of postwar housing demand, convenient transportation, and increased mobility to more specialized jobs.^[19]

Minnesota became a center of technology after the war. 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).^[23] Cray Research was formed when Seymour Cray left CDC to form his own company. Medical device maker Medtronic also got its start in the Twin Cities in 1949.

[edit] Cities and towns

The capital city of Minnesota is Saint Paul, located in the east-central part of the state along the east bank of the Mississippi River. Saint Paul is adjacent to Minnesota's largest and most populous city, Minneapolis; together they and their suburbs are known as the Twin Cities metropolitan area, the 16^th largest metropolitan area in the United States and home to about 60% of the state's population as of April 1, 2005.^[24][25] The remainder of the state is known as Greater Minnesota or Outstate Minnesota.

Minnesota cities with estimated 2005 populations above fifty thousand are, in descending order: Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Rochester, Duluth, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Plymouth, Eagan, St. Cloud, Coon Rapids, Burnsville, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, Woodbury, Blaine, Lakeville, and Minnetonka.^[25] Of these, only Rochester, Duluth, and St. Cloud are outside the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Minnesota has 87 counties.

See also: List of cities in Minnesota, List of townships in Minnesota, and Category:Minnesota counties

[edit] Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Minnesota

[edit] Population

From a population of less than 6,100 in 1850, the state grew to over 1,750,000 in 1900, almost 3,000,000 in 1950, and over 4,900,000 in the 2000 census.^{[citation needed]} As of 2005 it was estimated to have a population of 5,132,799 per the U.S Census Bureau,^[26] or 5,205,091 per the State Demographer,^[25] in either case ranking it the 21^st most populous state. The rate of increase and age and gender distributions approximate the national average, but Minnesota's minorities, although growing, form a significantly smaller proportion than in the nation as a whole.^[26]

[edit] Race and ancestry

The racial makeup of the state as of 2005 was:^[27]

• 86.3% White (non-Hispanic)
• 4.1% Black (non-Hispanic)
• 3.4% Asian/Pacific Islander
• 1.1% Native American/Alaskan Native
• 1.5% Mixed Race
• 1.8% Other races
• 3.6% Hispanic, a category that includes people of any race

Over 75% of the population is of Western European descent, with the largest reported ancestries being German (37.3%), Norwegian (17.0%), Irish (12.2%), and Swedish (10.0%).^[28] As of 2004 6.1% of Minnesota residents were foreign-born,^[29] compared to 12% for the nation.^[30] The state had a reputation of being relatively homogenous, but that is changing. The Hispanic population of Minnesota is increasing rapidly,^[31] and recent immigrants have come from all over the world, including Hmongs,^[32] Somalis, Vietnamese, Indians, Middle Easterners, and emigrants from the former Soviet bloc.

[edit] Religion

Over 75% of Minnesota's population identify themselves as Christians. Religious affiliations in Minnesota include:^[33]

• Roman Catholic – 25%
• Protestant:
  • Lutheran – 24%
  • Baptist – 5%
  • Methodist – 4%
  • Presbyterian – 2%
  • Assemblies of God – 2%
  • Church of God – 2%
  • Other Protestant – 6%
• Christian (unstated) – 7%
• Judaism – 1%
• Other – 2%
• No religion – 15%
• Refused to answer – 6%

Although the proportion of the population adhering to non-Christian religions is relatively small, recent immigrants have formed appreciable communities of Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus.

[edit] Economy

The economy of Minnesota produced 234 Billion dollars of Gross domestic product in 2005.^[34] Minnesota had 36 companies in the US Top 500 of 2006.^[35] This includes such diverse companies as Target, UnitedHealth Group, 3M, Medtronic, General Mills, U.S. Bancorp, and Best Buy. The Per capita personal income in 2004 was $36,184, 8^th in the nation.^[36] The median household income in 2005 was approximately $52,024, ranking eleventh in the nation.^[37]

[edit] Industry and commerce

Minnesota's economy has transformed in the past 200 years from one based on raw materials to one based on finished products and services.

The earliest industries were fur trading and agriculture. Agriculture is still a major part of the economy even though only a small percentage of the population, less than 1% are employed in the farming industry.^[38] Minnesota is the U.S.'s largest producer of sugar beets, sweet corn, and green peas for processing, and farm-raised turkeys.^[39] Forestry, another early industry, remains strong with logging, pulpwood processing, forest products manufacturing, and paper production. Minnesota was famous for its soft-ore iron mines which produced a significant portion of the world's iron ore for over a century. Although the pure ore is now depleted, taconite mining remains strong using processes developed locally to save the industry. In 2004 the state produced 75 percent of the usable iron ore in the country.^[39] The port of Duluth was created by the mining boom and today continues to be an important shipping port for the Midwest's agricultural products. The largest shopping mall in the United States, the Mall of America, is located in Bloomington. The state also has strong technology and biomedical industries.

[edit] Energy use and production

Ethanol fuel is produced in the state, and a 10% mix of ethanol (E10) into consumer gasoline has been mandated since 1997. As of 2006, Minnesota is the only U.S. state with such a mandate. 20% ethanol (E20) will be mandated in 2013. Minnesota has nearly 300 gas stations supplying E85 fuel.^[40] A 2% biodiesel blend has also been required in diesel fuel since 2005. Electricity producing wind turbines have become popular, particularly in the windy southwest region on the Buffalo Ridge. As of October 2006, the state is the country's fourth-largest wind energy producer, with 794 megawatts installed and an additional 82 MW planned.^[41]

See also: Common ethanol fuel mixtures

[edit] State taxes

Minnesota has three brackets of state income tax rates, 5.35%, 7.05% and 7.85%.^[42] The sales tax in Minnesota for most items is 6.5%. The state does not charge sales tax on clothing, some services, or food items for home consumption.^[43] It does tax prepared food, candy and soft drinks.^[44] The state also imposes a use tax on items purchased elsewhere but used within Minnesota. Minnesota property owners pay property tax to their county, municipality, school district, and special taxing districts. Three factors that affect the tax bill are the amount the local governments spend to provide services to the community, the estimated market value of the property, and the classification of the property.

[edit] Culture

[edit] Fine arts and architecture

The Twin Cities area is considered the capital for the arts in the upper midwest. Major fine art museums include the Weisman Art Museum, the Walker Art Center, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Attendance at theatrical, musical, and comedy events across the area is strong, which may be attributed to the cold winters, the large number of colleges and universities, and a generally vibrant economy. In 2000, 2.3 million theater tickets were sold in the Twin Cities region, which is more theater seats per capita than in any other American city, except New York City.^[45]

[edit] Entertainment

Main article: Music of Minnesota

Minnesotan musicians from all genres have gained notoriety over the years, with the singing Andrews Sisters gaining worldwide prominence during World War II, followed most notably by Hibbing, MN native Bob Dylan (who launched his career playing free shows on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus), to the rise of punk rockers Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum, the Replacements, and the rhythm and blues stylings of Morris Day and the Time and Prince in the 1980s.^[7] R&B mega-producing team Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis have origins in the Twin Cities, and jazz musician Lester Young lived there for a time in his youth.

These later sources brought the Minneapolis music scene to national attention; the period from about 1977 to 1987 was a period of incredible dynamism in the Minneapolis music scene, with offshoots in the punk scene including Soul Asylum, Babes in Toyland, the Clams and many other seminal favorites, while Prince's immense power in the industry (which peaked during this period) created a Rhythm and Blues mini-empire at his Paisley Park Studios, based in suburban Chanhassen.

Contemporary local artists continue to enjoy critical acclaim such as hip-hop duo Atmosphere and frontman Slug's label Rhymesayers Entertainment, the smaller Doomtree, and commercially successful pop-rockers Semisonic. While things have slowed considerably, the Twin Cities are still the region's musical hotbed. The area has also shown an unusual affinity for certain artists. For instance, while largely unnoticed on their home turf in New York City, the Twin Cities accounted for the majority of national sales for Soul Coughing's second album Irresistible Bliss during its first eight weeks of release; this followed from the fledgling fan base that Soul Coughing found here while touring for their first effort, Ruby Vroom. ^{[citation needed]}

Minnesota and Wisconsin have also contributed significantly to comedy in its many different forms. Ole and Lena jokes can't be fully appreciated unless delivered in the accent of Scandinavian-Americans. Garrison Keillor is known around the country for resurrecting the old-style radio comedy with A Prairie Home Companion which has been on the air since the 1970s.^[7] Local television had the satirical show The Bedtime Nooz in the 1960s, while area natives Lizz Winstead and Craig Kilborn helped create the increasingly influential Daily Show decades later. Joel and Ethan Coen have produced many films featuring dark comedy, and numerous others brought the offbeat cult shows Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Let's Bowl to the national cable-waves from the Twin Cities.

[edit] Popular culture

Stereotypical Minnesotan traits include Lutheranism, "Minnesota nice," hot dish (a Minnesotan term for casserole), lutefisk (a pungent preparation of fish from Scandinavian recipes that include soaking the fish in lye), a strong sense of community and shared culture with other Minnesotans, Minnesota's form of Upper Midwest American English (including Scandinavian-sounding words like "uff da"), and a distinctive type of upper Midwestern accent. The book How to Talk Minnesotan made fun of these stereotypical traits of Minnesotans.

Outdoor activities are major parts of the lives of many Minnesotans. Fishing is popular in Minnesota; over 36% of Minnesotans fish, which is second only to Alaska.^[46] During the winter ice fishing is popular, as it has been since the arrival of early Scandinavian immigrants. Hunting is another common activity. Families frequently own or share cabins on central and northern tracts of land in forests and adjoining lakes, and weekend trips out to these properties are common, particularly in the summer. A concern for environmentalism is shared by most state residents in one form or another, which is sometimes attributed to the popularity of these outdoor activities.^[47]

The 71 state parks which protect diverse landscapes in a state of nature are quite popular. As with other North Woods states (such as Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine), residents like to joke that the mosquito is the state bird because of their high populations in these areas. In reality, Minnesota's state bird is the common loon.

[edit] Socio-economic

[edit] Education

One of the first acts of the Minnesota Legislature when it opened in 1858 was the creation of a Normal School at Winona. Since then, Minnesota has remained among the ten strongest states in the United States in education in most surveys. It ranks sixth on the 2005 – 2006 Morgan Quitno Smartest State Award and first on the percentage of its residents with a high school diploma or higher.^[48][49] Minnesota ranks 5^th in the nation in high school graduation, with an 84% graduation rate.^[50] While Minnesota has resisted movements in education such as school vouchers and the teaching of intelligent design, it is home to one of the first charter schools.

The state supports a network of public universities and colleges, currently comprised of 32 institutions in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System and four major campuses of University of Minnesota. The state is also home to more than 20 private colleges and universities, several of which rank in the top 100 Liberal arts colleges according to US News.^[51]

See also: List of colleges and universities in Minnesota, List of high schools in Minnesota, and List of school districts in Minnesota

[edit] Health

The University of Minnesota Medical School is a highly-rated teaching institution which has made a number of significant breakthroughs in treatment, and its research activities significantly contribute to the state's growing biotechnology industry.^[52] The Mayo Clinic, a world-renowned medical practice, is based in Rochester, Minnesota. Mayo and the University are partners in the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics, a state-funded program which conducts research projects in cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart health, obesity, and other areas.^[53]

Minnesota ranks first in the percentage of residents engaging in regular physical exercise, and second in three crucial indices: low infant mortality; long life expectancies, and death rate per 100,000.^{[54][55][56][57]} These and other measures have led one group to rank Minnesota as the healthiest state in the nation, and another to rank it fourth.^[58][59][60]

[edit] Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Minnesota

Transportation in Minnesota is overseen by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Principal transportation corridors radiate out from the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area and Duluth. Major Interstate highways are I-35, I-90, and I-94, with I-35 and I-94 passing through the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, and I-90 going east-west at the southern edge of the state. There are nearly two dozen rail corridors within the State, most of which go to or through Minneapolis-St. Paul or Duluth. There is water transportation along the Mississippi River system and from Lake Superior ports.

Minnesota's principal airport is Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), the headquarters and a major passenger and freight hub for Northwest Airlines. MSP is also a hub for Sun Country Airlines, and is served by most other domestic carriers. Large commercial jet service is also provided at Duluth and Rochester, with scheduled commuter service to six smaller cities via Eagan-based Mesaba Airlines.

Amtrak's Empire Builder runs through Minnesota, making stops at Midway Station in St. Paul and five other stations. ^[61] Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound, Jefferson Lines, and Coach USA.

Public transit in Minnesota is currently limited to bus systems in the larger cities and the Hiawatha Line light rail corridor in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

[edit] Law and government

As in the national government of the United States, power in Minnesota is divided into three main branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.^[62]

[edit] Executive

The executive branch is headed by the governor, currently Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, whose 1st term began 6 January 2003, and who was narrowly re-elected in 2006. The current lieutenant governor of Minnesota is Carol Molnau. Molnau also currently serves as the head of the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Both the governor and lieutenant governor have four-year terms. The governor has a cabinet consisting of the leaders of various government agencies in the state, called commissioners. The other constitutional offices are secretary of state, attorney general and state auditor.

See also: List of Governors of Minnesota and Minnesota gubernatorial election, 2006

[edit] Legislative

The Minnesota Legislature is a bicameral body consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The state has 67 districts, each covering about 60,000 people. Each district has one senator and two representatives (each district being divided into A and B sections). Senators serve for four years and representatives for two years. In the November 2006 election, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party gained 19 house seats, giving them control of the Minnesota House of Representatives by 85-49. The Minnesota Senate is also controlled by the DFL, who in 2006 gained 6 seats to expand their majority to 44-23.

[edit] Judicial

Minnesota's court system has three levels. Most cases start in the district courts, which are courts of general jurisdiction. There are 272 district court judges in ten judicial districts. Appeals from the trial courts and challenges to certain governmental decisions are heard by the Minnesota Court of Appeals, consisting sixteen judges who typically sit in three-judge panels. The seven-justice Minnesota Supreme Court hears all appeals from the Tax Court, the Worker's Compensation Court, first-degree murder convictions, and discretionary appeals from the Court of Appeals; it also has original jurisdiction over election disputes.^[63]

Two specialized courts within administrative agencies have been established, the Tax Court which deals with non-criminal tax cases, and the Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals.

[edit] Regional government

Below the city and county levels of government found in the United States, Minnesota has other entities that provide governmental oversight and planning. Some actions in the Twin Cities metropolitan area are coordinated by the Metropolitan Council, and many lakes and rivers are overseen by watershed districts and soil and water conservation districts.

There are seven Anishinaabe reservations and four Dakota communities in Minnesota. These communities govern themselves independently.^[64]

[edit] Federal representation

Minnesota's two U.S. senators are Norm Coleman and Mark Dayton. The state has eight congressional districts; they are represented by Gil Gutknecht (1st district), John Kline (2nd), Jim Ramstad (3rd), Betty McCollum (4th), Martin Sabo (5th), Mark Kennedy (6th), Collin Peterson (7th), and James Oberstar (8th).

Federal court cases are heard in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, which holds court in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, and Fergus Falls. Appeals are heard by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals based in St. Louis, Missouri and St. Paul

See also: Minnesota United States Senate election, 2006 and United States House elections, 2006#Minnesota

[edit] Politics

Minnesota is known for active yet quirky politics, with populism being a longstanding force among the state's political parties. Hubert Humphrey brought national attention to the state following his address at the 1948 Democratic National Convention. Minnesota politics also includes such oddities as Jesse Ventura, a professional wrestler turned governor and R.T. Rybak, a protester turned crowd-surfing mayor. Minnesota has consistently high voter turnout; in the 2004 U.S. presidential election 77.2% of eligible Minnesotans voted, the highest of any U.S. state,^[65] due in part to its liberal voter registration laws. Previously unregistered voters can register on election day, at their polls, with evidence of residency.

Minnesotans have voted for Democratic presidential candidates ever since 1976, longer than any other state. 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, 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. The state has received considerable attention from campaigners in recent presidential races. Candidates view the 27 electoral college votes from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa as a block that is subject to swing toward either major party, and equal in value to Florida's 27 electoral votes.^[66] This analysis by the major presidential contenders resulted in dozens of visits by candidates in the final months of both the 2000 and 2004 campaigns.^[67]In 2004, Minnesota's congressional delegation was split with 4 Democratic and 4 Republican members of congress and the state's senate seats have also generally been split since the early 1990s. See United States Congressional Delegations from Minnesota.

In 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 (MN1).

The state has had active third party movements. The Reform Party was able to elect the former mayor of Brooklyn Park, and former professional wrestler, Jesse Ventura to the governorship in 1998. 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 the presidential votes cast, gaining Major Party status for the Green Party of Minnesota. The Independence Party has also received sufficient support to receive major party status.

See also: List of political parties in Minnesota, United States Congressional Delegations from Minnesota, Minnesota Congressional Districts, and Category:Minnesota elections

[edit] Media

The Twin Cities area is the 15^th largest media market in the United States as ranked by Nielsen Media Research. The state's other top 210 media markets are Fargo-Moorhead (118^th), Duluth-Superior (137^th), Rochester-Mason City-Austin (152^nd), and Mankato (200^th).^[68]

Broadcast television in Minnesota, and the Upper Midwest, started on April 27, 1948 when KSTP-TV began broadcasting.^[69] Hubbard Broadcasting Corporation which owns KSTP is now the only locally owned television company in Minnesota. There are currently 39 analog broadcast stations and 23 digital channels broadcast all over Minnesota.

The Twin Cities metro area has the state's two largest newspapers: the Star Tribune in Minneapolis and the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. A number of other weekly and monthly publications (most of which are fully supported by advertising) are also available. The most prominent of these is City Pages, the alternative weekly, with 2002 newcomer The Rake offering some competition in the form of a free monthly.

Two of the largest public radio networks are based in Minnesota, Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) and Public Radio International (PRI). MPR has the largest audience of any regional public radio network in the nation, while PRI provides more than 400 hours of programming to affiliates across the United States.^[70][71]

[edit] Sports

Main article: Sports in Minnesota

Minnesota is home to nine professional sports teams, including teams in all four major professional leagues. Minnesota's major league professional baseball team, the Minnesota Twins plays in the American League; it began, in 1901, as the Washington Senators before moving to Minnesota in 1961. Since moving to Minnesota they have won two championships, the 1987 World Series and the 1991 World Series. The Minnesota Vikings professional football team plays in the National Football League; they joined the league in 1961 as an expansion team and have appeared in four Super Bowls, but have never won. The Twins and the Vikings both play home games in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The Minnesota Wild are Minnesota's professional hockey team. The Wild joined the National Hockey League in 2000. As of October 2006 every Wild game played in the Xcel Energy Center has been sold out, which amounts to over 230 games.^[72] Prior to the Wild, the Minnesota North Stars were the state's hockey team from 1967 to 1993. They are now the Dallas Stars. The Minnesota Timberwolves play in the National Basketball Association and have a similar story. The Timberwolves were an expansion team in 1989. The Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA played as the Minneapolis Lakers from 1947 to 1960 before moving to Los Angeles.

Perhaps due to team owners' desire to attract fans from across Minnesota, it is the only state to have four major sports franchises all bearing the state's name as the geographical designator.

The University of Minnesota, often referred to by locals as "The "U", is the lone Division I university in the state of Minnesota. Athletic director Joel Maturi oversees 23 sports offered by the University, 12 for women and 11 for men. The teams compete under the nickname of the Minnesota Golden Gophers^[73] The University is a founding member of the Big Ten Conference, the oldest functioning major college conference in the nation. All of its sports teams compete in the Big Ten, with the exception of men's and women's ice hockey, which compete in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The school has won a total of 23 national championships, with the football team leading the way with 6, and men's hockey a close second with 5. ^[74]

[edit] State symbols

Main article: Lists of U.S. state insignia

Minnesota has state symbols that represent its history, love of the outdoors, and diverse landscapes. Minnesota's best known state symbol is the state bird, the Common Loon. Its distinctive cry can often be heard during the summer months in the northern part of the state and can even on occasion be found as far south as the lakes of Minneapolis.^[75]

State Symbols:^[76]

• State bird: Common Loon
• State butterfly: Monarch
• State drink: Milk
• State fish: Walleye
• State flower: Pink and White Showy Lady Slipper
• State fruit: Honeycrisp apple, which was developed at the University of Minnesota.
• State gemstone: Lake Superior agate
• State grain: Wild rice
• Territory Motto (actual): Quo sursum velo videre ("I cover to see what is above" is the closest translation)
• Territory Motto (intended): Quae sursum volo videre ("I wish to see what is beyond")
• State motto: L'Étoile du Nord ("Star of the North")
• State muffin: Blueberry, which was adopted as part of a school project on how a bill becomes law.^[77]
• State mushroom: Morel
• State photograph: Grace ^[78]
• State song: "Hail! Minnesota"
• State tree: Norway Pine
• Nicknames:
  • "Land of 10,000 Lakes"
  • "North Star State"
  • "Gopher State"
  • "Land of Sky-Blue Waters"
  • "Bread and Butter State"

[edit] See also

• List of people from Minnesota
• List of naval ships named for Minnesota
• Scouting in Minnesota

[edit] References

[edit] Cited references

[edit] General references

[edit] External links

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