How Minnesota Became the Thirty-Second State
On May 11, 1858, Minnesota became the thirty-second state of the United States. This date marks a change in the political map, not the beginning of the region’s history. People and nations lived in the area long before it became a state.
Dakota and Ojibwe nations have long histories in the land now called Minnesota. Their communities, languages, and relationships with the land existed before the territory became a state, and they continue today. Statehood changed the U.S. government’s map; it did not begin the story of the people who lived there.
During the 1800s, the U.S. government made treaties with Dakota, Ojibwe, and other Native nations in the region. These agreements transferred large areas of land and created reservations. Each treaty involved particular people, places, and promises, so it is important to study the document and the community affected rather than treat all treaties as the same.
- territory:
- An organized area of land under the control of a government that is not yet a state.
- treaties:
- Formal, written agreements made between two or more sovereign governments.
- reservations:
- Areas of land set aside for Native American nations by treaty or government policy.
- debts:
- Money, goods, or services that are owed to someone else.
- consequences:
- The results or effects that follow from a particular action or decision.
- timeline:
- A visual or written sequence of events showing the order in which they happened.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why does the author state that May 11, 1858, was not the beginning of Minnesota's history?
- 2Which two Native nations are mentioned as having long histories in the region before statehood?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“How Minnesota Became the Thirty-Second State” is a explanatory article reading passage about Minnesota Statehood and Indigenous Homelands, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (388 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.