Minnesota, which derives its name from theDakota language, has been inhabited by variousNative Americans since theWoodland period of the 11th century BCE. Between roughly 200 and 500 CE, two areas of the indigenousHopewell tradition emerged: theLaurel complex in the north, and Trempealeau Hopewell in theMississippi River Valley in the south. TheUpper Mississippian culture, consisting of theOneota people and otherSiouan speakers, emerged around 1000 CE and lasted through the arrival of Europeans in the 17th century. French explorers andmissionaries were the earliest Europeans to enter the region, encountering theDakota,Ojibwe, and variousAnishinaabe tribes. Much of what is now Minnesota formed part of thevast French holding of Louisiana, whichthe United States purchased in 1803. After several territorial reorganizations, theMinnesota Territory wasadmitted to the Union as the 32nd state in 1858. Minnesota's official motto,L'Étoile du Nord ("The Star of the North"), is the onlystate motto inFrench. 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 theAmerican frontier, Minnesota attracted settlers andhomesteaders 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 fromScandinavia, Germany, andCentral Europe. Many were linked to the failedrevolutions of 1848, which partly influenced the state's development as a center oflabor and social activism. Minnesota's rapid industrialization and urbanization precipitatedmajor social, economic, and political changes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; the state was at the forefront oflabor rights,women's suffrage, and political reform. Consequently, Minnesota is relatively unique among Midwestern states in being a reliable base for theDemocratic Party, having voted for every Democratic presidential nominee since 1976, longer than any other U.S. state. (Full article...)
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The1985–1986 Hormel strike was alabor strike that involved approximately 1,500 workers of theHormel meatpacking plant inAustin, Minnesota in theUnited States. The strike, beginning August 17, 1985 and lasting until September 13 of the following year, is considered one of the longest strikes inMinnesota history and ended in failure for the striking workers.
Hormel is an American meat processing company founded in 1891 that has both their headquarters and primary facility in Austin. Workers at this plant organized in 1929 and, following some initial strike activity, enjoyed a relatively good relationship with plant management. However, the relationship between the union and management had become more hostile by the 1970s, and in 1975, Hormel announced that they would be replacing the Austin plant with a new facility. In light of this, the union (Local P-9 of theUnited Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)) agreed to a new labor contract that included several major concessions from the union. Following the new plant's opening in 1982, employees experienced an increase in injuries caused by the conditions at the plant, and in 1984, Hormel introduced a pay cut. Following this, Local P-9 hired labor activistRay Rogers and began acorporate campaign against Hormel to pressure them into negotiating a new contract with the union. On August 17, 1985, Local P-9 authorized strike action against Hormel, which was hesitantly approved by UFCW. (Full article...)
Minnesota State University, Mankato (MNSU,MSU, orMinnesota State) is apublic university inMankato, Minnesota, United States. It is Minnesota's second-largest university and has over 145,000 living alumni worldwide. Founded in 1868, it is the second-oldest member of theMinnesota State Colleges and Universities system and is commonly referred to as the flagship institution. It was established as the "Second State Normal School" in 1858 and officially opened as "Mankato Normal School" a decade later.
Across seven colleges and schools, Minnesota State offers over 130 undergraduate programs of study, over 80 master's programs, and 4 doctoral programs. MNSU has two satellite campuses: one in the Twin Cities suburbEdina and one inOwatonna. Through the College of Extended Learning, it provides bachelor's degrees online and at theNormandale Partnership Center inBloomington. In 2023, MNSU partnered withSaint Paul College to launch the Minnesota Polytechnic and Applied Learning Institute (MinnPoly), becoming Minnesota's firstpolytechnic institute. (Full article...)
... that despite claims to the contrary, novelistWalter Tevis insisted that the characters of "Minnesota Fats" and "Fast Eddie" inThe Hustler were fictitious?
... thata Minnesota radio station forbade its announcers from saying what songs they had just played?
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