Editing History of Minnesota (section)

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{{Redirect|Minnesota history|the quarterly journal of the same name|Minnesota History (journal)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
[[File:Fort Snelling Round Tower.JPG|thumb|right|200px|[[Fort Snelling]] played a pivotal role in Minnesota's history and in the development of nearby [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]] and [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]]]]
The history of the U.S. state of [[Minnesota]] is shaped by its original [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] residents, European exploration and [[European colonization of the Americas|settlement]], and the emergence of industries made possible by the state's natural resources. Early economic growth was based on fur trading, logging, milling and farming, and later through railroads and iron mining.

The earliest known settlers followed herds of large game to the region during the [[last glacial period]]. They preceded the [[Anishinaabe]], the [[Sioux|Dakota]], and other Native American inhabitants. [[Fur trade]]rs from France arrived during the 17th century. Europeans moving west during the 19th century drove out most of the Native Americans. [[Fort Snelling]], built to protect United States territorial interests, brought early settlers to the future state. They used [[Saint Anthony Falls]] to power sawmills in the area that became [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]], while others settled downriver in the area that became [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]].

Minnesota's legal identity was created as the [[Minnesota Territory]] in 1849, and it became [[List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union|the 32nd U.S. state]] on May 11, 1858. After the chaos of the [[American Civil War]] and the [[Dakota War of 1862]] ended, the state's economy grew when its timber and agriculture resources were developed. Railroads attracted immigrants, established the farm economy, and brought goods to market. The power provided by St. Anthony Falls spurred the growth of Minneapolis, and the innovative milling methods gave it the title of the "milling capital of the world".

New industry came from iron ore, discovered in the north, mined relatively easily from [[open-pit mining|open pits]], and shipped to [[Great Lakes]] steel mills from the ports at [[Duluth, Minnesota|Duluth]] and [[Two Harbors, Minnesota|Two Harbors]]. Economic development and social changes led to an expanded role for state government and a population shift from rural areas to cities. The [[Great Depression]] brought layoffs in mining and tension in labor relations, but [[New Deal]] programs helped the state. After World War II, Minnesota became known for technology, fueled by early computer companies [[Sperry Rand]], [[Control Data]], and [[Cray]]. The [[Minneapolis-St. Paul|Twin Cities]] also became a regional center for the arts, with cultural institutions such as the [[Guthrie Theater]], [[Minnesota Orchestra]], and [[Walker Art Center]].