Minnesota

Geography:

What states, country, and/or bodies of water border it? Canada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Lake Superior (separates it from Michigan)

What is the state capital?Saint Paul

What are some large cities?Minneapolis, 372,811; St. Paul, 275,150; Rochester, 94,950; Duluth, 84,896; Bloomington, 81,164; Plymouth, 69,701; Brooklyn Park, 68,550; St. Cloud, 65,792; Eagan, 63,665; Coon Rapids, 62,417

What is the area (in square miles) of your state? 86,942 sq mi.

What is the highest point and how high is it? Eagle Mtn. at 2,301 feet

What is the lowest point and how low is it? The lowest point is Lake Superior at 601 feet.

Map of state: Minnesota State Map Collection

History:

Tell when it became a state and what number state it is. It became the 32nd state on May 11, 1858.

How did the state get its name (origin of name)? From a Dakota Indian word meaning "sky-tinted water"

List some of the Native American tribes found in this state: Dakota Sioux and Ojibwe

Tell about a famous person from this state. Sinclair Lewis (1885 - 1951) The first American to win the Nobel Prize for literature, he wrote of small town life such as Main Street. Born in Sauk Centre, MN

Civics:

Who is the governor?Mark Dayton (to Jan. 2015)

Who is the lieutenant governor? Yvonne Prettner Solon

(to Jan. 2015)

Who are the U.S. senators from this state? Amy Klobuchar, D (to Jan. 2013) and Al Franken (D)

How many U.S. House of Representatives members are from this state?8

State Flag: 

Economics:

List mining resources found in the state:Crushed and broken stone, Dimension Stone, Sand and Gravel, Iron Ore

List agricultural resources found in the state:Minnesota leads the nation in producing sugarbeets, sweet corn, and green peas for processing.  It is also a major producer of spring wheat, oats, cultivated wild rice, flax, and canola.  Minnesota leads the nation in turkey production and is a major producer of hogs, milk cows, and mink pelts.  Other livestock raised in Minnesota include bison, elk, and ostriches.

Climate:

What is the average high January temperature of the state capital? 24°F

What is the average high July temperature of the state capital? 84°F

What is the average low January temperature of the state capital? 5°F

What is the average low July temperature of the state capital? 64°F

What is the average precipitation for January of the state capital? 0.9 in.

What is the average precipitation for July of the state capital? 3.9 in.

Minnesota Weather Forecast

Population:

What is the population of the state (year 2000 or later)? 5,197,621 (2007)

Symbols:

State bird: Common Loon

State flower: pink and white lady's slipper

State tree:norway pine

State song: Hail! Minnesota

State nickname:Gopher State,  North Star State, or Land of 10,000 Lakes

Other- The state fish is the walleye.

Recreation:

Split Rock Lighthouse

photo by G. Torstenson

Minnesota has lots of state parks. Click on http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/map.html to find a map of the various parks.

The North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum is an interesting place to visit.



If you like fishing, Minnesota has more than 10,000 lakes.  Check out minnesotalakes.net.

The Minnesota Museum of Mining has a lot of exhibits that talk about taconite mining.

Voyageurs National Park is found in Nothern Minnesota.

Pipestone National Monument is found in SE Minnesota.  American Indians still quarry the pipestone used to make pipes.  Many American Indians still consider this to be a sacred site.

Historic Fort Snelling was completed in 1825 as a wilderness outpost where the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers converge.

Take a trip to the Minnesota Zoo.

If you like shopping Minnesota has the largest mall in America (Mall of America).  It even  has an amusement park and an aquarium.

Other:

What other interesting things did you learn about this state?

The skyway system in Minneapolis allows people to live, eat, work and shop in nearly five miles without ever going outside.

Minnesota is sometimes called, "The Land of 10,000 Lakes."  It actually has 11,842 lakes each over 10 acres in size.

The Mississippi River starts in Northern Minnesota.

The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca in Itasca State Park, Minnesota. Picture taken on May 25th 2004 by Christine Karim.

Bibliography (Where did you find your information?):

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