6th grade · Social Studies · Unit 8 of 8
Minnesota Through Time
From Fort Snelling to a new state flag
What your child practices
Putting events in Minnesota's history in order, from Fort Snelling and the treaties through statehood, 1862, industry and immigration to today.
Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards benchmark: 6.4.20.1; 6.4.22.3 · the order of events in Minnesota's history, and how Minnesotans have worked for freedom and equality
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- Put the smallest year first.
- Anchors: Fort Snelling begun (1820), territory (1849), treaties of Traverse des Sioux and Mendota (1851), statehood (1858), first Union volunteers (1861).
- Later: the 19th Amendment (1920), the American Indian Movement (1968), a new state flag (2024).
Example: Which happened first: Minnesota becomes a state or Minnesota becomes a territory? It became a territory in 1849. It became a state in 1858. Answer: Minnesota becomes a territory
Minnesota Through Time in Minnesota
In the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, this is unit 8 of 8 in 6th grade Social Studies, after Governing Minnesota.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which of these happened first?
- The US Army begins building Fort Snelling
- The Supreme Court upholds the Mille Lacs Band's 1837 treaty rights
- Minnesota offers the first volunteer troops for the Union
- Iron ore is found on the Mesabi Range
The US Army begins building Fort Snelling
Hint: Put them in order: The US Army begins building Fort Snelling (1820), Minnesota offers the first volunteer troops for the Union (1861), Iron ore is found on the Mesabi Range (1890), The Supreme Court upholds the Mille Lacs Band's 1837 treaty rights (1999).
Question 2
Which of these happened first?
- The State Capitol in St. Paul is finished
- Iron ore is found on the Mesabi Range
- The Supreme Court upholds the Mille Lacs Band's 1837 treaty rights
- Hubert Humphrey's civil rights speech at the national convention
Iron ore is found on the Mesabi Range
Hint: Put them in order: Iron ore is found on the Mesabi Range (1890), The State Capitol in St. Paul is finished (1905), Hubert Humphrey's civil rights speech at the national convention (1948), The Supreme Court upholds the Mille Lacs Band's 1837 treaty rights (1999).
Question 3
Which of these happened last?
- The American Indian Movement is founded in Minneapolis
- Minnesota offers the first volunteer troops for the Union
- Hmong refugees begin arriving in Minnesota
- The Supreme Court upholds the Mille Lacs Band's 1837 treaty rights
The Supreme Court upholds the Mille Lacs Band's 1837 treaty rights
Hint: Put them in order: Minnesota offers the first volunteer troops for the Union (1861), The American Indian Movement is founded in Minneapolis (1968), Hmong refugees begin arriving in Minnesota (1975), The Supreme Court upholds the Mille Lacs Band's 1837 treaty rights (1999).
Question 4
Put these events in order, earliest first.
- The Supreme Court upholds the Mille Lacs Band's 1837 treaty rights
- The American Indian Movement is founded in Minneapolis
- Hmong refugees begin arriving in Minnesota
- Minnesota offers the first volunteer troops for the Union
Minnesota offers the first volunteer troops for the Union → The American Indian Movement is founded in Minneapolis → Hmong refugees begin arriving in Minnesota → The Supreme Court upholds the Mille Lacs Band's 1837 treaty rights
Hint: In order: Minnesota offers the first volunteer troops for the Union (1861), The American Indian Movement is founded in Minneapolis (1968), Hmong refugees begin arriving in Minnesota (1975), The Supreme Court upholds the Mille Lacs Band's 1837 treaty rights (1999).
Question 5
In what year did this happen? Minnesota becomes the 32nd state
- 1858
- 1975
- 1948
- 1890
1858
Hint: Minnesota becomes the 32nd state: 1858.
Question 6
Which of these happened last?
- Iron ore is found on the Mesabi Range
- The US Army begins building Fort Snelling
- The American Indian Movement is founded in Minneapolis
- Treaties of 1837 with the Anishinaabe and Dakota
The American Indian Movement is founded in Minneapolis
Hint: Put them in order: The US Army begins building Fort Snelling (1820), Treaties of 1837 with the Anishinaabe and Dakota (1837), Iron ore is found on the Mesabi Range (1890), The American Indian Movement is founded in Minneapolis (1968).