But the textbook explanation is that four large glacier systems melted as they receded north and created Lake Agassiz, which at one time was larger than all the Great Lakes combined. As the lake level receded, the many depressions on Minnesota’s landscape were filled in. The 10,000 lakes slogan, although inaccurate, is a holdover from 19th century promotion brochures designed to lure immigrants to the state.

he abundance of water in Minnesota is also reflected in the very name chosen for the state. "Minnesota" is the Dakota Indian word for "cloudy" or "sky-tinted water" that was applied to the river of that name because of its color.

The two main groups of Indians in Minnesota are the Ojibway and the Dakota. Their presence is most visible in the place names of many Minnesota towns and counties. Fifteen of Minnesota’s 87 counties took their names from the Dakota language, either directly or through translation; 12 came from the Ojibway language.

The French were the first Europeans to explore the area that is now known as Minnesota. So extensive was their contact with the Indians that the French greeting, "bonjour," is still used by Ojibways. The greeting, however, is pronounced "boozhoo."

Minnesota became a territory in 1849 and the nation’s 32nd state in 1858. The first U.S. Census, conducted in 1850, listed the state’s population at 6,077 — a fraction of the 4.9 million people who live here today.

Although Germans comprised the largest group of settlers, Minnesota is said to be the only state in the country where Smith isn’t the most common name in the telephone book; it’s Peterson, an indication of the state’s deep Scandinavian roots.

Minnesota also played a role in the annals of African-American history: Dred Scott came to Fort Snelling in 1836 as the property of a military surgeon — even though slavery was outlawed in the territory. Scott later appealed for his freedom in the federal courts, but was turned down by the Supreme Court in 1857. The final disposition of the slavery question raised by Dred Scott came only after four years of the tragic Civil War.

innesota’s early economy was dominated by the lumber, agriculture, and mining industries. And those industries continue to play a large role in the state’s economy.

Minnesota is the nation’s top producer of iron ore, supplying about 70 percent of the ore mined in the U.S. for the steel and auto industries. And the state ranks seventh in the nation in agricultural production.

But for the first time beginning in 1948, the value of manufactured products produced in the state
exceeded the value of Minnesota farm crops.

Because of Minnesota’s burgeoning high-tech industry, world trade has been booming in recent years. Minnesota is one of the few states in the nation to enjoy a trade surplus.

And despite relatively high tax rates, the business climate in Minnesota is often cited as good. The Corporation for Enterprise Development in 1996 gave Minnesota a grade of ‘B’ for business vitality and an ‘A’ for economic performance. Money magazine, in 1993, ranked Rochester as the healthiest place to live, and Fortune magazine, in 1996, cited Minneapolis as one of the nation’s best cities.

Why does Minnesota rate so high in the national surveys? It has a lot to do with the quality of life and the solid public education system.

Minnesota’s high school graduation rate has consistently been among the highest in the country, and its students ranked among the top four in ACT college entrance exam scores.

As for quality of life, Working Mother magazine ranked the Twin Cities as the top area in the nation for working mothers. Likewise, Savvy Woman said the Twin Cities is the best metropolitan area in the country in which to raise children.