Are You Smarter Than a Sixth Grader? — Minnesota History Test

Every year, Warroad Elementary School gives sixth graders the Minnesota History Test, since sixth grade Social Studies education is based around Minnesota History. The test allows students to show their state history knowledge. This test has taken place for over 40 years and is a list of questions produced by the Roseau County Historical Society. Students from numerous northwestern schools have participated in this competition, with the highest scorers winning fun prizes. 

But what about you? Do you think you have what it takes to ace all 50 questions (a typical MN History Test has far more than that)? Are you smarter than a sixth grader? Let's find out! 

No cheating! Answers are provided at the end.

1. What year did Minnesota become a US territory?
2. What year did Minnesota become a US state? 
3. What is the capital city of Minnesota? 
4. What is the major river that runs through Minnesota?  
5. How many states does Minnesota border? 
6. What year was the first capital building built? 
7. What years did the Minnesota Twins win the World Series? 
8. What is the largest city in Minnesota? 
9. How many US Representatives does Minnesota have? 
10. What is the state flower? 
11. What is the state tree? 
12. What is the state crop of Minnesota? 
13. Which is the largest lake in Minnesota?  
14. How many Native American reservations exist in Minnesota?
15. How many state parks does Minnesota have? 
16. What two industries is Minnesota most known for?  
17. According to population, where does Minnesota rank among the 50 states? 
18. According to land surface area, where does Minnesota rank among the 50 states? 
19. What prehistoric glacial lake once covered the region? 
20. What number state was Minnesota when it was admitted into the Union? 
21. The US government bought the land east of the Mississippi in what treaty? 
22. The US government bought the land west of the Mississippi in what treaty? 
23. What does the word "Itasca" mean? 
24. Which important water drainage basin served as link between Hudson Bay and the St. Lawrence River? 
25. In what city can you find Babe the blue Ox and Paul Bunyan? 
26. What is Minnesota's state motto? 
27. What is Minnesota's nickname? 
28. Who designed Minnesota's state flag? 
29. How many dates are listed on the Minnesota state flag? 
30. When did the US government first purchase land from Native Americans in the state of Minnesota?
31. Which American explorer made the purchase from the Native Americans? 
32. The first non-military settlement in Minnesota was where? 
33. When was the Mayo Clinic founded? 
34. Where is the highest point in Minnesota? 
35. Who were the first Western explorers in Minnesota? 
36. The famous Norse Runestone was found in which town? 
37. Who was the first recognized citizen of Minnesota? 
38. What does the word "Minnesota" mean? 
39. What is the Minnesota state song?  
40. Minneapolis was once called what?
41. Who is Fort Snelling named after? 
42. Who was the first schoolteacher in Minnesota? 
43. What famous Supreme Court case occurred over slavery at Fort Snelling? 
44. What year did the US-Dakota War break out? 
45. Why did it break out? (multiple possible answers)
46. Who led the Dakota tribesmen during the war? 
47. What was Minnesota's stance on entering World War I? 
48. What political party appeared in Minnesota during the First World War? 
49. What was the four iron ranges in Minnesota? 
50. The Northwest Angle is the only spot in the contiguous United States to extend over the ? parallel. 

Let's see how you did:

Answers:

1) 1849  2) 1858   3) St. Paul  4) Mississippi River  5) 4  6) 1905  7) 1987 & 1991  8) Minneapolis  9) 8  10) Lady Slipper  11) Norway Pine or Red Pine  12) Corn  13) Lake Superior  14) 11  15) 72   16) Manufacturing & Agriculture  17) 22nd  18) 12th  19) Lake Agassiz  20) 32nd  21) Second Treaty of Paris (post-Am. Revolution)  22) Louisiana Purchase  23) True/True Head  24) Grand Portage  25) Bemidji  26) L’Étoile du Nord ("Star of the North")  27)  The Gopher State or Land of 10,000 Lakes  28) Amelia Hyde Center  29) 3  30) 1805  31) Zebulon Pike  32) Mendota  33) 1889  34) Eagle Mountain  35) Pierre Radisson & Groseilliers  36) Kensington  37) Henry Sibley  38) Cloudy Water  39) Hail! Minnesota  40) St. Anthony   41) Josiah Snelling  42) Harriet Bishop  43) Dred Scott.v. Sanford  44) 1862  45) Mistreatment of Native Americans in land negotiations, poor quality of reservation land, murder of 5 white settlers  46) Little Crow  47) Isolationism (opposed)  48) The Nonpartisan League  49) Mesabi, Vermillion, Gunflint, Cuyuna  50) 49th Parallel

Be sure to let us know how you did!