Synopses & Reviews
What do Paul Bunyan, Charles Lindbergh, and Jesse Ventura have in common--Minnesota, of course! In A Popular History of Minnesota, historian Norman K. Risjord offers a grand tour of the state's remarkable history, taking readers through the centuries and into the lives of those colorful characters who populate Minnesota's past. This highly readable volume details everything from the glacial formation of the land to the arrival of the Dakota and the Ojibwe people, from Minnesota's contributions to the Northern cause during the Civil War to the key players in reform politics who helped sculpt the identity of the state today. A Popular History of Minnesota highlights the historical significance of Minnesota's natural resources--the bountiful north woods, the treasured iron ranges, the impressive Mississippi waterfall on which the Mill City was built. It details the powerful marks left on the state by such luminous figures as Oliver H. Kelley, founder of the national Grange movement, Hubert H. Humphrey, champion of civil rights, and Betty Crocker, aid to homemakers everywhere. Lively sidebars outline noteworthy subjects, from the Kensington runestone to the devastating forest fires of the 1890s and 1910s, from the rise of the Mayo Clinic to the preservation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Handy Traveler's Guides highlight historic destinations for readers who enjoy seeing where history happened. Fast-paced and informative, with generous illustrations, A Popular History of Minnesota is a must-read for newcomers and established Minnesotans alike.
Synopsis
What do Paul Bunyan, Charles Lindbergh, and Jesse Ventura have in common? Minnesota, of course In A Popular History of Minnesota, historian Norman K. Risjord offers a grand tour of the state's remarkable history. This highly readable volume details everything from the glacial formation of the land to the arrival of the Dakota and the Ojibwe people, from Minnesota's contributions to the Northern cause during the Civil War to the key players in reform politics who helped sculpt the identity the state retains today.
A Popular History of Minnesota highlights the historical significance of Minnesota's natural resources--the bountiful north woods, the treasured iron ranges, the impressive Mississippi waterfall on which the Mill City was built. It details the powerful marks left on the state by such luminous figures as Oliver H. Kelley, founder of the national Grange movement, Hubert H. Humphrey, champion of civil rights, and Betty Crocker, aid to homemakers everywhere. Lively side trips outline noteworthy subjects, from the Kensington runestone to the devastating forest fires of the 1890s and 1920s, from the rise of the Mayo Clinic to the preservation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Handy travelers' guides highlight historic destinations for readers who enjoy seeing where history happened.
Fast-paced and informative, with generous illustrations, A Popular History of Minnesota is a must-read for newcomers and established Minnesotans alike.
About the Author
Norman K. Risjord is the author of several books, including Wisconsin: The Story of the Badger State and a biography of Thomas Jefferson. He is professor emeritus of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Table of Contents
Risjord, A Popular History of Minnesota Preface1 Of Ice and Early Man2 Explorers and Fur Traders3 From Wilderness to Statehood4 Minnesota's Two-Front Civil War5 Empires in Green: Prairies, Pine Forests, and Iron Mountains6 The Age of Reform: Grangers-Populists-Progressives7 The Birth of a Liberal Tradition, 1916-19408 Maverick in the Mainstream, 1940-20029 Snapshots on the Path to the PresentSuggestions for Further ReadingIndex