In 1848 the Minnesota Territory was
formed by the US government. In 1858, Minnesota was admitted
to the USA as the 32nd state.
Minnesota gets its name from the
Dakota word minisota, meaning "water that reflects the sky." Minnesota's state capital is Saint
Paul. Minnesota is the 12th largest state in the USA.
Minnesota's state nicknames are "the gopher state" and "the North
Star state."