Exploring MinnesotaExploring Minnesota

Chapter 2: The First MinnesotansChapter 2: The First Minnesotans

What is Minnesota?What is Minnesota?

State Bird -- LoonState Bird -- Loon

State Fish --State Fish --

State Tree --State Tree --

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Chapter ObjectivesChapter Objectives

Explain how the land and climate of Explain how the land and climate of Minnesota have changed over timeMinnesota have changed over time

Understand how early people in MN Understand how early people in MN adapted their way of living to the changing adapted their way of living to the changing environmentenvironment

Describe how early people’s lives changed Describe how early people’s lives changed with new tools and methodswith new tools and methods

Explain how archaeologists learn about Explain how archaeologists learn about what life was like before written historywhat life was like before written history

Living on the Edge of the GlaciersLiving on the Edge of the Glaciers

Glaciers have covered Minnesota many Glaciers have covered Minnesota many times. times.

When the last ice began to melt about When the last ice began to melt about 12,000 years ago, lakes and rivers began 12,000 years ago, lakes and rivers began to form. -- Glacial Lake Agassiz. See to form. -- Glacial Lake Agassiz. See page 8.page 8.

Glacial Lake Agassiz and the Glacial Lake Agassiz and the Formation of the Minnesota RiverFormation of the Minnesota River

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Climate: cooler and drier than today. On Climate: cooler and drier than today. On edges of glacier grew spruce forests.edges of glacier grew spruce forests.

Grass grew in open spaces – mammoths, Grass grew in open spaces – mammoths, mastadons, giant bison, caribou, and mastadons, giant bison, caribou, and arctic hare.arctic hare.

Possible Scene from the Ice AgePossible Scene from the Ice Age

About 10,000 years ago a band of hunters About 10,000 years ago a band of hunters following the herds arrived in MN. These following the herds arrived in MN. These are ancestors of today’s American Indians. are ancestors of today’s American Indians. The only traces of them are found in The only traces of them are found in spear points. spear points.

Game Hunters in a Warmer Game Hunters in a Warmer ClimateClimate

Between 6000 and 5000 BC the climate was Between 6000 and 5000 BC the climate was warming. Many large animals could not adapt warming. Many large animals could not adapt and vanished. Dense spruce forests also and vanished. Dense spruce forests also retreated northward. retreated northward.

Bears, elk, deer, beavers, and other smaller Bears, elk, deer, beavers, and other smaller animals entered the region. Open grasslands animals entered the region. Open grasslands grew. Pines and leafy trees began thriving.grew. Pines and leafy trees began thriving.

As natural surroundings changed, so did people. As natural surroundings changed, so did people. Began eating different things. Began eating different things.

See Lake Itasca kill site (7,000 yrs ago) on page See Lake Itasca kill site (7,000 yrs ago) on page 10. 10.

Lake Itasca Kill SiteLake Itasca Kill Site

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New Tools in a Cooling ClimateNew Tools in a Cooling Climate

About 3,000 years ago, the climate began to About 3,000 years ago, the climate began to cool and the weather settled into patterns similar cool and the weather settled into patterns similar to today. Plants and animals were similar as to today. Plants and animals were similar as well. People really started to change how they well. People really started to change how they lived. lived.

Pottery for cooking and storing food– pg. 11Pottery for cooking and storing food– pg. 11 Beginning of new religious practices such as Beginning of new religious practices such as

mound building. See Grand Mound at Rainy mound building. See Grand Mound at Rainy River (2,000 yrs ago) page 12.River (2,000 yrs ago) page 12.

Grand Mound at Rainy RiverGrand Mound at Rainy River

Artifacts- objects made, used, or altered Artifacts- objects made, used, or altered by humans.by humans.

New Foods, New RelationshipsNew Foods, New Relationships

About 1,000 years ago, a large city called Cahokia About 1,000 years ago, a large city called Cahokia developed across the Mississippi River from present day developed across the Mississippi River from present day St. Louis, MO. May have been home to as many as St. Louis, MO. May have been home to as many as 20,000 people who built mounds and used them for 20,000 people who built mounds and used them for worship, planted and harvested crops such as corn, worship, planted and harvested crops such as corn, beans, and squash. beans, and squash.

Cahokians traveled widely and it is believed that they Cahokians traveled widely and it is believed that they may have made their way up the Mississippi to MN as may have made their way up the Mississippi to MN as farming communities developed in Southern MN. One farming communities developed in Southern MN. One was located in an area overlooking the Cannon River in was located in an area overlooking the Cannon River in SE MN. SE MN.

See pages 13-15.See pages 13-15.

The Bryan Site – 1,000 years agoThe Bryan Site – 1,000 years ago

Bryan Site-Bryan Site- Spring of ’51, equipment operators at a newly Spring of ’51, equipment operators at a newly opened gravel pit along the Cannon River were startled opened gravel pit along the Cannon River were startled to observe human skeletons intermixed with the gravel to observe human skeletons intermixed with the gravel they were mining. Professor Lloyd Wilford at the they were mining. Professor Lloyd Wilford at the University of Minnesota was contacted and immediately University of Minnesota was contacted and immediately visited the site and found the workmen had discovered a visited the site and found the workmen had discovered a major town site dating back to the beginning of the 2nd major town site dating back to the beginning of the 2nd millennia A.D. Investigation revealed that the site millennia A.D. Investigation revealed that the site covered about 65 acres and consisted of a large group covered about 65 acres and consisted of a large group of 173 mounds. The site was named the Bryan Site after of 173 mounds. The site was named the Bryan Site after the family that owned the property since the end of the the family that owned the property since the end of the 19th century.19th century.

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Petroglyphs – courtesy of Mr. Petroglyphs – courtesy of Mr. KaufmannKaufmann