Week begins on: Tuesday, January 14

*Free one-week extension given, which means the deadline is 1/28

Topics Covered

Native American groups

Early Fur Trade and Early Explorers

For more information about how to acquire the books, see "How to Access the Books for The Course," which is a content module on D2L > Materials > Content.

1.  North Country, Prologue, pp. xi-xvii.

2.  North Country, Chapter 1, p. 1-23. *Be sure to include reading the image essays and looking at the images as part of your reading.*

3.  Prologue to Haymakers, p. 3-17.
   
**AS YOU READ NORTH COUNTRY, FOLLOW ALONG IN THIS NOTE-TAKING GUIDE SO YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE LARGER PICTURE AND KNOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE NOTES ON.**  In many cases, we will not be reading the entire chapter, so follow the exact page numbers listed each week. See the note-taking guide for information regarding the skipped pages.

Tuesday, January 21

Topics Covered

Readings for background, discussions, and quizzes

Impact of Continued European Presence in Minnesota

Transition to American Rule; Founding of Fort Snelling

New Generation of Fur Traders
 

For more information about how to acquire the books, see "How to Access the Books for The Course," which is a content module on D2L > Materials > Content.

1.  North Country, Chapter 2, ONLY p. 40-41.  We will not be reading the bulk of this chapter; see the note-taking guide for some important terms to note.

2.  North Country, Chapter 3, ONLY p. 52-74. 

3.  North Country, Chapter 4, p. 75-100.  *Be sure to include reading the image essays and looking at the images as part of your reading.*

2a: The electronic version of North Country unfortunately does not contain the glossy images pages.  If you have a print copy, read and look at those.  If you are using one of the electronic copies, follow these two links to learn about Rindisbacher and his paintings:
Information about the author
Look at his paintings here

*If there is a quiz question about these images, you will be able to answer it using either source.

[We are skipping all of Chapter 5.]

NORTH COUNTRY NOTE-TAKING GUIDE

Tuesday, January 28

Topics Covered

Readings for background, discussions, and quizzes

Indian Land Treaties

Early Timber Trading

Impact on Mixed-Race People

The (Bumpy) Road to Minnesota Territory and Statehood

1.  North Country, Chapter 6, ONLY pp. 128-150.  Optional: include reading the image essays and looking at the images as part of your reading -- hard copy books only.

2.  North Country, Chapter 7, pp. 160-162 ("Making St. Paul"), p. 176-184 ("Minnesota-- A Territory at Last.")

3.  North Country, Chapter 8, ONLY pp. 185-204, look at the map on p. 221. Optional: If you have a hard copy of the book, check out the glossy image pages even though these are outside of the assigned pages in Chapter 8.

4.  North Country, Chapter 9, ONLY pp. 247-254 ("Making Minnesota")

5.  Look at this Interactive Map of Minnesota Treaties.  Click through and read the information about each treaty.  It will give you a sense of how this all played out, geographically speaking.  Next, read ONE of the following treaties -- your choice.  Try to figure out what was taken from Native Americans, and what they were given in return.
1837 Treaty
1854 Treaty (click on text of the treaty)

NORTH COUNTRY NOTE-TAKING GUIDE

Tuesday, February 4

Topics Covered

Readings for background, discussions, and quizzes

Minnesotans in the U.S. Civil War

Early Immigrants to Minnesota

1.  "A Hope and a Future," in Haymakers, pp. 19-45

2.  North Country, Chapter 10, ONLY pp. 280- 287(brief discussion of Minnesota's role in the Civil War.)
NORTH COUNTRY NOTE-TAKING GUIDE

3. Civil War Letters from the Christie Family
In the column on the left side of the page, scroll down, click on any of the DATES.  Choose any TWO letters.  You'll notice when you click on the letters you can read them with the original handwriting, or choose "Transcription" to see the letter typed.

4.  Watch this short video "War for the West: Minnesota Regiments in the Civil War"

5.  "Indeed We Did Fight": A Soldier's Letters from the First Battle of Bull Run," *This is an article that is located on D2L (Materials --> Content)

Tuesday, February 11

Topics Covered

1.  North Country, chapter 10, ONLY pp. middle of 276-280, 293-300. 

2.  North Country, Chapter 11,  pp. 338-345.  "The Final Act." AND all Images and Image Essays -- look at and read all the glossy pages in this chapter.  We will rely on the radio documentary to learn about this topic, but I also want your understanding to be informed by this material.

3.  Radio Documentary This American Life: Little War on the Prairie.  You can listen on-line or download this.  Reading the transcript is also an option but I highly suggest listening to it.

4.  Dakota Conflict Trials webpage:  Were the trials unfair?

NORTH COUNTRY NOTE-TAKING GUIDE

Tuesday, February 18

Topics Covered

Development of the Iron Range

2.  Minnesota Publicity.  Look at the table of contents and read ONE chapter of your choice.  This is a book digitized by Google so it can be a challenge to find shortcuts; I suggest using the "thumbnail" selection on the right.  Next, read the table of contents and choose a chapter, and then input the page number you wish to navigate to. 
Minnesota: Its Character and Climate

3. Hibbing in Minnesota Communities, on-line at MHS.
Be sure to click on each item to enlarge it (in the case of photos) or scroll down to read the text.  Read these three topics, choosing "Learn More" for each one:
3a.  Occupations/Mining: read or look at the six items listed there
3b. Milestones/Prospecting: read or look at the six items listed there
3c.   Milestones/Dangers of Mining: read or look at the six items listed there.

4.  "Years of Change on the Iron Range." *This is an article that is located on D2L (Materials --> Content)

Tuesday, February 25

Topics Covered

1.  Background about the Duluth Lynching from Minnesota Public Radio.  Click here to either read a radio story about the lynching.  I recommend listening if you can!  You can also view the postcard here, which contains upsetting images.

2.  More material about the lynching from Minnesota Public Radio [these websites have been archived to it takes a minute or so for it to load -- thanks for your patience.]
2a.  Lynching memorial takes shape
2b.  Dedicating a memorial

3.  Follow this link to the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial Website, where you can see photos of the memorial and learn more about what this still-active group is doing in Duluth. 

Tuesday, March 4

Topics Covered

The CCC and the WPA

The Truckers Strike

Begins Tuesday, March 11
[ends 3/25]

1.  Information about Native American Boarding Schools.  This website provides a general introduction to the topic of boarding schools earlier in the twentieth century.  Although, in places, this site focuses on boarding schools in the Northwest, it provides valuable context and information relevant for our course.  Skim this website, and scroll down to see a typical daily schedule.

2.  "Families" in Rez Road Follies, pp. 1-36.

3.  NPR Story about Memories of Boarding Schools in Minnesota: read or listen here.  *I highly recommend listening as the audio includes a bit more detail and you can get a better sense of the emotions involved.  This story does contain a short discussion of sexual assault.

4.  Listen to this radio documentary (and the following interviews) "No Jews Allowed" (approximately 54 minutes.)

5.  'Into the bright sunshine' -- Hubert Humphrey's civil-rights agenda. *This will take up to 30 seconds to load.  Please be patient. [Part of recent coverage marking HHH's 100th birthday.]

6.  Watch this award-winning documentary "Jim Crow of the North" (57 minutes)  Before you watch, look at some questions I have posted in D2L Materials>Content.  They will inform your viewing, note-taking, and discussion posts.   You can choose the "Mapping Prejudice" paper option if this topic interests you.

7.  Optional: "Mapping Prejudice."  Click here to see their map (scroll down) and learn about this innovative public history project. 

Tuesday, April 1

Topics Covered

3.   Choose "Warriors" OR "Veterans" in Rez Road Follies.

4.  "Politics," in Rez Road Follies, pp. 125-155.

Tuesday, April 8

Topics Covered

2.  "Blue Silos" in Haymakers, pp. 139-172.

Tuesday, April 15

Topics Covered

2.  The Latehomecomer: a Hmong Family Memoir.

Required: Read Chapters 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 11, 15

(In chapters 4 and 5, her family spends seven years in a refugee camp.  Chapter 6 describes her time in a temporary camp and departure for America.  Between Chapters 11 and 15 she begins college and her beloved grandmother dies.)

Click here for The Latehomecomer Extra Credit Assignment
 

Tuesday, April 22

Topics Covered

Tuesday, April 29

Topics Covered

1. MN 2020 Census -- Article about changing population (you can click on the interactive maps)

2. Why did some think Lake Calhoun should be-renamed?   Historyapolis blog post.

3. Who was behind the "Save Lake Calhoun" movement?  MPR article

4.   How should we reflect on the legacy of the Dakota Conflict and Fort Snelling in particular?  (Editorial in the Star Tribune written by a history professor at SW-MSU, Dr. Jeff Kolnick -- this is his personal copy provided to Prof. Janke, since the Star Tribune no longer offers a link to the article.)

5.  Thinking About the 150th Anniversary of the US-Dakota Conflict.

6.  North Country, Epilogue, p. 346-360.

7. Minnesota Needs a New State Flag (reading in D2L > Materials> Content)

8.  Just for fun:  Some of the strangest new flag proposals! https://racketmn.com/new-mn-state-flag-design-submissions