Information on historically significant Minnesotans.

Please note that Minnesotans who are famous for something other than being from Minnesota are listed in other sections of the directory. For example, Bob Dylan is from Hibbing, but he is listed in Arts: Music: Bands and Artists.

History of the Civil War in Minnesota.

Information on the Dakota Conflict, also known as the U.S.-Dakota War, the Minnesota Uprising, the Sioux Uprising, etc. The Dakota had ceded a large part of southern Minnesota in exchange for a reservation and payments of gold and food. Payments in 1862 were late, and the Dakota were starving. In August of 1862, white settlers were attacked near Acton, and then the Dakota broke into a warehouse at Birch Coulee (now the Lower Sioux Indian Reservation). The Dakota were defeated at Wood Lake by Henry Sibley. The actual fighting lasted less than 6 weeks, in August and September. 38 Dakota men were hanged at Mankato in December of 1862, the largest mass execution in U.S. history. Little Crow, one of the Dakota leaders, was shot to death in July 1863 while picking raspberries near Hutchinson. The Dakota Conflict is the only war fought on Minnesota soil in recorded history.