1. In 1820, the United States government signed the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux with the Sioux Indians. This agreement ceded millions of acres of land to the government, opening up much of Minnesota to European settlement.

2. In 1883, the Great Northern Railroad reached Minneapolis, connecting the city to the rest of the country by rail. This development helped spur the growth of Minneapolis into a major Midwestern hub.

3. On February 4, 1901, the first issue of the Minneapolis Morning Tribune was published. This newspaper would eventually become the Star Tribune, one of the largest and most influential newspapers in Minnesota.

4. In 1945, the University of Minnesota's football team won the National Championship by defeating the University of California in the Rose Bowl. This remains the only national championship in the school's history.

5. On February 4, 1976, the Winter Olympics began in Innsbruck, Austria. Several Minnesotans competed in the games, including speed skater Sheila Young, who won three medals, including one gold.