1. On September 6, 1862, the U.S.-Dakota War began in southwestern Minnesota when four young Dakota men killed five settlers. This conflict lasted six weeks and led to the death of hundreds of Dakota people and the expulsion of the Dakota from Minnesota.
2. In 1901, the Minnesota State Fair opened on September 6 for the first time at its current location in St. Paul. Since then, the fair has become one of the largest and most popular state fairs in the country, attracting millions of visitors each year.
3. On September 6, 1918, Minnesota soldiers fought in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, a major World War I battle in northeastern France. The battle was the first major American offensive of the war and resulted in the capture of the German-held town of Saint-Mihiel.
4. In 1939, the University of Minnesota's football team played its first game at Memorial Stadium, a newly-built stadium that would become the team's home for more than 50 years. The Gophers defeated Washington University in St. Louis, 20-6.
5. Finally, on September 6, 1991, Minnesota native Paul Wellstone was sworn in as a U.S. senator, representing Minnesota. Wellstone served in the Senate until his death in a plane crash in 2002, and was known for his outspoken advocacy for progressive causes and his commitment to grassroots organizing.