1. On August 31, 1851, the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux was signed between the United States government and the Dakota Sioux tribe. The treaty ceded millions of acres of land in southern Minnesota to the United States, opening up the area for settlement and ultimately leading to conflict between the Dakota Sioux and settlers.

2. In 1886, the first steamboat arrived in Minneapolis on August 31. The steamboat, named Hennepin, traveled up the Mississippi River from St. Louis and brought with it 5,000 barrels of flour, signaling the beginning of Minneapolis as a major flour milling center.

3. On August 31, 1894, the first issue of The Minneapolis Journal was published. The newspaper quickly gained a reputation for its investigative reporting and became one of the most influential newspapers in Minnesota.

4. In 1907, the first automobile race was held at the Minnesota State Fair on August 31. The race, which featured cars traveling at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, drew large crowds and helped to popularize the automobile in Minnesota.

5. On August 31, 1985, the first Mall of America groundbreaking ceremony was held in Bloomington, Minnesota. The mall, which opened in 1992, is now one of the largest malls in the world and a major tourist destination in Minnesota.