 In December 1856 , Rice brought forward two bills in Congress : an enabling act that would allow Minnesota to form a state constitution , and a railroad land grant bill . The enabling act defined a state containing both prairie and forest lands with the boundaries drawn as they are today . The bid for statehood came at a time when North @-@ South tensions in the U.S. were rising , tensions that would later lead to the American Civil War . Debate over admitting Minnesota as a free state was heated , but the enabling act was finally passed on February 26 , 1857 . 
 In December 1856 , Rice brought forward two bills in Congress : an enabling act <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>that</mark></a>would allow Minnesota to form a state constitution , and a railroad land grant bill . The enabling act defined a state containing both prairie and forest lands with the boundaries drawn as they are today . The bid for statehood<a href='been_done' title='2'><mark></mark></a> came at a time when North @-@ South tensions in the U.S. <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> rising , tensions <a href='null_relcl' title='4'><mark>that</mark></a>would later lead to the American Civil War . Debate over admitting Minnesota as a free state was heated , but the enabling act was finally passed on February 26 , 1857 . 
In December 1856 , Rice brought forward two bills in Congress : an enabling act would allow Minnesota to form a state constitution , and a railroad land grant bill . The enabling act defined a state containing both prairie and forest lands wid da boundaries drawn as they are todayy . Tdabid for statehood been came at a time when North @-@ South tensions in thda.S. was rising , tensions would later lead to the American Civil War . Debate ova admitting Minnesota as a free state was heated , but the enabling act was finally passed on February 26 , 1857 .