17649  With the establishment of the Minnesota Territory in 1848 and the treaty of 1851 waves of immigrants from the U.S. and Europe came to the territory rapidly changing the demographics . Even as these changes occurred in many areas the vagueness of the racial divisions between " Indians " and " whites " persisted . As late as 1857 it was common practice in some jurisdictions for men to be allowed to vote based on whether or not they were wearing European clothing . According to some observers natives at a given polling location would share a single pair of trousers each wearing them only long enough to cast a ballot . 