Misplaced Pages

#540459

128-638: Michigan National Forest was established by the U.S. Forest Service in Michigan on February 11, 1909 with 132,770 acres (537.3 km). On July 1, 1915 Marquette National Forest was added. On February 12, 1931 the name was changed to Marquette National Forest. The lands presently exist in Hiawatha National Forest . 46°6′N 86°38′W  /  46.100°N 86.633°W  / 46.100; -86.633 Michigan Michigan ( / ˈ m ɪ ʃ ɪ ɡ ən / MISH -ig-ən )

256-490: A 4.2-magnitude earthquake occurred on Saturday, May 2, 2015, shortly after noon, about five miles south of Galesburg, Michigan (9 miles southeast of Kalamazoo ) in central Michigan, about 140 miles west of Detroit, according to the Colorado-based U.S. Geological Survey 's National Earthquake Information Center . No major damage or injuries were reported, according to then-Governor Rick Snyder 's office. State government

384-497: A basic transportation network and education system, but efforts to attain statehood for the territory were delayed due to war. At the outbreak of Tecumseh's War , when the territory was on the front line of battle, Harrison led a military force in the opening hostilities at the Battle of Tippecanoe (1811) and in the subsequent invasion of Canada during the War of 1812 . After Harrison resigned as

512-559: A chain of forts and enforce peace in the area. In the early morning of November 3, 1791, nearly a 1,000 Miamis, Shawnees, Delawares , and other warriors under the leadership of Chief Little Turtle launched a surprise attack on the American camp near the Miami town of Kekionga , costing the Americans nearly nine hundred casualties and forcing the militia's retreat. St. Clair's defeat in 1791 remains

640-529: A few hundred feet tall. It is divided by a low water divide running north and south. The larger portion of the state is on the west of this and gradually slopes toward Lake Michigan. The highest point in the Lower Peninsula is either Briar Hill at 1,705 feet (520 m), or one of several points nearby in the vicinity of Cadillac . The lowest point is the surface of Lake Erie at 571 feet (174 m). The geographic orientation of Michigan's peninsulas makes for

768-635: A landmark during the day to safely guide the passenger ships and freighters traveling the Great Lakes (see: lighthouses in the United States ). The state's rivers are generally small, short and shallow, and few are navigable. The principal ones include the Detroit River, St. Marys River, and St. Clair River which connect the Great Lakes; the Au Sable , Cheboygan , and Saginaw , which flow into Lake Huron;

896-609: A law granting voting rights to all free adult males who paid county or territorial taxes and had resided in the territory for at least one year. Because of William Henry Harrison's leadership in securing passage of the Land Act of 1800 and his help in forming the Indiana Territory in 1800, while serving as the Northwest Territory's delegate to the U.S. Congress, it was not surprising that President John Adams chose him to become

1024-429: A law in 1809 that allowed the territory's inhabitants to choose a delegate to Congress in a territory-wide election. Jonathan Jennings defeated Thomas Randolph, the territory's attorney general and Harrison's chosen candidate, in a highly contested race to become the territory's first popularly-elected representative to the U.S. Congress. Jennings was reelected to the post in 1811, 1812, and 1814, prior to his election as

1152-591: A line beginning at the Ohio River , on the bank opposite the mouth of the Kentucky River , extending northeast to Fort Recovery in present-day western Ohio , and north to the border between the United States and Canada along a line approximately 84 degrees 45 minutes West longitude. The territory initially included most of the present-day state of Indiana ; all of present-day states of Illinois and Wisconsin ; fragments of present-day Minnesota that were east of

1280-556: A long distance between the ends of the state. Ironwood , in the far western Upper Peninsula, lies 630 miles (1,010 kilometers) by highway from Lambertville in the Lower Peninsula's southeastern corner. The geographic isolation of the Upper Peninsula from Michigan's political and population centers makes the region culturally and economically distinct. Frequent attempts to establish the Upper Peninsula as its own state have failed to gain traction. A feature of Michigan that gives it

1408-539: A meager $ 2.47. To increase the treasury, tax levies were modified and new forms of revenue were established. These changes included reductions in some taxes, increases in others, and implementing licensing requirements for some types of business ventures in order to stabilize revenue. William Prince, the first territorial auditor, was also blamed for the territory's revenue shortage because he had failed to collect taxes from two territorial counties. Growth of territory's population helped improve its financial situation through

SECTION 10

#1732855333541

1536-507: A nearly bloodless siege in 1812. A U.S. attempt to retake Detroit resulted in a severe American defeat in the River Raisin Massacre . This battle, still ranked as the bloodiest ever fought in the state, had the highest number of American casualties of any battle of the war. Michigan was recaptured by the Americans in 1813 after the Battle of Lake Erie . They used Michigan as a base to launch an invasion of Canada, which culminated in

1664-430: A permanent community there would strengthen French control over the upper Great Lakes and discourage British aspirations. The hundred soldiers and workers who accompanied Cadillac built a fort enclosing one arpent (about 0.85 acres (3,400 m ), the equivalent of just under 200 feet (61 m) per side) and named it Fort Pontchartrain . Cadillac's wife, Marie Thérèse Guyon, soon moved to Detroit, becoming one of

1792-577: A separate territory, which Harrison opposed. In 1809, five years after Congress established the Michigan Territory, the St. Clair County settlers successfully petitioned Congress for the formation of a separate territory. Despite Harrison's disapproval, Congress approved the formation of the Illinois Territory from the western portion of the Indiana Territory, in addition to granting the inhabitants of

1920-577: A significant amount of population due to global competition and the dramatic unavailability of manufacturing jobs. Meanwhile, Michigan had increased use of technology, specifically when the IBM Personal Computer started selling in the state, in which became mostly used at work. Michigan became the leading auto-producing state in the U.S., with the industry primarily located throughout the Midwestern United States ; Ontario, Canada; and

2048-427: A warmer climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfa ) with hot summers and cold winters. The northern part of the Lower Peninsula and the entire Upper Peninsula has a more severe climate (Köppen Dfb ), with warm, but shorter summers and longer, cold to very cold winters. Some parts of the state average high temperatures below freezing from December through February, and into early March in the far northern parts. During

2176-807: Is a state in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest region of the United States . It borders Wisconsin to the southwest in the Upper Peninsula , and Indiana and Ohio to the south in the Lower Peninsula ; it is also connected by Lakes Superior , Michigan , Huron , and Erie to Minnesota and Illinois , and the Canadian province of Ontario . With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of 96,716 sq mi (250,490 km ), Michigan

2304-622: Is bounded on the south by the states of Ohio and Indiana , sharing land and water boundaries with both. Michigan's western boundaries are almost entirely water boundaries, from south to north, with Illinois and Wisconsin in Lake Michigan; then a land boundary with Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula, that is principally demarcated by the Menominee and Montreal Rivers ; then water boundaries again, in Lake Superior, with Wisconsin and Minnesota to

2432-459: Is decentralized among three tiers—statewide, county and township . Counties are administrative divisions of the state, and townships are administrative divisions of a county. Both of them exercise state government authority, localized to meet the particular needs of their jurisdictions, as provided by state law. There are 83 counties in Michigan . Indiana Territory William Henry Harrison ,

2560-482: Is home to the country's three major automobile companies (whose headquarters are all in Metro Detroit). Once exploited for logging and mining, today the sparsely populated Upper Peninsula is important for tourism because of its abundance of natural resources. The Lower Peninsula is a center of manufacturing , forestry , agriculture , services , and high-tech industry. When the first European explorers arrived,

2688-519: Is rugged. The state's highest point, in the Huron Mountains northwest of Marquette, is Mount Arvon at 1,979 feet (603 m). The peninsula is as large as Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island combined but has fewer than 330,000 inhabitants. The people are sometimes called "Yoopers" (from "U.P.'ers"), and their speech (the " Yooper dialect ") has been heavily influenced by the numerous Scandinavian and Canadian immigrants who settled

SECTION 20

#1732855333541

2816-554: Is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the largest by area east of the Mississippi River . Its capital is Lansing , and its largest city is Detroit . Metro Detroit is among the nation's most populous and largest metropolitan economies. The name derives from a gallicized variant of the original Ojibwe word ᒥᓯᑲᒥ ( mishigami ), meaning "large water" or "large lake". Michigan consists of two peninsulas . The Lower Peninsula resembles

2944-508: Is the state's largest metropolitan area (roughly 50% of the population resides there) and the eleventh largest in the United States. The Grand Rapids metropolitan area in Western Michigan is the state's fastest-growing metro area, with more than 1.3 million residents as of 2006 . Michigan consists of two peninsulas separated by the Straits of Mackinac . The 45th parallel north runs through

3072-411: The 10th U.S. Congress to create the Illinois Territory in 1809, 4 counties in the Indiana Territory located within contemporary Indiana reported the following population counts: The Indiana Territory's government passed through a non-representative phase from 1800 to 1804; a semi-legislative second phase, which included the election of lower house of the territorial legislature, that extended through

3200-547: The American Revolution . When Quebec split into Lower and Upper Canada in 1791, Michigan was part of Kent County , Upper Canada. It held its first democratic elections in August 1792 to send delegates to the new provincial parliament at Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake ). Under terms negotiated in the 1794 Jay Treaty , Britain withdrew from Detroit and Michilimackinac in 1796. It retained control of territory east and south of

3328-631: The Battle of the Thames . But the more northern areas of Michigan were held by the British until the peace treaty restored the old boundaries. A number of forts, including Fort Wayne , were built by the United States in Michigan during the 19th century out of fears of renewed fighting with Britain. Michigan Territory governor and judges established the University of Michigan in 1817, as the Catholepistemiad, or

3456-590: The Great Miami River . In addition, the eastern part of present-day Michigan was added to the Indiana Territory. The territory's geographical area was further reduced in 1805 with the creation of the Michigan Territory to the north, and in 1809 when the Illinois Territory was established to the west. In 1800 the Indiana Territory's total white population was 5,641, but its Native American population

3584-536: The Guardian Building , each of which has been designated as a National Historic Landmark (NHL). In 1927 a school bombing took place in Clinton County . The Bath School disaster resulted in the deaths of 38 schoolchildren and constitutes the deadliest mass murder in a school in U.S. history. Michigan converted much of its manufacturing to satisfy defense needs during World War II ; it manufactured 10.9% of

3712-399: The Mississippi River ; nearly all of the Upper Peninsula and the western half of the Lower Peninsula of present-day Michigan ; and a narrow strip of land in present-day Ohio that was northwest of Fort Recovery. This latter parcel became part of Ohio when it attained statehood in 1803. The Indiana Territory's southeast boundary was shifted in 1803 when Ohio became a state, to the mouth of

3840-567: The Netherlands were especially numerous. Migration from Appalachia and of Black Southerners as part of the Great Migration increased in the 1930s, with many settling in Metro Detroit. Although Michigan has developed a diverse economy, in the early 20th century it became widely known as the center of the U.S. automotive industry , which developed as a major national economic force. It

3968-540: The North Country National Scenic Trail passes through Michigan. With 78 state parks , 19 state recreation areas, and six state forests , Michigan has the largest state park and state forest system of any state. Michigan has a continental climate with two distinct regions. The southern and central parts of the Lower Peninsula (south of Saginaw Bay and from the Grand Rapids area southward) have

Michigan National Forest - Misplaced Pages Continue

4096-573: The Ontonagon , and Tahquamenon , which flow into Lake Superior; and the St. Joseph , Kalamazoo , Grand , Muskegon , Manistee , and Escanaba , which flow into Lake Michigan. The state has 11,037 inland lakes—totaling 1,305 square miles (3,380 km ) of inland water—in addition to 38,575 square miles (99,910 km ) of Great Lakes waters. No point in Michigan is more than six miles (9.7 km) from an inland lake or more than 85 miles (137 km) from one of

4224-518: The U.S. Army's worst defeat by American Indians in history. Casualties included 623 federal soldiers killed and another 258 wounded; the Indian confederacy lost an estimated 100 men. In August 1794, General "Mad Anthony" Wayne organized the Legion of the United States and defeated a Native American force at the Battle of Fallen Timbers . The battle was a turning point for the Americans, who took control of

4352-480: The automotive industry . Ford's development of the moving assembly line in Highland Park marked a new era in transportation. Like the steamship and railroad, mass production of automobiles was a far-reaching development. More than the forms of public transportation, the affordable automobile transformed private life. Automobile production became the major industry of Detroit and Michigan, and permanently altered

4480-437: The 1830s, Michigan had 30,000 residents, more than enough to apply and qualify for statehood. On November 1, 1935, the U.S. Post Office issued a commemorative 3-cent stamp celebrating the 100th anniversary of Michigan statehood. Michigan's statehood, however, wasn't officially established until January 26, 1837, but since the campaign for statehood actually began in 1835, Michigan chose to hold its centennial celebration in 1935,

4608-808: The British forces, ending the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the North American front of the Seven Years' War in Europe. Under the 1763 Treaty of Paris , Michigan and the rest of New France east of the Mississippi River were ceded by defeated France to Great Britain. After the Quebec Act was passed in 1774, Michigan became part of the British Province of Quebec . By 1778, Detroit's population reached 2,144 and it

4736-468: The Detroit River, which are now included in Ontario, Canada. Questions remained over the boundary for many years, and the United States did not have uncontested control of the Upper Peninsula and Drummond Island until 1818 and 1847, respectively. During the War of 1812 , the United States forces at Fort Detroit surrendered Michigan Territory (effectively consisting of Detroit and the surrounding area) after

4864-621: The French established a trading post and Fort St. Joseph along the St. Joseph River at the present-day city of Niles . In 1701, French explorer and army officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit or "Fort Pontchartrain on-the-Strait" on the strait, known as the Detroit River , between lakes Saint Clair and Erie . Cadillac had convinced King Louis XIV's chief minister, Louis Phélypeaux, Comte de Pontchartrain , that

4992-622: The Great Lakes. The state is home to several areas maintained by the National Park Service including: Isle Royale National Park , in Lake Superior, about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Other national protected areas in the state include: Keweenaw National Historical Park , Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore , Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore , Huron National Forest , Manistee National Forest , Hiawatha National Forest , Ottawa National Forest and Father Marquette National Memorial . The largest section of

5120-568: The Indiana Territory caused a significant opposition from the Quakers who had settled in the eastern part of the territory. They responded by forming an anti-slavery party. Davis Floyd of Clark County was the only anti-slavery representative elected to the territory's House of Representatives in the 1805 election, but Harrison's measures to legalize slavery in the territory were blocked by the two representatives from St. Clair County, who refused to authorize slavery unless Harrison supported their request for

5248-407: The Indiana Territory the right to elect a delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives and members of the territory's Legislative Council (upper house). Harrison, whose political power was reduced by these changes, found himself at odds with the territorial legislature when the anti-slavery party came to power after the 1809 elections. Voters promptly rebuffed many of his plans for slavery, and in 1810

Michigan National Forest - Misplaced Pages Continue

5376-460: The Indiana Territory was divided to create the Illinois Territory, the U.S. Congress altered the makeup of the territorial legislature. The members of the House of Representatives continued to be elected by the territorial inhabitants and were apportioned in relation to each county's population, but membership in the five-member upper house (Legislative Council) was also by popular vote and apportioned among

5504-497: The Lower Peninsula, Michigan is drained by the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence watershed and is the only state with the majority of its land thus drained. No point in the state is more than six miles (9.7 km) from a natural water source or more than 85 miles (137 km) from a Great Lakes shoreline. The Great Lakes that border Michigan from east to west are Lake Erie , Lake Huron , Lake Michigan and Lake Superior . The state

5632-576: The Native American tribes and was left unsettled. While Native Americans continued to cede large tracts of land in the Indiana Territory to the federal government, the Americans also expanded their ownership of lands farther west as a result of the Louisiana Purchase agreement with France. From October 1, 1804, until July 4, 1805, administrative powers of the District of Louisiana were extended to

5760-451: The Northwest Territory in advance of Ohio's statehood. At the time the Indiana Territory was formed, the two main American settlements in what would later become the state of Indiana were at Vincennes and Clark's Grant , while the settlement at Kaskaskia would later become a part of Illinois (but, because it is now west of the Mississippi River, is accessible only from Missouri . President John Adams appointed William Henry Harrison as

5888-495: The Ordinance of 1787 made no provision for a popularly-elected territorial government in the non-representative phase of territorial government (1800 to 1804). Instead of separate legislative and judicial branches of the territorial government, the U.S. Congress, and later, the president with congressional approval, had the authority to appoint a general court consisting of three territorial judges. The judges were initially appointed by

6016-530: The Southern United States. With almost ten million residents in 2010, Michigan is a large and influential state, ranking tenth in population among the fifty states. Detroit is the centrally located metropolitan area of the Great Lakes megalopolis and the second-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. (after Chicago ) linking the Great Lakes system. The Metro Detroit area in Southeast Michigan

6144-520: The U.S. government. The Treaty of Vincennes (1803) was the first of several treaties that Harrison negotiated as territorial governor. Leaders from local tribes signed this treaty to recognize Americans' possession of the Vincennes tract, an area that George Rogers Clark had captured from the British during the American Revolutionary War . The Treaty of Grouseland (1805) further secured

6272-460: The U.S. government. As a result of the treaty, the Miamis considered themselves allies with the United States, and thousands of acres of newly ceded western lands attracted an increasing number of new settlers to what would become the Indiana Territory. The U.S. Congress passed legislation to form the Indiana Territory on May 7, 1800, effective July 4, 1800. The new territory was established by dividing

6400-639: The U.S.), an Anishinaabe tribe, were established in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northern and central Michigan . Bands also inhabited Ontario and southern Manitoba , Canada; and northern Wisconsin , and northern and north-central Minnesota . The Ottawa Indians lived primarily south of the Straits of Mackinac in northern, western , and southern Michigan , but also in southern Ontario, northern Ohio, and eastern Wisconsin. The Potawatomi were in southern and western Michigan, in addition to northern and central Indiana, northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and southern Ontario. Other Algonquian tribes in Michigan, in

6528-513: The United States military armaments produced during the war, ranking second (behind New York ) among the 48 states. Detroit continued to expand through the 1950s, at one point doubling its population in a decade. After World War II, housing was developed in suburban areas outside city cores to meet demand for residences. The federal government subsidized the construction of interstate highways , which were intended to strengthen military access, but also allowed commuters and business traffic to travel

SECTION 50

#1732855333541

6656-667: The University of Michigania. The population grew slowly until the opening in 1825 of the Erie Canal through the Mohawk Valley in New York, connecting the Great Lakes to the Hudson River and New York City. The new route attracted a large influx of settlers to the Michigan territory. They worked as farmers, lumbermen, shipbuilders, and merchants and shipped out grain, lumber, and iron ore. By

6784-463: The area during the lumbering and mining boom of the late 19th century. The Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten and many residents hold up a hand to depict where they are from. It is 277 miles (446 km) long from north to south and 195 miles (314 km) from east to west and occupies nearly two-thirds of the state's land area. The surface of the peninsula is generally level, broken by conical hills and glacial moraines usually not more than

6912-534: The area near the strategically important Maumee–Wabash portage, as well as Fort Miami at Kekionga (rebuilt as Fort Wayne ). In addition, several other forts were built in the territory to maintain American control of the area. The Treaty of Greenville (1795) ended the Northwest Indian War and marked the beginning of a series of land cession treaties. Under the terms of this treaty, native tribes ceded southeastern Indiana and two-thirds of present-day Ohio to

7040-473: The area, settling largely along the waterways. After France's defeat in the French and Indian War in 1762, the region came under British rule. Britain ceded the territory to the newly independent United States after its defeat in the American Revolutionary War . The area was part of the larger Northwest Territory until 1800, when western Michigan became part of the Indiana Territory . Michigan Territory

7168-508: The breaking the point. The availability of low-cost federal land led to a rapid increase in the population of the territory, with thousands of new settlers entering the region every year. Large settlements began to spring up on the periphery of the territory around the Great Lakes, the Ohio River, the Wabash River, and the Mississippi River. Much of the interior, though, remained inhabited by

7296-470: The circuit courts. James Noble was appointed to replace Sparks following Sparks' death in early 1815. When the Indiana Territory entered its semi-legislative phase of government, territorial inhabitants were allowed to elect representatives to the lower house of its bicameral legislature . President Jefferson delegated the task of choosing the five members of the Legislative Council (upper house of

7424-472: The coast is much indented. Keweenaw Bay, Whitefish Bay , and the Big and Little Bays De Noc are the principal indentations on the Upper Peninsula. The Grand and Little Traverse , Thunder , and Saginaw bays indent the Lower Peninsula. Michigan has the second longest shoreline of any state—3,288 miles (5,292 km), including 1,056 miles (1,699 km) of island shoreline. The state has numerous large islands ,

7552-552: The coldest recorded temperature is −51 °F (−46 °C) at Vanderbilt on February 9, 1934. The state averages 30 days of thunderstorm activity per year. These can be severe, especially in the southern part of the state. The state averages 17 tornadoes per year, which are more common in the state's extreme southern section. Portions of the southern border have been almost as vulnerable historically as states further west and in Tornado Alley . For this reason, many communities in

7680-460: The collection of various taxes, including property taxes and taxes on sale of public lands. However, governmental expenses also increased as new counties and towns were formed, causing the need for new governmental offices and further increases in the government's overall size. The major political issue in Indiana's territorial history was slavery ; however, there were others, including Indian affairs,

7808-651: The distinct shape of a mitten is the Thumb , which projects into Lake Huron, forming Saginaw Bay . Other notable peninsulas of Michigan include the Keweenaw Peninsula , which projects northeasterly into Lake Superior from the Upper Peninsula and largely comprising Michigan's Copper Country region, and the Leelanau Peninsula , projecting from the Lower Peninsula into Lake Michigan, forming Michigan's "little finger". Numerous lakes and marshes mark both peninsulas, and

SECTION 60

#1732855333541

7936-573: The entire Lower Peninsula. The Upper Peninsula exhibits Lower Silurian sandstones, limestones, copper and iron bearing rocks, corresponding to the Huronian system of Canada . The central portion of the Lower Peninsula contains coal measures and rocks of the Pennsylvanian period. Devonian and sub-Carboniferous deposits are scattered over the entire state. Michigan rarely experiences earthquakes , and those that it does experience are generally smaller ones that do not cause significant damage. A 4.6-magnitude earthquake struck in August 1947. More recently,

8064-404: The federal government's possession of land in present-day south-central Indiana. After the signing of the contentious and disputed Treaty of Fort Wayne (1809) , in which Harrison acquired for the U.S. government more than 250,000,000 acres (100,000,000 hectares) of land in what later became central Indiana and eastern Illinois, tensions between the Native American and settlers on the frontier neared

8192-439: The first European women to settle in what was considered the wilderness of Michigan. The town quickly became a major fur-trading and shipping post. The Église de Saint-Anne (Catholic Church of Saint Anne) was founded the same year. While the original building does not survive, the congregation remains active. Cadillac later departed to serve as the French governor of Louisiana from 1710 to 1716. French attempts to consolidate

8320-403: The first governor of Indiana in 1816. In addition to the territorial governor and three judges, the office of secretary was established in 1800. Governor Harrison appointed a treasurer and attorney general in 1801 as the only additional government officials during the territory's non-representative phase of government. During the second phase, the office of territorial auditor was combined with

8448-435: The first governor of the territory on May 13, 1800, but Harrison did not arrive in the territory to begin his duties as governor until January 10, 1801. John Gibson , the territorial secretary, served as acting governor until Harrison's arrival at Vincennes. A three-member panel of judges called the General Court assisted the territorial governor. Together they served as both the highest legislative and judicial authority in

8576-400: The first governor of the territory. Presidents Adams, Thomas Jefferson , and James Madison made a total of three appointments to the office of governor of the Indiana Territory between July 4, 1800, when the territory was officially established, and November 7, 1816, when Jonathan Jennings was sworn in as the first governor of the state of Indiana . When the Indiana Territory was created,

8704-440: The first time on July 29, 1805. Governor Harrison retained his veto powers as well as his general executive and appointive authority, while the legislative assembly had the authority to pass laws, subject to the governor's approved before they could be enacted. The change in territorial governance also removed the territorial judges' legislative powers, leaving the territorial court with only its judicial authority. In 1809, after

8832-477: The five Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair . It also has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds . Michigan has the second-most water area of any state, behind only Alaska. The area was first occupied by a succession of Native American tribes over thousands of years. In the 17th century, French explorers claimed it as part of the New France colony, when it was largely inhabited by Indigenous peoples. French and Canadian traders and settlers, Métis , and others migrated to

8960-411: The formation of northern and western territories from portions of the Indiana Territory, concerns about the lack of territorial self-government and representation in Congress, and ongoing criticisms of Harrison's actions as territorial governor. Most of these issues were resolved before Indiana achieved statehood. The formations of the Michigan Territory and the Illinois Territory ended the debate about

9088-399: The fur trade led to the Fox Wars , in which the Meskwaki (Fox) and their allies fought the French and their Native allies. At the same time, the French strengthened Fort Michilimackinac at the Straits of Mackinac to better control their lucrative fur-trading empire. By the mid-18th century, the French also occupied forts at present-day Niles and Sault Ste. Marie, though most of the rest of

9216-648: The government made the decision to relocate the territorial capital to Corydon. Construction on the capitol building began in 1814 and was nearly finished by 1816. The area that became the Indiana Territory was once part of the Northwest Territory , which the Congress of the Confederation formed under the terms of the Northwest Ordinance on July 13, 1787. This ordinance outlined the basis for government in

9344-527: The land claim was transferred to the Indiana Land Company and offered for sale; however, the government of Virginia disputed the claim, arguing that it was the rightful owner because the land fell within its boundaries. The United States Supreme Court took up the case and extinguished the company's right to the land in 1798. Two years later, Congress applied the Indiana Land Company's name to

9472-677: The late 19th to early 20th century, working in lumbering areas in counties on the Lake Huron side of the Lower Peninsula, such as the Saginaw Valley, Alpena, and Cheboygan counties, as well as throughout the Upper Peninsula, with large concentrations in Escanaba and the Keweenaw Peninsula . The first statewide meeting of the Republican Party took place on July 6, 1854, in Jackson, Michigan , where

9600-529: The legislature) to the governor, who chose from a list of ten candidates provided by the lower house. After the formation of the new legislative body, each county in the territory was granted the right to elect representatives to the House of Representatives (the legislative assembly's lower house). The lower house initially included seven representatives: one from Dearborn County, one from Clark County, two from Knox County, two from St. Clair County, and one from Randolph County. The territorial legislature met for

9728-453: The meantime, Major Jean François Hamtramck led an expedition from Fort Knox to Wea , Potawatomi , and Kickapoo villages on the Wabash , Vermilion , and Eel Rivers, but his company lacked sufficient provisions to continue, forcing a return to Vincennes. In 1791 Major General Arthur St. Clair , the governor of the Northwest Territory, commanded about 2,700 men in a campaign to establish

9856-646: The most populous tribes were the Algonquian peoples , which include the Anishinaabe groups of Ojibwe , Odaawaa/Odawa (Ottawa) , and the Boodewaadamii/Bodéwadmi (Potawatomi) . The three nations coexisted peacefully as part of a loose confederation called the Council of Three Fires . The Ojibwe, whose numbers are estimated to have been at least 35,000, were the largest. The Ojibwe Indians (also known as Chippewa in

9984-456: The nation. Many private colleges were founded as well, and the smaller cities established high schools late in the century. Michigan's economy underwent a transformation at the turn of the 20th century. Many individuals, including Ransom E. Olds , John and Horace Dodge , Henry Leland , David Dunbar Buick , Henry Joy , Charles King , and Henry Ford , provided the concentration of engineering know-how and technological enthusiasm to develop

10112-529: The new capital. On March 11, 1813, the territorial legislature selected Corydon as the new seat of government for the territory, effective May 1, 1813. Harrison favored Corydon, a town he had founded, named, and where he owned an estate . In 1813, after it was brought to the territorial legislature's attention that plans were underway to construct a new county courthouse in Corydon and the new building could also be used for its assemblies (a significant cost savings),

10240-529: The new state government, the new officeholders were sworn into office in November, and the territory was dissolved. On December 11, 1816, President James Madison signed the congressional act that formally admitted Indiana to the Union as the nineteenth state. When the Indiana Territory was formed in 1800, its original boundaries included the western portion of the Northwest Territory. This encompassed an area northwest of

10368-640: The new territory. Passage of the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 committed the U.S. government to continued plans for western expansion. Increasing tensions with the Native Americans who occupied the western lands erupted into the Northwest Indian War. During the autumn of 1790, American forces under the command of General Josiah Harmar unsuccessfully pursued the Miami tribe near present-day Fort Wayne, Indiana , but had to retreat. In

10496-557: The office of territorial treasurer. The territory also had a chancellor during most of this period. Secretary Auditor Treasurer Attorney General During the non-legislative phase, the federal government paid the salaries of the governor, the three-member judicial council, and the territorial secretary, which cost about $ 5,500 per year. In addition, a small fund of approximately $ 200 covered other expenses such as printing, postage, and rent. The federal government did not provide funds for any additional governmental offices such as

10624-443: The ongoing hostilities with Native Americans and the War of 1812 ; and a final period, when the territory's population increased and its residents successfully petitioned Congress for statehood in 1816. Under the terms of the Northwest Ordinance, the territorial government went through 3 phases prior to statehood: In 1803, when the Indiana Territory was formed from the remaining Northwest Territory after Ohio attained statehood,

10752-663: The party adopted its platform. The state was predominantly Republican until the 1930s, reflecting the political continuity of migrants from across the Northern Tier of New England and New York. Michigan made a significant contribution to the Union in the American Civil War and sent more than forty regiments of volunteers to the federal armies. Michigan modernized and expanded its system of education in this period. The Michigan State Normal School, now Eastern Michigan University ,

10880-441: The population boom. By the 1930s, so many immigrants had arrived that more than 30 languages were spoken in the public schools, and ethnic communities celebrated in annual heritage festivals. Over the years immigrants and migrants contributed greatly to Detroit's diverse urban culture, including popular music trends. The influential Motown Sound of the 1960s was led by a variety of individual singers and groups. Grand Rapids ,

11008-411: The president who later delegated this authority to the territorial governor. Adams chose William Clarke, Henry Vanderburgh , and John Griffin as the territory's first three judges. Following Clarke's death in November 1802, Thomas T. Davis was appointed as his replacement. Acting as the combined judicial and legislative government, the territorial governor and the three judges adopted the laws to govern

11136-539: The principal ones being the North Manitou and South Manitou , Beaver , and Fox groups in Lake Michigan; Isle Royale and Grande Isle in Lake Superior; Marquette, Bois Blanc , and Mackinac islands in Lake Huron; and Neebish , Sugar , and Drummond islands in St. Mary's River . Michigan has about 150 lighthouses , the most of any U.S. state. The first lighthouses in Michigan were built between 1818 and 1822. They were built to project light at night and to serve as

11264-571: The region more easily. Since 1960, modern advances in the auto industry have led to increased automation, high-tech industry, and increased suburban growth. Longstanding tensions in Detroit culminated in the Twelfth Street riot in July 1967. During the late 1970s and the early 1980s, increasing fuel costs and other factors made significantly more global competition and recession among families. Michigan lost

11392-510: The region remained unsettled by Europeans. France offered free land to attract families to Detroit, which grew to 800 people in 1765. It was the largest city between Montreal and New Orleans. French settlers also established small farms south of the Detroit River opposite the fort, near a Jesuit mission and Huron village. From 1660 until the end of French rule, Michigan was part of the Royal Province of New France . In 1760, Montreal fell to

11520-400: The requirement for proceeding to the semi-legislative phase of territorial government was modified. Instead of requiring the territory's population to reach 5,000 free adult males, the second phase could be initiated when the majority of territory's free landholders informed the territorial governor that they wanted to do so. In 1810 the requirement for voters to be landholders was replaced with

11648-451: The right to debate, submit legislation, and serve on committees, but they were not permitted to vote on legislation. When the Indiana Territory entered its second phase of governance, the territory's legislative assembly elected Benjamin Parke as its delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. Jesse B. Thomas was appointed to the post following Parke's resignation in 1808. Congress approved

11776-528: The second-largest city in Michigan also became an important center of manufacturing. Since 1838, the city has been noted for its furniture industry. In the 21st century, it is home to five of the world's leading office furniture companies. Grand Rapids is home to a number of major companies including Steelcase , Amway , and Meijer . Grand Rapids is also an important center for GE Aviation Systems . Michigan held its first United States presidential primary election in 1910. With its rapid growth in industry, it

11904-435: The shape of a mitten , and comprises a majority of the state's land area. The Upper Peninsula (often called "the U.P.") is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac , a five-mile (8 km) channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. The Mackinac Bridge connects the peninsulas. Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the United States, being bordered by four of

12032-418: The socioeconomic life of the United States and much of the world. With the growth, the auto industry created jobs in Detroit that attracted immigrants from Europe and migrants from across the United States, including both blacks and whites from the rural South . By 1920, Detroit was the fourth-largest city in the U.S.. Residential housing was in short supply, and it took years for the market to catch up with

12160-810: The south and east, were the Mascouten , the Menominee , the Miami , the Sac (or Sauk), and the Meskwaki (Fox) . The Wyandot were an Iroquoian-speaking people in this area; they were historically known as the Huron by the French, and were the historical adversaries of the Iroquois Confederation . French voyageurs and coureurs des bois explored and settled in Michigan in the 17th century. The first Europeans to reach what became Michigan were those of Étienne Brûlé 's expedition in 1622. The first permanent European settlement

12288-575: The state, marked by highway signs and the Polar-Equator Trail— along a line including Mission Point Light near Traverse City , the towns of Gaylord and Alpena in the Lower Peninsula and Menominee in the Upper Peninsula. With the exception of two tiny areas drained by the Mississippi River by way of the Wisconsin River in the Upper Peninsula and by way of the Kankakee - Illinois River in

12416-399: The suspension in order to make the region more appealing to slave-holding settlers and ultimately make the territory economically viable by increasing its population. In addition, the petition requested that the slaves and their children brought into the territory during the suspension period should remain slaves even after the suspension ended. Benjamin Parke, a pro-slavery supporter who became

12544-524: The terms of the Northwest Ordinance of 1796. Because Harrison's political fortunes were tied to Indiana's rise to statehood, he was eager to expand the territory. In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson granted Harrison the authority to negotiate and conclude treaties with the Native American tribes in the territory. Harrison oversaw the establishment of thirteen treaties that ceded more than 60,000,000 acres (24,000,000 hectares) of land from Native American tribes, including most present-day southern Indiana , to

12672-445: The territorial government. Territorial revenue fell to critical levels due to the War of 1812, when many of the territory's taxpayers were unable to pay what they owed, and their land reverted to the federal government. Financial issues also caused the movement for statehood to be delayed until after the war's end. At one point during 1813, for example, the balance in territory's treasury was

12800-412: The territorial governor, Thomas Posey was appointed to the vacant governorship, but the opposition party, led by Congressman Jonathan Jennings , dominated territorial affairs in its final years and began pressing for statehood. In June 1816 a constitutional convention was held at Corydon, where a state constitution was adopted on June 29, 1816. General elections were held in August to fill offices for

12928-409: The territorial legislature repealed the indenturing laws that Harrison and the judicial court had enacted in 1803. The capital of the Indiana Territory remained in Vincennes from 1800 to 1813, when the territorial legislature moved it to Corydon . After the Illinois Territory was formed from the western portion of the Indiana Territory in 1809, Vincennes, which was initially situated in the center of

13056-470: The territory to be brought into the territory and bound into service for fixed terms set by the slave owner. After the territory was granted representation in Congress in 1805, Parke was able to get Congress to pass legislation to suspend Article Six for ten years, granting the territories covered under the ordinance the ability to legalize slavery in their territories. Harrison's attempts to allow slavery in

13184-483: The territory was limited, with the primary source of funds coming from the sale of federal lands. Other revenue came from the collection of duties, licenses, and excise taxes. In 1811 property taxes collected from landowners were based on the numbers of acres and its rating; previously, these taxes were based on land values. Taxes were also collected for territorial counties to use. After 1815 taxes were levied on some types of manufactured goods to provide additional funds for

13312-465: The territory's counties. Harrison County, established in 1808 from portions of Knox and Clark counties, elected one representative to the lower house; Clark and Dearborn counties each had two representatives; and the more populated Knox County had three. This bicameral legislative structure remained unchanged for the remainder of the territory's existence. Territorial delegates to the U.S. House of Representatives could attend congressional sessions with

13440-474: The territory's first governor, oversaw treaty negotiations with the Native inhabitants that ceded tribal lands to the U.S. government, opening large parts of the territory to further settlement. In 1809 the U.S. Congress established a bicameral legislative body for the territory that included a popularly-elected House of Representatives and a Legislative Council. In addition, the territorial government began planning for

13568-466: The territory's first representative in Congress in 1805, carried the petition to Washington, D.C.; however, Congress failed to take action, leaving Harrison and the territorial judges to pursue other options. In 1803 Harrison and the general court judges passed legislation that evaded the Ordinance of 1787 in order permit slavery in the Indiana Territory through the use of indentured servitude laws. The bill allowed adult slaves owned or purchased outside

13696-400: The territory's geographical size. In the second phase of territorial governance, the increasing democratization of the government shifted the authority initially placed in the hands of the territorial governor and a judicial council to a legislative branch of elected representatives and a delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. The debate over the issue of allowing slavery in the territory

13824-426: The territory's population increased. By 1810 the Indiana Territory's enumerated population reached 24,520, even after the territory's size had been reduced with formation of the Michigan Territory (1805) and Illinois Territory (1809). When the Indiana Territory petitioned for statehood in 1816, its population was spread among fifteen counties and exceeded 60,000 people, which was the minimum required for statehood under

13952-435: The territory, was now on its far west edge. The territorial legislature was also becoming increasingly fearful that the outbreak of the War of 1812 could cause an attack on Vincennes, resulting in their decision to move the seat of government to a location closer to the territory's population center. In addition to Corydon, the towns of Madison , Lawrenceburg , Vevay , and Jeffersonville were considered as potential sites for

14080-575: The territory. As governor of a territory of the first stage, which was outlined in the Northwest Ordinance , Harrison had wide-ranging powers in the new territory that included the authority to appoint all territorial officials and members of the territorial General Assembly. He also had the authority to divide the territory into districts. Vincennes, the territory's oldest settlement and among its largest with 714 townspeople in 1800, became its first territorial capital. The former French trading post

14208-536: The territory. In addition to working with the territorial governor on legislative issues, the territorial judges presided over the general court. When the Indiana Territory entered the semi-legislative phase of government in 1805, the legislature gradually became the dominant branch, and the judges focused on judicial matters. In 1814, as the territory progressed toward statehood, three circuit courts were established. Governor Posey appointed Isaac Blackford , Jesse Lynch Holman , and Elijah Sparks as presiding judges over

14336-632: The treasurer and attorney general. Salaries for these officials were paid from the territory's treasury. In the semi-legislative phase, the federal government paid the salaries of the territorial governor, judges, and secretary at a cost of approximately $ 6,687 per year. The territorial treasury was responsible for funding legislative expenses, as well as the salaries of the treasurer, auditor, attorney general, and chancellor. The territorial treasurer also paid operational expenses such as printing, rent, stationery, and other supplies and services. These expenses were estimated to cost $ 10,000 per year. Revenue for

14464-583: The very southern portions of the state have tornado sirens to warn residents of approaching tornadoes. Farther north, in Central Michigan, Northern Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula, tornadoes are rare. The geological formation of the state is greatly varied, with the Michigan Basin being the most major formation. Primary boulders are found over the entire surface of the Upper Peninsula (being principally of primitive origin), while Secondary deposits cover

14592-507: The west, capped around by the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and east. The heavily forested Upper Peninsula is relatively mountainous in the west. The Porcupine Mountains , which are part of one of the oldest mountain chains in the world, rise to an altitude of almost 2,000 feet (610 m) above sea level and form the watershed between the streams flowing into Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The surface on either side of this range

14720-585: The western lands and also provided for an administrative structure to oversee the territory, including a three-stage process for transitioning from territory to statehood. In addition, the Land Ordinance of 1785 called for the U.S. government to survey the newly acquired territory for future sale and development. The Northwest Territory, which initially included land bounded by the Appalachian Mountains , Mississippi River , Great Lakes , and Ohio River ,

14848-445: The western part of the Upper Peninsula as a concession and formally entered the Union as a free state on January 26, 1837. The Upper Peninsula proved to be a rich source of lumber, iron, and copper. Michigan led the nation in lumber production from the 1850s to the 1880s. Railroads became a major engine of growth from the 1850s onward, with Detroit the chief hub . A second wave of French-Canadian immigrants settled in Michigan during

14976-432: The winter through the middle of February, the state is frequently subjected to heavy lake-effect snow . The state averages from 30 to 40 inches (76 to 102 cm) of precipitation annually; however, some areas in the northern lower peninsula and the upper peninsula average almost 160 inches (4,100 mm) of snowfall per year. Michigan's highest recorded temperature is 112 °F (44 °C) at Mio on July 13, 1936, and

15104-529: The word Indiana dates from 1768, when the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy reserved about 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares) of land in the present-day state of West Virginia and deeded it to a twenty-five-member Philadelphia -based trading company that engaged in trade with the native tribes in the Ohio River valley. The company named their land claim Indiana, in honor of its previous owners. In 1776

15232-456: The year the stamp was first issued. A constitutional convention of assent was held to lead the territory to statehood. In October 1835 the people approved the constitution of 1835, thereby forming a state government. Congressional recognition was delayed pending resolution of a boundary dispute with Ohio known as the Toledo War . Congress awarded the "Toledo Strip" to Ohio. Michigan received

15360-441: Was also one of the few white settlements in the territory. Indiana Territory began with four counties: Saint Clair and Randolph County , which became part of present-day Illinois; Knox in present-day Indiana; Wayne County , which became part of present-day Michigan. Governor Harrison formed Clark County , the first new county in the territory, out of the eastern portion of Knox County. Additional counties were established as

15488-533: Was an important center of industry-wide union organizing, such as the rise of the United Auto Workers . In 1920 WWJ (AM) in Detroit became the first radio station in the United States to regularly broadcast commercial programs. Throughout that decade, some of the country's largest and most ornate skyscrapers were built in the city. Particularly noteworthy are the Fisher Building , Cadillac Place , and

15616-403: Was estimated to be near 20,000, possibly as high as 75,000. In the 1800 United States census , 4 counties in the Indiana Territory (2 of which were located in contemporary Illinois and 1 in contemporary Michigan) reported the following counts: In the 1810 United States census , following the passage of organic acts by the 9th U.S. Congress to create the Michigan Territory in 1805 and by

15744-418: Was formed in 1805, but some of the northern border with Canada was not agreed upon until after the War of 1812 . Michigan was admitted into the Union in 1837 as the 26th state, a free one . It soon became an important center of industry and trade in the Great Lakes region, attracting immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from many European countries . Immigrants from Finland , Macedonia , and

15872-438: Was founded in 1668 on the site where Père Jacques Marquette established Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan , as a base for Catholic missions. Missionaries in 1671–75 founded outlying stations at Saint Ignace and Marquette . Jesuit missionaries were well received by the area's Indian populations, with few difficulties or hostilities. In 1679, Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle built Fort Miami at present-day St. Joseph . In 1691,

16000-559: Was founded in 1849, for the training of teachers. It was the fourth oldest normal school in the United States and the first U.S. normal school outside New England . In 1899, the Michigan State Normal School became the first normal school in the nation to offer a four-year curriculum. Michigan Agricultural College (1855), now Michigan State University in East Lansing , was founded as the first agricultural college in

16128-421: Was settled in 1810; however, criticism of Governor Harrison continued, even after much of his authority was transferred to territorial legislators and judges. In December 1802 delegates from Indiana Territory's four counties passed a resolution in favor of a ten-year suspension of Article Six of the Northwest Ordinance, which prohibited slavery in the original Northwest Territory. They also petitioned Congress for

16256-502: Was subsequently partitioned into smaller territories that included the Indiana Territory (1800), Michigan Territory (1805), the Illinois Territory (1809), and eventually became the present-day states of Ohio , Michigan , Indiana , Illinois , Wisconsin , and eastern Minnesota . Indiana , meaning "Land of the Indians", references the fact that most of the area north of the Ohio River was still inhabited by Native Americans. Formal use of

16384-497: Was the third-largest city in Quebec province. During the American Revolutionary War , Detroit was an important British supply center. Most of the inhabitants were French-Canadians or American Indians, many of whom had been allied with the French because of long trading ties. Because of imprecise cartography and unclear language defining the boundaries in the 1783 Treaty of Paris , the British retained control of Detroit and Michigan after

#540459