Michigan: Where Did it Come From?

Michigan made very slow progress in settlement and population up to 1820. From its first discovery, about 1610, until 1763, the territory was claimed, or governed by the French. The British government, the violation of the treaty, became possession of the military posts of the territory, and it did not come into actual American possession until July 11, 1796.

The Ojibwa, the Ottawa, the Pottawatomie, and other Algonquian speaking Native Americans groups were living in Michigan when the French explorer Etienne Brule landed at the narrows of Sault Ste. Marie in 1618, probably the first European to have reached present Michigan.

After passage of the Northwest Ordinance in 1787, Michigan became part of the Northwest Territory. Even after the Northwest Territory was broken up and Detroit was made capital of Michigan Territory. British agents still maintained great influence over the Native Americans, who fought on the British side of the War of 1812. In that was Mackinac and Detroit fell almost immediately to the British as a result of the ineffective control of U.S. Gen. William Hull and his troops. Michigan remained in British hands through most of the war until Gen. William Henry Harrison in the battle of Thames and Oliver Hazard Perry in the battle of Lake Erie restored U.S. control.

The move toward statehood was slowed by the desire of Ohio and Indiana to absorb parts of present south Michigan. and by the opposition of southern states to the admission of another free state. The Michigan electorate organized a government without U.S sanction and in 1836 operated as a state, although outside the Union. To resolve the boundary dispute Congress proposed that the Toledo strip be ceded to Ohio and Indiana with compensation to Michigan of land in the Upper Peninsula. Though the Michigan electorate rejected the offer, a group of Democratic leaders accepted it, and by their acceptance Michigan became a state in 1837. In 1847 The capital was Lansing instead of Detroit.

In World War II Michigan produced large numbers of tanks, airplanes and other war material. Industrial production again expanded after the Korean War broke out in 1950, and the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway in 1959 increased export trade by bringing many oceangoing vessels to the port of Detroit. In the early 1960s, however, economic growth lagged and unemployment became a problem in the state.

Since the early 1800s, Michigan has built up. The land area is 56, 804 sq. miles. We now have 83 counties. The largest county is Wayne county. As of 2005 the population was 1,998,217 people. There are 97 State Parks.
Flower- Apple Blossom (1897)
Bird- Robin (1931)
Mammal- White-tailed deer (1997)
Fishes- trout(1965), Brook trout (1988)
Gem- Isle royal greenstone (1972)
Stone- Petoskey stone (1965)
Tree- White pine (1955)
Soil- Kalkaska soil series (1990)
Reptile- Painted turtle (1995)
Wildflower- Dwarf Lake iris (1998)