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Revision as of 00:43, 8 December 2007

For other uses, see the U.S. State.
Michigan
State
Map
CountryUnited States
Admitted to the UnionJanuary 26, 1837 (26th)
CapitalLansing
Largest cityDetroit
Largest metro and urban areasMetro Detroit
Government
 • GovernorJennifer Granholm (D)
 • Upper house{{{Upperhouse}}}
 • Lower house{{{Lowerhouse}}}
U.S. senatorsCarl Levin (D)
Debbie Stabenow (D)
Population
 • Total
9,938,444
 • Density179/sq mi (67.55/km2)
 • Median household income
$44,627
 • Income rank
21st
Language
 • Official languageNone (English, de-facto)
Traditional abbreviationMich.
Latitude41° 42′ N to 48° 16′ N
Longitude82° 25′ W to 90° 25′ W

Michigan (/ˈmɪʃɨgən/, roughly MISH-uh-gun)[2] is a Midwestern state of the United States of America, located in the east north central states, as defined by the Census Bureau. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigami, meaning "large water" or "large lake".[3][4]

Bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, plus Lake Saint Clair, Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline in the world.[5] In 2005, Michigan had more registered recreational boats than any state except California and Florida.[6] A person in Michigan is never more than 85 miles (137 km) from open Great Lakes water and is never more than six miles (10 km) from a natural water source.

Michigan is the only state to consist entirely of two peninsulas. The Lower Peninsula of Michigan, to which the name Michigan was originally applied, is sometimes dubbed "the mitten," owing to its shape. When asked where in Michigan one comes from, a resident of the Lower Peninsula may often point to the corresponding part of his or her hand. The Upper Peninsula (often referred to as 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 Upper Peninsula (whose residents are often called "Yoopers") is economically important for tourism and natural resources.

The Upper and Lower Peninsulas are connected by the five-mile-long Mackinac Bridge, which is the third longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the world. The bridge has given rise to the nickname of "trolls" for residents of the Lower Peninsula, for they live "under" (south of) the bridge. The Great Lakes that border Michigan are Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Michigan also borders on Lake Saint Clair, between Lake Erie and Lake Huron.

History

See also: Timeline of Michigan history
File:Chippewa family c 1821.jpg
A Chippewa family, circa 1821

Michigan was home to various Native Americans centuries before colonization by Europeans. When the first European explorers arrived, the most populous and influential tribes were Algonquian peoples—specifically, the Ottawa, the Anishnabe (called "Chippewa" in French, after their language, "Ojibwe"), and the Potawatomi. The Anishnabe, whose numbers are estimated to have been between 25,000 and 35,000, were the most populous.

Although the Anishnabe were well-established in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, they also inhabited northern Ontario, northern Wisconsin, southern Manitoba, and northern and north-central Minnesota. The Ottawa lived primarily south of the Straits of Mackinac in northern and western Michigan, while the Potawatomi were primarily in the southwest. The three nations co-existed peacefully as part of a loose confederation called the Council of Three Fires. Other First Nations people in Michigan, in the south and east, were the Mascouten, the Menominee, the Miami, and the Wyandot, who are better known by their French name, "Huron".

1600s

French voyageurs explored and settled in Michigan in the 17th century. The first Europeans to reach what later became Michigan were Étienne Brûlé's expedition in 1622. The first European settlement was made in 1641 on the site where Father (or Père, in French) Jacques Marquette established Sault Sainte-Marie in 1668.

Saint Ignace was founded in 1671, and Marquette in 1675. Together with Sault Sainte-Marie, they are the three oldest cities in Michigan. "The Soo" (Sault Ste. Marie) has the distinction of being the oldest city in both Michigan and Ontario. It was split into two cities in 1818, a year after the U.S.-Canada boundary in the Great Lakes was finally established by the U.S.-U.K. Joint Border Commission.

In 1679, Lord La Salle of France directed the construction of the Griffin, the first European sailing vessel on the upper Great Lakes. That same year, La Salle built Fort Miami at present-day St. Joseph.

1700s

In 1701, French explorer and army officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Le Fort Ponchartrain du Détroit or “Fort Ponchartrain on-the-Strait” on the strait between Lakes St. Clair and Erie, known as the Detroit River. Cadillac had convinced King Louis XIV's chief minister, Louis Phélypeaux, Comte de Pontchartrain, that a permanent community there would strengthen French control over the upper Great Lakes and repel British aspirations.

The hundred soldiers and workers who accompanied Cadillac built a fort enclosing one arpent[7][8] (about .85 acre, the equivalent of just under 200 feet on a side) and named it Fort Pontchartrain. Cadillac's wife, Marie Thérèse, soon moved to Detroit, becoming one of the first white women to settle in the Michigan wilderness. The town quickly became a major fur-trading and shipping post. The “Église de Saint-Anne,” or Church of Saint Ann, was founded the same year. While the original building does not survive, the congregation of that name continues to be active today.

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-eighteenth century, the French also occupied forts at present-day Niles and Sault Ste. Marie. However, most of the rest of the region remained unsettled by whites.

From 1660 to the end of French rule, Michigan (along with Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, two-thirds of Georgia, and small parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and Maine) was part of the Royal Province of New France. In 1759, following the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, in the French and Indian War (1754–1763), Québec City fell to British forces. Under the 1763 Treaty of Paris, Michigan and the rest of New France passed to Great Britain.

During the American Revolutionary War, Detroit was an important British supply center, but most of the inhabitants - almost all of them - were either Aboriginal people or French Canadians. Because of imprecise cartography and unclear language defining the boundaries in the 1763 Treaty of Paris, the British retained control of Detroit and Michigan. When Quebec was split into Lower and Upper Canada in 1790, 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).[9]

Under terms negotiated in the 1794 Jay Treaty, Britain withdrew from Detroit and Michilimackinac in 1796. 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.

Plan of the Town of Detroit and Fort Lernoult, 1792.

1800s

During the War of 1812, Michigan Territory (effectively consisting of Detroit and the surrounding area) was captured by the British and nominally returned to Upper Canada. American forces forced the British out in 1813 and pushed into Canada.

The Treaty of Ghent implemented the policy of "Status Quo Ante Bellum" or "Just as Things Were Before the War." That meant Michigan stayed American, and the agreement to establish a joint U.S.-UK boundary commission also remained valid. Subsequent to the findings of that commission in 1817, control of the Upper Peninsula and of islands in the St. Clair River delta was transferred from Ontario to Michigan in 1818. Drummond Island (to which the British had moved their Michilimackinac army base) was transferred to the US in 1847.

The population grew slowly until the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825. This brought a large influx of settlers to Michigan, as it made transportation by ships through the Great Lakes possible. By the 1830s, Michigan had some 80,000 residents, which were more than enough to apply for statehood.

In 1836 a state government was formed, although Congressional recognition of the state was delayed pending resolution of a boundary dispute with Ohio. Both states claimed a 468-square-mile (1,210 km²) strip of land that included the newly incorporated city of Toledo on Lake Erie and an area to the west then known as the "Great Black Swamp." The dispute came to be called the Toledo War. Michigan and Ohio militia maneuvered in the area but never exchanged fire. Congress awarded the "Toledo Strip" to Ohio. Michigan received the western part of the Upper Peninsula as a concession and formally entered the Union on January 26, 1837.

Thought to be nearly valueless, the Upper Peninsula was discovered to be a rich and important source of lumber, iron, and copper. These became the state's most sought-after natural resources and generated early wealth. Geologist Douglass Houghton and land surveyor William Austin Burt were among the first to document many of these resources. Developers rushed to the state. Michigan led the nation in lumber production from 1850's to the 1880's. The lumber harvested here was shipped to the rapidly developing prairie states, Chicago, back to the eastern states, and even all of the way to Europe.

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.

Henry Ford in the Quadricycle, 1905

Michigan's economy underwent a massive change at the turn of the 20th century. The birth of the automotive industry, with Henry Ford's first plant in the Highland Park enclave of Detroit, marked the beginning of a new era in transportation. Like the steamship and railroad, it was a far-reaching development. More than the forms of public transportation, the automobile transformed private life. It became the major industry of Detroit and Michigan, and permanently altered the socio-economic life of the United States and much of the world. Grand Rapids, the second-largest city in Michigan, is also a center of automotive manufacturing. Since 1838, the city had also been noted for its thriving furniture industry. Started because of ready sources of lumber, the furniture industry declined in the late 20th century.

1900s to the present

In 1910 Michigan held its first primary election. In 1920 Detroit’s WWJ began commercial broadcasting of regular programs, the first such radio station in the United States. Throughout that decade, some of the country's largest and most ornate skyscrapers were built in the city.

1920s skyscrapers in downtown Detroit.

Detroit had boomed through the 1950s, at one point doubling its population in a decade. Housing shortages and racial tension led to outward movement starting after World War II. After the 1950s, with suburban sprawl prevalent across the country, Detroit's population began to decline, and the rate increased after further racial strife in the 1960s and high crime rates in the 70s and 80s. Government programs such as road-building often enabled the sprawl.

Since the 1970s, Michigan's industrial base has eroded as the auto industry began to abandon the state's industrial parks in favor of less expensive labor found overseas and in the southern U.S. states. Nevertheless, with more than 10 million residents, Michigan continues to grow and remains a large and influential state, ranking eighth in population among the 50 states.

The Detroit metropolitan area in the southeast corner of the state is the largest metropolitan area in Michigan (roughly 50% of the population resides there) and one of the 10 largest metro areas in the country. The Grand Rapids/Holland/Muskegon metro area on the west side of the state is the fastest growing metro area in the state presently, with over 1.3 million residents as of 2006.

Metro Detroit's population is growing, and Detroit's population is still shrinking, though strong redevelopment in central part of the cities, and a significant rise in population in the southwest part of the city, is contributing to some population inflow. A period of economic transition, especially in manufacturing, has caused economic difficulties in the region since the recession of 2001.

In late September 2007 the State of Michigan faced a government shutdown over balancing the budget. Michigan state constitution prohibits spending money without a balanced budget by the start of the fiscal year (Oct. 1st). The state faced a $1.75 billion budget deficit. Governor Granholm refused to sign a budget that included cuts to public education, health care, and public safety. About 4 hours after midnight on October 1st, the Republican-led Senate approved an income tax rate increase to 4.35 percent (from 3.9 percent). The Senate also approved expanding the state’s 6 percent sales tax to a broader list of services. The shutdown would have affected 35,000 state employees.[10]

Law and politics

Michigan's State Capitol in Lansing
Michigan Supreme Court at the Hall of Justice
See also: List of Michigan Governors, List of United States Senators from Michigan, and List of United States Representatives from Michigan

Law

Lansing is the state capital and is home to all three branches of state government. The Michigan State Capitol was dedicated in 1879 and has hosted the state's executive and legislative branches ever since. The chief executive is the Governor, and Jennifer Granholm currently holds the office. The legislative branch consists of the bicameral Michigan Legislature, with a House of Representatives and Senate. The Michigan legislature is a full-time legislature, though some representatives have voiced concerns about the long hours disrupting their home lives and wish to make the job part-time. The Supreme Court of Michigan sits with seven justices. The Constitution of Michigan of 1963 provides for voter initiative and referendum (Article II, § 9,[11] defined as "the power to propose laws and to enact and reject laws, called the initiative, and the power to approve or reject laws enacted by the legislature, called the referendum. The power of initiative extends only to laws which the legislature may enact under this constitution").

Michigan's state universities are immune from control by the legislature, many aspects of the executive branch, and cities in which they are located; but they are not immune from the authority of the courts. Some degree of political control is exercised as the legislature approves appropriations for the schools. Furthermore, the governor appoints the board of trustees of most state universities with the advice and consent of the state Senate. Only the trustees of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University are chosen in general elections.

Michigan was the first state in the Union, as well as the first English-speaking government in the world,[12][13] to abolish the death penalty, in 1846. David G. Chardavoyne has suggested that the abolitionist movement in Michigan grew as a result of enmity towards the state's neighbor, Canada, which under British rule made public executions a regular practice.[14] (See Capital punishment in Michigan)

The Executive Branch of the State of Michigan has several Departments or agencies[15]:

State of Michigan Departments

Politics

File:Mich gov jen granholm.jpg
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm

The Republican Party dominated Michigan until the Great Depression. In 1912, Michigan was one of the six states to support progressive Republican and third party candidate Theodore Roosevelt for President after he lost the Republican nomination to William Howard Taft. In recent years, the state has leaned toward the Democratic Party in national elections. Michigan has supported Democrats in the last four presidential elections. In 2004, John Kerry carried the state over George W. Bush, winning Michigan's 17 electoral votes with 51.2% of the vote. Democrats have won each of the last three, and nine of the last ten, US Senate elections in Michigan. Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, also a Democrat, recently won a second term, beating out Republican candidate Dick DeVos. Republican strength is greatest in the western, northern, and rural parts of the state, especially in the Grand Rapids area. Democrats are strongest in the east, especially in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint, and Saginaw. Michigan was also the home of Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States. He was born in Nebraska and moved as an infant to Michigan and grew up there. [16][17]

Administrative divisions

County government

See also: Administrative divisions of Michigan, List of Michigan county seats, and List of counties in Michigan
File:Michigan-counties-map.gif
Michigan's 83 counties

State government 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.

Local and municipal government

See also: Administrative divisions of Michigan and List of municipalities in Michigan (by population)

Cities, state universities, and villages are vested with home rule powers of varying degrees. Home rule cities can generally do anything that is not prohibited by law. The fifteen state universities have broad power and can do anything within the parameters of their status as educational institutions that is not prohibited by the state constitution. Villages, by contrast, have limited home rule, in that they are not completely autonomous from the county and township in which they are located.

There are two types of township in Michigan: general law township and charter. Charter township status was created by the Legislature in 1947 and grants additional powers and stream-lined administration in order to provide greater protection against annexation by a city. As of April 2001, there were 127 charter townships in Michigan. In general, charter townships have many of the same powers as a city but without the same level of obligations. For example, a charter township can have its own fire department, water & sewage department, police department, and so on—just like a city—but it is not required to have those things, whereas cities must provide those services. Charter townships can opt to use county-wide services instead, such as deputies from the county sheriff's office instead of a home-based force of ordinance officers.

Geography

See also: Protected areas of Michigan and List of Michigan state parks
File:Michigan map.png
Michigan map, including territorial waters
Aerial View of Sleeping Bear Dunes
The Pointe Mouillee State Game Area

Michigan consists of two peninsulas that lie between 82°30' to about 90°30' west longitude, and are separated by the Straits of Mackinac.

The state is bounded on the south by the states of Ohio and Indiana, sharing both 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 the west, capped around by the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and east. The northern boundary then runs completely through Lake Superior, from the western boundary with Minnesota to a point north of and around Isle Royale, (which is Michigan's only National Park), thence traveling southeastward through the lake in a reasonably straight line to the Sault Ste. Marie area. Windsor, Ontario, once the south bank of Detroit, Upper Canada, has the distinction of being the only part of Canada which lies to the due south of a part of the lower 48 contiguous United States. In Southeastern Michigan there is a water boundary with the Canada along the entire lengths of the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair (including the First Nation reserve of Walpole Island) and the Detroit River. The south-eastern boundary ends in the western end of Lake Erie with a three-way convergence of Michigan, Ohio and Ontario.

Michigan encompasses 58,110 square miles (150,504 km²) of land, 38,575 square miles (99,909 km²) of Great Lakes waters and 1,305 square miles (3,380 km²) of inland waters. Only the state of Alaska has more territorial water. After Michigan is third ranked Florida which has 11,827.77 square miles (30,633.8 km²).[18] At a total of 97,990 square miles (253,793 km²), Michigan is the largest state east of the Mississippi River (inclusive of its territorial waters). It is the 10th largest state in the Union. Michigan claims a land area of 58,110 square miles (150,500 km2) of land and 97,990 sq mi (253,790 km2) total, making it the tenth largest state,[19] but the U.S. Census Bureau claims only 56,803.82 sq mi (147,121.22 km2) of land and 96,716.11 sq mi (250,493.57 km2) total, making it the 11th largest.

The heavily forested Upper Peninsula is relatively mountainous in the west. The Porcupine Mountains, which are the oldest mountains in North America, rise to an altitude of almost 2,000 feet 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 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. They 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 the area during the lumbering and mining boom of the late 1800s.

The Lower Peninsula, shaped like a mitten, 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 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 a long distance between the ends of the state. Ironwood, in the far western Upper Peninsula, lies 630 highway miles (1,015 km) from the Toledo, Ohio suburb of Lambertville in the Lower Peninsula's southeastern corner. The geographic isolation of the Upper Peninsula from Michigan's political and population centers makes it culturally and economically distinct. Occasionally U.P. residents have called for secession from Michigan and establishment as a new state to be called "Superior." They often feel ignored by state government and centers of population.

Numerous lakes and marshes mark both peninsulas, and the coast is much indented. Keweenaw, Whitefish, 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. After Alaska, Michigan has the longest shoreline of any state—3,288 miles (5,326 km). An additional 1,056 miles (1,699 km) can be added if islands are included. This roughly equals the length of the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Florida.

The state has numerous large islands, the principal ones being the 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 (see also Islands of Michigan).

The state's rivers are small, short and shallow, and few are navigable. The principal ones include the Au Sable, Thunder Bay, Cheboygan, and Saginaw, all of which flow into Lake Huron; the Ontonagon, and Tahquamenon, which flow into Lake Superior; and the St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, Grand, and Escanaba, which flow into Lake Michigan. (See List of Michigan rivers). The state has 11,037 inland lakes and 38,575 square miles (62,067 km) of Great Lakes waters and rivers and 1,305 square miles (3,380 km2) of inland water on top of that. No point in Michigan is more than 6 miles (10 km) from an inland lake or more than 85 miles (137 km) from one of the Great Lakes.

Detroit is the only major city in the United States from which one must travel southward to cross the border into Canada. Metropolitan Detroit/Ann Arbor/Flint/Windsor is the world's largest international metropolitan area.

The state is home to one national park: Isle Royale National Park, located 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 North Country National Scenic Trail also passes through Michigan.

Michigan has the largest state park and state forest system of any state. These parks and forests include Ludington State Park, Tawas Point State Park, Au Sable State Forest, and Mackinaw State Forest. More can be found at List of Michigan state parks.

Climate

Michigan has a humid continental climate, although there are two distinct regions. The southern and central parts of the Lower Peninsula (south of Saginaw Bay and from the Grand Rapids area southward) have a warmer climate (Koppen climate classification Dfa) with hot, humid summers and cold winters. The northern part of Lower Peninsula and the entire Upper Peninsula has a more severe climate (Koppen Dfb), with warm, humid but shorter summers and long, 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 the late fall through the middle of February the state is frequently subjected to heavy lake-effect snow. The state receives a good amount of precipitation throughout the year, averaging from 30-40 inches (750-1000 mm) annually. Typically, December through March is slightly drier, while July through September is slightly wetter than the rest of the year, although this difference is not so extreme as in some other states.

The entire 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 a year, more common in the extreme southern portion of the state. Portions of the southern border have been nearly as vulnerable historically as parts of Tornado Alley. Farther north, in the Upper Peninsula, tornadoes are rare.[20]

Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Michigan Cities in °F
City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Detroit 31/18 34/20 45/28 58/38 70/49 79/59 83/64 81/62 74/54 61/42 48/34 36/23
Flint 29/13 32/15 43/24 56/35 69/45 78/55 82/59 80/57 72/49 60/39 46/30 34/19
Grand Rapids 29/16 33/17 43/26 57/36 70/47 78/56 82/60 80/59 72/51 60/40 46/31 34/21
Lansing 29/14 33/15 44/24 57/34 69/45 78/54 82/58 80/57 72/49 60/39 46/30 34/20
Marquette 20/3 24/5 33/14 46/27 62/39 70/48 75/54 73/52 63/44 51/34 35/22 24/10
Muskegon 30/17 32/18 42/25 55/35 67/45 76/54 80/60 78/59 70/51 59/41 46/32 35/23
Sault Ste Marie 22/5 24/7 34/16 48/29 63/39 71/46 76/52 74/52 65/45 53/36 39/26 27/13
[5]

Geology

The geological formation of the state is greatly varied. Primary boulders are found over the entire surface of the Upper Peninsula (being principally of primitive origin), while Secondary deposits cover 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 Permo-Carboniferous period. Devonian and sub-Carboniferous deposits are scattered over the entire state.

The soil is of a varied composition and in large areas is very fertile, especially in the south. However, the Upper Peninsula for the most part is rocky and mountainous, and the soil is unsuitable for agriculture. The climate is tempered by the proximity of the lakes and is much milder than in other locales with the same latitude. The principal forest trees include basswood, maple, elm, sassafras, butternut, walnut, poplar, hickory, oak, willow, pine, birch, beech, hemlock, witchhazel, tamarack, cedar, locust, dogwood, and ash.

Demographics

Michigan population distribution
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18003,757—
18104,76226.8%
18207,45256.5%
183028,004275.8%
1840212,267658.0%
1850397,65487.3%
1860749,11388.4%
18701,184,05958.1%
18801,636,93738.2%
18902,093,89027.9%
19002,420,98215.6%
19102,810,17316.1%
19203,668,41230.5%
19304,842,32532.0%
19405,256,1068.5%
19506,371,76621.2%
19607,823,19422.8%
19708,875,08313.4%
19809,262,0784.4%
19909,295,2970.4%
20009,938,4446.9%
2006 (est.)10,095,643

As of the July 1 2006 population estimate, Michigan has an estimated population of 10,095,643, which is a decrease of 25,217, or -0.05%, from the prior year, but an increase of 157,199, or 1.6%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 235,760 people (that is 691,897 births minus 456,137 deaths) and a decrease from net migration of 42,183 people out of the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 354,544 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 165,084 people. The state's population increased by 817,000 between 1990 and 2004, an 8.8% growth. As of 2000, the state had the 8th largest population in the Union.

The center of population of Michigan is located in Shiawassee County, in the southeastern corner of the civil township of Bennington, which is located directly north of the village of Morrice.[21]

As of 2006, the state had a foreign-born population of 688,413. In recent years, the foreign born population has grown in the state.

The five largest reported ancestries in Michigan are: German (20.4%), African American (14.2%), Irish (10.8%), English (9.9%), Polish (8.6%).

Michigan has a large white population (81.3%). Americans of European descent including German, French, and British ancestry are present throughout most of Michigan and Metro Detroit. People of Nordic (especially Finnish), British (notably Cornish), and ancestry have a notable presence in the Upper Peninsula. Western Michigan is known for the Dutch heritage of many residents (the highest concentration of any state), especially in the Grand Rapids-Holland area. Metro Detroit also has residents of Polish and Irish descent. Dearborn has become the center of a large Arab American community, mostly Lebanese Christians attracted to the auto industry in the 1930s. African-Americans, who came to Detroit and other industrial cities in the Great Migration of the early 20th century, now form a majority of the population of the city of Detroit and of other cities, including Flint and Benton Harbor.

Demographics of Michigan (csv)
By race White Black AIAN* Asian NHPI*
2000 (total population) 83.05% 14.92% 1.26% 2.10% 0.08%
2000 (Hispanic only) 2.98% 0.22% 0.11% 0.03% 0.01%
2005 (total population) 82.65% 15.05% 1.21% 2.57% 0.08%
2005 (Hispanic only) 3.51% 0.23% 0.11% 0.05% 0.02%
Growth 2000–05 (total population) 1.35% 2.77% -2.51% 24.24% 12.50%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only) 0.66% 2.67% -2.71% 24.04% 10.70%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only) 19.89% 9.70% -0.48% 36.87% 20.51%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Michigan ancestry

Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of Michigan are:[22]

Michigan has a higher percentage of Muslims (who live mainly in the Metro Detroit area) and a higher percentage of Reformed Christians (concentrated in the western part of the state) than any other American state. About 300,000 people trace their roots to the Middle East.[23]

Economy

See also: List of companies based in Michigan and Economy of metropolitan Detroit
Michigan is the center of the American automotive industry. Pictured is the Ford Shelby GT500 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The GT500 is manufactured in Ford's Flat Rock, Michigan assembly plant.

The Michigan economy leads in information technology, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. Michigan is commonly known for its auto industry. Michigan ranks fourth nationally in high-tech employment with 568,000 high-tech workers, including 70,000 in the automotive industry.[24] Michigan typically ranks second or third in overall Research & Development (R&D) expenditures in the United States.[25] Its research and development, which includes automotive, comprises a higher percentage of the state's overall GSP than for any other U.S. state.[26] The state is an important source of engineering job opportunities. The domestic auto industry accounts directly and indirectly for one of every ten jobs in the U.S.[27] In March 2007 the Michigan unemployment rate was 6.5 percent.

Some of the major industries/products/services include automobiles (General Motors, Ford, Chrysler), Amway, cereal (Kellogg's, Post Cereals), information technology (Google, Covansys), computer software (Compuware, IBM), pharmaceuticals (Pfizer, Perrigo), medical products (Stryker), aerospace systems equipment (Smith Aerospace, Eaton Aerospace), military equipment (General Dynamics, Raytheon), lasers (Rofin-Sinar), financial services (Quicken Loans, National City Bank), energy equipment (DTE Energy, Uni-Solar), fuel cells (Next Energy) seating (Lear, Irwin Seating, American Seating), copper, iron, and furniture (Steelcase, Herman Miller, and La-Z-Boy).

Michigan has experienced economic difficulties brought on by the severe stock market decline following the September 11, 2001 attacks. This caused a pension and benefit fund crisis for many American companies, including General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. The American auto companies are proving to be more resilient than other affected industries as each company implements its respective turnaround plans (In 2007, General Motors reported a $9.6 billion surplus in its pension fund). Despite problems, Michigan ranked second nationally in new corporate facilities and expansions in 2004. From 1997 to 2004, Michigan was listed as the only state to top the 10,000 mark for the number of major new developments, led by Metro Detroit.[28]

Even though Michigan is known as the birthplace of the automobile industry, its diverse economy leads in many other areas. Michigan has a booming biotechnology and life sciences corridor.[29] As leading research institutions, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University are important partners in the state's economy. Michigan's workforce is well-educated and highly skilled, making it attractive to companies. Michigan's infrastructure gives it a competitive edge; Michigan has 38 deep water ports.[30]

Detroit Metropolitan Airport is one of the nation's most recently expanded and modernized airports with six major runways, and large aircraft maintenance facilities capable of servicing and repairing the Boeing 747. Michigan's schools and colleges rank among the nation's best. The state has maintained its early commmitmenet to public education.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimated Michigan's 2004 gross state product at $372 billion.[31] Per capita personal income in 2003 was $31,178 and ranked twentieth in the nation.

Although Michigan's tax rate on personal income of 3.90 percent was raised to 4.36 percent on October 1, 2007, the state still has one of the lowest top brackets in the nation. Some cities impose additional income taxes. Michigan's state sales tax is 6 percent. On October 1, 2007, along with the increase in the state income tax rate, the sales tax was extended to over 50 services as well. The state does not allow city or local sales taxes. Property taxes are assessed on the local, not state, level. In 2007, Michigan repealed its Single Business Tax (SBT) and replaced it with an all new Michigan Business Tax (MBT) in order to stimulate job growth by reducing taxes for seventy percent of the businesses in the State.[32] The Bureau of Economic Analysis, recent growth in Michigan is 0.1%. [33]

Agriculture

Michigan is a leading grower of fruit, including cherries, blueberries, apples, grapes, and peaches. These fruits are mainly grown in West Michigan and some are grown in rural areas of Southeast Michigan. It produces wines and a multitude of food products. Michigan is home to very fertile land in the Flint/Tri-Cities and Thumb areas. Products grown here are sugar beets, navy beans, and soy beans. Michigan's largest sugar refiner, Michigan Sugar Company [6], is the largest east of the Mississippi and the fourth largest in the nation. Michigan Sugar brand names are Pioneer Sugar and the newly incorporated Big Chief Sugar. Potatoes are grown in Northern Michigan and corn is dominant in Mid Michigan.

Tourism

See also: List of National Historic Landmarks in Michigan

Michigan has a thriving tourist industry. Visitors spend $17.5 billion a year in the state, supporting 193,000 tourism jobs. Michigan's tourism website ranks among the busiest in the nation.[34] Destinations such as Traverse City, Mackinac Island, Ludington, Muskegon, Saugatuck, the Upper Peninsula, Frankenmuth, Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, and Detroit draw vacationers, hunters, and nature enthusiasts from across the United States and Canada. Michigan is fifty percent forest land, much of it quite remote. Both the forests and thousands of miles of beaches are top attractions. Tourists also flock to many of the museums, particularly those in Metro Detroit, including The Henry Ford, the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Arab American National Museum. The Metro Detroit area offers four major casinos, MGM Grand Detroit, Greektown, Motor City, and Casino Windsor; moreover, Detroit is the largest city to offer casino gambling.

Hunting is a major component of Michigan's economy. Michigan ranks first in the nation in licensed hunters (over one million) who contribute $2 billion annually to its economy. Over three-quarters of a million hunters participate in white-tailed deer season alone. Many K-12 school districts in rural areas of Michigan go so far as to cancel school on the opening day of rifle season, because of both safety and attendance concerns.

Michigan's Department of Natural Resources manages the largest dedicated state forest system in the nation. The forest products industry and recreational users contribute $12 billion and 200,000 associated jobs annually to the state's economy. Michigan has more than 90 native species of trees, more than all of Europe combined.

Transportation

The Mackinac Bridge: a five-mile span connecting Michigan's two peninsulas

Railroads

Main article: Michigan Services

The state is traversed by several railroads, with mileage amounting to several hundreds of miles. Freight rail traffic accounts for the use of most of the railroads.

Amtrak passenger rail services the state, connecting the cities of Detroit, East Lansing, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, and Port Huron, among others, to Chicago, Illinois. There are plans for commuter rail for Detroit and its suburbs.[35][36]

AMTRAK passenger rail service no longer continues east of Port Huron to Toronto via Sarnia. Lengthy customs delays made it impossible for AMTRAK and VIA trains to maintain their schedules. AMTRAK trains originate and terminate at Port Huron. VIA trains terminate and originate at Sarnia.

Interstate highways

Interstate 75 is the main thoroughfare between Detroit and Flint, extending all the way to Sault Saint Marie and providing access to Sault Saint Marie, Ontario. The expressway crosses the Mackinac Bridge between the Lower and Upper Peninsulas. Branching highways include I-275 and I-375 in Detroit; I-475 in Flint; I-675 in Saginaw.

Interstate 69 enters the state near the Michigan-Ohio-Indiana border, and it extends to Port Huron and provides access to the Blue Water Bridge crossing into Sarnia, Ontario.

Interstate 94 enters the western end of the state at the Indiana border, and it travels east to Detroit and then northeast to Port Huron and ties in with I-69. I-194 branches off from this freeway in Battle Creek.

Interstate 96 runs east-west between Detroit and Muskegon. I-496 loops around Lansing. I-196 branches off from this freeway at Grand Rapids and connects to I-94 near Benton Harbor. I-696 branches off from this freeway at Novi and connects to I-94 near St Clair Shores and Eastpointe.

U.S. Routes

Include: US 2, US 8, US 10, US 12, US 23, US 24, US 31, US 41, US 45, US 127, US 131, US 141, US 223.

Major bridges include the Ambassador Bridge, Blue Water Bridge, Mackinac Bridge, and International Bridge. Michigan also has the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel crossing into Canada.

State Highways

See: Michigan Highway System

Important cities and townships

Detroit's downtown viewed from the Detroit River
Further information: [[:List of cities, villages, and townships in Michigan]]

The largest municipalities in Michigan are (according to 2005 census estimates):

Rank City Population
1 Detroit 871,121
2 Grand Rapids 193,083
3 Warren 134,589
4 Sterling Heights 127,991
5 Flint 117,068
6 Lansing 114,276
7 Ann Arbor 113,206
8 Clinton Township 96,781
9 Livonia 96,736
10 Dearborn 92,382
The Grand Rapids skyline peppered with construction cranes.
A Lansing Sunrise
File:Flint skyline2.JPG
Downtown Flint as seen from the Flint River.
File:Annarborskyline.JPG
Ann Arbor skyline

Other important cities include:

Half of the wealthiest communities in the state are located in Oakland County, just north of Detroit. Another wealthy community is located just east of the city, in Grosse Pointe. Only three of these cities are located outside of Metro Detroit. Detroit, with a per capita income of $14,717, ranks 517th on the list of Michigan locations by per capita income. Benton Harbor is the poorest city in Michigan, with a per capita income of $8,965, while Barton Hills is the richest with a per capita income of $110,683.

Education

Colleges and universities

Community colleges and technical schools

Professional sports teams

File:Comerica park detroit skyline by dave hogg 2.jpg
The new Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers

Most major league sports teams in Michigan are located in Metro Detroit, with the Detroit Tigers baseball team (MLB), Detroit Lions football team (NFL), and Detroit Red Wings ice hockey team (NHL) located within the city of Detroit. The Detroit Pistons men's basketball team of NBA and the Detroit Shock women's basketball team of the WNBA play at the Palace of Auburn Hills. (The Pistons played at Detroit's Cobo Arena until 1978, and at Pontiac's Silverdome until 1988) The Detroit Lions played at Tiger Stadium in Detroit until 1974, then moved out to the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac before moving back to Detroit's Ford Field in 2002. The Arena Football League's Grand Rapids Rampage is the state's other "major league" sports team. Eight-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams was born in Saginaw. Professional hockey got its start in Houghton, Michigan in the U.P., when the Portage Lakers were formed.

Other notable sports teams include:

Club Sport League
Detroit Red Wings Ice hockey National Hockey League
The Crapy crap craps Ice hockey International Hockey League
Gabriel Greco Rules Ice hockey American Hockey League
Kalamazoo Wings Ice Hockey International Hockey League
Marquette Rangers Ice Hockey North American Hockey League
Muskegon Fury Ice hockey International Hockey League
Plymouth Whalers Ice hockey Ontario Hockey League
Port Huron Flags Ice hockey International Hockey League
Saginaw Spirit Ice hockey Ontario Hockey League
Traverse City North Stars Ice hockey North American Hockey League
Lansing Lugnuts Baseball Minor League Baseball, Midwest League
Great Lakes Loons Baseball Minor League Baseball, Midwest League
Kalamazoo Kings Baseball Minor League Baseball
Traverse City Beach Bums Baseball Minor League Baseball
West Michigan Whitecaps Baseball Minor League Baseball, Midwest League
Grand Rapids Rampage Arena football Arena Football League
Battle Creek Crunch Indoor football Great Lakes Indoor Football League
Motor City Reapers Indoor football Great Lakes Indoor Football League
Muskegon Thunder Indoor football Great Lakes Indoor Football League
Port Huron Pirates Indoor football Great Lakes Indoor Football League
Detroit Demolition Football Independent Women's Football League
Detroit Ignition Soccer Major Indoor Soccer League
Kalamazoo Kingdom Soccer USL Premier Development League
Michigan Bucks Soccer USL Premier Development League
Michigan Hawks Soccer W-League
Michigan Phoenix Soccer Women's Premier Soccer League
West Michigan Edge Soccer USL Premier Development League
West Michigan Firewomen Soccer W-League

Former professional teams

See also: List of Michigan sport championships
Club Sport League(s) Status
Detroit Gems Basketball National Basketball Association Moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota and became the Minneapolis Lakers, would move again to Los Angeles, California and are now the Los Angeles Lakers
Detroit (NFL) (Heralds/Tigers/Panthers/Wolverines) Football National Football League Defunct
Detroit Falcons (basketball) Basketball Basketball Association of America Defunct
Michigan Panthers Football USFL Defunct
Detroit Stars Baseball Negro National League, 2nd Negro National League, Negro American League The team ceased operations in 1960
Michigan Stags Ice Hockey World Hockey Association Moved to Baltimore, Maryland and became the Baltimore Blades for the rest of the team's existence
Detroit Vipers Ice Hockey International Hockey League Disbanded when IHL became AHL
Michigan Mayhem Basketball Continental Basketball Association Disbanded after 2005-2006 season

State symbols and nicknames

Interesting facts

  • The Detroit-Windsor international border is the busiest border between the United States and Canada.
  • Michigan is simultaneously known for its cities, supported by heavy industry, and its pristine wilderness, home to more than 11,000 lakes.
  • An individual from Michigan is called a "Michigander" or "Michiganian".[38] Also at times, but rarely, a "Michiganite".[39]
  • Michigan is nicknamed the "Great Lakes State", and also the "Wolverine State", earned during the Toledo War.
  • 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 a landmark during the day to safely guide the passenger ships and freighters traveling the Great Lakes. See Lighthouses in the United States.
  • Michigan has the most registered boats (over 1 million) of any state in the Union.
  • Michigan forestland covers nearly 52 percent of the state at 19.3 million acres.[41]
  • Michigan is home to more public golf courses than any other state.
  • The beverage Vernors was invented in Michigan in 1866, sharing the title of oldest soft drink with Hires Root Beer.
  • Because of its high concentration of confectionery shops which sell to tourists, Northern Michigan residents often refer to tourists as "Fudgies".
  • Faygo was founded in Detroit on November 4, 1907.
  • Michigan is the largest producer of cherries of all the states.
  • Michigan is the 3rd leading grower of Christmas trees with 60,520 acres (245 km2) of land dedicated to Christmas tree farming.[42] [43]
  • Michigan ranks 1st in the nation in the number of registered snowmobiles.[44]
  • Michigan ranks 3rd in the nation in licensed hunters at over 750,000.

Sister states

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S Geological Survey. 29 April 2005. Retrieved November 6. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |year= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  2. ^ "Michigan". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam Webster, Incorporated. Retrieved 2007-08-25.
  3. ^ "Michigan in Brief: Information About the State of Michigan" (PDF). Michigan.gov. Retrieved 2006-11-28.
  4. ^ "Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary". Freelang.net.
  5. ^ http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/mystate/mi.html
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ "CADILLAC'S VILLAGE OR DETROIT UNDER CADILLAC". Retrieved January 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "History Detroit 1701-2001". Retrieved January 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Farmer, Silas (2005) [1889]. "Legislatures and Laws". The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a full record of territorial days in Michigan, and the annals of Wayne County. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Library. pp. pp. 94. Retrieved 2006-06-15. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help); External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Bunkley, Nick (2007-01-10). "Michigan Government Shutdown Ends". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-10-01. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  11. ^ Article II, § 9 of state constitution
  12. ^ http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=11&did=276
  13. ^ http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/event2/history.html
  14. ^ http://lists.compar.com/cuadpupdate/2005-March/000115.html
  15. ^ [2]
  16. ^ http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gf38.html
  17. ^ Funk, Josh (2006). "Nebraska - Born, Ford Left State As Infant". Associated Press. Boston.com. Retrieved 2007-10-06. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  18. ^ Land and Water Area of States, 2000
  19. ^ Michigan in Brief
  20. ^ [3] srh.noaa.gov. Last accessed November 1, 2006.
  21. ^ State Centers
  22. ^ Glenmary Research Center. Churches & Church Membership in U.S., 1990.
  23. ^ Detroit Expects Half of Iraqi Refugees
  24. ^ MEDC (2006).Michigan: High Technology Focus State of Michigan
  25. ^ NSF 01-320 (2001).R&D Spending is Highly Concentrated in a Small Number of StatesNational Science Foundation
  26. ^ http://www.agiweb.org/gap/cvd/CVD04Michigan.pdf
  27. ^ Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (2006). From the 2003 Study "Contributions of the Automotive Industry to the U.S. Economy" University of Michigan and the Center for Automotive Research
  28. ^ MEDC (2005) Michigan #2 in the Nation for New Corporate Facilities and Expansions in 2004 Globeinvestor.com PR NEWS WIRE
  29. ^ MEDC 2006. Lifesciences Corridor State of Michigan.
  30. ^ MEDC (2006). Commercial PortsState of Michigan
  31. ^ http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrel/gspnewsrelease.htm
  32. ^ Office of the Governor (June 15, 2007). New Michigan Business Tax Key to State's Economic Future State of Michigan.Retrieved on August 10, 2007.
  33. ^ Bureau of Economic Analysis
  34. ^ Great Lakes IT Report. (May 3, 2007,).Michigan's Tourism Website No. 1 in the U.S. Retrieved on August 10, 2007.
  35. ^ Freep
  36. ^ SOME COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE FACTS RELEVANT TO DETROIT
  37. ^ Michigan's State Songs
  38. ^ "Michiganian or Michigander?" Michigan.gov
  39. ^ Merriam Webster Dictionary
  40. ^ Detroit River International Crossing Study Website
  41. ^ "Michigan in Brief" Michigan.gov
  42. ^ [4] http://www.nass.usda.gov/census/census02/volume1/us/st99_2_035_036.pdf
  43. ^ http://www.christmastree.org/statistics_industry.cfm#findings
  44. ^ "Economic Impact - Natural Resources Boost Michigan's Economy" Michigan.gov
  45. ^ Birmingham Sister City Program
  46. ^ Briefing on Sichuan International Sister Cities Cooperation and Development Week 2005

Further reading

  • F. Clever Bald, Michigan in Four Centuries (1961),
  • William P. Browne and - Kenneth VerBurg. Michigan Politics & Government: Facing Change in a Complex State University of Nebraska Press. 1995.
  • Bureau of Business Research, Wayne State U. Michigan Statistical Abstract (1987)
  • Cappel, Constance, editor, "Odawa Language and Legends:

Andrew J. Blackbird and Raymond Kiogima," Philadelphia, PA: Xlibris, 2006.

  • Cappel, Constance, "The Smallpox Genocide of the Odawa Tribe at L'Arbre Croche, 1763: The History of a Native American People," Lewiston,NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2007.
  • Willis F. Dunbar and George S. May. Michigan: A History of the Wolverine State (1995)
  • Michigan, State of . Michigan Manual (annual), elaborate detail on state government
  • Michigan Historical Review Central Michigan University (quarterly).
  • Charles Press et al., Michigan Political Atlas (1984).
  • Public Sector Consultants. Michigan in Brief. An Issues Handbook (annual)
  • Wilbur Rich. Coleman Young and Detroit Politics: From Social Activist to Power Broker (Wayne State University Press, 1988).
  • Bruce A. Rubenstein and Lawrence E. Ziewacz. Michigan: A History of the Great Lakes State. (2002)
  • Richard Sisson ed. The American Midwest: An Interpretive Encyclopedia (2006)
  • George Weeks, Stewards of the State: The Governors of Michigan (Historical Society of Michigan, 1987).


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