the Lower Peninsula. The Straits of
Mackinac separate the two.
The Upper Peninsula extends north and
east fromWisconsin. The peninsula is
bordered by Lake Superior on the north
and Lake Michigan on the south. On
the east a river separates the peninsula
from the Canadian province of Ontario.
The Lower Peninsula is shaped like a
mitten, with the “thumb” on the eastern
side. It is bordered on the west by Lake
Michigan and on the south by Indiana
and Ohio. Two rivers and a lake separate
eastern Michigan from Ontario. The
peninsula is also bordered on the east by
Lake Huron and Lake Erie.
Michigan has two major natural
regions. A rugged, forested tableland
covers the western half of the Upper
Peninsula. The eastern half of the
Upper Peninsula and all of the Lower
Peninsula are a plains area with some
rolling hills.
People
Whites of European heritage account for
about four fifths of the population.
Most of Michigan’s early settlers arrived
in the 1820s and 1830s. During the
1800s many German, Irish, Dutch, Ital-
A red lighthouse stands along the pier in
Grand Haven, Michigan. Another structure,
which houses a light and a foghorn, stands
at the end of the pier.
116 Michigan BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
ian, and Polish people settled throughout
the state.
African Americans make up about 14
percent of Michigan’s current population.
The number of African Americans
increased greatly during the 20th century,
from about 16,000 in 1900 to
more than 1.4 million by 2000. The
state has one of the nation’s largest Arab
American populations. Many Arab
Americans live in Dearborn, a city near
Detroit.
Economy
Michigan is one of the nation’s leading
manufacturing states. Its economy is
dominated by the automobile industry.
The state is home to three major automobile
manufacturers: Ford, General
Motors (GM), and Daimler-Chrysler.
Michigan is also a major agricultural
state. It is best known for its fruit production.
Michigan leads the nation in
the production of cherries, and it is a
major provider of apples, grapes, pears,
plums, and peaches.
Michigan is one of the nation’s leading
producers of iron ore. Gravel, sand,
limestone, petroleum, and natural gas
are produced as well.
History
In the 1600s many Native Americans
lived in what is now Michigan. Some of
the main tribes were the Ojibwa
(Chippewa), the Potawatomi, and the
Ottawa. The first white settlers were
French fur traders and trappers.
The land that is now Michigan became
part of a region called the Northwest
Territory in 1787. Michigan joined the
Union as the 26th state in 1837.
People in Michigan were strongly
against slavery. The state therefore had
many stopping places on the Underground
Railroad. The “railroad” helped
slaves in the South escape to the North
or to Canada. During the American
CivilWar (1861–65) many Michigan
men served in the Union Army.
In the early 1900sMichigan became the
center of the U.S. automobile industry.
DuringWorldWar II (1939–45), the
automobile companies built tanks,
warplanes, and other machines that were
used in the war. Late in the 20th century
U.S. cars became less popular with
buyers. This hurt the state.
..More to explore
Great Lakes • Lansing • Underground
Railroad
The Carp River flows through a forest in the
Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of
Michigan.
Facts About
MICHIGAN
Flag
Population
(2000 census)
9,938,444—
rank, 8th state;
(2008 estimate)
10,003,422—
rank, 8th state
Capital
Lansing
Area
96,716 sq mi
(250,494 sq
km)—rank, 11th
state
Statehood
January 26,
1837
Motto
Si Quaeris
Peninsulam
Amoenam,
Circumspice (If
You Seek a
Pleasant
Peninsula, Look
Around You)
State bird
American robin
State flower
Apple blossom
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Michigan 117
Michigan, Lake
LakeMichigan is the only one of the five
Great Lakes that lies entirely within the
United States. The others are on the
border between the United States and
Canada. LakeMichigan’s name comes
from the Native American word
michigami, or misschiganin. It means
“big lake.”
Lake Michigan is the third largest of the
Great Lakes. It covers an area of 22,300
square miles (57,800 square kilometers).
It is bordered by the states of Michigan,
Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. Lake
Michigan connects with Lake Huron
through the Straits of Mackinac in the
north. There are a few islands at the
northern end of the lake.
Lake Michigan is part of the Saint
Lawrence Seaway. This passage connects
the Great Lakes with the Atlantic
Ocean. Ships carry raw materials and
finished goods to and from the great
industrial area along Lake Michigan’s
southern end. The industrial area centers
on Chicago, Illinois. Fishing is another
important part of the lake’s economy.
Popular summer resort areas dot Lake
Michigan’s shores. Indiana Dunes
National Lakeshore and State Park lies
along the southeastern shore. It features
long beaches and huge sand dunes.
#More to explore
Great Lakes • Saint Lawrence River and
Seaway
Windblown sand dunes can be found in some places near the shoreline of Lake Michigan.
118 Michigan, Lake BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Micronesia, Federated
States of
The Federated States of Micronesia is an
