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State of Michigan

Michigan has a unique position on the North American continent, as it is washed by four of the five American Great Lakes - Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie. The state is located on two large peninsulas, separated by the Mackinac Strait, through which an 8-kilometer bridge was thrown only in 1957. Michigan is truly a Lake State, since in addition to the Great Lakes, there are over 11,000 smaller bodies of water on its territory. The southern peninsula, occupied by the state, is called the "Michigan mitten" - on the map it really looks like a mitten removed from the left hand. In total coastline of both peninsulas, occupied by the state, is 5,300 kilometers.

The name of the state, as well as the lake separating its two peninsulas, translated from the language of the indigenous inhabitants of this area, the Algonquin Indians, means "big water". However, it may have traced its history to the word "magigan", which in the language of the Chippewa Indians means "large meadow": there are vast open spaces along the shores of the lake.

Due to its remoteness from the ocean, the territory of the state is located in the continental climate zone, which becomes somewhat milder in the vicinity of the Great Lakes. The proximity of large bodies of water delays the arrival of spring, but autumn also comes in Michigan a little later, since the water retains the heat accumulated over the summer.

At the dawn of its history, Michigan was a state of hunters for fur-bearing animals, then a land of farmers, and at the beginning of the 20th century it rapidly turned into one of the most developed industrial states of the United States, without giving up its achievements in the field Agriculture... For example, Michigan still grows more cucumbers than any other state in America, and the gardens along the shores of the Great Lakes provide the largest harvests of cherries. The state is also famous for strawberries, grapes, peaches and apples. Among the flowers grown by local gardeners, tulips are especially cultivated. The southern part of the Michigan Mitten adjoins the US grain belt, where wheat, oats and corn are grown. Livestock raising is not the last place in the state economy - there are many meat and dairy farms and poultry farms in Michigan. The abundance of lakes and access to the Great Lakes stimulated the development of fishing and fish farming. Michigan dominated the woodworking industry in the 19th century, but by the early 20th century, the state's forestlands were depleted, and large-scale recreational activities began at the end of the century. environment, including planting new forests and fighting forest fires.

The state is very rich in minerals, ranking fourth in the country for their extraction. The most valuable mineral in Michigan is iron ore, thanks to which the state's heavy industry began to develop. Since the 1840s, Michigan produced up to half of the copper mined in the United States, but in the 1990s, its mining was stopped due to the development of more profitable deposits. The state also has deposits of gypsum, cement, limestone, extensive peat extraction supplies valuable fertilizer for fields, orchards and vegetable gardens, and since the late 1960s, the development of a large oil and natural gas field began in the northern part of the mitten. In addition, agate, jade and other semi-precious ornamental stones are mined in the state.

Michigan has a wide variety of industries, but the first place in importance is the automotive industry, concentrated mainly in the "city of motors" Detroit, on the southeastern edge of the "mitten", as well as in Dearborn, Flint and Pontiac. Thus, Detroit is dominated by the General Motors Corporation, while Dearborn is home to Ford's River Rouge plant, a real giant with 160 kilometers of railroad tracks alone. Dearborn is the cradle of the empire created by Henry Ford (1863–1947). A native of the outskirts of this city, Ford has been interested in technology since childhood. At the age of 15 he entered a mechanical plant as an apprentice, and in 1893 he built his first car with a two-cylinder engine, two-speed gearbox and reverse gear. With the money raised for this miracle of technology, Ford built two new cars, and in 1903 founded the famous Ford Motor Company. Ford was able to begin mass production of relatively inexpensive cars. In 1908, he built the famous Model T, popularly known as the Tin Lizzie. The car became so popular that at a price of $ 825, it sold hundreds of cars a day. For ten years, Ford has produced over 15 million cars, becoming a multimillionaire. Ford relied on the reliability, simplicity and affordability of its cars, advocating the slogans: "Everyone can drive a Ford", and later - "You can afford to have a Ford" (in English this slogan is built on a play on words: "You can afford a Ford "). After 1927, competitors overtook Ford in terms of car production, but Ford's cars are still among the best in the world. In any case, first of all, to Henry Ford, Americans owe their transformation into the most automobile nation. Modern Fords are not among the cheapest cars, but they are still reliable and sophisticated cars. One of the attractions of Dearborn is the Henry Ford Museum, whose exhibits allow you to trace not only the history of the company or the stages of development of the automotive industry, but also to evaluate the overall path of industrial development traveled by the United States.

The area occupied by the state of Michigan is approximately 151 thousand square kilometers, and the number of inhabitants is approaching 10 million. At the same time, the urban population is 2.5 times the number of rural residents, concentrated in the main industrial cities of the state. About 83 percent of Michigans are white, 14 percent are black Americans. The administrative center of the state is Lansing, and the largest population center is Detroit, the seventh largest city in the United States, one of the largest industrial centers in the country and its automobile capital. Detroit itself is home to over 1.1 million people, but together with the surrounding suburbs, its population is more than 4.3 million.

Founded in 1701, Detroit is located on the banks of the river of the same name and the Route River. From its historic center in all directions, the threads of highways run up, allowing you to quickly get to any point in the city. V recent decades XX century, the city has become noticeably prettier, super-modern buildings have appeared in it. One of the most famous of these buildings is the high-rise complex "Renaissance Center", which includes a fashionable hotel, office buildings, shops and cinemas. The name of the complex (Renaissance in translation means "revival") corresponded to the goal pursued by its creators. Believing that Detroit is too dependent on the auto industry, local authorities made an attempt to diversify the palette of his economic activities. The construction of the Renaissance Center was carried out under the mayor of Columen Young, a black American who broke all records in the country, being elected to this position five times between 1973 and 1994.

From the book The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes. Cataclysms in the history of civilization the author Warwick-Smith Simon

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Michigan is a state located in the Midwest of the United States. The capital is the city of Lansing. Big cities: Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint, Warren, Sterling Heights, Wayne. The population is 9 876 187 people (2011). Area 250,493 km². In the east and north, Michigan shares a border with the Canadian province of Ontario, Lakes Huron and Superior, and a southern border with Indiana and Ohio. In 1837 it became the 26th US state.

State landmarks

Every year a grandiose auto show is held in Michigan, in which about 40 thousand unusual and rare cars take part. You can visit the old village of Greenfield Village with its historic buildings: the laboratory of Thomas Edison and the courthouse where Abraham Lincoln worked. Holland hosts a tulip festival, Traverse City - a cherry festival. On the banks of the Detroit River, there are 7 huge glass round towers. You can also visit the world's largest cultural history museum of African culture named after Wright, Center Museum, interesting building Commerica Tower. There are many resorts here, equipped with all conditions for swimming, fishing, activities water sports... You can visit the resort island of Mackinac with its huge bridge and a fort or take a trip to an unusually beautiful island Royal.

Geography and climate

About 41.3% of the state's area is water. There are about 11 thousand lakes in Michigan. The territory is divided into two peninsulas - Lower and Upper, connected by the Makino bridge, as well as many islands. The Lower Peninsula by the waters of Lake Michigan shares a western border with Illinois and Wisconsin. The Upper Peninsula in the west is bordered by Wisconsin and the waters of Lake Upper - with Minnesota. More than 75% of the Upper Peninsula is covered by forests. The lower peninsula has a characteristic mitten-like shape. The relief is flat with low hills. The climate is humid continental. In the south of the state, the average temperature in January is from -8 ° C to -1 ° C, in July from 18 ° C to 28 ° C. In the north of the state, the climate is more severe. Summers are warm, but shorter, winters are long and cold. average temperature in the month of January from -16 ° C to -7 ° C, and in the month of July from 12 ° C to 24 ° C. In Michigan, there are quite often blizzards and snowfalls, thunderstorms, and tornadoes.

Economy

In 2003, the state's GDP was $ 365 billion. From minerals, oil, natural gas and iron ore are extracted here. Michigan is a leader in peat production. Detroit is the main center of the US automotive industry. There are about 4,000 enterprises associated with the automotive industry in the state. The food industry is developed, large factories operate, including the largest producer of cereals (Kellogg). Since the state is surrounded by the Great Lakes, it plays a big role water transport... Michigan has 38 ports that provide shipping on lakes and rivers, as well as access to the Atlantic Ocean. In the field of agriculture (2nd place) they are engaged in the cultivation of corn, soybeans, wheat, sugar beets, and potatoes. The state occupies a leading position in the production of apples, cherries, blueberries, peaches. They are engaged in breeding cattle, pigs and poultry. Much attention is paid to the development of tourism.

Population and religion

The population density is 39.43 people per km². Racial composition State Population: 78.9% White, 14.2% African American, 2.4% Asian, 0.6% Indian, 1.5% Other, 2.3% Mixed. About 22.3% of the population is of German descent, 11.9% Irish, 10.1% English, 9% Polish, 6.7% French and French Canadian, 5.1% Dutch, 4.7% italian. By religious affiliation: Catholics - 2 million, Lutherans - 250 thousand, Methodists - 225 thousand, Evangelical Lutherans - 160 thousand people. In addition, the state is home to about 110 thousand Jews and 100 thousand Muslims.

State of Michigan

Michigan is located in the Midwest of the United States of America. The state is part of the Northeast Center group of states.

It is considered the 26th state to be part of the United States.

The official capital of Michigan is located in Lansing.

The largest city in the state is Detroit. Among the others major cities one can distinguish Grand Rapids, Warren, Flint, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor.

The population of Michigan is over 10 million.

Geography

The state of Michigan has an area of ​​more than 250.7 thousand square kilometers, according to this indicator it ranks 11th in the country.

More than 40 percent of this area is water.

The territory of the state is conditionally divided into two peninsulas - Lower and Upper, connected by the Makino bridge.

In the east, Michigan borders on the Canadian province of Ontario and is washed by the waters of Lakes Huron and Erie, in the south it borders on the states of Ohio and Indiana, in the west it borders on Wisconsin and is washed by Lake Michigan, in the north it is washed by Lake Superior and has a water border with the states of Illinois and Minnesota.

The total coastline of the state is 5.2 thousand kilometers long (the largest among the continental states). On the territory of Michigan there are more than 11 thousand inland lakes, which significantly affects the climate of the state.

Story

For several millennia, Indian tribes lived in Michigan. By the time the Europeans appeared, the Indian tribes of the Ojibwa (Chippewa), Ottawa, Potawatomi and Wyandot lived here. The first European to visit the Upper Peninsula was Etienne Brule (1622). In 1668, Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette founded the first settlement of Sault Sainte-Marie here. In 1679, Robert da la Sall completed the construction of the first European sailing vessel on Lake Superior.

In 1701, a French officer and explorer Antoine Cadillac founded the Detroit settlement around Fort Pontchartrain (named after the then French Prime Minister, Louis Felipeau, Comte de Pontchartrain).

In the middle of the 18th century, the province passed from the French to the British as a result of the War with the French and Indians. After the American Revolutionary War, Michigan became part of the Northwest Territory. In 1794, American troops defeated the Indians in the Battle of the Fallen Trees and, under Jay's treaty, gained control of several forts.

The Michigan Territory was created in 1805. During the Anglo-American War of 1812-1814, she temporarily fell into the hands of the British. In the 1830s, a massive influx of immigrants began here, associated with the creation of the Erie Canal, road infrastructure, as well as the development of agriculture and the mining industry.

In 1835, the state constitution was signed, but due to a territorial dispute with Ohio, Michigan joined the union only on January 26, 1837. Stevens Mason became the first governor of the state in 1835.

23% of the male population of Michigan (more than 90 thousand people) participated in the Civil War on the side of the northerners, about 14 thousand of them died.

In 1903, the assembly line production of automobiles was founded at the Henry Ford plant. In 1926, General Motors set an industry record with annual sales of US $ 1 billion.

Economy

Michigan, and especially Detroit, is considered the center of the American automotive industry. Tourism and hunting are also important items of income. In addition, there are minerals - oil, iron ore, natural gas. The state ranks first in peat production.

In 2003, the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimated Michigan's GDP at $ 365 billion.

The US state of Michigan is located on two peninsulas, which are separated by the narrow Mackinac Strait. In a bizarre way, almost virgin forests and huge industrial areas... In Michigan, a branch of industry was born that glorified, strengthened and enriched America: the city of Detroit deservedly bears the title of "the automotive capital of the world."

TWO MICHIGAN PENINSULA

Michigan is the only state in the United States located on two peninsulas, and, being surrounded by water, it received the nickname "Water-Winter Wonderland".

Thousands of years before the appearance of Europeans here, several Indian tribes lived in Michigan: the Ojibuei, Menominee, Ottawa, Miami, Potawatomi. They were all Algonquins - a group of indigenous peoples North America united by the kinship of the language. The only exceptions were the Wyandots (Hurons), belonging to the Iroquois tribe and living in the area of ​​present-day Detroit. The total number of the indigenous population before the arrival of Europeans reached 35 thousand people.

The first of the Europeans to penetrate these places were French travelers and hunters. In 1622, the Frenchman Etienne Brлеlé visited here: he explored the Great Lakes region and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. But only 40 years later, in 1668, the first permanent settlement appeared here - the Catholic Mission of Salt St. Mary on the Upper Peninsula, founded by the Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette. The name of this outstanding explorer of North America is highly respected in the state: a county, city, island, university, and schools are named in his honor. Salt St. Mary is thriving today: it is the most Old city in the US Midwest.

At the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th century. townships are popping up along the entire Michigan coast of the Great Lakes. In 1701, the French officer Antoine de la Motte Cadillac founded a fort on the Lower Peninsula, which later became Detroit, one of the largest industrial cities in the United States.

At that time, the territory of Michigan was part of the province of Louisiana, which in turn was part of the New France colony. The French did little economic development territory, giving preference to buying furs and missionary activities.

As a result of a series of wars between a few French colonists and the regular English army in the second half of the 18th century. Michigan became the property of Great Britain. The British held this territory until the very end of the 18th century, even after the defeat in the American War of Independence (1775-1783) and the recognition of the United States as an independent state.

During the wars with the British, Indian tribes sided with the British. This was the reason that, after the war, the American government forced the Indians to sell their land for a pittance and retire to a reservation in the western United States.

Michigan's population began to grow rapidly after the Erie Canal was opened in 1825, connecting the Hudson River and New York to the Great Lakes. Michigan became the twenty-sixth U.S. state in 1837.

In the middle of the XIX century. iron and copper were found on the Upper Peninsula, which marked the beginning of the development of the mining industry.

In the XIX century. Michigan was America's first woodworker. Michigan enlisted in large numbers during the Civil war in the USA 1861-1865

In 1897, the first Oldsmobil automobile plant in Michigan opened in Lansing, Ford settled in Detroit in 1903, and General Motors in 1908. Michigan became the center of the US auto industry.

It remains so today, despite the economic and social crises.

In the 1960s, a significant number of blacks from the southern United States settled in Michigan. They were unhappy with unemployment, and in 1967 there was a civil unrest in Detroit known as the 12th Street Riot. The Detroit Riot is one of the largest cases of civil disobedience in the history of the United States: forty-three people were killed and more than two thousand buildings were destroyed.

Michigan has the world's longest coastline along a freshwater body of administrative units. This state is surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan, Erie, and Huron. There are more than 1000 lakes on its territory. Loa peninsulas - Lower and Upper - are connected by the Makinak bridge 8038 m long.

IN THE AUTOMOTIVE CENTER OF THE WORLD

The name of the state of Michigan in the language of the Ojibuei Indians sounds like "Mishigama" and is translated as "a lot of water."

Hence Michigan's nickname: "State of the Great Lakes". 40% of the state's area is covered with water: lakes, rivers and ponds. More water only in Alaska.

The Upper Peninsula - low and swampy - occupies a third of Michigan's land mass. The lower peninsula, a plain with low hills, is nicknamed "mitten" for its peculiar shape. There are more than 6 thousand lakes on it.

The Upper and Lower Peninsulas are separated by the Makino Strait, which is called the "channel" here. It also connects the two Great Lakes, Huron and Michigan. The minimum width of the strait is 8 km, it has four islands: two inhabited and two not. Along the shores of the strait, there are four lighthouses that are a historical landmark of the state. In total, Michigan has about 150 lighthouses, more than any other state in the United States.

The upper peninsula is sparsely populated, and here nature has been preserved almost in its original form. About a third of the peninsula is covered with dense forests. The local fauna is strikingly diverse for an industrial state such as Michigan. The forests are inhabited by bears, moose, deer, wolves, foxes, otters, martens, lynxes, coyotes, hares, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons. There are many birds: hawks, gulls, songbirds. Here you can see the rare bald eagle, a large bird of prey of the hawk family, which is one of the national symbols of the United States. The rivers and lakes of the Upper Peninsula abound in fish. Sports fishing enthusiasts come here from all over America to fish for walleye, trout and salmon.

Michigan's industry is concentrated in the southern part of the Lower Peninsula, mainly automobile. The Detroit area is home to the headquarters of the "big three" American automakers: General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. In total, the state employs more than 4 thousand factories and factories related to the automotive industry.

In addition to automobiles, Michigan is famous for the production of industrial lasers and household appliances. Leading companies in the field of information technology have also settled here: IB-Em, Google, Hewlett-Packard.

Michigan has been producing minerals for a long time: copper, nickel and silver. But the state has long since surrendered its leading position in the field of subsoil development, and today the old mines are adapted for original museums and attractions for tourists.

Since Michigan is surrounded by the Great Lakes, water transport plays an important role in the state's economy. The port of Detroit is one of the largest in the United States.

Michigan has thirty-eight ports. Passengers depart from here on cruises on the Great Lakes, sailing along the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic. Various cargoes are also dispatched and delivered through these ports.

The population of Michigan is dominated by immigrants from the European continent, most of them are descendants of immigrants from the Scandinavian countries, mainly Finns, who have chosen the Upper Peninsula for themselves.

Michigans are known for their peculiar sense of humor and do not mind

play a trick on each other. They call the population of the Upper Peninsula "Huperas" (from the Upper Peninsula "Upper Peninsula"), and the Lower "trolls" (because they live below the Mackinac Bridge, which connects the peninsula).

Michigan is also the center of US higher education. Michigan State University in East Lansing is famous all over the world, where 50 thousand students study. Founded in 1855 as the first agricultural college in the United States of America, today it is the ninth most undergraduate university in the United States.

FUN FACTS

■ Takwamenon Falls (22 m high) is distinguished by its golden brown flow. Upstream there are swamps, and on the banks of the river cedars, spruces and hemlock grow, which is why a significant amount of tannins gets into the water. Takwamenon is the largest naturally colored waterfall in the United States.

■ Due to the fact that Michigan is located on two peninsulas between which there are serious economic differences, there have been several attempts in the history of the state to separate the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (and part of Wisconsin) into a separate state. They even came up with a name for him: Upper, in honor of Lake Upper.

■ Anyone in Michigan will be within 10 km of an inland water body and no more than 137 km of the Great Lakes.

■ The complete painting of the Mackinac Bridge over the Mackinac Strait takes seven years and then starts again.

■ Michigan's motto, translated from Latin, is "If you're looking for an interesting peninsula, look around."

■ Michigan State Symbols: Eastern White Pine, Apple Blossom, Wolverine, Wandering Thrush.

■ The name of the city of Detroit is of French origin, reads "deathroix" and translates as "strait", since Detroit is also the river that connects Lakes Erie and St. Clair, after which the city is named.

■ The city of Cadillac in Michigan and the famous American car brand are named after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. Monsieur Cadillac's wife, Marie-Thérèse Guyon, was one of the first European women to find herself in the Michigan wilderness in the 18th century.

■ The people of the state are called Michigan, Michigan, or Michigan.

■ Michigan has the world's only floating post office, JW Westcott II. The ship delivers mail to ships plying the Great Lakes without stopping at port. This post office has been operating since 1874.

ATTRACTION

■ Museums: Motown Museum (Detroit), Henry Ford Museum (Dearborn), Great Lakes Museum and Aquarium (Bell-Ile);
■ Automobile plants in Dearborn, Detroit, Flint, Luxing and Pontiac;
■ Coast of the Great Lakes;
■ National park Isle Royal (Lake Superior);
■ Michigan Space Center (Jackson);
■ Makinak Bridge;
■ Takwamenon Falls;
■ Reconstructed Greenfield Village (near Dearborn);
■ Dezvan windmill;
■ Su locks on the shipping channel at St Mary's Falls;
■ Island and Fort Mackinac;
■ Rock paintings and dunes of the Sleeping Bear;
■ Renaissance Center (Detroit).

Atlas. The whole world is in your hands № 111

Michigan is a state located in the Midwest of the United States. The capital is the city of Lansing. Major cities: Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint, Warren, Sterling Heights, Wayne. The population is 9 876 187 people (2011). Area 250,493 km². In the east and north, Michigan shares a border with the Canadian province of Ontario, Lakes Huron and Superior, and a southern border with Indiana and Ohio. In 1837 it became the 26th US state.

State landmarks

Every year a grandiose auto show is held in Michigan, in which about 40 thousand unusual and rare cars take part. You can visit the old village of Greenfield Village with its historic buildings: the laboratory of Thomas Edison and the courthouse where Abraham Lincoln worked. Holland hosts a tulip festival, Traverse City - a cherry festival. On the banks of the Detroit River, there are 7 huge glass round towers. You can also visit the world's largest cultural historical museum of African culture named after Wright, the Center Museum, the interesting construction of the Commerica Tower. There are many resorts here, equipped with all conditions for swimming, fishing, water sports. You can visit the resort island of Mackinac with its huge bridge and fort, or take a trip to the extraordinarily beautiful Royal Island.

Geography and climate

About 41.3% of the state's area is water. There are about 11 thousand lakes in Michigan. The territory is divided into two peninsulas - Lower and Upper, connected by the Makino bridge, as well as many islands. The Lower Peninsula by the waters of Lake Michigan shares a western border with Illinois and Wisconsin. The Upper Peninsula in the west is bordered by Wisconsin and the waters of Lake Upper - with Minnesota. More than 75% of the Upper Peninsula is covered by forests. The lower peninsula has a characteristic mitten-like shape. The relief is flat with low hills. The climate is humid continental. In the south of the state, the average temperature in January is from -8 ° C to -1 ° C, in July from 18 ° C to 28 ° C. In the north of the state, the climate is more severe. Summers are warm, but shorter, winters are long and cold. The average temperature in January is from -16 ° C to -7 ° C, and in July from 12 ° C to 24 ° C. In Michigan, there are quite often blizzards and snowfalls, thunderstorms, and tornadoes.

Economy

In 2003, the state's GDP was $ 365 billion. From minerals, oil, natural gas and iron ore are extracted here. Michigan is a leader in peat production. Detroit is the main center of the US automotive industry. There are about 4,000 enterprises associated with the automotive industry in the state. The food industry is developed, large factories operate, including the largest producer of cereals (Kellogg). Since the state is surrounded by the Great Lakes, water transport plays an important role. Michigan has 38 ports that provide shipping on lakes and rivers, as well as access to the Atlantic Ocean. In the field of agriculture (2nd place) they are engaged in the cultivation of corn, soybeans, wheat, sugar beets, and potatoes. The state occupies a leading position in the production of apples, cherries, blueberries, peaches. They are engaged in breeding cattle, pigs and poultry. Much attention is paid to the development of tourism.

Population and religion

The population density is 39.43 people per km². The racial makeup of the state was 78.9% White, 14.2% African American, 2.4% Asian, 0.6% Indian, 1.5% Other, 2.3% Mixed. About 22.3% of the population is of German descent, 11.9% Irish, 10.1% English, 9% Polish, 6.7% French and French Canadian, 5.1% Dutch, 4.7% italian. By religious affiliation: Catholics - 2 million, Lutherans - 250 thousand, Methodists - 225 thousand, Evangelical Lutherans - 160 thousand people. In addition, the state is home to about 110 thousand Jews and 100 thousand Muslims.

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