Indian tribes were living in the
Michigan region when the first European, Étienne
Brulé of France, arrived in 1618. Other French
explorers, including Jacques Marquette, Louis
Joliet, and Sieur de la Salle, followed, and the
first permanent settlement was established in 1668
at Sault Ste. Marie. France was ousted from the
territory by Great Britain in 1763, following the
French and Indian Wars.
After the Revolutionary War, the U.S. acquired most
of the region, which remained the scene of constant
conflict between the British and U.S. forces and
their respective Indian allies through the War of
1812.
Bordering on four of the five Great Lakes, Michigan
is divided into Upper and Lower peninsulas by the
Straits of Mackinac, which link lakes Michigan and
Huron. The two parts of the state are connected by
the Mackinac Bridge, one of the world's longest
suspension bridges. To the north, connecting lakes
Superior and Huron, are the busy Sault Ste. Marie
Canals.
While Michigan ranks first among the states in
production of motor vehicles and parts, it is also a
leader in many other manufacturing and processing
lines, including prepared cereals, machine tools,
airplane parts, refrigerators, hardware, and
furniture.
The state produces important amounts of iron,
copper, iodine, gypsum, bromine, salt, lime, gravel,
and cement. Michigan's farms grow apples, cherries,
beans, pears, grapes, potatoes, and sugar beets.
Michigan's forests contribute significantly to the
state's economy, supporting thousands of jobs in the
wood-product, tourism, and recreation industries.
With 10,083 inland lakes and 3,288 mi of Great Lakes
shoreline, Michigan is a prime area for both
commercial and sport fishing.
Points of interest are the automobile plants in
Dearborn, Detroit, Flint, Lansing, and Pontiac;
Mackinac Island; Pictured Rocks and Sleeping Bear
Dunes National Lakeshores; Greenfield Village in
Dearborn; and the many summer resorts along both the
inland lakes and Great Lakes. |
