Michigan: Among the Great Lakes

Michigan is located in northern Great Lakes region of the United States with coastline along the Great Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan. Originally populated by Native American tribes, Michigan was explored and colonized by the French in the 1600’s. From 1660 until 1763, Michigan was part of the Royal Province of New France, until it was ceded to Britain in the Treaty of Paris. Various territories of Michigan remained in dispute between the United States and Britain until 1847. Michigan was admitted to the United States on January 26, 1837. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula proved to be a major source of iron, lumber, and copper, which led to a migration into the state in the latter half of the 1800’s. The early 1900’s proved transformational to Michigan. Henry Ford’s automobile manufacturing plant in Highland Park started a revolution in transportation with automobiles that forever changed the world. From the 1930’s through the 1950’s Michigan saw a substantial inflow of population among people of many backgrounds, including immigrants and African Americans moving north from the south. Detroit, located in the southeastern corner of the state, was the focal point of this migration, and saw substantial growth in its suburbs. The Detroit area is home today to roughly 50% of Michigan’s population.

The Engines of Michigan’s Economy

Michigan‘s economy today consists of automobile manufacturing and production, agriculture, food production, information technology, aerospace, general manufacturing, military equipment, mining, and furniture production. Transportation and tourism are also economic contributors.

Education, Michigan Style

Educational attainment among the Michigan population is roughly in line with that of the U.S. as a whole. As of 2000, roughly 83% of its residents aged 25 and older had completed high school and roughly 22% had completed college. There are 105 colleges and universities in Michigan. The state university system has a number of prestigious institutions, including Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University, and the University of Michigan system with over 42,000 students across three campuses: Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint. Among the private institutions of higher learning in Michigan are: Andrews University, Davenport University, and Miller College.

The Crime Scene in Michigan: Crime is Down Smartly

Michigan is experiencing significantly lower crime rates than its historically higher levels of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. All major forms of crime in Michigan, including violent crime, aggravated assault, burglary, forcible rape, and robbery, have decreased in the past decade. In 2006, Michigan ranked 10th among U.S. states for violent crimes with 562 per 100,000 population.

The Michigan Population and Politics – Balanced, Please

Michigan has a population of roughly 10 million people. Its population growth has been virtually flat over the past decade. From the 1850’s through the 1930’s, Michigan was a predominantly Republican state. However, with the Great Depression, Michigan saw a rise in Democratic voters, giving the state a balanced political complexion. The state remains so today, with each party having a majority in the state house and senate, respectively. Among more than 4.8 million votes cast in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Michigan voters chose Democratic candidate Barack Obama over Republican candidate John McCain by a ratio of 57%-41%.