Located in the Great Lakes region of the Midwestern United States, Michigan consist of two peninsulas: the Lower Peninsula (to which the name Michigan was originally applied), and the Upper Peninsula, separated by the Straits of Mackinac, a 8km channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan, over which spans the Mackinac Bridge, opened in 1957. The state has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world, being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, plus Lake Saint Clair, on which are numerous large islands. As a result, it has more lighthouses (about 150) than any other state. It also has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds, and a person in the state is never more than 10km from a natural water source. In fact the name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake".
What is now Michigan was first settled by Algonquian peoples, which include the Anishinaabe groups of Ojibwa ("Chippewa" in French), Odaawaa/Odawa (Ottawa), and the Boodewaadamii/Bodéwadmi (Potawatomi). The three nations co-existed peacefully as part of a loose confederation called the Council of Three Fires. French voyageurs and coureurs des bois explored and settled in Michigan in the 17th century, and the first permanent European settlement was founded in 1668. In the 17th century it has become a part of New France, but after the defeat of France in the French and Indian War in 1762 the region came under British rule, and was finally ceded to the newly independent United States after the American Revolutionary War. In 1805 was formed the Michigan Territory, which lasted until it was admitted into the Union in 1837, as the 26th state. The state of Michigan soon became an important center of industry and trade in the Great Lakes region and a popular immigrant destination.
Michigan was the heart of the automotive industry, Ford's development of the moving assembly line in Highland Park marking the beginning of a new era in transportation. 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. Detroit attracted immigrants from Europe and migrants from across the U.S., so that by 1920 it was the fourth largest city in the U.S., and in the 1930s more than 30 languages were spoken in the public schools. Over the years immigrants and migrants contributed greatly to Detroit's diverse urban culture, including popular music trends, such as the influential Motown Sound of the 1960s led by a variety of individual singers and groups.
The most populous city in the state of Michigan is Detroit, founded by French in 1701. Conquered by British in 1760, it passed to the United States in 1796. From 1805 to 1847 it was the capital of the state, but many were concerned about Detroit's proximity to British-controlled Canada, which had captured Detroit in the War of 1812, so in 1847 the capital was moved in 1847 to Lansing, at that time only a small village with a few tens of inhabitants. Michigan is known as "The Wolverine State." State bird is American Robin (since 1931), state fish is Brook trout (since 1965), state flower is Apple blossom (adopted in 1897, official in 1997), and state tree is White pine (since 1955). The Great Seal of the state depicts the coat of arms of the state, on a light blue field. On the dark blue shield the sun rises over a lake and peninsula, a man holding a long gun with a raised hand represents peace and the ability to defend his rights. The elk and moose are symbols of Michigan, while the bald eagle represents the United States. The design features three Latin mottos. From top to bottom they are: "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of many, one), "Tuebor" (I will defend), and "Si Quæris Peninsulam Amœnam Circumspice (If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you), which is the official state motto, adopted in 1835.
About the stamps
About the first stamp, featuring a portrait of George Washington, I wrote here. The following belonged to the series issued on 2013 to commemorate the Harry Potter film series, about which I wrote here.
References
Michigan - Wikipedia
sender: Denise
sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 27.03.2014
No comments:
Post a Comment