Michigan
About Michigan
Michigan is located in the Great Lakes region of the United States. "Michigan" is a French form of the Ojibwe word "mishigamaa" which means "large water." The shoreline in Michigan is the longest in the world. It coastline touches four of the five lakes in the Great Lakes system.
Before being colonized by Europe, Michigan was only populated by Native Americans. The first French explorers reached Michigan in 1622. It has grown to be a leader in commerce. It is the largest auto-producing state in the U.S.
State Nickname
Michigan was dubbed as The Wolverine state around 1835. The settlers were vicious in the way they took the land and so the Native Americans called them wolverines after the gluttonous animal.
They are also called the "Great Lake State" partly because they border four of the five lakes in the Great Lake system. But they also have more than ten thousand inland lakes. In Michigan there is always a lake within 6 miles of any location and one cannot get more than 85 miles from one of the Great Lakes.
Climate Summary
Michigan has two distinct regions with two different climates. Central and Southern portions of the state have a warm climate with cold winters and a hot summer. But the northern sections have a warm summer and longer, colder winters.
State Tax Situation
Michigan has a flat rate taxation for personal income taxes. A few cities impose other income taxes as well. Property taxes are assessed at the local level but every owner contributes a certain amount toward the state's educational funds.
Government Summary
The state of Michigan is a republic which contains three branches of government: executive branch, legislative branch and the judicial branch. The state officials serve four year terms and are only allowed to hold that office for two terms. Senators also serve four year terms but representatives only serve two.
State Seal
The state seal bears the state's coat of arms. It has the image of the sun over a lake and peninsula, and a man who holds a gun in one hand and has the other raised representing both the ability to defend personal rights and peace. IT also has symbols of the state, an elk and a moose, plus a bald eagle which represents the United States.
Motto And Description
The state motto for the state of Michigan is "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you." IT is a state which is rich in natural beauty and historical relevance.
State Flag
The present Michigan state flag is the third design that the state has had. It has the state's coat of arms which has an eagle holding arrows and an olive branch. The shield is supported by an elk and a moose on either side. A man is standing on a peninsula. The flag has three mottos: "From many, one," "I will defend," and "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you."
State Bird
The robin redbreast is the state bird of Michigan. It was named the state bird in 1931 by the Michigan Audubon Society. They suggested that it was the best known bird as well as the best loved of all the birds that resided in Michigan.
State Flower
There was much talk before deciding on the apple blossom to be the state flower of Michigan. Some desired to specifically designate the sweet crabapple as the flower because of its beauty and fragrance. However the legislation was passed to make blossom of the apple tree as official state flower.
State Animal
The state animal of Michigan is the wolverine because in the past, settlers came in and began to take up the land away from Native Americans. The original residents called the settlers "wolverines" because of their gluttonous behaviors. Recently the white tailed deer has been named the state mammal.
State Song
Although there has been much controversy, the state song of Michigan remains as "MY Michigan." It speaks of the beauty and history of the state. Words were written by Files Kavanaugh and the music by H. Cling O'Reilly. O'Reilly owns the copyright and published the song through his publishing company.
State Colors
There has not been any declaration concerning the state color therefore, it is very doubtful that Michigan has an official state color. It is safe to assume that it is the colors of the state flag: blue and yellow.