Shaftesbury settlement in Michigan. Open the left menu Michigan

In America, there is a state that is famous for the developed industry and magnificent nature. The combination of incompatible is one of the main factors attracting tourists in Michigan. The connoisseurs of wonderful and wishing to feel adrenaline will appreciate the staff, the symbol of which is moose, and the official flower is apple-colored.

Geography

Michigan is located in the Midwest and is 26 states proclaimed on January 26, 1837.

The capital of Michigan - Lansing. Sterling Heights are considered large cities, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rampids, Warren and Wayne.

On an area of \u200b\u200b97,000 square miles there are almost 10 million inhabitants.

The official land consists of two peninsulas, called the upper and lower. Almost all cities are concentrated in the second, the first more resembles the natural reserve. Peninsula connects Makino Bridge. Wishing to see the amazing beauty of Michigan, just need to visit this bridge.

The state borders with great lakes - Erie, Huron, top, as well as with the same name. Last, Lake Michigan, extremely visited by tourists, as it is distinguished by majestic landscapes.

A huge space occupy rivers (there are more than 11,000 them) and forests. Michigan has the largest variety of all sorts of trees in America.

History

Initially, the terrain belonged to the Indians Tribal Ottawa, Guron and Potavatoi. In 1668, the Frenchman who came from Canada, Jacques Market founded here the first settlement of Europeans. After almost 100 years, the Earth was wanted by the British. In 1783, she became the property of the United States.

However, during the war of 1812, held between the British and the Americans, Michigan was in the authority of the first. However, a year later, her bravely dismantled American commander Oliver Khazard Perry in the battle on Lake Erie.

Climate

The climate of this state is continental, Lake Michigan affects the increased humidity. In the south, the minimum temperature comes to -8 ° C, and the maximum up to 28 ° C. In the north is colder. The maximum short summer temperature reaches 24 ° C, and the minimum temperature of the long winter -16 ° C.

Michigan is distinguished by frequent snowfall, thunderstorms and tornadoes. Therefore, you need to be prepared for everything.

Michigan is filled with tourists round year. In the autumn there is a hunt for animals, in winter - winter fishing, skiing and skating, spring and summer - skating on kayaks along winding rivers.

Despite the fact that even in the summer water on the lakes is cool, the beaches are always crowded. Therefore, summer time is considered to be a resort.

Population and religion

Recently, Michigan is actively inhabited by African Americans, Asians, as well as Latin Americans. therefore interest ratio The population is the following:

  • americans - 78%;
  • african Americans - 14%;
  • latin Americans - 4.5%;
  • asians - 2.5%;
  • indigenous Americans (Indians and Eskimos) - 1%.

The religious affiliation of the Michigan population is also diverse:

  • catholics - about 2,000,000;
  • lutherans - almost 250,000;
  • methodists - more than 225,000;
  • jews - almost 110,000;
  • muslims - almost 100,000 people.

Attractions and interesting places

Michigan Polon attractions. In each of the state cities you can find something unusual, suitable to taste with any tourist.

One of popular seats is an greenfield Village Village. It consists of vintage houses and historical buildings. Here is the laboratory of the famous Thomas Edison.

The festival is held annually in the traverse city, referred to as the "Cherry", and in the city of Holland - the Tulip festival. These spectacular events attract tens of thousands of tourists from each corner of the planet.

Especially popular use picched Rox Reserve. It is located along the top lake between the two cities of Grand Marais and Muniting. His advantages are sand dunes, Arches and waterfalls created by nature itself, as well as rock sandstone, in honor of which the reserve got his name.

Very beautiful resort islands Royal and Makinak. The latter is famous for Fort and Giant Bridge.

Small town Frankenmus Copies Bavarian. Restaurants Zendher and Bavarian are the most beloved among tourists, they are famous for incredibly delicious fried meat at a nice price.

Michigan occupies a leading position in America for the production of cars. Here are the three largest companies - General Motors., Chrysler and Ford.. Their headquarters are in.

Car lovers should come to the annual car show called. It takes part about 40,000 rare and extraordinary machines. This event is the most large-scale one-day auto show on Earth.

If desired, you can look at the other sights of Michigan: Space Center in Jackson, Diswan Windmill, Lake Michigan (his amazing coast), historical Museum African culture named Wright.

Education

Michigan has many colleges and universities. Russian who wants to learn here is worth paying attention to these institutions:

  1. Hope College.
  2. Western Michigan University
  3. Spring Arbor University
  4. Lansing Community College.
  5. Ferris State University
  6. Michigan State University
  7. Marygrove College.
  8. Northern Michigan University

In the latter there are English courses.

However, the most famous International University of Michigan (University of Michigan). It is one of the largest educational institutions, as well as research scientific centers of America. It studies students from 115 countries of the world.

Finally

Michigan's official motto says: "If you want to see real beauty - look around." It is difficult to argue with this.

It is worth plunge into an exciting atmosphere this place, to penetrate his beauty, the hospitality of the inhabitants - and it will forever remain in your heart.

Watch the video about Michigan:

Located on two peninsulas, separated by Strait Machino and surrounded by four great lakes, Michigan is somewhat romantic nickname: they are called "Water Wonderland", "Wolverine", "The State of the Great Lakes". About 40% of Michigan's territory falls on water expanses.

History of Michigan

The territory around the Great Lakes was ancient land of several Indian tribes, three of which were a strong alliance called the "Council of Three Kostov". The first colonialists appeared here in the 20s of the XVII century, but the wetland the upper peninsula studied by the French expedition did not cause much interest among the inhabitants of the old world. The first European settlement was founded here only after almost half a century. This city, Su-Saint-Marie, is considered the oldest of the preserved settlements of the North-West of the United States. At the turn of the XVII and XVIII centuries. The largest city of the state was founded - Detroit.

The second half of the XVIII century became for Michigan a period of French-British armed conflicts for the right to own its territories. In 1815, the Earth around the Great Lakes were conquered by the United States, and indigenous populationSupported by the government of Great Britain was forced to move to reservations. In 1837, Michigan officially entered the Federation as the twenty-sixth state.

Population of Michigan. By the number of residents of Michigan ranks 8th among other US states. About 10,000,000 people live on two peninsula. Almost a million of them fall on Detroit. Capital of Michigan - Lansing, significantly inferior to the largest city. There are only 115,000 Michigan residents here.

Most of the population (80%) refers to the White Rase. African Americans make up 14%. Indians on the territory of the state remained a little - only half a percent of the total number of residents.

The overwhelming majority of Michigansev - Christians. The Jewish and Muslim communities have about 200,000 people together, while only the Catholic Church has 2,000,000 parishioners. Also large parishes have Lutheran, Methodist and Evangelical denominations.

Sights of Michigan

The geographical location of the state is already in itself is a landmark - unique natural landscapes of the Great Lakes district attract tourists from around the world.

One of Michigan's business cards is a Turnip Rock cliff on Lake Huron, near the city of Austin. On thin, dotted lake waters, as a flower in a vase, is a fairly large island with rich vegetation on the top platform.
On the shores of Lake Michigan there are many national parks and reserves, where you can get acquainted with unique representatives of local flora and fauna.

But not only natural attractions boast Michigan. In the suburb of Detroit, in a huge territory, the Museum of Henry Ford is located, a visit to which is mandatory for interested in the history of mechanical engineering. Passenger and trucks, agricultural machinery, aircraft and railway transport - all the evolution of engines and vehicle (including motorcycles and even bicycles) are represented in one place. The special pride of the Ford Museum is a sadly famous Lincoln, in which President Kennedy was killed.

Tourists annually leave $ 17.2 billion in Michigan, thus maintaining 193 thousand jobs in the field of tourism. Michigan's tourist site is one of the most visited US. The staff attracts resting, hunters and nature lovers from all over the United States and Canada.

Hunting and fisheries are important industries in the state. In many cities, the Great Lakes are extracted by salmon, trout, pike perch and perch. Michigan ranks first in the United States by the number of licensed hunters (more than one million), which bring $ 2 billion a year for the state economy.

Also, Michigan has the most a large number of Golf courses and registered snowmobiles in the country.

State Economy Michigan.

The US Economic Development Administration was estimated that Michigan's GDP was 470 billion US dollars, occupying 13th place from 50 states. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of March 2017, in the state of Michigan, taking into account the seasonal oscillations, the unemployment rate was at the level of 5.1%.

The main vector of the economic development of Michigan marked at the turn of the XVIII and XIX centuries. In 1897, the OLDS Motor Vehicle was opened in Lansing, in 1903 in Detroit - Ford Motor, 5 years later - General Motors. Today, along with these plants, Chrysler works in Detroit.

Since 2009, the "large three" automakers GM, Ford and Chrysler managed to carry out a significant reorganization of its structure, which suffered from a decline in production in the early 2000s. Today, the sphere of car industry Michigan directly or indirectly gives work for one of every ten workers in the United States.

Michigan ranks fourth place in the United States on employment in the field of high technologies from 568 thousand highly qualified workers, which includes 70 thousand in the automotive industry. Michigan, as a rule, ranks third or fourth in the overall research and development rating (R & D) in the United States. Its scientific research and development, including the scope of automotive industry, contain a higher percentage of the general gross domestic product of the state than for any other US state.

Michigan has 38 deep-water ports, as well as a developed network of airports.

A significant contribution to the state economy makes mining. Copper, nickel, silver processed on a fairly large scale. Since much of the territory of Michigan is covered with water, shipping is highly developed here. Thirty-eight state ports provide the waterway to the Atlantic Ocean.

The production and services based on the growth of the state economy include the automotive industry, food, information technology, aerospace art, military equipment, furniture and mining of copper and iron ore. Michigan is the third leading producer of ate (245 square meters of land is occupied by the settings of the Christmas ate. The Vernors drink was invented in Michigan in 1866, dividing the title of the oldest soft drink with Hires Root Beer.

Michigan took third place in a survey on attractiveness for a new business. In August 2009, Michigan and Detroit received $ 1.36 billion in the form of grants from the US Department of Energy for the production of electric transport technologies, which are expected to generate up to 40 thousand jobs by 2020.

Leading Scientific Research Institutes of the State: University of Michigan, University of Michigan and Wayne State University are important partners in the state economy and its research potential. The University of Michigan annually attracts more than $ 1.5 billion in research and experienced research. Michigan has well-educated and highly qualified specialists, which makes it attractive to companies. Michigan is the third in the number of engineering graduates at the national level.

Schools and colleges of Michigan occupy a worthy place among the best in the United States.

Taxes in Michigan

Income tax in Michigan is set at a fixed rate of 4.25%. In addition, 22 cities have their profits tax; Rates are set at 1% for residents and 0.5% for non-residents in all, except for four cities. Michigan state sales tax is 6%, although, such objects as food and medicine are exempt from sales tax. Property taxes are collected at the local level (in the amount of $ 6 for $ 1000 on the value of the property). In 2011, Michigan canceled his business tax and replaced him with tax with corporate profits by 6%, which significantly reduced business taxes.

In addition, the staff charges a 6% tax from goods acquired outside the state tax refers to Internet sales / purchases outside the state of Michigan, and is equivalent to sales tax.

Michigan State Map:

Michigan (eng. Michigan [Mɪʃɨɡɪʃɨɡn]) - the state in the Midwest USA, which is part of the Northeast Center state group. The 26th state as part of the Union. Capital - Lansing. The largest city is Detroit; Others big cities - Grand Rapids, Warren, Flint, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor, Wayne.

Year of education: 1837 (26th in order)
Staff's slogan: If you are looking for a wonderful peninsula - look around
Formal name: State of Michigan.
Most big city State: Detroit
State Capital: Lansing
Population: more than 10 million people (8th place in the country).
Area: 251 thousand sq. Km. (11th place in the country).
Yet big cities in the state: Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Flint, Stirling Heights, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Livonia, Dirborn, Clinton.

History of Michigan

For several millennia, Indian tribes lived on the territory of Michigan. By the time of Europeans, the Indian tribes of Ojibva (Chippev), Ottawa, Potavatomy and Huron lived here. The first European who visited the Upper Peninsula was Etienne Brulev (1622). In 1668, Missionary-Jesuit Jacques Marquette founded here the first settlement of Su-Saint Marie. In 1679, Robert Yes La Sall carried out the construction of the first European sailing vessel on the top lake.

In 1701, the French officer and researcher Antooman Cadillac founded Fort Detroit around Fort Pontshartrene (named after the then French Prime Minister, Louis Felipo, Grafa de Pontshartrene).

In the middle of the XVIII century, the province passed from the French to the British as a result of the war with the French and Indians. After the American war for independence, Michigan entered the North-West Territory. In 1794, American troops broke the Indians in the battle of the fallen trees and under the Jay Agreement received control over several forts.

In 1805, the territory of Michigan was created. During the Anglo-American War, 1812-1815, she was temporarily in the hands of the British. In the 1830s, there was a massive influx of immigrants related to the creation of the ERI channel, road infrastructure, as well as the development of agriculture and the extractive industry.

Commerik Park in Detroit, United States

In 1835, the state constitution was signed, but due to the territorial dispute with Ohio Michigan, he entered into the Union only on January 26, 1837. The first governor of the state was Stevens Mason in 1835.

AT Civil War On the side of Northerners, 23% of Michigan's men's population participated (more than 90 thousand people), about 14 thousand of them died.

In 1903, the conveyor production of cars was founded at the Henry Ford plant. In 1926, General Motors delivered a sectoral record by bringing the annual sales volume to $ 1 billion.

Geography of Michigan

Michigan is surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes, 41.3% of its square falls on aquatic space, and the territory itself consists of two Peninsulas - the lower and upper, connected by Mackino Bridge, as well as many islands. Due to the outlines, the lower peninsula is sometimes called the "mittens".

In the north and east, Michigan borders with the Canadian province of Ontario by the waters of Lakes Upper and Huron, connected by St. Mary's River. The land area of \u200b\u200bthe border with Ontario passes along the Saint Claire flowing from Guron, which flows into the Saint Claire lake, and by the Detroit river flowing from St. Clera, which flows into Lake Erie. In the south, the border with the states of Ohio and Indiana. In the West - the lower peninsula borders the waters of Lake Michigan with the states of Illinois and Wisconsin, and the upper - land with Wisconson and the water of the upper lake - with Minnesota.

The general coastline of the state has a length of 5.2 thousand km (the largest indicator among the continental states). There are more than 11 thousand internal lakes on the territory of Michigan, which significantly affects the state climate.

In Michigan, the past, present and future of America, bizarked. Futuristic skyscrapers of the Detroit Renaissance Center, robotic and computerized auto plants and their sparkling chrome and varnish machines rushing through high-speed highways, and at the same time wild expanses, serene water, golden dunes and spanking desert hills.

The state relief was formed in the Ice Age. Ice masses smoothed in their way of irregularities and filled the depressions. The highest mark on the state map (see 3rd covers) - Mount Arvon, 604 m. The ridge of high-end hills in the north is gradually thinned and passed into a wooded plateau in the south. But in any landscape of Michigan, water fits fits. This state accounts for 20% of US fresh water stocks. Michigan is washed four of the five Great Lakes, there are another 11 thousand lakes on its territory and hundreds of rivers with a total length of about 58 thousand km. In the fact that the surface of the inland waters is less than 2.8% of the land area (4075 square meters. Km and 147511 square meters. Km, respectively), we should not forget that the state of the state "grab" a considerable product of the waters of the Great Lakes - Upper, Michigan, Huron and Erie By total length Coastline (about 5 thousand km) The staff ranks first in the United States.

Strait Makino between Lakes Huron and Michigan shares the state for two unequal peninsula - resembling a verge of a mandrel of the lower peninsula and stretched from the west to the east, cut appendix top. In 1957, the construction of a suspended bridge through the strait was completed. Allevant the message between the northern and southern part of Michigan, the bridge as it were to emphasize their incompleteness, manifested in size and in size (the lower peninsula 2.5 times more upper), and in the climate, and in the landscape, and in the economic and demographic structure.

Climate Upper Peninsula more severe the average monthly temperature hesitates between -17 ° C in January and + 17 ° C in July. For the Detroit area on the lower paragraph, the corresponding temperatures are -4 ° C and + 22 ° C, and in the south-west, the climate is still softer due to the predominant direction of winds and the beneficial effects of great lakes.

Despite the predatory forestry in the second half of the last century, a significant part of the state of the state is covered by protected and coniferous forests protected. For the southern part of the lower paragraph characteristic solid trees, elm, oak, maple, karya. Next to the north is more common blue pine, birch, aspen. Hundreds of flowering plants are pleased with the eyes from early spring to late autumn. In berry places are abundant blueberries, blueberries, blackberries, wild grapes and gooseberries. In rivers and lakes, Trout, Pike, Koryushka, Som, Okuneny breed are found; In the forests - deer, bears, wolves, coyotes and many varieties of the fur beast, one only listed in the imagination of expensive fur coats and manto - beavers, ondatras, minks, otters, cunits, raccoons, opossums, etc. Unofficial name Michigan - "Wolverine" - tribute to his forest fauna. Through Michigan, there are ways to migrate migratory birds, but all year round live ducks and geese, partridges, American winchneps live here. And the bird-symbol of the state of Michigan was elected unassuming malinovka.

The exceptional beauty of the lake edge, the wide opportunities provided here fishermen, hunters, sports and relaxation lovers, attract millions of tourists to Michigan. On the maintenance of the recreational zones, the state government spends $ 23 million per year (1985). But these costs are returned at the expense of the funds left by tourists (7.1 billion dollars in 1984). To protect the recreational zones from the encroachment of industrial capital under the protection of the state, one National Park (Mount Royal), four forest arrays and two extended areas of the coast of the Great Lakes ("Painted Rocks" and Dunes "Sleeping Bear"), besides the protection of the government The state is 78 parks and recreational areas. One of the attractions of this kind is the island of Makino near the northern tip of the Nizhny Peninsula, where the pristine nature is not defiled by the invasion of the car, and the services of vacationers are equestrian wagons and bicycles.

Michigan Department of Nature Protection big work, coordinating the efforts of services that ensure order in recreational areas, and scientific research of biologists. Thanks to the efforts of the Department, the issue of reproduction of the deer of herd is decided, despite the fact that each season in Michigan is being run to 400 thousand deer hunters. Of course, all this activity is not always effective when the efforts of environmental bodies face the interests of the business. For Michigan's vessels, the usual phenomenon - cases of pollution of rivers and lakes to poisonous drains, the destruction of the shores, etc. Scandalous fame received mass poisoning of state inhabitants to the PBB toxic drug distributed with feed in the western and central regions of Michigan. According to the American Medical Association, victims of poisoning, causing the liver disease and the weakening of the resistance of the body, 97% of the state population were in one degree or another.

The first Europeans penetrated from the north to the territory of Michigan back at the beginning of the XVII century., There were French missionaries and landlords. Their temporary settlements are known since 1641, but only in 1668 the Jesuit priest Jacques Market laid the first permanent settlement of Su-Saint-Marie. Sent on new lands, the colonialists did not rely on the power of God's words and built fortified forts. The first outpost in the mouth of the r. Saint-Joseph was founded in 1679, and in 1701, Antoine Cadillac with a detachment of soldiers began to build the Fort Poncontrene, who was to provide a monopoly of the French crown to trade on the North American Furser. At the site of Fort, the city quickly grew, the world-famous now under his new name - Detroit.

Throughout the XVIII century. Michigan was in the center of the armed struggle between England and France for the possession North AmericaThat was determined not only by the natural riches of the region, but also the strategic position discovering the path to the north-west through the Strait of Machino. By 1763, pushing the French troops and Indian tribes, the British seized the territory of Michigan. Under the Paris Treaty of 1783, who approved the completion of the War for Independence, this territory went to the United States, although the Forts Detroit and Makino were held by the British until 1796. Americans were in no hurry with the development of the region, the only wealth of which was revealed by fur. Rare settlements fought to the borders. Amermeters sent by the Washington Administration, confused that Michigin is a big swamp with rare enclosures suitable for the processing of the Earth. The resistance of the Indian tribes also did not contribute to the settlement of the region.

The 30s of the last century marked the beginning of the active development of Michigan's natural resources. At first, the object of extensive exploitation of steel forests. Freated after cutting fruit lands of the lower Peninsula contributed to the development of agriculture. The opening in the 40s of copper, and then iron ore deposits in the west of the upper peninsula even more increased the industrial boom and led to a rustling influx of the population. For 20 years - from 1850 to 1870, the state population increased three years, for the next 20th anniversary increased by almost 1 million people. Along with immigrants from New England, Canadians, Swedes, Norwegians, Finns and Italians joined Michigan. According to the minimum of the Michigan population established by law at the beginning of the XIX century. Could claim the status of the state, but territorial litigation with the neighboring Ohio delayed the solution of this issue; Only in January 1837, Michigan was adopted in the Union, becoming the 26th state of the United States, since 1847 his capital - Lansing,

Until the end of the XIX century. Michigan was the main supplier of iron and copper ore. For its transportation, a shipping channel was built on the industrial east for two years, which connected the lake top of the gateway system with other great lakes. Finished in 1855, the channel is actively exploited to the present, passing for eight months of navigation more cargoes than passes through the Panama Canal for the year.

Young American bourgeoisie without regard to the future in a hurry to translate into banknotes seemed inexhaustible natural resources. The devastating activities of the "Forest Baron" complemented major forest fires 1871 and 1891. This is typical for Michigan landscape abandoned sawmills - evidence of the former violence over the forest riches of the state.

To the outcome of the XIX century. Michigan's economy makes a noticeable turn from the extraction of raw materials to its processing, from agriculture to industry; Growing urban population. If in 1850 the townspeople accounted for only 7.3% of the state inhabitants, then by 1900, 39.3% lived in cities. But there were even more striking changes, the foundations of which were laid in two Michigan cities. In 1898, in the mechanical workshops of Rensom Olds in Lansing and Henry Ford in Detroit, independently of each other were created the first self-imaging wagon on the gasoline move. "Merry Oldsmobili" were the first to be made through the road to the buyer, and by 1900, Olds managed to sell 1,400 cars. Ford was delayed with market access, spending time on the organization of production and development of the car model available at the price. But by the mid-20s, Ford plants produced annually about 2 million cars of the model "T". Car boom covered America. New companies arose like mushrooms, but many of them quickly disappeared, without preparing competition.

The monopolization of the automotive industry caused such autohydrates as "General Motor", which in 1908-1918. Using the company "BIK", "OldSmobil", "Auckland", "Cadillac" and "Chevrolet". Another autoconecerne - "Chrysler" appeared in 1925 on the bones of Maxwell Corporations and Dodge Brothers.

The blooming at first production caused a new influx of labor from southern states, as well as immigrants from Eastern Europe. The rapid growth of the industrial proletariat was accompanied by the rise of the working movement.

An unprecedented scope reached in the second half of the 1930s a strike struggle of automakers for the right to associate in the trade unions, in which they were denied monopolies. Tens of thousands of workers "General Motor", followed by the workers of Chrysler and Ford factories, conducted long-term sitting strikes, stopped conveyors, captured factory buildings in clashes with stracbers and police. He headed the strike struggle to the United Trade Union by the automakers and now applies to the number of the most massive American trade unions (more than 1 million members). Tested methods of strikes when revising collective agreements, the Union managed to keep the work of the operating industry at the level in excess of the average earnings of other industrial Р§-boach. According to the average incomes, Michigan relates to a prosperous states. But you should take into account the composite statistics. In 1982, there were 7,300 millionaires in the state, the state of which was estimated at $ 17,222 million. At the same time, according to the 1980 census, 946 thousand people (10.4% of the population) and 198 thousand families (8, 2%) lived below the official feature of poverty.

Until recently, Michigan was characterized by a relatively high level of education. According to the 1980 census, 30% of Michigan residents at the age of 25 and older were over the shoulders from one to three college. In Michigan, 52 daily and 15 Sunday newspapers are published.

The success of Michigan's education is obliged to progressive trends, originating from the first constitution of the state, in which the Regulation is recorded about the need to encourage schools and educational institutions. Michigan first because uS states I founded the Assistance Fund to schools and first introduced a free secondary education. In 1984, 3804 public schools operated in the state, including 2742 with a learning date of up to eight years, despite the fact that the full secondary education occupies 12 years. In 1983, there were 44 universities in the state of the state, 12 of whom with the right to awarding doctoral degrees. The latter includes the three largest universities, which focuses a third of all state students, - Michigan in Ann Arbor, Weine in Detroit and University of Michigan in East Lansing. The latter with its experienced economy and laboratories is fundamentally fundamental in agricultural sciences. The joking nickname "Cow University" cannot disprove the fact that this university refers to the leading in the country to prepare highly qualified specialists of agricultural production.

Most other universities are colleges with a two-year-old training period focused on the preparation of middle-service specialists for the state and its economic areas. The emphasis on training for the region is characteristic of both universities controlled by the staff and for private institutions contained by corporations. From private universities, founded by autoconecerts, you can mention the Detroit Institute of Technology, Detroit Institute of Law, Institute "General Motor" in Flint, Chrysler Engineering Institute (Highland Park) and Technological Institute. Lawrence (Southfield).

With this or that degree of legitimacy, the word "Detroit" is synonymous than Michigan. "When Detroit wets his legs, the whole country sneezes," Michiganians love to repeat, meaning the interdependence of Michigan and other states that arose, in particular, in connection with the penetration of the car into the life of Americans. But it would be more correct to turn this saying. Detroit, focused on the production of long-term goods, "sneezes" at the first signs of violation of the country's economic health and is sharply feels the fall in the purchasing power of the population during periods of economic recession, consumer concerns to buy goods on credit. So in the years of the "Great Depression", which hit Michigan is more painful than other states, it was and with subsequent economic recession. Changing generations of weapons systems After World War II deprived the automotive industry of profitable military orders. Brutally hit the Detroit energy crisis of the 70s and an increase in oil prices. For strong competitors of American automakers in the domestic market were foreign (primarily Japanese) companies, which faster reacted to a change in customer demand. On the verge of collapse, one of the auto hydriants- Craysler Corporation, which in 1979 owed banks more than $ 2 billion and avoided bankruptcy only thanks to the help of the federal government.

Reduction of production and robotization of workflows led to massive dismissals from Michigan auto plants, which did not slow down to affect the demographic situation. If within half of the XX century. Michigan population growth amounted to 4 million people, 55% of which - due to migration from other states, then in 1956-1962. The number of decreasing from the state by 322 thousand exceeded the number of entering. The growth of Michigan's population slowed down, and in 70-80 he went reversed. Compared to the peak of 1978, 9266 thousand people - the state population decreased in 1980 to 9210 thousand and in 1985 to 9088 thousand demographic forecast for 2000 provides for only modest growth of up to 9208 thousand people.

Three-quarters of the population concentrated in ten urbanized areas in the southern part of the Lower Peninsula. There are three main industrial zones here: Detroit; Grand Rapids Maskigag and Battle Creek - Calamazu.

The kernel of the Economic Zone of Detroit is an urbanized area, including Wayne County (where Detroit actually includes), Auckland and Makumb, but in fact, the industrial cities of the eastern half of the Lower Peninsula, who bought on the "thumb" of the cartographic "mittens", are actually closely associated with the automotive capital. The industrial profile of this zone determines the automotive industry. In Detroit and around it, the headquarters of the "big triple" of automotive monopolies producing 95% of all American cars are located, "General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler. In the suburbs of Detroit, the oldest factory complex Ford "Rouge" spread, on which 27 thousand people are busy. To a certain extent, this is a plant-museum, a plant-reserve, in which the entire technological cycle of the production of the car is presented - from smelting steel to the build of finished products on the conveyor. Even coal and iron ore are delivered here on the barges with mines owned by the company. This working monument of the old organization of production is the only one of its kind. Other auto plants, including Ford plants, have long moved to specialization and cooperation. The nodes and aggregates are ready for assembly come to the conveyor from specialized plants of their company and firms.

In many cities of the economic zone, foundries, blacksmith, spring, stamping, paintwork and other plants "Large Troika" and other firms operating on the automotive industry are located in many cities. Thus, the Giant Plant of the Diversified Oil Corporation "Tenneko" in Detroit produces shock absorbers and springs for all brands of cars, withdrawing Michigan to one of the first places on this type of product. The second "car" city of Michigan became Flint, Genoral Motor plants, on which 51 thousand people are employed. For several automotive plants, there are citys of Bay City, Sagino, Pontiac, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Monroe.

The industrial value of the zone is not determined exclusively by the automotive industry and the associated production. In the urbanized area of \u200b\u200bDetroit there are large enterprises of chemical, food, brewing, sweepers, printing industry, communications industry and building materials. In Detroit, laboratories and production buildings of a large pharmaceutical company Park Davis are located, in the city of Troy - the factory complex "Dayko Corporation" specializing in the production of drive belts, in Midland and Hemlock - Laboratories and Troops "Dow Corning", Superchild silicone. Oil refumeric plants operate in Alma, Bay City and in the Detroit area.

In the industrial zone of Detroit also includes the capital of Lansing. This is not only an administrative, but also an important industrial center, which hosts the Board and major auto plants of subsidiaries "General Motor" - "Oldsmobil" and "Fisher Body" (body), as well as enterprises of the rubber, food industry, wholesale trade in agricultural products, in Lansing suburb accommodated educational and residential buildings, laboratories and experienced fields of the largest staff university, in which more than 40 thousand people are studying.

Another university city, Ann-Arbor, pulled a number of small research and research and advisory firms, organizations engaged in the collection, processing and sale of information, one of them - the inter-university consortium of political and social research - has an automated data bank, in the replenishment of which 290 organizations participate . The subsidiary of Corporation "Xerox" - "Universiti Maikrofilms", leading bibliographic records and annotation of all theses protected in the United States is used. This information applies through printed ballots and networks of the computer, and copies of the dissertations are sold in the original format or microcaros.

The economic zone of Grand Rapids - Maskigon was to a lesser extent to the dominance of the automotive industry, although there are many enterprises related to this industry in its borders. Household and office furniture, air conditioners, kitchen machines, refrigerator compressors are produced here. The food industry is developed, in particular canning the fruits and vegetables, and the cellul-lot and paper industry. In Maskigon, there is one of the largest plants of the company "Scottpeyper" for the production of napkins and toilet paper. In the area of \u200b\u200bMaskigon, Ohio Oil Oil Plants are located.

In Grand Rapids and neighboring counties of Ottawa and Allegman, overlooking the coast of Oz. Michigan, since the middle of the last century, many people from Holland settled. Despite the gradual assimilation, this ethnic group carefully supports national traditions, customs and crafts. It was her Grand Rapids that owes a reputation in the furniture capital of the United States, although with the departure of old masters, the production of furniture is increasingly moving to the conveyor, and the valuable species of wood are replaced with metal and plastic. The traditions of Michigan Dutch find expression not only in the annual festivals of tulips and costume dancing in the wooden shoes of local production, but also in conservative beliefs.

The industrial zone of Battle Creek - Kalamazu in many respects repeats the economic profile of its northern neighbor. Here are a cardboard packaging, heating systems, refrigerators and air conditioners, developed the food industry. But there are two gigantic enterprises that make this zone, the products of which reaches almost to each American. 21 thousand workers at the Kellog Corporation factories in Battle Creek are engaged in the production of cornflakes and other ready-to-use vitaminized cereal products to the morning table of America. In Kalamazu there is another major employer, which ensures the earnings of 22 thousand people. Here, in the territory of 125 hectares, the laboratories and plants of the pharmaceutical Corporation "APGGYON", producing antibiotics and drugs spread out.

The upper peninsula is the land of the legendary Gayavata, the suspension of Longfello. For most of the territory, nature has been preserved in his primaryness. The XX century declared itself with excellent highway roads crossing the peninsula.

The industrial value of the upper peninsula is determined by the extractive sectors. The development of iron mines is launching Markett and Menomini. Since after almost 100 years of exploitation, rich rocks are practically developed, the industry is reoriented to the extraction and enrichment of low-quality ore raw materials. Also depleted copper deposits on south Bank Lake top. Rudniks are used as reserve, and the share of the area in the total production of copper in the United States does not exceed 2%.

Gypsum, peat, iodine, bromine, table salt, limestone, gravel, and cement are mined from non-metallic fossil industrial importance in Michigan. In the area of \u200b\u200bthe Gulf of Sagino, oil and natural gas are produced in limited sizes.

Climatic conditions are the adequacy of precipitation and a relatively long period of growth (180 days in the south of the Stand) - favorable for the development of agriculture. Michigan is included in the "dairy" and "hay belt" and hides the "corn belt" passing through its southern counties.

Due to the mechanization of agricultural development, the number of farmer's population decreases and, according to the correspondence of 1980, amounted to 1.9% of the total number of Michigansev. For comparison; The farm population of the state in 1960, 486 thousand, in 1970, 305 thousand people, with the number of farms and their total area have not changed almost. The development of dairy farming contributes good conditions Grazing, abundance of feed and an extensive market within the state (southern industrial cities), consisting up to 83% of products produced. Milk herds of Michigan amounted to 390 thousand heads in 1985 (sixth place in the USA), and Nadodi - 2525.6 million kg. Feed herbs constituting the database of milk animal husbandry, take up to 30% of cultured areas. For them in the size of the area of \u200b\u200bcrops follow: corn - 1092 thousand hectares; Soybeans - 432 thousand hectares and Winter wheat - 300 thousand hectares.

The "corn belt" is meat animal husbandry and poultry farming. In 1985, Michigan's farmers sold 3.9 million kg of lamb and 175 million kg of pork. In the poultry farms, in the same year there were 4.8 million chickens, 1.3 million broilers and 2.3 million turkey.

In the gardens on the coast of Oz. Michigan mature rich fruit crops - apples, cherries, cherries, drain, grapes. Michigan's harness is inferior to the states of New York and Washington. It is not by chance that the official flower of Michigan is considered to be an apple tree color.

The political sympathies of Michigansev in the bipartisan system were defined both with objective circumstances and subjective features of individual figures who were in the forage of power. Yankees from New England, who made up the main core of the first immigrants in Michigan, brought the spirit of liberalism into the social life. Many supporters gained a movement for the abolition of slavery here, and Michigan became an important site on the road of freedom of runaway slaves from the southern states, during the first 20 years, political power in the state belonged to Democrats. The abolitionist platform created in 1854 the Republican Party found a sympathetic response in the liberal circles of Michigan, and the Republicans settled for a long time in state management bodies.

Trust in the Republican Party undermined the economic crisis of the late 20s - early 30s, which caused a tangible blow to the car state. Michigan residents supported the "new course" F. Roosevelt, who had a yield from economic deadlocks, but only after the death of Roosevelt, Democrats managed to finally overcome the inertia of the political mechanism and obtain administrative power in the state. In 1948, the coalition of the liberal intelligentsia and trade union leaders nominated a limited social reform that tried to hold a new governor to the post of governor of Democrat, who was trying to hold a new governor, they came down to resistance to the legislative, where representatives of a big business were parted, who did not hurry to part with their profits for the sake of social needs.

In April 1957, the President "General Motor" X. Curtis, supported by other leaders of monopolistic capital, spoke out against the attempt to Williams raise taxes on corporate profits, threatening to bring the CJD production facilities outside the state. The Michigan budget fell on the seams, and in 1959 it had a crisis: the state officials remained twice. This predetermined the outcome of the 1960 elections, and although Democrat was again elected the governor, J. Williams was again elected, he did not manage to make ends meet, and two years later, the Michigan administration was headed by J. Romney, a republican, the former President of the American Motor Corporation. For six years of the Board, which coincided with the period of economic recovery, the new governor managed to streamline the budget, to hold a new state constitution, strengthen the position of the Republican Party. The positions of the Romro himself, the Governor of New York T. Donon; in the field of literature - Zero de Krif, the author of "Microbial hunters"; From the world of arts - singer Diana Ross.

Replaced Romney as the governor of U. Milliken, also republican, showed himself a skillful politician, holding out in this post of 14 years. Having advanced programs that enjoy supporting the population (environmental protection, financial assistance to schools, development public transport etc.), Milliekin, if necessary, entered into a coalition with democrats, providing himself with votes of voters, regardless of the degree of implementing these programs. The most relevant social problem during the reign of Millique was the crisis of cities, especially the main industrial center of Michigan - Detroit.

Residents of cities by this time made more than 70% of the state's population. The economic situation caused by the economic situation of the 1950s - early 60s, the outflow of the population touched mainly the most qualified personnel, expecting for the best conditions in the states of "high technology". On the contrary, the marveling influx of migrants seeking happiness in Michigan included, as a rule, black of southern states with extremely low levels of general and vocational training. In the urban feature of Detroit, black co-placed more than 63% of the population. More wealthy of them move after whites in the suburbs, committing Detroit on the transformation into a giant ghetto with rare islands of "prosperous" areas. The gap between white and black in terms of socio-economic well-being is striking. Unemployment among the black population is twice as much as among the white; Three times more black among people living below the formal level of poverty. Desperation and hopelessness caused Negro speeches in the Detroit area in the summer of 1967, cruelly depressed by the police.

Millilen understood that the decision or at least mitigation of the problems of Detroit would help him to nourish political capital. The ally of the governor in this company became elected in 1973. The first black mayor of Detroit K. Young, Democrat, one of the organizers of the trade union of the automotive industry. Not being able to unleash the nodes of serious socio-economic problems, Millykein and Young pinned special hopes for the restructuring of the facade, updating the city center. The symbol of the revival of the city was to become a giant Renaissance Center, a five-fable complex on the bank of the river. Detroit, consisting of a 73-storey hotels at 1,400 rooms, surrounded by four more high-altitude cylinders with office rooms. In the five-storey atrium, connecting the complex at the base, is assigned a place for 105 stores and restaurants. The estimated cost of the complex amounted to $ 350 million. Financing of construction assumed a group of big business corporations in the coordinating role of the city of Ford II. In the process of the construction of the complex, unforeseen expenses were revealed, and in 1975 Ford was forced to fully allocate $ 100 million, so that work could be continued. The official opening of the Renaissance Center took place in 1977, but he was not destined not only to save Detroit, but also to compensate the costs of corporations financing its construction. Five years after the transfer, the Center lost $ 140 million, and in 1982 Ford sold the Group of private investors.

Desperate Yang attempts to reduce the deficit of the city budget by increasing the income tax and dismissal of 4 thousand urban employees (including 1 thousand police officers, which did not contribute to the eradication of crime) gave the result. The continuing coagulation of the automotive industry and the massive dismissal of the automakers even more aggravated the problems of Detroit and increased the outflow of the population from the city. In 1970-1980 Detroit lost his fifth part of his inhabitants. In 1982, Milliekin resigns and occupies an increasing place in the Board of Directors of Chrysler Corporation. The state governor is elected by Democrat J. Blanchard, who in 1986 again wins the elections for this post.

In 1982, the Democratic Party not only returned the post of the governor, but also provided the majority in both chambers of the State Congress. After the elections of 1986, the Democrats occupy both places of Mi-Chigan in the US Senate and 11 of 18 places in the House of Representatives. One of the senators from Michigan, D. Rigle, began a political career in 1967, when he was elected to the House of Representatives from the Republican Party, but in 1973 broke with the Republicans and was elected later as Democrat, from 1976. Senator . He is an active critic of the socio-economic policy of the Reagan administration. The second, K. Levin, is one of the most liberal senators and also the active critic of the intra-and foreign policy of the Reagan president, especially the increase in weapons.

The state representation in the US Congress is generally characterized by a liberal position on most issues, which, in particular, is explained by the tactics of the Republican organization of Michigan. In the conditions when the section between the industrial Detroit and the conservative province, between the rich suburbs and urban ghetto, between the black and white population approximately balanced the chances of both bourgeois parties in the elections, the Republicans in the past two decades held a flexible position, putting forward more moderate candidates for elected posts The struggle for the voices of independent voters.

This does not mean that at moderate positions there are all Republican Congressmen from Michigan. The W. Brumfield Chamber Veteran, for example, which is standing with a rich electorate of respectable, consider Detroit, acts with very conservative positions on internal and foreign policy issues. Another feature of the Michigan delegation in Congress is to smuggle interparty disagreements in the name of the protection of the interests of the automotive industry. Thus, liberals, usually opposing environmental pollution, voted against the "Clean Air Law", which established more stringent standards for the content of carbon monoxide in the exhaust of automotive engines.

American economists are looking for an explanation of crisis phenomena in the Michigan economy over the past 20-25 years. Among the causes are the inability of automotive monopolies in time to rebuild production and update the main funds. Optimists see the exit in the introduction of the latest technology into the mighty industrial potential accumulated in the state.

See also: