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Wisconsin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about a U.S. State. For other uses of the term, see Wisconsin (disambiguation).
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| Official language(s) | None | ||||||||
| Capital Largest city |
Madison Milwaukee |
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| Area | Ranked 23rd | ||||||||
| - Total | 65,498 sq. mi. (169,790 km²) |
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| - Width | 260 miles (420 km) | ||||||||
| - Length | 310 miles (500 km) | ||||||||
| - % water | 17 | ||||||||
| - Latitude | 42°30'N to 47°3'N | ||||||||
| - Longitude | 86°49'W to 92°54'W | ||||||||
| Population | Ranked 18th | ||||||||
| - Total (2000) | 5,453,896 | ||||||||
| - Density | 98.8/sq. mi. 38.13/km² (24th) |
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| Elevation | |||||||||
| - Highest point | Timms Hill 1,951 feet (595 m) |
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| - Mean | 1,050 feet (320 m) | ||||||||
| - Lowest point | Lake Michigan 579 feet (177 m) |
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| Admission to Union | May 29, 1848 (30th) | ||||||||
| Governor | Jim Doyle (D) | ||||||||
| U.S. Senators | Herb Kohl (D) Russ Feingold (D) |
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| Time zone(s) | Central: UTC-6/-5 | ||||||||
| Abbreviations | WI Wis. US-WI | ||||||||
| Web site | www.wisconsin.gov | ||||||||
Wisconsin (IPA pronunciation: [wɪs ?k?n sn̩]) is a state in the United States, located in the Midwest. The rural economy was originally based on furs, then came lumber, farming, and dairy, and vacationing. Industrialization began in the late 19th century in the southeast, with Milwaukee the major center. In recent decades service industries, especially medicine and education, have become dominant. The state was always ethnically heterogeneous. The Yankees arrived first and long dominated industry, finance, politics and education. Large numbers of Germans arrived 1850-1900, centered in Milwaukee but including many small cities and farm areas in the southeast. Scandinavians settled in lumbering and farming areas in the northwest. Small colonies of Belgians, Swiss, Finns and other groups came to the state. Irish Catholics came to the cities. After 1900, Polish immigrants came to Milwaukee, followed after 1940 by African Americans. Politically, the state was a Republican stronghold that supported the Union during the Civil War. Ethnoreligious issues regarding schools split the Republican coalition briefly in 1890. By 1900, Robert LaFollette had crusaded against corrupt bosses in the Republican party. He and his sons dominated state politics for 40 years. Since 1945 the state has been evenly balanced politically, with conservative Republicans matched against liberal Democrats.
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Geography
The state is bordered by the Montreal River; Lake Superior and Michigan to the north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa and Minnesota to the west. Part of the state's boundaries includes the Mississippi River and St. Croix River in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast.
With its location between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin is home to a wide variety of geographical features. The state is divided into five distinct regions. In the north, the Lake Superior Lowland occupies a belt of land along Lake Superior. Just to the south, the Northern Highland includes the state's highest point, Timms Hill, as well as massive forests and thousands of small glacial lakes. In the middle of the state, the Central Plain possesses some unique sandstone formations like the Dells of the Wisconsin River in addition to rich farmland. The Eastern Ridges and Lowlands region in the southeast is home to many of Wisconsin's largest cities. In the southwest, the Western Upland is a rugged landscape with a mix of forest and farmland.
The varied landscape of Wisconsin makes the state a vacation destination popular for outdoor recreation. Winter events include skiing, ice fishing and snowmobile derbies. Wisconsin has many lakes of varied size; in fact Wisconsin contains 11,188 square miles (28,977 km²) of water, more than all but three other states. The distinctive Door Peninsula, which extends off of the eastern coast of the state, contains one of the state's most beautiful tourist destinations, Door County. The area draws thousands of visitors yearly to its quaint villages, seasonal cherry picking, and ever-popular fish boils.
Areas under the management of the National Park Service include:
- Apostle Islands National Lakeshore along Lake Superior
- Ice Age National Scenic Trail
- North Country National Scenic Trail
- Saint Croix National Scenic River
History
Main Article: History of Wisconsin
In 1634, Frenchman Jean Nicolet became Wisconsin's first European explorer, landing at Red Banks, near modern-day Green Bay in search of a passage to the Orient. The French controlled the area until it was ceded to the British in 1763.
After the American Revolutionary War, Wisconsin was part of the U.S. Northwest Territory. It was then governed as part of Indiana Territory, Illinois Territory, and Michigan Territory. Settlement began when the first two public land offices opened in 1834.[1] Wisconsin Territory was organized on July 3, 1836, and it became the 30th state on May 29, 1848.
The state mineral is Galena, otherwise known as lead sulfide, which reflects Wisconsin's early mining history. Many town names such as Mineral Point recall a period in the 1820s, 1830s, and 1840s, when Wisconsin was an important mining state. When Indian treaties opened up southwest Wisconsin to settlement, thousands of miners ?? many of them immigrants from Cornwall, England ?? flocked to southern Wisconsin in what could almost be termed a "lead rush." At one point, Wisconsin produced more than half of the nation's lead. During the boom, it appeared that southwest Wisconsin might become the population center of the state, and Belmont was briefly the state capital. By the 1840s, the easily accessible deposits were worked out, and experienced miners were drawn out of Wisconsin by the California Gold Rush. This period of mining before and during the early years of statehood directly led to the development of state's nickname, the "Badger State". Many miners and their families lived in the mines in which they worked until adequate above-ground shelters were built and were thus compared to badgers.
See also Peshtigo Fire, Territory of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Walleye War
Demographics
| Historical populations | |
|---|---|
| Census year |
Population |
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|
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| 1820 | 1,444 |
| 1830 | 3,635 |
| 1840 | 30,945 |
| 1850 | 305,391 |
| 1860 | 775,881 |
| 1870 | 1,054,670 |
| 1880 | 1,315,497 |
| 1890 | 1,693,330 |
| 1900 | 2,069,042 |
| 1910 | 2,333,860 |
| 1920 | 2,632,067 |
| 1930 | 2,939,006 |
| 1940 | 3,137,587 |
| 1950 | 3,434,575 |
| 1960 | 3,951,777 |
| 1970 | 4,417,731 |
| 1980 | 4,705,767 |
| 1990 | 4,891,769 |
| 2000 | 5,363,675 |
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2005, Wisconsin has an estimated population of 5,536,201, which is an increase of 32,668, or 0.6%, from the prior year and an increase of 172,486, or 3.2%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 119,347 people (that is 361,534 births minus 242,187 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 60,701 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 46,106 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 14,595 people.
As of 2004, there are 229,800 foreign-born residents in the state (4.2% of the state population), and an estimated 41,000 undocumented workers living in the state, accounting for 18% of the foreign-born population.[citation needed]
Race and ancestry
The racial makeup of the state:
- 87.3% White
- 5.7% Black
- 3.6% Hispanic
- 1.7% Asian
- 1.2% Mixed race
- 0.9% Native American
The five largest ancestry groups in Wisconsin are: German (42.6%), Irish (10.9%), Polish (9.3%), Norwegian (8.5%), English (6.5%)
People of German ancestry are the largest ancestry group most of the state, with about half of the state's white population reporting of at least partial German ancestry on the Census, and Wisconsin is widely regarded as the most "German-American" state in the Union (although North Dakota, with 43.9% German ancestry, can also make this claim). People of Scandinavian descent, especially Norwegians, are heavily concentrated in some western parts of the state. Wisconsin has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state. Menominee county is the only county in the eastern United States with an American Indian majority.
33% of Wisconsin's Asian population is Hmong, with significant communities in Milwaukee, Wausau, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Appleton, La Crosse, Madison, and Eau Claire.
6.4% of Wisconsin's population was reported as under 5, 25.5% under 18, and 13.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.6% of the population.
Religion
The largest denominations are Roman Catholic, Missouri Synod, Wisconsin Synod and ELCA Lutherans. The religious affiliations of the people of Wisconsin are shown in the list below:
- Christian ?? 85%
- Protestant ?? 55%
- Lutheran ?? 23%
- Methodist ?? 7%
- Baptist ?? 6%
- Presbyterian ?? 2%
- United Church of Christ ?? 2%
- Other Protestant or general Protestant ?? 15%
- Roman Catholic ?? 29%
- Other Christian ?? 1%
- Protestant ?? 55%
- Other Religions ?? 1%
- Non-Religious ?? 14%
Economy
According to the 2004 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Wisonsin??s gross state product was $211.7 billion. The per capita personal income was $32,157 in 2004.
The economy of Wisconsin is driven by agriculture and manufacturing. Although manufacturing accounts for a far greater part of the state's income than farming, Wisconsin is usually recognized primarily as a farming state. Wisconsin produces more dairy products than any other state in the United States except California, and it leads the nation in cheese production. Although California has overtaken Wisconsin in the production of milk and butter, Wisconsin still produces more milk per capita than any other state in the Union. In addition to dairying, Wisconsin ranks first in the production of corn for silage, cranberries, ginseng, and snap beans for processing. Wisconsin is also a leading producer of oats, potatoes, carrots, tart cherries, maple syrup, and sweet corn for processing.
| Badger State | |
| State Animal: | Badger |
| State Domesticated Animal: |
Dairy Cow |
| State Wild Animal: | White-tailed Deer |
| State Beverage: | Milk |
| State Bird: | Robin |
| State Capital: | Madison |
| State Dog: | Spaniel |
| State Fish: | Muskellunge |
| State Flower: | Wood Violet |
| State Fossil: | Trilobite |
| State Grain: | Corn |
| State Insect: | Honeybee |
| State Motto: | Forward |
| State Song: | "On, Wisconsin!" |
| State Tree: | Sugar Maple |
| State Mineral: | Galena (Lead sulfide) |
| State Rock: | Red Granite |
| State Soil: | Antigo Silt Loam |
| State Dance: | Polka |
| State Symbol of Peace: |
Mourning Dove |
Given Wisconsin's strong agricultural tradition, it is not surprising that a large part of the state's manufacturing sector deals with food processing. Some well known food brands produced in Wisconsin include Oscar Mayer, Tombstone and Jack's frozen pizza, and Johnsonville Bratwursts. Kraft Foods alone employs over five thousand people in the state. Milwaukee is a major producer of beer.
In addition to food processing, Wisconsin is home to several transportation equipment and machinery manufacturers. Major Wisconsin companies in these categories include the Kohler Company, Rockwell International, Briggs & Stratton, Miller Electric, Milwaukee Electric Power Tools, and Harley-Davidson. Wisconsin also ranks first nationwide in the production of paper products; the lower Fox River from Lake Winnebago to the Bay of Green Bay has twenty-four paper mills along its 39-mile (63 km) stretch. The largest paper companies with operations in Wisconsin are Kimberly-Clark and Georgia-Pacific, both of which rank among the state's top ten employers.
Tourism is also a major industry in Wisconsin. Tourism destinations such as the House on the Rock near Spring Green, Circus World Museum in Baraboo, and the collection of attractions around Wisconsin Dells each draw thousands of visitors every year, and festivals such as Summerfest and the EAA Oshkosh Airshow always attract large crowds.
Wisconsin collects personal income tax based on 4 income level brackets, which range from 4.6 percent to 6.75 percent. The state sales tax of 5 percent. Fifty-eight counties have an additional sales tax of 0.5 percent. Retailers who make sales subject to applicable county taxes must collect 5.5 percent sales tax on their retail sales. Sales of motor vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, mobile homes 45 feet (13.7 m) or less in length, trailers, semi-trailers, all-terrain vehicles, and aircraft are subject to the county use tax rather than county sales tax.
The most common property tax assessed on Wisconsin residents is the real property tax, or their residential property tax. Wisconsin does not impose a property tax on vehicles but does levy an annual registration fee. Property taxes are the most important tax revenue source for Wisconsin's local governments, as well as major methods of funding school districts, vocational technical colleges, special purpose districts and tax incremental finance districts. Equalized values are based on the full market value of all taxable property in the state, except for agricultural land. In order to provide property tax relief for farmers, the value of agricultural land is determined by its value for agriculture uses, rather than for its possible development value. Equalized values are used to distribute state aid payments to counties, municipalities, and technical colleges. Assessments prepared by local assessors are used to distribute the property tax burden within individual municipalities.
Wisconsin does not assess a tax on intangible personal property. Wisconsin does not collect inheritance taxes. Wisconsin's estate tax is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws; therefore the state imposes its own estate tax.
Law and government
The capital is Madison and the largest city is Milwaukee. The current governor of Wisconsin is Jim Doyle.
See also:
- Governors of Wisconsin
- Wisconsin State Legislature
- Wisconsin Supreme Court
- U.S. Congressional Delegations from Wisconsin
- List of U.S. Senators from Wisconsin
Politics
Much of the state's political history involved coalitions among different ethic groups. The most famous controversy dealt with foreign language teaching in schools. This was fought out in the Bennett Law campaign of 1890, when the Germans switched to the Democratic Party, who won a major victory. Wisconsin's political history encompasses, on the one hand, Fighting Bob La Follette and the Progressive movement; and on the other, Joe McCarthy, the controversial anti-Communist censured by the Senate during the 1950s. The first Socialist mayor of a large city in the United States was Emil Seidel, elected mayor of Milwaukee in 1910; another Socialist, Daniel Hoan, was mayor of Milwaukee from 1916 to 1940.
Beginning with the governorship of Robert M. La Follette, Sr. in the early 1900s and the state Progressive Party establishment soon thereafter, Wisconsin, and in particular, Madison, have often been seen as leaders in labor and social welfare legislation as well as legislation popularly termed "socially progressive." For example, in 1982 sexual orientation was added by the state legislature as a protected category under existing anti-discrimination laws, a step in the context of the 1980s seen as highly innovative. Russ Feingold was the only senator to vote against the Patriot Act, and Tammy Baldwin is the only openly lesbian U.S. Representative.
The state has supported Democrats in the last five presidential contests. During both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, Wisconsin was considered a "swing" or pivot state because its residents were relatively equally split between voting for the Democratic and Republican candidates. The state, by about 5,700 votes voted for the Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore in 2000, and by 14,000 votes, was in favor of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004, both of whom lost the national election. The strongest areas of Republican strongholds tends to be in rural and suburban area, while support for Democrats is largely concentrated in the Madison and Milwaukee urban centers. Republicans have a large influence in the suburban Milwaukee counties.
Important cities and villages
Cities and villages are incorporated urban areas in Wisconsin. Towns are unincorporated minor civil divisions of counties.
Wisconsin's self-promotion as "America's Dairyland" sometimes leads to a mistaken impression that it is an exclusively rural state. In fact, however, Wisconsin contains cities and towns of all sizes. Milwaukee is slightly larger than Boston and part of a largely developed string of cities that stretches down the western edge of Lake Michigan into greater Chicago and also into northwestern Indiana. Milwaukee is also the 19th-largest city in the country, with around 596,000 inhabitants. This string of cities along the western edge of Lake Michigan is generally considered to be an example of a megalopolis. Madison's triple identity as state capital, university town and working city gives it a cultural richness unusual in a city its size. Madison is also a very fast-growing city, that has around 260,000 people. Medium-size cities dot the state and anchor a network of working farms surrounding them.
Cities in Wisconsin with population of 50,000 or more as of 2000 include:
- Milwaukee, population 596,125 (1,709,926 in metropolitan area), largest city
- Madison, population 208,054 (588,885 in metropolitan area), state capital
- Green Bay, population 102,767 (295,473 in metropolitan area)
- Kenosha, population 90,352, part of Chicagoland
- Racine, population 81,855, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
- Appleton, population 70,087 (213,102 in metropolitan area)
- Waukesha, population 64,825 part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
- Oshkosh, population 62,916 (159,008 in metropolitan area)
- Eau Claire, population 61,704 (148,337 in metropolitan area)
- West Allis, population 61,254, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
- Janesville, population 60,200 (154,794 in metropolitan area)
- La Crosse, population 51,818 (128,592 in metropolitan area)
- Sheboygan, population 50,792 (113,376 in metropolitan area)
Among other municipalities are:
- Baraboo, population 10,711, home of Circus World Museum
- Ripon, population 7,450, birthplace of the Republican Party
- Wisconsin Dells, population 2,418, popular resort area
Education
Colleges and universities
Wisconsin is served by the public University of Wisconsin System consisting of 15 institutions, including the flagship University of Wisconsin campus in Madison. Notable private colleges and universities include Marquette University, among others. The Wisconsin Technical College System is comprised of 16 two-year colleges that offer associate's degrees and career training.
Further information:
- Universities and colleges in Wisconsin
- List of colleges and universities in Wisconsin
- List of high schools in Wisconsin
- List of school districts in Wisconsin
Professional sports teams
Wisconsin is represented by major league teams in the three most popular spectator sports in the United States: American football, baseball, and basketball. The Green Bay Packers have been part of the National Football League since the league's second season in 1921 and currently hold the record for the most NFL titles, earning the city of Green Bay the nickname "Titletown".
| Club | Sport | League |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | Football | National Football League |
| Milwaukee Brewers | Baseball | Major League Baseball |
| Milwaukee Bucks | Basketball | National Basketball Association |
| Milwaukee Admirals | Ice hockey | American Hockey League |
| Milwaukee Wave | Soccer | Major Indoor Soccer League |
| Green Bay Blizzard | Arena football | af2 |
| Wisconsin Timber Rattlers | Baseball | Midwest League |
| Beloit Snappers | Baseball | Midwest League |
| Eau Claire Express | Baseball | Northwoods League |
| La Crosse Loggers | Baseball | Northwoods League |
| Madison Mallards | Baseball | Northwoods League |
| Wisconsin Woodchucks | Baseball | Northwoods League |
Miscellaneous topics
USS Wisconsin was named in honor of this state.
Known as "America's Dairyland," Wisconsin is also known for cheese. Citizens of Wisconsin are referred to as Wisconsinites, although a common nickname (sometimes used pejoratively) among non-residents is "Cheeseheads," because of the prevalence and quality of cheesemaking in the state. The state is also known for its alcohol production and consumption, and it is historically home to a large number of breweries and bars per capita.
The state is home to the Green Bay Packers, the most successful small-market professional sports franchise in the world. With 12 National Football League titles, Green Bay is known as "Titletown". Monday Night Football national broadcasts draw strong ratings during Packers games. The Packers' home stadium, Lambeau Field, is referred to as the "frozen tundra" and is considered by many football enthusiasts to be "hallowed ground." The University of Wisconsin Badgers football program, playing at Camp Randall Stadium, enjoys similar loyalty; both teams are known to sell out their entire schedules far in advance. The waiting list for Packer's season tickets has over 50,000 names.
The Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee is known for its unique architecture. The Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens cover over 200 acres (800,000 m²) of land on the far west side of the city. Madison is home to the Vilas Zoo which is free for all visitors, and the Olbrich Gardens conservatory, as well as the hub of cultural activity at the University of Wisconsin. It is also known for Monona Terrace, a convention center that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, a world-renowned architect who was born in Richland Center.
Name
Although the exact etymology of the name is uncertain, "Wisconsin" is thought to be an English version of a French adaptation of an Indian word. It may come from the Ojibwe word Miskwasiniing, meaning "Red-stone place," which was probably the name given to the Wisconsin River, and was recorded as Ouisconsin by the French and changed to its current form by the English. The modern Ojibwe name, however, is Wiishkoonsing or Wazhashkoonsing, meaning "muskrat-lodge place" or "little muskrat place." Other theories are that the name comes from words meaning "Gathering of the Waters" or "Great Rock." Wisconsin originally was applied to the Wisconsin River, and later to the area as a whole when Wisconsin became a territory.
See also
- List of people from Wisconsin
- List of television stations in Wisconsin
- List of bands from Wisconsin
- List of Wisconsin state parks
- Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
- List of Wisconsin railroads
- Wisconsin Local History Collection
- Scouting in Wisconsin
- List of Wisconsin counties
- List of cities in Wisconsin
- List of villages in Wisconsin
- List of towns in Wisconsin
- List of Wisconsin rivers
References
- James K. Conant. Wisconsin Politics And Government: America's Laboratory of Democracy (2006)
- Richard Current, Wisconsin: A History (2001)
- Larry Gara; A Short History of Wisconsin 1962
- Holmes, Fred L. Wisconsin (5 vols., Chicago, 1946), detailed popular history and many biographies
- Robert C. Nesbit, Wisconsin: A History (rev. ed. 1989)
- Quaife, Milo M. Wisconsin, Its History and Its People, 1634-1924 (4 vols., 1924), detailed popular history & biographies
- Raney, William Francis. Wisconsin: A Story of Progress (1940),
- Arthur H. Robinson and J. B. Culver, ed., The Atlas of Wisconsin (1974)
- I. Vogeler, Wisconsin: A Geography (1986);
- WPA, Wisconsin: A Guide to the Badger State 1941; detailed guide to every town and city, and cultural history
see additional books at History of Wisconsin
Notes
External links
Dictionary definitions from Wiktionary
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Quotations from Wikiquote
Source texts from Wikisource
Images and media from Commons
News stories from Wikinews
- State of Wisconsin
- Wisconsin state symbols
- Wisconsin Department of Tourism
- U.S. Census Bureau
- Wisconsin Court System
- Wisconsin State Legislature
- Wisconsin Historical Society
- The State of Wisconsin Collection from the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center
- Can Wisconsin Pick a Presidential Candidate, or What?
- Wisconsin's Name: Where It Came From and What It Means
- Wisconsin Employment Data
- Wisconsin Newspapers
- Wisconsin Electronic Reader
- Wisconsin Pioneer Experience
- Wisconsin Public Land Survey Records: Original Field Notes and Plat Maps
- Public Documents of the State of Wisconsin
- History of Wisconsin Agriculture and Rural Life.
- A History of Agriculture in Wisconsin, by Schafer, Joseph (1867-1941)
- Geology and Natural Resources of Wisconsin
- The Antiquities of Wisconsin by Increase A. Lapham.
- Wisconsin Historical Images