facts

* On the left (where the * is), is approximately where I live (about under the letter "A" in Lake).

*I live about 1 mile west of Lake St. Clair in the city of St. Clair Shores, which is about a 20 minutes away from Detroit and approximately 45 minutes from Port Huron. If you look at the map above, it would be located about where the "A" in the word lake is in Lake St. Clair.

Michigan: The Great Lakes State
Capital City: Lansing
Michigan was the 26th state in the USA, it became a state on January 26, 1837
Largest City - Detroit
State Bird - Robin
State Tree - White Pine
State Flower - Apple Blossom
Bordering States - Wisconsin,Ohio,Indiana,Minnesota (across Lake Superior)
Bordering Country - Canada
Area - 96,810 square miles [Michigan is the 11th biggest state in the USA]
Population - 9,938,444 (as of 2000) Michigan is the eighth most populous state in the USA, after California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Ohio
Major Industries - car manufacturing, farming (corn, soybeans, wheat), timber, fishing
Major Rivers - Detroit River, Grand River, Kalamazoo River, St. Clair River, St. Marys River
Major Lakes - Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair*
Highest Point - Mt. Arvon - 1,978 feet (604 m) above sea level
Bordering States - Wisconsin,Ohio,Indiana,Minnesota (across Lake Superior)
Bordering Country - Canada
Origin of the Name Michigan - Michigan is from an Algonquian Chippewa Indian word "meicigama" that means "big sea wate" (referring to the Great Lakes)
State Nickname - Wolverine State
State Motto - "Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam, circum spice" [If you are seeking a pleasant peninsula, look around you]
We're the only State in the nation where you can look at your right hand and say "I live right here!" and pinpoint where you live! (Of course, that only applies if you live in the lower pennisula.

The State Flag

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1--"E Pluribus Unum."
These words come from our national motto meaning, "From many, one."

2--Below is the American Eagle, our national bird.
In his claws he holds three arrows and an olive branch with 13 olives. The arrows show that our nation is ready to defend its principles. The olive branch means we want peace. The olives stand for the first 13 states.

3--The shield is held by two animals representing Michigan...the elk on the left and the moose on the right.

4--"Tuebor," meaning, "I will defend," refers to Michigan's frontier position.

5--Michigan is on an international boundary, and the figure of the man shows his right hand raised in peace. The left hand holds a gun to say that although we love peace, we are ready to defend our state and nation.

6--"Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice" means, "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you."