IV

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. CON. RES. 75

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 13, 1998

Referred to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Honoring the sesquicentennial of Wisconsin statehood.

Whereas the land that comprises the State of Wisconsin has

been home to numerous Native American tribes for many

years;

Whereas Jean Nicolet, who was the first known European to

land in what was to become Wisconsin, arrived on the

shores of Green Bay in 1634;

Whereas Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet discovered the Mississippi River, one of the principal waterways

of North America, at Prairie du Chien on June 17, 1673;

Whereas Charles de Langlade founded at Green Bay the first

permanent European settlement in Wisconsin in 1764;

Whereas, before becoming a State, Wisconsin existed under

3 flags, becoming part of the British colonial territory

under the Treaty of Paris in 1763, part of the Province

of Quebec under the Quebec Act of 1774, and a territory
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of the United States under the Second Treaty of Paris

in 1783;

Whereas on July 3, 1836, the Wisconsin Territory was created from part of the Northwest Territory with Henry

Dodge as its first governor and Belmont as its first capital;

Whereas the city of Madison was chosen as the Wisconsin

Territory’s permanent capital in the fall of 1836 and construction on the Capitol Building began in 1837;

Whereas, pursuant to legislation signed by President James

K. Polk, Wisconsin joined the United States as the 30th

State on May 29, 1848;

Whereas members of Native American tribes have greatly

contributed to the unique culture and identity of Wisconsin by lending words from their languages to the names

of many places in the State and by sharing their customs

and beliefs with others who chose to make Wisconsin

their home;

Whereas the Wisconsin State Motto of ‘‘Forward’’ was adopted in 1851;

Whereas Chester Hazen built Wisconsin’s first cheese factory

in the town of Ladoga in 1864, laying the groundwork

for one of the State’s biggest industries;

Whereas Wisconsin established itself as a leader in recognizing the contributions of African Americans by being the

only State in the union to openly defy the Fugitive Slave

Law;

Whereas the first recognized Flag Day celebration in the

United States took place at Stony Hill School in

Waubeka, Wisconsin, on June 14, 1885;
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Whereas Wisconsin has sent 859,489 of its sons and daughters to serve the United States in the Civil War, the

Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II,

Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and Somalia;

Whereas 26,653 Wisconsinites have lost their lives serving in

the Armed Forces of the United States;

Whereas Wisconsin allowed African Americans the right to

vote as early as 1866 and adopted a public accommodation law as early as 1895;

Whereas on June 20, 1920, Wisconsin became the first State

to adopt the 19th Amendment, granting women the right

to vote;

Whereas in 1921 Wisconsin adopted a law establishing equal

rights for women;

Whereas Wisconsin celebrated the centennial of its statehood

on May 29, 1948;

Whereas many Wisconsinites have served the people of Wisconsin and the people of the United States and have contributed to the common good in a variety of capacities,

from inventor to architect, from furniture maker to Cabinet member, from brewer to Nobel Prize winner;

Whereas the State of Wisconsin enjoys a diverse cultural, racial, and ethnic heritage that mirrors that of the United

States;

Whereas May 29, 1998, marks the 150th anniversary of Wisconsin statehood; and

Whereas a stamp commemorating Wisconsin’s sesquicentennial will be issued by the United States Postal Service on

May 29, 1998: Now, therefore, be it
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1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives

2 concurring), That Congress—

3 (1) honors the proud history of Wisconsin state4 hood; and

5 (2) encourages all Wisconsinites to reflect on

6 the State’s distinguished past and look forward to

7 the State’s promising future.

8 SEC. 2. TRANSMITTAL OF CONCURRENT RESOLUTION.

9 Congress directs the Secretary of the Senate to trans10 mit an enrolled copy of this concurrent resolution to each

11 member of the Wisconsin Congressional Delegation, the

12 Governor of Wisconsin, the National Archives, the State

13 Historical Society of Wisconsin, and the members of the

14 Wisconsin Sesquicentennial Commission.

Passed the Senate May 12, 1998.

Attest: GARY SISCO,

Secretary.