Michigan (USA)

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The State of Michigan is the 20th state of the United States of America since 806 AD. It rests upon the Great Lakes Peninsula, from the straits of Mackinac to the Toledo Strip, in the midwest region. Its' capital is Lansing, however the largest city is Detroit.

## State of Michigan

### Motto

"Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice"

### Ethnic groups

English - 87.6%, Creolé - 11.4%, North African - 1.2%

### Official Religion(s)

Secular; Protestant Christianity (De Facto)

### Minority Religion(s)

Catholic Christianity, various unrecognized native religions

### Government

Republic; federal state of the United States of America

## History

Before the arrival of *English Colonialism*, the area known of Michigan was inhabited by the Iroquois people. It was assembled as a territory before reaching statehood along with Ohio, the 19th state.

### Before Statehood (Great Lakes Territory / Ohio Territory)

The Ohio Territory, also known as the Great Lakes Territory, was established in 803 AD as apart of the act of the Ohio Organic Act. President Andrew Spindell, with approval of the Senate, selected General Hein Vosmeijer as Military Governor of the Ohio Territory.

The choice to place the Ohio Territory under military rule, rather than civilian, sprouted from aggressive attacks by Native Americans living just west of the Ohio River on white settlers. The capital of the young territory would now be the town of Marietta, where the Muskingum River enters the Ohio River. General Meijer would immediately assemble a Militia at Marietta, using recruits from the nearby Virginian towns of Elizabeth and Harrisville.

**Battle of Wayne Forest**

The previously mentioned native attacks were located in Wayne Forest, where members of the Iroquois' people would attack white settlers traveling the various trails to Lake Eerie. General Meijer had direct orders from General Spindell to squash any native resistance and establish an expedition to the Great Lakes, known as the *Wayne Decree.*

General Meijer dispatched from Marietta with his Militia west to Wayne Forest, following the Turkeyhen Run for direction.

### Election of Aron T. Stanley

The Election of Governor Stanley was one of the most important events of early Michigan history. He and the Whig party set events in motion that would later lead to the Michigan Anarchist Crisis.

## State Government

The government of Michigan is the same as every other state, as per federal law.

### Local Government Composition

    Counties are the most relevant form of Local Government within a state, headed by a council of "County Electives" rather than a single person. Within these counties are municipalities, incorporated or not. Simply, these are roles that cities and towns hold to define settlements and preform their own duties. Examples of municipalities are cities like Detroit and Grand Rapids.

     Counties have defined borders of governing whereas municipalities are more compact and restricted in their are of governance. A border of a municipality is more diverse as it grows with the city. Counties are pre-planned, though may change. This is a federal standard.

     Michigan counties were originally named by frontiersmen such as Henry Montello during the foundation of the Michigan government. Some names were easy picks such as Detroit and Lansing. As more white settlers came into Michigan, Michigan met the requirement to become an official state of the Union. A problem, however, were the names. Some counties were named after local leaders, or nearby landmarks and geography.

### Insignia and symbols

*Name*

     Simply put, Michigan means "Big Lake". Michigan is a peninsula bordered by 3 large lakes, known as the 'Great Lakes' due to their exceptional size on the American Continent. The exact name of Michigan evolved out of a French mistranslation of the Ojibwe word 'mishigami'. A group of French settlers carried this name back to the Thirteen English Colonies as apart of their expedition to the Great Lakes. It was established as an official name for the region a year later, then simplified to the peninsula.

*Flag*

     Michigan law calls for the flag to be a coat of arms erected upon a background of dark blue. The state coat of arms depicts a blue shield, upon which the sun rises over a lake and peninsula, and a man with a raised hand representing peace and holding a long gun representing the fight for state and nation as a frontier state. The governor has the same flag but with the dark blue replaced with white.

     Beside the shield are two similar animals; an elk and moose which are common of the Michigan wildlife. Three words in Latin can be seen:

"E Pluribus Unum," means "Out of many, one," the motto of the USA.

"Tuebor," means "I will defend."

"Si Quæris Peninsulam Amœnam Circumspice," means "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you." the official state motto.

*Seal*

      The seal of Michigan uses the Coat of Arms from the flag, except with a light blue background inside of a circle, around which appear the words 'great seal of the state of Michigan, A.D. DCCCVI'.

      The seal and flag were codified when Michigan was admitted into the Union, as per Federal Law. A state anthem has not been ever created, nor has an attempt to.

### List of Michigan Governors

**Before Statehood**

* Hein Vosmeijer [Acting General]

**After Statehood**

[WIP]