Michigan

A History of Explorers, Entrepreneurs, and Everyday People

Paperback : 9780472051908, 448 pages, 108 B&W Illustrations, 6 x 9, December 2013
Ebook : 9780472028870, 448 pages, 108 B&W illustrations, January 2014
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An engaging new history of the Great Lakes State

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Table of Contents

Introduction-ix

1. First residents-1
2. The French Presence-11
3. The British Take Control-28
4. Michigan Becomes American-47
5. Settling the "Land of Ills"-67
6. Quest for Statehood-88
7. Building a State-104
8. The Fight against Slavery-117
9. The Civil War-132
10. Logging the Forests-156
11. Mining Michigan-174
12. Turn of the Century-194
13. Birth of the Automobile-214
14. World War I-236
15. The Raucous Twenties- 256
16. The Great Depression and Growth of Labor-274
17. World War II-297
18. Postwar Michigan and the Turbulent 1960s-319

19. 1970s and Beyond-344

Postscript-367
End-notes-373 
Index-411
Photo Credits-435

Description

The history of Michigan is a fascinating story of breathtaking geography enriched by an abundant water supply, of bold fur traders and missionaries who developed settlements that grew into major cities, of ingenious entrepreneurs who established thriving industries, and of celebrated cultural icons like the Motown sound. It is also the story of the exploitation of Native Americans, racial discord that resulted in a devastating riot, and ongoing tensions between employers and unions. Michigan: A History of Explorers, Entrepreneurs, and Everyday People recounts this colorful past and the significant role the state has played in shaping the United States. Well-researched and engagingly written, the book spans from Michigan’s geologic formation to important 21st-century developments in a concise but detailed chronicle that will appeal to general readers, scholars, and students interested in Michigan’s past, present, and future.

Roger L. Rosentreter is Visiting Professor in the Department of History at Michigan State University, where he specializes in the history of the U.S. Civil War. He is the former editor of Michigan History magazine and author of Seeking Lincoln in Michigan.

The Nature Conservancy: http://www.nature.org/