Wisconsin
Wisconsin (
IPA pronunciation:
is a
state in the
United States, located in the
Midwest.
The rural economy was originally based on furs, then, later in the 19th century, on lumber, farming, dairy, and tourism.
Industrialization began in the late 19th century in the southeast, with
Milwaukee as the major center. In recent decades service industries, especially medicine and education, have become dominant.
The state has been ethnically
heterogeneous since its founding.
New Englanders arrived first and long dominated industry, finance, politics and education. Large numbers of
Germans arrived between 1850 and 1900, centering in
Milwaukee, but also settling in 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 mostly came to the cities. After 1900,
Polish immigrants came to Milwaukee, followed by
African Americans from 1940 on.
Politically, the state was a Republican, pro-Union stronghold during the
Civil War. Ethno-religious issues regarding schools split the Republican coalition briefly in 1890. From 1900 to the 1940s,
Robert La Follette and his sons dominated state politics first through the
Republican Party and then their own
Progressive Party. Since 1945, the state has maintained a close balance between the Republicans and
Democrats. The Republicans put forth conservative-to-moderate Governor
Tommy Thompson in the 1980s and 1990s, while the Democrats have produced liberal Senator
Russ Feingold in 1992.
[Conant ch 1; Barone and Cohen; Pearce ]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.
[Public land offices, and settlement.] 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 â€" many of them immigrants from
Cornwall,
England â€" 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.
In the 1830-60 period large numbers of Yankees from New England and New York flocked to Wisconsin. Some became farmers but most settled in towns or cities where they set up businesses, banks, schools, factories and voluntary societies. They created many Congregational, Presbyterian and Methodist churches that still exist. The Yankee element created the Republican party in 1854--the first local meeting in the country came in Ripon. They gave strong support to the Civil War effort, as well as to reforms such as abolition, woman suffrage and, especially, prohibition.
Even larger numbers of Germans arrived, so that the state became over one-third German. Most became farmers, especially known for the dairy industry. Others moved to Milwaukee and smaller cities setting up breweries and becoming craftsmen, machinists and skilled workers who were in high demand as the state industrialized. The Germans were split along religious lines. Most Germans were Catholic or Lutheran, with some Lutherans forming the
Wisconsin Synod and others joining the
Missouri Synod. The Catholics and Lutherans created their own network of parochial schools, through grade 8. Smaller numbers of Germans were Methodists, Jews, or anticlerical liberals (especially intellectual refugees). Politically they tended toward the Democratic party, but 30-40% voted Republican. Whenever the Republicans seemed to support prohibition they shifted somewhat toward the Democrats. When nativist Republicans led by governor
William Hoard passed the
Bennett Law in 1889 that would shut down German language schools, both Catholic and Lutheran, they revolted and helped elect the Democrats in 1890. In World War I, German culture came under heavy attack in Wisconsin. Senator LaFollette became their protector and Germans strongly supported his wing of the Republican party after that.
Scandinavians comprised the third largest ethnic block, with Norwegians, Danes, Swedes and Finns becoming farmers and lumberjacks in the western and northern districts. A large Danish settlement in Racine gave the only large urban presence. The great majority were Lutheran, of various synods. The Scandinavians supported prohibition and voted Republican; in the early 20th century the were the backbone of the LaFollette movement. Irish Catholics came to Milwaukee and Madison and smaller cities as railroad workers. They quickly became prominent in local government and in the Democratic party. They wrestled with the German Catholics for control of the Catholic church in the state.
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 Riverway |
Wisconsin Population Density Map |
The state has always been ethnically
heterogeneous. Large numbers of
Germans arrived between 1850 and 1900, centering in
Milwaukee, but also settling in 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 mostly came to the cities. After 1900,
Polish immigrants came to Milwaukee, followed by
African Americans from 1940 on.
| Historical populations |
|---|
Census
year | Population |
|---|
|
| 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.
Race and ancestry
The racial/ethnic makeup of the state:
*87.3%
White, not of Hispanic origin
*5.7%
Black*3.6%
Hispanic of any race
*1.7%
Asian*1.2%
Two or more races*0.9%
Native AmericanThe five largest ancestry groups in Wisconsin are:
German (42.6%),
Irish (10.9%),
Polish (9.3%),
Norwegian (8.5%),
English (6.5%)
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,
Stevens Point,
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 â€" 85%
**
Protestant â€" 55%
***
Lutheran â€" 23%
***
Methodist â€" 7%
***
Baptist â€" 6%
***
Presbyterian â€" 2%
***
United Church of Christ â€" 2%
***Other Protestant or general Protestant â€" 15%
**
Roman Catholic â€" 29%
**Other Christian â€" 1%
*Other Religions â€" 1%
*Non-Religious â€" 14%
According to the 2004 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Wisconsin'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,
healthcare 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.
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,
Oshkosh Truck, 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.
Healthcare is a growing sector of the economy with key players such as
Tomotherapy and
GE Healthcare.
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.
The capital is
Madison and the largest city is
Milwaukee.The current governor of Wisconsin is
Jim Doyle.
See also:*
Wisconsin Constitution*
Governors of Wisconsin*
Wisconsin State Legislature**
Wisconsin State Senate**
Wisconsin State Assembly*
Wisconsin Supreme Court*
U.S. Congressional Delegations from Wisconsin** List of
U.S. Senators from WisconsinPolitics
Much of the state's political history involved coalitions among different ethnic 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.
Wisconsin has a strong progressive tradition dating to the governorship of
Robert M. La Follette, Sr. in the early 1900s and his
state Progressive Party. However the conservatives have also been strong, as the state has been polarized between left and right for over a century. In the early 20th century the Socialist party had a base in Milwaukee; it faded out in the 1950s. William Proxmire, a Democratic Senator (1957-89) dominated the Democratic party for years; he was best known forr attacking waste and fraud in federal spending. Since the anti-Vietnam movement in the late 1960s, the university community in Madison has supported a left-wing Democratic party, known for support for gay rights and environmentalism. In 1982 sexual orientation was added by the state legislature as a protected category under existing anti-discrimination laws. Democrat
Russ Feingold was the only senator to vote against the
Patriot Act in 2001, and Democrat
Tammy Baldwin from Madison is the only openly lesbian U.S. Representative.
The state has supported Democrats in the last five presidential contests. However both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections were close, with Wisconsin receiving heavy doses of national advertising because it was a "swing" or
pivot state. Democrats Al Gore carried the presidential vote in 2000 by only 5,700 votes, John Kerry in 2004 by 14,000 votes. Republican have strongholds in suburban areas, while Democrats dominate some rural areas and inner cities of the
Madison and
Milwaukee metropolitan urban centers.
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 22nd-largest city in the country[
1], 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.
 |
Wisconsin, showing rivers and roads |
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)
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,
Beloit College,and
Lawrence 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 WisconsinWisconsin 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".
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 Packers 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.
Wisconsin has sister-state relationships with the Germany's
Hesse, Japan's
Chiba Prefecture, Mexico's
Jalisco, China's
Heilongjiang, and
Nicaragua.
[[2]]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.
*
List of people from Wisconsin*
List of counties in Wisconsin*
List of cities in Wisconsin*
List of towns in Wisconsin*
List of villages in Wisconsin*
List of Wisconsin state parks*
List of Wisconsin rivers*
List of Wisconsin numbered highways*
List of Wisconsin railroads*
List of television stations in Wisconsin*
Wisconsin Local History Collection*
Scouting in Wisconsin*
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference* Michael Barone and Richard E. Cohen.
The Almanac of American Politics, 2006 (2005)
* 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)
* Pearce, Neil.
The Great Lakes States of America (1980)
* 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 historysee additional books at
History of Wisconsin''
*
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
UW 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 Historical Images*
MissPronouncer.com, pronunciations of Wisconsin places]
*
Wiconsin State Facts 
