WISCONSIN—PAST AND PRESENT
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on any of the following words to learn about Wisconsin. You may go to them in any order, but you must visit ALL the sites. The Kids's Page is your reward for finishing the other sections!! Have fun!! 
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Forecast |
History of Wisconsin |
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State Symbols |
State Map |
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State Song |
Kid's Page |
To preview the summary
questions, click here.Wisconsin History
Wisconsin was first inhabited by varied Indian tribes in the 17th century. They included the Algonquian-speaking Menominee, Kickapoo, Miami, the Siouan-speaking Winnebago, Dakota (or Sioux) and Iowa. In the mid-1600's other groups entered Wisconsin, including the Fox, Sac, Potawatomi and Ojibewa (Chippewa).
Jean Nicolet, a native of France, was the first explorer to reach the area while searching for the Northwest Passage to China in 1634. The French lost possession of Wisconsin and all of it's territories east of the Mississippi to Great Britain during the French and Indian War.
British possession of Wisconsin ended in 1783, when Britain signed the treaty ending the American Revolution. Because the U.S. government had no effective control over Wisconsin, it remained under unofficial British control. Fur trade continued as the foundation of Wisconsin's economy.
The first wave of American settlers in Wisconsin came in the 1820's as a result of a lead mining boom in northwest Illinois and southwest Wisconsin. The movement of white settlers into the Midwest caused intense conflict when the federal government and settlers attempted to move Native Americans from their lands. Federal policies included uprooting entire tribes and forcing them to resettle west of the Mississippi. When the Sac people tried to return in 1832, the Black Hawk war started ending in the Bad Axe Massacre with less than 1000 Native Americans surviving. Other Wisconsin tribes either left the area, or negotiated reservation lands.
No longer having opposition from the Native Americans, a second wave of settlers came to Wisconsin and in 1836 the Wisconsin Territory was organized. Around the 1840's a third wave of settlers came to Wisconsin, attracted by good farmland. At that time the state became the nation's leading wheat producer. On May 29, 1848, Wisconsin was admitted to the Union as the 30th state.
The Current Weather in Wisconsin and even Hortonville!!
STATE SYMBOLS
WISCONSIN STATE FLAG
An official design for Wisconsin's state flag was initially provided by the legislature in 1863. Until that date, a flag had not been adopted and Civil war regiments in the field were requesting flags.
Coat of Arms
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Forward: State Motto Badger: (under Forward) State Animal Sailor and Miner: Jobs held on both land and water Shield: Wisconsin's support for the U.S. In the shield are the 4 main industries. They are Agriculture, mining, manufacturing and navigation. Cornucopia: represents farm products Pile of lead: represents minerals |
State Motto
FORWARD:
Adopted in 1851 and represents that Wisconsin will always be looking to the future for the betterment of the state.
STATE ANIMAL
Badger
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Adopted: June 20, 1957 The early European settlers were called badgers because they lived in their excavations after they added makeshift roofs or walls to complete them. They also mined or "dug" for their livelihood. |
State Beverage
Milk
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Wisconsin was the leading producer of milk until California took the lead in the 1990's. Wisconsin is still the leader of production in cheesemaking. |
State Bird
Robin
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The robin was elected the state bird by a youth committee set up in 1948 for Wisconsin's Centennial. The children thought the robin was most fitting because it brought glad tidings of spring and the re-awakening of Nature's beauties after a cold winter. |
State Dog
American Water Spaniel
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The American Water Spaniel was chosen as the state dog because it is one of only five dog breeds native to the United States and the only one native to Wisconsin. |
State Domesticated Animal
Holstein Dairy Cow
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The holstein was adopted as Wisconsin's official domesticated animal because of its great contributions to the state. We are known as "America's Dairylan." |
State Fish
Muskellunge (Musky)
State Flower
Wood Violet
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Wisconsin's school children voted the wood violet as the official state flower in 1908. It was not passed as the state flower, though, until Wisconsin's Centennial Celebration. |
State Tree
Sugar Maple
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The sugar maple was elected as the state tree by a committee of school children during the Centennial celebration in 1948, along with the state bird and flower. It was also won during a vote in 1893, but was never officially elected. |
State Wildlife Animal
White-tailed Deer
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The people of northern Wisconsin wanted the white-tailed deer as the state animal. To keep all the people of Wisconsin happy, the legislature voted it as the "State Wildlife Animal", keeping the badger as the "State Animal." |
To find out more about the state's fossil, grain, insect, mineral, rock, and soil,
click here. Be sure to scan down the page to the state symbol section. When you're ready to come back to this page, click back in the tool bar.
State Song
"On Wisconsin"
Click here to see the verse. Scan down to the State Symbols to "Song".
State
MapClick here to go to the state map.
Kid's Page
This internet connection has a lot of fun activities for kids to explore on Wisconsin. After you have finished the other sections, go to the Kid's Page.
Click here to find out what it's all about!!Summary Questions
Find these answers on this Web Page. Put your answers on another sheet of paper. Don't forget to number your work.
Good-Bye!!
