Wisconsin One of the periods of glaciation was also termed the Wisconsin glaciation. Wisconsin is the 23rd largest state of the United States, (54,314 square miles) and 18th greatest population (5,453,896 as of 2002). The state's name is an English version of a French adaptation of an Indian name said to mean "the place where we live." Wisconsin's natural beauty has made the state a favorite playground of the nation. Vacationers enjoy the state's clean lakes, rolling hills, quiet valleys, deep forests and cool, pine-scented breezes. So many Chicago residents own summer homes in upper-central Wisconsin (mainly between Wisconsin Dells and Adams-Friendship) that local residents nickname the area "Little Chicago". More affluent Chicago residents own lake-side summer homes on Lake Geneva in southeast Wisconsin. The winters are ideal for skating, skiing, snowmobiling and tobogganing. Many communities stage curling matches during the winter and others hold snowmobile derbies. Many annual events celebrate the state's rich ethnic heritage and diversity. Known as "The Dairy State", Wisconsin is mainly known for cheese. Wisconsinites humorously nickname themselves "Cheeseheads" and commonly wear orange foam hats that look like wedges of an orange Swiss cheese to sports events, concerts, and other public gatherings. In addition to cheese, Wisconsin is known for its beer, bratwursts, cranberries and many festivals, such as Summerfest and the EAA Oshkosh Airshow. USS Wisconsin was named in honor of this state. Wisconsin's political history encompasses, on the one hand, Fighting Bob La Follette and the Progressive movement; and on the other, Joe McCarthy, the anti-communist "witch-hunter" of 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. During the 2004 presidential election, Wisconsin was considered a "swing" state due to its residents being relatively equally split between voting for candidates in the Democratic Party and Republican Party. The state just barely (About 14,000 Votes) went for the Democratic presidential candidate in 2004, who lost the national election. History Main Article: History of Wisconsin In 1634, Frenchman Jean Nicolet became Wisconsin's first European explorer. The French controlled the area until 1763, when it was ceded to the British. After the American Revolutionary War, Wisconsin was a part of the U.S.Northwest Territory. It was then governed as part of Indiana Territory, Illinois Territory, and Michigan Territory. Wisconsin Territory was organized on July 3, 1836 and became the 30th state on May 29, 1848. Law and Government The capital is Madison and the largest city is Milwaukee. Governors of Wisconsin Wisconsin State Legislature Wisconsin State Senate Wisconsin State Assembly Wisconsin Congressional Delegation List of U.S. Senators from Wisconsin Geography See: List of Wisconsin counties, List of cities in Wisconsin, List of villages in Wisconsin, List of towns in Wisconsin It is bordered by 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. Demographics According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2003, Wisconsin's population was estimated at 5,472,299 people. The racial makeup of the state is: 87.3% White 5.7% Black 3.6% Hispanic 1.7% Asian 0.9% American Indian 1.2% are mixed race The 5 largest ancestry groups in Wisconsin are German (42.6%), Irish (10.9%), Polish (9.3%), Norwegian (8.5%), English (6.5%) The 5 largest religious denominations in Wisconsin are Roman Catholic (30%), Lutheran (24%), Methodist (7%), Baptist (6%), "Christian" (5%). 15% of the population is nonreligious. 6.4% of Wisconsin's population were reported as under 5, 25.5% under 18, and 13.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.6% of the population. Important cities and villages Cities and villages are incorporated urban areas in Wisconsin. Towns are unincorporated minor civil divisions of counties. Cities in Wisconsin with population of 50,000 or more as of 2000 include: Milwaukee, pop. 596,125 (1,500,741 in metropolitan area) Madison - pop. 208,856, state capital, flagship campus of University of Wisconsin Green Bay, pop. 102,263, home of Green Bay Packers football team Kenosha, pop. 90,625, considered part of the greater "Chicagoland" area Racine, pop. 81,703 Appleton, pop. 70,232 Waukesha, pop. 65,092 Oshkosh, pop. 63,325 Eau Claire, pop. 61,792 Janesville, pop. 60,294 West Allis, pop. 60,254 La Crosse, pop. 51,907 Other cities include: Wisconsin, showing rivers and roads Antigo, pop. 8,560 Baraboo, pop. 10,717, home of Circus World Museum Beloit, pop. 35,821, home of Beloit College Portage, pop. 9,728, birthplace of Frederick Jackson Turner, Zona Gale Ripon birthplace of the Republican Party, 1854 Stevens Point, pop. 24,539, home of the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame, commemorating Aldo Leopold, John Muir, and others Superior, pop. 27,389 Waterloo, pop. 3,259, home to the headquarters of one of the world's largest bicycle manufacturers, Trek Bicycle Corporation Watertown site of the first kindergarten in the United States Wausau, pop. 38,469 Wisconsin Dells, pop. 2,418 (approx. 4,000 including Lake Delton) popular resort area, home of Tommy Bartlett's thrill shows and numerous hotels and themeparks. Sobieski, pop 250 Abrams, pop 300 Badger State State Animal: badger State Domesticated Animal: Dairy Cow State Beverage: Milk State Bird: Robin State Capital: Madison State Fish: Muskellunge State Flower: Wood Violet State Insect: Honeybee State Motto: Forward State Song: "On Wisconsin" State Tree: Sugar Maple State Mineral: Galena (Lead sulphide) State Rock: Red Granite State Soil: Antigo Silt Loam State Dance: Polka Education Colleges and universities Alverno College Beloit College Cardinal Stritch College Carroll College Carthage College Concordia University Wisconsin Edgewood College Lakeland College Lawrence University Maranatha Baptist Bible College Marian College of Fond du Lac Marquette University Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee School of Engineering Mount Mary College Mount Senario College Nashotah House Northland College Ripon College St. Norbert College Silver Lake College University of Wisconsin System UW-Eau Claire UW-Green Bay UW-La Crosse UW-Madison UW-Milwaukee UW-Oshkosh UW-Parkside UW-Platteville UW-River Falls UW-Stevens Point UW-Stout UW-Superior UW-Whitewater UW Colleges Viterbo College Wisconsin Lutheran College Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology Wisconsin became a state in 1848 Professional sports teams Milwaukee Brewers, Major League Baseball Milwaukee Bucks, National Basketball Association Green Bay Packers, National Football League Minor League Baseball Teams Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Beloit Snappers Madison Mallards United Soccer Leagues Milwaukee Wave United (dormant for 2005) Miscellaneous information List of people from Wisconsin List of television stations in Wisconsin List of Wisconsin state parks Territory of Wisconsin Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference External links http://www.wisconsin.gov/ U.S. Census Bureau FAVORITE ARTICLES: History of the World    History of the United States    History of Europe    Ancient History    History    Military History    World War I    Bombing of Dresden    California    US Constitution    Frank Sinatra    Boston    Marbury v. 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