• Transcends time and place,
  • Helps students understand and explain causal relationships in history,
  • Influences many subsequent events,
  • Affects a large number of people,
  • Helps us discern patterns to explain the world around us,
  • Has many clear and related examples,
  • Helps students see history from many different perspectives,
  • Helps students understand the past motivations and actions within the historical context of the time the event occurred, and
  • Illustrates that many different narratives or stories can be told in American and Michigan History.

Benchmark Alignment: I.1LE2, I.2LE1, I.3LE1, I.4LE2, II.2LE3, II.2LE4, II.3LE1, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.4LE3, II.4LE5, IV.1LE1, IV.2LE1, IV.2LE3, IV.4LE3, IV.5LE3

Definition: Hopewell was the name given to an Indian culture that emerged in the lower Midwest around 500 BC. This culture spread to sites along the rivers of southwestern Michigan and is thought to be the first group to use agriculture to reduce their dependence on obtaining food by hunting and gathering activities. The Hopewell culture declined sometime after 700 AD.

Explanation: The archaeological evidence suggests that the Hopewell culture was the most advanced of all groups in the lower Great Lakes region at any time prior to the historical era. Their practice of mound building suggests a highly organized culture. No doubt these Native Americans had many interactions with other native cultures as they traded their products with other tribes near and far. This pre-historic culture provides some of the earliest known examples of cultural diffusion in North America.

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE.1, I.2LE3, I.3LE3, II.1LE2, II.2LE4, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.5LE1, III.5LE2, IV.4LE3

Definition: By the year 1600, the three tribes living in Michigan before Europeans arrived were the Ojibwa (also called Chippewa), Ottawa and Potawatomi. It is believed that these people migrated to this area from the Northeast coast of North America. But, they may also be descendants of prehistoric peoples who lived in what is now Michigan for thousands of years.

Explanation: We do not know exactly why the Anishinabeg migrated, but it is speculated that it was to escape war, follow seasons, or find better hunting and fishing conditions, thus exposing them to different native cultures (burial mounds & religion), improved tools (use of pottery, metals, canoes, snow shoes, weapons), sustainable food source (farming), better garments (weaving), and luxuries (beads, tobacco, alcohol, musical instruments, cooking vessels). This intermingling of cultures and technologies altered their way of life when integrated and changed the social environment of Michigan natives, even in the pre-settlement times.

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE.1, I.2LE3, I.3LE3, II.1LE2, II.2LE4, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.5LE1, III.5LE2, IV.4LE3

Definition: The Huron or Wyandot Indians were the only representatives of the Iroquois linguistic group living in eastern Michigan and the Georgian Bay area. They are believed to have been the most numerous of the upper Great Lakes tribes. The Huron were probably the most agriculturally oriented of all the Native American tribes in the region at the time of first contact with Europeans.

Explanation: The Huron were probably one of the first tribes the French met in Canada. Culturally they were the most advanced tribe in the region by European standards. Their ability to cultivate crops for food allowed them to live in relatively large villages with a high degree of community and tribal organization. Their involvement with the French in the fur trade made cultural differences between these two worlds stand out. The French introduced many tools and weapons unknown to the Huron. It was only a matter of time before the new products and beliefs introduced by the French would change the way of life of the Huron forever.

back to top

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE.1, I.2LE3, I.3LE3, II.1LE2, II.2LE4, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.5LE1, III.5LE2, IV.4LE3

Definition: Father Jacques Marquette (1638 - 1675), was probably the most famous Jesuit missionary to work with native people in Michigan. He came to convert Native Americans to Catholicism and explore the wilderness described by other French explorers and missionaries.

Explanation: French explorers' interests focused on trade and exploration rather than settlement and domination. The religious enthusiasm of the French missionaries, typified by Marquette, was yet another force that drove some Frenchmen into the interior of the Great Lakes region. Through their close contact, the French were able to impose their religious views on some native peoples and made the exchange of European ideas and technological innovations among native peoples inevitable.

Benchmark Alignment: I.1LE2, I.2LE1, I.3LE1, I.4LE2, II.2LE3, II.2LE4, II.3LE1, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.4LE3, II.4LE5, IV.1LE1, IV.2LE1, IV.2LE3, IV.4LE3, IV.5LE3

Definition: As French explorers penetrated the Great Lakes region they discovered many resources abundant in this area. French fishermen observed the native people wearing furs and a haphazard trade began between the French and Native Americans. At this time fur, especially beaver pelts were in high demand in Europe. By the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the fur trade was the mainstay of New Frances economy. The French and British engaged in a long series war in America at this time in part to determine who would control this lucrative trade in furs.

Explanation: European plans to exploit North American resources through the fur trade provides a clear example of human interactions with the environment. The growing demand for furs in Europe caused a marked depletion in the number of fur bearing animals, especially beaver, in the Great Lakes regions. It is estimated that there were about ten million beavers in this region when the Europeans arrived, but by the end of seventeenth century Cadillac reported that beavers were rare around the Straits of Mackinac.

Benchmark Alignment: III.1LE1, IV.3LE3, VI.2LE1

Definition: In the midst of a series of wars between England and France, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac proposed that a French colony be established somewhere along Le Detroit (the Narrows). Detroits location was of strategic importance because it was the only water passage to Lake Erie from Lake Huron. On July 24, 1701 Cadillac and his men landed at the site that would become Detroit and immediately began to build Fort Ponchatrain. Toward the end of the French and Indian War British forces took control of this outpost from the French, and it was not until 1796 that the United States took charge of this frontier town.

Explanation: At the time of its founding, Detroit was valued more for its military importance than for the economic reasons that had earlier prompted the establishment of fur-trading centers. Its strategic location made Detroit an inevitable zone of conflict. Cadillac, however, had envisioned a permanent settlement where farming might provide a needed resource for the area. Under his leadership the French created ribbon farms along the Detroit River, to attract settlers and created conditions that several Indian tribes found attractive. This posthole allows students to study many examples of conflict and cooperation. For example, the founding of Detroit began a brief era of cooperation between the French and Native Americans in the region. Detroit was a key staging area for many military actions that were required to maintain France's claims to this territory and battles that took place during the French and Indian War.

back to top

Benchmark Alignment: I.3LE2, I.4LE1, I.4LE2, III.2LE2, VI.1LE2, VI.1LE3

Definition: Chief Pontiac initiated the most formidable native American uprising that united the Native Americans of the Great Lakes area by leading a battle and a siege that lasted for 153 days. in an attempt to expel the British from Detroit. While the attempt to take control of Detroit eventually failed, Pontiac's Rebellion ignited anti-British sentiment among Native American's which in turn gave Britain an excuse to fortify America with 120,000 British troops, limit migration into the western frontier, and better control American dissenters in the East.

Explanation: Pontiac's Rebellion provides an excellent example of how the conflicting needs of different people can lead to confrontation with wide ranging consequences. It also suggests efforts that might have been made on the part of the British to avoid war with the Ottawa and the other conflicts this siege of Detroit inspired. This one event drastically changed policies of the British Crown with respect to Native American tribes in an effort to regain cooperation with those groups. These policies in turn would hasten the onset of another conflict, the American Revolution.

Benchmark Alignment: III.1LE1, IV.3LE3, VI.2LE1

Definition: The Proclamation of 1763 was issued by British authorities to reserve all lands west of the Alleghenies for the Indians. Purchase of Indian lands could then only be made through imperial agents. This Proclamation nullified claims to this land by several of the American colonies. This then became one of the primary causes for the tension between Great Britain and its colonies that led to the American Revolution.

Explanation: While meant as a temporary measure to reduce hostilities between the British and Native Americans in the Great Lakes region, the Proclamation of 1763 only introduced new problems for the British. Provisions of the Proclamation regulated the fur trade in ways that angered many traders. It also left the entire Great Lakes region under military rule. This provides a good example of how a policy designed to establish cooperation between two groups of people can lead to conflict between others.

Benchmark Alignment: I.1LE2, I.2LE1, I.3LE1, I.4LE2, II.2LE3, II.2LE4, II.3LE1, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.4LE3, II.4LE5, IV.1LE1, IV.2LE1, IV.2LE3, IV.4LE3, IV.5LE3

Definition: During the American Revolution, a new British commander at Fort Michilimackinac, Major Patrick Sinclair, decided to relocate the fort at the Straits to Mackinac Island. Between 1779 and 1781 the new fort was built on the south side of Mackinac Island to prepare for a possible American attack.

Explanation: As it turns out Americans never attacked this outpost during the Revolutionary War. At the end of that war a question remained as to where the boundary between Canada and the United States would be located. During peace negotiations the British selected a boundary through the middle of the Great Lakes and their connecting waterways. This was important to the British authorities because it allowed them to continue the fur trade in the region along with other commercial interests.

The fort on Mackinac Island provided a base of operations for fur trading companies in that area. After the American Revolution the fur trade at Detroit declined, but at Mackinac Island the volume of trade continued to be high. The treaty to end the Revolutionary war included provisions for withdrawing troops from this and other western posts. The British however, wanted to retain control of commerce in this area and would capture this island fort again during the War of 1812.

back to top

Benchmark Alignment: III.1LE1, IV.3LE3, VI.2LE1

Definition: In 1787 the Northwest Ordinance established a fair and orderly procedure through which areas of the Northwest Territory could achieve the equality of statehood and self-government.

Explanation: The Northwest Ordinance was the fulfillment of the visionary ideas expressed by the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. By demanding that the original 13 states cede back most of their 'claimed territory' and establish firm state borders, Congressional power was established, thus creating a legal system for equity among states. It established specific procedures for the territories to achieve statehood and guaranteed their residents all the same rights as existing states. It encouraged funding of public schools by the sale of federal lands. Slavery was banned, (because Virginia, wanting to discourage migration of her citizens into the frontier, suggested that slavery be prohibited in the new states), however, federal law allowed any new state to legalize slavery by a vote, and both Indiana and Illinois almost did.

Michigan was first a part of the Northwest Territory, then as a corner of the Indiana Territory, and from 1805 to 1837 the Michigan Territory that grew to extend beyond to the Missouri River.

The Northwest Ordinance provides a good example of how widely held ideas, values, and beliefs of one historical period become formalized as part of our social structure.

Benchmark Alignment: III.1LE1, IV.3LE3, VI.2LE1

Definition: On April 30, 1802 Congress passed an act that allowed Ohio to set up a state government. This created a situation in the Old Northwest that was looked upon with disfavor by the people who had settled in the Detroit area. A petition asking that what was then called Wayne County (a political area that covered almost all of the present state of Michigan) be declared a separate territory was sent to Congress. Congress passed an act that would establish Michigan as a separate territory. This act was approved by President Jefferson on January 11, 1805 and would take effect on June 30 1805.

Explanation: The way in which Michigan becomes a territory shows how values, beliefs, political ideas and institutions shaped our state. The decisions to define Ohios northern border as prescribed in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was partly political in nature. The Jeffersonian Democrats in Washington believed that they would have a better chance to carry Ohio in the next election if voters from Detroit were not included. Ironically it was a petition from the members of Jeffersons own party in Michigan that paved the way for Michigan to become a separate political territory.

Benchmark Alignment: I.3LE2, I.4LE1, I.4LE2, III.2LE2, VI.1LE2, VI.1LE3

Definition: On June 18, 1812 Congress declared war on Great Britain. On December 24, 1814 the Treaty of Ghent was signed to restore a tenuous peace between Britain and the United States.

Explanation: While the United States gained title to all of what would become present day Michigan with the treaty of 1783 it would take 13 more years to occupy the fort at Detroit and Mackinac Island. Even after 1796, it was clear that the British controlled the fur trade on the Great Lakes. There was also evidence that they were supporting Indian resistance against Americans. These factors and British violation of American rights at sea precipitated yet another conflict between a fledgling nation and the greatest navel power on earth. During the opening months of this war Britain retakes both Detroit and Mackinac Island. A decisive navel battle on Lake Erie by Oliver Hazard Perrys fleet would put control of the great lakes back in the hands of Americans and would allow William Henry Harrisons forces to recapture Detroit and ultimately defeat the British at the Battle of Thames in 1813. But, it was the destruction of a British fleet that had been supporting an invasion force at the Battle of Lake Champlain the following year that effectively broke the will of a war weary Great Britain.

back to top

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE.1, I.2LE3, I.3LE3, II.1LE2, II.2LE4, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.5LE1, III.5LE2, IV.4LE3

Definition: The opening of the Erie Canal addressed the demand for labor by the manufacturing centers of Michigan, and attracted people from across the rural United States and Europe.

Explanation: People came to Michigan from the Great Lakes region, the lower Middle West, the upper South, the Gulf states, and Europe. They brought with them their churches, their accents, their customs, and their social attitudes to enrich and improve the state. The stories of these people, from so many different walks of life, help us understand the diversity of our state. This in turn will help students understand the factors that brought about many important social changes in Michigan.

Benchmark Alignment: I.1LE2, I.2LE1, I.3LE1, I.4LE2, II.2LE3, II.2LE4, II.3LE1, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.4LE3, II.4LE5, IV.1LE1, IV.2LE1, IV.2LE3, IV.4LE3, IV.5LE3

Definition: In the decades leading up to statehood, Michigan was the most popular destination for westward moving pioneers. Plentiful timber for building and heating and the abundance of tracts of fertile prairie lands made southern Michigan an ideal location for a new start and for improving one's lot in life.

Explanation: Pioneer life was fraught with hardships brought on because of the isolation of this lifestyle and lack of modern tools and convinces we take for granted today. The pioneer had to survive with little help from the outside world. Their first priority was to find shelter and secure the bare essentials that would help them live in the recently settled areas. Obtaining the variety of food to maintain a healthy diet was often a problem. The pioneer would often need to rely on what they could find in the wild for the necessities of life. Mosquitoes, lack of refrigeration, contaminated water and unpasteurized milk created conditions where life-threatening diseases were prevalent.

These harsh conditions made working together with neighbors an important part of pioneer life. What could not be created on the pioneers' farms soon became available in the small towns that sprang up to support this way of life. Steps taken to adapt to life on the frontier would shape future developments in Michigan.

Benchmark Alignment: I.3LE2, I.4LE1, I.4LE2, III.2LE2, VI.1LE2, VI.1LE3

Definition: Michigan's unwillingness to accept Ohios interpretation of their common boundary caused this non-violent "war" to occur. Michigan's border claim was supported by the 1787 Northwest Ordinance and the Michigan Territorial Act of 1805 that organized Michigan. Both of these documents placed the Toledo Strip in Michigan. But Ohio, on the eve of their statehood in 1803, defined a new northern boundary. They claimed possession of a strip of land that included a valuable new lake port, Toledo, strategically located at the mouth of the Maumee River, and the northern terminus (end) of a new canal planned from the Ohio River. Michigan Gov. Stevens T. Mason led a militia to oust Ohio marshals from the strip. Mason was soon removed from office by President Jackson and Congress who feared political repercussions from Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. As compensation for making Michigan give up the Toledo strip, Congress compensated Michigan with the Upper Peninsula.

Explanation: By studying this posthole students can see a clear example of how disputes arise and are resolved. The story of the Toledo War gives us some insights into key factors that lead up to this conflict including political deal-making. It also illustrates important factors that influenced the decisions that were made to resolve issues.

back to top

Benchmark Alignment: I.3LE2, I.4LE1, I.4LE2, III.2LE2, VI.1LE2, VI.1LE3

Definition: The Underground Railroad was a collection of abolitionists, Quakers and caring people, who created a network of safe houses to help slaves who were escaping from the South through Michigan into Canada.

Explanation: By 1836, Michigan's unity behind the abolition movement increased as the movement gained strength in northern and "free" States. Southern control over Congress enabled slave states to enact pro-slavery decisions, like the Fugitive Slave Law, that drove a deepening wedge between the old south and newer states. Anti-slavery states expressed their dissent by assembling in protest and helping slaves who had escaped from their owners. The study of this posthole allows students to compare and contrast the views of people in Michigan and other parts of the country on the important issue of slavery. It will allow students to raise questions about Michigan's role in the Underground Railroad. It will also help students understand what southern slave owners thought about the broader issue of slavery. This knowledge is critical to understanding many subsequent events in United States history.

Benchmark Alignment: I.3LE2, I.4LE1, I.4LE2, III.2LE2, VI.1LE2, VI.1LE3

Definition: The twenty-fourth Michigan Infantry was part of the "Iron Brigade" that held back a superior Confederate force at Gettysburg and turned the tied in this pivotal battle of the Civil War. Michigan Cavalry regiments also played important roles at Gettysburg by foiling Confederate plans to win this important battle.

Explanation: Michigan provided the first regiments from the "Western States" to respond to President Lincoln's call for troops to preserve the Union. Michigan soldiers took part in over 800 battles and skirmishes during the Civil War. Their role in the Union victory at Gettysburg shows how people could work together in times of conflict to reach a common goal. At Gettysburg the Union forces under General George Mead could easily have been overwhelmed by the larger Confederate force commanded by Robert E. Lee. The Iron Brigade held off Lee's advance long enough for General Mead to reinforce the Union Army's positions and secure victory for the North. The twenty-fourth Michigan suffered 80 percent causalities in this battle, a higher rate than any of the other 400 Union regiments at Gettysburg. This stands as a testament to the sacrifice those men were willing to make in support of the Union cause.

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE3, I.2LE4, I.4LE1, I.4LE2, VI.1LE2, VI.2LE1

Definition: Sarah Emma Edmonds was the only Michigan women that we know for certain took part in the fighting that was the Civil War. But, the women of Michigan served in many ways to support the war effort. The women of Detroit designed the regimental colors that the first Michigan troops would carry into battle. Ladies Soldier's Aid Societies emerged in a number of towns across the state, and women (along with immigrants) took up the slack for the shortage of male workers on farms and in towns caused by the call to arms.

Explanation: While women were not allowed to serve in the military forces at the time of the Civil War, many did support the war effort by actively engaging in organizations that would help our men on the field of battle. Through their "Soldiers' Aid Societies" women prepared bandages and clothing for soldiers. Women also played an important role in supporting the Michigan Soldiers' Relief Association that was formed in Washington D.C. to meet the emergency needs of Michigan soldiers in the Army of the Potomac. Letters to and from the battle fields provide many examples of how women from Michigan supported the common cause.

back to top

Benchmark Alignment: I.1LE2, I.2LE1, I.3LE1, I.4LE2, II.2LE3, II.2LE4, II.3LE1, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.4LE3, II.4LE5, IV.1LE1, IV.2LE1, IV.2LE3, IV.4LE3, IV.5LE3

Definition: Agriculture has long played a leading role in the states economy. As more and more farmers from the east moved into the state to take advantage of it ideal growing conditions, developments in the field of agriculture would shape Michigans environment and influence its growth as a leading manufacturing center in the twentieth century. Michigan established the first Agriculture College in the nation.

Explanation: One of the first things pioneers would have to do to get their farms started in the Michigan territory was to clear the fields and make them ready for growing crops. In many cases vast tracts of forests were destroyed to serve this purpose. Grassy prairie land was plowed up to grow the cash crops needed by the growing urban centers. These activities changed the physical landscape of Michigan. Demand for more farm products made education about farming practices important for improving production levels. Changes in the human characteristics of the environment were brought about by the growing agricultural activity as well. The need for more roads and improvements in other forms of transportation to help ship farm products great distances to markets back east and overseas became apparent. As more and more land came under cultivation, the landscape of Michigan changed. Eventually the demand for labor saying devices on the more productive mechanized farms lead to the growth of manufacturing centers that also changed the face of Michigan.

Benchmark Alignment: I.1LE2, I.2LE1, I.3LE1, I.4LE2, II.2LE3, II.2LE4, II.3LE1, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.4LE3, II.4LE5, IV.1LE1, IV.2LE1, IV.2LE3, IV.4LE3, IV.5LE3

Definition: The development of Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula was stimulated by the unique boom in lumbering and mining iron ore and copper from 1860 to 1900.

Explanation: People were, and continue to be, dependent on materials such as iron and lumber are resources necessary for building machines and shelters. The exhaustion of timber in the east and overseas dramatically increased demand for Michigans timber resources. The commercial extraction of natural resources introduced infrastructure improvements (canals, roads, railroads, etc.), and entrepreneurial opportunities for many. The state's population grew dramatically during this period, and influenced development of urban centers.

back to top

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE.1, I.2LE3, I.3LE3, II.1LE2, II.2LE4, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.5LE1, III.5LE2, IV.4LE3

Definition: The demand for labor to grow the manufacturing centers of Michigan pulled people from rural areas of the eastern half of the country to work in industry. People converged on southeast Michigan from the whole Great Lakes country, from the lower Middle West, from the upper South and the Gulf states. With them they brought their churches, their accents, their customs, and their social attitudes to enrich the life of Pontiac, Flint, Lansing, as well as Detroit which became Michigan's largest and most diverse metropolitan environment, and, for a time, one of the richest cities in America.

Explanation: The stories of these people from so many different walks of life helps us understand the diversity of our state. This in turn will help students understand the factors that brought about many important social changes in our state.

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE.1, I.2LE3, I.3LE3, II.1LE2, II.2LE4, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.5LE1, III.5LE2, IV.4LE3

Definition: By 1913 Ford Motor Company's Model T was so popular that an assembly line method was devised that cut production time from 12.5 hrs to 1.5 hrs per unit, cut costs for cars and created a demand for labor that caused massive migration from rural areas.
Explanation: This posthole gives students a rich source for exploring how a technological innovation changes the lives of millions of people. Ford and others were able to develop production methods that employed many people at high wages, and to manufacture cars, machinery, and household products cheaply enough for the common person to purchase.. A rural workforce willing to relocate to the city, investors made wealthy by technology that harvested Michigan's lumber & minerals, and ready access to necessary raw materials made Ford successful. That success of the automobile industry forever changed Michigan's culture, economy, and standing in the world.

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE.1, I.2LE3, I.3LE3, II.1LE2, II.2LE4, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.5LE1, III.5LE2, IV.4LE3

Definition: In the closing years of the nineteenth century developments at Battle Creek Michigan introduced dry cereal to the world. Dr. John Harvey Kelloggs innovation of cold cereals gave rise to a number of companies in southwest Michigan including C. W. Post and Company and the General Foods Corporation.

Explanation: The Kelloggs cereal story provides a good example of the theme of Civilization, Cultural Diffusion and Innovation. In this case the seminal site of this industry was not chosen because of its geographic location or the supporting resources in the surrounding area. Instead the innovation grew when Seventh-day Adventists established the Western Reform Health Institute at Battle Creek. This was a sanitarium where they put into practice their ideas regarding healthy living that included an all vegetarian diet. When Dr. Kellogg became director of this sanitarium he began to experiment with different types of foods that would conform to the Adventists beliefs. His innovations in the creation of dry cereals lead to a boom in this agriculturally based manufacturing activity. In a relatively short span of time the introduction of cereal made Americans think very differently about breakfast food and nutrition in general.

back to top

Benchmark Alignment: III.1LE1, IV.3LE3, VI.2LE1

Definition: During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated federal welfare programs like the CCC and WPA to give people work and a pay check using Federal funds.

Explanation: The Depression caused extensive bankruptcies and unemployment in Michigan. It expanded of the federal government's role in the public's welfare. President Roosevelt's New Deal created programs like the CCC and WPA, that paid workers to re-plant Michigan's forests, built fire towers and roads, and paint murals. These programs relieved, for some, hardships brought about by the Great Depression and made them good examples of how ideas evolve into institutions and affect the values and beliefs of some segments of American politics and culture.

Benchmark Alignment: I.3LE2, I.4LE1, I.4LE2, III.2LE2, VI.1LE2, VI.1LE3

Definition: A group of United Automobile Workers took control of three General Motors plants in Flint and brought about the first agreement between GM and the UAW that guaranteed collective bargaining on a national basis by a union for its union members.

Explanation: As ideas regarding unions changed in the United States during the Depression, the issue of workers rights to organize and bargain collectively became law. The policies of the pro-union Roosevelt administration and the economic devastation of the Depression brought about a rise of union membership for unskilled laborers. This support enabled union members to take possession of essential General Motors plants in Flint and idle a million workers nationwide in an effort to force GM to comply with the Wagner Act. The 48 day sit-down strike provided the leverage that the UAW needed to successfully negotiates terms with GM that gave the UAW recognition on a national basis.

back to top

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE3, I.2LE4, I.4LE1, I.4LE2, VI.1LE2, VI.2LE1

Definition: The Nation's involvement in World War II created booming economic conditions in Michigan. The wartime production activities in southern Michigan once again made it a magnet for workers from around the country. Opportunities to find work in these industrial centers was one of the major pull factors for the migration of people into the state.

Explanation: Several factors combined during World War II to make Michigan a gathering place for people from many different walks of life. The United States was just recovering from the effects of the Great Depression. The conversion of Michigan's peacetime industrial production to support the war effort meant that many new jobs had to be filled. The increased use of public transportation brought on by rationing and the shortage of private cars meant people of many different backgrounds would be forced to live and work together for the first time in their lives. The day-to-day stories of these workers can give us a perspective on what living under these conditions was like, and how steps taken to ease tensions between groups would shape the way citizens of Michigan would interact with each other in the years to come.

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE.1, I.2LE3, I.3LE3, II.1LE2, II.2LE4, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.5LE1, III.5LE2, IV.4LE3

Definition: In the early months of World War II, President Roosevelt asked William S. Knudsen, then president of General Motors, to direct the industrial production division of the National Defense Advisory Commission. From his various positions in the War Department Knudsen would go on to direct the transformation of American industry from private sector to wartime production. The contributions of many associated with the automobile industry in Michigan earned the state its title of the Arsenal of Democracy.

Explanation: Germany had a lead on the allies in terms of war production by the time America entered the fight in earnest. The ingenuity the Americans demonstrated in applying mass production techniques to building cars was the key to closing this production gap. No cars were produced for civilian use between February 1942 and August 1945, but the automobile industry delivered almost $50 billion worth of military vehicles and parts, tanks (over 25,000 at the Chrysler Tank Arsenal alone), aircraft and parts (over 8,500 B-24 Liberator bombers at the Ford Willow Run plant), and a variety of weapons, munitions and other war related materials.

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE3, I.2LE4, I.4LE1, I.4LE2, VI.1LE2, VI.2LE1

Definition: As men went off to fight during World War II women in unprecedented numbers took their places in offices and factories. Women even took on the tough jobs that had for so long been dominated by men. This change in roles for working women led many to earn the nickname "Rosie the Riveter".

Explanation: The realities of World War II made us re-evaluate our attitudes toward women in the workplace. These changes in our values and beliefs eventually crystallized into new economic and political structures. The all out effort to win the war meant that women were asked to fill roles in the workplace traditionally held only by men. Their accomplishments demonstrated that women could be just as successful as men in these jobs outside of the home. Once the arguments against allowing women to work in these positions were refuted by this new evidence, many new opportunities opened for women. The attitudes of women toward work shifted causing radical changes in the American workforce and ideas about the part women would play there.

back to top

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE.1, I.2LE3, I.3LE3, II.1LE2, II.2LE4, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.5LE1, III.5LE2, IV.4LE3

Definition: In 1956 a federal highway act funded 90% of the construction costs of high quality, toll-free, expressways across America, including I-96, I-94 , I-75 and I-69 in Michigan. The Mackinac Bridge was completed in 1957 with state funds.

Explanation: The development of the state's transportation infrastructure facilitated movement of people and goods to and from remote destinations. These improvements enabled products to be moved more quickly to reach their markets. Tourism was stimulated because people from across the region could more easily travel throughout the state and to the Upper Peninsula, via the Mackinac Bridge.

Benchmark Alignment: I.2LE3, I.2LE4, I.4LE1, I.4LE2, VI.1LE2, VI.2LE1

Definition: The largest non-violent demonstration to advance racial equality up to that time was led by Dr. Martin Luther King in Detroit in 1963 and was the debut of his famous "I Have A Dream" speech. This occurred nearly on the anniversary of the 1943 Detroit Race Riots.

Explanation: Dr. King helped to focus society's attention on the rising frustrations of Detroit and Michigan's African Americans who experienced discrimination in most areas of their public life. Other minority groups seemed to ascend the socioeconomic ladder over a few generations. But in spite of the general prosperity of the 60's and better economic status for some African Americans working in Michigan's industries, most were relegated to a seemingly inevitable cycle of poverty and injustice. The Civil Rights movement wanted to end this cycle, especially in cities like Detroit.

Benchmark Alignment: I.1LE2, I.2LE1, I.3LE1, I.4LE2, II.2LE3, II.2LE4, II.3LE1, II.3LE3, II.3LE4, II.4LE3, II.4LE5, IV.1LE1, IV.2LE1, IV.2LE3, IV.4LE3, IV.5LE3

Definition: In 1976, Michigan passed the Michigan Beverage Container Act, sometimes called the Bottle Bill that required a deposit on beverage containers.

Explanation: This act exemplifies an awakening of public awareness to man-made hazards that endanger Michigans beautiful natural environment. Michigan legislation aimed to change the polluting practices of people and industry. This act reduced refuse on streets and parks, and helped lead to a rise in recycling services reducing landfill waste. Today Michigan is one of ten states who have recycling laws. This legislation is an attempt to overcome the negative affects of human interaction with nature.

back to top