Michigan

Michigan, rich in natural resources and bounded by three of the five Great Lakes, remains strong in mining, forestry, manufacturing, and trade. The largest city, Detroit, is synonymous with the American automotive corporations, and heavy industry-- and the labor movement it birthed-- have dominated the latter half of Michigan's history as a state. Nicknamed the "Wolverine State" for the abundant pelts that fueled the earliest European interest in the area, Michigan boasts abundant natural beauty, as well as cultural attractions covering a wide swath of American history: Pontiac's Native American rebellion of 1763, activity on the Underground Railroad, the origins of the American automobile industry, "Motown" music, and the presidency of Gerald R. Ford, a former Congressman.