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The Wisconsin region was first explored for
France by Jean Nicolet, who landed at Green Bay in 1634. In 1660
a French trading post and Roman Catholic mission were
established near present-day Ashland.
Great Britain obtained the region in settlement of the French
and Indian Wars in 1763; the U.S. acquired it in 1783 after the
Revolutionary War. However, Great Britain retained actual
control until after the War of 1812. The region was successively
governed as part of the territories of Indiana, Illinois, and
Michigan between 1800 and 1836, when it became a separate
territory.
Wisconsin is a leading state in milk and cheese production.
Other important farm products are peas, beans, beets, corn,
potatoes, oats, hay, and cranberries.
The chief industrial products of the state are automobiles,
machinery, furniture, paper, beer, and processed foods.
Wisconsin ranks second among the 47 paper-producing states. The
state's mines produce copper, iron ore, lead, and zinc.
Wisconsin is a pioneer in social legislation, providing pensions
for the blind (1907), aid to dependent children (1913), and
old-age assistance (1925). In labor legislation, the state was
the first to enact an unemployment compensation law (1932) and
the first in which a workman's compensation law actually took
effect. In 1984, Wisconsin became the first state to adopt the
Uniform Marital Property Act.
The state has over 14,000 lakes, of which Winnebago is the
largest. Water sports, ice-boating, and fishing are popular, as
are skiing and hunting. Public parks and forests take up
one-seventh of the land, with 43 state parks, 12 state forests,
14 state trails, 3 recreational areas, and 2 national forests.
Among the many points of interest are the Apostle Islands
National Lakeshore; Ice Age National Scientific Reserve; the
Circus World Museum at Baraboo; the Wolf, St. Croix, and Lower
St. Croix national scenic riverways; and the Wisconsin Dells. |
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