See also: Wisconsin (homonymy)

The Wisconsin is a State of the the United States. It is bordered in north by the Higher Lac and the Michigan, in the east by the Lake Michigan, in the south by the Illinois and in the west by the Iowa and the Minnesota.

History

It is the 30e State of the Union, where it was allowed the May 29th 1848.

In 1634, the French Jean Nicolet was the first European to explore Wisconsin. He founded there the colony of Green Bay. The territory of the State was mainly populated by German, Scandinavian and Swiss colonists. The France yielded this territory to the Britanniques in 1763. Wisconsin was acquired by the United States at the time of the conclusion of the American Revolution in 1783 but remained in fact managed by the British to the war américano-British of 1812.

Among the famous characters originating in this State one can quote: the actors Orson Welles and Spencer Tracy, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright and the magician Harry Houdini. Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker, creators of Y does it have a pilot on the aircraft?, the écrivaine Laura Ingalls Wilder, like William S Harley and Arthur Davidson founders of Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

Geography

In 2000, it counted 5  363  675 inhabitants, is a density of 31 hab/km ².

The relief of the area was modelled by the quaternary glaciers (lake basins, morainic deposits). The plain of the Lake Michigan, which rises towards the west in a plate culminating in north to 603 m with the Mont Arvon, occupies is State. The principal rivers are the Mississippi and its affluents, Wisconsin and Holy Cross. The Lac Winnebago is more the interior big lake of the State.

The climate of Wisconsin is of standard continental wet; however, north is characterized by particularly hard climatic conditions and poor grounds. The forest - maple, birch, fir tree, pine and oak -, especially present in the northern part, recovers 43% of the territory approximately.

Main cities

Environment

In 2005, the construction of a park with wind S.A. decided in the south of Wisconsin. It will provide electricity to 72.000 hearths and will cost 250 million dollars. The park will have a capacity of 200 Megawatts and will extend on 80 square kilometers. It will align 133 Turbine 11,80 meters height S with blades of 3,80 meters. In the state of Wisconsin, only 4% of electricity are produced by renewable energies, in particular thanks to 55 turbines distributed in 5 parks with wind mills which produce 53 Megawatts. The governor Jim Doyle wishes to increase this proportion with 10% from here with 2015 (source: Associated Press).

Policy

Wisconsin is rather a state of center-right but it is especially one of the states pivots at the time of the presidential elections.

A State pivot at the time of the presidential elections

It is one of the States pivots of each presidential campaign to the often unforeseeable result. So in 1944, the republican candidate Thomas Dewey had carried it against Franklin Delano Roosevelt, it had lost against Harry Truman in 1948.

Ronald Reagan is the last republican to have carried the State in 1984.

Since 1988, the voters of Wisconsin always voted for the democratic candidate but this choice was always carried out of accuracy and even of extreme accuracy in 2000 (by 5 thousand votes in advance and 47,83% of the votes) and 2004 (by 11 thousand votes in advance and 49,70% of the votes).

An important tradition progressist

At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a movement progressist in the State. One of the leaders of this movement is called Robert Mr. Follette, " Fighting Bob Follette".

A State of center-right

Wisconsin was a long time a state dominated locally by the republican moderate. During 14 years, during 4 consecutive mandates, Tommy Thompson was the governor of 1987 with 2001 before being appointed Minister for health by George W. Bush.

Since 2002, the post of governor is held by the democratic Jim Doyle which put an end to 16 years of republican reign.
The lieutenant-governor and the Secretary of State are also democratic. The stations of secretary to the treasure of Wisconsin and Attorney General (since 2007) are held by representatives of the Republican party.

At the local level, at the time of the legislature 2007 - 2008, the room of the representatives of Wisconsin is divided between 52 republicans and 47 democrats and the senate between 15 republicans and 18 democrats.

At the federal level, at the time of the legislature 2007 - 2008, Wisconsin is represented by two Democratic senators, Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, whereas 3 republicans and 5 democrats represent the State with the room of the representatives.

In November 2006, the voters of Wisconsin approved by 59% of the voices an constitutional amendment reserving the marriage with the people of opposite sex. They also voted by 55% of the votes a motion asking the legislators of Wisconsin to restore the Capital punishment.

Economy

Agriculture and natural resources

Wisconsin is one of the first agricultural areas of the country; first national producer of dairy products, the porcine breeding and the breeding of minks are also practiced there. The cereals (corn primarily), the potato, soya, the tobacco, the fodder plants, the fruits and the vegetables are the principal cultures. Forestry development, very developed, done of Wisconsin one of the first wood producers of the United States.

Iron, copper, gold, the money, lead and zinc constitute the main part of the mining resources of the State.

Industry

The principal industrial sectors are the industry of wood and paper, the metallurgy (foundries), the agroalimentary one (dairy products and breweries), chemistry, the mechanical engineering (cars, engines and motor cycles), industries electric and electronic. Industries are concentrated in Milwaukee and Madison. Milwaukee east, moreover, a very active port on the Lake Michigan.

Tertiary sector

The tourist activity of Wisconsin rests on many cultural, natural and historical assets: Milwaukee Art Center, one of the principal museums of natural science of the country, Lizard Mound State Park (tumuli Indian), Old Wade House (old relay of diligence) of Greenbush, or Old World Wisconsin, museum in the open air presenting of the farms built by the German and Scandinavian immigrants to the XIXe century.

The principal university of the State is the university of Wisconsin (founded in 1849 in Madison), it is famous in certain fields, sciences in particular.

Culture

Wisconsin, State rural is often source of comedy in the sit-coms on television American, like the character of James Hobert in the series Spin City.

In reaction, a certain number of sitcoms chose Wisconsin like backdrop, of best at least innovating:

Religion

Statistics:

  • Christian - 78%

    • Protestant - 50%
      • Lutherans - 22%
      • Méthodistes - 7%
      • Baptists - 6%
      • Presbytériens - 2%
      • Congrégationnalistes - 2%
      • other Protestants - 11%
    • Catholic - 28%
  • other religions - 2%
  • without religion - 14%
  • unspecified - 6%

The Lutherans and the Catholiques are the two dominant religious groups of Wisconsin.

Sport

  • Milwaukee Brewers (MLB)

  • Milwaukee Bucks (NBA)
  • Green Bay Packers (NFL)

Amerindians

Wisconsin is known for its Amerindian nation Chippewa.

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