Migrating to Michigan How settlers began to move (migrate) to Michigan and build farms and villages

Review Which American Indian groups lived in Michigan? The Huron: they came from what is now New York. The Iroquois drove them out of that area. Lived in Detroit area. Miami: They lived mainly in the southwestern corner of Michigan but there was also a Miami settlement in the Detroit area. Farming was important to them. Menominee: They lived in the western part of the Upper Peninsula. What are some of the things you remember about their cultures?

Review Why did the French come to the Great Lakes region? What were some ways the French and the American Indians interacted? How did the British come to control Michigan? What were some ways the British and the American Indians interacted? How did Michigan become part of the new country called USA?

Mystery Source Think pair share ideas on the picture

MICHIGAN This is a map of Michigan 200 years ago Is this a primary or secondary source Primary it was created a long time ago

Map of Michigan now VS. Then

What can we conclude about this map The maps of Michigan were not very accurate, parts are distorted Shows maps where American Indians lived Rivers were important to people 200 years ago There were still a lot of American Indians living in Michigan

Michigan 1837 When Michigan became part of the US there were only 2 main settlements: where do you think they were? Detroit and Mackinac Island

New Settlement Land People slowly came to MI to settle and become farmers Imagine what it was like to move to a brand new place that had few roads, few maps to describe the land Draw what you think it looked like On the back make a list of challenges facing these early MI pioneers

At the time: Wagons Wild animals No bridges Fallen trees No stores

Michigan early Settlement Without many roads people could get lost it would be hard to get a wagon through an area that had no roads if there were no roads there were probably no bridges across streams there were no bridges so even small creeks were a problem there were probably a lot of things in the way like fallen trees wild animals had to make own house had to find food clear land in order to grow food Compare to Pioneer Life Chart

How do you think historians learned about early pioneer life in Michigan that occurred around 200 years ago? Some early settlers wrote in journals or diaries Studied artifacts from where they lived One place is called the “Ponton Site” in Chippewa Nature Center near Midland MI. Where Artifacts were found like Gold nuggets Coins Pottery

Population grew very slow because It was hard to travel to Michigan Coming by water took a long time and was described as dangerous, unreliable and uncomfortable Coming by land meant traveling on rocky, muddy roads and often having to cross an area knows as the Black Swamp in Northwestern Ohio

Black Swamp

Black swamp

The Great Black Swamp

Michigan land The early surveys were inaccurate. They reported that MI was a land of unhealthful swamps and a sandy waste not suitable for farming People in the eastern part of the US didn’t feel MI had a lot to offer especially to farmers.

What kinds of things do you think could have been done to solve some of the problems that were keeping settlers from coming to MI? Build better roads Find a better way to travel by boat Build towns to get people to come Survey MI more accurately so better maps could be made

Think of two causes and effects of few people coming to settle in MI in the early 1800s Cause: People thought MI did not have good farm land Effect: Few towns were started Cause: It was hard to get to MI Effect: The population grew slowly

Next Time Michigan Becoming a State

Fort Mackinac http://vm.mackinacparks.com/