Wisconsin ( is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is considered part of the Midwestern United States It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, .... Read More
- Ask Experts
- Business
- Classifieds
- cOmmunity
- Earn Money
- Home
- Finance
- FREE Traffic
- Health Care
- Marketing
- Services
Information On Wisconsin
| 2000Density 38.13
| 2000DensityUS 98.8
| MedianHouseholdIncome $47,220
| IncomeRank 15th
| AdmittanceOrder 30th
| AdmittanceDate May 29, 1848
| TimeZone Central Standard Time Zone UTC 6/Daylight saving time
| Width 420
| WidthUS 260
| Length 500
| LengthUS 310
| HighestPoint Timms Hill lt;ref name"usgs2005">lt;/ref>
| HighestElev 595
| HighestElevUS 1,951
| MeanElev 320
| MeanElevUS 1,050
| LowestPoint Lake Michigan lt;ref name"usgs2005"/>
| LowestElev 176
| LowestElevUS 579
| ISOCode US-WI
| PostalAbbreviation WI
| TradAbbreviation Wis.
| Website www.wisconsin.gov
}}
Wisconsin ( is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is considered part of the Midwestern United States It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsins capital (political) is Madison, Wisconsin and its largest city is Milwaukee As of 2008 the state has an estimated 5.8 million residents. Wisconsin contains List of counties in Wisconsin county (United States)
Animal: | [[Cow|Dairy cow]] |- | State Wild Animal: | [[White-tailed deer]] |- | [[State beverage|State Beverage]]: | [[Milk]] |- | State Fruit: | [[Cranberry]] |- | [[List of U.S. state birds|State Bird]]: | [[American robin|Robin]] |- | State Capital: | [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]] |- | State Dog: | [[American water spaniel]] |- | [[List of U.S. state fish|State Fish]]: | [[Muskellunge]] |- | [[List of U.S. state flowers|State Flower]]: | [[Violet (plant)|Wood violet]] |- | [[State fossil|State Fossil]]: | [[Trilobite]] |- | State Grain: | [[maize|Corn]] |- | [[List of U.S. state insects|State Insect]]: | [[Western honey bee|European honey bee]] |- | [[List of U.S. state mottos|State Motto]]: | Forward |- | List of U.S. state songs | "On, Wisconsin! |- | List of U.S. state trees | Sugar maple |- | List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones | Galena (Lead sulfide) |- | List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones | Granite |- | List of U.S. state soils | Antigo (soil) |- | List of U.S. state dances | Polka |- | State Symbol of
Peace: | Mourning dove |- | State Microbe | Lactococcus lactis |}
File:Appletonskyline.jpg|Appleton, Wisconsin
File:Eau Claire - Barstow street looking north 2005.jpg|Eau Claire, Wisconsin
File:IMG 6384.JPG|Green Bay, Wisconsin
File:Downtown Janesville.jpg|Janesville, Wisconsin
File:Kenosha Harborpark 2.jpg|Kenosha, Wisconsin
File:La Crosse WI from Grandad Bluff.jpg| La Crosse, Wisconsin
File:Madison Wisconsin 0210.jpg|Madison, Wisconsin
File:Milwaukee from the harbor.jpg|Milwaukee
File:AlgomaBlvdHistoricDistrictOshkoshWisconsin1.jpg|Oshkosh, Wisconsin
File:Racine 070611.jpg|Racine, Wisconsin
Etymology
The word Wisconsinhas its origins in the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Algonquian languages speaking Indigenous peoples of the Americas groups living in the region at the time of European colonization of the Americas lt;/ref> French people explorer Jacques Marquette was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River and record its name, arriving in 1673 and calling the river Meskousingin his journal.lt;/ref> This spelling was later corrupted to Ouisconsinby other French explorers, and over time this version became the French name for both the Wisconsin River and the surrounding lands. English speakers Anglicisation the spelling to its modern form when they began to arrive in greater numbers during the early 19th Century. The current spelling was made official by the legislature of Wisconsin Territory in 1845.lt;/ref> Through the course of its many variations, the Algonquian source word for Wisconsin and its original meaning have both grown obscure. Interpretations may vary, but most implicate the river and the red sandstone that line its banks. One leading theory holds that the name originated from the Miami-Illinois language word Meskonsing meaning "it lies red," a reference to the setting of the Wisconsin River as it flows by the reddish sandstone of the Dells of the Wisconsin River McCafferty, Michael. 2003. [http://poj.peeters-leuven.be/content.php?url=article&id=2002552&journal_code=ONO On Wisconsin: The Derivation and Referent of an Old Puzzle in American Placenames] Onoma 38: 39–56 Numerous other theories have also been widely publicized, including claims that name originated from one of a variety of Ojibwa words meaning "red stone place," "gathering of the waters," or "great rock."History
Image:Wisconsin in 1718.jpg map, approximate state area highlighted.]] Wisconsin has been home to a wide variety of cultures over the past twelve thousand years. The first people arrived around 10000 BCE during the Wisconsin Glaciation These early inhabitants, called Paleo-Indians hunted now-extinct Pleistocene#Fauna exemplified by the Boaz mastodon a prehistoric mastodon skeleton unearthed along with spear points in southwest Wisconsin.lt;/ref> After the ice age ended around 8000 BCE, people in the subsequent Archaic period in the Americas lived by hunting, fishing, and gathering food from wild plants. Agricultural societies emerged gradually over the Woodland period between 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. Towards the end of this period, Wisconsin was the heartland of the "Effigy Mound culture," which built thousands of animal-shaped mounds across the landscape.lt;/ref> Later, between 1000 and 1500 CE, the Mississippian culture and Oneota cultures built substantial settlements including the fortified village at Aztalan State Park in southeast Wisconsin.lt;/ref> The Oneota may be the ancestors of the modern Ioway and Ho-Chunk tribes, who shared the Wisconsin region with the Menominee at the time of European contact.lt;/ref> Other Indigenous people of the Americas groups living in Wisconsin when Europeans first settled included the Ojibwa Sauk Fox (tribe) Kickapoo people and Pottawatomie who migrated to Wisconsin from the east between 1500 and 1700.lt;/ref> Image:Jean Nicolet.jpg depicted in this recent painting, was probably the first European to explore Wisconsin.]] The first European to visit what became Wisconsin was probably the France explorer Jean Nicolet He canoed west from Georgian Bay through the Great Lakes in 1634, and it is traditionally assumed that he came ashore near Green Bay, Wisconsin at Red Banks.lt;/ref> Pierre Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers visited Green Bay again in 1654–1666 and Chequamegon Bay in 1659–1660, where they traded for fur with local American Indians.lt;/ref> In 1673, Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet became the first to record a journey on the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway all the way to the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien lt;/ref> Frenchmen like Nicholas Perrot continued to ply the fur trade across Wisconsin through the 17th and 18th centuries, but the French made no permanent settlements in Wisconsin before British Empire won control of the region following the French and Indian War in 1763. Even so, French traders continued to work in the region after the war, and some, beginning with Charles Michel de Langlade in 1764, now settled in Wisconsin permanently rather than returning to British-controlled Canada lt;/ref> Wisconsin became a territorial possession of the United States in 1783 after the American Revolutionary War However, the British remained in de facto control until after the War of 1812 which finally established an American presence in the area.lt;/ref> Under American control, the economy of the territory shifted from fur trading to lead mining. The prospect of easy mineral wealth drew immigrants from throughout the U.S. and Europe to the lead deposits located at Mineral Point, Wisconsin and nearby areas. Some miners found shelter in the holes they had dug and earned the nickname "badgers," leading to Wisconsins identity as the "Badger State."lt;/ref> The sudden influx of white miners prompted tension with the local Native American population. The Winnebago War of 1827 and the Black Hawk War of 1832 led to the forced Indian removal from most parts of the state.lt;/ref> Following these conflicts, Wisconsin Territory was organized in 1836. Continued white settlement led to statehood in 1848. Image:Birthplace of the US Republican Party 2.jpg in Ripon, Wisconsin held the nations first meeting of the Republican Party (United States) ] Politics in early Wisconsin were defined by the greater national debate over slavery. A free state from its foundation, Wisconsin became a center of northern abolitionism The debate became especially intense in 1854 after a runaway slave from Missouri named Joshua Glover was captured in Racine, Wisconsin Glover was taken into custody under the Federal Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 but a mob of abolitionists stormed the prison where Glover was held and helped him escape to Canada. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ultimately declared the Fugitive Slave Law unconstitutional in a trial stemming from the incident.lt;/ref> The Republican Party (United States) founded on March 20, 1854 by anti-slavery expansion activists in Ripon, Wisconsin grew to dominate state politics in the aftermath of these events.lt;/ref> During the American Civil War around 91,000 troops from Wisconsin fought for the Union.lt;/ref> Image:Looking over Milwaukee from Bay View in 1882.jpg in 1882]] Wisconsins economy also diversified during the early years of statehood. While lead mining diminished, agriculture became a principal occupation in the southern half of the state. Railroads were built across the state to help transport grains to market, and industries like Case Corporation in Racine were founded to build agricultural equipment. Wisconsin briefly became one of the nations leading producers of wheat during the 1860s.lt;/ref> Meanwhile, the lumber industry dominated in the heavily forested northern sections of Wisconsin, and sawmills sprung up in cities like La Crosse, Wisconsin Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Wausau, Wisconsin These economic activities had dire environmental consequences. By the close of the 19th century, intensive agriculture had devastated soil fertility, and lumbering had deforested most of the state.lt;/ref> This forced both wheat agriculture and the lumber industry into a precipitous decline. Image:Chase Stone Barn - Green Grass.jpg in Chase, Wisconsin was built in 1903 as dairy farming spread across the state]] Beginning in the 1890s, farmers in Wisconsin shifted from wheat to dairy production in order to make more sustainable and profitable use of their land. Many immigrants carried cheese making traditions that, combined with the states suitable geography and dairy research led by Stephen Moulton Babcock at the University of Wisconsin helped the state build a reputation as "Americas Dairyland."lt;/ref> Meanwhile, conservationists including Aldo Leopold helped reestablish the states forests during the early 20th century.lt;/ref> This paved the way for a more renewable lumber and paper mill ng industry as well as promoting recreational tourism in the northern woodlands. Manufacturing also boomed in Wisconsin during the early 20th century, driven by an immense immigrant workforce arriving from Europe. Industries in cities like Milwaukee ranged from brewing and food processing to heavy machine production and toolmaking, leading Wisconsin to rank 8th among U.S. states in total product value by 1910.lt;/ref> Image:Robert M. La Follette, Sr as Senator2.jpg addressing an assembly in Decatur, Illinois 1905.]] The early 20th century was also notable for the emergence of Progressivism in the United States politics championed by Robert M. La Follette, Sr. Between 1901 and 1914, Progressive Republicans in Wisconsin created the nations first comprehensive statewide primary election system,lt;/ref> the first effective workers' compensation law,lt;/ref> and the first state income tax lt;/ref> making taxation proportional to actual earnings. The progressive Wisconsin Idea also promoted the statewide expansion of the University of Wisconsin through the UW-Extension system at this time.lt;/ref> Later, UW economics professors John R. Commons and Harold Groves helped Wisconsin create the first unemployment benefits program in the United States in 1932.lt;/ref> Wisconsin took part in several political extremes in the mid to late 20th century, ranging from the Anti-communism hysteria of Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s to the radical antiwar protests at UW-Madison that culminated in the Sterling Hall bombing in August 1970. Recent politics have been comparatively moderate, but the state has continued to push forward new ideas, most notably becoming a leader in welfare reform under Republican Governor Tommy Thompson during the 1990s.lt;/ref> The states economy also underwent further transformations towards the close of the century, as heavy industry and manufacturing declined in favor of a service economy based on medicine, education, agribusiness, and tourism. The U.S. Navy battleship, USS Wisconsin was named in honor of this state.Geography
Image:Wisconsin geographic provinces.svg Image:Bluff.jpg of southwestern Wisconsin is characterized by bluffs carved in sedimentary rock by water from melting Ice Age glaciers.]] Image:Wisconsin welcome sign.JPG Wisconsin is bordered by the Montreal River (Wisconsin-Michigan) Lake Superior and Michigan to the north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa to the southwest and Minnesota to the northwest. A border dispute with Michigan was settled by two cases, both Wisconsin v. Michigan in 1934 and 1935. The states boundaries include the Mississippi River and St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota) in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast. Wisconsin is the northernmost state that does not share a border with Canada With its location between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin is home to a wide variety of geographical features. The state is divided into five distinct regions. In the north, the Lake Superior Lowland occupies a belt of land along Lake Superior. Just to the south, the Northern Highland has massive mixed hardwood and coniferous forests including the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest as well as thousands of glacial lakes, and the states highest point, Timms Hill In the middle of the state, the Central Plain (Wisconsin) has some unique sandstone formations like the Dells of the Wisconsin River in addition to rich farmland. The Eastern Ridges and Lowlands region in the southeast is home to many of Wisconsins largest cities. In the southwest, the Western Upland is a rugged landscape with a mix of forest and farmland, including many bluffs on the Mississippi River This region is part of the Driftless Area which also includes portions of Iowa Illinois and Minnesota This area was not covered by glacier during the most recent ice age, the Wisconsin Glaciation Overall, 46% of Wisconsins land area is covered by forest. Langlade County, Wisconsin has a soil rarely found outside of the county called Antigo (soil) Areas under the management of the National Park Service include the following:lt;/ref> * Apostle Islands National Lakeshore along Lake Superior * Ice Age National Scenic Trail * North Country National Scenic Trail * Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway There is one national forest managed by the United States Forest Service in Wisconsin, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Wisconsin has sister-state relationships with the Germanys Hesse Japans Chiba Prefecture Mexicos Jalisco Chinas Heilongjiang and Nicaragua lt;/ref>Climate
Wisconsins climate is classified as humid continental climate The highest temperature ever recorded in the state was in the Wisconsin Dells, on July 13, 1936, where it reached 114 °F (46 °C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in the village of Couderay, Wisconsin where it reached −55 °F (−48 °C) on both February 2 and February 4, 1996.lt;/ref> | class"wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"| | colspan"13" style"text-align:center;font-size:110%;background:#E8EAFA;"|Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Selected Wisconsin Cities °F (°C)] |- ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000; height:17px;"| City ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Jan ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Feb ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Mar ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Apr ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| May ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Jun ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Jul ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Aug ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Sep ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Oct ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Nov ! style"background:#e5afaa; color:#000;"| Dec |- ! style"text-align:left; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000; height:16px;"| Green Bay | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 24/7 (−4/-14) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 29/12 (−2/-11) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 40/23 (4/-5) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 55/34 (13/1) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 68/45 (20/7) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 77/54 (25/12) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 81/59 (27/15) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 78/56 (26/13) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 70/48 (21/9) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 58/37 (14/3) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 42/26 (6/-3) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 29/13 (−2/-11) |- ! style"text-align:left; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000; height:16px;"| La Crosse | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 26/6 (−3/-14) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 32/13 (0/-11) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 45/24 (7/-4) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 60/37 (16/3) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 72/49 (22/9) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 81/58 (27/14) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 85/63 (29/17) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 82/61 (28/16) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 74/52 (23/11) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 61/40 (16/4) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 44/27 (7/-3) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 30/14 (−1/-10) |- ! style"text-align:left; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000; height:16px;"| Madison | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 25/9 (−4/-13) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 31/14 (−1/-10) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 43/25 (6/-4) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 57/35 (14/2) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 69/46 (21/8) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 78/56 (26/13) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 82/61 (28/16) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 79/59 (26/15) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 71/50 (22/10) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 60/39 (16/4) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 43/28 (6/-2) | style"text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:#000;"| 30/16 (−1/-9) |- ! style"text-align:left; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000; height:16px;"| Milwaukee | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 28/13 (−2/-11) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 32/18 (0/-8) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 43/27 (6/-3) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 54/36 (12/2) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 66/46 (19/8) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 76/56 (24/13) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 81/63 (27/17) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 79/62 (26/17) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 72/54 (22/12) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 60/43 (16/6) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 46/31 (8/-1) | style"text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:#000;"| 33/19 (1/-7) |- | colspan"13" style"text-align:center;font-size:90%;background:#E8EAFA;"|[http://www.ustravelweather.com/wisconsin/] |}Demographics
lt;/ref> |estimate5654774 }} Image:Wisconsin population map.png According to the U.S. Census Bureau as of 2000, Wisconsin had a population of 5,363,675. Wisconsins population was reported as 6.4% under the age of 5, 25.5% under 18, and 13.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.6% of the population. Since its founding, Wisconsin has been ethnically heterogeneous. Following the period of French fur traders, the next wave of settlers were miners, many of whom were Cornish people who settled the southwestern area of the state. The next wave was dominated by "Yankees," migrants from New England and upstate New York in the early years of statehood, they dominated the states heavy industry, finance, politics and education. Between 1850 and 1900, large numbers of European immigrants followed them, including German people Scandinavians (the largest group being Norwegian people , and smaller groups of Belgium Dutch (ethnic group) Swiss (people) Finland Irish people Poles Portuguese people and others. In the 20th century, large numbers of Mexico and African Americans came, settling mainly in Milwaukee; and after end of the Vietnam War came a new influx of Hmong people The five largest ancestry groups in Wisconsin are: German-American (42.6%), Irish American (10.9%), Polish-American (9.3%), Norwegian-American (8.5%), English American (6.5%).lt;/ref> German is the most common ancestry in every county in the state, except Menominee, Trempealeau and Vernon.lt;/ref> Wisconsin has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state. The various ethnic groups settled in different areas of the state. Although Germans settled throughout the state, the largest concentration was in Milwaukee Norwegians settled in lumbering and farming areas in the north and west. Small colonies of Belgians Swiss Finns and other groups settled in their particular areas, with Irish, Italians and Polish immigrants settling primarily in urban areas.http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT/tp&CISOPTR14489 Miller, Frank Hayden], "The Polanders in Wisconsin." Parkman Club PublicationsNo. 10. Milwaukee, Wis.: Parkman Club, 1896); Online facsimile at: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/search.asp?id1336; The Wisconsin Historical Society], visited January 29, 2008 African Americans came to Milwaukee, especially from 1940 on. Menominee County, Wisconsin is the only county in the eastern United States with an American Indian majority. 86% of Wisconsins African-American population live in four cities: Milwaukee Racine, Wisconsin Beloit, Wisconsin Kenosha, Wisconsin with Milwaukee home to nearly three-fourths of the states black Americans. Milwaukee is among the 10 major U.S. cities with the most African Americans per capita.In the Great Lakes region, only Detroit, Michigan and Cleveland, Ohio have a higher percentage of African-American residents. 33% of Wisconsins Asian population is Hmong people with significant communities in Milwaukee Wausau, Wisconsin Green Bay, Wisconsin Sheboygan, Wisconsin Appleton, Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin La Crosse, Wisconsin Eau Claire, Wisconsin Oshkosh, Wisconsin and Manitowoc, Wisconsin lt;/ref>Religion
Image:Guadalupe Shrine.jpg Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin ] Christianity is the predominant religion of Wisconsin. As of the year 2000, the RCMSlt;/ref> reported that the three largest denominational groups in Wisconsin are Catholic Mainline Protestant and Evangelical Protestant The Catholic Church has the highest number of adherents in Wisconsin (at 1,695,660), followed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 463,432 members reported and the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod reporting 241,306 adherents. The percentage of Wisconsin residents who belong to various affiliations are shown below:lt;/ref> * Christianity – 80% ** Protestantism – 50% *** Lutheranism – 23% *** Methodism – 7% *** Presbyterianism – 2% *** United Church of Christ – 2% *** Other Protestant or general Protestant – 15% ** Baptist – 5% ** Roman Catholicism in the United States – 29% ** Other Christian – 1% * Other religions – 1% * Non-affiliated – 15%Law and government
The capital is Madison, Wisconsin Image:Capitol Madison, WI.jpg ] State Executive Officers * Governor: James Doyle, Jr. (D) * Lieutenant Governor: Barbara Lawton (D) * Attorney General: J.B. Van Hollen (R) * Secretary of State: Douglas LaFollette (D) * Treasurer: Dawn Marie Sass (D) * State Superintendent of Public Instruction (Non-partisan Office): Tony Evers See also: * Wisconsin Constitution * Governors of Wisconsin * Wisconsin State Legislature ** Wisconsin State Senate ** Wisconsin State Assembly * Wisconsin Supreme Court * U.S. Congressional Delegations from Wisconsin * List of United States congressional districts#Wisconsin * List of U.S. Senators from WisconsinPolitics
| class"wikitable" style"float:right; font-size:79%;" |+ Presidential elections results |- style"background:lightgrey;" ! Year ! Republican Party (United States) ! Democratic Party (United States) |- | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|U.S. presidential election, 2008 | style"background:#fff3f3;"|42.31% 1,262,393 | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|56.22% 1,677,211 |- | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|U.S. presidential election, 2004 | style"background:#fff3f3;"|49.31% 1,478,120 | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|49.71% 1,489,504 |- | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|U.S. presidential election, 2000 | style"background:#fff3f3;"|47.56% 1,237,279 | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|47.83% 1,242,987 |- | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|U.S. presidential election, 1996 | style"background:#fff3f3;"|38.48% 845,029 | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|48.81% 1,071,971 |- | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|U.S. presidential election, 1992 | style"background:#fff3f3;"|36.78% 930,855 | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|41.13% 1,041,066 |- | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|U.S. presidential election, 1988 | style"background:#fff3f3;"|47.80% 1,047,794 | style"background:#f0f0ff;"|51.41% 1,126,794 |} During the period of the American Civil War Wisconsin was a History of the United States Republican Party and pro-Union stronghold. Ethno-religious issues in the late 19th century caused a brief split in the Republican coalition. Through the first half of the 20th century, Wisconsins politics were dominated by Robert M. La Follette, Sr. and his sons, originally of the Republican Party of Wisconsin but later of the revived Progressive Party (United States, 1924) Since 1945, the state has maintained a close balance between Republicans and Democratic Party of Wisconsin Republican Senator Joe McCarthy was a controversial national figure in the early 1950s. Recent leading Republicans include former Governor Tommy Thompson and Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. prominent Democrats include Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold and Congressman David Obey lt;/ref> Much of the states political history involved coalitions among different ethnic groups. The most famous controversy dealt with foreign language teaching in schools. This was fought out in the Bennett Law campaign of 1890, when the Germans switched to the Democratic Party (United States) because of the Republican Party (United States) support of the Bennett Law, which led to a major victory for the Democrats. The cities of Wisconsin have been active in increasing the availability of legislative information on the internet, thereby providing for greater government transparency. Currently three of the five most populous cities in Wisconsin provide their constituents with internet based access of all public records directly from the cities’ databases. Wisconsin cities started to make this a priority after Milwaukee began doing so, http://legistar.milwaukee.gov/mattersearch/ on their page], in 2001. One such city, Madison, Wisconsin has been named the http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/cnet/2006-12-01-wired-cities_x.htm Number 1 digital city by the Center for Digital Government] in consecutive years. Nearly 18 percent of Wisconsin’s population has the ability to access their municipality’s information in this way. Wisconsin has voted for the Democratic presidential nominee in the last six elections. The urban centers of Milwaukee and Madison tend to vote strongly Democratic. The suburbs of those cities are politically diverse, but tend to vote Republican. Counties in the western part of the state tend to be liberal, a tradition passed down from Scandinavian immigrants. The rural areas in the northern and eastern part of the state are the most solidly Republican areas in Wisconsin.lt;!--whole paragraph--> In the 2008 presidential election, Wisconsin voted for the Democratic presidential nominee, Illinois Senator Barack Obama Obama captured 56% of the vote statewide, with the urban centers of Milwaukee and Madison voting strongly Democratic. Bucking the historic trend, Brown County (home to Green Bay) and Outagamie County (home to Appleton) voted for Obama over John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee. In all, McCain captured approximately 42% of the vote statewide and won 13 of the states 72 counties. Of the counties won by McCain, only a handful were by greater than 55% of the vote (Florence, Green Lake, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha, with Washington County providing his largest single-county percentage victory in the state). In all, Obama was successful in 59 counties, transcending the states usual east/west and urban/suburban/rural divides. Wisconsin ranked second in voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election, behind Minnesota.Lawmakers in Wisconsin
The last election in which Wisconsin supported a Republican Presidential candidate was in 1984. However, both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections were close, with Wisconsin receiving heavy doses of national advertising because it was a "swing," or pivot, state. Al Gore carried the presidential vote in 2000 by only 5,700 votes, and John Kerry won Wisconsin in 2004 by 11,000 votes. However, in 2008, Barack Obama carried the state by 381,000 votes and with 56%. Republicans had a stronghold in the Fox River (Wisconsin) but elected a Democrat, Steve Kagen of Appleton, Wisconsin for the 8th Congressional District in 2006. Republicans have held Waukesha County, Wisconsin The City of Milwaukee heads the list of Wisconsins Democratic strongholds, which also includes Madison, Wisconsin and the states Native Americans in the United States indian reservations Wisconsins largest Congressional district, the 7th, has been a Democratic stronghold since 1969. Its representative, David Obey, chairs the powerful House Appropriations Committee. * Wisconsins political history encompasses, on the one hand, Robert M. La Follette, Sr. and the Progressive movement and on the other, Joseph McCarthy the controversial anti-Communist censured by the United States Senate during the 1950s. * In the early 20th century, the Socialist Party of America had a base in Milwaukee. The phenomenon was referred to as "sewer socialism because the elected officials were more concerned with public works and reform than with revolution (although revolutionary socialism existed in the city as well). Its influence faded in the late 1950s, largely because of the Second Red Scare and racial tensions.lt;/ref> The first Socialist mayor of a large city in the United States was Emil Seidel elected mayor of Milwaukee in 1910; another Socialist, Daniel Hoan was mayor of Milwaukee from 1916 to 1940; and a third, Frank P. Zeidler from 1948–1960. Socialist newspaper editor Victor Berger was repeatedly elected as a U.S. Representative, although he was prevented from serving for some time because of his opposition to the First World War * William Proxmire a Democratic Senator (1957–89) dominated the Democratic party for years; he was best known for attacking waste and fraud in federal spending. * Democrat Russ Feingold was the only United States Senate to vote against the Patriot Act in 2001. * Democrat Tammy Baldwin from Madison was the first, and is currently the only, openly lesbian U.S. Representative.lt;/ref> * In 2004, Gwen Moore a Democrat from Milwaukee became Wisconsins first African-American U.S. Representative. In 2006, Democrats gained in a national sweep of opposition to the Bush administration, and the Iraq War. The retiring GOP 8th District Congressman, Mark Green, of Green Bay, ran against the incumbent Governor Jim Doyle Green lost by 8% statewide, making Doyle the first Democratic Governor to be re-elected in 32 years. The Republicans lost control of the state Senate. Although Democrats gained eight seats in the state Assembly, Republicans retained a five vote majority in that house. In 2008, Democrats regained control of the State Assembly by a 52–46 margin, marking the first time since 1987 the both the governor and state legislature were both Democratic.Taxes
Wisconsin collects personal income tax s (based on five income bracket ) which range from 4.6% to 7.75%. The state sales tax and use tax rate is 5.0%. Fifty-nine counties have an additional sales/use tax of 0.5%.lt;/ref> Milwaukee County and four surrounding counties have an additional temporary 0.1% tax which helps fund the Miller Park (Milwaukee) baseball stadium, which was completed in 2001. Retailers who make sales subject to applicable county taxes must collect this tax on their retail sales. The most common property tax assessed on Wisconsin residents is the real property tax or their residential property tax. Wisconsin does not impose a property tax on vehicles, but does levy an annual registration fee. Property taxes are the most important tax revenue source for Wisconsins local governments, as well as major methods of funding school districts, vocational technical colleges, special purpose districts and tax incremental finance districts. Equalized values are based on the full market value of all taxable property in the state, except for agricultural land. In order to provide property tax relief for farmers, the value of agricultural land is determined by its value for agricultural uses, rather than for its possible development value. Equalized values are used to distribute state aid payments to counties, municipalities, and technical colleges. Assessments prepared by local assessors are used to distribute the property tax burden within individual municipalities. Wisconsin does not assess a tax on intangible property Wisconsin does not collect inheritance tax s. Until January 1, 2008 Wisconsins estate tax was decoupled from the federal estate tax laws; therefore the state imposed its own estate tax on certain large estates.lt;/ref> There are no toll road in Wisconsin; highway and road construction and maintenance is funded by motor fuel tax revenues.Economy
Image:Milwaukee at night.jpg in Milwaukee is Wisconsins tallest skyscraper.]] In 2008 Wisconsin’s gross state product was $240.4 billion, making it 21st among U.S. states.lt;/ref> The per capita personal income was $35,239 in 2008. The economy of Wisconsin is driven by manufacturing agriculture and health care Although manufacturing accounts for a far greater part of the states income than farming, Wisconsin is often perceived as a farming state. As of June 2010, the states unemployment rate is 7.9% (seasonally adjusted)http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/dwd/newsreleases/2010/100715_lmi_state_june.pdf]; WI June 2010 unemployment rates The largest employers in Wisconsin are: # Wal-Mart # University of Wisconsin system # U.S. Postal Service # Milwaukee Public Schools # Wisconsin Department of Corrections # Menards # Kohl's # Ultra Mart Foods aka Roundy's # Milwaukee # Kohler Company lt;ref>http://worknet.wisconsin.gov/worknet/largemp.aspx?menuselectioned Wisconsins Large Employer Search]Agriculture
Wisconsin is second to California in in overall production of milk and butter, and third in per-capita milk production, behind Idaho and Vermont lt;/ref>United States Department of Agriculture.Dairy Products: 2007 Summaryhttp://future.aae.wisc.edu/collection/dairyproductsreport/DairProdSu_2007_13.pdf] though it leads the nation in cheese production. lt;/ref> Wisconsin ranks first nationally in the production of Maize for silage cranberry ginseng and green bean for processing. Wisconsin is also a leading producer of oat , potato s, carrot , tart cherry maple syrup and sweet corn for processing. The importance of the states agricultural production was exemplified by the depiction of a Holstein cow, an ear of corn, and a wheel of cheese for Wisconsins 50 State Quarters design. A large part of the states manufacturing sector includes commercial food processing, including well-known brands such as Oscar Mayer Tombstone (pizza) frozen pizza, Johnsonville Foods bratwurst and Fred Usinger Kraft Foods alone employs over 5,000 people in the state. Milwaukee is a major producer of beer and was formerly headquarters for Miller Brewing Company the nations second-largest brewer, until it merged with Coors Brewing Company. Formerly, Schlitz Valentin Blatz Brewing Company and Pabst Brewing Company were cornerstone breweries in Milwaukee | class"toccolours" cellpadding"4" cellspacing"0" style"float:right; margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size:95%; clear:right;" |- | colspan"2" style"background:#ccf; text-align:center;"| Badger State |- | [[State animal|State Animal]]: | [[Badger (animal)|Badger]] |- | State DomesticatedAnimal: | [[Cow|Dairy cow]] |- | State Wild Animal: | [[White-tailed deer]] |- | [[State beverage|State Beverage]]: | [[Milk]] |- | State Fruit: | [[Cranberry]] |- | [[List of U.S. state birds|State Bird]]: | [[American robin|Robin]] |- | State Capital: | [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]] |- | State Dog: | [[American water spaniel]] |- | [[List of U.S. state fish|State Fish]]: | [[Muskellunge]] |- | [[List of U.S. state flowers|State Flower]]: | [[Violet (plant)|Wood violet]] |- | [[State fossil|State Fossil]]: | [[Trilobite]] |- | State Grain: | [[maize|Corn]] |- | [[List of U.S. state insects|State Insect]]: | [[Western honey bee|European honey bee]] |- | [[List of U.S. state mottos|State Motto]]: | Forward |- | List of U.S. state songs | "On, Wisconsin! |- | List of U.S. state trees | Sugar maple |- | List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones | Galena (Lead sulfide) |- | List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones | Granite |- | List of U.S. state soils | Antigo (soil) |- | List of U.S. state dances | Polka |- | State Symbol of
Peace: | Mourning dove |- | State Microbe | Lactococcus lactis |}
Search This Site
