- A seal similar to the present one was used for the Territory of Indiana in 1801. The current …
The state of Indiana calls itself the Crossroads of America because it sits in the heart of the Midwest. Indiana's people are often called Hoosiers, a name of uncertain origin that brings up images of homespun values and folksiness. Indiana took its name from the word Indian; with the addition of the letter a, it means “Indian land.” The state capital is Indianapolis. GeographyAt 36,185 square miles (93,720 square kilometers), Indiana has the smallest area of any state west of the Appalachian Mountains except Hawaii. Indiana borders Lake Michigan and the state of Michigan on the north, Ohio on the east, Kentucky on the south, and Illinois on the west. The Ohio River forms the southern border, and the Wabash River forms part of the western border. The landscape of Indiana is generally flat. Many years ago huge glaciers leveled off the land in most of the region, forming the plains that cover most of the state. The northern third has a gently rolling landscape. In the northwest, windblown sand dunes rise along Lake Michigan. A larger plains area in the middle of the state has rich soil, making it a great farming area. The land changes along the Ohio River in the south-central and southwestern parts of the state. Untouched by glaciers, this region has many sharp ridges, rounded hills, and deep valleys. Indiana has a somewhat humid climate with warm summers and cool winters. It rarely experiences extremes of cold and heat. Northern cities along Lake Michigan receive much heavier snowfall than other parts of the state. Plants and animalsMuch of Indiana was once covered with forest. In the 19th century many trees were cut down to create farmland or to build businesses and housing. Because of conservation measures, however, the state's forestland increased in the last decades of the 20th century. The state's wildlife includes deer, bobcats, beavers, and raccoons. In the late 20th century Indiana made efforts to reintroduce animals that had disappeared from the state, including the bald eagle and river otter. People and cultureWhen European settlers arrived in the Indiana region, they found several Native American tribes living there. These tribes shared some cultural characteristics, including the use of the Algonquian language. The first white settlers were French fur traders and trappers. In the late 18th century settlers from Kentucky, Virginia, and the Carolinas began arriving in the area. The closeness of northern Indiana to the city of Chicago helped the state to attract newcomers from New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio in the 1830s. Beginning in the 1850s many Europeans came to Indiana to work in the northern industrial areas. This state also drew thousands of workers from the South during the two world wars. Today the majority of Indiana's residents are white, native-born Americans. Most trace their ancestry back to England, Scotland, Ireland, and Germany. African Americans are the largest minority group, making up more than 8 percent of the population. CitiesIndianapolis is the largest city in Indiana and has been the state capital since 1825. It is located near the center of the state and has many railroad connections. The city is a major industrial center and a leading grain and livestock market. Fort Wayne, in the northeast, is Indiana's second-largest city. It is a trade center and shipping point for a rich farming area. Evansville, on the Ohio River, is the industrial center of southern Indiana. Gary, at the southern end of Lake Michigan, is known for steel manufacturing. Other notable cities include South Bend, Hammond, Bloomington, Muncie, Anderson, and Terre Haute. Recreation - Beaches and sand dunes line the south shore of Lake Michigan in northern Indiana.
Indiana has many state parks, forests, and nature preserves for people who enjoy the outdoors. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, with its beaches and sand dunes, is among the most popular sites. French Lick, in the southern part of the state, is a health resort noted for its mineral springs. Wyandotte Cave, also in the south, is one of the largest of its kind in the United States. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts the famous Indy 500 automobile race each year on Memorial Day weekend. Basketball is very popular in Indiana, and the state has two professional teams—the Pacers (men) and the Fever (women). The Colts of the National Football League play in Indianapolis. EducationIndiana's modern school system began in 1852. In the same year a state board of education was set up to supervise the public schools. High schools were made part of the state educational system in 1907. The state's leading public institutions of higher education are Indiana University, with its main campus at Bloomington, and Purdue University, with its main campus at West Lafayette. The University of Notre Dame, near South Bend, is often considered the leading Roman Catholic university in the nation. EconomyIndustryIndiana is among the nation's top manufacturing states. In the late 20th century about 20 percent of the state's workforce was involved in manufacturing. The main products include motor vehicles and parts, aircraft engines and parts, steel, electronics, chemicals, and musical instruments. Despite the continued importance of manufacturing in Indiana, the state's economy has become more diverse. Construction, finance, and service industries grew quickly in the late 20th century. AgricultureOnly a small part of Indiana's workforce is employed in agriculture. Because of advances in technology, however, the state's farms are very productive. The most valuable crops are corn and soybeans. Hogs, cattle, and chickens and other animals are kept as livestock. Dairy products and eggs are major sources of farm income. MiningIndiana's most valuable mineral products are stone, cement, and sand and gravel. Soft coal is mined in the southwest. Some oil and natural gas are also produced in the state. HistoryThe first people to live in what is now Indiana were prehistoric Native Americans. Archaeologists have found remains of these people at Angel Mounds, a site in the southwestern part of the state. The major tribes living in the region when Europeans arrived included the Miami, the Potawatomi, and the Delaware (or Lenni Lenape). SettlementThe first European known to have entered the area was the French explorer La Salle. He crossed the northwestern part of the region in 1679. Afterward France claimed the entire area and established several forts. In 1763, at the end of the French and Indian War, France turned over the territory to Great Britain. The land passed to the United States at the close of the American Revolution in 1783. For many years people were afraid to settle in the region for fear of Indian attacks. After the Indiana Territory was created in 1800, its first governor, William Henry Harrison, did much to open the land for settlement. Harrison ended the struggle with the Indians with his victory in the famous battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. His success in this battle later helped him win the United States presidency. Statehood and growthIndiana was admitted to the Union in 1816 as the 19th state. By 1840 Indiana had a population of more than 680,000. The largest town at the time was New Albany, with little more than 4,000 residents. By 1860 Indianapolis had become the leading town, with a population of almost 19,000. Civil WarIndiana is perhaps the most Southern in character of all the Northern states. At the outbreak of the American Civil War (1861–65), Indiana was torn because of its many settlers from the South. The state stayed in the Union, but many citizens resisted having to join the Union army. Troops from the Confederacy invaded the state in 1863. Modern IndianaIndustry began to grow in Indiana during the Civil War, especially in the north. The steelmaking city of Gary was founded in 1906, and soon afterward automobile manufacturing began in South Bend. With these developments, industry became more important than farming in Indiana's economy. Industrial progress made pollution a serious problem, especially in the northwest around Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago. The Grand Calumet River, which flows through these cities, was polluted by waste produced by steel mills and other industries. Population (2000 census), 6,080,485. |