Wisconsin

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State of Wisconsin

Flag of Wisconsin Seal of Wisconsin Nickname(s): Badger State Motto(s): Forward
Official language(s)	None
Capital	Madison
Largest city	Milwaukee
Area	Ranked 23rd
- Total	65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)
- Width	260 miles (420 km)
- Length	310 miles (500 km)
- % water	17
- Latitude	42°30'N to 47°3'N
- Longitude	86°49'W to 92°54'W
Population	Ranked 18th
- Total (2000)	5,363,675
- Density	98.8/sq mi  38.13/km² (24th)
- Median income	$47,220 (15th)
Elevation
- Highest point	Timms Hill[1] 1,951 ft  (595 m)
- Mean	1,050 ft  (320 m)
- Lowest point	Lake Michigan[2] 579 ft  (77 m)
Admission to Union	May 29, 1848 (30th)
Governor	James Doyle, Jr. (D)
U.S. Senators	Herb Kohl (D) Russ Feingold (D)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Abbreviations	WI Wis. US-WI
Web site	www.wisconsin.gov

Wisconsin (IPA pronunciation: [wɪs.ˈkɑn.sn̩] (help·info)) is a state in the United States, and is located in the Great Lakes region. The capital of the state is Madison, and its current governor is Jim Doyle.

Wisconsin, bordered by the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois, as well as Lakes Michigan and Superior, has been part of United States territory since the end of the American Revolution; the Wisconsin Territory (which included parts of other current states) was formed on July 3, 1836. Wisconsin ratified its constitution March 13, 1848, and was admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state. The state's southern boundary line was originally supposed to reach the southern-most tip of Lake Michigan, but for some reason politics intervened during the debates of the Northwest Ordinance to make it as it appears in the present day. Wisconsin would have possessed the City of Chicago had the state line been pushed further south as originally contemplated.

Wisconsin's economy was originally based on farming (especially dairy), mining, and lumbering. In the 20th century, tourism became important, and many people living on former farms commuted to jobs elsewhere. Large-scale industrialization began in the late 19th century in the southeast of the state, with the city of Milwaukee as its major center. In recent decades, service industries, especially medicine and education, have become dominant. Wisconsin's landscape, largely shaped by the Wisconsin glaciation of the last Ice Age, makes the state popular for both tourism and many forms of outdoor recreation.

Since its founding, Wisconsin has been ethnically heterogeneous, with Yankees being among the first to arrive from New York and New England. They dominated the state's heavy industry, finance, politics and education. Large numbers of European immigrants followed them, including Germans, mostly between 1850 and 1900, Scandinavians and smaller groups of Belgians, Dutch, Swiss, Finns, Irish and others; in the 20th century, large numbers of Poles and African-Americans came, settling mainly in Milwaukee.

Today, 42.6% of the population is of German ancestry, making Wisconsin one of the most German-American states in the United States. Numerous ethnic festivals are held throughout Wisconsin to celebrate its heritage. Such festivals are world renowned, and include Italian Days, Bastille Days, Summerfest, Africal World Festival, Indian Summer, and many others.

During the period of the Civil War, Wisconsin was a Republican 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, Wisconin's politics were dominated by Robert La Follette and his sons, originally of the Republican Party, but later of their own Progressive Party. Since 1945, the state has maintained a close balance between Republicans and Democrats. Republican Senator Joe McCarthy was a major national figure in the early 1950s. Recent leading Republicans include former Governor Tommy Thompson and Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.; prominent Democrats include Governor Jim Doyle, Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, and Congressman David Obey.^[3]

Contents 1 History 1.1 Name 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 3 Demographics 3.1 Religion 4 Economy 5 Law and government 5.1 Politics 5.2 Lawmakers in Wisconsin 6 Important cities and villages 7 Education 7.1 Colleges and universities 8 Sports 9 Miscellaneous topics 10 See also 11 References 12 External links

[edit] History

Main article: History of Wisconsin

In 1634, Frenchman Jean Nicolet became Wisconsin's first European explorer, landing at Red Banks, near modern-day Green Bay in search of a passage to the Orient. The French controlled the area until it was ceded to the British in 1763.

Wisconsin was part of the Northwest Territory from 1788 to 1800. It was then governed as part of Indiana Territory (1800-1809), Illinois Territory (1809-1818), and Michigan Territory (1818-1836).^[4] Settlement began when the first two public land offices opened in 1834.^[5] Wisconsin Territory was organized on July 3, 1836, and it became the 30th state on May 29, 1848.

The state mineral is galena, otherwise known as lead sulfide, which reflects Wisconsin's early mining history. Many town names, such as Mineral Point, recall a period in the 1820s, 1830s, and 1840s, when Wisconsin was an important mining state. When Indian treaties opened up southwest Wisconsin to settlement, thousands of miners — many of them immigrants from Cornwall, England — joined the "lead rush" in southwestern areas. At that time, Wisconsin produced more than half of the nation's lead; Belmont, in the lead region, was briefly the state capital. By the 1840s, the easily accessible deposits were worked out, and experienced miners were drawn away to the California Gold Rush. This period of mining before and during the early years of statehood led to the state's nickname, the "Badger State". Many miners and their families lived in the mines in which they worked until adequate above-ground shelters were built, and were thus compared to badgers.^[6]

In the 1830-60 period, large numbers of Yankees from New England and New York flocked to Wisconsin. The New Yorkers were influential in bringing dairy farming to the state. As New York was the leading dairy state at the time, migrants from there brought with them the skills needed for dairy farming, as well as butter and cheese production.^[7]

Other Yankees settled in towns or cities where they set up businesses, factories, mills, banks, schools, libraries, colleges, and voluntary societies. They created many Congregational, Presbyterian and Methodist churches that still exist. The Yankees created the Republican party in 1854—the first local meeting in the country came in Ripon. They gave strong support to the Civil War effort, as well as to reforms such as abolition, women's suffrage and, especially, prohibition.

Even larger numbers of Germans arrived, so that the state became over one-third German. Most became farmers; others moved to Milwaukee and smaller cities setting up breweries and becoming craftsmen, machinists and skilled workers who were in high demand as the state industrialized. The Germans were split along religious lines. Most Germans were Catholic or Lutheran, with some Lutherans forming the Wisconsin Synod and others joining the Missouri Synod. The Catholics and Lutherans created their own network of parochial schools, through grade 8. Smaller numbers of Germans were Methodists, Jews, or Freethinkers (especially intellectual refugees). Politically they tended toward the Democratic party, but 30-40% voted Republican. Whenever the Republicans seemed to support prohibition, they shifted toward the Democrats. When nativist Republicans, led by governor William Hoard, passed the Bennett Law in 1889 that would eliminate instruction in the German language, German-Americans revolted and helped elect the Democrats in 1890. In World War I, German culture came under heavy attack in Wisconsin. Senator LaFollette became their protector and Germans strongly supported his wing of the Republican party after that.

Scandinavians comprise the third largest ethnic block, with Norwegians, Danes, Swedes, and Finns becoming farmers and lumberjacks in the western and northern districts. A large Danish settlement in Racine was the only large urban presence. The great majority were Lutheran, of various synods. The Scandinavians supported Prohibition and voted Republican; in the early 20th century they were the backbone of the LaFollette movement. Irish Catholics came to Milwaukee and Madison and smaller cities as railroad workers. They quickly became prominent in local government and in the Democratic party. They wrestled with the German Catholics for control of the Catholic church in the state.

[edit] Name

"Wisconsin" is thought to be an English version of a French adaptation of an Indian word. It may come from the Ojibwe word Miskwasiniing, meaning "Red-stone place," which was probably the name given to the Wisconsin River, and was recorded as Ouisconsin by the French and changed to its current form by the English. The modern Ojibwe name, however, is Wiishkoonsing or Wazhashkoonsing, meaning "muskrat-lodge place" or "little muskrat place." Other theories are that the name comes from words meaning "Gathering of the Waters" or "Great Rock." Wisconsin originally was applied to the Wisconsin River, and later to the area as a whole when Wisconsin became a territory.

[edit] Geography

The state is bordered by the Montreal River; Lake Superior and Michigan to the north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa and Minnesota to the west. The state's boundaries include the Mississippi River and St. Croix River in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast.

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 1.5 million acre Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, as well as thousands of glacial lakes, and the state's highest point, Timms Hill. In the middle of the state, the Central Plain possesses 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 Wisconsin's 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 glaciers during the most recent ice age, the Wisconsin Glaciation.

The varied landscape of Wisconsin makes the state a vacation destination popular for outdoor recreation. Winter events include skiing, ice fishing and snowmobile derbies. Wisconsin has many lakes of varied size; in fact Wisconsin contains 11,188 square miles (28,977 km²) of water, more than all but three other states (Alaska, Michigan & Florida). The distinctive Door Peninsula, which extends off the eastern coast of the state, contains one of the state's most beautiful tourist destinations, Door County. The area draws thousands of visitors yearly to its quaint villages, seasonal cherry picking, and ever-popular fish boils.

Areas under the management of the National Park Service include the following:

• Apostle Islands National Lakeshore along Lake Superior
• Ice Age National Scenic Trail
• North Country National Scenic Trail
• Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
• Nicolet National Forest.

[edit] Climate

The Wisconsin climate is great for growing crops with a wet season falling in spring and summer, bringing with it almost two-thirds of yearly precipitation. It brings cold snowy winters, which are what Wisconsin is well-known for. The highest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in the Wisconsin Dells, on July 13, 1936, and was 114°F. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in Couderay, on both February 2 and 4, 1996, and was –55°F.^[8]

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1820	1,444		–
1830	3,635		151.7%
1840	30,945		751.3%
1850	305,391		886.9%
1860	775,881		154.1%
1870	1,054,670		35.9%
1880	1,315,497		24.7%
1890	1,693,330		28.7%
1900	2,069,042		22.2%
1910	2,333,860		12.8%
1920	2,632,067		12.8%
1930	2,939,006		11.7%
1940	3,137,587		6.8%
1950	3,434,575		9.5%
1960	3,951,777		15.1%
1970	4,417,731		11.8%
1980	4,705,767		6.5%
1990	4,891,769		4.0%
2000	5,363,675		9.6%
Est. 2005	5,536,201	[9]	3.2%

The state has always been ethnically heterogeneous. Large numbers of Germans arrived between 1850 and 1900, centering in Milwaukee, but also settling in many small cities and farm areas in the southeast. Scandinavians settled in lumbering and farming areas in the northwest. Small colonies of Belgians, Swiss, Finns and other groups came to the state. Irish Catholics mostly came to the cities. After 1900, Polish immigrants came to Milwaukee, followed by African Americans from 1940 on.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2006, Wisconsin has an estimated population of 5,556,506, which is an increase of 28,862, or 0.5%, from the prior year and an increase of 192,791, or 3.6%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 144,051 people (that is 434,966 births minus 290,915 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 65,781 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 56,557 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 9,224 people. The top 5 states with a net increase of migration into Wisconsin are 1) Illinois, 2) California, 3) Indiana 4) New York and 5) Pennsylvania.^{[citation needed]} The center of population of Wisconsin is located in Green Lake County, in the city of Markesan.^[10]

As of 2004, there are 229,800 foreign-born residents in the state (4.2% of the state population), and an estimated 41,000 undocumented workers living in the state, accounting for 18% of the foreign-born population.^{[citation needed]}

Demographics of Wisconsin (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN	Asian	NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native   -   NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population)	91.52%	6.15%	1.30%	1.92%	0.08%
2000 (Hispanic only)	3.35%	0.17%	0.11%	0.03%	0.01%
2005 (total population)	91.00%	6.48%	1.30%	2.21%	0.09%
2005 (Hispanic only)	4.17%	0.20%	0.12%	0.04%	0.01%
Growth 2000-2005 (total population)	2.64%	8.89%	3.13%	18.59%	6.85%
Growth 2000-2005 (non-Hispanic only)	1.65%	8.53%	2.43%	18.63%	6.18%
Growth 2000-2005 (Hispanic only)	28.67%	21.23%	10.54%	16.75%	10.87%

The five largest ancestry groups in Wisconsin are: German (42.6%), Irish (10.9%), Polish (9.3%), Norwegian (8.5%), English (6.5%)

Wisconsin, with many cultural remnants of its heavy German settlement, is known as perhaps the most "German-American" state in the Union. People of Scandinavian descent, especially Norwegians, are heavily concentrated in some western parts of the state. Wisconsin has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state. Menominee County is the only county in the eastern United States with an American Indian majority.

86% of Wisconsin's African American population lives in one of five cities: Milwaukee, Racine, Madison, Kenosha and Beloit while Milwaukee itself is home to nearly three-fourths of the state's African Americans. Milwaukee ranks in the top 10 major U.S. cities with the highest number of African Americans per capita. In the Great Lakes region, only Detroit and Cleveland have a higher percentage of African Americans.

33% of Wisconsin's Asian population is Hmong, with significant communities in Milwaukee, Wausau, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Appleton, La Crosse, Stevens Point, Madison, and Eau Claire.

6.4% of Wisconsin's population was reported as under 5, 25.5% under 18, and 13.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.6% of the population.

[edit] Religion

The largest denominations are Roman Catholic, Missouri Synod, Wisconsin Synod and ELCA Lutherans. The religious affiliations of the people of Wisconsin are shown in the list below:^[11]

• Christian – 85%
  • Protestant – 55%
    • Lutheran – 23%
    • Methodist – 7%
    • Baptist – 6%
    • Presbyterian – 2%
    • United Church of Christ – 2%
    • Other Protestant or general Protestant – 15%
  • Roman Catholic – 29%
  • Other Christian – 1%
• Other Religions – 1%
• Non-Religious – 14%

[edit] Economy

According to the 2004 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report, Wisconsin’s gross state product was $211.7 billion. The per capita personal income was $32,157 in 2004.

The economy of Wisconsin is driven by manufacturing, agriculture, and health care. Although manufacturing accounts for a far greater part of the state's income than farming, Wisconsin is often perceived as a farming state. It produces more dairy products than any other state in the United States except California, and leads the nation in cheese production. Wisconsin ranks second behind California in overall production of milk and butter, and it ranks third in per-capita milk production, behind Idaho and Vermont.^[12] Based on poll results, Governor Jim Doyle chose for Wisconsin's 50 State Quarters design a Holstein cow, an ear of corn, and a wheel of cheese.^[13] Wisconsin ranks first in the production of corn for silage, cranberries, ginseng, and snap beans for processing. Wisconsin is also a leading producer of oats, potatoes, carrots, tart cherries, maple syrup, and sweet corn for processing.

Given Wisconsin's strong agricultural tradition, it is not surprising that a large part of the state's manufacturing sector deals with food processing. Some well known food brands produced in Wisconsin include Oscar Mayer, Tombstone frozen pizza, Johnsonville brats, and Usinger's sausage. Kraft Foods alone employs over five thousand people in the state. Milwaukee is a major producer of beer and the home of Miller Brewing Company's world headquarters, the nation's second largest brewer. Schlitz, Blatz, & Pabst used to be cornerstone breweries within the City of Milwaukee, but their heyday has long since passed.

Badger State
State Animal:	Badger
State Domesticated Animal:	Dairy Cow
State Wild Animal:	White-tailed Deer
State Beverage:	Milk
State Fruit:	Cranberry
State Bird:	Robin
State Capital:	Madison
State Dog:	American Water Spaniel
State Fish:	Muskellunge
State Flower:	Wood Violet
State Fossil:	Trilobite
State Grain:	Corn
State Insect:	European honey bee
State Motto:	Forward
State Song:	"On, Wisconsin!"
State Tree:	Sugar Maple
State Mineral:	Galena (Lead sulfide)
State Rock:	Red Granite
State Soil:	Antigo Silt Loam
State Dance:	Polka
State Symbol of Peace:	Mourning Dove

Wisconsin is also home to several transportation equipment and machinery manufacturers. Major Wisconsin companies in these categories include the Kohler Company, Rockwell Automation, Johnson Controls, Briggs & Stratton, Miller Electric, Milwaukee Electric Tool Company, Oshkosh Truck, and Harley-Davidson. Wisconsin also ranks first nationwide in the production of paper products; the lower Fox River from Lake Winnebago to the Bay of Green Bay has twenty-four paper mills along its 39-mile (63 km) stretch. The largest paper companies with operations in Wisconsin are Kimberly-Clark and Georgia-Pacific, both of which rank among the state's top ten employers.

Health care is a growing sector of the economy with key players such as GE Healthcare, Epic Systems, and TomoTherapy.

Tourism is also a major industry in Wisconsin. Tourist destinations such as the House on the Rock near Spring Green, Circus World Museum in Baraboo, and the attractions around Wisconsin Dells draw thousands of visitors every year, and festivals such as Summerfest and the EAA Oshkosh Airshow always attract large crowds.

Wisconsin collects personal income tax based on 4 income level brackets, which range from 4.6% to 6.75%. The state sales and use tax rate is 5%. Fifty-nine counties have an additional sales/use tax of 0.5%.^[14] The counties surrounding Milwaukee County have an additional .5% tax imposed upon them to fund the new baseball stadium, Miller Park, which was constructed around the turn of the century. Retailers who make sales subject to applicable county taxes must collect 5.5% 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 Wisconsin's 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 taxes. Wisconsin's estate tax is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws; therefore the state imposes its own estate tax on certain large estates [1].

[edit] Law and government

The capital is Madison.

State Executive Officers

• Governor: James Doyle, Jr.
• Lieutenant Governor: Barbara Lawton
• Attorney General: J.B. Van Hollen
• Secretary of State: Douglas LaFollette
• Treasurer: Dawn Marie Sass
• State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elizabeth Burmaster

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 U.S. Senators from Wisconsin

[edit] Politics

Much of the state's 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 because of the Republican Party's support of the Bennett Law, which led to a major victory for the Democrats.^[15]

[edit] Lawmakers in Wisconsin

The state has supported Democrats in the last five presidential contests. 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 14,000 votes. Republicans have strongholds in the Fox Valley and the suburban counties (especially Waukesha County) surrounding Milwaukee. The City of Milwaukee itself heads the list of Wisconsin's Democratic strongholds which also includes Madison and the state's Native American reservations. Most of Wisconsin's small towns and rural areas are swing regions. The Milwaukee suburbs tend to be heavily Republican.

• Wisconsin's political history encompasses, on the one hand, "Fighting Bob" La Follette and the Progressive movement; and on the other, Joe McCarthy, the controversial anti-Communist censured by the Senate during the 1950s.
• In the early 20th century, the Socialist Party of America had a base in Milwaukee; it faded out in the late 1950s, largely due to the red scare and racial tensions.^[16] 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 due to 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 Senator 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.^[17]
• In 2004, Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Milwaukee, became Wisconsin's first, and currently only, African-American U.S. Representative.

[edit] Important cities and villages

Wisconsin's self-promotion as "America's Dairyland" sometimes leads to a mistaken impression that it is an exclusively rural state. However, Wisconsin contains cities and towns of all sizes, and over 68% of Wisconsin residents live in urban areas.^[18] Milwaukee is slightly larger than Boston and part of a largely developed string of cities that stretches down the western edge of Lake Michigan into greater Chicago and also into northwestern Indiana. Milwaukee is also the 22nd-largest city in the country,^[19] with around 580,000 inhabitants. This string of cities along the western edge of Lake Michigan is generally considered to be an example of a megalopolis. Madison's triple identity as state capital, university town and working city gives it a cultural richness unusual in a city its size. Madison is also a very fast-growing city, that has around 220,000 people. Medium-size cities dot the state and anchor a network of working farms surrounding them. Cities and villages are incorporated urban areas in Wisconsin. Towns are unincorporated civil divisions of counties.

Cities in Wisconsin with population of 50,000 or more (as of the 2005 census estimate) include:

• Milwaukee, population 578,887 (1,709,926 in metropolitan area), largest city
• Madison, population 221,551 (588,885 in metropolitan area), state capital
• Green Bay, population 101,203 (295,473 in metropolitan area)
• Kenosha, population 95,240, part of Chicagoland
• Racine, population 85,855, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• Appleton, population 70,217 (213,102 in metropolitan area)
• Waukesha, population 67,658 part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• Oshkosh, population 63,485 (159,008 in metropolitan area)
• Eau Claire, population 62,570 (148,337 in metropolitan area)
• Janesville, population 61,962 (154,794 in metropolitan area)
• West Allis, population 58,798, part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area
• La Crosse, population 50,287 (128,592 in metropolitan area)

See also: List of municipalities in Wisconsin by population and Political subdivisions of Wisconsin

[edit] Education

[edit] Colleges and universities

Public education in Wisconsin includes both the 26-campus University of Wisconsin System, headquartered in Madison, and the 16-campus Wisconsin Technical College System which coordinates with the University of Wisconsin. Notable private colleges and universities include Milwaukee School of Engineering, Marquette University, Medical College of Wisconsin, Beloit College, St. Norbert College, and Lawrence University, among others.

See also: List of colleges and universities in Wisconsin

See also: List of high schools in Wisconsin

See also: List of school districts in Wisconsin

[edit] Sports

Wisconsin is represented by major league teams in the three most popular spectator sports in the United States: American football, baseball, and basketball. The Green Bay Packers have been part of the National Football League since the league's second season in 1921 and currently hold the record for the most NFL titles, earning the city of Green Bay the nickname "Titletown".

Club	Sport	League
Green Bay Packers	Football	National Football League
Milwaukee Brewers	Baseball	Major League Baseball
Milwaukee Bucks	Basketball	National Basketball Association
Milwaukee Admirals	Ice hockey	American Hockey League
Milwaukee Wave	Soccer	Major Indoor Soccer League
Green Bay Blizzard	Arena football	af2
Green Bay Gamblers	Ice hockey	United States Hockey League
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers	Baseball	Midwest League
Beloit Snappers	Baseball	Midwest League
Wisconsin Wolves	Football	Women's Professional Football League
Milwaukee Momentum	Football	National Women's Football Association
Eau Claire Cavaliers	Baseball	Wisconsin State League
Milwaukee Braves (moved to Atlanta, Georgia and are now the Atlanta Braves)	Baseball	Major League Baseball
Milwaukee Brewers (1901) (would move to St. Louis, Missouri and become the St. Louis Browns, the team moved again to Baltimore, Maryland and are now the Baltimore Orioles)	Baseball	Major League Baseball
Milwaukee Mustangs (defunct)	Football	Arena Football League
Kenosha Comets (defunct)	Baseball	All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Racine Belles (would move to Battle Creek, Michigan and become the Battle Creek Belles, and move again to Muskegon, Michigan and were the Muskegon Belles for the rest of the team's existence)	Baseball	All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Milwaukee Chicks (would move to Grand Rapids, Michigan and become the Grand Rapids Chicks for the rest of the team's existence)	Baseball	All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Green Bay Bombers (defunct)	Football	Professional Indoor Football League/Indoor Football League
Madison Mad Dogs (defunct)	Football	Professional Indoor Football League/Indoor Football League
LaCrosse RiverRats (defunct)	Football	Indoor Football League
LaCrosse Catbirds (would move to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and become the Pittsburgh Hardhats for the rest of the team's existence)	Basketball	Continental Basketball Association
LaCrosse Bobcats (defunct)	Basketball	Continental Basketball Association
Eau Claire Cardinals (defunct)	Baseball	Northern League
Eau Claire Bears (defunct)	Baseball	Northern League
Eau Claire Braves (defunct)	Baseball	Northern League
Kenosha Northern Ice (defunct)	Football	Women's Professional Football League
Wisconsin Riveters (defunct)	Football	Women's Professional Football League
Sheboygan Redskins (defunct)	Basketball	National Basketball Association/National Basketball League
Oshkosh All-Stars (defunct)	Basketball	National Basketball League
Fairbanks Fairies (Beloit, Wisconsin) (defunct)	Football	National Football League

Wisconsin is also rich in college sports. Below are Wisconsin's teams participating in the NCAA:

School	Nickname	Division	Conference
University of Wisconsin-Madison	Badgers	I-A/I	Big Ten Conference/Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Marquette University	Golden Eagles	I	Big East Conference
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	Panthers	I	Horizon League
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay	Phoenix	I	Horizon League/Independent
University of Wisconsin-Parkside	Rangers	II	Great Lakes Valley Conference
Alverno College	Inferno	III	Northern Athletics Conference
Beloit College	Buccanneers	III	Midwest Conference
Carthage College	Red Men/Lady Reds	III	Collegiate Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin/Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association/Independent
Carroll College (Wisconsin)	Pioneers	III	Midwest Conference
Concordia University Wisconsin	Falcons	III	Northern Athletics Conference
Edgewood College	Eagles	III	Northern Athletics Conference
Lakeland College (Wisconsin)	Muskies	III	Northern Athletics Conference
Lawrence University	Vikings	III	Midwest Conference
Maranatha Baptist Bible College	Crusaders	III	Northern Athletics Conference
Marian College (Wisconsin)	Sabers	III	Northern Athletics Conference
Milwaukee School of Engineering	Raiders	III	Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association/Independent
Mount Mary College	Blue Angels	III	Independent
Northland College	Lumberjacks/Lumberjills	III	Independent
Ripon College	Red Hawks	III	Midwest Conference
St. Norbert	Green Knights	III	Midwest Conference
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	Blugolds	III	Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/Northern Conference Hockey Association/Independent
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse	Eagles (formerly the Indians)	III	Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh	Titans	III	Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/Independent
University of Wisconsin-Platteville	Pioneers	III	Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/Independent
University of Wisconsin-River Falls	Falcons	III	Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/Northern Conference Hockey Association
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point	Pointers	III	Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/Northern Conference Hockey Association
University of Wisconsin-Stout	Blue Devils	III	Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/Northern Conference Hockey Association
University of Wisconsin-Superior	Yellowjackets	III	Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/Northern Conference Hockey Association/Independent
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater	Warhawks	III	Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/Independent
Wisconsin Lutheran College	Warriors	III	Northern Athletics Conference

Wisconsin is also host to several teams that participate in the Northwoods League, a semi-pro baseball league for college athletes.

Madison Mallards

Eau Claire Express

Green Bay Bullfrogs

La Crosse Loggers

Wisconsin Woodchucks

A planned yet-to-be-named expansion team based out of Pewaukee, Wisconsin

[edit] Miscellaneous topics

USS Wisconsin was named in honor of this state.

Known as "America's Dairyland," Wisconsin is also known for cheese. Citizens of Wisconsin are referred to as Wisconsinites, although a common nickname (sometimes used pejoratively) among non-residents is "Cheeseheads," because of the prevalence and quality of cheesemaking in the state, and for the novelty hats made of yellow foam in the shape of a triangular block of cheese made popular by the fans of the state's professional football team. Cheese curds are an extremely popular treat, exported as gifts throughout the country. The state is also known for its alcohol production and consumption, and it is historically home to a large number of breweries and bars per capita. A lesser known, but still significant nickname for Wisconsin is "The Copper State," referring to the copper mines in the northwestern part of the state.

Wisconsin is very popular for outdoor activities especially hunting and fishing. One of the most popular game animals is the Whitetail deer. In 2005, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported the population of Wisconsin's deer herd to be about 1.4-1.5 million. It is common for over 600,000 deer hunting licenses to be sold each year.^[20] Visitors to Wisconsin during the Thanksgiving holiday will see many hunters in rural areas wearing blaze orange gear for Wisconsin's gun-deer hunting season.

The state is home to the Green Bay Packers, one of the most successful small-market professional sports franchise in the world. With 12 National Football League titles, Green Bay is known as "Titletown". Monday Night Football national broadcasts draw strong ratings during Packers games. The Packers' home stadium, Lambeau Field, is referred to as the "frozen tundra" and is considered by many football enthusiasts to be "hallowed ground." The University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers football program, playing at Camp Randall Stadium, enjoys similar loyalty; both teams are known to sell out their entire schedules far in advance. The waiting list for Packers season tickets has over 60,000 names. Games at Lambeau field have been sold out every year since the 1960s.

The Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee is known for its unique architecture. The Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens cover over 200 acres (800,000 m²) of land on the far west side of the city. Madison is home to the Vilas Zoo which is free for all visitors, and the Olbrich Gardens conservatory, as well as the hub of cultural activity at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is also known for Monona Terrace, a convention center that was designed by Taliesin Architect Anthony Puttnam, based loosely on a 1930s design by Frank Lloyd Wright, a world-renowned architect and Wisconsin native who was born in Richland Center. Wright's home and studio in the 20th century was at Taliesin, south of Spring Green. Decades after Wright's death, Taliesin remains an architectural office and school for his followers.

Wisconsin has sister-state relationships with the Germany's Hessen, Japan's Chiba Prefecture, Mexico's Jalisco, China's Heilongjiang, and Nicaragua.^[21]

[edit] See also

• List of people from Wisconsin
• List of counties in Wisconsin
• List of cities in Wisconsin
• List of towns in Wisconsin
• List of villages in Wisconsin
• List of Wisconsin Civil War Units
• List of Wisconsin state parks
• List of Wisconsin rivers
• List of Wisconsin numbered highways
• List of Wisconsin railroads
• List of television shows set in Wisconsin
• List of television stations in Wisconsin
• Wisconsin Local History Collection
• Scouting in Wisconsin
• Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
• Wisconsin State Patrol
• Badger Army Ammunition Plant

[edit] References