In 1836, Michigan and Ohio fought over which state would get the city of Toledo. Toledo is on the Maumee River. Both Michigan and Ohio wanted the area because the Maumee was important to transportation. Once it was connected to the Ohio River, boats could go from Lake Erie to the Gulf of Mexico.
Michigan sent armed men to Toledo to defend its claim to the land. There was a little fighting and only one man was injured, but the whole fight became known as the Toledo War.
Michigan and Ohio could not agree, and finally the United States Congress got involved. Congress gave Toledo to Ohio and offered Michigan the rest of the Upper Peninsula. Michigan thought it was a bad deal. Later, the copper, iron ore and lumber taken from the U.P. helped Michigan realize it was the real winner of the Toledo War.
The video give you a quick history of how Michigan became a state, including the Toledo War.
List three facts you learned from the story.
List a question (or questions if you have more than one) the story didn’t answer.
Dig deeper in a letter written by President Jackson to the United State Congress about Michigan and Ohio.
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