Original can be found in the Pat Reed Collection (2009-23) at the Archives of Michigan.Two cartoon men label as Ohio and Michigan play tug of war over map.
Toledo, Michigan?
Michigan History Center Staff
Grades: 3-5
Categories
Statehood Era
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.
Watch this video.
The video give you a quick history of how Michigan became a state, including the Toledo War.
What Did I Learn?
List three facts you learned from the story.
I Wonder…
List a question (or questions if you have more than one) the story didn’t answer.
Letter from Andrew Jackson dated December 9, 1835
Description
Dig deeper in a letter written by President Jackson to the United State Congress about Michigan and Ohio.
The First Try
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Let’s Define Constitution
Before a territory can become a state, it has to write a constitution. A constitution is a set of laws or a plan about how a government is organized. Michigan wrote its first constitution in 1835, two years before it became a state.
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The Michigan History Center is creating stories, activities, and teaching resources for educators to use with students.
The stories below focus on how Michigan became a state. What did Michigan have to do in order to become a state? What challenges arose in the process?
Overall, these… Read More
The Statehood Era is define by staff at the Michigan History Center as the time between 1787 with the creation of the Northwest Territory via the Northwest Ordinance and 1840 after the [achievement of Michigan's statehood]. The people who lived in and came to Michigan… Read More