The bulk of Wisconsin's population live in areas situated along the shores of Lake Michigan. The largest city,
Kenosha, the third- and fourth-most-populated Wisconsin cities, respectively. The state capital, Madison, is currently the second-most-populated and fastest-growing city in the state.[14] Wisconsin is divided into 72 counties and as of the 2020 census had a population of nearly 5.9 million.[15]
gross domestic product in 2020 was $348 billion.[27]
Etymology
The word Wisconsin originates from the name given to the
anglicized the spelling from Ouisconsin to Wisconsin when they began to arrive in large numbers during the early 19th century. The legislature of Wisconsin Territory made the current spelling official in 1845.[30]
The
Ojibwa words meaning 'red stone place', 'where the waters gather', or 'great rock'.[32]
Jean Nicolet, depicted in a 1910 painting by Frank Rohrbeck, was probably the first European to explore Wisconsin. The mural is located in the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay.
The first European to visit what became Wisconsin was probably the French explorer
Charles de Langlade in 1764, settled in Wisconsin permanently, rather than returning to British-controlled Canada.[41]
The 300th anniversary of Nicolet's landing in 1634 is commemorated on a U.S. stamp, issued by the U.S. Post Office in 1934
The British gradually took over Wisconsin during the French and Indian War, taking control of Green Bay in 1761 and gaining control of all of Wisconsin in 1763. Like the French, the British were interested in little but the fur trade. One notable event in the fur trading industry in Wisconsin occurred in 1791, when two free African Americans set up a fur trading post among the Menominee at present-day
French Canadians, some Anglo-New Englanders and a few African American freedmen, arrived in Wisconsin while it was under British control. Charles de Langlade is generally recognized as the first settler, establishing a trading post at Green Bay in 1745, and moving there permanently in 1764.[41] Settlement began at Prairie du Chien around 1781. The French residents at the trading post in what is now Green Bay, referred to the town as "La Baye". However, British fur traders referred to it as "Green Bay", because the water and the shore assumed green tints in early spring. The old French title was gradually dropped, and the British name of "Green Bay" eventually stuck. The region coming under British rule had virtually no adverse effect on the French residents as the British needed the cooperation of the French fur traders and the French fur traders needed the goodwill of the British. During the French occupation of the region licenses for fur trading had been issued scarcely and only to select groups of traders, whereas the British, in an effort to make as much money as possible from the region, issued licenses for fur trading freely, both to British and to French residents. The fur trade in what is now Wisconsin reached its height under British rule, and the first self-sustaining farms in the state were established as well. From 1763 to 1780, Green Bay was a prosperous community which produced its own foodstuff, built graceful cottages and held dances and festivities.[42]
Wisconsin became a territorial possession of the United States in 1783 after the American Revolutionary War. In 1787, it became part of the Northwest Territory. As territorial boundaries subsequently developed, it was then part of Indiana Territory from 1800 to 1809, Illinois Territory from 1809 to 1818, and Michigan Territory from 1818 to 1836. However, the British remained in control until after the War of 1812, the outcome of which finally established an American presence in the area.[44] 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, Dodgeville, and nearby areas. Some miners found shelter in the holes they had dug, and earned the nickname "badgers", leading to Wisconsin's identity as the "Badger State".[45] 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 culminated in the forced removal of Native Americans from most parts of the state.[46]
Following these conflicts, Wisconsin Territory was created by an act of the United States Congress on April 20, 1836. By fall of that year, the best prairie groves of the counties surrounding what is now Milwaukee were occupied by farmers from the New England states.[47]
institutions.
On May 29, 1948, the U.S.Post Office issued a commemorative stamp celebrating the 100th anniversary of Wisconsin statehood, featuring the state capitol building and map of Wisconsin.
The growing population allowed Wisconsin to gain statehood on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state. Between 1840 and 1850, Wisconsin's non-Indian population had swollen from 31,000 to 305,000. More than a third of residents (110,500) were foreign born, including 38,000 Germans, 28,000 British immigrants from England, Scotland, and Wales, and 21,000 Irish. Another third (103,000) were Yankees from New England and western New York state. Only about 63,000 residents in 1850 had been born in Wisconsin.[52]
abolitionist, was the first of many Wisconsin governors to advocate against the spread of slavery into new states and territories.[53]
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 Joshua Glover, a runaway slave from Missouri, was captured in Racine. Glover was taken into custody under the Federal Fugitive Slave Law, but a mob of abolitionists stormed the prison where Glover was held and helped him escape to Canada. In a trial stemming from the incident, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ultimately declared the Fugitive Slave Law unconstitutional.[54] The Republican Party, founded on March 20, 1854, by anti-slavery expansion activists in Ripon, Wisconsin, grew to dominate state politics in the aftermath of these events.[55] During the Civil War, around 91,000 troops from Wisconsin fought for the Union.[56]
Wisconsin's 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
La Crosse, Eau Claire, and Wausau. 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.[58]
These conditions forced both wheat agriculture and the lumber industry into a precipitous decline.
The Daniel E. Krause Stone Barn in Chase was built in 1903, as dairy farming spread across the state.
Beginning in the 1890s, farmers in Wisconsin shifted from wheat to dairy production to make more sustainable and profitable use of their land. Many immigrants carried cheese-making traditions that, combined with the state's suitable geography and dairy research led by
University of Wisconsin, helped the state build a reputation as "America's Dairyland".[59] Meanwhile, conservationists including Aldo Leopold helped re-establish the state's forests during the early 20th century,[60] paving the way for a more renewable lumber and paper milling 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 tool-making, leading Wisconsin to rank 8th among U.S. states in total product value by 1910.[61]
As the war raged on in Europe, Robert M. La Follette, leader of the anti-war movement in Wisconsin. led a group of progressive senators in blocking a bill by president Woodrow Wilson which would have armed merchant ships with guns. Many Wisconsin politicians such as Governor Phillipp and senator Irvine Lernroot were accused of having divided loyalties.[71] Even with outspoken opponents to the war, at the onset of the war many Wisconsinites would abandon neutrality. Businesses, labor and farms all enjoyed prosperity from the war. With over 118,000 going into military service, Wisconsin was the first state to report for the national drafts conducted by the U.S. military.[72]
In the immediate aftermath of World War II, citizens of Wisconsin were divided over issues such as creation of the United Nations, support for the European recovery, and the growth of the Soviet Union's power. However, when Europe divided into Communist and capitalist camps and the Communist revolution in China succeeded in 1949, public opinion began to move towards support for the protection of democracy and capitalism against Communist expansion.[73]
Wisconsin took part in several political extremes in the mid to late 20th century, ranging from the anti-communist crusades 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. The state undertook welfare reform under Republican Governor Tommy Thompson during the 1990s.[74] The state's economy also underwent further transformations towards the close of the 20th century, as heavy industry and manufacturing declined in favor of a service economy based on medicine, education, agribusiness, and tourism.
Two U.S. Navy battleships,
BB-64
, were named for the state.
21st century
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2024)
Couderay, where it reached −55 °F (−48 °C) on both February 2 and 4, 1996. Wisconsin also receives a large amount of regular snowfall averaging around 40 inches (100 cm) in the southern portions with up to 160 inches (410 cm) annually in the Lake Superior snowbelt each year.[81]
Monthly normal high and low temperatures for selected Wisconsin cities [°F (°C)]
Wisconsin 2020 Population Density MapEthnic origins in Wisconsin
The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Wisconsin was 5,822,434 on July 1, 2019, a 2.4% increase since the 2010 United States census.[84] This includes a natural increase since the last census of 150,659 people (i.e., 614,771 births minus 464,112 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 12,755 people. Immigration resulted in a net increase of 59,251 people, and migration from within the U.S. resulted in a net decrease of 72,006 people.[85]
English (5.7%).[94] German is the most common ancestry in every county in the state, except Menominee, Trempealeau, and Vernon.[95] Wisconsin has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state.[96]
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
Norwegian), Irish, and Poles. In the 20th century, a number of African Americans and Mexicans settled in Milwaukee; and after the end of the Vietnam War came an influx of Hmongs
.
The various ethnic groups settled in different areas of the state. Although German immigrants settled throughout the state, the largest concentration was in Milwaukee. Norwegian immigrants settled in lumbering and farming areas in the north and west. Irish, Italian, and Polish immigrants settled primarily in urban areas.[97]Menominee County is the only county in the eastern United States with a Native American majority.
African Americans came to Milwaukee, especially from 1940 on. 86% of Wisconsin's African-American population live in four cities:
Kenosha, with Milwaukee home to nearly three-fourths of the state's black Americans. In the Great Lakes region, only Detroit and Cleveland have a higher percentage of African-American residents.[98]
Of the residents of Wisconsin, 71.7% were born in Wisconsin, 23.0% were born in a different US state, 0.7% were born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parent(s), and 4.6% were foreign born.[100]
In 2018, the countries of origin for Wisconsin's immigrants came from Mexico, India, China, Laos and the Philippines.[101]
Birth data
Map of counties in Wisconsin by racial plurality, per the 2020 U.S. census
Legend
Non-Hispanic White
40–50%
60–70%
70–80%
80–90%
90%+
Native American
80–90%
Note: Births in table add to over 100%, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.
Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
The percentage of Wisconsin residents who belong to various affiliations as of 2014 were:
Roman Catholic
29%), Mormon 0.5%, Jewish 0.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Buddhist 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%, and unaffiliated 15%.
Christianity is the predominant religion of Wisconsin. As of 2008, the three largest denominational groups in Wisconsin were Catholic,
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod with 223,279 adherents.[115] The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the namesake synod with the fourth highest numbers of adherents in Wisconsin, has their headquarters in Waukesha, Wisconsin.[116]
Statewide FBI Crime statistics for 2009 include 144 murders/non-negligent manslaughter; 1,108 rapes; 4,850 robberies; 8,431 aggravated assaults; and 147,486 property crimes.[117] Wisconsin also publishes its own statistics through the Bureau of Justice Information and Analysis.[118] The state reported 14,603 violent crimes in 2009, with a clearance rate (% solved) of 50%.[119] The state reported 4,633 sexual assaults in 2009, with an overall clearance rate for sexual assaults of 57%.
Wisconsin's Constitution outlines the structure and function of state government, which is organized into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The Wisconsin Blue Book
is the primary published reference about the government and politics of the state. Re-published every two years, copies are available from state legislators.
In a 2020 study, Wisconsin was ranked as the 25th easiest state for citizens to vote in.[120]
.
The Senate Chamber of the Wisconsin State Capitol
Judicial
Wisconsin's court system has four levels: municipal courts, circuit courts, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court. Municipal courts typically handle cases involving
Supreme Court is responsible for administering the state's court system and regulating the practice of law in Wisconsin.[121]
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. 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
estate tax was decoupled from the federal estate tax laws; therefore the state imposed its own estate tax on certain large estates.[124]
There are no
motor fuel tax
revenues, and the remaining balance is drawn from the State General Fund. Non-highway road construction and maintenance are funded by local governments (municipalities or counties).
International relations
A
Mexican consulate opened in Milwaukee on July 1, 2016.[125] Wisconsin has had a diplomatic relationship with the Japanese prefecture of Chiba since 1990.[80]
Republican state; in fact, it is the state that gave birth to the Republican Party, although ethno-religious issues in the late 19th century caused a brief split in the coalition. The Bennett Law campaign of 1890 dealt with foreign language teaching in schools. Many Germans switched to the Democratic Party because of the Republican Party's support of the law.[127]
Wisconsin's political history encompasses, on the one hand,
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.
Through the first half of the 20th century, Wisconsin's politics were dominated by Robert La Follette and his sons, originally of the Republican Party, but later of the revived
In its most recent biannual report, the Electoral Integrity Project, which measures the democratic attributes of electoral systems, gave Wisconsin's district maps twenty-three points out of a hundred, the worst rating of any state in the country. The score is on par with that of the
In Wisconsin, even accepting the most extreme assertations of partisan gerrymandering, it remains the case that [it] can lead to some measure of democratic rotation of power. Among these are primary elections, which can be competitive even if a general election is [intentionally designed to be] not, as well as municipal and statewide ballots.
In 2020, Wisconsin leaned back in the Democratic party's direction as Joe Biden won the state by an even narrower margin of 0.7%. Biden's win was largely carried by Milwaukee and Dane counties with the rural areas of the state being carried by Trump.[135]
Wisconsin has leaned Democratic in recent presidential elections, although Donald Trump managed to win the state in 2016 by a narrow margin of 0.8%. This marked the first time Wisconsin voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1984, when every state except Minnesota and Washington, D.C., went Republican. In 2012, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney chose Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, a native of Janesville, as his running mate against incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Obama nevertheless carried Wisconsin by a margin of 53% to 46%. Both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections were quite close, with Wisconsin receiving heavy doses of national advertising, in accord with its status as a "swing", or pivot, state. Al Gore carried the presidential vote in 2000 by 5,700 votes, and John Kerry won Wisconsin in 2004 by 11,000 votes. Barack Obama carried the state in 2008 by 381,000 votes (56%).
Republicans had a stronghold in the
reservations. Wisconsin's largest Congressional district, the 7th, had voted Democratic since 1969. Its representative, David Obey, chaired the powerful House Appropriations Committee.[136] However, Obey retired and the once-Democratic seat was taken by Republican Sean Duffy in November 2010. The 2010 elections saw a huge Republican resurgence in Wisconsin. Republicans took control of the governor's office and both houses of the state legislature. Republican Ron Johnson defeated Democratic incumbent U.S. Senator Russ Feingold
and Republicans took two previously Democratic-held House seats, creating a 5–3 Republican majority House delegation.
At the statewide level, Wisconsin is competitive, with control regularly alternating between the two parties. 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 2008, Democrats regained control of the State Assembly by a 52–46 margin, marking the first time since 1986 that the governor and state legislature were both Democratic.[138]
With the election of
recall election against Governor Walker. Tom Barrett, the mayor of Milwaukee and Walker's 2010 opponent, won the Democratic primary and faced Walker again. Walker won the election by 53% to 46% and became the first governor in United States history to retain his seat after a recall election. Walker enacted other bills promoting conservative governance, such as a right-to-work law,[140] abortion restrictions,[141] and legislation removing certain gun controls.[142][143][144]
Following the 2014 general election on November 4, 2014, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Attorney General and State Treasurer were all Republicans, while the Secretary of State was a Democrat.
2018 by Democrat Tony Evers. Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin was also elected to a second term and Democrats won all constitutional statewide offices on the ballot including Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer, the first time this happened in Wisconsin since 1982. When Walker lost re-election in 2018, he collaborated with the gerrymandered Republican legislature to strip powers from the incoming Governor and Attorney General.[146]
In 2019 Wisconsin's gross state product was $349.416 billion, making it 21st among U.S. states.[147] The economy of Wisconsin is driven by manufacturing, agriculture, and health care. The state's economic output from manufacturing was $48.9 billion in 2008, making it the tenth largest among states in manufacturing gross domestic product.[148] Manufacturing accounts for about 20% of the state's gross domestic product, a proportion that is third among all states.[149] The per capita personal income was $35,239 in 2008. In March 2017, the state's unemployment rate was 3.4% (seasonally adjusted).[150] Since 2009, Wisconsin's minimum wage has been $7.25, the same as the federal rate.[151]
In quarter four of 2011, the largest employers in Wisconsin were:
Wisconsin produces about a quarter of America's cheese, leading the nation in cheese production.
state quarter design.[160] The state annually selects an "Alice in Dairyland" to promote the state's agricultural products around the world.[161]
A large part of the state's manufacturing sector includes commercial food processing, including well-known brands such as
Usinger's sausage. Kraft Foods alone employs more than 5,000 people in the state. Milwaukee is a major producer of beer and was formerly headquarters for Miller Brewing Company—the nation's second-largest brewer—until it merged with Coors. Formerly, Schlitz, Blatz, and Pabst
Wisconsin is home to a very large and diversified manufacturing economy, with special focus on transportation and capital equipment. Major Wisconsin companies in these categories include the
Wisconsin is a major producer of paper, packaging, and other consumer goods. Major consumer products companies based in the state include SC Johnson & Co., and Diversey, Inc. Wisconsin also ranks first nationwide in the production of paper products; the lower Fox River from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay has 24 paper mills along its 39 miles (63 km) stretch.
The development and manufacture of health care devices and software is a growing sector of the state's economy, with key players such as
Tourism is a major industry in Wisconsin—the state's third largest, according to the Department of Tourism. Tourist destinations such as the
EAA Oshkosh Airshow draw international attention, along with hundreds of thousands of visitors.[163]
Given the large number of lakes and rivers in the state, water recreation is very popular. In the North Country, what had been an industrial area focused on timber has largely been transformed into a vacation destination. Popular interest in the environment and environmentalism, added to traditional interests in hunting and fishing, has attracted a large urban audience within driving range.[164]
The distinctive
Door County. Door County is a popular destination for boaters because of the large number of natural harbors, bays, and boat launches on both the Green Bay and Lake Michigan sides of the peninsula that forms the county. The area draws more than two million visitors yearly[165] to its quaint villages, seasonal cherry picking, and fish boils.[166]
Film industry
On January 1, 2008, a new tax incentive for the film industry came into effect. The first major production to take advantage was Michael Mann's Public Enemies. While the producers spent $18 million on the film, it was reported that most of it went to out-of-state workers and for out-of-state services; Wisconsin taxpayers had provided $4.6 million in subsidies, and derived only $5 million in revenues from the film's making.[167] During this period, the movie Transformers: Dark of the Moon also used Milwaukee as a filming location.[168] This incentive was eliminated in 2013.[169]
Wisconsin has no production of oil, gas, or coal.[170] Its in-state electrical generation is mostly from coal. Other important electricity sources are natural gas and nuclear.[170]
The state has a mandate that ten percent of its electrical energy come from renewable sources by the end of 2015.[171] This goal has been met, but not with in-state sources. As of 2014[update], a third of that ten percent comes from out-of-state sources, mostly wind-generated electricity from Minnesota and Iowa. The state has agnostic policies for developing wind power in state.[172]
Over 68% of Wisconsin residents live in urban areas, with the
Greater Milwaukee area home to roughly one-third of the state's population.[176] With more than 590,000 residents, Milwaukee is the 30th-largest city in the country.[177] The string of cities along the western edge of Lake Michigan is generally considered to be an example of a megalopolis
.
With a population of nearly 260,000, Madison is consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in both the state and country and is the fastest-growing city in Wisconsin.[178][179]
Medium-size cities dot the state and anchor a network of working farms surrounding them. As of 2011, there were 12 cities in Wisconsin with a population of 50,000 or more, accounting for 73% of the state's employment.[180]
Wisconsin has three types of municipality: cities, villages, and towns.
Wisconsin, along with Minnesota and Michigan, was among the
Midwestern leaders in the emergent American state university movement following the Civil War in the United States. By the start of the 20th century, education in the state advocated the "Wisconsin Idea", which emphasized service to the people of the state. The "Wisconsin Idea" exemplified the Progressive movement within colleges and universities at the time.[182]
Wisconsin private universities & colleges map
Today, public post-secondary education in Wisconsin includes both the 26-campus
Residents of Wisconsin are referred to as Wisconsinites. The traditional prominence of references to
license plates have read "America's Dairyland" since 1940)[183] have led to the nickname (sometimes used pejoratively among non-residents) of "cheeseheads
", and to the creation of "cheesehead hats" made of yellow foam in the shape of a wedge of cheese.
Numerous
Mequon, African World Festival, Indian Summer, Arab Fest, Wisconsin Highland Games, and many others.[184]
ethnic musical festivals. The Wisconsin Area Music Industry provides an annual WAMI event where it presents an awards show for top Wisconsin artists.[186]
Architecture
The Milwaukee Art Museum, with its brise soleil designed by Santiago Calatrava, is known for its interesting architecture. Monona Terrace in Madison, a convention center designed by Taliesin architect Anthony Puttnam, is based on a 1930s design by Wisconsin native Frank Lloyd Wright.[187] 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.
Drinking has long been considered a significant part of Wisconsin culture, and the state ranks at or near the top of national measures of per-capita alcohol consumption, consumption of alcohol per state, and proportion of drinkers. Consumption per-capita per-event, however, ranks low among the nation; number of events (number of times alcohol is involved) is significantly higher or highest, but consumption at each event smaller, marking Wisconsin's consumption as frequent and moderate.[189] Factors such as cultural identification with the state's heritage of German immigration, the long-standing presence of major breweries in Milwaukee, and a cold climate are often associated with the prevalence of drinking in Wisconsin.
In Wisconsin, the legal drinking age is 21, except when accompanied by a parent, guardian, or spouse who is at least 21 years old. Age requirements are waived for possessing alcohol when employed by a brewer, brewpub, wholesaler, or producer of alcohol fuel. The minimum legal age to purchase alcohol is 21, with no exceptions.[190] The Absolute Sobriety law states that any person not of legal drinking age (currently 21) may not drive after consuming alcohol.[191]
On September 30, 2003, the
state legislature, reluctant to lower a DUI offense from BAC 0.10 to 0.08, did so only as a result of federal government pressure.[192] The Wisconsin Tavern League opposes raising the alcoholic beverage tax. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel series "Wasted in Wisconsin" examined this situation.[193]
The varied landscape of Wisconsin makes the state a popular vacation destination for outdoor recreation. Winter events include skiing, ice fishing and snowmobile derbies. Wisconsin is situated on two Great Lakes and has many inland lakes of varied size; the state contains 11,188 square miles (28,980 km2) of water, more than all but three other states—Alaska, Michigan, and Florida.[194] The Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary was established in 2021 in the waters of Lake Michigan off Wisconsin and is the site of a large number of historically significant shipwrecks.[195][196][197]
Outdoor activities are popular in Wisconsin, especially hunting and fishing. One of the most prevalent game animals is the
Wisconsin is represented by major league teams in three sports: football, baseball, and basketball. Lambeau Field, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is home to the National Football League's Green Bay Packers. The Packers have been part of the NFL since the league's second season in 1921 and hold the record for the most NFL titles, earning the city of Green Bay the nickname "Titletown USA". The Packers are the smallest city franchise in the NFL and the only one owned by shareholders statewide. The franchise was founded by "Curly" Lambeau, who played and coached for them. The Green Bay Packers are one of the most successful small-market professional sports franchises in the world and have won 13 NFL championships, including the first two AFL-NFL Championship games (Super BowlsI and II), Super Bowl XXXI and Super Bowl XLV. The state's support of the team is evidenced by the 81,000-person waiting list for season tickets to Lambeau Field.[199]
American Family Field is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Milwaukee Brewers.
The
Braves franchise when they moved from Boston from 1953 to 1965, winning the World Series in 1957 and the National League pennant in 1958, before they moved to Atlanta.[200]
Wisconsin also has many college sports programs, including the
men's
hockey teams won national titles.
The
2003
.
Many other schools in the University of Wisconsin system compete in the
Division III level. The conference is one of the most successful in the nation, claiming 107 NCAA national championships in 15 different sports as of March 30, 2015.[205]
The Semi-Professional Northern Elite Football League consists of many teams from Wisconsin. The league is made up of former professional, collegiate, and high school players. Teams from Wisconsin include: The Green Bay Gladiators from Green Bay, The Fox Valley Force in Appleton, The Kimberly Storm in Kimberly, The Central Wisconsin Spartans in Wausau, The Eau Claire Crush and the Chippewa Valley Predators from Eau Claire, and the Lake Superior Rage from Superior. The league also has teams in Michigan and Minnesota. Teams play from May until August.
Wisconsin is home to the world's oldest operational racetrack. The
from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015. Nicknames Wisconsin is generally known as The Badger State, or America's Dairyland, although in the past it has been nicknamed The Copper State.
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. Wisconsin's elections can be criticized along the third of these criteria, China's along all three. The result is a series of "blurred and imperfect" boundaries between democracy and its alternatives, in addition to myriad pathways away from democratic ordering toward one of a range of alternatives.
^Walters, S.; Marley, P. (November 9, 2008). "ELECTION 2008 Darling Wins Despite Tough Day for GOP Democrats to Control Assembly for First Time in 14 Years". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. Z3 – via ProQuest.
^"Total Cheese Production Excluding Cottage Cheese—States and United States: February 2010 and 2011" in United States Department of Agriculture, Dairy ProductsArchived January 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, p. 13.
^"American Cheese Production—States and United States: February 2010 and 2011" in United States Department of Agriculture, Dairy ProductsArchived January 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, p. 14.
^"Milk Cows and Production—23 Selected States: March 2011 and 2012" in United States Department of Agriculture, Milk Production[permanent dead link], p. 3.
Gara, Larry (1962). A Short History of Wisconsin. Madison, WI: State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
Holmes, Fred L. (1946). Wisconsin. 5 vols. Chicago, IL.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) Detailed popular history and many biographies.
Nesbit, Robert C. (1989). Wisconsin: A History (Rev. ed.). Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
Wisconsin(PDF) (map). United States Government. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 12, 2019. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) (Archived December 12, 2019)
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