Experience the Beauty of the Badger State - Wisconsin
Wisconsin, otherwise known as the Badger State is in the Midwest of the United States.
Though the origin remains to be uncertain, the name “Wisconsin” is believed to be an English version of a French adaptation of an Indian word. The name was originally use to call the Wisconsin River and was later became the name of the state when it was declared as a separate territory. The abbreviation of its name is Wis, WI or Wisc.
Geography
Wisconsin is bordered by Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers in the west, Lake Michigan in the east portion, Montreal River, Lake Superior and Michigan in the Northern part, Iowa and Minnesota in the west section and Menominee River in the state’s northeast.
The landscape of Wisconsin is made up of grassy plains, old, worn-down mountains and various surface features formed by glaciers. Due to its position between the Great lakes and the Mississippi River, the Wisconsin has a great variety of geographical features.
The state can be divided into five distinct regions. The Lake Superior Lowland in the northern part of the state dwells in a belt of lands along Lake Superior. In the southern part, the Northern Highland is situated where vast forest and small glacial lakes abound. The Wisconsin’s highest peak, the Timms Hill is also found in this region. In the middle portion of the state lies the Central Plain and in the southeast part, the Eastern Ridges and Lowlands can be found, where many Wisconsin large cities are established. In the southwest, the Western Upland is located with its rugged landscape and a blend of farmland and forest.
Due to Wisconsin’s landscape, it became one of the nation’s most famous recreation areas. It has thousands of breathtaking and beautiful natural lakes, deep, cool forests, and good sites for fishing and hunting.
Wisconsin has a humid continental type of climate wherein summers are hot and winters are cold and snowy.
Population
The inhabitants of Wisconsin are called Wisconsinites. Non-residents are commonly called “Cheeseheads,” due mainly to the popularity and quality of cheese making in this state.
Based on the U.S. Census Bureau, as of year 2004, the population of Wisconsin is 5,509,026. Among them, 229,800 are immigrants or foreign-born residents. The census also shows that there are approximately 41,000 illegal aliens residing in the state.
Comprising the racial makeup of the state are 87.3% White, 5.7% Black, 3.6% Hispanic, 1.7% Asian, 0.9% Native American and 1.2% Mixed race.
Wisconsin’s five largest ancestry groups are Irish, German, Polish, Norwegian and English. The largest ancestry group is composed of people with German ancestry.
When it comes to Wisconsinite’s religious affiliation, 85% of the populace is Christians, 14% are non-religious and 1% has other religions.
Economy
Wisconsin is famous for being the “America’s Dairyland”. It is also known for the prevalence of cheese, and for its beer, bratwursts and cranberries. This Badge State is also famous for various festivals like Summerfest and the EAA Oshkosh Airshow. In addition to that, Wisconsin is one of the nation’s largest producers by volume of ginseng, cranberries and paper products. The University of Wisconsin is also proud to be an international leader in stem-cell research.
Education
The earliest schools in Wisconsin were private schools. There are also military posts that maintained schools exclusively for officer’s children. The first kindergarten in the United States was established in this state. It was opened in Watertown way back in 1856.
Among the state’s universities and colleges are the famous University of Wisconsin, Cardinal Stritch College, Lakeland College, Lawrence University, Marquette University, Medical College of Wisconsin and a lot more.
Cities and Towns
Most of the cities in Wisconsin can be found in the southeastern part of the state. They form part of the urbanized strip or belt that lies along the shores of Lake Michigan.
Madison is the state capital and the home of the original campus of the University of Wisconsin. The largest city and business capital of the state is Milwaukee and it has the major port on Lake Michigan. Kenosha, which is considered as a part of the greater “Chicagoland” site is a significant industrial hub of the state.
Other important cities and villages in this state are the Appleton, Oshkosh, La Crosse, Racine, Waukesha, Eau Claire, Janesville and West Allis.
Government
The framework of the government in this state is set forth in a Constitution adopted way back in 1848, the year when Wisconsin was admitted to the Union.
The state’s chief executive were the governor and five other elected officers who are going to serve for a 4-year term. The governor will then appoint department heads, commissioners and part-time boards to handle many administrative agencies.
The legislative branch is made up of the Senate and Assembly. Their sessions are conducted annually and they are responsible for making laws and proposing amendments to the constitution.
Wisconsin’s court system was reorganized in 1962 to give way to a supreme court, circuit courts, county courts and other local courts.
| 
