Why is the state of Michigan in 2 pieces?
401901
When the Michigan Territory was first established, it included only the Lower Peninsula and the eastern portion of the Upper Peninsula. In 1819 the territory was expanded to include the remainder of the Upper Peninsula, all of Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota (previously included in the Indiana and Illinois Territories). But when Michigan was preparing for statehood in the 1830s, the boundaries proposed corresponded to the original territorial boundaries, with some proposals even leaving the Upper Peninsula out entirely. Meanwhile, the territory was involved in a border dispute with the state of Ohio in a conflict known as the Toledo War. The people of Michigan approved a constitution in May 1835 and had elected state officials in late autumn 1835. Although the state government was unrecognized by the United States Congress, the territorial government effectively ceased to exist. A constitutional convention of the state legislature refused a compromise to accept the full Upper Peninsula in exchange for ceding the Toledo Strip to Ohio. A second convention, hastily convened by Governor Stevens Thomson Mason, consisting primarily of Mason supporters, finally agreed to accept the U.P. for the Toledo Strip in December 1836. In January 1837, the U.S. Congress admitted Michigan as a state of the Union. At the time, Michigan was considered the losing party in the deal because of the apparently less valuable land, but the Upper Peninsula’s rich mineral wealth was soon discovered, and Michigan instead seemed the winner.
474535
"untied states"?\n\nwhere the heck is that?
518012
Last time I checked there was more than one 'State' in our lovely country.\n\nGet it right.
364677
during the civil war many of the stated split into two.  Half of the state joined the Union, and the other half the Confederacy.
391509
The phrase Midwest goes back to the early 1800's.  It first referred to the Ohio River region, and pretty much everything west of the Mississippi was the West (hence, St. Louis's nickname, "Gatway to the West")  This is simply due to the way the nation expanded.  If you're unfamiliar with the way the U.S. expansion occurred, I've linked to a map below.  Note that the dates on this map are the dates that the U.S. acquired those lands, not the dates of statehood.\n\nIn fact, the states of OH, IN, MI, IL, WI, and part of MN (the Great Lakes states) used to be called the Northwest Territory, before they became states.  Ohio was the first of those to become a state, which occurred in 1803.\n\nToday, the states typically considered to be in the Midwest are the Great Lakes states and the Northern Plains (Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri).
52609
Southern states usually have more than northern states.
829053
Each state is a little different but here it is for Michigan.\n\nhttp://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-28753---,00.html
574505
Upper Penninsula of Michigan (Upers) citizens voted.  \n\nThey could choose 1 of three things:  Become part of WI, part of MI, or a seperate state.\n\nThe choose MI because packer fans are obnoxious.
105438
isnt like alaska or canada
1105785
Two Mills....state unknown
36379
I speculate it has to do with the auto industry moving their assembly plants out of Detroit (offshore?).  The abandoned plants were still around in downtown Detroit when I visited in 2003, it was quite depressing.
296964
Michigan as a system, but differnt courts within the system have different jurisdictions within the state.
612443
coz it is part of USA
1138867
Perhaps, but it will never happen.  Under the U.S. Constitution, no state can be created by dividing territory of existing states.\n\n(West Virginia doesn't count because when it was created Virginia was in rebellion and, therefore, not a state.)
29290
MI is pretty bad off  BUT  Kentucky has seen the largest budget shortfall in its history as of yet.  Only last month did they finally balance a budget and cut almost every program by 20% to get it done.  Of course there is California which actually had a county (orange) declare bunkrupcy!
762752
This is different in each state.
677809
It is in Michigan according to Yahoo! Maps