Examine the importance of transportation in general and these waterways in particular for the development of Michigan’s economy in the nineteenth century.

Explain the relationship between the French, the British, and the Native Americans (especially the Anishnabeg nations) in the fur trade as it was practiced in Michigan between the early seventeenth century and 1800. What were the political consequences of that trade for each of these groups? Support your answer with examples drawn from your readings.

2. Michigan is unique among the US states for its extensive and navigable waterways—both natural and man-made. Examine the importance of transportation in general and these waterways in particular for the development of Michigan’s economy in the nineteenth century. How was use of the waterways connected to the spread of industry in Michigan? Support your answer with examples drawn from your readings.

3. Explain the role of Michigan in the Civil War. Pay special attention in your answer to the emergence of the Michigan Republican Party, the role of the antislavery movement, the growth of the Underground Railroad, and the organization of the armed forces in the state. Support your answer with examples drawn from your notes and your readings.

4. For almost the past hundred years the automotive industry has dominated Michigan’s economy. How and why did the industry establish itself in Michigan, and what have been its effects–positive and negative–on the state’s history from the early twentieth century to the present? Support your answer with examples drawn from your readings.