Answering the Top 10 “Why Is Michigan…” Google Prompts

As we all know by now, when you have a question about anything, you google it, and one of the most common prefaces to whatever you're searching is, "Why Is..." From there, you get any number of prompts that could point you in the right direction.

Well, I wanted to do this with Michigan, and find the answers to the Top 10 "Why Is Michigan..." Google Prompts, and while some were pretty easy to explain, it makes me wonder why some people needed to google why Michigan is a State.

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To set the criteria, all I did was open google and type in "Why is Michigan," and let the auto-fill take care of the rest, and these are the Top 10 results I got that we will answer.

Why is Michigan... The Wolverine State?

Well, by now, we're all familiar with the fact that there are no Wolverines in Michigan, and haven't been for a VERY long time. But the nickname isn't best known for the animal - although, before the 1900s, wolverine pelts were often traded in Michigan's lucrative fur-trading business.

But Michiganders may know it best from the Border Dispute between Michigan and Ohio. During the Toledo War of 1835, Ohioans may have called Michiganders "Wolverines" to describe their perceived greediness. However, we flipped it on those lame-os, and see it as a sign of strength and tenacity.

Why is Michigan... Split?

Well, that also has to do with the Toledo War. As part of our settlement with Ohio at the end of the war, they got Toledo, and we got the Upper Peninsula.

Fair trade if you ask me.

Why is Michigan... Avenue Closed?

Well, that's a great question, because there are a LOT of them in the state of Michigan. But my guess is... construction.

Why is Michigan... Football in Trouble?

Ah, well this one's a fresh one on the google searches, and should probably be followed up with... "this time" at the end.

Following the sign-stealing incident of the 2023 season with Jim Harbaugh at the helm, the NCAA is now investigating new head coach Sherrone Moore and his involvement with the same scandal. It seems likely that he was connected, and it could lead to a suspension in his first season as head coach.

Specifically, Moore is accused of deleting more than 50 text message exchanges between himself and a former staffer, Connor Stalions, who was at the center of the entire incident. RIght now, he's looking at a snow-cause and one-game suspension, but the NCAA could alter this depending on what their investigation further digs up.

Why is Michigan... Called Pure Michigan?

You see it a lot, and things that SCREAM Michigan culture are often labeled "Pure Michigan," or accompanied by the hashtag on social media. But the phrase has been a part of the state for quite some time.

Most think it's our state slogan, but it actually started as an advertising agency's slogan to encourage people to travel and visit Michigan. It was first used in 2006, and within two years, it was practically everywhere. And in 2009, it went national, and was awarded the Mercury Award for Best State Tourism Advertising Campaign, and Best State Television Commercials.

That same year, Forbes Magazine ranked it the sixth best Travel campaign of all time.

By the way, the ACTUAL state slogan of Michigan is  "Si quaeris Peninsulam amoenam circumspice," which translates to "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you." ... not quite as catchy.

Why is Michigan... Considered Midwest?

It makes sense for people who live in the ACTUAL western states of the U.S. to ask about this, since, yeah, we're much more "Middle East" than anything... except that certainly won't fly.

Actually, it comes down to when the phrase was coined, which was before we had many of our western-most states. As far as the United States was concerned, Michigan, and the states around Lake Michigan mostly, were a midway point to the west.

But obviously we've grown since then as a country.

Officially, though, Michigan is solidified as a Midwest state, because the U.S. Census Bureau included it in the region with their 1984 findings.

Why Is Michigan... So Humid?

You can thank the Great Lakes, and all of our inland lakes as well for that one. You're never more than six miles away from water in Michigan, and no more than 85 miles from a Great Lake.

So if you're familiar with how weather systems work, then you know, any time you're close to a significant body of water, it's gonna be like breathing soup from time to time.

Why is Michigan... So Cold?

Michigan is nowhere near the coldest state in the country. I believe that's going to be Montana, or Alaska. But Michigan's colder temperatures can ALSO be attributed to its humidity. Just like humidity adds to a heat index, it also can add to a cold factor, and while our actual temperatures might say 5 degrees, a bit of wind and humidity can quickly drop the feels-like temperatures into the negatives.

Add to that, a regular amount of snowfall that tends to stick around, and continue to cool the air in the winter, and that is why we're so cold.

Why is Michigan... Called Michigan?

The name "Michigan" is derived from the native Ojibwe language word, "Mighigama," meaning "Lare Lake" or "Great Water." So if translated literally, Lake Michigan would be called "Lake Large Lake," or "Lake Great Water."

Why is Michigan... Shaped like a Mitten?

Well, not to exclude the Upper Peninsula, Michigan's Lower Peninsula does resemble a traditional Mitten, which is why one of our other nicknames is "The Mitten State." But, a good question, why is it shaped that way?

You can thank ancient glaciers for that one. In fact, you can thank glaciers for the ENTIRE shape of Lake Michigan, as they are more responsible for carving out, and filling the lakes around us, which left the current landmass - shaped like a mitten - exposed above the melted glacial waters.

During the world's last ice age, hundreds of years of compacted snow formed in and around the Great Lakes area, and as the globe began to warm, the glaciers melted and moved. As they did, they cut through massive amounts of rock and soil to form what would be the Great Lakes.

Once settled, they all melted, and to this day, water runs from those prehistoric glacial lands into the lakes, and continues to keep them full.

It just so happens the shape those glaciers made, resulted in our state's unique look.

So there you go, the Top 10 "Why is Michigan..." Google Prompts answered. What Google Prompt would you want us to do next for Michigan?