You can't talk about Michigan without talking about water: Michigan is the only state divided into two by it. If all rivers in this northern state flowed in one long line, it would be 36,000 miles long. The state has 11,000 lakes, including four of the five Great Lakes. No wonder the name Michigan means "great water" in the Chippewa Indian language.
    This land was explored by the Frenchman Jean Nicolet in the 17th century. He thought he had found the Orient and its valuable spices and silk.
    In 1744 a mapmaker named Bellin drew in some made-up islands in Lake Superior and named them for his boss. According to legend, Benjamin Franklin found out about the lie. At the end of the Revolutionary War, he gave all these "islands" to the British.
    And in 1835, mapmakers discovered someone had made another mistake. Michigan's border extended into the state to the south, Ohio, by several miles. This angered both states so much that they almost started a war. Congress gave the lesser piece of land to Ohio and gave Michigan its top half, known as the Upper Peninsula.
    It was a great gift for Michigan. In these 14,000 square miles there are some of the largest forests of all, white pines and the richest iron ore and copper deposits in the world. Some of the trees were so tall, if you walked among them in the daytime it was still dark. Some of the copper mines ran a mile deep.
    Michigan's most famous city is Detroit, home of the huge automobile industry and of the man who started a revolution in transportation industry, and manufacturing - Henry Ford. Detroit is famous for its music, both traditional blues as well as the "Motown" (short for "Motor Town") sound. It was produced in the 1960s and was a revolution in popular music. It combined gospel and rock 'n' roll in a fresh, new way. Not only men but also 'girls groups' became popular with this new musical style.
    Michigan is also famous for something else: corn flakes. Huge breakfast cereal companies such as Kellogg are located here. That is because the state's low rolling hills and temperate climate, especially in the south, are perfect for a long growing season. Fruit and vegetables, as well as nursery stock (flowers, plants and trees), make many parts of this state a fragrant (voňavý), flowering garden all spring and summer long.

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