The wordWisconsin originates from the name given to theWisconsin River by one of theAlgonquian-speaking Native American groups living in the region at the time ofEuropean colonization.[25] The French explorerJacques Marquette was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River, arriving in 1673 and calling the riverMeskousing (likely ᒣᔅᑯᐤᓯᣙmeskowsin) in his journal.[26] Subsequent French writers changed the spelling fromMeskousing toOuisconsin, and over time this became the name for both the Wisconsin River and the surrounding lands. English speakersanglicized the spelling fromOuisconsin toWisconsin when they began to arrive in large numbers during the early 19th century. The legislature ofWisconsin Territory made the current spelling official in 1845.[27]
TheAlgonquian word for Wisconsin and its original meaning have both grown obscure. While interpretations vary, most implicate the river and the red sandstone that lines its banks. One leading theory holds that the name originated from theMiami wordMeskonsing, meaning'it lies red', a reference to the setting of the Wisconsin River as it flows through the reddish sandstone of theWisconsin Dells.[28] Other theories include claims that the name originated from one of a variety ofOjibwa words meaning'red stone place','where the waters gather', or'great rock'.[29] More recently,University of Wisconsin-Green Bay lecturer andMenominee elder Napos Turney suggested the origin of the name may be theMenominee wordWēskōhsaeh, meaning "good place".[30][31]
Wisconsin has been home to a wide variety of cultures over the past 14,000 years. The first people arrived around 10,000 BCE during theWisconsin Glaciation. These early inhabitants, calledPaleo-Indians, hunted now-extinctice age animals such as theBoaz mastodon, a prehistoricmastodon skeleton unearthed along with spear points in southwest Wisconsin.[32] After the ice age ended around 8000 BCE, people in the subsequentArchaic period lived by hunting, fishing, and gathering food from wild plants. Agricultural societies emerged gradually over theWoodland period between 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. Toward the end of this period, Wisconsin was the heartland of the "Effigy Mound culture", which built thousands of animal-shaped mounds across the landscape.[33] Later, between 1000 and 1500 CE, theMississippian andOneota cultures built substantial settlements including the fortified village atAztalan in southeast Wisconsin.[34] The Oneota may be the ancestors of the modernIowa andHo-Chunk nations who shared the Wisconsin region with theMenominee at the time of European contact.[35] Other Native American groups living in Wisconsin when Europeans first settled included theOjibwe,Sauk,Meskwaki,Kickapoo, andPotawatomi, who migrated to Wisconsin from the east between 1500 and 1700.[36]
Jean Nicolet, depicted in a 1910 painting by Frank Rohrbeck, was probably the first European to explore Wisconsin. The mural is located in theBrown County Courthouse in Green Bay.
The British gradually took over Wisconsin during the French and Indian War, taking control of Green Bay in 1761 and gaining control of all of Wisconsin in 1763. Like the French, the British were interested in little but the fur trade. One notable event in the fur trading industry in Wisconsin occurred in 1791, when two free African Americans set up a fur trading post among the Menominee at present-dayMarinette. The first permanent settlers, mostlyFrench Canadians, some Anglo-New Englanders and a few African American freedmen, arrived in Wisconsin while it was under British control. Charles de Langlade is generally recognized as the first settler, establishing a trading post at Green Bay in 1745, and moving there permanently in 1764.[40] Settlement began at Prairie du Chien around 1781. The French residents at the trading post in what is now Green Bay, referred to the town as "La Baye". However, British fur traders referred to it as "Green Bay", because the water and the shore assumed green tints in early spring. The old French title was gradually dropped, and the British name of "Green Bay" eventually stuck. The region coming under British rule had virtually no adverse effect on the French residents as the British needed the cooperation of the French fur traders and the French fur traders needed the goodwill of the British. During the French occupation of the region licenses for fur trading had been issued scarcely and only to select groups of traders, whereas the British, in an effort to make as much money as possible from the region, issued licenses for fur trading freely, both to British and to French residents. The fur trade in what is now Wisconsin reached its height under British rule, and the first self-sustaining farms in the state were established as well. From 1763 to 1780, Green Bay was a prosperous community which produced its own foodstuff, built graceful cottages and held dances and festivities.[41]
Wisconsin became a territorial possession of the United States in 1783 after theAmerican Revolutionary War. In 1787, it became part of theNorthwest Territory. As territorial boundaries subsequently developed, it was then part ofIndiana Territory from 1800 to 1809,Illinois Territory from 1809 to 1818, andMichigan Territory from 1818 to 1836. However, the British remained in control until after theWar of 1812, the outcome of which finally established an American presence in the area.[43] Under American control, the economy of the territory shifted from fur trading to lead mining. The prospect of easy mineral wealth drew immigrants from throughout the U.S. and Europe to the lead deposits atMineral Point,Dodgeville, and nearby areas. Some miners found shelter in the holes they had dug, and earned the nickname "badgers", leading to Wisconsin's identity as the "Badger State".[44] The sudden influx of white miners prompted tension with the local Native American population. TheWinnebago War of 1827 and theBlack Hawk War of 1832 culminated in the forcedremoval of Native Americans from most parts of the state.[45]
Following these conflicts,Wisconsin Territory was created by an act of theUnited States Congress on April 20, 1836. By fall of that year, the best prairie groves of the counties surrounding what is now Milwaukee were occupied by farmers from theNew England states.[46]
On May 29, 1948, the U.S. Post Office issued acommemorative stamp celebrating the 100th anniversary of Wisconsin statehood, featuring the state capitol building and map of Wisconsin.
The Great Lakes, via theErie Canal, facilitated the travel of bothYankee settlers and European immigrants to Wisconsin Territory. Yankees from New England andupstate New York seized a dominant position in law and politics, enacting policies that marginalized the region's earlier Native American and French-Canadian residents.[47] Yankees also speculated in real estate, platted towns such as Racine, Beloit, Burlington, and Janesville, and established schools, civic institutions, andCongregationalist churches.[48][49][50] At the same time, manyGermans, Irish,Norwegians, and other immigrants also settled in towns and farms across the territory, establishingCatholic andLutheran institutions.
The growing population allowed Wisconsin to gain statehood on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state. Between 1840 and 1850, Wisconsin's non-Indian population had swollen from 31,000 to 305,000. More than a third of residents (110,500) were foreign born, including 38,000 Germans, 28,000 British immigrants from England, Scotland, and Wales, and 21,000 Irish. Another third (103,000) were Yankees from New England and western New York state. Only about 63,000 residents in 1850 had been born in Wisconsin.[51]
Nelson Dewey, the firstgovernor of Wisconsin, was aDemocrat. Dewey oversaw the transition from the territorial to the new state government.[52] He encouraged the development of the state's infrastructure, particularly the construction of new roads, railroads, canals, and harbors, as well as the improvement of theFox andWisconsin Rivers.[52] During his administration, theState Board of Public Works was organized.[52] Dewey, anabolitionist, was the first of many Wisconsin governors to advocate against the spread ofslavery into new states and territories.[52]
Politics in early Wisconsin were defined by the greater national debate over slavery. A free state from its foundation, Wisconsin became a center of northernabolitionism. The debate became especially intense in 1854 afterJoshua Glover, a runaway slave fromMissouri, was captured inRacine. Glover was taken into custody under the FederalFugitive Slave Law, but a mob of abolitionists stormed the prison where Glover was held and helped him escape to Canada. In a trial stemming from the incident, theWisconsin Supreme Court ultimately declared the Fugitive Slave Law unconstitutional.[53] TheRepublican Party, founded on March 20, 1854, by anti-slavery expansion activists inRipon, Wisconsin, grew to dominate state politics in the aftermath of these events.[54]
Wisconsin's economy also diversified during the early years of statehood. While lead mining diminished, agriculture became a principal occupation in the southern half of the state. Railroads were built across the state to help transport grains to market, and industries likeJ.I. Case & Company in Racine were founded to build agricultural equipment. Wisconsin briefly became one of the nation's leading producers of wheat during the 1860s.[56] Meanwhile, the lumber industry dominated in the heavily forested northern sections of Wisconsin, and sawmills sprang up in cities likeLa Crosse,Eau Claire, andWausau. These economic activities had dire environmental consequences. By the close of the 19th century, intensive agriculture had devastated soil fertility, and lumbering had deforested most of the state.[57] These conditions forced both wheat agriculture and the lumber industry into a precipitous decline.
Beginning in the 1890s, farmers in Wisconsin shifted from wheat to dairy production to make more sustainable and profitable use of their land. Many immigrants carried cheese-making traditions that, combined with the state's suitable geography and dairy research led byStephen Babcock at theUniversity of Wisconsin, helped the state build a reputation as "America's Dairyland".[58] Meanwhile, conservationists includingAldo Leopold helped re-establish the state's forests during the early 20th century,[59] paving the way for a more renewable lumber andpaper milling industry as well as promoting recreational tourism in the northern woodlands. Manufacturing also boomed in Wisconsin during the early 20th century, driven by an immense immigrant workforce arriving from Europe. Industries in cities like Milwaukee ranged from brewing and food processing to heavy machine production and tool-making, leading Wisconsin to rank 8th among U.S. states in total product value by 1910.[60]
The early 20th century was notable for the emergence ofprogressive politics championed byRobert M. La Follette, who served as governor from 1901 to 1906 and U.S. senator from 1906 to 1925. Between 1901 and 1914, Progressive Republicans in Wisconsin created the nation's first comprehensive statewideprimary election system,[62] the first effectiveworkplace injury compensation law,[63] and the first stateincome tax,[64] making taxation proportional to actual earnings.
As the war raged on in Europe, La Follette led the antiwar movement in Wisconsin and steered a group of progressive senators in blocking a bill by PresidentWoodrow Wilson that would have armed merchant ships with guns. Many Wisconsin politicians, such asEmanuel L. Philipp andIrvine Lenroot, were accused of having divided loyalties.[69] Even with outspoken opponents to the war, at the onset of the war, many Wisconsinites would abandon neutrality. Businesses, labor and farms all enjoyed prosperity from the war. With over 118,000 going into military service, Wisconsin was the first state to report for the national drafts conducted by theU.S. military.[70] As governor, Philipp was successful in combatinganti-German hysteria in the state.[71]
After La Follette died, his sonsPhilip andRobert Jr. took over the Wisconsin Republican Party, later founding theWisconsin Progressive Party as a successor totheir father's Progressive Party. It gained momentum in the mid-1930s with support from PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt and progressive Democrats, winning offices statewide and in Congress. The party declined after Philip, facing scandal and accusations of authoritarianism,lost reelection in 1938 and left politics to serve inWorld War II. TheNational Progressives of America, an organization Philip had hoped would precede a national realignment, then faltered, and the Wisconsin Progressives eventually voted to dissolve.[75]
Mid-20th century to present
This sectionneeds expansion with: Needs additional Cold War-era and early 21st century history.. You can help bymaking an edit requestadding to it.(September 2025)
In the 20th century,Superior was a major hub for shipping iron ore across the Great Lakes vialake freighters.
Wisconsin took part in several political extremes in the mid- to late 20th century, ranging from theanti-communist crusades of Senator McCarthy in the 1950s, to the founding ofEarth Day by environmental advocateGaylord Nelson in 1970. During radical protests against theVietnam War at UW-Madison, an attack by anarchists culminated in theSterling Hall bombing in August 1970. The state undertookwelfare reform under Republican GovernorTommy Thompson during the 1990s.[77] Its economy also underwent further transformations toward the end of the 20th century, as heavy industry and manufacturing declined in favor of aservice economy based on medicine, education, agribusiness, and tourism.
In 2011, Wisconsin became the focus of some controversy when newly elected governorScott Walker proposed and then passed and enacted2011 Wisconsin Act 10, which made large changes in the areas of collective bargaining, compensation, retirement, health insurance, and sick leave of public sector employees, among other changes.[78] Aseries of major protests by union supporters took place that year in protest to the changes, and Walker surviveda recall election held the next year in 2012, becoming the first governor in U.S. history to do so.[79] Also in 2012, CongressmanPaul Ryan became the first Wisconsinite to appear on a major party ticket, as Republican nomineeMitt Romney's running mate in the2012 United States presidential election. Ryan was electedSpeaker of the House in 2015.
Lying between theGreat Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin has a wide variety of geographical features. The state is divided into five distinct regions. In the north, theLake Superior Lowland occupies a belt of land along Lake Superior. Just to the south, theNorthern Highland has massive mixed hardwood and coniferous forests including the 1,500,000-acre (610,000-hectare)Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest, as well as thousands of glacial lakes, and the state's highest point,Timms Hill. In the middle of the state, theCentral Plain has some uniquesandstone formations like theDells of the Wisconsin River in addition to rich farmland. TheEastern Ridges and Lowlands region in the southeast is home to many of Wisconsin's largest cities. The ridges include theNiagara Escarpment that stretches from New York, theBlack River Escarpment and theMagnesian Escarpment.[84][85] In the southwest, theWestern Upland is a rugged landscape with a mix of forest and farmland, including many bluffs on the Mississippi River, and theBaraboo Range. This region is part of theDriftless Area, which also includes parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. Overall, 46% of Wisconsin's land area is covered by forest.
Wisconsin has geologic formations and deposits that vary in age from over three billion years to several thousand years, with most rocks being millions of years old.[86] The oldest geologic formations were created over 600 million years ago during thePrecambrian, the majority below the glacial deposits. Much of the Baraboo Range consists ofBaraboo Quartzite and other Precambrianmetamorphic rock.[87][88] This area was not covered byglaciers during the most recent ice age, theWisconsin Glaciation.Langlade County has a soil rarely found outside the county calledAntigo silt loam.[89]
The state has more than 12,000 named rivers and streams, totaling 84,000 miles (135,000 km) in length.[90] It has over 15,000 named lakes, totaling about 1 million acres (4,000 km2).Lake Winnebago is the largest inland lake, with over 137,700 acres (557 km2), and 88 miles (142 km) of shoreline. Along the two Great Lakes, Wisconsin has over 800 miles (1,300 km) of shoreline (over 500 miles (800 km), not counting minor islands and indentations).[91][92] Many of thenamed islands in Wisconsin are in the Great Lakes; many surround theDoor Peninsula in Lake Michigan or are part of theApostle Islands in Lake Superior.[93] The Mississippi River and inland lakes and rivers contain the rest of Wisconsin's islands.
Most of Wisconsin is classified as warm-summerhumid continental climate (KöppenDfb), while southern and southwestern portions are classified as hot-summer humid continental climate (KöppenDfa). The highest temperature ever recorded in the state was in the Wisconsin Dells, on July 13, 1936, where it reached 114 °F (46 °C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Wisconsin was in the village ofCouderay, where it reached −55 °F (−48 °C) on both February 2 and 4, 1996. Wisconsin also receives a large amount of regular snowfall averaging around 40 inches (100 cm) in the southern portions with up to 160 inches (410 cm) annually in the Lake Superiorsnowbelt each year.[96]
Monthly normal high and low temperatures for selected Wisconsin cities [°F (°C)]
Wisconsin has three types of municipality: cities, villages, and towns.Cities andvillages are incorporated urban areas.Towns are unincorporatedminor civil divisions ofcounties with limited self-government.
Over two-thirds of Wisconsin residents live in urban areas.[98]Milwaukee, in southeastern Wisconsin, is the state's most populous city, with approximately 580,000 people. TheMilwaukee metropolitan area accounts for 1.57 million of the state's residents. With a population of nearly 280,000, the state capital ofMadison is consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in both the state and country and is thefastest-growing city in Wisconsin.[99][100] TheMadison metropolitan area in southern Wisconsin has about 680,000 residents.
Medium-size cities dot the state. The largest of these isGreen Bay in northeastern Wisconsin, with approximately 320,000 people in the metro area. Other metropolitan cities in the state includeAppleton,Racine,Oshkosh,Eau Claire,Janesville,Wausau,La Crosse,Sheboygan, andFond du Lac. Furthermore, another 12 cities function as centers ofmicropolitan statistical areas which typically anchor a network of working farms surrounding them. As of 2011, there were 12 cities in Wisconsin with a population of 50,000 or more, accounting for 73% of the state's employment.[101]
Wisconsin 2020 Population Density MapEthnic origins in Wisconsin
TheUnited States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Wisconsin was 5,822,434 on July 1, 2019, a 2.4% increase since the2010 United States census.[105] This includes a natural increase since the last census of 150,659 people (i.e., 614,771 births minus 464,112 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 12,755 people. Immigration resulted in a net increase of 59,251 people, and migration from within the U.S. resulted in a net decrease of 72,006 people.[106]
In 2022, the five largest European ancestry groups were:German (36%),Irish (10.2%),Polish (7.9%),English (6.7%), andNorwegian (6.3%).[114] German is the most common ancestry in every county in the state, except Menominee, Trempealeau, and Vernon.[115] Wisconsin has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state.[116] According to the 2022American Community Survey, 7.6% of Wisconsin's population were ofHispanic or Latino origin (of any race). The largest Hispanic ancestry groups wereMexican (5.1%),Puerto Rican (1.1%),Central American (0.4%), andCuban (0.1%), with 0.9% reporting other Hispanic or Latino origins.[117]
Since its founding, Wisconsin has been ethnically heterogeneous. Following the period of French fur traders, the next wave of settlers were miners, many of whom wereCornish, who settled the southwestern area of the state. The next wave was dominated by "Yankees", migrants ofEnglish descent fromNew England andupstate New York; in the early years of statehood, they dominated the state's heavy industry, finance, politics, and education. Between 1850 and 1900, the immigrants were mostlyGermans,Scandinavians (the largest group beingNorwegian),Irish, andPoles. In the 20th century, a number of African Americans andMexicans settled inMilwaukee; and after the end of theVietnam War came an influx ofHmongs.
The various ethnic groups settled in different areas of the state. Although German immigrants settled throughout the state, the largest concentration was in Milwaukee. Norwegian immigrants settled in lumbering and farming areas in the north and west. Irish, Italian, and Polish immigrants settled primarily in urban areas.[118]Menominee County is the only county in the eastern United States with a Native American majority.
African Americans came to Milwaukee, especially from 1940 on. 86% of Wisconsin's African-American population live in four cities:Milwaukee,Racine,Beloit,Kenosha, with Milwaukee home to nearly three-fourths of the state's black Americans. In theGreat Lakes region, only Detroit andCleveland have a higher percentage of African-American residents.[119]
Of the residents of Wisconsin, 71.7% were born in Wisconsin, 23.0% were born in a different US state, 0.7% were born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parent(s), and 4.6% were foreign born.[122]
In 2018, the countries of origin for Wisconsin's immigrants came from Mexico, India, China,Laos and thePhilippines.[123]
Birth data
Map of counties in Wisconsin by racial plurality, per the 2020 U.S. census
Legend
Non-Hispanic White
40–50%
60–70%
70–80%
80–90%
90%+
Native American
80–90%
Note: Births in table add to over 100%, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.
Since 2016, data for births ofWhite Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in oneHispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
Statewide FBI Crime statistics for 2009 include 144 murders/non-negligent manslaughter; 1,108 rapes; 4,850 robberies; 8,431 aggravated assaults; and 147,486 property crimes.[138] Wisconsin also publishes its own statistics through the Bureau of Justice Information and Analysis.[139] The state reported 14,603 violent crimes in 2009, with a clearance rate (% solved) of 50%.[140] The state reported 4,633 sexual assaults in 2009, with an overall clearance rate for sexual assaults of 57%.
In 2023, Wisconsin'sgross state product was $413.966 billion, making it21st among U.S. states.[141] The economy of Wisconsin is driven by manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism. Theper capita personal income was $61,475 in 2022 and was $66,596 when adjusted by regional price parity. In 2024, the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has hovered at 3.0%, lower than the U.S. average.[142] Since 2009, Wisconsin'sminimum wage has been $7.25, the same as the federal rate.[143]
As of 2015, the number of manufacturing jobs in the state was approximately 500,000, similar to the figure in 1970. However, it declined as a share of the state's gross state product between 2000 and 2016 from about 21.5% to 18.5%, a proportion that is eighth among all states.[145] Similarly, as a share of total employment, manufacturing declined from 28% in 1970 to 14% in 2015. The state's economic output from manufacturing was $48.9 billion in 2008, making it the tenth largest among states in manufacturing gross domestic product.[146]
Wisconsin has a significant lumber industry, being a major producer of paper and packaging. Wisconsin ranks first nationwide in the production of paper products; the lower Fox River fromLake Winnebago toGreen Bay has 24paper mills along its 39 miles (63 km) stretch.[147]
A large part of the state's manufacturing sector includes commercial food processing, including well-known brands such asOscar Mayer,Tombstone frozen pizza,Johnsonvillebrats, andUsinger's sausage.Kraft Foods alone employs more than 5,000 people in the state. Milwaukee is a major producer of beer and was formerly headquarters forMiller Brewing Company—the nation's second-largest brewer—until it merged with Coors. Formerly,Schlitz,Blatz, andPabst were cornerstone breweries in Milwaukee.
The development and manufacture of healthcare devices and software is a growing sector of the state's economy, with key players such asGE Healthcare,Epic Systems, andTomoTherapy.
Wisconsin produces about a quarter of America's cheese, leading the nation in cheese production.[148] It is second in milk production, afterCalifornia,[149] and third in per-capita milk production, behind California andVermont.[150] Wisconsin is second in butter production, producing about one-quarter of the nation's butter.[151] Wisconsin requires cheese and butter makers to hold a license for production, being the only state in the US to require certification for either.[152]
The state ranks first nationally in the production of corn forsilage,cranberries,[153]ginseng,[154] andsnap beans for processing. It grows more than half the national crop of cranberries.[153] and 97% of the nation's ginseng.[154] Wisconsin is also a leading producer ofoats, potatoes, carrots, tartcherries,maple syrup, andsweet corn for processing.
The significance of the state's agricultural production is exemplified by the depiction of a Holstein cow, an ear of corn, and a wheel of cheese on Wisconsin'sstate quarter design.[155] The state annually selects an "Alice in Dairyland" to promote the state's agricultural products around the world.[156] The prominence of the dairy industry in Wisconsin has led to Wisconsin being known as "America's Dairyland",[157][2] which was made the official state slogan in 1940.[158]
TheDells of the Wisconsin River, a gorge noted for its rock formations in south-central Wisconsin, annually attracts more than four million visitors between water tours of the scenery and numeroustheme parks in the region.[159] NearbyDevil's Lake State Park is one of the most visited ofWisconsin's state parks due to its proximity to the Dells and its own scenery.
TheDoor Peninsula, which extends off the eastern coast of the state, containsDoor County, a popular destination for boaters due to the large number of natural harbors and boat launches on both the Green Bay and Lake Michigan sides of the peninsula. The area draws more than two million visitors yearly to its quaint villages, seasonal cherry picking, andfish boils.[162][163]
Given the large number of lakes and rivers in the state, water recreation is popular. In the Northwoods Lake Country, what had been an industrial area focused on timber has largely been transformed into a vacation destination. Popular interest in the environment and environmentalism, added to traditional interests in hunting and fishing, has attracted a large urban audience within driving range.[164]Lake Geneva in southeastern Wisconsin is similarly popular for water recreation.
Wisconsin has no production of oil, gas, or coal.[165] Its in-state electrical generation is mostly from coal. Other important electricity sources are natural gas and nuclear.[165]
The state has a mandate that ten percent of its electrical energy come from renewable sources by the end of 2015.[166] This goal has been met, but not with in-state sources. As of 2014[update], a third of that ten percent comes from out-of-state sources, mostly wind-generated electricity from Minnesota and Iowa. The state has agnostic policies for developing wind power in state.[167]
Wisconsin collects personalincome taxes which range from 4% to 7.65% based on fiveincome brackets. The statesales anduse tax rate is 5.0%. Fifty-nine counties have an additional sales/use tax of 0.5%.[168]
The most common property tax assessed on Wisconsin residents is the realproperty tax, or their residential property tax. Wisconsin does not impose a property tax on vehicles, but does levy an annual registration fee. Property taxes are the most important tax revenue source for Wisconsin's local governments, as well as major methods of funding school districts, vocational-technical colleges, special purpose districts and tax incremental finance districts. Equalized values are based on the full market value of all taxable property in the state, except for agricultural land. To provide property tax relief for farmers, the value of agricultural land is determined by its value for agricultural uses, rather than for its possible development value. Equalized values are used to distribute state aid payments to counties, municipalities, and technical colleges. Assessments prepared by local assessors are used to distribute the property tax burden within individual municipalities.
Wisconsin does not assess a tax onintangible property. Wisconsin does not collectinheritance taxes. Until January 1, 2008, Wisconsin'sestate tax was decoupled from the federal estate tax laws; therefore the state imposed its own estate tax on certain large estates.[169]
There are notoll roads in Wisconsin; highway construction and maintenance are funded in part bymotor fuel tax revenues, and the remaining balance is drawn from the State General Fund. Non-highway road construction and maintenance are funded by local governments (municipalities or counties).
Residents of Wisconsin are referred to as Wisconsinites. The traditional prominence of references todairy farming andcheesemaking in Wisconsin's rural economy (the state'slicense plates have read "America's Dairyland" since 1940)[170] have led to the nickname (sometimes used pejoratively among non-residents) of "cheeseheads", and to the creation of "cheesehead hats" made of yellow foam in the shape of a wedge of cheese.
TheMilwaukee Art Museum is known for its Quadracci Pavilion created by Spanish architectSantiago Calatrava. The Quadracci Pavilion contains a movable, wing-like Burkebrise soleil that opens up for a wingspan of 217 feet (66 m) during the day, folding over the tall, arched structure at night or during inclement weather.[173]
Drinking has long been considered a significant part of Wisconsin culture, and the state ranks at or near the top of national measures of per-capita alcohol consumption, consumption of alcohol per state, and proportion of drinkers. Consumption per-capita per-event, however, ranks low among the nation; number of events (number of times alcohol is involved) is significantly higher or highest, but consumption at each event smaller, marking Wisconsin's consumption as frequent and moderate.[175] Factors such as cultural identification with the state's heritage of German immigration, the long-standing presence of major breweries in Milwaukee, and a cold climate are often associated with the prevalence of drinking in Wisconsin.
In Wisconsin, the legal drinking age is 21, except when accompanied by a parent, guardian, or spouse who is at least 21 years old. Age requirements are waived for possessing alcohol when employed by a brewer, brewpub, wholesaler, or producer of alcohol fuel. The minimum legal age to purchase alcohol is 21, with no exceptions.[178] The Absolute Sobriety law states that any person not of legal drinking age (currently 21) may not drive after consuming alcohol.[179] DUI offenses were lowered to BAC 0.08 in 2003 as a result of federal government pressure.[180]
Wisconsin's cuisine is famous forits cheese as well as other dairy products.Colby cheese was first created in Wisconsin in 1885 (named afterColby, Wisconsin), andbrick cheese was first created in the state in 1877.[181][182] The state is the only producer ofLimburger cheese in the United States.Cheese curds are a popular variant that can be eaten separately cold as a snack, or covered in batter and fried as an appetizer, often served withranch dressing as a dipping sauce.Hot and spicy cheese bread is a popular type of bread created and sold in Madison.
Wisconsin is the nation's top producer ofcheese, the state's official dairy product. It is also a leading producer ofcranberries, the state's official fruit, andginseng.[183]Dane County Farmers' Market in Madison is the nation's largest producers-only farmer's market.[184][185]
The Friday nightfish fry, often battered and friedperch orwalleye, is traditional throughout Wisconsin, while in northeast Wisconsin andDoor County thefish boil is more popular. Thesupper club is another common phenomenon of Wisconsin culinary heritage and often a destination for fish frys; other fried food are common side dishes, along with condiments of tartar sauce andcole slaw or crimson slaw, a variety of cole slaw that incorporates Wisconsin cranberries.[186]Beer cheese soup is usually made from a variety of beer and cheddar or Colby cheese with sausage, potatoes, and green onions.
Booyah is astew common to Wisconsin, commonly using meat and a mirepoix of vegetables cooked together in a "booyah kettle" over low heat for several days.[187]
Summerfest is an annual music festival in downtown Milwaukee.
Milwaukee hostsSummerfest, dubbed "The World's Largest Music Festival", every year[193][194] The festival is held at the lakefrontHenry Maier Festival Park just south of downtown, as are a summer-long array ofethnic musical festivals. TheWisconsin Area Music Industry hosts an annual awards show for top Wisconsin artists.[195] TheMile of Music inAppleton is an annual all-original music festival of varying styles. It focuses on undiscovered touring musicians and bands.[196] Other music festivals includeHoofbeat country fest, Country Jam USA, theHodag Country Festival,Lifest, Porterfield Country Music Festival, Country Thunder USA in Twin Lakes,[197] and Country USA.
The varied landscape of Wisconsin makes the state a popular vacation destination for outdoor recreation. Winter events include skiing, ice fishing andsnowmobile derbies. Wisconsin is situated on two Great Lakes and has many inland lakes of varied size; the state contains 11,188 square miles (28,980 km2) of water, more than all but three other states—Alaska, Michigan, and Florida.[198] TheWisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary was established in 2021 in the waters of Lake Michigan off Wisconsin and is the site of a large number of historically significantshipwrecks.[199][200][201]
Outdoor activities are popular in Wisconsin, especially hunting and fishing. One of the most prevalent game animals is thewhitetail deer. Each year in Wisconsin, well over 600,000 deer-hunting licenses are sold.[202] In 2008, theWisconsin Department of Natural Resources projected the pre-hunt deer population to be between 1.5 and 1.7 million.
Wisconsin is represented by major league teams in three sports: football, baseball, and basketball.Lambeau Field, located inGreen Bay, Wisconsin, is home to theNational Football League'sGreen Bay Packers. The Packers have been part of the NFL since the league's second season in 1921 and are the smallest city franchise in the NFL, and the only one owned by shareholders statewide.[203] TheMilwaukee Brewers, the state's only major league baseball team, have played inAmerican Family Field in Milwaukee since 2001. Before the Brewers, Milwaukee had two prior Major League teams. The first team, also called the Brewers, played only one season in 1901 before becoming theSt. Louis Browns. Milwaukee was also the home of the now-Atlanta Braves franchise when they moved from Boston from 1953 to 1965, winning theWorld Series in 1957.[204] TheMilwaukee Bucks of theNational Basketball Association play home games at theFiserv Forum.[205]
TheConstitution of Wisconsin outlines the structure and function of state government, which is organized into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. TheWisconsin Blue Book is the primary published reference about the government and politics of the state. Re-published every two years, copies are available from state legislators.[214] The law of theMenominee also applies within theMenominee Indian Reservation.
TheWisconsin State Legislature is Wisconsin's legislative branch. The Legislature is abicameral body consisting of theWisconsin State Assembly and theWisconsin State Senate. The Assembly has 99 members, and the Senate has 33 members. All 99 members of the Wisconsin Assembly are elected in a two-year term cycle withoutterm limits. Similarly, all 33 members of the Wisconsin Senate are elected in a four-year cycle, also without term limits.[217] Half of the Senate is elected every two years. Members of both houses of the Legislature vote within their ranks to select presiding officers, such as theSpeaker of the Assembly and thePresident of the Senate. Legislators in both the Senate and the Assembly receive an annual salary of $55,141. Over two years, each legislator is allotted $66,008 to cover general office expenses, printing, postage and district mailings.[218]
Wisconsin's court system has four levels: municipal courts, circuit courts, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court. Municipal courts typically handle cases involvinglocal ordinance matters. Thecircuit courts are Wisconsin'strial courts, they haveoriginal jurisdiction in all civil and criminal cases within the state. Challenges to circuit court rulings are heard by theWisconsin Court of Appeals, consisting of sixteen judges who typically sit in three-judge panels. As the state's highest appellate court, theWisconsin Supreme Court may hear both appeals from lower courts and original actions. In addition to deciding cases, the Supreme Court is responsible for administering the state's court system and regulating the practice of law in Wisconsin.[219]
Following the 2020 censusreapportionment, Wisconsin has eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. As of the119th United States Congress, six federal representatives are Republicans while two are Democrats.Gwen Moore is the most senior member of the Wisconsin delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, while the least senior isTony Wied. Wisconsin'sseniorU.S. senator,Ron Johnson, is a Republican, while its junior,Tammy Baldwin, is a Democrat.[220]
2024 United States presidential election in Wisconsin
Results by county
Democratic
Republican
Results by municipality
Wisconsin is considered aswing state at the federal level, being won by either theDemocratic orRepublican nominees.[221] RepublicanDonald Trump won the state by 0.87% in the2024 presidential election; it had the closest margin of any state in that election. DemocratJoe Biden won the state by a narrow margin of 0.63% in2020;[222] Trump won Wisconsin in2016 by a similarly narrow margin of 0.77%, the first time the state voted for a Republican presidential nominee since1984. Wisconsin was part of theblue wall, a group of states the Democratic Party won in each presidential election from1992 to2012.[223] Since achieving statehood in 1848, Wisconsin has been won by Republican presidential candidates 26 times, Democrats 18 times, and once by theProgressive Party.
At the statewide level, Wisconsin is competitive, with control regularly alternating between the two parties. Following the2014 general elections, the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and treasurer were all Republicans, while the secretary of state was a Democrat.[224] However, in2018, Democrats won all constitutional statewide offices on the ballot, the first time this happened in Wisconsin since 1982.[225]Among Wisconsin's 46 governors, 32 were Republicans, 12 were Democrats, one was aWhig, and two wereWisconsin Progressive Party members.
During theAmerican Civil War, Wisconsin was ahistorically Republican state; in fact, it is the state that gave birth to the Republican Party, although ethno-religious issues in the late 19th century caused a brief split in the coalition. TheBennett Law campaign of 1890 controversially required English as the sole medium of instruction in all schools, and Germans switched to the Democratic Party because the Republican Party supported the law.[233]
Wisconsin's political history is broad in scope, encompassingRobert La Follette and theProgressive movement to prominent anti-communistJoseph McCarthy. From the early 20th century, theSocialist Party of America had a base in Milwaukee. The phenomenon was referred to as "sewer socialism" because the elected officials were more concerned with public works and reform than with revolution (although revolutionary socialism existed in the city as well). Its influence faded in the late 1950s largely because of thered scare and racial tensions.[234] The first socialist mayor of a large city in the United States wasEmil Seidel, elected mayor of Milwaukee in 1910; the city elected three more socialist mayors inDaniel Hoan,Frank P. Zeidler, andHenry Maier. Socialistnewspaper editorVictor Berger was repeatedly elected as a U.S. Representative.
Through the first half of the 20th century, Wisconsin's politics were dominated by Robert La Follette and his sons, originally of the Republican Party and later of theWisconsin Progressive Party. Since 1945, the state has maintained a close balance between Republicans and Democrats.[236] Wisconsin CongressmanPaul Ryan was the Republican vice-presidential nominee in the2012 election, alongsideMitt Romney,[237] and later served as 54thspeaker of the House of Representatives.[238]
Wisconsin, along with Michigan and Minnesota, was among theMidwestern leaders in the emergent American state university movement following theAmerican Civil War. By the start of the 20th century, education in the state advocated the "Wisconsin Idea", which emphasized service to the people of the state. The "Wisconsin Idea" exemplified the Progressive movement within colleges and universities at the time.[241]
Publicpost-secondary education in Wisconsin consists of two organizations. TheUniversity of Wisconsin System comprises the state's two tier 1research universities as classified by theCarnegie Foundation: the flagshipUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison, and theUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.[243] The system has eleven other comprehensive universities and ten two-year branch campuses. It is one of the largest public higher education systems in the country, enrolling more than 160,000students each year and employing approximately 41,000 faculty and staff statewide.[244] The 16-campusWisconsin Technical College System awards two-year associate degrees, one- and two-year technical diplomas, and short-term technical diplomas and certificates. It also provides training and technical assistance to Wisconsin's business and industry community.
Wisconsin is served by eightInterstate Highways, consisting of fiveprimary routes and threeauxiliary routes. The first part of this system was constructed in 1956, and its most recent expansion took place in 2015, with the addition ofI-41 to the system. Wisconsin's longest Interstate Highway isI-94. There are also fourteenUnited States Numbered Highways in the state of Wisconsin, which were designated beginning in 1926 and ending in the mid-1930s. There are also severalbusiness routes, usually maintained by local governments. TheWisconsin Department of Transportation maintains158 state trunk highways, ranging from two-lane rural roads to limited-access freeways. These highways are paid for by the state's Transportation Fund, which is considered unique among state highway funds because it is kept entirely separate from the general fund, therefore, revenues received from transportation services are required to be used on transportation. The majority of state highway funding comes from gas taxes and vehicle registration fees.[252]
Wisconsin is traditionally known as the "Badger State" due to its early history inleadmining. Many of the state's first settlers were drawn by the prospect of mining in southwest Wisconsin, a mineral-rich region which had been contested betweenNative Americans and the U.S. Some of the miners lived burrowed within hillsides either due to lack of time or finances to build above-ground structures during the winter. Similar to theAmerican badger using its claws to dig holes, the miners were nicknamed "badgers". TheUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison adopted the badger as a mascot in 1889 after the nickname; the badger was named Wisconsin's state animal in 1957.[255]
^Herman, Jennifer L. (2008).Wisconsin Encyclopedia, American Guide. North American Book Dist LLC. p. 10.ISBN9781878592613.Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. RetrievedMay 25, 2015.Nicknames Wisconsin is generally known as The Badger State, or America's Dairyland, although in the past it has been nicknamed The Copper State.
^Theler, James; Boszhardt, Robert (2003).Twelve Millennia: Archaeology of the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Iowa City, Iowa: University of Iowa Press. p. 59.ISBN978-0-87745-847-0.
^Birmingham, Robert; Eisenberg, Leslie (2000).Indian Mounds of Wisconsin. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 100–110.ISBN978-0-299-16870-4.
^Boatman, John (1987). "Historical Overview of the Wisconsin Area: From Early Years to the French, British, and Americans". In Fixico, Donald (ed.).An Anthology of Western Great Lakes Indian History. University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.OCLC18188646.
^Anderson, D. N. (March 23, 1970)."Tank Cottage".NRHP Inventory-Nomination Form. National Park Service.Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. RetrievedMarch 21, 2020.
^Murphy, Lucy Eldersveld (2014).Great Lakes Creoles: a French-Indian community on the northern borderlands, Prairie du Chien, 1750–1860. New York: Cambridge University Press. pp. 108–147.ISBN9781107052864.
^The Expansion of New England: The Spread of New England Settlement and Institutions to the Mississippi River, 1620–1865 by Lois Kimball Mathews page 244
^New England in the Life of the World: A Record of Adventure and Achievement By Howard Allen Bridgman page 77
^"When is Daddy Coming Home?": An American Family During World War II By Richard Carlton Haney page 8
^Robert C. Nesbit.Wisconsin: A History. 2nd ed. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1989, p. 151.
^Legler, Henry (1898). "Rescue of Joshua Glover, a Runaway Slave".Leading Events of Wisconsin History. Milwaukee, Wis.: Sentinel. pp. 226–229. Archived fromthe original on October 18, 2017. RetrievedOctober 17, 2017.
^Buenker, John (1998). Thompson, William Fletcher (ed.).The Progressive Era, 1893–1914. History of Wisconsin. Vol. 4. Madison, WI: State Historical Society of Wisconsin. pp. 25,40–41, 62.ISBN978-0-87020-303-9.
^Buenker, John (1998). Thompson, William Fletcher (ed.).The Progressive Era, 1893–1914. History of Wisconsin. Vol. 4. Madison, WI: State Historical Society of Wisconsin. pp. 80–81.ISBN978-0-87020-303-9.
^United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (April 1999)."Wisconsin State Soil: Antigo Silt Loam"(PDF). Archived fromthe original(PDF) on May 16, 2017. RetrievedOctober 17, 2017.
^Benedetti, Michael."Climate of Wisconsin". The University of Wisconsin–Extension. Archived fromthe original on January 17, 2013. RetrievedMarch 16, 2007.
^Center for New Media and Promotions(C2PO)."2010 Census Data".Archived from the original on May 22, 2017. RetrievedFebruary 18, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^"Wisconsin's Hmong Population"(PDF). University of Wisconsin–Madison Applied Population Laboratory. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on March 31, 2022. RetrievedApril 26, 2010.
^Joyce A. Martin; et al. (December 23, 2015)."Births: Final Data for 2014"(PDF).National Vital Statistics Reports.64 (12). NCHS. CS260962.Archived(PDF) from the original on February 14, 2017. RetrievedJune 18, 2017.
^Joyce A. Martin; et al. (January 5, 2017)."Births: Final Data for 2015"(PDF).National Vital Statistics Reports.66 (1). NCHS. CS272653.Archived(PDF) from the original on August 31, 2017. RetrievedJune 18, 2017.
^Joyce A. Martin; et al. (January 31, 2018)."Births: Final Data for 2016"(PDF).National Vital Statistics Reports.67 (1). NCHS. CS287854.Archived(PDF) from the original on June 3, 2018. RetrievedMay 7, 2018.
^Joyce A. Martin; et al. (November 7, 2018)."Births: Final Data for 2017"(PDF).National Vital Statistics Reports.67 (8). NCHS. CS296610.Archived(PDF) from the original on February 1, 2019. RetrievedFebruary 22, 2019.
^Joyce A. Martin; et al. (November 27, 2019)."Births: Final Data for 2018"(PDF).National Vital Statistics Reports.68 (13). NCHS. CS310999.Archived(PDF) from the original on November 28, 2019. RetrievedDecember 21, 2019.
^Joyce A. Martin; et al. (March 23, 2021)."Births: Final Data for 2019"(PDF).National Vital Statistics Reports.70 (2). NCHS. CS322077.Archived(PDF) from the original on March 24, 2021. RetrievedApril 9, 2021.
^"Data"(PDF).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Archived(PDF) from the original on February 10, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 21, 2022.
^"Data"(PDF).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Archived(PDF) from the original on February 1, 2023. RetrievedFebruary 3, 2022.
^"Data"(PDF).www.cdc.gov.Archived(PDF) from the original on April 4, 2024. RetrievedApril 5, 2024.
^Carroll, Brett E. (December 28, 2000).The Routledge Historical Atlas of Religion in America. Routledge Atlases of American History.Routledge.ISBN978-0-415-92137-4.
^"Total Cheese Production Excluding Cottage Cheese—States and United States: February 2010 and 2011" in United States Department of Agriculture,Dairy ProductsArchived January 13, 2012, at theWayback Machine, p. 13-14.
^"Milk Cows and Production—23 Selected States: March 2011 and 2012" in United States Department of Agriculture,Milk Production[permanent dead link], p. 3.
^Reidy, Kiyoko (November 11, 2015)."Public market gets green light from Madison City Council".The Badger Herald. Archived fromthe original on August 8, 2016. RetrievedAugust 8, 2016.The Dane County Farmers' Market is the largest producers-only farmers' market in the country, with additional markets around the county nearly every day of the week, Kemble said.
^Wax, Emily (August 24, 2012)."The Impulsive Traveler: In Wisconsin, supper clubs make a comeback".The Washington Post. RetrievedAugust 8, 2016.Beyond the supper clubs, one highlight of our trip that surprised me was the epic Saturday Dane County farmers market, which stretches for blocks around the capitol. It's said to be the largest producers-only farmers market — meaning that all items must be produced locally — in the country.
^abcGinsburg, Tom; Huq, Aziz (2018).How to Save a Constitutional Democracy.University of Chicago Press. pp. 7–11, 13, 16, 22, 31.ISBN9780226564388.Wisconsin's elections can be criticized along the third of these criteria, China's along all three. The result is a series of "blurred and imperfect" boundaries between democracy and its alternatives, in addition to myriad pathways away from democratic ordering toward one of a range of alternatives.
^Kellogg, Louise Phelps (September 1918). "The Bennett Law in Wisconsin".Wisconsin Magazine of History.2 (1):3–25.JSTOR4630124.
^Smith, Kevin D. (Spring 2003). "From Socialism to Racism: The Politics of Class and Identity in Postwar Milwaukee".Michigan Historical Review.29 (1):71–95.doi:10.2307/20174004.JSTOR20174004.
Cross, John A. and Kazimierz J. Zaniewski.The Geography of Wisconsin (University of Wisconsin Press, 2022)online review
Current, Richard (2001).Wisconsin: A History. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.ISBN978-0-252-07018-1.
Gara, Larry (1962).A Short History of Wisconsin. Madison, WI: State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
Holmes, Fred L. (1946).Wisconsin. 5 vols. Chicago, IL.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) Detailed popular history and many biographies.
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.webp)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
