History
Indiana borders Lake Michigan and the state of Michigan to the north, Ohio to the east, Kentucky to the south, and Illinois to the west.The meaning of 'Indiana' is "land of Indians" Indiana began with many Native American tribes who were the first to discover Indiana as early as 8000 B.C. Soon enough French European settlers came to Indiana. Several Algonkian Indian tribes, including some from the east,arrived in Indiana in the early 1800s. The heritage of the Delaware, Potawatomi, Miami, and other groups survives in many place-names, from Kokomo to Nappanee, Muncie, and Shipshewana.
Indiana's early settlers were mainly northern Europeans who migrated from eastern and southern states. The entry of immigrants to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries had little impact on Indiana. In 1860, only 9% of the state's population was foreign born, which is mostly German and Irish. The percentage was only 5.6% in 1900 and 5.2% by 1920 and to just 1.7% by 1990. The principal migratory pattern since 1920 has been within the state, from the farms to the cities. |
Native Americans explain to the French settlers how to find their way around Indiana.
The flag of Indiana
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