Indiana

= INDIANA, The Hoosier State    = Indiana State Flag, Indiana Political Map, and the State Seal. By: Michael Hamilton and Maya Rubach Period 4 Social Studies Date: 2/4/2011

Capitol: Indianapolis
**Origin of Indian's name**: The name means land of Indians. The state was given that name because of the many Native Americans who lived there.

**Basic Info**: Indiana was the 19th State in the USA and became a state on December 11, 1816. Indiana has a population of 6,080,485 as of the year 2000 which makes Indiana the 14th most populous State in the US. The State nickname is the Hoosier State. The origin of the state's nickname is uncertain. Some people believe it comes from an old Saxon word meaning "hill dweller" because many of the regions early settlers were the children of English highlanders. Others believe it might come from the pioneer greeting, "Who's yere?" meaning "Who is here?" There are still others who trace the nickname back to the 1820s, when Samuel Hoosier, a contractor working on the Ohio Falls Canal in Kentucky, hired many men from the Indiana side of the river. The men Hoosier hired were first called "Hoosier's Men" and then simply called "Hoosiers." The motto of Indiana is the "Crossroads of America". Indiana is broken into 92 counties and three main physical regions: The Great Lakes Plain in the northern third of the state, the Tipton Till Plain in the central third, and the Southern Hills and Lowlands region in the southern third. Indiana is one of 13 states that is divided into 2 time zones which are Eastern and Central and the majority of the State did not observe Daylight Savings Time until 2006.


 * Location**: Indiana is in the Midwest Region of the United States of America. It is bordered by Michigan to the Northeast, Ohio to the East, Kentucky and the Ohio River to the South, Illinois to the West and Lake Michigan to the Northwest.




 * Physical Geography**: The physical geography of Indiana is very different from the Northern to Central to Southern regions. Indiana is broken up into three main physical regions: The Great Lakes Plain in the northern third of the state, the Tipton Till Plain in the central third, and the Southern Hills and Lowlands region in the southern third. Northern Indiana is mostly gently rolling forest and prairie, with a few areas that are hillier, such as along rivers or in the dunes along Lake Michigan. Northeast Indiana has many natural lakes and is known as the "Indiana Lake Country". Northwest Indiana has many wetland areas and sand dunes. The Northern region is 600 to 1,000 feet above sea level and is probably the flattest part of the state. Besides some urban cities, the majority of Northern Indiana is farm land although along Lake Michigan there is a large area of heavy industry. The Northern region is home to many natural lakes formed by the glaciers that covered Indiana thousands of years ago, including Lake Wawasee which is the largest natural lake in Indiana. Central Indiana is also rolling forest and prairie and is about 600 to 1,000 feet above sea level. East Central Indiana, however has the areas highest point in Indiana, Hoosier Hill, which is at 1,257 feet above sea level. The central area of the State is considered the metropolitan section. Southern Indiana is very different from the rest of Indiana. Southern Indiana is a mixture of farmland, forest and very hilly areas. The Hoosier National Forest, a 200,000-acre nature preserve is located in South Central Indiana. The Southern region is also home to many commercial caves which are the largest limestone quarry regions in the United States. Indiana limestone has been used in many famous structures in the US, such as the Empire State Building, the Pentagon, and the Washington National Cathedral. In addition, 35 of the 50 state capitol buildings are made of Indiana limestone.


 * Climate:** The average rain fall for Indiana is 40 inches per year. Indiana has 2 climate zones. The northern two thirds of the state is cold and the southern third of the state is mixed humid. The average Temperature therefore, varies from north to south in the state. The average temperature is 49 and in the south it is 57. In the winter the average temperature is 17 in the north and 35 in the south. The average summer temperature is 63 in the North and 88 in the south. The record high for the State of Indiana was 116 degrees Fahrenheit and was set on July 14, 1936. The record low for Indiana was -36 degrees Fahrenheit and was set on January 19, 1994.




 * Economy**: Indiana's natural resources include forestry and timber, gas and oil, and coal. Each of these resources play a vital role in supporting Indian's economy and the lives of Hoosiers. The residents of Indiana use the land thru farming, especially in the northern section of the state. The residents farm hogs, cattle, poultry, sheep, corn, fruit, and potatoes. They also use the land by harvesting lumber in the large forested areas in southern Indiana. The Hoosiers also harvest coal, gas, and oil as well as limestone from the earth. The two major economic activities in the state of Indiana are farming and manufacturing. Indiana's cities manufacture electrical machines, metals, transportation equipment, machinery, food products, and chemical products.


 * People **: The featured attractions in Indiana include a town named Santa Claus, which is a year round holiday themed town. Many tourists visit Indiana to watch race cars at the Indianapolis 500. Many tourist visit the many State parks, rivers and other natural areas of Indiana to enjoy camping, fishing, hunting, and hiking. The population density of Indiana is 179.1 people per square mile. The top 9 principal cities in Indiana are Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, Gary, Hammond, Bloomington, Fishers, and Carmel.

 Works Cited "Building America: Project Locations - IN - Cicero." //U.S. DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Home Page//. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2011. . IVES, G. BURNHAM. "Indiana.." //Digital.library server at Penn Libraries//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . "Indiana - Climate." //Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, house prices, home value estimator, recent sales, cost of living, crime, race, income, photos, education, maps, weather, houses, schools, neighborhoods, and more//. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2011. . "Indiana: Facts, Map and State Symbols - EnchantedLearning.com." //ENCHANTED LEARNING HOME PAGE//. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2011. . "Indianapolis Indiana Weather." //29,780 Indianapolis real estate, homes for sale and MLS Listings, photos in Indiana//. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2011. <http://mswoods.com/in/Indianapolis/Indianapolis_Indiana_Weather.htm>. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 27.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 40pt; text-indent: -40pt;">"Sheppard Software: Fun free online learning games and activities for kids.." //Sheppard Software: Fun free online learning games and activities for kids.//. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2011. <http://www.sheppardsoftware.com>. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; line-height: 27.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 40pt; text-indent: -40pt;">race. "Indiana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana>.

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