Have you ever wondered why Michigan and Ohio often seem to clash?

Maybe it's our college football teams.

Maybe it's because Michigan has Motown in Ohio has the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Or maybe it started way back with the Toledo War in 1835.

Although the historical name is a Toledo war, it was really more of a disagreement or conflict.

I'm Mr. Peterson, and today we're going to learn a bit of history around this conflict as we explore the history of this disagreement.

We will be using a timeline of important events.

Timelines help us as readers and writers, keep track of the order or sequence in which events happen, and also help us more easily find answers to questions we have about the topic of the timeline.

The Toledo War was a conflict between Ohio and Michigan over a piece of land called the Toledo Strip.

Both sides wanted it because Toledo was a great place for trade, especially with its access to Lake Erie.

But there's a little bit of information we need on our timeline before we get to the actual conflict.

Timelines can look many different ways.

Timelines usually run from left to right or horizontally, and some run top to bottom or vertically.

We'll be reading a vertical timeline today.

Let's take a look.

This timeline starts with 1787.

The Northwest Ordinance created a system for settling new territories in the area, including what is now Ohio.

In Michigan.

Early 1800s, both Ohio and Michigan were developing areas.

1803 Ohio becomes a state in the United States.

I think it's important to know that Ohio became a state before Michigan, because when Ohio became a state, there was some confusion about its northern borders.

While Michigan was not officially a state yet, in 1805, the Michigan Territory was created a territory as part of a country that is not a state.

Today, the United States still has territories like Puerto Rico.

1818.

The border dispute started to get more serious because both Ohio and Michigan claimed the Toledo Strip, a narrow piece of land along their border.

Land surveys showed different things for the Territory of Michigan and Ohio State borders.

They just didn't match, and both believed that the Toledo Strip belonged to them.

1835.

Michigan sought to become a state, but Congress asked them to resolve the border dispute first so before Michigan could become a state.

The dispute with Toledo would need to be settled.

The conflict reached its peak, and both Ohio and Michigan sent soldiers to the Toledo Strip.

There were a few small fights, but no major battles.

Also in 1835, the following happened.

Surveyors arrested at the Toledo Strip.

Michigan Governor Steven Mason sent people that determine boundary lines, known as surveyors, to the Toledo Strip.

Ohio's militia arrested them, which added even more attention to the fight.

1836.

Congress proposed a compromise to end the dispute between the Territory of Michigan and the state of Ohio.

Based on what we know from this and what we know now, what do you think the compromise was?

Well, a compromise is when both sides give up something so they can settle a disagreement.

Congress proposed that Ohio take the Toledo Strip, and in return, Michigan would become a state and also get the entire Upper Peninsula, which turned out to be rich in resources.

1837.

Michigan becomes a state in present day Michigan, and Ohio have friendly sport rivalries, but long gone are any border disputes.

Timelines not only help us keep events organized, but they also help us more quickly access answers to questions that are related to those events.

Let's practice a couple together.

Question.

How many years was Michigan a territory before it became a state?

Well, Michigan became a state in 1837 and was a territory created in 1805.

So I'll count backwards or subtract years starting in 1837 and ending in 1805.

I know the answer is 32 years.

I was able to do that quickly because the information is very easy to find on a timeline.

Question eight who proposed a compromise that would end the conflict between Michigan and Toledo?

And when was it?

I can do a quick scan for the word compromise on the timeline.

Oh, I see it.

Yep.

1836 and when I read that description on the timeline, I can see that Congress is who proposed the compromise.

Finding answers on a timeline is pretty easy.

Everything is in order, and lots of information is given with only a few words.

By looking closely at the order or sequence in which things happen.

We can understand events in occurrences in the world better.

Not only did we learn how the Upper Peninsula or U.P.

became part of Michigan, but we also learned the value and using visuals like timelines.

Try using the timeline we built today to teach a friend or a family member a bit of important Michigan history and share the journey of how the U.P.

became a part of our state.

With the power of compromise.