Michigan Early History

First Early Inhabitants

Early history examines the archaeological record that tells the story of the first inhabitants of Michigan. Learn about the history and culture of the first inhabitants, and what lessons it might teach us about the early history of Michigan.

Following the prehistoric inhabitants, Michigan's residents were the tribal groups of Ojibwa, Ottawa and Potawatomi Native Americans

When European explorers arrived in the Michigan region in the early 17th century it was already populated by Algonkian Indians. The Chippewa and Menominee tribes lived in the Upper Peninsula, while the Miami, Ottawa, and Potawatomi occupied the Lower Peninsula. The name "Michigan" actually came from the Chippewa word "Michigan," which means "great lake."
 

Before contact with the Europeans, these Native Americans lived by hunting, gathering, and fishing. Some tribes raised squash, corn, and rice. Clothing was made from the skins of animals they ate. Their tools were fashioned from animal parts such as bone and sinew. They constructed their homes of mud and bark.

The arrival of the white man had disastrous effects on Michigan’s Native Americans. During the 1700s, nearly two-thirds of their population died from diseases brought by European settlers. Many tribes eventually lost their lands to the U.S. government. By 1838, almost all Indian villages in Michigan had been abandoned.