The following important events in the history of Michigan affected political jurisdictions, record keeping, and family movements.

1668	Sault Ste. Marie, the oldest community in Michigan, was founded by the French. Detroit was founded in 1701.
1763	The British took possession of the area but discouraged settlers.
1787	Michigan became part of the U.S. Northwest Territory, but the British still controlled Detroit and Mackinac.
1796	The British withdrew from their remaining posts, including Detroit.
1800	The area became part of the Indiana Territory.
1805	Congress created Michigan Territory.
1818–1832	Settlement was encouraged by improvements in transportation, including the establishment of steamship operation on the Great Lakes from Buffalo to Detroit in 1818, and the completion of the Erie Canal to Buffalo in 1825. The Chicago Road linking Detroit to Chicago was completed in 1832.
1835	As a result of the Toledo War with Ohio, Michigan lost land along its southern border to Ohio and gained the Upper Peninsula.
1837	Michigan became a state.
1861–1865	90,000 men served the Union in the Civil War. Of these, 14,000 died in the war.
1900	All of Michigan's 83 counties had been settled by 1900.