During the 1812 war Michigan was again taken by the British. But
they only kept it for a short time, for soon after Captain Perry's
great victory it was won back again by the Americans.
Up to that time there were few settlements in the territory. But
gradually more people came to settle, and at length in 1834 there
were quite enough people to entitle it to be admitted as a state.
And after some squabbling with Ohio over the question of boundaries
it was admitted to the Union early in 1837. The state takes its name
from the great lake Michigan, being an Indian word meaning "Great
Sea."
Michigan was the thirteenth new state to be admitted. Thus since
the Revolution the number of states had been exactly doubled.
In 1837 Martin Van Buren became President. He had been Secretary
of State and then Vice-President, and had been a great favourite
with Jackson who was very anxious that he should become President
after him.
Van Buren made very few changes in the cabinet, and his Presidency
was very like a continuation of Jackson's "reign."
Yet no two men could be more different from each other than Jackson
and Van Buren. Jackson was rugged, quick tempered and iron willed,
marching straight to his end, hacking his way through all manner
of difficulties. Van Buren was a smooth tongued, sleek little man
who, said his enemies, never gave any one a straight answer, and
who wrapped up his ideas and opinions in so many words that nobody
could be sure what he really thought about any subject.
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