Indiana
Indiana (/ˌɪndiˈænə/ ⓘ IN-dee-AN-ə)[15] is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the south and southeast, and the Wabash River and Illinois to the west. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th state on December 11, 1816.
This article is about the U.S. state. For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation).
Indiana
December 11, 1816 (19th)
Suzanne Crouch (R)
- Todd Young (R)
- Mike Braun (R)
36,418 sq mi (94,321 km2)
35,868 sq mi (92,897 km2)
550 sq mi (1,424 km2) 1.5%
270 mi (435 km)
140 mi (225 km)
700 ft (210 m)
1,257 ft (383 m)
320 ft (97 m)
6,785,528[3]
189/sq mi (73.1/km2)
$62,743 (2,021)[4]
Ind.
37° 46′ N to 41° 46′ N
84° 47′ W to 88° 6′ W
"Indiana"[5]
"IN Indiana"[6]
Northern cardinal[7]
(Cardinalis cardinalis)
Say's firefly[9]
(Pyractomena angulata)
Tulip tree[8]
(Liriodendron tulipifera)
Wabash River (state river)[13]
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Hoosier Spirit II (state aircraft)[14]
Various indigenous peoples inhabited what would become Indiana for thousands of years, some of whom the U.S. government expelled between 1800 and 1836. Indiana received its name because the state was largely possessed by native tribes even after it was granted statehood. Since then, settlement patterns in Indiana have reflected regional cultural segmentation present in the Eastern United States; the state's northernmost tier was settled primarily by people from New England and New York, Central Indiana by migrants from the Mid-Atlantic states and adjacent Ohio, and Southern Indiana by settlers from the Upland South, particularly Kentucky and Tennessee.[16]
Indiana has a diverse economy with a gross state product of $352.62 billion in 2021.[17] It has several metropolitan areas with populations greater than 100,000 and a number of smaller cities and towns. Indiana is home to professional sports teams, including the NFL's Indianapolis Colts and the NBA's Indiana Pacers. The state also hosts several notable competitive events, such as the Indianapolis 500, held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Education[edit]
Public schools[edit]
Indiana's 1816 constitution was the first in the country to implement a state-funded public school system. It also allotted one township for a public university.[212] However, the plan turned out to be far too idealistic for a pioneer society, as tax money was not accessible for its organization. In the 1840s, Caleb Mills pressed the need for tax-supported schools, and in 1851 his advice was included in the new state constitution. In 1843 the Legislature ruled that African Americans could not attend the public schools, leading to the foundation of Union Literary Institute and other schools for them, funded by donations or the students themselves.[213] The Indiana General Assembly authorized separate but equal schools for Black students in 1869, and in 1877 language in the law changed to allow for integrated schools.[213]
Although the growth of the public school system was held up by legal entanglements, many public elementary schools were in use by 1870. Most children in Indiana attend public schools, but nearly ten percent attend private schools and parochial schools.[214] About half of all college students in Indiana are enrolled in state-supported four-year schools.
Indiana public schools have gone through several changes throughout Indiana's history. Modern, public school standards, have been implemented all throughout the state. These new standards were adopted in April 2014. The overall goal of these new state standards is to ensure Indiana students have the necessary skills and requirements needed to enter college or the workforce upon high school graduation.[215] State standards can be found for nearly every major subject taught in Indiana public schools. Mathematics, English/Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies are among the top, prioritized standards. In 2022, the Indiana Department of Education reported that the state's overall graduation rate was 86.7%, down one percent from 2021.[216]
The rate of Indiana high school students attending college fell to 53% in 2022, a significant decline from 65% in 2017.[217][218] Indiana's college-going rates have fallen further than most states'.[219][220][221][222] Trends reveal widening gaps for ethnic minorities and low-income families.[221]
Vocational schools[edit]
Indiana has a strong vocational school system. Charles Allen Prossor, known as the father of vocational education in the United States, was from New Albany. The Charles Allen Prosser School of Technology is named in his honor. There are vocational schools in every region of Indiana, and most Indiana students can freely attend a vocational school during their high school years and receive training and job placement assistance in trade jobs. The International Union Of Operating Engineers (IUOE) has seven local unions in Indiana, offering apprenticeship and training opportunities.[223] According to the Electrical Training Alliance website, there are ten electrical training centers in Indiana.[224]
