Road to feature an american city. Continuing our look at detroit, we will go back into the cities tour to learn how it went from farmland to one of the greatest industrial hubs in america by the turn of the 20 century. Welcome to the Detroit Historical museum. We are at the frontiers factory exhibit. This shows us the history of detroit from basically before the city was settled, the actual city of detroit, up through the rise of the barrett industry that takes place in the city. About the span of 200 years. The city of detroit itself was founded by the french in 1701. Detroit is a french name. It means the straight, which means the straight of water being the Detroit River that separates the United States from canada. At that time, it was all one region of land that was inhabited by the various native american people. This is a representation of what it may have looked like around 1701 when the french settled this area. There is a long history that took place before this. Human habitation began in this area almost as far back as 2000 years ago with the cultures that we sometimes referred to as mound builders that came out of the Mississippi River area. They came up to this region and left us these large burial mounds. At one point, there were six of them at least in the city. Now, there is only one that remains and that is on the grounds of historic fort wayne at the Detroit River. Tribes that were living here would have been the chippewa, the ottawa, the huron as well. These people lived a propers life prosperous life for such a long time before european habitation. They were cultivating crops, hunting, trading and making tools and pieces of artwork. Some of those are displayed over here. The pipe here at the top of the case was given to one of the settlers of detroit by tecumseh, who was a very famous native american figurehead in this region. You can also see some tools that were created by the people here, made out of stones, metals and things that they would have gotten from the land, essentially. Since this region has a strong connection with the Detroit River, these copper fishing hooks i find very interesting. We see people still along the River Fishing for recreation to get food. This connects us way back to the original people that settled here. Detroit was first settled by antoine cadillac, who got ferment shouldnt permission from the french king. He came here out of the northern montrealmarjorie l, in canoes. With about 100 men. When they arrived, they immediately got to work. This section represents a ribbon farm. Agricultural is an method that was established by the french when they settled here. Imagine you have the Detroit River going like this. Detroit, on top of that, ribbon farms stretched out on either end in long, thin sections. This allowed each family and farmer to have land near the river, near the water. This was used for watering your plants but also important for transport as well. Detroit, the location itself was an attractive spot for the french because of the Detroit River. It is a very narrow river that leads from lake erie to lake urine huron. It is not only important because of commerce getting goods from the upper regions of the great lakes but also as a strategic position. Was bothoint, detroit sides of the river. The north american and canadian side. Spancontrolled the entire leading up to the great lakes. It was important in terms of strategic aspect and controlling trade. New france became british. That was in 17 623. At a now, you are looking great model of detroit in maybe 1792. This model represents the town and knew fort which was knelt by the british. This was after built by the british. This was after they tore down the original fort. You may notice that it is strange that the fort itself is behind the settlement down on its river. The river. This would come back to bite the fort because when the americans took over, they noticed we cant fire on the river. Fort that cannot fire on attackers on the river . That was eventually torn down and replaced by another fort. A majority of the residence were still friends even though it was a british city. A lot more were on the farms outside of the stockade city. Those ribbon farms i was mentioning earlier. In 1805, detroit burned down to the ground almost completely. All but a couple of buildings had been completely destroyed. But, because it happened midday on a sunday, miraculously, no one was killed. Despite the obvious tragedy of the whole city burning down, this provided a fresh start you might say for a whole new city plan. The bones of which are still represented in the city today. The new territorial judge, augustus woodward, as he was on his way to detroit, that is when the city burned down. When he arrived, it was a smoldering as sheep. Heap. He immediately got to work planning a new city grid. His layout of the city provided for wide boulevards, spaces where people could congregate. Things that did not quite as naturally occur when the city had grown over time. Some of the elements he stole are these diagonal lines, these circular plazas. Innd circus park is still the city today, even though this plan saw a few changes. I mentioned the importance of the Detroit River as not only a highway for trade but also for travel. , the city continues to rebuild. More people come to the city. Because of that location on the Detroit River, the links between the upper and lower great lakes see a lot of commerce continue to thrive. We see ships come back from the Upper Peninsula of michigan with iron ore, lumber, things that would transform the city of detroit into a major manufacturing hub. By the mid1800s, detroit is already an industrial powerhouse with the Detroit River bringing in resources from the Upper Peninsula and from the upper other places in the great lakes region. Railroads being built with more and more miles all the time. A stockpile ofg resources that would be transformed into other things in the city itself. Things like various types of metal, the shipbuilding industry re. Iron and copper o this would turn into ships, railcars and automobiles. It is around this time that detroit gains its reputation as a manufacturing powerhouse. Announcer our cities shortstaffed recently traveled to detroit, michigan to learn about its rich history. To watch more video about detroit and other stops on our tour, visit cspan. Org cities tour. You are American History tv all weekend, every weekend on cspan3. Sunday, on American History tv, World War Ii Army nurse corps describedal greats how she provided care to american soldiers wounded on dday. Here is a preview. Simply had to keep our emotions under control. It was extremely upsetting at first to see so many wounded at one time. See patients with faces half shot off. Or limbs shot off. Mean, you just simply had to keep your emotions under control. I dont get real emotional now because i just this is just a hangover from that time. Announcer you can watch the complete interview about her work as an army nurse on oral histories, sunday at 6 30 p. M. And 10 30 p. M. Eastern on American History tv. We are back life at the Gettysburg College in pennsylvania for the Civil War Institute annual summer conference. Up next, Stephen Berry of the university of of the university of georgia on the digital history project private voices come a collection of civil war letters. Some viewers may find the language used in the letters offensive