Wisconsin History Day By Day

Related Web Sites:

Read More About It

"The Physical Geography of Wisconsin" by Lawrence Martin

"On Shaky Ground: The New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812" by Norma Hayes Bagnall

Vocabulary:

duration

localities

inland

Interesting Fact:

A strong earthquake centered near Charleston, South Carolina, in August of 1886, was felt as far away as Beloit, Janesville and Milwaukee. .

Study Questions:

Have there been other earthquakes in Wisconsin during the past 150 years? When did they occur?

What have been the most severe earthquakes in U.S. history?

What is significant about the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812?

U.S. historical events that occurred on May 6:

1937: The dirigible Hindenburg burns and crashes in Lakehurst, N.J., killing 36 people.

May 6

May 6, 1947
A very strong earthquake shook a 3,000 square mile area in southeastern Wisconsin on May 6, 1947, but caused little damage. The quake was of short duration and was felt as a “heavy bump” in some localities, and as a quick, sideward shift of the earth in others. The earthquake was felt from Sheboygan to the Wisconsin-Illinois border and approximately 25 miles inland from Lake Michigan.

Wisconsin History Day By Day homepage January - December calendar page