The Word Michigander Started As A Political Insult In 1848

Most people know Lincoln for the Gettysburg Address. Fewer know he once coined an insult that Michigan residents still use to describe themselves today.

Did you know that the word "Michigander" was created to be an insult?

I've lived in Michigan for much of my life and consider myself a Michigander.  If someone called me a Michiganian, I would look at them like they have 3 heads. I never gave the origins of the name Michigander a single thought.  I just knew it was a word that represented a Michigan resident.

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That was until TikTok spilled some history on me while I was doom-scrolling the other night.  Apparently, in 1848, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives named Abraham Lincoln was running for president against Senator Lewis Cass.  Before he was a senator, Cass was the first Michigan governor.

Another fun fact about that time period: calling someone a goose was an insult.  That brings us to the first use of the word Michigander in the history of the English language.  Former President Abraham Lincoln threw shade at former Senator Lewis Cass by merging the words Michigan and gander together.

For those who don't know, a gander is a male goose, making the word "Michigander" a scathing retort in the mid 1800s.

How do you feel about the word Michigander now that you know its origin?  Let us know in the comments.