Detroit is home of the Lions and Tigers. You can find them at the zoo and also at a football and baseball stadium. It is the city where musical superstars Eminem and Kid Rock - and the popular musical style of Motown - were born. It is also where Henry Ford created the Ford Motor Company and built the world's first car assembly line, thus paving the way for Detroit to become the "Motor City."

French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac discovered a large patch of land in 1701. He thought this land would be a good base of operations for sending furs north to Canada, so he settled there. A river ran through the land, connecting Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie. Because of this, Cadillac named the land Ville d'Etroit, or "City of the Strait." In 1805 the city was named the capital of the Michigan Territory and was then burnt to the ground. Detroit was rebuilt even better than before.

Henry Ford moved to Detroit from nearby Dearborn. He established the Ford Motor Company in 1903 and by 1908 had perfected the automobile assembly line. This invention led to the forming of the United Auto Workers (UAW), who initiated the industrial union movement. Then, the success of the Ford automobile and Ford's assembly line production methods led generally to a huge success of an automotive industry, and all of this led to the huge success of the automobile, and set the course for Detroit to become the first city with a paved concrete road, the first with a traffic light and the first to have an urban freeway.

In 1929 Detroit dedicated the Ambassador Bridge, connecting the city to Windsor, Ontario. The Ambassador was the world's longest suspension bridge. The 1940s brought Detroit into the international spotlight, as the city's industrial focus played a key role in the Allies' 1945 victory in WWII. Detroit turned its automobile manufacturing buildings into manufacturers of military equipment. Ford Motor Company turned its River Rogue plant into a tank arsenal, and by 1944 Detroit was the leading supplier of military goods.

Detroit played a large role in the African Americans' fight for civil rights in this country. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., first gave an early version of his "I Have a Dream" speech during a Detroit Walk to Freedom in 1963.

Detroit was a vital stop for the Underground Railroad. Due to its close proximity to Canada, it became a major escape route for fleeing slaves. This influx of people brought jazz and blues music with them, and from the late 1800s on, music became a huge part of Detroit's personality. The city was even the first in America to have an integrated musicians' union.

John Lee Hooker and other now-famous musicians started emerging on the scene around 1940. Berry Gordy, Jr., created Motown, which was one of the most important American contributions to music and brought African-American artists to center stage. Gordy started the music craze with a family loan of just $800. Soon after, Motown Records was introducing the country to musicians like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Jackson Five and Diana Ross, among many others.

Detroit's success as a city skyrocketed. On July 24, 2001, the city celebrated its tri-centennial. Even after businesses began to move to the suburbs, and riots rocked the neighborhoods, the city still held strong. It took a loss, and experienced a massive recession, but still held strong. American automobiles are becoming popular again, and Detroit's industry is picking back up. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are all still based in Detroit, and it is becoming a thriving metropolis once more.

Sources:
(http://www.lonelyplanet.com)

(http://www.fraserlawfirm.com/Employment/LivDet.html)

(http://Detroit.about.com/od/localtours/tp/beforeyoudie.htm)