Which event marks a demographic milestone in Michigan's history?

• A. The Treaty of Paris ends the French colonial struggle in Michigan.
• B. William Hull is appointed the first governor of Michigan Territory.
• C. Soo Locks complete linking Lake Superior to the Great Lakes.
• D. Michigan's population passes the one million mark.

Answer: (A)

A demographic milestone is a population-size landmark that shows how many people live in a place and signals social and economic development. For Michigan, the event that marks such a milestone is when its population surpasses one million. This reflects a transition from a sparsely populated frontier area to a more settled and growing region, with more towns, industries, and institutions to support a larger community. The other events involve political changes, governance, or infrastructure, not population size: ending a long-running conflict and redrawing borders, appointing the territory’s first governor, and completing a major navigation project all describe shifts in power or economy, but they do not denote a specific growth in the number of residents.