Editing Toledo War (section)

== Prelude to conflict ==
[[File:Robert Lucas circa 1838 sketch.png|thumb|right|upright|Ohio governor Robert Lucas (1832–1836)]]

In 1820–21, the [[Public Land Survey System|federal land surveys]] had reached the disputed area from two directions, progressing southward from a baseline in Michigan and northward from one in Ohio. For unknown reasons, Surveyor General Tiffin ordered the two surveys to close on the Northwest Ordinance (Fulton) line, rather than Harris' line, perhaps lending implicit support to Michigan's claims over Ohio's.<ref>{{cite report |last1= Sherman |first1= C.E. |last2= Schlesinger |first2= A. M. |name-list-style= amp |year=1916 |work= Final Report, Ohio Cooperative Topographic Survey |title= Volume 1, Ohio-Michigan Boundary}}</ref> Thus, townships that were established north of the line assumed they were part of the Michigan Territory. By the early 1820s, the growing Michigan Territory reached the minimum population threshold of 60,000 to qualify for statehood. When it sought to hold a state constitutional convention in 1833, Congress rejected the request because of the still-disputed Toledo Strip.<ref name="DMVA"/>

[[File:Stevens T Mason.png|thumb|left|upright|[[Michigan Territory]] Governor [[Stevens T. Mason]] (1832–1839)]]

Ohio asserted that the boundary was firmly established in its constitution and thus Michigan's citizens were simply intruders; the state government refused to negotiate the issue with them. The Ohio Congressional delegation was active in blocking Michigan from attaining statehood, lobbying other states to vote against it. In January 1835, frustrated by the political stalemate, Michigan's territorial governor [[Stevens T. Mason]] called for a [[Constitutional convention (political meeting)|constitutional convention]] to be held in May of that year, despite Congress' refusal to approve an [[enabling act (United States)|enabling act]] authorizing one.<ref>{{harvp|Mendenhall|Graham|1895|p=167}}.</ref>

In February 1835, Ohio passed legislation that set up county governments in the Strip. The county in which Toledo sat would, later in 1835, be named after [[incumbent]] Governor [[Robert Lucas (governor)|Robert Lucas]], a move that further exacerbated the growing tensions with Michigan. Also, during this period, Ohio attempted to use its power in Congress to revive a previously rejected boundary bill that would formally set the state border to be the Harris Line.<ref>{{harvp|Galloway|1895|p=208}}.</ref>

Michigan, led by the young and hot-headed Mason, responded with the passage of the Pains and Penalties Act just six days after Lucas County was formed; the act made it a criminal offense for Ohioans to carry out governmental actions in the Strip, under penalty of a [[Fine (penalty)|fine]] up to $1,000 ({{Inflation|index=US|value=1000|start_year=1835|r=-3|fmt=eq|cursign=$}}), up to five years [[prison|imprisonment]] at [[hard labor]], or both.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.detroithistorical.org/collections/vewebsite2/exhibit3/e30013a.htm |title= S.013 Monument |publisher= Detroit Historical Society and Detroit Historical Society |access-date= August 10, 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060929010634/http://www.detroithistorical.org/collections/vewebsite2/exhibit3/e30013a.htm |archive-date= September 29, 2006 |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=January 1, 2001 |url=http://www.michigan.gov/formergovernors/0,1607,7-212--79532--,00.html |title=Important Dates in Michigan's Quest for Statehood |publisher=State of Michigan |access-date=May 12, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060509115915/http://www.michigan.gov/formergovernors/0%2C1607%2C7-212--79532--%2C00.html |archive-date=May 9, 2006 }}</ref> Acting as [[commander-in-chief]] of the territory, Mason appointed [[Brigadier General]] [[Joseph W. Brown]] of the [[Iron Brigade|Third U.S. Brigade]] to head the state militia, with the instructions to be ready to act against Ohio trespassers. Lucas obtained legislative approval for a militia of his own, and he soon sent forces to the Strip area. The Toledo War had begun.<ref name="DMVA"/>

Former United States President [[John Quincy Adams]], who at the time represented [[Massachusetts]] in Congress, backed Michigan's claim. In 1833, when Congress rejected Michigan's request for a convention, Adams summed up his opinion on the dispute: "Never in the course of my life have I known a controversy of which all the right was so clearly on one side and all the power so overwhelmingly on the other."<ref>{{harvp|Adams|1876|pp=214–5}}.</ref>