Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a population of 114,024, of which 36,892 (32%) were university students. The 2009 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 112,920, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The city is part of the Detroit – Ann Arbor – Flint, MI CSA.

Ann Arbor was founded in 1824, with one theory stating that it is named after the spouses of the city's founders and for the stands of trees in the area. The University of Michigan moved from Detroit to Ann Arbor in 1837, and the city showed steady growth throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, with a decline during the Depression of 1873. During the 1960s and 1970s, the city gained a reputation as an important center for liberal politics. Ann Arbor also became a focal-point for left-wing activism and served as a hub for the civil-rights movement and anti-Vietnam War movement, as well as the student movement.