Illinois
History: The Mississippian group of Native Americans lived in the Illinois area continually for about 7000 years. They built a huge urban center called Cahokia which includes Monks Mound, the largest Pre-Columbian structure north of Mexico. Later, they united as a group called the Illini, which gave the state its name. French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet visited in 1673. Illinois was part of New France until 1763, when it was ceded to Great Britain as a result of the Seven Years’ War. After the Revolutionary War, the area was controlled by the U.S. and became part of the Northwest Territory. During the discussions on statehood, the upper border was moved 50 miles north so as to give Illinois a waterfront on Lake Michigan. This waterfront land later became the city of Chicago. Illinois became the 21st state on December 3, 1818.
Economy: Chicago is the great transportation hub of the central U.S., since goods can be shipped either through the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, or through the Illinois/Mississippi River waterway to the Gulf of Mexico. O’Hare International Airport is a major air hub, always listed as one of the top ten busiest airports in the world. Goods from all over the Great Plains can flow through Chicago, which lead to it being a major food and meat processing center. For many years a nickname for Chicago was ‘Hog Butcher of the World’. Agricultural products of the state itself (and U.S. ranking) include corn (2nd), soybeans (1st), wheat, grapes, apples, hogs, cattle, and dairy. Illinois is also the 4th largest manufacturing state, producing machinery, chemicals, oil and petroleum refining, metal products, plastics, vehicles, rubber, electronic parts, and computer equipment.
Climate: The northern half of the state has a humid continental climate (hot, humid summers and cold winters), while the southern half as a humid subtropical climate (hot, humid summers but moderate winters). This results in rainfall ranging from 35 to 48 inches (north to south) and snowfall ranging from 40 to 14 inches (north to south). Illinois has significant thunderstorm and tornado activity during the year.
Geography: Although Illinois has some hilly areas, it mostly part of the Great Plains region of flat prairie land. The borders are mainly defined by water. The northeastern border is Lake Michigan; the western border is the Mississippi River; the southern border is the Wabash and Ohio Rivers. The remaining borders (north with Michigan, and east with Indiana) are man-made straight lines on the map.
Fun Facts:
- Chicago is the 3rd largest city of the U.S., and Illinois the 6th most populous state.
- Because Abraham Lincoln spent most of his adult life there, Illinois is nicknamed the ‘Land of Lincoln’.
- Popcorn is the official state snack food.
- The first experimental nuclear chain reaction was achieved at the University of Chicago in 1942 by Italian scientist Enrico Fermi.
- Due to the large size of its Polish community, Chicago claims to be the largest Polish city outside of Poland.
- The world’s largest bottle of ketchsup is in Collinsville. It is 70 ft tall and can hold 100,000 gallons.
Points of Interest:
- Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield
- Numerous museums in Chicago, such as the Field Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Science and Industry
- Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs
- Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford
- Starved Rock State Park in Utica
- Cahokia Mounds Historic Site in Collinsville
Six additional sites to visit for more information:
kids.nationalgeographic.com/illinois/
