French
explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet, in 1673, were the first Europeans
of record to visit the region. In 1699 French settlers established the first permanent
settlement at Cahokia, near present-day East St. Louis. Great Britain obtained
the region at the end of the French and Indian Wars in 1763.
The
area figured prominently in frontier struggles during the Revolutionary War and
in Indian wars during the early 19th century.
Significant
episodes in the state's early history include the influx of settlers following
the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825; the Black Hawk War, which virtually ended
the Indian troubles in the area; and the rise of Abraham Lincoln from farm laborer
to president.
Today,
Illinois stands high in manufacturing, coal mining, agriculture, and oil production.
The state's manufactures include food and agricultural products, transportation
equipment, chemicals, industrial machinery, and computer equipment. The sprawling
Chicago district (including a slice of Indiana) is a great iron and steel producer,
meat packer, grain exchange, and railroad center. Chicago is also famous as a
Great Lakes port.
Illinois
is a leading producer of soybeans, corn, and hogs. Other agricultural commodities
include cattle, wheat, oats, sorghum, and hay.
Central
Illinois is noted for shrines and memorials associated with the life of Abraham
Lincoln. In Springfield are the Lincoln Home, the Lincoln Tomb, and the restored
Old State Capitol. Other points of interest are the home of Mormon leader Joseph
Smith in Nauvoo and, in Chicago: the Art Institute, Field Museum, Museum of Science
and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Merchandise Mart, and Chicago
Portage National Historic Site.
Coming
Soon!
See
more on Illinois: Encyclopedia: Illinois Encyclopedia: Geography Encyclopedia:
Economy Encyclopedia: Government Encyclopedia: History Monthly Temperature
Extremes
Accredited
Colleges and Universities
Selected
famous natives and residents:
Franklin Pierce Adams author; Jane
Addams social worker; Mary Astor actress; Jack Benny comedian; Black
Hawk Sauk Indian chief; Harry A. Blackmun jurist; Ray Bradbury author;
William Jennings Bryan orator and politician; Edgar Rice Burroughs novelist;
Gower Champion choreographer; John Chancellor TV commentator; Raymond
Chandler writer; Jimmy Connors tennis champion; James Gould Cozzens novelist;
Richard J. Daley mayor of Chicago; Miles Davis musician; Peter DeVries
novelist; Everett Dirksen senator; Walt Disney film animator and producer;
John Dos Passos author; James T. Farrell novelist; Dan Fogelberg singer
and songwriter; Betty Friedan feminist; Benny Goodman musician; John
Gunther author; Ernest Hemingway author; Charlton Heston actor; Wild
Bill Hickok scout; William Holden actor; Rock Hudson actor; Burl Ives
singer; James Jones novelist; John Jones civil rights leader; Quincy
Jones composer; Keokuk (Watchful Fox) chief of the Sac and Fox Indians; Walter
Kerr drama critic; Archibald MacLeish poet; David Mamet playwright; Robert
A. Millikan physicist; Sherrill Milnes baritone; Bill Murray actor; Bob
Newhart actor and comedian; William S. Paley broadcasting executive; Drew
Pearson columnist; Richard Pryor comedian and actor; Ronald Reagan former
president and actor; Carl Sandburg poet; Sam Shepard playwright; William
L. Shirer author and historian; John Paul Stevens jurist; McLean Stevenson
actor; Preston Sturges director; Gloria Swanson actress; Carl Van
Doren writer and educator; Melvin Van Peebles playwright; Irving Wallace
novelist; Alfred Wallenstein conductor; Raquel Welch actress; Oprah
Winfrey television talk show host and actress; Florenz Ziegfield theatrical
producer.
Capital:
Springfield
State
abbreviation/Postal code: Ill./IL
Governor:
Rod R. Blagojevich, D (to Jan. 2007)
Lieut.
Governor: Patrick Quinn, D (to Jan. 2007)
Senators:
Richard J. Durbin, D (to Jan. 2009); Barack Obama, D (to Jan. 2011)
U.S.
Representatives: 19
Atty.
General: Lisa Madigan, D (to Jan. 2007)
Secy.
of State: Jesse White, D (to Jan. 2007)
Treasurer:
Judith Baar Topinka, R (to Jan. 2007)
Organized
as territory: Feb. 3, 1809
Entered
Union (rank): Dec. 3, 1818 (21)
Present
constitution adopted: 1970
Motto:
State sovereignty, national union
State
symbols: flower violet (1908) tree white oak (1973) bird cardinal
(1929) animal white-tailed deer (1982) fish bluegill (1987) insect
monarch butterfly (1975) song “Illinois” (1925) mineral fluorite
(1965)
Nickname:
Prairie State
Origin
of name: Algonquin for “tribe of superior men”
Geographic
center: In Logan Co., 28 mi. NE of Springfield
Number
of counties: 102
Largest
county by population and area: Cook, 5,327,777 (2004); McLean, 1,184 sq mi.
Public
use areas: 186 (275,000 ac.), incl. state parks, memorials, forests and conservation
areas
Residents:
Illinoisan
2004
resident population est.: 12,713,634
2000
resident census population (rank): 12,419,293 (5). Male: 6,080,336 (49.0%);
Female: 6,338,957 (51.0%). White: 9,125,471 (73.5%); Black: 1,876,875 (15.1%);
American Indian: 31,006 (0.2%); Asian: 423,603 (3.4%); Other race: 722,712 (5.8%);
Two or more races: 235,016 (1.9%); Hispanic/Latino: 1,530,262 (12.3%). 2000 percent
population 18 and over: 73.9; 65 and over: 12.1; median age: 34.7.
