Illinois
Illinois calls itself the Land of Lincoln. That’s
because of its association with President Abraham Lincoln, one of America’s
greatest leaders. Lincoln moved to Illinois in 1830, at the age of 21. In 1834,
he was elected to the Illinois legislature (lawmaking body). He also was
a lawyer in Springfield, the capital of Illinois.
Facts About Illinois
|
|
Capital
|
Springfield
|
Population
|
12,900,000
people
|
Rank
among states in population
|
5th
|
Major
cities
|
Chicago,
Rockford, Peoria
|
Area
|
57,900
square miles
150,000 square kilometers |
Rank
among states in area
|
25th
|
Statehood
|
December
3, 1818, the 21st state
|
State
nickname
|
The
Prairie State
|
Name
for residents
|
Illinoisans
|
State
bird
|
Cardinal
|
State
flower
|
Violet
|
State
tree
|
White
Oak
|
Abbreviation
|
IL
|
LAND OF LINCOLN
Lincoln lived in Springfield, Illinois, from 1837
until he became president of the United States in 1861. If you visit
Springfield, you can see the house Lincoln lived in. You can also visit his law
office and the state capitol where he gained his reputation as a politician.
Another place to visit is New Salem. Lincoln lived
in the pioneer village of New Salem before moving to Springfield. The village
has been rebuilt to look as it did in Lincoln’s time—the 1830s. You can see log
houses, stores, workshops, mills, and a school.
THE PRAIRIE STATE
Although Illinois calls itself the Land of Lincoln, its
official nickname is the Prairie State. Tall prairie grasses covered the state
200 years ago. Bison and elk grazed on the plains.
Today, the prairie grasses are almost gone, but the
rich prairie soil remains. It supports large fields of corn and soybeans. These
crops are used to fatten the cattle and hogs that have replaced the bison and
elk.
THE WINDY CITY
Springfield is the capital of Illinois, but Chicago
is by far the largest city in the state. Chicago is also the third largest city
in the United States. It’s located on Lake Michigan in northeastern Illinois.
Chicago is a center of business, industry, transportation, and finance.
Chicago is often called the Windy City. Most people
think it’s because of the strong winds that sometimes blow through the city.
But Chicago got its nickname in the 1800s from the bragging of its boosters
(promoters). Other people called these boosters windy, meaning they were full
of empty words.
Chicago is famous for its skyscrapers. The nation’s
first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, was built in Chicago in 1885. It
stood ten stories tall. A taller building replaced it in 1931.
Do you know what the tallest building in
the United States is? It’s the Sears Tower in Chicago. It’s 110 stories high.
An observation deck is at the top.
ILLINOIS PIONEERS
Pioneers began to settle in Illinois after the
American Revolution (1775-1783). They came mainly from Kentucky and Tennessee,
and they settled the wooded areas in the southern part of Illinois first. Early
settlers had to clear the forests and build log cabins.
Illinois became the 21st state on December 3, 1818.
Kaskaskia in southwestern Illinois was the first capital. The state capital was
moved to Vandalia two years later, and finally to Springfield in the central
part of the state in 1839.
In the 1830s, a blacksmith named John Deere
invented a steel plow in Illinois. Until then, it had been difficult to farm
the prairie because of the thick roots of the prairie grass. Deere’s plow made
it a lot easier for farmers to plow the prairie sod. It encouraged settlement
in northern Illinois.
CAHOKIA MOUNDS
A large Native American settlement was at Cahokia
in southwestern Illinois. The city of Cahokia was at its peak between ad 1100 and 1200. Archaeologists think
that as many as 10,000 to 20,000 people lived in the city then.
You can learn about native life at Cahokia
Mounds State Historic Site. More than 100 mounds of earth were built at the
Cahokia site. They were used for burials and as foundations for ceremonial buildings.
The largest mound is 100 feet (30 meters) high—about as tall as a ten-story
building.
GALENA
Galena is a popular tourist site in
northeastern Illinois, near the Mississippi River. The town grew wealthy from
nearby lead mines in the 1830s and 1840s. It preserves many buildings from that
time. You can tour a lead mine, fashionable homes, and other historic places in
Galena. They include the home of U.S. president Ulysses S. Grant.
STARVED ROCK
Starved Rock State Park on the Illinois River is a
favorite spot for recreation. Thousands of years ago, water from melting
glaciers carved stone canyons here. They’re a nice change from Illinois’s flat
plains. Hikers enjoy views from the bluffs. In spring, waterfalls plunge down
canyon walls. According to legend, a Native American chief starved to death on
a bluff in the park. An enemy tribe had surrounded the bluff and kept him from
escaping.
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