Quick Facts: Illinois

Illinois is a state located in the Midwest Region of the United States and is one of the eight states, along with the Canadian Province of Ontario, that make up the bi-national Great Lakes region of North America.

ABBREVIATION: IL
NICKNAME: Prairie State
POPULATION: 12,710,158 (2024 est.)
CAPITAL: Springfield
STATE BIRD: Cardinal
STATE FLOWER: Violet
AREA: 57,914 sq. mi.
TIME ZONE: Central
ENTERED UNION: Dec. 3, 1818
ALTITUDE: High, 1,235 ft. Charles Mound
CLIMATE: Cold winters, hot summers; moderate rainfall.

With its multitudes of railroads, airlines, highways, not to mention 2 important rivers and an outlet on Lake Michigan, Illinois is the transit hub of the nation. Chicago, its biggest city, has been described by Carl Sandburg as “Tool-Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and the Nation’s Freight Handler”. Because of its central location and its proximity to the Rust Belt and Grain Belt, Illinois is a national crossroads for air, auto, rail, and truck traffic.

As a growing meat-packing and grain center, Illinois early on began to construct transportation arteries for the shipment of its products. One of the first major links to the eastern markets was a canal built to connect the Illinois River and the southern half of the state to the Great Lakes, and through the Erie Canal, to New York City. This was followed in the 1850’s by the thundering arrival of the railroads, which-by bringing together raw materials, labor and market facilities-permitted heavy industry to thrive.

In Illinois, the 20th Century exodus from the fields to the city has been dramatic. Only a small percentage of Illinoisans now live on farms. Nevertheless, with modern mechanized farming techniques, the land still yields enough to make the state one of the highest ranking states in the U.S. for farm income and food production.

Wrigley Field, north side of Chicago, Illinois

The state has been called “a working model of the nation as a whole”, Illinois has an impressive economic balance. It has large farms and profitable industries with hundreds of thousands of employees, as well as one-family dairy farms and small electronic workshops. Although the single family farms are diminishing with time, Illinois still reflects the basic structure of the American way of life.

Fun Facts:

Illinois was the first state to ratify the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which made slavery illegal.
On St. Patrick’s Day the Chicago River is dyed green.
Between 1910 and 1930 Chicago’s African-American population grew to nearly a quarter million, as the Great Migration brought black workers from the agricultural South to industrial cities in the North.
Chicago is home to the world’s first Skyscraper, built in 1885.
Chicago’s nickname ‘Windy City’ came from Charles Dana, editor of the New York Sun, who grew tired of hearing Chicagoans boast about the Columbian Exposition-the Chicago’s World’s Fair of 1893.
The first controlled atomic chain reaction took place on a squash court at the University of Chicago in 1942 under the direction of physicist Enrico Fermi.

History:

The history of Illinois is rich and diverse, spanning ancient Native civilizations, French exploration, frontier settlements, industrial growth, and political influence. Known as the “Land of Lincoln,” Illinois has played a pivotal role in shaping the United States politically, economically, and culturally.

Long before European contact, Illinois was inhabited by various Native American peoples, most notably the Mississippian culture. This civilization, which thrived between 800 and 1400 CE, built one of the largest pre-Columbian cities in North America—Cahokia—near present-day St. Louis.

Cahokia featured large earthen mounds, sophisticated agriculture, and complex trade networks. Later, the Illinois Confederation, a group of Algonquian-speaking tribes, lived throughout the region.

The first Europeans to explore Illinois were French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet in 1673, who traveled the Mississippi River and noted the region’s potential.

Soon after, French fur traders and missionaries established settlements such as Kaskaskia, Cahokia (different from the Mississippian site), and Peoria. The area became part of French Louisiana until 1763, when it was ceded to Britain following the French and Indian War.

After the American Revolution, the Illinois Country became part of the United States. It was included in the Northwest Territory in 1787 and later the Indiana Territory. On December 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21st state in the Union. The state’s early capital was Kaskaskia, later moved to Vandalia, and eventually to Springfield in 1839.

The 19th century was a time of rapid growth and transformation. Illinois became a major transportation hub with the development of canals, railroads, and roads. The completion of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1848 connected the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River, making Chicago a critical center of trade. This same year, Chicago was incorporated as a city.

Illinois also played a central role in the national debate over slavery. Though a free state, it was not without racial tensions and discriminatory laws. One of the state’s most famous residents, Abraham Lincoln, emerged as a powerful voice against the expansion of slavery.

Elected president in 1860, Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War deeply tied Illinois to the Union cause. Soldiers from Illinois served in large numbers, and the state was a vital source of manpower and resources.

After the war, Illinois experienced rapid industrialization, particularly in cities like Chicago. Immigrants from Europe and African Americans from the South came seeking jobs in factories and stockyards. Chicago became a symbol of American growth, innovation, and at times, labor unrest.

In the 20th century, Illinois continued to grow as a cultural and political force. Chicago became a center for jazz, blues, and modern architecture. The state produced influential leaders, including Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Barack Obama.

Today, Illinois is a diverse and dynamic state with a complex history that mirrors the broader American experience—from Native heritage and frontier struggles to industrial power and social progress. Its contributions to the nation’s political, cultural, and economic development continue to be significant.