Our 21st state is Illinois (ill-uh-NOY), a Midwestern state that joined the Union in 1818. With almost 13 million people, Illinois is ranked sixth in population.

Illinois history

Some of the earliest known Native American settlements in North America were in the area. French explorers Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette first claimed the land for the French in 1673. The British and the state of Virginia also claimed it at times.

Illinois is named for the Illinois Indians, a group of Algonquin tribes. They called their group Illiniwek, or “superior men.” The French changed the pronunciation to Illinois.

Chicago

Chicago, a city in the northeast that lies on the shores of Lake Michigan, is the thirdlargest city in the United States, with about 2.7 million people.

The city is a center for culture, finance, industry and transportation. For example, the Field Museum is known for its dinosaur exhibits, including Sue, the largest T-rex fossil ever found.

The Art Institute of Chicago is not only a museum but also a school. Chicago is one of the country’s main railroad hubs. photo by C.V. Vick

Around Illinois

Springfield is the capital. Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary, lived there with their children before moving to Washington, D.C.

Corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, dairy products and wheat are the top farm products in Illinois. Food companies such as Quaker Oats and McDonald’s are there. Manufacturers also make machinery, transportation equipment and computer and electronic equipment.

The Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum in Charleston, Illinois, highlights the famous 1858 debates between two Senate candidates, Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln lost that election, but two years later he became president.

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright lived in and designed many of his famous buildings in Oak Park, Illinois. More of his buildings are there than anywhere else in the world.

Sports

Illinois has two MLB teams, the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox. Fans cheer for the Chicago Bears (NFL) and the Chicago Bulls (NBA), along with the Chicago Blackhawks (NHL) and Chicago Fire FC (MLS).

Women’s teams include the Chicago Red Stars (soccer) and Chicago Sky (WNBA). photo by Sue

Famous Illinoisans

• Ronald Reagan served as president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was born in Tampico, Illinois. He went to high school in Dixon and to college in Eureka.

After graduation, he became a radio sports announcer in Iowa. He then became a movie actor. He appeared in more than 50 films. In 1966, Reagan was elected governor of California. He served two terms.

In 1980, he was elected to his first term as president. His presidency was known for his economic policies and for his contribution to ending the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

• Ulysses S. Grant led the Union armies to victory in the Civil War. He was elected president in 1868.

Grant grew up in Georgetown, Ohio, and later moved to Galena,  Illinois. When the Civil War began, he led troops from Illinois.

• Walt Disney, who created Mickey Mouse and went on to build Disneyland and Disney World, was born in Chicago in 1901. At McKinely High School, he was the school newspaper’s cartoonist.

Resources

On the Web:
• bit.ly/MPLandofLincoln

At the library:

• “Illinois” by Kelly Anne White

• “We Built This City: Chicago” by Tamra B. Orr