Illinois
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| Abbreviation | IL Source: United States Postal Service – Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | Springfield |
| Population | 12,830,632 Source: Resident Population Data – 2010 Census |
| Governor | Patrick J. Quinn (Democrat, to January 2015) |
| Entered the Union | December 3, 1818 as the 21st state |
| Motto | State sovereignty, national union |
| Nicknames | The Prairie State, The Land of Lincoln |
| Flower | Violet |
| Bird | Cardinal |
| Song | Illinois |
| Professional Sports Teams | Chicago Bulls (Men’s Basketball); Chicago Bears (Football); Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs (Baseball); Chicago Blackhawks (Hockey); Chicago Fire (Soccer); Chicago Sky (Women’s Basketball) (sports listing policy) |
| Origin of Name | From an Indian word and French suffix, meaning “tribe of superior men” |
| Historical Sites | Lincoln Home and Tomb, Old State capital, Bishop Hill, Cahokia Mounds, Illinois and Michigan National Heritage Corridor, Nauvoo, Ulysses S. Grant Home |
| Points of Interest | Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Brookfield Zoo, Sears Tower |
| Bordering States | Illinois borders Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, and Indiana. Illinois also borders Lake Michigan. |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about Illinois from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official State Links
- Illinois.gov: the State of Illinois Web Site
http://www.illinois.gov/
This is the official website for the State of Illinois. - Illinois State Library
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/home.html
Here is the homepage for the Illinois State Library. - Illinois State Historical Society
http://www.historyillinois.org/
Here is the homepage for the Illinois State Historical Society. - Illinois State Museum
http://www.museum.state.il.us/
Here is the homepage for the Illinois State Museum. - Illinois State Archives
http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/archives.html
Here is the homepage for the Illinois State Archives. - Illinois Parks & Recreation
http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/PARKS/
Here is the homepage for Illinois State Parks. - Enjoy Illinois
http://www.enjoyillinois.com/default.aspx
Here is the official state tourism website for Illinois. - Learn Illinois
http://www.state.il.us/kids/learn/default.htm
Learn fun facts about Illinois with this webpage designed especially for kids.
Other State Links
- 50states.com: Illinois
http://www.50states.com/illinois.htm
The site provides a wealth of information about Illinois. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate. - Things To Do in Illinois
http://www.thingstodo.com/states/IL/index.htm
ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about entertainment, recreation, and travel in Illinois, and includes the state’s interesting facts, famous people, and special events. - Roadside America: Illinois Attractions
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/il.html
Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of “weird sites along the highway” in Illinois. - FedStats: MapStat: United States: Illinois
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/17000.html
Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on “economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more” in Illinois.
- Kaskaskia Island is the only part of Illinois that is west of the Mississippi River.
- The Home Insurance Building in Chicago was the first metal-frame skyscraper in the world. It was built in 1884, and rose 10 stories high.
- The “Trail of Tears,” the forced march of Native Americans from the Cherokee, Creek, and Chickasaw nations from the southeast to reservations in the Oklahoma Terriory, passed through Southern Illinois.Many Native Americans died here in their makeshift camps during the winter of December 1839.The Trail of Tears National Forest, 4 miles north of these camps, was later given its name to commemorate this tragedy.
- Lewis and Clark stayed at Fort Massac in Southern Illinois during their famous expedition from November 11-13, 1803.
Some Famous People from this State
- Walt Disney was born in Chicago in 1901. He is known for creating characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck. He also made a number of cartoon films, and was the founder of the Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks.
- Bill Murray is an actor and comedian known for movies such as “Caddyshack” and “Groundhog’s Day.”
- Presidents from Illinois with links to ipl’s POTUS (Presidents of the United States) page:
- Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States, was born February 6, 1911, in Tampico.
- Barack Hussein Obama, 44th president of the United States, First African American President, was a member of the Illinois State Senate from 1996-2004 and a United States Senator representing Illinois from 2005-2008.
- Miles Davis (1926-1991) was from Alton. He was known as a jazz trumpeter, but he also played the flugelhorn and keyboards.