ILLINOIS

By Chase C. and Mary S.

NICKNAME AND REGION IN THE U.S.

The nickname of our state is The

Land of Lincoln.

Our state is in the Midwest region

The capital of Illinois is Springfield

Some major cities in Illinois are Chicago, Peoria, and Decatur

Capital City, Major Cities and Population

State Flag, State Bird, and State Tree

• State Flag:

• State Bird: Northern cardinal• State Flower: Native purple violet• State Tree: White oak

Government

The current governor of our state is Patrick Quinn, a democrat

A current senator from Illinois is Mark Kirk, a republican

Borders and Geography

• The borders of Illinois are: Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin

• Illinois’s land is relatively flat, prairies and farmland sit between two bodies of water- Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River

Agriculture/Farming

• Yes Illinois would be good for farming because there is a lot of green space. Also, there is a lot of space for animals like cows and chickens.

History

• Abraham Lincoln was born in Illinois on February 12, 1809

• Illinois became a state on December 3, 1818-it was the 21st state

• The Art Institute of Chicago has fine French paintings from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s

• The Constitution was adopted in 1970

Colleges/Universities And Places to Visit

• Benedictine University is located in the city of Lisle• Blackburn College is located in the city of Carlinville• One place to visit in Illinois is the Museum of

Science and Industry is Chicago. It has a realistic model of a coal mine.

• Another place to visit is the Illinois State Museum in Springfield which includes collections and exhibits in natural history and art.

Additional FactsO During the Fort Dearborn Massacre in 1812, Mrs.

Nathan Heald, fought bravely and survived.O Illinois was one of the most progressive states during

the National Reform Era in the early 1890’s.O In 1911, Illinois passed the country’s first statewide

law establishing payments from public funds to poor parents for the care of their children

O After the US entered World War 1 in 1917, Illinois became one of four states to furnish men for an entire Army division

O In 1973, the legislature adopted a lottery to help raise revenue for education and other services.

O The average taxpayer in 1982 paid $1,197 to help run the state.

Karamanski, Theodore J. and William D. Walters, Jr. “Illinois” World Book Student. World Book 2013. Web. 9 Jan. 2013.

Stein, Conrad R. “America The Beautiful: Illinois.” Chicago: Children’s Press, 1897. Print.

Resources Used