Illinois became the 21st state to join the union on December 3, 1818.[1] It is nicknamed "The Prairie State." The nickname came about due to the rolling prairies of Illinois and the miles of cultivated fields that made Illinois one of the leading producers of corn and later, soybeans, in the United States.[2] The Illinois legislature has also designated Big Bluestem Prairie Grass as the official state prairie grass.[3] Illinois is the 25th most extensive of the 50 states with a total area of 57,914 square miles.[4] As of 2016, the population of Illinois was approximately 12,801,539.[5]
Illinois has the fourth-largest gross domestic product (GDP) in the United States.[6] As of 2023, the total gross state product for Illinois was $1.082 trillion.[7] The state’s industrial outputs include machinery, food processing, electrical equipment, chemical products, publishing, fabricated metal products, and transportation equipment.[8] Corn and soybeans are important agricultural products. Much of the field crop is remanufactured into feed for hogs and cattle. Dairy products and wheat are important secondary crops in specific segments of the state.[9] Some of the state’s most attractive features include the Museum of Science and Industry and the Willis Tower in Chicago. The state is also known for its rich history, diverse economy, and the bustling metropolis of Chicago. Other notable sites include Lincoln’s Tomb at the Oak Ridge Cemetery, his law office at the Old State Capitol, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
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History of IllinoisHistory of Illinois
Before the arrival of Europeans, the region was home to the pre-Columbian Mississippian culture. The urban center of this culture was Cahokia, located near present-day Collinsville, Illinois. This civilization vanished around 1400-1500 for unknown reasons.[10] In 1717, Illinois became part of the Louisiana territory, a French colony. However, at the end of the French and Indian War in 1763, the French ceded the region to Britain.[11] After the American Revolution, Illinois became a U.S. territory. It was admitted as the 21st member of the union on December 3, 1818.[1]
During the American Civil War, Illinois was a significant contributor to the Union cause by contributing about 250,000 soldiers to the Union Army, ranking it fourth in terms of the total manpower in Federal military service.[12]
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Illinois experienced significant growth. The presence of Chicago, the third larges city in the United States, created sharp distinctions between the state’s largely urban and suburban northeast and the more evenly balanced urban-rural population downstate. The state’s economy diversified, with industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and services playing significant roles.[1]
Demographics of IllinoisDemographics of Illinois
The demographic distribution of Illinois population is as follows:[13]
- White: 67.85%
- Black or African American: 14.07%
- Other race: 6.21%
- Two or more races: 5.84%
- Asian: 5.66%
- Native American: 0.33%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.04%
Most common Surnames in IllinoisMost common Surnames in Illinois
Researching family history in IllinoisResearching family history in Illinois
The United States National Archives at Chicago has selected military service indexes, pension indexes, passenger lists, and naturalizations, Federal agency, civil, and criminal court records of Illinois and surrounding states. The Illinois State Archives serves as the depository of public records of Illinois state and local governmental agencies which possess permanent administrative, legal, or historical research values. The Illinois State Library serves as regional federal documents depository, maintains an authoritative collection of historic and contemporary Illinois documents, and houses more than 185,000 maps. Additional valuable genealogical records can be found on the websites for the Illinois State Genealogical Society, the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI), and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD).
Illinois county listIllinois county list
| Adams | Alexander | Bond | Boone |
| Brown | Bureau | Calhoun | Carroll |
| Cass | Champaign | Christian | Clark |
| Clay | Clinton | Coles | Cook |
| Crawford | Cumberland | De Witt | DeKalb |
| Douglas | DuPage | Edgar | Edwards |
| Effingham | Fayette | Ford | Franklin |
| Fulton | Gallatin | Greene | Grundy |
| Hamilton | Hancock | Hardin | Henderson |
| Henry | Iroquois | Jackson | Jasper |
| Jefferson | Jersey | Jo Daviess | Johnson |
| Kane | Kankakee | Kendall | Knox |
| Lake | LaSalle | Lawrence | Lee |
| Livingston | Logan | Macon | Macoupin |
| Madison | Marion | Marshall | Mason |
| Massac | McDonough | McHenry | McLean |
| Menard | Mercer | Monroe | Montgomery |
| Morgan | Moultrie | Ogle | Peoria |
| Perry | Piatt | Pike | Pope |
| Pulaski | Putnam | Randolph | Richland |
| Rock Island | Saline | Sangamon | Schuyler |
| Scott | Shelby | St. Clair | Stark |
| Stephenson | Tazewell | Union | Vermilion |
| Wabash | Warren | Washington | Wayne |
| White | Whiteside | Will | Williamson |
| Winnebago | Woodford |
See alsoSee also
Explore more about IllinoisExplore more about Illinois
MyHeritage.com has 97 collections of Illinois records. Some of these collections include Illinois Deaths, 1916 -1950, Illinois Marriages, 1763-1900, US Naturalization Record Index, Northern Illinois, 1840-1950, and Illinois Deaths, before 1916, There are other valuable collections available in the Illinois Collection Catalog.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Illinois | History, Cities, Capital, & Facts | Britannica
- ↑ The State of Illinois - An Introduction to the Prairie State | Netstate.com
- ↑ Illinois State Nickname | The Prairie State
- ↑ Facts About Illinois
- ↑ Illinois Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)
- ↑ Infographic: Which States Are Contributing the Most to U.S. GDP?
- ↑ Gross Domestic Product: All Industry Total in Illinois
- ↑ U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis
- ↑ Illinois' Top 10 Agricultural Commodities | Farm Flavor
- ↑ Cahokia
- ↑ French Explorers and Colonists in the Illinois Country | The History of Southern Illinois · SCRC Virtual Museum at Southern Illinois University's Morris Library
- ↑ Illinois During the Civil War | Northern Illinois University Digital Library
- ↑ Illinois Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)[1]