Illinois is the 21st state of the United States of America, located in the central part of America and adjacent to Lake Michigan in the northeast. It became one of the fifty federal states of the USA on December 3, 1818. The name of the state comes from the word Illiniwek, which was used to refer to the original tribes. Illinois borders the states of Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana and Wisconsin. With its area of 140,998 km², Illinois is the 25th largest state in the USA.
Illinois has a population of around 13 million, making it the fifth most populous state in the US. The vast majority (70%) of the population is white, about 14% is black, and the rest are Indians, Asians and other races. Approximately 15% of the population is of Hispanic origin. Most of the inhabitants are Christians, Protestants and Roman Catholics are the most represented here. However, you will also meet Methodists, Lutherans and Presbyterians here. There is a large Muslim community around Chicago.
- LIUXERS: Offers a list of schools with federal school code in Illinois, including contact information, graduation rate, retention rate and transfer rate for each college located within Illinois.
The most important agricultural products are corn, soybeans, cattle, dairy products and wheat. The most widespread industries are engineering, food industry, chemical industry, electrotechnical industry, metallurgy of non-ferrous metals, transport engineering. Coal and oil deposits are also significant.
Springfield became the capital, but the largest city is Chicago located on the shores of Lake Michigan. Thanks to its strategic location and thanks to the expanding railroad, Chicago became an industrial and commercial center in the mid-19th century. Today it is a modern, clean and relatively green city with many parks.
Springfield
According to COUNTRYAAH, Springfield is the capital of the US state of Illinois and the seat of Sangamon County. Around 125,000 people live in the city itself, and its metropolitan area has around 200,000 inhabitants. Springfield was founded around 1810, around the time Illinois became a US state. At first, the city was called Calhoun after the American Vice President John C. Calhoun.
The most famous residents of the city include, for example, the then American president Abraham Lincoln, who lived here from 1837 until 1861, when he moved to the White House. In 1908, major race riots broke out in Springfield, culminating in the lynching of the African-American population. These facts led to the founding of the NAACP – National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which was concerned with the protection and rights of people with a different skin color.
The city is located in the middle of flat plains, the terrain is slightly more hilly near the Sangamon River. Near the city lies the man-made lake Springfield Lake, which serves as a source of drinking water and as a place of recreation for local residents. The weather in Springfield is similar to that of Central Europe, with hot summers and cold winters. Storms and rain are frequent in spring and autumn. Tornadoes are also quite common and can cause significant property damage.
Springfield is home to the Illinois state government and other national government entities, the governor’s office, or the Supreme Court. There are three public and one private college. The main tourist attractions of the city include a large number of historical monuments associated with the name of Abraham Lincoln.
Rockford
Rockford is a medium-sized city straddling both banks of the Rock River in northern Illinois. The city is often referred to as “Forest City” and is the county seat of Winnebago County. Today, with almost 160,000 inhabitants, Rockford is the third largest city in the state of Illinois after Chicago and Aurora. However, in the second half of the 20th century, Rockford was still in second place on this list.
The territory of today’s Rockford was originally settled by settlers from Galena in the past. In the years 1834 – 1835, they began to build the first settlement on the west bank of the Rock River, later a settlement was also established on the east bank. Before the Civil War, the area was dominated by settlers from New York and New England. Originally, the newly formed city was referred to as Midway, but before long the name Rockford caught on. A post office was established here in 1837, and Rockford was officially recognized as a city in 1852. Today, the city is known for luxury cars of the Chrysler brand, which have been produced here since 1965. In addition to them, Dodge Caliber and similar cars are also produced here.
Downtown Rockford is home to a number of interesting landmarks. For example, you can visit the Erlander Home Museum, which houses the remains of Swedish immigrants such as John Erlander. It is the cultural center of the Swedish community in Rockford. Other museums include the Burpee Museum of Natural History, the Art Museum and the Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum, which offer visitors a glimpse into the 19th century. You will also find a number of parks in the city, such as Rock Cut State Park, Anderson Japanese Gardens or Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden.
The tallest building in Rockford is the Hotel Faust, which was built in 1929 in the Art Deco style. In the past, it was the center of social life and was frequented by VIPs. It currently serves as a dormitory for the elderly. Spread across 5,100 m2 is Midway Village, a quaint Victorian village with 26 historic buildings.
