Changes

==Before 1900==

==Before 1900==

Chicago's locational advantage is the link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River system. Its first permanent resident, [[Jean Baptiste Point du Sable]], a Frenchman of West Indian and African descent, and operated an fur-trading 1780-1800. The U.S. government erected Fort Dearborn in 1803 three years later. In the [[War of 1812]] it was captured by Indians and the residents were massacred. After 1830 the rich farmlands of Northern Illinois attracted Yankee settlers. Yankee real estate operators crated a city overnight in the 1830s. Hundreds of wagons a day of farm produce arrived, so the entrepreneurs built grain elevators and docks to load ships bound for points east.  By the 1850s the railroads made Chicago a major hub with over 30 lines. The main lines from the East ended in Chicago, and those oriented to the West began in Chicago, so the city became the nation's trans-shipment and warehousing center by 1860. Factories were created, most famously the harvester factory opened in 1847 by [[Cyrus Hall McCormick]]. The Wisconsin forests supported the mill-work and lumber business; the Illinois hinterland provided the wheat, as well as hogs and cattle that were slaughtered, preserved in salt and shipped east; by 1870 refrigerated cars allowed fresh meat to be shipped.  

Chicago's locational advantage is the link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River system. Its first permanent resident, [[Jean Baptiste Point du Sable]], a Frenchman of West Indian and African descent, and operated an fur-trading 1780–1800. The U.S. government erected Fort Dearborn in 1803 three years later. In the [[War of 1812]] it was captured by Indians and the residents were massacred. After 1830 the rich farmlands of Northern Illinois attracted Yankee settlers. Yankee real estate operators crated a city overnight in the 1830s. Hundreds of wagons a day of farm produce arrived, so the entrepreneurs built grain elevators and docks to load ships bound for points east.  By the 1850s the railroads made Chicago a major hub with over 30 lines. The main lines from the East ended in Chicago, and those oriented to the West began in Chicago, so the city became the nation's trans-shipment and warehousing center by 1860. Factories were created, most famously the harvester factory opened in 1847 by [[Cyrus Hall McCormick]]. The Wisconsin forests supported the mill-work and lumber business; the Illinois hinterland provided the wheat, as well as hogs and cattle that were slaughtered, preserved in salt and shipped east; by 1870 refrigerated cars allowed fresh meat to be shipped.  

<!--[[File:Chicago Art Institute..JPG|thumb|left|Chicago Art Institute.]]-->

<!--[[File:Chicago Art Institute..JPG|thumb|left|Chicago Art Institute.]]-->

As the city grew large numbers of Irish Catholics and Germans arrived. Their saloons became the focus of attacks by the Know-Nothing Party, which was anti-immigration and anti-liquor, and called for the purification of politics by reducing the power of the saloon-keepers. In 1855, the new party elected Levi Boone mayor and he banned Sunday sales of liquor and beer, angering the Germans who frequented beer gardens, and Irish who frequented saloons.  Law enforcement resulted in the Lager Beer Riot of April 1855, which erupted outside a courthouse where eight Germans were being tried for liquor ordinance violations. After the Civil War, saloons became community centers only for local ethnic men, as reformers saw them as places that incited riotous behavior and moral decay.

As the city grew large numbers of Irish Catholics and Germans arrived. Their saloons became the focus of attacks by the Know-Nothing Party, which was anti-immigration and anti-liquor, and called for the purification of politics by reducing the power of the saloon-keepers. In 1855, the new party elected Levi Boone mayor and he banned Sunday sales of liquor and beer, angering the Germans who frequented beer gardens, and Irish who frequented saloons.  Law enforcement resulted in the Lager Beer Riot of April 1855, which erupted outside a courthouse where eight Germans were being tried for liquor ordinance violations. After the Civil War, saloons became community centers only for local ethnic men, as reformers saw them as places that incited riotous behavior and moral decay.

==1900-1945==

==1900-1945==

===Business===

===Business===

[[Samuel Insull]] (1859 – 1938), born poor in England, built a great electrical empire in the city (notably "Commonwealth Edison", a giant utility formed in 1907<ref>It is now part of Exelon Corporation, and serves 3.8 million customers in Chicago and northern Illinois.</ref>) and electrified much of the Midwest, 1910-1929.  His empire collapsed in the Great Depression, for which he was blamed and put on trial by the U.S. Government, but was acquitted.  

[[Samuel Insull]] (1859 – 1938), born poor in England, built a great electrical empire in the city (notably "Commonwealth Edison", a giant utility formed in 1907<ref>It is now part of Exelon Corporation, and serves 3.8 million customers in Chicago and northern Illinois.</ref>) and electrified much of the Midwest, 1910–1929.  His empire collapsed in the Great Depression, for which he was blamed and put on trial by the U.S. Government, but was acquitted.  

Chicago, along with New York, was the center of the nation's advertising industry. [[Albert Lasker]] (1880-1952), known as the "father of modern advertising" made Chicago his base 1898-1942. As head of Lord and Thomas, Lasker devised a copywriting technique that appealed directly to the psychology of the consumer.  Women seldom smoked cigarettes; he told them if they smoked Lucky Strikes they could stay slender.  Lasker's use of radio, particularly with his campaigns for Palmolive soap, Pepsodent toothpaste, Kotex products, and Lucky Strike cigarettes, not only revolutionized the advertising industry but also significantly changed popular culture.

Chicago, along with New York, was the center of the nation's advertising industry. [[Albert Lasker]] (1880-1952), known as the "father of modern advertising" made Chicago his base 1898–1942. As head of Lord and Thomas, Lasker devised a copywriting technique that appealed directly to the psychology of the consumer.  Women seldom smoked cigarettes; he told them if they smoked Lucky Strikes they could stay slender.  Lasker's use of radio, particularly with his campaigns for Palmolive soap, Pepsodent toothpaste, Kotex products, and Lucky Strike cigarettes, not only revolutionized the advertising industry but also significantly changed popular culture.

===Labor===

===Labor===

==Since 1940==  

==Since 1940==  

===Politics===

===Politics===

Many recent [[mayor]]s of Chicago belonged to the [[Democratic Party]].  The current mayor of Chicago is [[Rahm Emanuel]].  Before him, [[Richard M. Daley]] (b. 1942), who was elected in 1989, was mayor until 2011.  His father, [[Richard J. Daley]] (1902-1976), was mayor from 1955-1976, and controlled the powerful Cook County Democratic organization, called "the machine." <ref>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Chicago7/Daley2.html</ref> Current President [[Barack Obama]] spent his politically formative years as a city planner "foot soldier" for the Democratic machine, an experience that deeply affected his political methods and radical beliefs later in life.

Many recent [[mayor]]s of Chicago belonged to the [[Democratic Party]].  The current mayor of Chicago is [[Rahm Emanuel]].  Before him, [[Richard M. Daley]] (b. 1942), who was elected in 1989, was mayor until 2011.  His father, [[Richard J. Daley]] (1902-1976), was mayor from 1955–1976, and controlled the powerful Cook County Democratic organization, called "the machine." <ref>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Chicago7/Daley2.html</ref> Current President [[Barack Obama]] spent his politically formative years as a city planner "foot soldier" for the Democratic machine, an experience that deeply affected his political methods and radical beliefs later in life.

The city hosted the 1968 [[Democratic National Convention]] when [[Richard J. Daley]] was mayor.  The convention was disrupted by radicals such as [[Abbie Hoffman]].

The city hosted the 1968 [[Democratic National Convention]] when [[Richard J. Daley]] was mayor.  The convention was disrupted by radicals such as [[Abbie Hoffman]].