Changes

|name=Illinois

|name=Illinois

|flag=Flag of Illinois.png

|flag=Flag of Illinois.png

|motto="State" Sovereignty; National Union"

|motto="State Sovereignty; National Union"

|nick=The Prairie State

|nick=The Prairie State

|capital=Springfield

|capital=Springfield

|date=December 3, 1818 (21st)

|date=December 3, 1818 (21st)

}}

}}

'''Illinois''' was the twenty-first state to enter into the [[union]]. Its capital is [[Springfield]], and the largest city is [[Chicago]]. Illinois is bordered by [[Indiana]], [[Kentucky]], [[Michigan]], [[Missouri]], [[Iowa]], and [[Wisconsin]]. Illinois was the most abandoned state in the country in 2023, as more people moved away from Illinois than from any other state.  [[Chicago]] is long been considered to be one of the most politically corrupt cities in the [[U.S.]] Illinois has a population of 12,830,632 according to the 2010 census, making it the 5th most populous state. Illinois has 102 counties.

'''Illinois''' was the twenty-first state to enter into the [[union]]. Its capital is [[Springfield]], and the largest city is [[Chicago]]. Illinois is bordered by [[Indiana]], [[Kentucky]], [[Michigan]], [[Missouri]], [[Iowa]], and [[Wisconsin]]. Illinois was the most abandoned state in the country in 2023, as more people moved away from Illinois than from any other state.  [[Chicago]] has long been considered to be one of the most politically corrupt cities in the [[U.S.]]. Illinois has a population of 12,830,632 according to the 2010 census, making it the 5th most populous state. Illinois has 102 counties.

Illinois is one of the top 10 agricultural states in the [[United States]], and outside of [[Chicago]] agriculture is the biggest part of the [[economy]].  Its leading products are [[corn]], [[soybean]]s, and [[swine]].

Illinois is one of the top 10 agricultural states in the [[United States]], and outside of [[Chicago]] agriculture is the biggest part of the [[economy]].  Its leading products are [[corn]], [[soybean]]s, and [[swine]].

*Gross State Product - $528 Billion (2004)

*Gross State Product - $528 Billion (2004)

*Personal income per Capita - $32,965 (2003)

*Personal income per Capita - $32,965 (2003)

Illinois is not only the nation's leading pumpkin producer, but also its leading pumpkin processor. Libby's plants 5,000 acres of Dickinson Select pumpkins each year in and around Morton, Illinois. Morton, where 80 percent of the world's canned pumpkin is packed at the Libby's factory, is known as the "Pumpkin Capital of the World." The town hosts an annual Pumpkin Festival to celebrate the start of the pumpkin canning season. Illinois is a leading producer of [[soybeans]], [[corn]] and [[pigs]].  The state's climate and varied soil types enable farmers to grow and raise many other agricultural commodities, including cattle, wheat, oats, sorghum,hay, sheep, poultry, fruits and vegetables. Illinois also produces several specialty crops, such as buckwheat, horseradish, ostriches, fish and Christmas trees. Marketing of Illinois' agricultural commodities generates more than $9 billion annually. Corn accounts for nearly 40 percent of that total. Marketing of soybeans contributes about one-third, with the combined marketing of livestock, dairy and poultry generating about 23 percent.

Illinois is not only the nation's leading pumpkin producer, but also its leading pumpkin processor. Libby's plants 5,000 acres of Dickinson Select pumpkins each year in and around Morton, Illinois. Morton, where 80 percent of the world's canned pumpkin is packed at the Libby's factory, is known as the "Pumpkin Capital of the World." The town hosts an annual Pumpkin Festival to celebrate the start of the pumpkin canning season. Illinois is a leading producer of [[soybeans]], [[corn]] and [[pigs]].  The state's climate and varied soil types enable farmers to grow and raise many other agricultural commodities, including cattle, wheat, oats, sorghum, hay, sheep, poultry, fruits and vegetables. Illinois also produces several specialty crops, such as buckwheat, horseradish, ostriches, fish and Christmas trees. Marketing of Illinois' agricultural commodities generates more than $9 billion annually. Corn accounts for nearly 40 percent of that total. Marketing of soybeans contributes about one-third, with the combined marketing of livestock, dairy and poultry generating about 23 percent.

Illinois has a competitive edge over many other states due to its central location and superior

Illinois has a competitive edge over many other states due to its central location and superior

transportation system. More than 2,000 miles of interstate highways and 34,500 miles of other state highways make trucking of goods fast and efficient. Chicago is home to the largest rail gateway in the nation, connecting the eastern and western United States. The state boasts some 1,100 airports, landing areas and heliports, including Chicago's O'Hare International, through which more than 65 million travelers pass annually. Illinois' 1,118 miles of navigable waterways, including the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, make barge traffic an excellent option for shipment of grain to the Gulf of Mexico.

transportation system. More than 2,000 miles of interstate highways and 34,500 miles of other state highways make trucking of goods fast and efficient. Chicago is home to the largest rail gateway in the nation, connecting the eastern and western United States. The state boasts some 1,100 airports, landing areas and heliports, including Chicago's O'Hare International, through which more than 65 million travelers pass annually. Illinois' 1,118 miles of navigable waterways, including the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, make barge traffic an excellent option for shipment of grain to the Gulf of Mexico.

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

* Buck, Solon J. ''Illinois in 1818'' (1917) excellent history [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Illinois/_Texts/Centennial_History/Illinois_in_1818/home.html complete text online]

* Buck, Solon J. ''Illinois in 1818'' (1917) excellent history [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Illinois/_Texts/Centennial_History/Illinois_in_1818/home.html complete text online]

* Biles, Roger. ''Illinois: a history of the land and its people.'' (2005). very good recent survey DeKalb: Northern Illinois University Press. ISBN 9780875803494. OCLC 58526330.   

* Biles, Roger. ''Illinois: a history of the land and its people.'' (2005). very good recent survey DeKalb: Northern Illinois University Press. ISBN 9780875803494. OCLC 58526330.   

* Bridges, Roger D. and Davis, Rodney O., eds. ''Illinois: its history & legacy.'' (1984). essays by experts .

* Bridges, Roger D. and Davis, Rodney O., eds. ''Illinois: its history & legacy.'' (1984). essays by experts.

* Cole, Arthur Charles. ''The era of the Civil War, 1848-1870'' [1919]. excellent history

* Cole, Arthur Charles. ''The era of the Civil War, 1848-1870'' [1919]. excellent history

* Davis, James E. ''Frontier Illinois.'' (1998).  

* Davis, James E. ''Frontier Illinois.'' (1998).  

* Gove, Samuel Kimball; Nowlan, James Dunlap. ''Illinois politics & government: the expanding metropolitan frontier'' (1996) government textbook

* Gove, Samuel Kimball; Nowlan, James Dunlap. ''Illinois politics & government: the expanding metropolitan frontier'' (1996) government textbook

* Grossman, James R., Keating, Ann Durkin and  Reiff, Janice L. ''Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago'' (2005) (Online ed.).[http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/ outstanding reference on Chicagoland]

* Grossman, James R., Keating, Ann Durkin and  Reiff, Janice L. ''Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago'' (2005) (Online ed.).[http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/ outstanding reference on Chicagoland]

* Hallwas, John E., ed ''Illinois literature: the nineteenth century.'' (1986).  

* Hallwas, John E., ed ''Illinois literature: the nineteenth century.'' (1986).  

===Primary sources===

===Primary sources===

* Peck, John Mason. ''A Gazetteer of Illinois, in Three Parts: Containing a General View of the State, a General View of Each County, and a Particular Description of Each'' (1837) fascinating primary source [http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/300889206?page=frame&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DY5pKAAAAMAAJ%26checksum%3D8b8c2da173569b9ff33410019959caef&title=&linktype=digitalObject&detail= online]

* Peck, John Mason. ''A Gazetteer of Illinois, in Three Parts: Containing a General View of the State, a General View of Each County, and a Particular Description of Each'' (1837) fascinating primary source [http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/300889206?page=frame&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DY5pKAAAAMAAJ%26checksum%3D8b8c2da173569b9ff33410019959caef&title=&linktype=digitalObject&detail= online]

* Sutton, Robert P. ed. ''The Prairie State; a documentary history of Illinois.'' (1976). primary and secondard sources

* Sutton, Robert P. ed. ''The Prairie State; a documentary history of Illinois.'' (1976). primary and secondary sources

* Walton, Clyde C. ed. ''An Illinois reader' '(1970).  primary and secondary sources

* Walton, Clyde C. ed. ''An Illinois reader'' (1970).  primary and secondary sources

* Works Progress Administration. ''The WPA guide to Illinois: the Federal Writers' Project guide to 1930s Illinois.'' (1939), very good primary source

* Works Progress Administration. ''The WPA guide to Illinois: the Federal Writers' Project guide to 1930s Illinois.'' (1939), very good primary source

* The source for the facts [http://www.dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/IllinoisFactsFinal.pdf]

* The source for the facts [http://www.dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/IllinoisFactsFinal.pdf].

==References==

==References==