Illinois Facts
Capital: Springfield
Entered the Union: December 3, 1818 (21st state)
Motto: State sovereignty, national union
Nicknames: Prairie State, Land of Lincoln
Flower: Violet
Bird: Cardinal
Song: Illinois
Sports Teams: Chicago Bulls (Men's Basketball), Chicago Bears (Football), Chicago White Sox (Baseball), Chicago Cubs (Baseball), Chicago Blackhawks (Hockey)
Origin of Name: From an Indian word and French suffix, meaning "tribe of superior men"
Major Industries: Coal Mining, Agriculture, Oil
Historical Sites: Lincoln Home and Tomb, Old State Capitol, Bishop Hill, Cahokia Mounds, Illinois and Michigan National Heritage Corridor, Nauvoo, Ulysses S. Grant Home
Points of Interest: Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Brookfield Zoo, Sears Tower
Bordering States: Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana. Illinois also borders Lake Michigan. |
