Illinois had been established as a territory for Native Americanswell before being founded. The first founders of the modern statewere Father Marquette and Louis Joliet. read more
Illinois was an important manufacturing center during both world wars. The Great Migration from the South established a large community of African Americans in the state, including Chicago, who created the city's famous jazz and blues cultures. Chicago, the center of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, became a global alpha-level city. read more
The known history of Nauvoo, Illinois, starts with the Sauk and Fox tribes who frequented the area. They called the area "Quashquema", named in honor of the Native American chief who headed a Sauk and Fox settlement numbering nearly 500 lodges. read more