Illinois

	Illinois
	;
	Flag of Illinois
	Admittance Order: 21st
	Admitted to US: December 3, 1818 (207 years ago)
	Governor: JB Pritzker (D)
	Lt. Governor: Juliana Stratton (D)
	Senators: Dick Durbin (D); Tammy Duckworth (D)
	Representatives: 14 Democrats; 3 Republicans
	Official State website
	Capital: Sprinfield
	Largest city: Chicago
	Resource Guide: RL-IL

	This article contains information that may change due to political elections and evolving sexual norms. {This article last updated:05/09/2025)

Illinois is a state in the Midwestern United States. Chicago is its largest city, and the state's capital is Springfield; other major metropolitan areas include Metro East (of Greater St. Louis), Peoria and Rockford. Of the fifty U.S. states, Illinois has the fifth largest gross domestic product (GDP), the sixth largest population, and the 25th largest land area.

With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and immense farmland in the north and center, and natural resources such as coal, timber, and petroleum in the south, Illinois has a highly diverse economy. Owing to its central location and geography, the state is a major transportation hub: the Port of Chicago enjoys access to the Atlantic Ocean through the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Seaway and to the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River via the Illinois Waterway. Additionally, the Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash rivers form parts of the state's boundaries. Chicago's O'Hare International Airport has been among the world's ten busiest airports for decades. Described as a microcosm of the entire United States, Illinois has long been considered a bellwether in social, cultural, and political terms.

What is now Illinois was inhabited for thousands of years by various indigenous cultures, including the advanced civilization centered in the Cahokia region. The French were the first Europeans to arrive, settling near the Mississippi River in the 17th century, in the region they called Illinois Country, part of the sprawling colony of New France. Following U.S. independence in 1783, American settlers began arriving from Kentucky via the Ohio River, and the population grew from south to north. Illinois was part of the United States' oldest territory, the Northwest Territory, and in 1818 it achieved statehood. The Erie Canal brought increased commercial activity to the Great Lakes. The small settlement of Chicago became one of the fastest growing cities in the world, benefiting from its location as one of the few natural harbors in southwestern Lake Michigan. The invention of the self-scouring steel plow by Illinoian John Deere turned the state's rich prairie into some of the world's most productive and valuable farmland, attracting immigrant farmers from Germany and Sweden. In the mid 19th century, the Illinois and Michigan Canal and a sprawling railroad network greatly facilitated trade, commerce, and settlement, making the state a transportation hub for the nation.

By 1900, the growth of industrial jobs in the northern cities, and coal mining in the central and southern areas, attracted immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe. As one of America's most industrialized states, Illinois is a manufacturing center, which was especially important during both of the 20th century´s world wars. The Great Migration from the South established a large community of African Americans in the state, particularly Chicago, who founded the city's famous jazz and blues cultures. Chicago, which became one of the country's leading cultural, economic, and population centers, is a global city; its metropolitan area of Chicagoland encompasses about 65% of the state's population.

Three U.S. presidents have been elected while living in Illinois: Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Barack Obama; additionally, Ronald Reagan, whose political career was based in California, was born and raised in the state. Today, Illinois honors Lincoln with its official state slogan "Land of Lincoln", which has been displayed on its license plates since 1954. The state is the site of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield and the future home of the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

Etymology

"Illinois" is the modern spelling for the early French Catholic missionaries and explorers' name for the Illinois Native Americans, a name that was spelled in many different ways in the early records.

American scholars previously thought the name Illinois meant 'man' or 'men' in the Miami-Illinois language, with the original iliniwek transformed via French into Illinois. This etymology is not supported by the Illinois language, as the word for "man" is ireniwa, and plural of "man" is ireniwaki. The name Illiniwek has also been said to mean 'tribe of superior men',[17] which is a false etymology. The name Illinois derives from the Miami-Illinois verb irenwe·wa 'he speaks the regular way'. This was taken into the Ojibwe language, perhaps in the Ottawa dialect, and modified into ilinwe· (pluralized as ilinwe·k). The French borrowed these forms, spelling the /we/ ending as -ois, a transliteration of that sound in the French of that time. The current spelling form, Illinois, began to appear in the early 1670s, when French colonists had settled in the western area. Illinois's name for themselves, as attested in all three of the French missionary-period dictionaries of Illinois, was Inoka, of unknown meaning and unrelated to the other terms.

Sexual attitudes in Illinois

Sexual attitudes in Illinois are shaped by progressive educational policies, public health trends, and evolving societal norms. Here's an overview:

Sex Education Policies

In Illinois, sex education is optional for school districts. However, if a district chooses to provide it, the curriculum must be:

Medically accurate
Age and developmentally appropriate
Inclusive and culturally responsive
Trauma-informed
Aligned with the National Sex Education Standards

Topics covered include consent, healthy relationships, anatomy, puberty, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, sexual health, and prevention of interpersonal violence.

Parents have the right to opt their children out of sex education programs.

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) mandates comprehensive sexual health education for all students from PreK through 12th grade, adhering to state standards and including LGBTQ+ inclusive content. Chicago Public Schools

Public Opinion

While specific statewide surveys on sexual attitudes are limited, Illinois has demonstrated progressive stances on related issues:

In 2019, Illinois passed legislation requiring public schools to include LGBTQ+ contributions in history curricula.

The state has enacted laws protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination and bullying in schools. Wikipedia

These actions suggest a general public support for inclusive and comprehensive education.

Public Health Trends

Illinois faces significant public health challenges related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs):

In 2023, Illinois reported 69,992 cases of chlamydia, with a rate of 557.7 per 100,000 people, ranking 11th nationally.
The state also reported 30,454 cases of gonorrhea in 2021, with Chicago accounting for 44.2% of cases.

Chicago.gov

These statistics underscore the importance of comprehensive sexual education and accessible healthcare services.

In Conclusion

Illinois adopts a progressive approach to sexual education, emphasizing inclusivity, accuracy, and comprehensiveness. While public opinion appears to support these initiatives, the state continues to address public health concerns related to STIs. Ongoing efforts in education and healthcare are essential to promote informed decision-making and overall well-being among residents.

History of the Illinois Flag

The Illinois State Flag features a white background with the seal of Illinois prominently displayed in the center. Beneath the seal is bold blue text reading, "Illinois." The Illinois Seal depicts a bald eagle with a red scroll in its mouth, perched upon a rock inscribed with the years, "1818" and "1868." The red scroll is emblazoned in black with the Illinois state motto, "State, Sovereignty, National Union." The eagle holds a shield with thirteen alternating red and white stripes beneath a field of blue adorned with thirteen white stars. The backdrop of the scene depicts a sunny day in front of a body of water.

The bald eagle pays homage to the national symbol of the United States and represents the sovereignty of Illinois, while the thirteen stripes and stars on the shield reflect the thirteen original colonies and reference the American Flag. The dates inscribed on the rock denote the year Illinois became a state (1818) and the year the seal was officially adopted (1868).

Illinois is located in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordering Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, and Michigan. The capital city is Springfield, while the most populous city is Chicago. Illinois comprises three major regions: The Central Plains, the Shawnee Hills, and the Gulf Coastal Plain, each with unique topographical features. The Central Plains, which are rolling, fertile plains, make up 90% of Illinois. The Shawnee Hills are narrow strips of land in Southern Illinois with rivers and forests, and the Gulf Coastal Plains are at the Southern tip and are hilly areas. Illinois is referred to as "The Prairie State," however, most of the prairies in the state have been destroyed due to urban development and agriculture; only about 10% of the original plains remain. During the third week of September every year, "Prairie Week" is celebrated to remind people and demonstrate the importance of preserving Illinois' ecosystem.

The first inhabitants of Illinois are thought to have been Native Americans who lived along the waterways for approximately 7,000 years until the French explorers, Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette, became the first Europeans to reach the area, which they discovered and settled in 1673. Following the French and Indian War, the area was controlled by the British, and after the American Revolutionary War, Illinois became a territory of the United States of America. Illinois officially became the 21st state in 1818.

Illinois is home to "Lake Michigan," one of the great lakes that it shares with Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. It is also home to the "Willis Tower," which is a skyscraper that was completed in 1973 and was the tallest building in the world.