"Illinois – Prairie State" Illinois by grayfo

Illinois was the 21st state admitted to the United States of America and is the home of the world's busiest airport and towering skyscrapers. Illinois also happens to have the greatest concentration of land, water, and air transportation facilities in the entire world.

The state capital is Springfield and the largest city is Chicago

The Prairie State is so called because at least as far back as 1842 most of the state was once covered with prairie grasses.

The state of Illinois was named after the Illinois River.

People who live in or come from Illinois are called Illinoisians, Illinoisans or Illinoians.

State Seal

Official State Website
Illinois Search Engine
Illinois Quick Facts

The Great Seal of the State of Illinois was first conceived in 1818, the year that Illinois gained statehood. The date of the state's first constitution, Aug. 26, 1818, appears along the bottom arc of the circle, and 1818, the year of statehood, shows on the seal below 1868, and the year the current seal was adopted. The seal features an eagle carrying a shield in its talons. Thirteen stars and thirteen stripes on the shield symbolise the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution.

State Flag

Chicago

The flag includes the emblem of the Illinois State Shield on a white field. The name of the State represented by the flag, Illinois, is printed below the emblem in blue upper case letters.

• In a nutshell:Motto: State Sovereignty, National Union