A Little About Illinois
Illinois is a state rich in soil, scenic beauty, architectural wonders, and historic significance. Colleges and universities in Illinois offer academic excellence in an environment with both a cosmopolitan perspective and the warmth of America's heartland.
Named for the Illinois tribe of Native Americans, this state is known as the "Land of Lincoln," because it's where the 16th president was raised. Illinois became the 21st state in 1818. Illinois Territory was created on February 3, 1809. Before becoming a state, Illinois was part of the Northwest Territory.
In relation to the rest of the nation, Illinois is an important agricultural state. Its agricultural outputs are corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, dairy products, and wheat. The state's industrial outputs are machinery, food processing, electrical equipment, chemical products, publishing, fabricated metal products, transportation equipment, petroleum and coal.
Metropolitan Chicago, the country's leading rail center, is also a major industrial, as well as a commercial and financial, center. The 2004 total gross state product for Illinois was $528 billion, placing it 5th in the nation
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