Illinois became the 21st state on Dec 3rd 1818. The states name comes from the Indian word "warrior" and many roads and streets in the states owe their names to the Indians such as Algonquin Road in Chicago.
Origin of state's name: The word Illinois is from the Indian word "warrior".
Capital City: The Capital city is Springfield which surprises many people who believe Chicago is the capital. The state is surrounded by Lake Michigan on the east and other states including Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kentucky and Missouri.
Population: the population of the state was close to 12.5 million in the last census of 2000.
Driving
Driver's license information, applications, testing requirements, driver's manuals and testing locations can all be found on the Illinois Motor Vehicle's website.
http://www.sos.state.il.us/services/services_motorists.html
Economy – The state is noted for having good agricultural land and grows corn, wheat and soybeans. Other agriculture includes dairy farming. The main industries and chemical production, electronics production, food processing.
State Flower – The state flower is the Purple Violet or Viola which has characteristic blue violet coloring and grows in the shade and in the sun.
State Bird: The state bird is the Cardinal (or Pitylus Cardinalis). The Cardinal is a robust bird with distinct colored plumage.
State Song: The state song is Illinois which praises Illinois for its scenery and its bravery during troubled times.