States from A-Z: Idaho & Illinois

Idaho - The Gem State

Idaho is located in the Northwest of the United States of America. For a long time, mining was the most vital part of Idaho's economy, since the state has many natural resources (silver, lead, cobalt, zinc, phosphates, mercury and gold). Those natural resources are the reason for Idaho's nickname: the Gem State. Today, Idaho is primarily famous for its potatoes: a quarter of all potatoes in the US is being grown here. The name "Idaho" is derived from a word of the Shoshone language, "Ee-dah-how," which basically means "light on the mountains." Some say, however, that this translation is simply been made up by the eccentric mining lobbyist George M. Willing.

Idaho is a state of contrasts - the Rocky Mountains, up to 10,000 feet; thick forests with rushing whitewater rivers; and the dry, steppe-like plains along the Snake River. The land that seemed indomitable for a long time managed to maintain a lot of its unspoiled nature. Above all it is known for its excellent skiing areas, but Idaho has even more to offer - crystal-clear lakes, impressive lava fields and the deepest canyon in the US. The latter is one of the most famous sights in Idaho - the Hells Canyon near the Oregon border. Over a stretch of more than 93 miles the Snake River has carved a deep canyon into the rock. On the walls of the canyon, several petroglyphs, carved by the Nez Percé Indians, can still be seen.

Boise, the capital of Idaho, is located in the Southern part of the state, near the border to Oregon. The city was once founded by French settlers. Today, it has a population of 152,700 and is the centre of trade for Southwest Idaho. The State Capitol, the state's seat of government, is absolutely worth seeing. Being the capital of the state, Boise is also the place where most of the state's cultural life takes place. Museums for the state's history and culture are in Boise, as well as the Idaho Opera.

At first, Idaho was part of the Oregon and Washington territories. It was the fur trade and missionary activities that brought the first settlers into the region. Thousands of people travelled through the region during the time of the California gold rush, but only few settled there. By the time it became a territory in 1863, the population was less than 17,000. When in 1866 gold was found in Idaho and the transcontinental railway was finished in 1869, high numbers of people came to Idaho, especially Chinese immigrants, who looked for work in the mines. President Benjamin Harrison signed the law that made Idaho the 43rd state of the US on July 3, 1890.

After Idaho had achieved statehood, mining and other industry became important for its economy. During the 1890s, Idaho exported more lead than any other state. Even though Idaho is less dependent on mining today, the state is still one of the most important producers of silver and lead. Real GDP per capita was $30,896 in 2006, which makes Idaho number 41 of all 50 states in the national ranking.

http://www.accessidaho.org
http://www.visitidaho.org

Illinois - Land of Lincoln

Illinois is one of the Northern states of the Mid-West. The name is derived from the Algonquin language and from French, and stands for the native Illiniwek, who used to live in the region. The state's official nickname is "Land of Lincoln." Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, moved to Illinois in 1830 and lived there until he was elected president. After his death, he was buried in the state.

The state became one of the leading industrial regions during at the end of the 19th century, but at the same time remained one of the most important producers of agricultural products. The state's capital is Springfield, a lot of sights honoring Abraham Lincoln are in that area. Among them are, for example, the Lincoln Home National Historic Site (with the only house Lincoln ever owned), the Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site (where the town in which Lincoln lived between 1831 and 1837 has been rebuilt), and the law firm and the federal court in which Lincoln worked. The city is a center of finance and trade and is located in one of the most fertile grain and livestock regions in the US. However, Springfield is clearly being outstripped by Chicago as the great metropolis on the shore of Lake Michigan and the most important economic and cultural center. Due to its convenient location at the southern tip of Lake Michigan where many railway lines meet, a great meatpacking and food processing industry developed here. The waterway connection to the Mississippi River and the St Lawrence seaway also contribute to Chicago's role as a center of trade and important traffic hub (Chicago board of trade with commodities and futures, and head offices of several retail companies such as Sears).

Other historically interesting places in Illinois are the Fort Creve Coeur Sate Park near Peoria, where the French explorer Robert Cavalier built a fort in 1680 that no longer exists today. The state borders as they are today were drawn on December 3, 1818, when Illinois became the 21st state of the USA. What was left of the former Illinois territory became part of the state of Michigan. Many settlers who came to Illinois were originally from the South, which is the reason a large part of the population shared a pro-slavery attitude. In 1832, about 500 Native Americans, under the leadership of Sac Chief Black Hawk waged war against the white settlers in the North of Illinois in a bitter but futile attempt. After they were defeated, the Natives were expelled from their land. Waves of settlers from New England and the Mid-Atlantic states at the East Coast started to arrive in Illinois and helped advancing the state's economic development.

Real GDP per capita was $39,514 in 2006, placing Illinois in 13th position in the national ranking.

http://www.illinois.gov/
http://www.enjoyillinois.com/home.aspx