Teaching Illinois with Primary Sources
Introduction | Primary Sources and Analysis Tools |
Library of Congress Resources | Primary Source Set
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Teaching Illinois with Primary Sources Resource Booklet | Primary Source Set
Introduction
On December 3, 1818 with a population of 34,620, Illinois
entered the Union as the 21st state. Today, a population reaching
almost 13,000,000 makes Illinois the fifth most populated state. Living here, students may feel
they already know about the great state they live in but Illinois has a vast
history covering many topics. When we think about Illinois usually the first
thing coming to mind is "Land of Lincoln". Abraham Lincoln was a great part of
Illinois history, from early days as a lawyer in Springfield through becoming
the President of the United States. His many accomplishments and way he helped
shape Illinois and later the Union are found in the Library of Congress collections.
Although Illinois is proud to be called the "Land of Lincoln", he is
just a part of what makes Illinois. While most early settlers were farmers
faced with difficulties of growing and maintaining crops and livestock, towns
and cities began to emerge.
Everyday life in small towns is portrayed in images and
documents in the LOC collections. How some of these towns thrived and were
later abandoned can today be found in many students’ hometowns. Even
cities like Chicago, which adds abundant history to Illinois, have changed over
the years. From Chicago's booming population to the devastation of
the great fires and effects of the Haymarket affair, each of
these topics has primary sources that can be used in the classroom. Illinois at war, women's suffrage, world
fairs, state parks and many other items have helped to make Illinois what it is
today and can be found in primary sources at the Library to add to student's
learning experiences.