Illinois - A History of the Land and Its People

"Biles'' first-rate primer on the state''s history will be a useful resource for anyone curious about a state whose residents have played crucial roles in almost every major episode in the nation''s history."
? Chicago Tribune

Crossroads of the continent, Land of Lincoln, hub of commerce—or, as Charles Dickens viewed it, a landscape "oppressive in its barren monotony"—Illinois boasts a rich and varied past. In this far-reaching but compact history, Roger Biles provides a much-needed, up-to-date account of the state''s development, from the early native settlements to the present. Focusing on Illinois'' demographic changes over time, he highlights the key figures who contributed to the state''s government, economy, culture, and the arts.

While devoting attention to the touchstones of history, Illinois illuminates also the achievements of ordinary people, including the women, the African Americans, and the other minorities who—al