By Karol Kazimierski

Beginings of the state

Aproximate state area in 1718

Illinois was „discovered” by French explorers – Jacquess Marquette & Louis Jolliet – in 1673, and was part of the French empire, until 1763.

Territorial map from 1778

Then Illinois passed to British, which, ceded it to new United States in 1783, and became part of Northwest Territory.

On Febuary 3, 1809 the Illinois Territory was created. And finaly, on December 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21st U.S State.

State map from 1818

Illinois Indian Tribes

Kee-o-Kuk, a Sauk chief

Pah-me-cow-ee-tah, a Peoria Illinois chief

Ah-tee-wat-o-mee, a Kickapoo woman

The orginal inhabitants of area that is now Illinois Included:• Illini tribe•Chickasaw tribe•Dakota Sioux tribe•Ho-Chunk tribe•Miami tribe•Shawnee tribe

Other tribes that migrated into Illinois after European arrived:•Delaware tribe•Kickapoo tribe•Ottawa tribe•Potawatomi tribe•Sac and Fox tribe•Wyandot tribe

Name Illinois was taken from Illini, and in Algonquin languange means „tribe of superior men”.In present days, there are no Indiant reservations on territory of Illinois, and as a consequence of Indian Removal Act, in 1830 Illini were relocated.They chefly reside in Ottawa Country, Oklahoma, as the Peoria Tribe of Inidans of Oklahoma.

Illinois Today

Work in Progress

Polonia in Illinois

Polonia in Illinois

According to the 2000 United States Consensus, Illinois is on second place with total number of Polish Americans of 932,996.Polish American communities in Illinois:•Algonquin•Bridgeview (22.4%)•Brookfield•Burbank (25.8%)•Calumet City•Chicagoo Archer Heightso Avondale

JackowoWacławowo

o Belmont Cragino Forest Gleno Hegewisch

o Jefferson Parko Logan Squareo Norwood Park (28.8%)o Portage Towno West Town

•Chicago Heights•Cicero•Des Plaines•Du Bois•Elmwood Park (21.7%)•Goodings Grove (20.6%)•Harwood Heights (32.5%)•Hickory Hills (21.4%)•Joliet•Justice (21.6%)•Lemont (25.5%)•Lemont Township (24.7%)

•Lyons•Naperville•Niles (22%)•Norridge (29.2%)•Oak Lawn•Park Ridge•Posen (21.4%)•River Grove (27.2%)•Stickney Township (25.1%)•Willow Springs (21,7%)