Illinois

Illinois Ashley W

__State Info:__ State: Illinois Nickname: Prairie State Capitol: Springfield Population: 12,901,563 Counties: 102 Largest city: Chicago

Illinois got it's name from an American Indian word meaning "men" or "warriors". The state got it's nickname because it was once covered in flat land and prairies.

__State Symbols:__ State Animal-White Tailed Deer State Bird-Northern Cardinal State Fish-Bluegill State Flower-Native Violet State Insect-Monarch Butterfly State Snack Food-Popcorn State Tree-White Oak

__Agriculture and Natural Resources:__ Illinois is great in farming and raising crops.The reason is it's soil and climate. The warm summers help the plants grow and the cold winters help the soil renew itself. Crops consist of soybeans, dairy products, chickens and turkeys, and hogs.Illinois natural resources are coal, petroleum, stone/gravel, and fluorite.

__If You Visit Illinois, See:__ The Sears Tower(now called the John Willis Tower), the Crown Fountains, and the Kapoor Sculptor/cloud gate/bean.