Illinois

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/illinois

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How many people live in Illinois?Approximately 12.8 million residents (as of recent estimates)
2. How big is Illinois?56,367 square miles, making it the 25th largest state by land area
3. What is the capital of Illinois?Springfield
4. What language do people speak in Illinois?English is the predominant language; Spanish is the most common non-English language
5. What is the largest city?Chicago
6. What is the statehood?Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st state

Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway: A system of waterways connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, crucial for shipping.
Great Migration: The movement of millions of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North between 1916 and 1970.
Bellwether State: A state whose election results often predict the outcome of national elections.
Bicameral Legislature: A lawmaking body composed of two chambers, like the Senate and House of Representatives.