The first group
—
known to French explorers and missionaries as the Illinois or Illiniwek Indians–was a collection of twelve tribes that occupied a large section of the central Mississippi River valley, including most of what is today Illinois.
Who were the first inhabitants of Illinois?
The French
were the first Europeans to reach Illinois in about 1673. When they arrived, the Indians welcomed them. It was French explorers who gave Illinois its name by referring to the land where the Illini Indians lived as the Illinois.
What native tribes originally lived in Illinois?
The most prominent tribes in Illinois were the
Illinois, Miami, Winnebago, Fox and Sacs (Sauk), Kickapoo, and Pottawatomie tribes
. The Illinois Native Americans were composed of five subdivisions including Kaskaskias, Cahokias, Tamaroas, Peorias, and Metchigamis.
What is the history of native peoples in Illinois?
At the dawn of the historic era, when European explorers first entered the land we now call the State of Illinois, they encountered a people who became known to the world as the Illinois or Illiniwek Indians. … Eventually the Illinois were
forced to leave their traditional lands and move west to Indian Territory
.
Who were the first Native Americans in Chicago?
This region was originally inhabited by the
Potawatomi, Odawa, Sauk, Ojibwe, Illinois, Kickapoo (Kiikaapoi)
, Miami (Myaamia), Mascouten, Wea, Delaware, Winnebago, Menominee, and Mesquakie. Today there are 22,000 Native Americans living in Chicago.
Who is the most famous person in Illinois?
- Betty White was born in Oak Park. …
- Bob Odenkirk was born in Berwyn. …
- Harrison Ford was born in Chicago. …
- Ludacris was born in Champaign. …
- Melissa McCarthy was born in Plainfield. …
- Bill Murray was born in Evanston. …
- Jennifer Morrison was born in Chicago.
Was there slaves in Illinois?
For
a free state
, Illinois had a long tradition of slavery. The first black slaves were brought to the American Bottom area by the French in 1719. Some descendants of those first slaves were still in servitude at the time of statehood in 1818.
What was Chicago called before it was named Chicago?
The name “Chicago” is derived from a French rendering of the Native American word shikaakwa, known to botanists as Allium tricoccum, from the Miami-Illinois language. The first known reference to the site of the current city of Chicago as “
Checagou
” was by Robert de LaSalle around 1679 in a memoir.
Is Illinois a Native American word?
The
word Illinois is derived from the Native American word “iliniwok”
or “illiniwek,” which literally means “best people”; it was used to refer to the 10 to 12 tribes found around the river. … Illinois isn't the only name for the state.
What percent of Chicago is Native American?
| Population | White alone, percent 50.0% | Black or African American alone, percent(a) 29.6% | American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent(a) 0.3% | Asian alone, percent(a) 6.6% |
|---|
How many Native American tribes were in Illinois?
The Illinois Confederation, also referred to as the Illiniwek or Illini, were made up of
12 to 13 tribes
who lived in the Mississippi River Valley.
Did Cherokee Indians live in Illinois?
— Nearly 9,000 Cherokees
passed through Southern Illinois
between November, 1838, and January, 1839, on their fateful Trail of Tears as the government forced them to abandoned their homes in the Great Smokies to go west to Oklahoma. Very little of the history of the Cherokee's time in Southern Illinois remains.
How did Illinois get its name?
The name Illinois comes
from the Native American tribe living on the land when the area was first explored by Europeans
. Much of Illinois was once covered in prairie grass, earning the state its nickname.
What does Chicago mean in Native American?
The most-accepted Chicago meaning is a word that comes from the Algonquin language:
“shikaakwa,” meaning “striped skunk” or “onion
.” According to early explorers, the lakes and streams around Chicago were full of wild onions, leeks, and ramps.
What happened to Native Americans in Chicago?
As a result of
the Black Hawk War of 1832 and the 1833 Treaty of Chicago
, most remaining Native Americans were forced out of the area around Chicago. … After the removal of Native Americans from the region, Chicago did not have a significant Native presence for over a hundred years.
What native land is Chicago?
The Art Institute of Chicago is located on the traditional unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires:
the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations
. Many other tribes such as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac, and Fox also called this area home.
