Roger Biles
Illinois: A History of the Land and Its People
Editura: Northern Illinois University Press
Anul aparitiei: 2005
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 TribuneFeaturing 67 illustrations, Illinois will captivate readers of all ages and interests.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--along with the politicians, the captains of industry, and the military heroes--contributed to the state's growth and prosperity. National events shaped the state as well, and ...