5.A: Introduction

After leaving Miami, Paco is now on his way to Canada; but he doesn't want to leave the States without visiting Chicago for a few days. He has been told that this city is amazing, so he doesn't want to miss it.
Icono IDevice Read the text about Chicago

Different famous places in the city of Chicago.
By Mcshadypl. GNU licen

 

Audio

 

Chicago is the third largest city in the United States, and with more than 2.8 million people, the largest city in the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States. Located on the south-western shores of Lake Michigan and next to Indiana, Chicago is the third-most densely populated major city in the U.S., and anchor to the world's 26th largest metropolitan area with over 9.6 million people across three states. The Chicago-Naperville-Joliet MSA also grew more than an estimated 400,000 people between April 1, 2000 and July 1, 2006. Except for the southwest corner of O'Hare International Airport in DuPage County, the city of Chicago is located in Cook County.

Chicago was founded in 1833, near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed. The Potawatomi were forcibly removed from their land following the Treaty of Chicago. The city became a major transportation and telecommunications hub in North America. Today, the city retains its status as a major hub, both for industry and infrastructure, with its O'Hare International Airport as the second busiest airport in the world. In 2007, the city attracted 32.8 million domestic visitors and about 1.15 million foreign visitors.

 

In modern times, the city has taken on an additional dimension as a center for business and finance and is listed as one of the world's top ten Global Financial Centers. Chicago is a stronghold of the Democratic Party and has been home to influential politicians, including the current President of the United States, Barack Obama. The World Cities Study Group at Loughborough University rated Chicago as an "alpha world city" due to Chicago's important role in the global economic system.

Taken from Wikipedia.

Would you like to watch a video tour of Chicago? If so, have a look at it.

Then, listen to the Illinois anthem.


Go to the Click here button and read the text carefully in order to find out which is the common mascot symbol for the Democratic Party in the United States and why. What about the one for the Republican Party?


Icono IDevice Springfield
Springfield is a common name and known, in part, for being a common place-name in the United States. According to the U.S. Geological Survey there are currently 34 populated places (in 25 states) named Springfield in the United States.

Springfield, the State capital of Illinois

The Illinois State Capitol Building in Springfield, Illinois. The Simpsons family live in Springfield, a fictional hometown.
By Eovart Caçeir. GNU license. By lmmbastos. Creative Commons.

Springfield is the third and current capital of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 116,482 (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2006). Over 200,000 residents live in the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Sangamon County and adjacent Menard County. Present day Springfield was first settled in the late 1810s, around the time Illinois became a state. The most famous past resident is Abraham Lincoln, who lived in Springfield itself from 1837 until he went to the White House 1861. Major tourist attractions include a multitude of historic sites connected with Lincoln.

Taken from Wikipedia.

 


Icono IDevice Further knowledge

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