1. In 1837, Illinois became the 21st state in the United States of America. The state's name is derived from the Illiniwek Indian word "Illini" which means "men" or "people."

2. In 1915, the first transcontinental phone call was made from New York City to San Francisco. The call passed through Illinois, and engineers who worked on the project were based in Chicago.

3. In 1937, the Ohio River flood caused severe damage throughout Illinois, with Cairo and East St. Louis being especially hard hit. More than 50,000 homes were destroyed or damaged, and the flood caused approximately $1 billion in damages (in today's dollars).

4. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy gave his inaugural address, during which he famously said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." The speech was broadcast nationwide, and Illinois residents would have been among those who heard it.

5. In 1981, Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as President of the United States. Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois, and he spent part of his childhood in Dixon, Illinois. Reagan served as governor of California before being elected to the presidency.