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CONTENTS Our State Constitution CONTENTS Page 1 Our State Constitution - A Student’s Guide to the Illinois Constitution Student Welcome .................................................................................... 2 Unit 1 Illinois Constitution and Government .................................................... 3 Unit 2 Illinois and the Northwest Ordinance .................................................... 5 Unit 3 Celebrate the Illinois Bicentennial ......................................................... 6 Learning Aid State Seal and Map Exercise .................................................................. 8 Learning Aid Illinois State Symbols Exercise .............................................................. 9 Unit 4 Overview of the Illinois Constitution ....................................................10 Learning Aid State Government Fact Sheet ...............................................................12 Unit 5 State Legislative Branch ........................................................................13 Unit 6 State Lawmaking Process .....................................................................14 Learning Aid How a Bill Becomes Law in Illinois .......................................................16 Unit 7 State Executive Branch .........................................................................17 Unit 8 State Judicial Branch .............................................................................19 Unit 9 Illinois Voting ........................................................................................ 21 Unit 10 Municipal Government .......................................................................... 23 Unit 11 Local Government ................................................................................. 24 Unit 12 City of Chicago .................................................................................... 25 Unit 13 Financing State and Local Government in Illinois .............................. 26 Learning Aid Illinois Unit Outline ............................................................................... 27 Learning Aid Review Questions - Illinois Unit .......................................................... 29 Learning Aid Illinois Constitution Self-Test ............................................................... 31 Learning Aid Your Government and State Officials .................................... back cover COPYRIGHT LAWS PROHIBIT REPRODUCTION UNIT 1 ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT Page 3 Soon after Springfield was selected as the new capital, the state became divided on the question of slavery. Abraham Lincoln emerged from political retirement in 1858 to challenge Stephen A. Douglas, United States senator from Illinois, and the national policy on slavery, which he advocated. The eyes of the nation focused on the state as the two men engaged in their historic series of debates on the question. Although Lincoln was defeated for a senatorial post in 1858, he won the In 1787, when the Constitution was signed, the presidential nomination of the Republican Party in 1860 area that is now Illinois was a wilderness. Although and became the first Republican president. Marquette and Joliet discovered the Illinois country in John Deere’s invention of the prairie plow in 1837 1673, it was not until 1818 that the state was formally encouraged Illinois agriculture, and it became a admitted into the Union. leading agricultural state. After the Civil War, Illinois During the time between the discovery of the turned to the development of its natural resources Illinois territory and its admission to the Union as a and its transportation. By 1870, coal mining had state, the French and the English each controlled the become one of Illinois’ largest industries. Improved area for a period. Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle transportation, an abundance of coal, and the and his lieutenant and successor, Henry de Tonty, westward movement of industry combined to make carried the standard for France. Fort de Crevecoeur Illinois a great industrial area. was established near Peoria in 1680, followed in By 1850, the state had a population of 850,000. 1682 by Fort St. Louis on Starved Rock. One of the By 1870, this figure had tripled. Today, Illinois has first white villages, Pimitouri, later called Peoria, was nearly 13 million residents. Sprawling and vibrant, established in 1691. Cahokia was organized in 1699, Chicago was destined early in American industrial and Kaskaskia, four years later. development to become the manufacturing center Defeated by Great Britain in the French and Indian not only of Illinois but the entire Midwest. War, France gave up claim to its possessions east of the Mississippi. British rule over this area was short, Illinois Constitution however, as a handful of American militia, led by The first Constitution of Illinois was adopted in 1818 by George Rogers Clark in 1778, captured the villages a convention that met at Kaskaskia. This convention of Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Vincennes and forever was attended by 33 delegates, representing the state’s ended foreign rule in the Illinois country. 15 counties. At that time, most of the population was in Established as a county of Virginia in 1778, the Illinois country remained so until 1782. During the the southern part. next five years the area had no legally constituted government, but, in 1787, it became part of the State of Illinois Quick Facts Northwest Territory. In 1800, the Territory of Indiana Capital Springfield was established, and Illinois was included. Nine years later, Illinois, including the present state of State Nickname “The Prairie State” Wisconsin, was made a territory in its own right. State Slogan “Land of Lincoln” Kaskaskia was the capital, and Ninian Edwards of State Motto “State sovereignty, national union” Kentucky served as the first territorial governor. On December 3, 1818, Illinois, with a population of about Statehood December 3, 1818 (21st state in the 35,000, was admitted to statehood. Kaskaskia was U.S.) selected as the state capital, and Shadrach Bond Land Area 56,345 square miles became the first governor. The last great Indian uprising in Illinois was the Population 12,830,632 (as of 2010 census) Black Hawk War in 1832. Chief Black Hawk and his Largest Cities Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Joliet, Sauk and Fox warriors defeated the white militia at Naperville, Springfield, Peoria Stillman’s Run, but retreated into Wisconsin where Cardinal the band was decisively defeated. State Bird The capital was moved from Kaskaskia to State Flower Violet (Viola sororia) Vandalia, and, in 1839, was moved again, this time State Tree White Oak to Springfield. Abraham Lincoln urged the selection of Springfield while he was a member of the state State Fish Bluegill Legislature. COPYRIGHT LAWS PROHIBIT REPRODUCTION LEARNING AID STATE GOVERNMENT FACT SHEET Page 12 The Illinois Constitution Present one was adopted in 1970 The Voters of Illinois Qualified voters choose our elected officials Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch make the laws enforce the laws administer justice Illinois Illinois Illinois Supreme Court Senate House Governor 59 State 118 State Executive Officers: Appellate Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Circuit Courts Senators Representatives Attorney General, State Treasurer, Comptroller Courts Legislative Branch Quick Facts The Illinois General Assembly is made up of the state Senate and state House of Representatives. body members terms annual salary qualifications Senate 59 4 years Each member of the General Assembly, both Senate $67,836 and House, must be 21 years old or older, a resident House 118 2 years of the district for two years, and a citizen Executive Branch Quick Facts The Consitution provides for six executive officers. executive officer terms annual salary notes Governor 4 years $177,412 Lieutenant Governor 4 years $135,669 To be eligible for each of the executive offices of Secretary of State 4 years $156,541 Illinois, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 25 years Attorney General 4 years $156,541 old, and a resident of the state for three years before the election. State Treasurer 4 years $135,669 Comptroller 4 years $135,669 Judicial Branch Quick Facts Judicial Branch Quick Facts - TheThe Illinois Illinois Court Court System: System Circuit Court Appellate Court Supreme Court • organized within 22 judicial circuits • organized into five judicial districts • final court of appeal for state matters • divided into felony, misdemeanors, • three justices hear each appellate • seven Supreme Court judges, select small claims, family, juvenile and case one of their members to act as chief other courts justice for a three-year term • judges elected by the voters in each • judges elected by the voters in • judges elected by the voters to 10-year circuit to six-year terms each district to 10-year terms terms • associate judges are appointed to • a panel of three judges hears the • all courts of the state are under the four-year terms appealsCOPYRIGHT and LAWS makes PROHIBIT a ruling REPRODUCTION supervision of the chief justice COPYRIGHT LAWS PROHIBIT REPRODUCTION LEARNING AID HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW IN ILLINOIS Page 16 1. Every state law starts with an idea. 2. The bill is introduced. The lawmaking process starts A bill may start out in either it an idea from you, the voting the House or the Senate or public, a state legislator, the Illinois General Assembly. or someone may say to a Each bill must be read by title legislator, “There ought to be three
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