History
Ancient history and settlement.
The city that shaped modern America.
Chicago’s rise began as a Potawatomi trading post before becoming a transportation juggernaut in the 1800s, linked by canals, railroads, and the Great Lakes. The Great Chicago Fire (1871) sparked a rebirth, birthing the world’s first skyscrapers and architectural innovations like the Chicago School. The 20th century saw industry boom (meatpacking, steel) alongside cultural movements jazz from the South Side, labor activism like the Haymarket Affair, and the political machine of Mayor Daley. Today, its legacy as a global city endures, from deep-dish pizza to Nobel laureates.
Geography
Ancient history and settlement.
Chicago sprawls along Lake Michigan’s southwestern shore, its skyline mirrored in the water. The Chicago River, famously reversed in 1900 to prevent pollution, divides downtown into neighborhoods like the Loop and River North. Flat prairie terrain allowed the grid-like street layout, while lakefront parks (Grant Park, Lincoln Park) soften the urban core. Winters bring biting “Chiberian” winds, and summers hum with festivals along the 26-mile lakefront trail. O’Hare’s global flights and rail lines cement its “Crossroads of America” role.