Jolliet and Marquette discover illinois, 1673 -- The Americans take over (the battle for Kaskaskia), 1778 -- The Blackhawk War, 1832 -- The first abolitionist martyr : Elijah Lovejoy, 1837 -- The murder of Joseph Smith, 1844 -- The Donner Party tragedy : it all began in Springfield, 1846 -- Illinois's great debates, 1858 -- The sinking of the Lady Elgin, 1860 -- The Windy City burns, 1871 -- The bizarre plot to ransom Abraham Lincoln's body, 1876 -- The Chatsworth Train disaster, 1887 -- Pullman's fight against free will, 1894 -- Death plays the Iroquois Theatre, 1903 -- Springfield's race riots, 1908 -- Disaster underground : the Cherry Mine tragedy, 1909 -- The East St. Louis race riot, 1917 -- The Herrin massacre, 1922 -- Killer twister, 1925 -- The Williamson County War, 1926 -- Scarface goes to jail,1931 -- The G-men finally get their man : the shooting of John Dillinger, 1934 -- Tale of two tragedies, 1947 & 1951 -- Chicago's big show trial, 1969 -- Disco inferno, 1979 -- Poison pills, 1982 -- The Valentine's Day tragedy, 2008 -- Blago's rise and fall, 2009.
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