Happy Birthday, Abraham Lincoln!

• Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was born on Feb. 12, 1909 to Nancy and Thomas Lincoln in a one-room log cabin in Kentucky. From there, his family moved to southern Indiana in 1816.

In 1830, Lincoln and his family moved to Macon County in southern Illinois where he worked on a river flatboat hauling freight down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. He then settled in the town of New Salem, where he worked as a shopkeeper and a postmaster.

Lincoln became involved with local politics as a supporter of the Whig Party and won the election to the Illinois State Legislature in 1834. He opposed the spread of slavery to the territories.

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Springfield guided Lincoln

• Abraham Lincoln
• Movies
• Abraham Lincoln Museum
• Lincoln Museum
• Museum
• Lincoln Movie
• Daniel Day-Lewis

The 2012 movie “Lincoln” was a box office smash hit, making over $275 million dollars. However, despite the movie not being filmed there, Springfield still had a guiding hand.

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Did you know? Chicago is the candy capital of the world

• Chicago
• Candy

Chicago has been named the candy capital of the world since the late 1800s. The Loop has a rich candy making history, including Fannie May’s first store in the Loop’s Business District. Tootsie Roll Industries, Brach’s, Frango, Wrigley Gum and Mars Candy also have roots in Chicago.

In 1893 the World’s Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago, where many of today’s biggest brands of candy were introduced. William Wrigley Jr. originally sold baking powder in Chicago but handed out gum as an incentive for customers to buy his product. Wrigley’s gum became more popular, so he switched businesses and it is still one of the most popular brands of gum in the U.S. today.

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Black history lives in museums

• history
• Black History Month
• Labor
• Labor Union

February is National Black History month. It is an annual tradition that celebrates the achievements of Black Americans throughought the history of the United States. Though there are many places in Illinois to visit and learn more about the successes of Black Americans, one that stands out is The National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum.

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