I is for Industry
Industry can mean two different things. It can be the work done in a factory or it can be a business. Farming used to be the way people in Illinois made a living. The invention of the railroad allowed other industries to flourish in Illinois. It connected cities in and out of Illinois. Chicago was the world's largest railroad center. Coal also helped Illinois' industry grow. Coal is an important natural resource in Illinois. It fueled the trains and factories. Today, Illinois is a leading agricultural and industrial state.
Manufacturing is the leading economic activity in Illinois. To manufacture means to make something. Illinois ranks 5th in the nation as an industrial state. Most of Illinois' manufacturing takes place in or around Chicago. Processing food and making machinery are the two most important items manufactured in Illinois.
Illinois ranks as one of the most productive farming states in the nation. Today, agribusiness is one of the leading industries in Illinois. Corn, soybeans and wheat are the leading crops. Raising hogs and cattle is also important. John Deere and Cyrus McCormick are two Illinois inventors that changed the agricultural industry in Illinois.
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