Chicago is the largest city in the American state of Illinois, and it lies on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. It grew from a small trading post and fort near the portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi basin, and in the 1830s the settlement was incorporated as a city. The opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the arrival of the railroads made it a hub for grain, meat and lumber. Much of the city burned in the Great Fire of 1871, and it was rebuilt, leading to the invention of the modern skyscraper. Chicago grew into one of the largest cities in the United States, famous for its architecture and diverse population.
Before and after
- from 1837 to 1901Victorian era
- from 1837 to 2023Founding of National Gallery of Norway
- 1837Louis Agassiz proposes the Ice Age theory
- 29 January 1837Death of Alexander Pushkin
- 4 March 1837Founding of Chicago
- 18 March 1837Birth of Grover Cleveland
- 7 April 1837Publication of The Little Mermaid
- from 6 November 1837 to 10 November 1838Lower Canada Rebellion
- 7 November 1837Earthquake in Valdivia, Chile
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- 1831Discovery of Lewis chessmen
- from 8 February 1861 to 1 May 1865Confederate States of America
- from 17 March 1861 to 18 June 1946Kingdom of Italy
- from 3 January 1868 to 3 May 1947Empire of Japan
- from 23 October 1868 to 30 July 1912Meiji era
- October 1871Schliemann begins digging at Hisarlik
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 19th century.