1. In 1838, the first Mormon pioneers arrived in Illinois after being expelled from Missouri. They settled in the town of Nauvoo and built their own community, which became the largest city in Illinois at the time.

2. On August 22, 1862, the Battle of Lone Jack took place in Missouri near the Illinois border. This Civil War battle resulted in a Confederate victory and allowed Confederate forces to continue to raid and disrupt Union supply lines in the region.

3. In 1904, the first international balloon race in the United States was held in Chicago. Eight balloons participated and the winner, American A.E. Goddard, flew a distance of 930 miles in 36 hours.

4. On August 22, 1922, the Chicago Tribune published a story about a possible government conspiracy to poison alcohol during Prohibition in order to discourage people from drinking. The story was later confirmed and the government was found to have intentionally poisoned industrial alcohol, resulting in the deaths of over 10,000 people.

5. In 1986, a tornado outbreak hit the Midwest, including Illinois. On August 22 alone, 10 tornadoes touched down in the state, resulting in one fatality and significant damage to homes and businesses. This outbreak was part of a larger event that produced over 50 tornadoes across the region.