1. On December 13, 1830, the small town of Chicago, Illinois was incorporated as a city with a population of just over 4,000 people. Today, Chicago is the third-largest city in the United States with a population of approximately 2.7 million people.

2. In 1862, Union General Ulysses S. Grant issued his infamous General Order No. 11, which expelled all Jews from four states, including Illinois, from areas of military significance. This order was later revoked and is now seen as a dark and shameful moment in American history.

3. On December 13, 1913, the Lincoln Highway Association was formed in Illinois. The Lincoln Highway was the first transcontinental road for automobiles in the United States and ran from New York City to San Francisco.

4. In 1994, just before midnight on December 13, a fire broke out at the LaSalle Bank building in downtown Chicago, causing over $150 million in damages. The fire was started by electrical problems in a tenant's office.

5. On December 13, 2003, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested and charged with corruption, including allegedly trying to sell President Barack Obama's vacant US Senate seat. Blagojevich was eventually convicted and sentenced to 14 years in federal prison.