Photos | Videos | Interactives
Photo Galleries (5)
-
Illinois
Illinois(6 Photos)
6 Photos
View pictures from the state of Illinois on History. See images of famous locations that represent the state.
-
Al Capone and Prohibition
Al Capone and Prohibition(13 Photos)
13 Photos
Learn about the gangster Al Capone and explore the era he lived in through images of prohibition, prisons, gang violence and much more.
-
Barack Obama
Barack Obama(18 Photos)
18 Photos
The 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama was elected in 2008 and is the first African American to hold the office.
-
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln(19 Photos)
19 Photos
See pictures from the life and presidency of Abraham Lincoln.
-
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant(19 Photos)
19 Photos
See pictures from the life and presidency of Ulysses S. Grant.
Videos (16)
-
The Many Moods of Al Capone
The Many Moods of Al CaponeVideo Clip (2:00)
Video Clip (2:00)
There's more than meets the eye to Al Capone, the Prohibition-era leader of organized crime in Chicago.
-
Coroner's Report: Al Capone
Coroner's Report: Al CaponeVideo Clip (2:38)
Video Clip (2:38)
Al Capone survived assassination attempts, brutal gang wars and an attack by a fellow inmate at Alcatraz. How did unprotected sex finally take down one of history's most notorious gangsters?
-
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham LincolnVideo Clip (3:48)
Video Clip (3:48)
Today he is known as one of the greatest American presidents, but at the time of his election no one would have predicted Lincoln's success.
-
Obama Makes History
Obama Makes HistoryVideo Clip (3:42)
Video Clip (3:42)
President Barack Obama was elected the first African-American president of the United States on November 5, 2008, transcending centuries of inequality in America.
-
America's Tallest Building
America's Tallest BuildingVideo Clip (2:37)
Video Clip (2:37)
Chicago's Willis Tower, formerly named Sears Tower, is the tallest building in North America. What does it take to maintain and operate this massive skyscraper?
-
How Illinois Got Its Shape
How Illinois Got Its ShapeVideo Clip (2:23)
Video Clip (2:23)
The Illinois Territory’s northern boundary originally ended at the southernmost point of Lake Michigan, leaving it with no port on the Great Lakes, and, crucially, no access to the proposed Erie Canal. Congress shifted the border north, taking land from Wisconsin, and giving Chicago to Illinois.
-
'Billy Goat' Curse Haunts Cub Fans
'Billy Goat' Curse Haunts Cub FansVideo Clip (3:06)
Video Clip (3:06)
The Billy Goat curse started with the 1945 World Series at Wrigley Field. Wrigley officials kicked Billy and his goat out of the stadium, prompting Billy to place a curse on the Cubs.
-
Violence Batters 1968 Democratic Convention
Violence Batters 1968 Democratic ConventionVideo Clip (4:00)
Video Clip (4:00)
The madness of the 1968 Demoratic National Convention, set to "My Generation" by The Who.
-
Highland, Illinois
Highland, IllinoisVideo Clip (2:41)
Video Clip (2:41)
In 2000, there was a group of sightings of strange objects over the USA that resulted in police chases and 911 calls. Some reported triangular patterns of light at night. William Stage, a UFO author and investigator, interviews a man who got an even better look.
-
Barack Obama The Politician
Barack Obama The PoliticianVideo Clip (1:52)
Video Clip (1:52)
Barack Obama's rise in politics from his first step into the public sphere to being elected State Senator of Illinois.
-
Invasion Illinois
Invasion IllinoisVideo Clip (2:41)
Video Clip (2:41)
Illinois recently saw an epidemic of UFO sightings which resulted in pictures, and even video of the craft. Pat and Ted show the best methods, step-by-step, for taking a high-quality UFO video or photograph, in case you too become an eyewitness.
-
Chicago Seven Conspiracy Trial
Chicago Seven Conspiracy TrialVideo Clip (1:38)
Video Clip (1:38)
A quick look at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, and the aftermath.
-
Ask Steve: '68 Convention Anything but Scripted
Ask Steve: '68 Convention Anything but ScriptedVideo Clip (1:52)
Video Clip (1:52)
Explore the violence that unfolded at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago in this Ask Steve video. Steve Gillon explains how three different groups of people came together, and how attempts at peace were met with violence.
-
St. Valentine's Day Massacre
St. Valentine's Day MassacreVideo Clip (1:53)
Video Clip (1:53)
Valentine's Day in 1929 was one of the bloodiest days in mob history when seven men were gunned down in a Chicago garage. Al "Scarface" Capone rose to power after a rival gang was in shambles as a result of the killings. This event sparked outrage among the public and marked the eventual decline in organized violence but it will probably be most remembered for the holiday after which it was named: the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
-
Mega Disasters: Windy City Tornado
Mega Disasters: Windy City TornadoVideo Clip (2:27)
Video Clip (2:27)
Supercell thunderstorms could lead to a tornado in the Chicago area turning glass shards from the city's skyscrapers into deadly projectiles.
-
President Grant's Road to Success
President Grant's Road to SuccessVideo Clip (2:35)
Video Clip (2:35)
Ulysses S. Grant overcomes a lifetime of failures to lead the Union Army to victory in the Civil War.
Interactives (3)
-
Place the State
Place the StateInteractive
-
State the Plate Game
State the Plate GameInteractive
-
Ultimate History Quiz
Ultimate History QuizInteractive
Most Popular Videos on History.com
-
Attack on Pearl Harbor
(1:49)
Newest Videos on History.com
-
Vietnam in HD Preview
(2:00)
-
Two For the Road
(1:48)
-
HISTORY says Thanks
(2:47)
Read More about Illinois
The 21st member of the union, Illinois lies within both the old industrial belt and the fertile agricultural heart of the U.S.
GoRelated Shows
-
America The Story of Us
America The Story of Us is an epic 12-hour television event that tells the extraordinary story of how America was invented.
-
How The States Got Their Shapes
We take the shapes of our states for granted, but the map of America could have looked very different.
Shop HISTORY
-
HISTORY Classics: The States DVD SET
HISTORY presents a unique and unprecedented overview of the defining points in the histories of the United States.
$14.99
Buy Now -
Swamp People Troy Mask
Want the ultimate Big Head? The Swamp People Troy Mask is for Cajuns and Cajuns at heart.
$44.99
Buy Now
Email Updates
Keep up with the latest History shows, online features, special offers and more.
Sign up
