The early 1900s brought great reform in Illinois．Laws were passed to help workers，especially women，and a state board established to help settle strikes．Laws were also passed banning the manufacturing and selling of alcohol（酒精，酒）．During the years of Prohibition（1920—1933），Al Capone’s mob and other mafia（黑手党）gangs selling illegal liquor caused much violence and killings while in gang warfare．
Industrial expansion greatly increased in Illinois until the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929．Manufacturing slowed and thousands lost their jobs．The federal government began construction of roads and waterways．This and the discovery of oil in southern Illinois provided many with jobs and helped the economy begin to recover in the late 1930s．
Illinois produced hundreds of aircraft and ammunition（军火，弹药）during World War II（1939—1945）．The first controlled nuclear chain reaction，a major step in the development of the atomic bomb，also took place at the University of Chicago．Since the war，many new laboratory and research centers developed nuclear technology in Illinois．Other industries，such as chemical，steel，and auto production，have also expanded．
Its 1970constitution included protection from discrimination for women，protection for a healthy environment，and the right of suffrage（投票）for more citizens by relaxing residency requirements．The senate and house of representatives，constituting the state’s general assembly，are selected from 59districts，each represented by one senator and two at－large representatives．The executive branch includes a team－elected governor and lieutenant governor，assisted by an attorney general（首席检察官，司法部长），secretary of state，comptroller（审计员），and treasurer．The supreme court consists of seven judges elected from five judicial districts for 10－year terms．The appellate（受理上诉的）court judges，also elected for 10－year terms，serve each of the state’s judicial districts，hearing appeals from state circuit courts，whose judges are elected for 10－year terms．
Recently，Illinois is striving to decrease the air and water pollution problems in the state．Taxes were raised to create needed public services and a state lottery was adopted in 1973，to help raise money for education．Industries are continuing to grow and expand．
During 1988，Illinois celebrated the centennial（百年纪念）of the completion of the Statehouse．
Governor州长
Rod Blagojevich在2003年1月13日当选为伊利诺州州长。Blagojevich州长重建人民对政府的信任，集中精力努力创造工作岗位，建立更为强大的社会团体，为伊利诺斯州人提供改善生活的工具。而他最优先考虑的是提高伊利诺斯州的教育质量。
Rod Blagojevich was sworn in as the 40th Governor of Illinois on January 13，2003．
As Illinois’chief executive officer，Gov．Blagojevich is working aggressively（侵略地，攻势地）to restore the people’s confidence in state government，focusing his efforts on creating jobs，building stronger communities，and providing Illinois families the tools they need to improve their lives．
One of the governor’s highest priorities is improving the quality of education in Illinois．Over the first three years of his administration the governor has worked hard to ensure education funding increased by nearly 2．3billion，making Illinois the top rated state in the Midwest for its increases in education funding．This past legislative session the Governor fulfilled his 3－year，90million plan to send 25，000more children to pre－school．Pre－K Now，a leading national early childhood advocacy（拥护，鼓吹，辩护）group，ranks Illinois among the top states in the nation for early childhood education．
As Governor，Blagojevich has become a national leader in the fight to give Americans access to safe and affordable prescription（处方，药方）drugs from Canada，the United Kingdom and Ireland．Additionally，recognized as a national leader by the Kaiser Foundation for providing health care to low－income families，Gov．Blagojevich led a massive expansion of healthcare coverage during his first two years in office—providing coverage for an additional 313，000Illinois children and working parents，at a time when many states are cutting access to healthcare．
Before becoming Governor，Blagojevich was a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney，prosecuting（从事，告发，起诉）domestic abuse cases and felony（［律］重罪）weapons charges，making him a strong advocate for tougher sentencing laws when he was elected to the General Assembly in 1992．
In 1996，he was elected to represent Illinois’5th District in the U．S．House of Representatives．In Congress，he distinguished himself as an advocate for education，securing funding for after－school tutoring programs．He was also a leader in the fight to establish a Patients’Bill of Rights，to assure prompt access to mammograms（乳房X线照片），and to require higher safety and care standards at nursing homes．
Gov．Blagojevich was born December 10，1956on the Northwest side of Chicago．He graduated from Northwestern University in 1979and earned his law degree from Pepperdine School of Law in 1983．He and his wife，Patti，have two daughters，8－year－old Amy and 2－year－old Annie．
State Bird州鸟
在印第安纳州、肯塔基州、北卡罗莱纳州、俄亥俄州、维吉尼亚州、伊利诺斯州七个周中，伊利诺斯是第一个将北美红雀作为州鸟的州，它在1929年以39226票“被选为本州州鸟。北美红雀是由早期美国殖民者命名。这种鸟分布广，声音清脆，有着厚厚嘴。
The northern cardina is also the state bird for six other states．These are Indiana，Kentucky，North Carolina，Ohio，Virginia，and West Virginia．
In 1928，the Macomb branch of the National Federation of Professional Women’s Clubs urged that Illinois schoolchildren select a State Bird．The idea was approved by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction（［美］教育厅长），and schoolchildren chose the Cardinal from a list of five birds conspicuous（显著的）in Illinois．
Thus，Illinois became the first of seven states to choose the cardinal as its state bird．The cardinal was made the official bird of Illinois in 1929after receiving 39，226votes．Schoolchildren selected this bird over the bluebird，meadowlark（［鸟］（北美产）草地鹨），quail and oriole（金莺类，白头翁科的小鸟）．
The cardinal was named by early American settlers，after Catholic cardinals who dress in bright red robes（长袍）．These birds are strongly territorial and have a loud，whistling song．