The city of Chicago, located in the state of Illinois, was officially incorporated on March 4th, 1837. Before this date, Chicago was a small settlement located on the shores of Lake Michigan. The area had been inhabited by various Native American tribes for thousands of years before European explorers arrived in the region.
The first non-indigenous settlement in the Chicago area was established in the late 18th century by a French fur trader named Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. In the early 19th century, the area became a popular trading post, and its population began to grow.
As Chicago continued to develop, its leaders realized that the town needed to be incorporated in order to establish a formal government and to provide essential services to its growing population.
On March 4th, 1837, Chicago was officially incorporated as a city and the first mayor of Chicago was William B. Ogden, a wealthy businessman who played a key role in the city’s early development.
Following its incorporation, Chicago continued to grow rapidly, becoming a major transportation hub and industrial center in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The city was also the site of several significant events, including the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed much of the city but ultimately led to its rebuilding and modernization.
Today, Chicago is the third-largest city in the United States and is a major cultural, economic, and political center, and is known for its diverse neighborhoods, iconic architecture, and rich history.
References:
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/about/history.html
https://interactive.wttw.com/dusable-to-obama/jean-baptiste-dusable
https://chicagology.com/biographies/ogden/
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/chicago-fire-1871-and-great-rebuilding/
