Chicago, United States. History, Economy, Architecture etc
Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States. And is located on the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan. Chicago is the second most visited city in the United States after New York City.
LOCATION
Chicago is located on the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan. It is the principal city in the Chicago metropolitan area. The city lies beside huge freshwater Lake Michigan, and two rivers—the Chicago River and the Calumet River. Chicago's history and economy are closely tied to its Lake Michigan. When Chicago was founded in 1837, most of the early building was around the mouth of the Chicago River.
HISTORY
Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837.
After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed several square miles and left more than 100,000 homeless, the city made a concerted effort to rebuild.[7] The construction boom accelerated population growth throughout the following decades, and by 1900 Chicago was one of the five largest cities in the world.
In the mid-18th century, the area was inhabited by a Native American tribe known as the Potawatomi. The first known non-indigenous permanent settler in Chicago was Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. He arrived in the 1780s. He is commonly known as the Founder of Chicago.
POPULATION
More than half the population of the state lives in the Chicago metropolitan area. Chicago is one of the United States' most densely populated major cities. Chicago has a Hispanic or Latino population of 28.9%. In religion 71% Christians, 7% identity with other faiths, and 22% have no religious affiliation. Chicago also has many Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and others.
EDUCATION
Since the 1850s, Chicago has been a world center of higher education and research with several universities. These institutions consistently rank among the top Universities in the United States.
CLIMATE
The city lies within the humid continental climate zone and experiences four distinct seasons. Summers are warm to very hot and often humid. In July daily average of 24.3 °C. In a normal summer, temperatures can exceed 32 °C as many as 21 days and occasionally reaches 38 °C. The normal winter high from December through March, with January and February being the coldest months and overnight temperatures can drop below zero degrees.
COMMUNICATION
Chicago is a major transportation hub in the United States. Chicago is one of the largest hubs of passenger rail service in the nation.
Chicago's Department of Transportation allowing residents and visitors the ability to check out public bikes from any of hundreds of automated stations located over a large area of the city, take them for short rides, and return them to any station of their choosing.
In 2016, Chicago was ranked the sixth-most walkable large city in the United States.
Chicago is served by O'Hare International Airport on the far Northwest Side and Midway International Airport on the Southwest Side. Both are among world's busiest airports measured by airline operations.
AROUND THE CITY
Renting a car certainly gives you flexibility and access to transportation exactly when you need it, however, it’s not necessary. Operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), the Chicago “L”, short for elevated, is the easiest, and often fastest, way to get around the city. Running over 224 miles of track, travelers can ride the Red, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Purple, Pink or Yellow lines to get pretty much anywhere in the city. The Brown, Green, Orange, Pink and Purple Line Express trains all travel to the Loop in downtown Chicago.
Of course, there are busses, taxis and bicycle rentals as well throughout the city.
GOVERNMENT
The government of the City of Chicago is divided into executive and legislative branches. The Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive, elected by general election for a term of four years. The mayor appoints commissioners and other officials.
ARCHITECTURE
The destruction caused by the Great Chicago Fire led to the largest building boom in the history of the nation. In 1885, the first steel-framed high-rise building, the Home Insurance Building, rose in the city. which would then be followed by many other cities around the world. Today, Chicago's skyline is among the world's tallest and densest. Some of the United States' tallest towers are located in Chicago; Willis Tower formerly Sears Tower.
ECONOMY
Chicago has the third-largest gross metropolitan product in the United States. The city has also been rated as having the most balanced economy in the United States.The city is an international hub for finance, commerce, industry, technology, telecommunications, and transportation. The Chicago Loop is the central business district. The North Side is the most densely populated residential section of the city, and many high-rises are located on this side of the city along the lakefront.