In honor of the Illinois Bicentennial, Professor Gary Midkiff has compiled a list of the 10 most important events in the history of our state (plus a few more that deserve attention). He will cover events from all corners of the state and connect many of those Illinois events to national history. Chicago will contribute a few stories (e.g. the Great Chicago Fire of 1871) but so will East St. Louis (the race riots of 1917) and the towns of Alton, Charleston, Freeport, Galesburg, Jonesboro, Ottawa and Quincy (sites of the 1858 Lincoln – Douglas debates).