Good afternoon, Chicago.

Illinois is known for many things: Abraham Lincoln, the third largest city in the country, sprawling farmland, political corruption and die-hard sports fans. But former State Historian Samuel Wheeler said there are other lesser-known tidbits of Illinois history that make the 21st state in the Union remarkable.

To look back on what’s made Illinois the 57,000 square miles it is today, here are five of Wheeler’s favorite facts about Illinois, which was ratified as a state on this day in 1818.

Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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Madigan prosecutors to ask Solis about cooperation against another ‘high-ranking official’ — but can’t mention Edward Burke by name

Solis, whose stunning turn as an FBI mole is at the center of both the Madigan and Burke cases, has been on the witness stand for six days testifying about wiretapped conversations and undercover recordings he made of Madigan allegedly agreeing to take official action in exchange for Solis’s help drumming up private legal work.

More top news stories:

• Boy, 14, fatally wounded in shooting at Little Village apartment building
• Woman, 40, charged in February fatal stabbing in Rogers Park

Indiana utilities seek big power-ups with field hearings on NIPSCO’s electric rate case set

NIPSCO’s proposed 22% electric rate increase is big, but it’s not the only one facing Indiana regulators.

More top business stories:

• Small business owners brace for Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs
• Lincolnshire 6-bedroom home with glass doors: $3.5M

Will Garrett Crochet be traded — and how will the rotation be filled out? 3 questions for the Chicago White Sox.

Here are three questions on the mound — including Crochet’s future — and behind the plate as the Sox look toward 2025.

More top sports stories:

• 5 takeaways from a dominant Chicago Bulls win, including Matas Buzelis’ 20-point night and Josh Giddey’s triple-double
• Did the Chicago Blackhawks use up all their power-play goals? 3 takeaways from the 4-1 loss.

Kendrick Lamar and SZA to play Chicago’s Soldier Field on 2025 North American stadium tour

The artists announced the Grand National Tour, which will hit 19 stadiums across North America next spring and summer, including Chicago’s Soldier Field.

More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:

• Column: Print lives! Want proof? Just check your mailbox this holiday season
• Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken joins dining lineup in La Grange

South Korean parliament votes to defy president by lifting his declaration of martial law

The president’s surprising move harks back to an era of authoritarian leaders that the country has not seen since the 1980s, and it was immediately denounced by the opposition and the leader of Yoon’s own conservative party.

More top stories from around the world:

• President Joe Biden ducks questions on his decision to pardon son Hunter
• Trump says he’ll attend Notre Dame Cathedral reopening celebration in Paris this weekend