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History, Civics & Social Studies · Grade 4

Illinois Peoples and Histories

Fourth graders trace the Illinois Country from the arrival of French explorers and missionaries among the Illinois Confederacy, through French colonial villages (where both free and enslaved people lived), British rule and the American Revolution, to statehood in 1818 and the moves of the capital from Kaskaskia to Vandalia to Springfield, considering how each change looked to different peoples.

  • 4 lessons
  • About 90 minutes
  • Illinois peoples and histories check: 9 questions
  • Ways to answer: fill in the blanks, choose an answer, pick map regions, match pairs, type a number and put in order
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What learners will discover

  • Describe French exploration and colonial life in the Illinois Country, including relationships with Native nations and the presence of enslaved Africans.
  • Explain how control of the Illinois Country changed from France to Britain to the United States.
  • Explain how Illinois became a state in 1818 and why its capital moved from Kaskaskia to Vandalia to Springfield.
  • Compare how different peoples (Illinois Confederacy, French villagers, enslaved Africans, American settlers) experienced these changes.

Lessons

  1. The French and the Illinois Confederacy 4 steps3 practiceabout 24 min
  2. France, Britain, then the United States 4 steps3 practiceabout 22 min
  3. Statehood and moving capitals 4 steps2 practiceabout 22 min
  4. Many peoples, many experiences 4 steps2 practiceabout 22 min
  5. Illinois peoples and histories check 9 questions at the end

Keep exploring

More 4th grade social studies

Guide for grown-ups