The name "Illinois" comes from the French spelling of the name given to them by the Miami-Illinois Native American tribe: "Inoka".
Meaning:
"Inoka" means "real men" or "men who are the real thing" in the Miami-Illinois language.
Origin:
Miami-Illinois Tribe: The Miami-Illinois tribe was a Native American tribe that inhabited the region that is now Illinois and Indiana.
French Explorers: When French explorers encountered the Miami-Illinois tribe in the 17th century, they adopted their pronunciation of "Inoka" into French, spelling it as "Illinois".
Official Name: In 1809, the United States Congress designated the western territory as the "Illinois Territory". When Illinois became a state in 1818, it retained the name.
Historical Context:
Early Encounters: The first European known to have visited the Illinois country was Louis Jolliet in 1673.
French Control: The area became part of the French colony of Louisiana in the early 18th century.
British Control: After the French and Indian War, the Illinois country was ceded to Great Britain in 1763.
American Control: After the American Revolution, the Illinois country was organized as a United States territory in 1809 and became a state in 1818.
