“Three fourths of the inhabitants of Illinois proper are a totally different sort of people. They have numerical superiority. The most unreasonable and ill-grounded prejudices against us exist among them. We are the powerless and our voice is if not unheard certainly unheeded in the legislative councils of the State. Whether designedly or not almost every legislative enactment is directly averse to our interests, our views, and our feelings.”
1846 Rockford Delegation
Episode #2 – The Rockford Delegation (1846)
Although it may surprise readers today, the first secession attempt from Illinois actually originated in the northern part of the state. Ever heard of the Rockford delegation’s 1846 plot to break up with Illinois? Yes you heard that right – a state breakup! Get ready for a tale of feisty pioneers, territorial tiffs, and a whole lot of frontier drama.
As Wisconsin prepared to become a state in 1846, a group of delegates from 9 counties in northern Illinois met in Rockford and declared that the region should go back to Wisconsin. Although nothing came of these efforts, they demonstrate that Chicago’s commercial & population growth was somewhat at odds with the mostly rural downstate. It’s important to note that at this time, state politics was still controlled by central & southern Illinoisans where the population was still largely centered. How ironic is that! Folks from northern Illinois wanted to secede from Illinois because of sentiments that statewide government was largely controlled by downstate Illinois; and northerners weren’t getting their fair shake.
Our episode begins with another dramatic reenactment. This time our drama club performers were out, but we had a special legendary guest long-time music and theater teacher Mrs. Bonnie Brewer who was kind enough to be our narrator. CHS History club student Amber Cannon once again serves as co-host.
- Part 1 – Southern Settlers Clash with Yankee Settlers
- Part 2 – The Rockford Delegation
- Part 3 – Why is it important to study the history of tension between Chicago & Downstate Illinois?
Discussion Questions
- 1) Why do you think it’s important to study the history of downstate tension and secession in Illinois?
- 2) How did the influx of southern settlers impact the state of Illinois?
- 3) Were you taught about Illinois’ more complicated history as a quasi-slave state? Or have you understood it to always be the free Land of the Great Emancipator Abe Lincoln?
- 4) Why did delegates from Rockford want to return the region back to Wisconsin? How different would our state be today if that secession movement was successful?
This Series
This series of the Forgottonia Project explores the history of downstate tension & secession movements that have occurred throughout IL history. “Nowhere is intrastate conflict more evident than between metropolitan Chicago and rural downstate.”
This tension–fueled by economic, cultural, & political differences–has shaped the state’s history in significant ways. The name “Forgottonia” is a reference to one tongue-in-cheek secessionist movement from Illinois, but it was far from the only instance of conflict in our state’s history.
This series will examine the origins of this tension, the impact it has had on our state, and more importantly — we’ll explore efforts to help bridge our divides.”
Essential Questions
- What are the origins of the tension between Chicago and downstate Illinois?
- What can we do to bridge our rural-urban divide and find a common identity for the future of our state?
Sources
- “History of Fulton County,” by John Drury (1954)
- “Bondage in Egypt: Slavery in Southern Illinois,” by Darrell Dexte
The Forgottonia Project 