Sergio Fresno
History, Culture and Strength in the “City of Big Shoulders” From its beginnings as a swamp with wild garlic to becoming the birthplace of the modern skyscraper, Chicago is a symbol of American courage. This is the story of how the “Windy City” rebuilt itself to become a global city.
The name “Chicago” comes from the Miami-Illinois word shikaakwa, which means “wild onion” or “garlic”. These plants grew in large numbers in the swamps of the area.
The first permanent non-native settler was Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. He was a free man of African and French origin. He built a farm at the mouth of the river around 1790.
1833: Incorporated as a town (population under 100)
1837: Incorporated as a city
1848: Opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal
Chicago-Style Hot Dog: Beef sausage, poppy seed bun, mustard, onion, bright green relish, tomato, sport peppers, and celery salt.
Deep-Dish Pizza: Invented in 1943. Thick crust, cheese at the bottom, ingredients in the middle, and tomato sauce on top.
Transformation: Before, there were train tracks and parking lots. Now it is the second most visited tourist place in the city. Cloud Gate (“The Bean”): A stainless steel sculpture by Anish Kapoor. It is a big mirror that connects the sky and the people. Crown Fountain: Glass towers that show faces of people and work as an interactive fountain.
THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE SKYSCRAPER Chicago invented modern architecture. In 1885, the Home Insurance Building became the first skyscraper in the world. It used a steel frame to hold the weight. This helped the walls be lighter. KEY FIGURES: The “Chicago School” (Louis Sullivan) and the “Prairie School” (Frank Lloyd Wright) helped define American design.
MODERN GIANT: The Willis Tower (before called Sears Tower) was the tallest building in the world for 25 years. Its design with grouped tubes was a big engineering change to fight strong wind.
The Dynasty: The Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, led by Michael Jordan, won six championships and made the NBA famous around the world.
Baseball Rivalry: North: Cubs (Wrigley Field). They broke the “Curse of the Goat” in 2016 after 108 years. South: White Sox (Rate Field).
Local Sport: 16-inch softball is played without gloves and with a big, soft ball. It is a neighborhood sport and needs strong fingers.
The Green River: Every St. Patrick’s Day, the plumbers’ union dyes the river green with a secret plant formula.
Gotham City: The buildings and lower street levels (Lower Wacker Drive) inspired Gotham City in Batman: The Dark Knight.
Atomic Cake: A South Side dessert with banana cake, yellow cake, and chocolate cake layers.
City Symbol: A “Y” inside a circle, seen around the city, shows where the Chicago River splits.
Sergio Fresno
Sergio Fresno López
Created on January 28, 2026
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Transcript
Sergio Fresno
History, Culture and Strength in the “City of Big Shoulders” From its beginnings as a swamp with wild garlic to becoming the birthplace of the modern skyscraper, Chicago is a symbol of American courage. This is the story of how the “Windy City” rebuilt itself to become a global city.
The name “Chicago” comes from the Miami-Illinois word shikaakwa, which means “wild onion” or “garlic”. These plants grew in large numbers in the swamps of the area.
The first permanent non-native settler was Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. He was a free man of African and French origin. He built a farm at the mouth of the river around 1790.
1833: Incorporated as a town (population under 100)
1837: Incorporated as a city
1848: Opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal
Chicago-Style Hot Dog: Beef sausage, poppy seed bun, mustard, onion, bright green relish, tomato, sport peppers, and celery salt.
Deep-Dish Pizza: Invented in 1943. Thick crust, cheese at the bottom, ingredients in the middle, and tomato sauce on top.
Transformation: Before, there were train tracks and parking lots. Now it is the second most visited tourist place in the city. Cloud Gate (“The Bean”): A stainless steel sculpture by Anish Kapoor. It is a big mirror that connects the sky and the people. Crown Fountain: Glass towers that show faces of people and work as an interactive fountain.
THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE SKYSCRAPER Chicago invented modern architecture. In 1885, the Home Insurance Building became the first skyscraper in the world. It used a steel frame to hold the weight. This helped the walls be lighter. KEY FIGURES: The “Chicago School” (Louis Sullivan) and the “Prairie School” (Frank Lloyd Wright) helped define American design.
MODERN GIANT: The Willis Tower (before called Sears Tower) was the tallest building in the world for 25 years. Its design with grouped tubes was a big engineering change to fight strong wind.
The Dynasty: The Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, led by Michael Jordan, won six championships and made the NBA famous around the world.
Baseball Rivalry: North: Cubs (Wrigley Field). They broke the “Curse of the Goat” in 2016 after 108 years. South: White Sox (Rate Field).
Local Sport: 16-inch softball is played without gloves and with a big, soft ball. It is a neighborhood sport and needs strong fingers.
The Green River: Every St. Patrick’s Day, the plumbers’ union dyes the river green with a secret plant formula.
Gotham City: The buildings and lower street levels (Lower Wacker Drive) inspired Gotham City in Batman: The Dark Knight.
Atomic Cake: A South Side dessert with banana cake, yellow cake, and chocolate cake layers.
City Symbol: A “Y” inside a circle, seen around the city, shows where the Chicago River splits.