If you had to choose one state that best represents everything that the United States of America is, is that state Illinois...?

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It is a fascinating question. Is Illinois a microcosm for the entire United States of America? You may be saying, "why are you asking this question" and that is a good question! I'm asking the question because according to the Wikipedia.org page on the state of Illinois it says...

"Illinois has been noted as a microcosm of the entire United States. With Chicago in northeastern Illinois, small industrial cities and immense agricultural productivity in the north and center of the state, and natural resources such as coal, timber, and petroleum in the south, Illinois has a diverse economic base, and is a major transportation hub."

 

So what is a microcosm? According to dictionary.com a microcosm is "a little world; a world in miniature" 

And if that is the case then Yes, yes Illinois is exactly a small version of the United States.

Illinois has the third largest city in the US, Chicago, and Chicago itself is a world class city that is extremely diverse with people, sports, culture, politics, art, history, food, and so much more. You can't have a state be a microcosm of the USA and not have a major world class city, so that eliminates most every state that isn't Texas, New York, California, and Florida. But Illinois represents the rest of the USA wayyyyy better than any of those other states, Florida is too warm and southern to give a fair representation to the middle of the country, and California is way to costal, Hollywood, and elite.  I do think New York would be able to represent the USA in a microcosm, it would finish second in the rankings for that. But with Illinois diverse political divisions, rural and urban divides, plus being in the heartland of the country, with almost every terrain on the continental USA besides mountains, I agree with the statement that Illinois is the state that best represents a microcosm of the USA.

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

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