Holy that's cool

Illinois is seen as a microcosm for the whole of the United States - basically, something that represents a larger whole on a smaller scale.

The North-East Coast is dominated by urban centres such as Chicago and is based on heavy industry (like New England),  the Mid-North has huge agricultural output and vast open prairies (like the mid-west) and the south is full of rural homesteads and has rich history and tradition (like the south).

Sure, the West isn't full of beaches and hollywood and California, but the allegory is close enough.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois