document updated 15 years ago, on Mar 25, 2009

[1840-1860] Chicago grows from the 92^nd to the 9^th most populous city in the U.S., in only 20 years.
[1860] now the largest city in the midwest, the Republican National Convention is held in Chicago, where Abraham Lincoln is chosen for the first time
[1871] Chicago Fire, killed 200-300, destroyed four square miles
[1893] Chicago World's Fair
[1903] Iroquois Theater Fire, killed 602 people
[1915] Eastland disaster, killed 845 people
[1968] DNC riots
[1973] Sears Tower is completed, and it keeps the title as "world's tallest building" for 30 years (surpassed by the Petronas Towers in 1998)