Nicknamed the Prairie State, Illinois entered into Statehood on December 3, 1818.  The Capital of Illinois is Springfield, and the State motto is State sovereignty, national union.  License plates from Illinois sport the slogan Land of Lincoln.  The Illinois State flower is the violet (1908).  The Illinois State tree is the white oak (1973).  The Illinois State bird is the cardinal (1929). The Illinois State animal is the white-tailed deer (1982).  The Illinois State fish is the bluegill (1987).  The Illinois State insect is the monarch butterfly (1975).  The Illinois State song is Illinois (1925).  The Illinois State mineral is fluorite (1965).