Stretching from the shore of Lake Michigan to the junction of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, the state of Illinois is the most populous state in the Midwest. Although its rich farmlands have earned it the nickname of the "Prairie State," Illinois is also home to Chicago, a thriving metropolis of industry and culture and a major transportation hub in North America. The state capital, Springfield, lies in the center of the state; it was here that Abraham Lincoln embarked on his political career (in 1837) and Ulysses S. Grant began his Civil War campaign (in 1861). Illinois' intriguing blend of urban and rural, combined with its sprawling suburbs, factories, mines, and mills have earned it a reputation as a "microcosm of the United States."