The ENTIRE History of Chicago in 15 Minutes

In 1861, Chicago lifted a six-story hotel six feet into the air — while guests were still inside. Ten years later, the heart of the city burned to the ground. Then Chicago made its river flow backwards. This is how Chicago was built: a city that refused to accept its own ground. We follow the full history of Chicago — the Chicago Portage and the wild onion that named it, Fort Dearborn, the canal, the railroads and the Union Stock Yards, how Chicago raised its buildings on jackscrews, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the world's first skyscraper, the 1893 World's Fair, Haymarket and the Pullman Strike, how Chicago reversed its river, the Great Migration and Chicago jazz, Al Capone and the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, the first nuclear chain reaction, Mayor Daley's machine and the 1995 heat wave. Every time Chicago solved a problem, someone else paid for the solution. ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 The hotel that rose six feet 00:38 The Chicago Portage & the wild onion 01:51 Fort Dearborn 02:45 Canal, railroads & the Union Stock Yards 03:31 A city on a swamp: cholera 04:05 How Chicago raised its buildings 04:35 The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 05:36 Building up: the first skyscraper 06:13 The 1893 World's Fair 06:27 The Jungle, Haymarket & the Pullman Strike 07:45 How Chicago reversed its river 09:12 The Great Migration & Chicago jazz 09:45 The 1919 race riot & color lines 10:19 Covenants & the Hansberry case 11:17 Prohibition, Capone & the Valentine's Day Massacre 12:05 The first nuclear reactor 12:28 Mayor Daley's machine & 1968 13:07 Factories close 13:53 The 1995 heat wave 14:23 Chicago today 🔔 Subscribe for more hidden history behind great cities. #Chicago #ChicagoHistory #ChicagoAmericanHistory