August 8 Illinois History Minute

It’s August 8th, and the third of Illinois’ four state constitutions went into effect on this day in 1870. The document gave Illinois government its heavy reliance on property taxes, and its unusual cumulative voting system, which magnified the minority party’s voice in the Illinois House until its repeal in 1980.

Child actor Carl Switzer was born on this day in 1927 in Paris Illinois. Switzer played Alfalfa in the Our Gang film comedies, also known as the Little Rascals.

Switzer continued acting as an adult and was also a dog trainer and hunting guide. He died at the age of 31, shot to death in a money dispute.