Search for a New Capital Part 1 - Timeline

1800

May 7--Indiana Territory established (including what would become Illinois, Wisconsin, and portions of Michigan and Minnesota) with its capital at Vincennes.

1804

December 5--Territory moves into second stage of government, allowing for election of a General Assembly.

1805

January 11--Michigan Territory formed.

1809

February 3--Illinois Territory formed.

1810

December 17, 19--Acts establish a permanent seat of government for Indiana Territory.

1811

January 7--Indiana Territorial General Assembly petitions United States Congress for a donation of land for a capital.

1813

March 11--Act moves the seat of government from Vincennes to Corydon.

Sources: Hawkins, Indiana's Road to Statehood; Ewbank, Laws of Indiana Territory, 1809-1816.

Achieving Statehood timeline

1811

December 11--Territorial Assembly petitions Congress to admit Indiana into the Union.

1812

March 31--Congressional committee recommends admission when the population of Indiana Territory is 35,000.

1813

March 3--Thomas Posey becomes second governor of Indiana Territory. Harrison resigned to pursue a military commission.

1814

August 29--Territorial census authorized in 1815; showed population at 63,897.

1815

December 11--Territorial Assembly again petitions Congress to admit Indiana into the Union.

1816

April 19--President James Madison approves the Enabling Act allowing for the Indiana Constitutional Convention.

August 5--Elections held under new constitution; Jonathan Jennings became first state governor.

December 11--Indiana becomes nineteenth state.

Sources: Barnhart and Riker, Indiana to 1816; Hawkins, Indiana's Road to Statehood; Kettleborough, Constitution Making.