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Indiana territory
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Image:Indianaterr.PNG 320px|thumb|Map of the Indiana Territory
'''Indiana Territory''' was an
organized territory of the
United States from 1800 to 1816, created by
United States Congress Act of Congress and signed into law by President
John Adams on
May 7,
1800, effective on
July 4. It was the first new territory created from lands of the
Northwest Territory, which had been organized in 1787 by the
Northwest Ordinance.
The original boundaries of the territory included the area of the Northwest Territory west of the
Great Miami River and a line extending north from its headwaters in
Indian Lake (Ohio) Indian Lake (in present-day
Logan County, Ohio) along approximately 83 deg 45 min W longitude. The territory included all of present-day
Indiana,
Illinois,
Wisconsin, as well as the portions of
Minnesota originally part of the Northwest Territory. It also included almost all of the
Upper Peninsula of Michigan upper peninsula of present-day
Michigan and the western half of the
Lower Peninsula of Michigan lower peninsula. It also included the portion of present-day
Ohio west of the Great Miami. This latter parcel became part of the state of Ohio when it was admitted to the Union in 1803. The eastern half of Michigan was added to the Indiana Territory at that time.
The anti-slavery provisions of the Northwest Ordinance remained in force within the Indiana Territory, and Governor Harrison organized a convention in 1802 to request their repeal or temporary suspension. Congressional response came in 1808 and was quite explicit:
"At the very moment that the progress of reason and general benevolence is consigning slavery to its merited destination . . . must the Territory of Indiana take a retrograde step into barbarism" (From the report of the Congressional committee that addressed the petitions.) The petitions were denied.
The area of the territory was reduced again in 1805 by the creation of the
Michigan Territory, and in 1809 by the creation of the
Illinois Territory. The
enabling act of
April 19,
1816, which authorized the people of Indiana Territory to form a state, transferred the area of approximately 30
survey townships from
Michigan Territory to Indiana, leaving the territory within the current boundaries of the
Indiana State of Indiana.
From 1800 to 1813, the territorial capital was
Vincennes, Indiana Vincennes. Originally the territory had just three counties: St. Clair, Randolph and Knox. Knox County contained all of present-day Indiana.
William Henry Harrison was the Governor of the Indiana Territory from
May 13,
1800 to
December 28,
1812.
John Gibson (Indiana) John Gibson, the Territorial Secretary, was acting Governor during Harrison's absences from
July 4,
1800 to
January 10,
1801 and from June 1812 to May 1813.
Thomas Posey was appointed Governor in
March 3,
1813 and served until the state's first governor was sworn into office on
November 7,
1816.
On
December 11,
1816, Indiana was admitted into the Union as the 19th
U.S. state.
''See also'':
Historic regions of the United States
External link
-
''The Indiana Historian'' - Indiana Territory
Category:Historical regions and territories of the United States
Category:History of Indiana
Category:History of Michigan
Category:History of Ohio
pt:Território de Indiana
see
Indiana Territory
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