Introduction

Overview

The Constitution allows Congress to admit "New States ... into this Union."¹ Congress has exercised this power 37 times since 1791, most recently in 1959.

The 13 original colonies, which declared independence from Great Britain in 1776 and initially united under the Articles of Confederation, joined the new federal government by ratifying the Constitution in 1787-1790. Vermont was the next state to join the Union, in 1791, followed by Kentucky in 1792.

As the United States expanded across North America, many regions were organized as territories, beginning with the Northwest Territory.² Tennessee, in 1796, was the first state to join the Union following a period of territorial government (as the Southwest Territory). Six states joined the Union without first being organized as a territory: California, Kentucky, Maine, Texas, Vermont, and West Virginia.

The 1912 admission of Arizona and New Mexico completed the Lower 48 contiguous states stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. Alaska and Hawaii both achieved statehood in 1959, taking the nation to its current count of 50 states—each represented by a star on the national flag.³

About This Report

This report provides selected historical information about each state's journey to statehood with a focus on the role of Congress.

For each state, a chronology (in the form of a bulleted list) describes selected events in the history of its admission (see "Statehood Timelines"). These events may include acquisition of the region by the U.S. government, the creation of a territorial government,⁴ federal legislation that enabled residents to prepare for statehood, the drafting of a state constitution, any state-level referendum or ratification votes related to statehood, federal legislation to admit the new state into the Union, and a presidential proclamation to make its admission official. A shaded box for each state provides key dates and United States Statutes at Large citations, when applicable.

Some states took similar paths to admission, though, in general, those paths have varied considerably. Although this report focuses on Congress's role in the admission of states, the statehood timelines do not describe every legislative action taken during the admission process, and they generally omit proposals or bills that did not become law.⁵ Moreover, the timelines do not typically discuss the details of legislative measures, such as conditions Congress may have placed on a state's admission; actions taken by territorial legislatures or governors; or the wording of ballot questions related to statehood.

This report includes five tables summarizing key information from the individual timelines:

• Table 1 shows the dates and order of admission for each state.
• Table 2 describes legislation that established territorial governments, if any.
• Table 3 describes enabling legislation that allowed territories to prepare for statehood, if any.
• Table 4 describes legislation that admitted states to the Union, if any.
• Table 5 describes popular or convention votes on statehood or related matters, such as ratification of a state constitution in preparation for admission, if any.

With the exception of the information provided in Table 1, available information on the states varies according to the specific path to statehood for each state. The availability of this information for each state is noted in the tables.

In general, this report does not discuss the history or status of a territory before its acquisition by the United States, nor does it address policy or legal questions related to statehood, potential future action by Congress, or the status of current U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.⁶

Sources, Compilations, and Additional Resources

Many footnotes in this report point to primary legislative sources such as the Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States (the House Journal) and the Journal of the Senate of the United States of America (the Senate Journal). Also cited are the Congressional Record and two of its predecessor publications: The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States (the Annals of Congress) and the Congressional Globe.⁷

Some citations point to multivolume compilations of historical documents, such as The Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution;⁸ The Territorial Papers of the United States;⁹ and The Federal and State Constitutions, Colonial Charters, and Other Organic Laws of the States, Territories, and Colonies Now or Heretofore Forming the United States of America.¹⁰

In addition, this report cites secondary sources such as scholarly books and journal articles, as well as reference materials such as encyclopedias and research guides.

Almost all of the primary sources and compilations cited in this report are available online. The Library of Congress's A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation collection contains congressional and legal records for 1774 to 1875.¹¹ Other freely available repositories include the American Presidency Project database, maintained by the University of California, Santa Barbara;¹² the Government Publishing Office's (GPO's) GovInfo website;¹³ HathiTrust's database of historical books and government publications;¹⁴ the Law Library of Congress website;¹⁵ LLMC Digital's collection of historical legal materials;¹⁶ and Yale Law School's Avalon Project collection.¹⁷ Subscription-only databases, such as ProQuest Congressional, also contain relevant content such as legislative documents.

Additional information about territories and statehood is available in reference resources such as Prestatehood Legal Materials: A Fifty-State Research Guide, Including New York City and the District of Columbia¹⁸ and The Uniting States: The Story of Statehood for the Fifty United States.¹⁹

Members and congressional staff can contact CRS for assistance locating research materials, including materials about a specific state.

Summary Tables

Statehood Timelines

Alabama

• September 3, 1783: United States acquires part of the future Alabama from Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris. Additional territory is later acquired in the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819.²⁰
• January 17, 1817: Senator Charles Tait of Georgia reports, from a select committee, a bill that would create a new territorial government in the eastern part of the Mississippi Territory. He also reports a separate bill to prepare the western part of the territory for statehood.²¹
• February 21, 1817: Senate passes the bill creating the Alabama Territory without a recorded vote.²²
• March 3, 1817: House passes the Alabama Territory bill without a recorded vote.²³ President James Madison signs "[a]n Act to establish a separate territorial government for the eastern part of the Mississippi territory," creating the Alabama Territory.²⁴
• December 11, 1818: Senate receives a petition from Alabama territorial officials "praying admission into the Union" as a state and refers it to a select committee.²⁵
• December 18, 1818: Senator Tait reports from the select committee a bill enabling Alabama to "form a constitution and state government" and join the Union.²⁶
• January 12, 1819: Senate passes the Alabama statehood bill without a recorded vote.²⁷
• February 19, 1819: House passes an amended version of the enabling act without a recorded vote.²⁸
• February 23, 1819: Senate concurs in the House's amendments to the enabling act without a recorded vote.²⁹
• March 2, 1819: President James Monroe signs "[a]n Act to enable the people of the Alabama territory to form a constitution and state government, and for the admission of such state into the Union on an equal footing with the original states."³⁰
• July 5, 1819: Delegates gather in Huntsville to write a state constitution for Alabama.³¹
• August 2, 1819: Delegates at the Huntsville convention finalize and sign a state constitution for Alabama.³²
• December 8, 1819: Senate adopts a joint resolution declaring Alabama admitted into the Union, without a recorded vote.³³ House adopts the resolution without a recorded vote.³⁴
• December 14, 1819: President Monroe signs the admission resolution into law, establishing "[t]hat the state of Alabama shall be one, and is hereby declared to be one, of the United States of America."³⁵

Alaska

• October 18, 1867: United States purchases Alaska from Russia.³⁶
• May 17, 1884: President Chester A. Arthur signs "[a]n act providing a civil government for Alaska," which creates the District of Alaska.³⁷
• April 4, 1911: Delegate James Wickersham of Alaska introduces 62 H.R. 38,³⁸ which would grant territory status to Alaska.³⁹
• April 24, 1912: House amends 62 H.R. 38 and passes it without a recorded vote.⁴⁰
• July 24, 1912: Senate amends 62 H.R. 38 and passes it without a recorded vote.⁴¹
• August 17, 1912: Senate adopts conference report on 62 H.R. 38 without a recorded vote.⁴²
• August 20, 1912: House agrees to conference report on 62 H.R. 38 without a recorded vote.⁴³
• August 24, 1912: President William Howard Taft signs 62 H.R. 38 into law, establishing a territorial government for Alaska.⁴⁴
• October 8, 1946: Alaska voters back statehood, 9,630 to 6,822, in a referendum.⁴⁵
• November 8, 1955: A constitutional convention called by the Territorial Legislature holds its first meeting at the University of Alaska, just outside Fairbanks.⁴⁶
• February 5, 1956: Delegates vote 54-0 to adopt a state constitution for Alaska.⁴⁷
• April 24, 1956: Alaska residents vote 17,477 to 7,180 in favor of ratifying the new state constitution.⁴⁸
• June 7, 1957: Representative Leo W. O'Brien of New York introduces 85 H.R. 7999, a bill for "the admission of the State of Alaska into the Union."⁴⁹
• May 28, 1958: House votes 210-166 to pass 85 H.R. 7999.⁵⁰
• June 30, 1958: Senate votes 64-20 to pass 85 H.R. 7999.⁵¹
• July 7, 1958: President Dwight Eisenhower signs 85 H.R. 7999 into law, admitting Alaska as a state pending a referendum vote.⁵²
• August 26, 1958: Alaskans approve statehood in a three-part referendum. On the question, "Shall Alaska immediately be admitted into the Union as a State?" the vote is 40,452 to 8,010.⁵³
• January 3, 1959: President Eisenhower issues Proclamation No. 3269, "Admission of the State of Alaska into the Union," concluding the statehood process.⁵⁴

Arizona

• April 25, 1854: The United States buys part of the land that will become Arizona from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase, adding to land acquired in 1848 by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.⁵⁵
• March 12, 1862: Representative James M. Ashley of Ohio reports 37 H.R. 357, a bill to create a territorial government for Arizona, from the House Committee on Territories.⁵⁶
• May 8, 1862: House passes 37 H.R. 357 without a recorded vote, after rejecting a motion to table the bill.⁵⁷
• February 20, 1863: Senates passes 37 H.R. 357 on a 25-12 vote.⁵⁸
• February 24, 1863: President Abraham Lincoln signs 37 H.R. 357 into law, creating the Territory of Arizona.⁵⁹
• January 14, 1910: Representative Edward L. Hamilton of Michigan introduces 61 H.R. 18166, which would enable Arizona and New Mexico to write constitutions in preparation for statehood.⁶⁰
• January 17, 1910: House suspends the rules and passes 61 H.R. 18166 without a recorded vote.⁶¹
• June 16, 1910: Senate amends 61 H.R. 18166, then passes it on a 65-0 vote.⁶²
• June 18, 1910: House passes Senate-amended version of 61 H.R. 18166 without a recorded vote.⁶³
• June 20, 1910: President William Howard Taft signs 61 H.R. 18166 into law, enabling Arizona and New Mexico to write constitutions and form state governments.⁶⁴
• October 10, 1910: Delegates gather in Phoenix to write a state constitution for Arizona.⁶⁵
• December 9, 1910: Delegates vote 40-12 to adopt a state constitution for Arizona.⁶⁶
• February 9, 1911: Arizona voters ratify the state constitution by a vote of 12,534 to 3,920.⁶⁷
• August 15, 1911: President Taft vetoes 62 H.J.Res. 14, a joint resolution to admit Arizona and New Mexico as states, objecting to the provision of Arizona's constitution that allows voters to recall judges.⁶⁸
• August 17, 1911: Senator William A. Smith of Michigan reports 62 S.J.Res. 57 from the Senate Committee on Territories. This joint resolution would admit Arizona and New Mexico as states, but it would first require Arizona to remove judicial recall from its state constitution.⁶⁹
• August 18, 1911: Senate debates and passes 62 S.J.Res. 57 on a 53-9 vote.⁷⁰
• August 19, 1911: House debates and passes 62 S.J.Res. 57 without a recorded vote.⁷¹
• August 21, 1911: President Taft signs 62 S.J.Res. 57 into law, admitting New Mexico and Arizona as states once certain conditions have been met, including the amending of Arizona's constitution to exempt judicial officers from recall.⁷²
• December 12, 1911: Arizona voters amend the state constitution to remove judicial recall, by a 14,963 to 1,980 vote, meeting President Taft's demand.⁷³
• February 14, 1912: President Taft issues a proclamation admitting Arizona as the 48^th state.⁷⁴

Arkansas

• April 30, 1803: The United States acquires the land that will become Arkansas from France in the Louisiana Purchase.⁷⁵
• December 16, 1818: House convenes a select committee to consider whether to create a separate territorial government for the "Arkansaw Country" (also spelled "Arkansas Country") within the existing Missouri Territory.⁷⁶
• December 21, 1818: Representative George Robertson of Kentucky reports a bill from the select committee creating a new territory.⁷⁷
• February 20, 1819: House passes the bill to establish Arkansas Territory without a recorded vote on final passage, following days of debate and several close votes on amendments and procedural motions related to slavery in the territory.⁷⁸
• March 1, 1819: Senate passes the Arkansas Territory bill without a recorded vote on final passage, following a 19-14 vote to defeat a motion to recommit with instructions to report the bill back with an antislavery amendment.⁷⁹
• March 2, 1819: President James Monroe signs the law "establishing a separate territorial government in the southern part of the territory of Missouri." The new territory, which will come into existence on July 4, 1819, is spelled "Arkansaw" in the statute, though "Arkansas" becomes the standard spelling.⁸⁰
• August 1, 1835: During territorial elections, several Arkansas counties allow voters to express an opinion of statehood on their ballots. The Arkansas Advocate newspaper reports the tally as 1,942 in favor and 908 opposed.⁸¹
• January 4, 1836: Delegates gather in Little Rock to write a new state constitution for Arkansas.⁸²
• January 30, 1836: Delegates at the Little Rock convention vote 46-4 to adopt the Arkansas state constitution.⁸³
• March 10, 1836: Senate votes 22-17 to refer the Arkansas state constitution to a select committee.⁸⁴
• March 22, 1836: Senate select committee reports out 24 S. 178, a bill admitting Arkansas as a state.⁸⁵
• April 4, 1836: Senate votes 31-6 to pass 24 S. 178.⁸⁶
• June 13, 1836: House votes 143-50 to pass 24 S. 178.⁸⁷
• June 15, 1836: President Andrew Jackson signs 24 S. 178 into law, admitting Arkansas into the Union.⁸⁸

California

• February 2, 1848: The United States acquires California from Mexico in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.⁸⁹
• June 3, 1849: Bennet Riley, the U.S. Army officer serving as governor of California, calls a convention with the purpose of "forming a State constitution or a plan for Territorial government."⁹⁰
• September 1, 1849: Convention delegates begin to gather in Monterey.⁹¹
• September 5, 1849: Convention delegates vote, 28-8, to draft a constitution and seek statehood for California rather than organize a territorial government.⁹²
• October 13, 1849: Convention delegates sign a state constitution for California.⁹³
• November 13, 1849: California residents ratify the state constitution by a vote of 12,061 to 811.⁹⁴
• January 29, 1850: Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky proposes what becomes the Compromise of 1850, a legislative package that includes California's admission to the Union as a free state, in response to growing tensions between the North and South.⁹⁵
• February 13, 1850: President Zachary Taylor transmits the California state constitution to Congress.⁹⁶
• March 25, 1850: Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois reports 31 S. 169, a bill to admit California as a state, from the Senate Committee on Territories.⁹⁷
• August 13, 1850: Senate debates and passes 31 S. 169 on a 34-18 vote.⁹⁸
• September 7, 1850: House debates and passes 31 S. 169 on a 150-56 vote.⁹⁹
• September 9, 1850: President Millard Fillmore signs 31 S. 169 into law, admitting California as the 31^st state.¹⁰⁰

Colorado

• February 2, 1848: The United States acquires part of the land that will become Colorado from Mexico in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, adding to land acquired in the 1803 Louisiana Purchase and the 1845 annexation of Texas.¹⁰¹
• April 3, 1860: Senator James S. Green of Missouri reports 36 S. 366, which would create a new territory, from the Senate Committee on Territories.¹⁰²
• February 4, 1861: Senate passes 36 S. 366 to create the Colorado Territory without a recorded vote, after also considering the names "Jefferson" and "Idaho."¹⁰³
• February 18, 1861: House amends 36 S. 366, then passes it on a 90-44 vote.¹⁰⁴
• February 26, 1861: Senate votes 26-18 to pass the House-amended version of 36 S. 366.¹⁰⁵
• February 28, 1861: President James Buchanan signs 36 S. 366 into law, creating the Colorado Territory.¹⁰⁶
• December 8, 1873: Following attempts to admit Colorado that President Andrew Johnson vetoed in 1866 and 1867,¹⁰⁷ Delegate Jerome B. Chaffee of Colorado introduces 43 H.R. 435, a bill to "enable the people of Colorado to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of the said State into the Union on an equal footing with the original states."¹⁰⁸
• June 8, 1874: House votes to suspend the rules and pass 43 H.R. 435.¹⁰⁹
• February 24, 1875: Senate debates and amends 43 H.R. 435, then passes it.¹¹⁰
• March 3, 1875: House concurs in Senate amendments with a 164-76 vote to suspend the rules and pass the bill.¹¹¹
• March 3, 1875: President Ulysses S. Grant signs 43 H.R. 435 into law.¹¹²
• December 20, 1875: Delegates gather in Denver to write a state constitution for Colorado.¹¹³
• March 14, 1876: Colorado convention delegates vote 30-0 to approve the state constitution.¹¹⁴
• July 1, 1876: Colorado residents vote 15,443 to 4,062 in favor of ratifying the new state constitution.¹¹⁵
• August 1, 1876: President Grant issues a proclamation admitting Colorado as the 38^th state.¹¹⁶

Connecticut

• April 23, 1662: King Charles II grants a royal charter to the "Governor and Company of the English Colony of Connecticut in New-England, in America."¹¹⁷
• July 4, 1776: Connecticut joins 12 other colonies in declaring independence from Great Britain.¹¹⁸
• July 9, 1778: Connecticut signs the Articles of Confederation.¹¹⁹
• May 14-September 17, 1787: Connecticut's three delegates participate in the Constitutional Convention.¹²⁰
• January 9, 1788: Connecticut's convention ratifies the Constitution, 128-40.¹²¹

Delaware

• August 24, 1682: James, Duke of York, gives the land that will become Delaware to William Penn, who had acquired Pennsylvania the prior year from the Duke's brother, King Charles II.¹²²
• 1704: A new legislature holds its first meeting in New Castle, though the three counties continue to share a governor with neighboring Pennsylvania and do not formally adopt the name "Delaware" until 1776.¹²³
• July 4, 1776: Delaware joins 12 other colonies in declaring independence from Great Britain.¹²⁴
• May 5, 1779: Delaware signs the Articles of Confederation.¹²⁵
• May 14-September 17, 1787: Delaware's five delegates participate in the Constitutional Convention.¹²⁶
• December 7, 1787: Delaware's convention ratifies the Constitution by a 30-0 vote, making it the first state to join the new federal government.¹²⁷

Florida

• February 22, 1819: The United States acquires Florida from Spain in the Adams-Onís Treaty.¹²⁸
• February 6, 1822: Senator William Smith of South Carolina reports from the Senate Judiciary Committee a bill to establish a territorial government in Florida.¹²⁹
• March 8, 1822: Senate passes Florida Territory bill without a recorded vote.¹³⁰
• March 27, 1822: House passes an amended version of the Florida Territory bill.¹³¹ Senate concurs in House amendments without a recorded vote.¹³²
• March 30, 1822: President James Monroe signs the law "for the establishment of a territorial government in Florida."¹³³
• May 1, 1837: In a referendum on statehood, Florida residents vote 2,214 to 1,274 in favor of seeking admission to the Union.¹³⁴
• December 3, 1838: Delegates to a convention convened by the Florida Territory's Legislative Council gather in St. Joseph to write a state constitution.¹³⁵
• January 11, 1839: Delegates vote 55-1 to approve the Florida state constitution.¹³⁶
• May 6, 1839: Florida voters ratify the new state constitution by a vote of 2,071 to 1,958.¹³⁷
• January 7, 1845: Representative Aaron V. Brown of Tennessee reports 28 H.R. 497, a bill to admit Florida and Iowa as states, from the House Committee on Territories.¹³⁸
• February 13, 1845: House votes 144-48 to pass 28 H.R. 497.¹³⁹
• March 1, 1845: Senate votes 36-9 to pass 28 H.R. 497.¹⁴⁰
• March 3, 1845: President John Tyler signs 28 H.R. 497 to admit Florida and Iowa as states. Florida's admission is immediate, whereas Iowa's admission is delayed until December 1846 due to a dispute over its borders.¹⁴¹

Georgia

• June 9, 1732: King George II grants a royal charter for the colony of Georgia.¹⁴²
• July 4, 1776: Georgia joins 12 other colonies in declaring independence from Great Britain.¹⁴³
• July 24, 1778: Georgia signs the Articles of Confederation.¹⁴⁴
• May 14-September 17, 1787: Georgia's four delegates participate in the Constitutional Convention.¹⁴⁵
• December 31, 1787: Georgia's convention votes 26-0 to ratify the Constitution.¹⁴⁶
• January 2, 1788: Georgia's convention delegates sign a deed formally ratifying the Constitution.¹⁴⁷

Hawaii

• July 7, 1898: The United States annexes the Republic of Hawaii.¹⁴⁸
• December 6, 1899: Senator Shelby M. Cullom of Illinois introduces 56 S. 222, a bill to create a territorial government for the Hawaiian islands.¹⁴⁹
• March 1, 1900: Senate amends and passes 56 S. 222 without a recorded vote.¹⁵⁰
• April 6, 1900: House amends and passes 56 S. 222 by a 120-28 vote.¹⁵¹
• April 25, 1900: Senate approves conference report on 56 S. 222 without a recorded vote.¹⁵²
• April 27, 1900: House approves conference report on 56 S. 222 by a 138-54 vote.¹⁵³
• April 30, 1900: President William McKinley signs 56 S. 222 into law, creating the Territory of Hawaii.¹⁵⁴
• November 5, 1940: Hawaii Territory voters back statehood, 46,174 to 22,428, in a plebiscite that asked, "Do you favor statehood for Hawaii?"¹⁵⁵
• April 3, 1950: Delegates to a convention convened by the territorial legislature gather in Honolulu to draft a state constitution.¹⁵⁶
• July 22, 1950: Delegates at the Honolulu convention vote 60-1 to adopt a state constitution.¹⁵⁷
• November 7, 1950: Hawaii residents vote 82,788 to 27,109 in favor of ratifying the state constitution.¹⁵⁸
• January 9, 1959: Senator James E. Murray of Montana introduces 86 S. 50, a bill to admit Hawaii as a state. The latest effort followed decades of debate and unsuccessful attempts to achieve statehood, but the bill is introduced less than a week after Alaska is admitted as the 49^th state.¹⁵⁹
• March 11, 1959: Senate passes 86 S. 50 on a 76-15 vote.¹⁶⁰
• March 12, 1959: House passes 86 S. 50 on a 323-89 vote.¹⁶¹
• March 18, 1959: President Dwight Eisenhower signs 86 S. 50 into law.¹⁶²
• June 27, 1959: Hawaii voters endorse statehood in a three-part referendum. The vote is 132,773 to 7,971 on the question, "Shall Hawaii immediately be admitted into the Union as a State?"¹⁶³
• August 21, 1959: President Eisenhower issues Proclamation 3309, "Admission of the State of Hawaii Into the Union," formally admitting Hawaii as the 50^th state.¹⁶⁴

Idaho

• June 15, 1846: The United States acquires the Oregon Country, including the land that will become Idaho, following a period of joint occupation with Great Britain.¹⁶⁵
• February 11, 1863: Representative James M. Ashley of Ohio reports 37 H.R. 738, a bill to create a new territorial government, from the House Committee on Territories.¹⁶⁶
• February 12, 1863: House amends and passes 37 H.R. 738.¹⁶⁷
• March 3, 1863: Senate amends 37 H.R. 738, naming the new territory "Idaho" instead of "Montana," then passes it on a 25-12 vote.¹⁶⁸ House concurs in Senate changes to 37 H.R. 738 by a vote of 65-33.¹⁶⁹ President Abraham Lincoln signs 37 H.R. 738 into law, creating the Territory of Idaho.¹⁷⁰
• April 2, 1889: Idaho's territorial governor calls a constitutional convention.¹⁷¹
• July 4, 1889: Delegates meet in Boise to begin writing a state constitution.¹⁷²
• August 6, 1889: Delegates at the Boise convention vote 51-0 to adopt a state constitution for Idaho.¹⁷³
• November 5, 1889: Voters in Idaho ratify the state constitution by a 12,398 to 1,773 margin.¹⁷⁴
• January 13, 1890: Representative Isaac S. Struble of Iowa introduces 51 H.R. 4562, a bill "to provide for the admission of the State of Idaho."¹⁷⁵
• April 3, 1890: House passes 51 H.R. 4562 by a 129-1 vote.¹⁷⁶
• July 1, 1890: Senate passes 51 H.R. 4562 without a recorded vote.¹⁷⁷
• July 3, 1890: President Benjamin Harrison signs 51 H.R. 4562 into law, admitting Idaho as the 43^rd state.¹⁷⁸

Illinois

• September 3, 1783: The United States acquires the land that will become Illinois from Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris.¹⁷⁹
• December 31, 1808: Delegate Jesse B. Thomas of Indiana reports a bill to divide the Indiana Territory into two territories, from a select committee appointed to examine the issue.¹⁸⁰
• January 18, 1809: House votes 69-37 to pass the bill dividing Indiana Territory.¹⁸¹
• January 31, 1809: Senate passes the Indiana Territory bill without a recorded vote.¹⁸²
• February 3, 1809: President Thomas Jefferson signs the bill to split the Indiana Territory, creating the Illinois Territory effective March 1, 1809.¹⁸³
• January 23, 1818: Delegate Nathaniel Pope of Illinois reports a bill allowing Illinois Territory residents to write a constitution and form a state government in preparation for admission to the Union, from a select committee appointed to review the territorial government's petition seeking statehood.¹⁸⁴
• April 6, 1818: House passes the Illinois bill without a recorded vote.¹⁸⁵
• April 14, 1818: Senate passes an amended version of the Illinois bill without a recorded vote.¹⁸⁶
• April 15, 1818: House concurs in Senate amendments to the Illinois bill without a recorded vote.¹⁸⁷
• April 18, 1818: President James Monroe signs the Illinois enabling legislation into law.¹⁸⁸
• August 3-26, 1818: Delegates meet in Kaskaskia and draft a state constitution for Illinois.¹⁸⁹
• November 20, 1818: Representative Richard C. Anderson Jr. of Kentucky reports a joint resolution admitting Illinois to the Union, from a select committee appointed to review the state constitution.¹⁹⁰
• November 23, 1818: House passes the resolution admitting Illinois to the Union on a 117-34 vote.¹⁹¹
• December 1, 1818: Senate passes the Illinois statehood resolution without a recorded vote.¹⁹²
• December 3, 1818: President Monroe signs into law the resolution admitting Illinois as the 21^st state.¹⁹³

Indiana

• September 3, 1783: The United States acquires the land that will become Indiana from Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris.¹⁹⁴
• March 20, 1800: Representative William Craik of Maryland reports a bill to divide the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio (Northwest Territory) into two parts.¹⁹⁵
• March 31, 1800: House passes the Northwest Territory bill without a recorded vote.¹⁹⁶
• April 21, 1800: Senate amends and passes the Northwest Territory bill without a recorded vote.¹⁹⁷
• May 3, 1800: House agrees to a compromise version of the Northwest Territory bill without a recorded vote.¹⁹⁸
• May 5, 1800: Senate agrees to the compromise version of the Northwest Territory bill without a recorded vote.¹⁹⁹
• May 7, 1800: President John Adams signs the bill to split the Northwest Territory, creating Indiana Territory in the west effective July 4, 1800.²⁰⁰
• January 5, 1816: Delegate Jonathan Jennings of Indiana reports a bill enabling Indiana to write a constitution and form a state government in preparation for admission to the Union.²⁰¹
• March 30, 1816: House passes the Indiana bill on a 108-3 vote.²⁰²
• April 13, 1816: Senate passes an amended version of the Indiana bill without a recorded vote.²⁰³
• April 15, 1816: House agrees to the Senate's amendments to the Indiana bill without a recorded vote.²⁰⁴
• April 19, 1816: President James Madison signs the Indiana enabling act.²⁰⁵
• June 10-29, 1816: Delegates meet in Corydon and draft a state constitution for Indiana.²⁰⁶
• December 2, 1816: Senate appoints a select committee to investigate whether additional legislation is necessary to complete Indiana's admission as a state.²⁰⁷
• December 4, 1816: Senator Jeremiah Morrow of Ohio reports from the select committee a resolution declaring Indiana admitted to the Union.²⁰⁸
• December 6, 1816: Senate amends and passes the Indiana statehood resolution without a recorded vote.²⁰⁹
• December 9, 1816: House passes Indiana statehood resolution.²¹⁰
• December 11, 1816: President Madison signs the resolution admitting Indiana as the 19^th state.²¹¹

Iowa

• April 30, 1803: The United States acquires the land that will become Iowa from France in the Louisiana Purchase.²¹²
• March 14, 1838: Senator Thomas Morris of Ohio introduces 25 S. 269, a bill to create a new Iowa Territory.²¹³
• June 1, 1838: Senate passes 25 S. 269 without a recorded vote.²¹⁴
• June 6, 1838: House amends 25 S. 269 before passing it on a 118-51 vote.²¹⁵ Senate passes the House-amended bill without a recorded vote, following a 33-6 vote against tabling the bill.²¹⁶
• June 12, 1838: President Martin Van Buren signs 25 S. 269 into law, creating the Iowa Territory effective July 3, 1838.²¹⁷
• April 1, 1844: Iowa Territory voters, by a margin of 6,976 to 4,181, support calling a convention to write a state constitution.²¹⁸
• October 7-November 1, 1844: Delegates meet in Iowa City and draft a state constitution.²¹⁹
• March 3, 1845: President John Tyler signs 28 H.R. 497, a bill to admit Florida and Iowa as states.²²⁰ However, Iowa's admission is made conditional on the territory accepting "truncated boundaries" for the state. Iowa voters twice—on April 7, 1845, and August 4, 1845—reject ratification of a state constitution with those borders.²²¹
• May 4-19, 1846: Delegates meet in Iowa City and draft a second state constitution, with modified boundaries.²²²
• August 3, 1846: Iowa voters ratify their new constitution by a vote of 9,492 to 9,036.²²³
• August 4, 1846: President James K. Polk signs into law the compromise over Iowa's borders, resolving the dispute and clearing the way for statehood.²²⁴
• December 17, 1846: Representative Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois reports 29 H.R. 557, a bill to admit Iowa as a state, from the House Committee on Territories.²²⁵
• December 21, 1846: House passes 29 H.R. 557 without a recorded vote.²²⁶
• December 24, 1846: Senate passes 29 H.R. 557 without a recorded vote following a 40-2 vote to reject an amendment.²²⁷
• December 28, 1846: President Polk signs 29 H.R. 557 into law, admitting Iowa into the Union.²²⁸

Kansas

• April 30, 1803: The United States acquires part of the land that will become Kansas from France in the Louisiana Purchase, with additional territory acquired in 1845 in the annexation of Texas.²²⁹
• December 14, 1853: Senator Augustus Caesar Dodge of Iowa introduces 33 S. 22, a bill to create a new Nebraska Territory.²³⁰
• January 31, 1854: Representative William A. Richardson of Illinois reports 33 H.R. 236, a bill creating new territorial governments for Kansas and Nebraska, from the House Committee on Territories.²³¹
• March 3, 1854: Senate votes 37-14 to pass 33 S. 22, which as amended would create two new territories, Kansas and Nebraska.²³²
• May 22, 1854: House passes an amended version of 33 H.R. 236 on a 113-100 vote, in lieu of voting on the Senate-passed 33 S. 22.²³³
• May 25, 1854: Senate passes 33 H.R. 236 on a 35-13 vote.²³⁴
• May 30, 1854: President Franklin Pierce signs 33 H.R. 236 into law, creating the Kansas and Nebraska territories and repealing the 1820 Missouri Compromise, which would have barred slavery in the new territories. Instead, the Kansas-Nebraska Act leaves residents of the two territories "perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way."²³⁵
• February 2, 1858: President James Buchanan recommends that Congress admit Kansas under a pro-slavery state constitution drafted in Lecompton amid years of violence in the territory between anti- and pro-slavery factions. Faced with opposition in the House, the law signed by President Buchanan on May 4, 1858, requires a "fair and free" vote by Kansans on the Lecompton Constitution as a condition of statehood. Kansas voters overwhelmingly reject the Lecompton Constitution in an August 2, 1858 referendum.²³⁶
• July 5, 1859: Delegates gather in Wyandotte to draft a new state constitution, the territory's fourth constitutional convention following gatherings in Topeka in 1855, Lecompton in 1857, and Leavenworth in 1858.²³⁷
• July 29, 1859: The Wyandotte convention votes 34-13 to adopt a new, anti-slavery state constitution.²³⁸
• October 4, 1859: Kansas voters ratify the Wyandotte Constitution by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530.²³⁹
• February 15, 1860: Representative Galusha A. Grow of Pennsylvania introduces 36 H.R. 23, a bill to admit Kansas to the Union.²⁴⁰
• April 11, 1860: House votes to pass 36 H.R. 23.²⁴¹
• January 21, 1861: Senate amends 36 H.R. 23 and passes it by a 36-16 vote.²⁴²
• January 28, 1861: House votes 119-41 to suspend the rules and take up 36 H.R. 23, then agrees to the Senate's amendments without a recorded vote.²⁴³
• January 29, 1861: President Buchanan signs 36 H.R. 23 into law, admitting Kansas as the 34^th state.²⁴⁴

Kentucky

• December 31, 1776: Virginia's General Assembly establishes Kentucky County in the western part of the commonwealth.²⁴⁵
• November 1, 1780: Virginia's General Assembly splits Kentucky into multiple counties and subsequently refers to the area as the District of Kentucky.²⁴⁶
• July 3, 1788: Congress, still operating under the Articles of Confederation, decides to postpone a decision on statehood for Kentucky until the new federal government convenes in 1789.²⁴⁷
• December 18, 1789: Virginia's General Assembly enacts a law "concerning the erection of the district of Kentuckey [sic] into an independent state," clearing the way for Kentucky to secede from Virginia and enter the Union on its own.²⁴⁸
• July 28, 1790: Delegates gathered in Danville vote 24-18 that "it is expedient for, and the will of, the good people of the District of Kentucky that the same be erected into an Independent State."²⁴⁹
• December 8, 1790: President George Washington asks Congress to consider Kentucky's application for statehood.²⁵⁰
• December 14, 1790: Senate creates a committee to consider Kentucky statehood.²⁵¹
• January 3, 1791: Senator Philip Schuyler of New York reports the committee's recommendation that Kentucky be granted statehood.²⁵²
• January 4, 1791: Senate committee assigned to consider Kentucky statehood reports a bill admitting Kentucky to the Union.²⁵³
• January 12, 1791: Senate passes the Kentucky bill without a recorded vote.²⁵⁴
• January 28, 1791: House passes the Kentucky bill without a recorded vote.²⁵⁵
• February 4, 1791: President Washington signs into law the act declaring that on June 1, 1792, Kentucky will "be received and admitted into this Union, as a new and entire member of the United States of America."²⁵⁶
• April 2, 1792: Delegates gather in Danville to write a state constitution.²⁵⁷
• April 19, 1792: Delegates in Danville adopt a state constitution for Kentucky.²⁵⁸
• June 1, 1792: Kentucky joins the Union as the 15^th state.²⁵⁹

Louisiana

• April 30, 1803: Robert Livingston and James Monroe sign the Louisiana Purchase Treaty and Conventions in Paris, France.²⁶⁰
• October 20, 1803: The Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase treaty by a vote of 24-7.²⁶¹
• December 30, 1803: Senator John Breckinridge of Kentucky reports a bill "erecting Louisiana into two territories," from a committee appointed to study the issue.²⁶²
• February 18, 1804: The Senate passes an amended version of the bill "erecting Louisiana into two Territories" by a vote of 20-5.²⁶³
• March 17, 1804: The House passes an amended version of the bill splitting the Louisiana Purchase into two territories by a vote of 66-21."²⁶⁴
• March 20, 1804: The Senate rejects several of the House's changes to the Louisiana bill.²⁶⁵
• March 21, 1804: The House requests a conference committee with the Senate to resolve differences over the Louisiana bill.²⁶⁶
• March 23, 1804: House votes 51-45 to pass a compromise version of the Louisiana bill,²⁶⁷ followed by a 15-9 vote in the Senate.²⁶⁸
• March 26, 1804: President Thomas Jefferson signs the act splitting the Louisiana Purchase into two areas: the Territory of Orleans, including the city of New Orleans, and the District of Louisiana, covering the bulk of the land acquired from France.²⁶⁹
• December 27, 1810: Representative Nathaniel Macon of North Carolina introduces a bill that would enable Orleans Territory residents to draft a constitution and form a state government in preparation for statehood.²⁷⁰
• January 15, 1811: House passes the Orleans Territory bill by a 77-36 vote.²⁷¹
• February 7, 1811: Senate passes an amended version of the Orleans Territory bill by a 22-10 vote.²⁷²
• February 13, 1811: House agrees to the Senate's amendment by a 69-45 vote.²⁷³
• February 20, 1811: President James Madison signs the act enabling Orleans Territory to prepare for statehood.²⁷⁴
• November 4, 1811: A constitutional convention begins in New Orleans.²⁷⁵
• January 22, 1812: Delegates to the New Orleans convention sign a state constitution for Louisiana.²⁷⁶
• March 16, 1812: Representative John Dawson of Virginia introduces a bill to admit Louisiana as a state.²⁷⁷
• March 20, 1812: House votes 79-23 to pass the Louisiana statehood bill.²⁷⁸
• April 1, 1812: Senate passes an amended version of the Louisiana statehood act without a recorded vote.²⁷⁹
• April 6, 1812: House agrees to the Senate-amended version of the admission act without a recorded vote.²⁸⁰
• April 8, 1812: President Madison signs the act admitting Louisiana into the Union, which will take effect on April 30.²⁸¹
• April 30, 1812: Louisiana becomes the 18^th state.

Maine

• October 7, 1691: A new charter for the Massachusetts Bay colony enlarges it to include Maine, among other places. Maine will remain part of Massachusetts for more than a century.²⁸²
• June 19, 1819: Massachusetts consents to Maine's separation and statehood, pending the outcome of a referendum vote and other steps.²⁸³
• July 26, 1819: Mainers vote in favor of separating from Massachusetts, 17,091 to 7,132. It is the sixth in a series of votes on the subject going back to 1792.²⁸⁴
• October 11-29, 1819: Delegates gather in Portland to write a new Maine constitution.²⁸⁵
• December 6, 1819: Maine voters ratify the new state constitution by 9,040 to 796.²⁸⁶
• December 21, 1819: Representative John Holmes of Massachusetts reports, from a select committee, a bill to admit Maine as a state.²⁸⁷
• January 3, 1820: House passes an amended version of the Maine statehood bill without a recorded vote.²⁸⁸
• February 18, 1820: Senate amends and passes the Maine statehood bill without a recorded vote on final passage.²⁸⁹
• March 3, 1820: House and Senate agree to a compromise version of the Maine statehood bill, which is then passed by the House and Senate without recorded votes.²⁹⁰ President James Monroe signs the bill, which will take effect on March 15, 1820.²⁹¹
• March 15, 1820: Maine becomes the 23^rd state. Its admission is paired with the admission of Missouri as a slave state as part of the Missouri Compromise.²⁹²

Maryland

• June 20, 1632: King Charles I grants the charter for the colony of Maryland to Cecil Calvert.²⁹³
• July 4, 1776: Maryland joins 12 other colonies in declaring independence from Great Britain.²⁹⁴
• March 1, 1781: Maryland signs and ratifies the Articles of Confederation.²⁹⁵
• May 14-September 17, 1787: Maryland's five delegates participate in the Constitutional Convention.²⁹⁶
• April 28, 1788: Maryland's convention formally ratifies the Constitution, following a 63-11 vote on April 26.²⁹⁷

Massachusetts

• March 4, 1629: A charter is given to the "Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England" by King Charles I.²⁹⁸
• October 7, 1691: A new charter, given by King William and Queen Mary, enlarges Massachusetts "to include the old colony of Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth Colony, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, Maine, and parts of Nova Scotia."²⁹⁹
• July 4, 1776: Massachusetts joins 12 other colonies in declaring independence from Great Britain.³⁰⁰
• July 9, 1778: Massachusetts signs and ratifies the Articles of Confederation.³⁰¹
• May 14-September 17, 1787: Massachusetts's four delegates participate in the Constitutional Convention.³⁰²
• February 6, 1788: Massachusetts's convention ratifies the Constitution by a vote of 187-168.³⁰³

Michigan

• September 3, 1783: The United States acquires the land that will become Michigan from Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris.³⁰⁴
• December 14, 1804: Senator Thomas Worthington of Ohio reports, from a committee on the subject, a bill that would divide the Indiana Territory into two separate territories.³⁰⁵
• December 24, 1804: Senate amends and passes the Indiana Territory bill without a recorded vote.³⁰⁶
• January 7, 1805: House passes an amended version of the Indiana Territory bill without a recorded vote.³⁰⁷
• January 8, 1805: Senate passes the House-amended territorial bill without a recorded vote.³⁰⁸
• January 11, 1805: President Thomas Jefferson signs the act to split the Indiana Territory in two, creating the Michigan Territory as of June 30, 1805.³⁰⁹
• October 5-6, 1835: Michigan's constitution, drafted by a convention meeting in Detroit from May 11 to June 24, 1835, is adopted by a vote of 6,752 to 1,374.³¹⁰
• March 22, 1836: Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri reports 24 S. 177, a bill that would establish the northern border of Ohio and admit Michigan as a state, from a select committee studying the issue.³¹¹
• April 2, 1836: Senate votes to pass 24 S. 177.³¹²
• June 13, 1836: House passes 24 S. 177 without a recorded vote on final passage, following a 153-45 procedural vote.³¹³
• June 15, 1836: President Andrew Jackson signs 24 S. 177 into law, admitting Michigan as a state on the condition that it accept newly defined borders.³¹⁴ Under the proposed compromise, Michigan would cede the disputed city of Toledo to Ohio but acquire much of the Upper Peninsula.³¹⁵
• September 26-30, 1836: Delegates elected to a state convention vote 28-21 to reject the congressional compromise over Michigan's borders.³¹⁶
• December 14-15, 1836: Delegates elected to a second state convention, known as the "Frostbitten Convention," vote unanimously to accept Congress's conditions for statehood.³¹⁷
• December 29, 1836: Senator Felix Grundy of Tennessee reports 24 S. 81, a bill to admit Michigan as a state, from the Senate Judiciary Committee.³¹⁸
• January 5, 1837: Senate votes 25-10 to pass 24 S. 81.³¹⁹
• January 25, 1837: House votes 132-43 to pass 24 S.81.³²⁰
• January 26, 1837: President Jackson signs 24 S. 81 into law, admitting Michigan to the Union.³²¹

Minnesota

• October 20, 1818: The United States acquires part of the land that will become Minnesota from Great Britain, adding to territory obtained in the Treaty of Paris (1783) and the Louisiana Purchase (1803).³²²
• February 23, 1848: Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois introduces 30 S. 152, a bill to create the Minnesota Territory.³²³
• January 19, 1849: Senate passes an amended version of the Minnesota Territory bill without a recorded vote.³²⁴
• February 28, 1849: House passes an amended version of the Minnesota Territory bill without a recorded vote.³²⁵
• March 1, 1849: Senate accepts most of the House's amendments to the Minnesota Territory bill, but rejects one on a 30-18 vote.³²⁶
• March 3, 1849: House votes 107-70 to accept the Senate's version of 30 S. 152.³²⁷ President James K. Polk signs the Minnesota Territory bill into law.³²⁸
• December 24, 1856: Delegate Henry Rice of Minnesota introduces 34 H.R. 642, a bill authorizing Minnesota Territory residents to hold a constitutional convention in preparation for statehood.³²⁹
• January 31, 1857: House votes 97-75 to pass an amended version of 34 H.R. 642.³³⁰
• February 21, 1857: Senate votes 47-1 to pass an amended version of 34 H.R. 642.³³¹
• February 25, 1857: Senate reconsiders its amendment and votes 31-22 to approve the House-passed version.³³²
• February 26, 1857: President James Buchanan signs the Minnesota enabling act into law.³³³
• July 13-August 29, 1857: Elected delegates assemble in St. Paul to draft the state constitution, but the Democratic and Republican parties are so divided that two separate conventions are held and two constitutions are drafted. Eventually, a conference committee drafts a compromise document.³³⁴
• October 13, 1857: Minnesota voters ratify the new state constitution, 30,055 to 571.³³⁵
• January 26, 1858: Senator Douglas reports 35 S. 86, a bill "for the admission of the State of Minnesota into the Union," from the Senate Committee on Territories.³³⁶
• April 7, 1858: Senate votes 49-3 to admit Minnesota as a state.³³⁷
• May 11, 1858: House votes to admit Minnesota as a state.³³⁸ President Buchanan signs 35 S. 86 into law, and Minnesota became a state.³³⁹

Mississippi

• September 3, 1783: The United States acquires the the land that will become Mississippi from Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris.³⁴⁰
• February 23, 1798: Senator James Ross of Pennsylvania reports, from a committee looking into the area south and west of Georgia, a bill to establish a new Mississippi Territory.³⁴¹
• March 5, 1798: The Senate passes the Mississippi Territory bill, 20-8.³⁴²
• March 27, 1798: The House passes an amended version of the Mississippi Territory bill without a recorded vote.³⁴³
• March 29, 1798: The Senate agrees to the House amendments without a recorded vote.³⁴⁴
• April 7, 1798: President John Adams signs the Mississippi Territory bill into law.³⁴⁵
• January 17, 1817: Senator Charles Tait of Georgia reports, from a select committee studying the issue, a bill that would enable the western part of the Mississippi Territory to prepare for statehood.³⁴⁶
• January 31, 1817: Senate passes an amended version of the Mississippi Territory enabling bill without a recorded vote.³⁴⁷
• February 26, 1817: House amends and passes the Mississippi Territory enabling bill without a recorded vote.³⁴⁸
• February 27, 1817: Senate concurs in the House's amendments without a recorded vote.³⁴⁹
• March 1, 1817: President James Madison signs the enabling act for Mississippi statehood.³⁵⁰
• July-August 1817: Forty-eight delegates meet to form a constitutional convention.³⁵¹
• August 15, 1817: The delegates approve the final draft of the Mississippi Constitution.³⁵²
• December 3, 1817: Senator James Barbour of Virginia reports, from a select committee studying the issue, a resolution to admit Mississippi as a state. It passes the Senate without a recorded vote.³⁵³
• December 8, 1817: The House passes the resolution "on the admission of the state of Mississippi into the Union" without a recorded vote.³⁵⁴
• December 10, 1817: President James Monroe signs the resolution into law and Mississippi becomes the 20^th state.³⁵⁵

Missouri

• April 30, 1803: The United States acquires the land that will become Missouri from France in the Louisiana Purchase. It will become part of the Louisiana Territory, while the land that will become Louisiana is governed as the Orleans Territory.³⁵⁶
• November 14, 1811: Representative John Rhea of Tennessee reports, from a select committee, a bill on the Louisiana Territory's government.³⁵⁷
• April 9, 1812: House passes the Louisiana Territory bill without a recorded vote.³⁵⁸
• May 19, 1812: Senate passes an amended version of the Louisiana Territory bill without a recorded vote.³⁵⁹
• May 21, 1812: House amends and passes the Senate-amended version of the Louisiana Territory bill without a recorded vote.³⁶⁰ Senate then approves the House-amended version without a recorded vote.³⁶¹
• June 4, 1812: President James Madison signs the act reorganizing the government of Louisiana Territory and giving it a new name: Missouri Territory.³⁶²
• February 13, 1819: Representative James Tallmadge of New York proposes gradual emancipation in Missouri as a condition for statehood, setting off a sectional controversy over slavery. The eventual resolution, known as the Missouri Compromise, includes the admission of Maine as a free state, the admission of Missouri as a slave state, and the prohibition of slavery in the remainder of the Louisiana Purchase north of Missouri's southern boundary (36° 30' north latitude).³⁶³
• March 1, 1820: House passes a bill, by a vote of 91 to 82, enabling Missouri to prepare a state constitution and government.³⁶⁴
• March 2, 1820: Senate amends and passes the Missouri enabling bill without a recorded vote on final passage.³⁶⁵ House agrees to the Senate's amendments by votes of 90-87 and 134-42 after the question was divided.³⁶⁶
• March 6, 1820: President James Monroe signs the act enabling Missouri residents to write a constitution and form a state government.³⁶⁷
• June 12, 1820: Delegates gather in St. Louis to draft a state constitution.³⁶⁸
• July 17, 1820: Delegates at the St. Louis convention vote 39-1 to approve a new state constitution, which they sign two days later.³⁶⁹
• February 26, 1821: Representative Henry Clay of Kentucky reports, from a joint committee appointed to consider Missouri statehood, a resolution granting conditional admission to Missouri. The House approves the resolution by a vote of 87 to 81.³⁷⁰
• February 28, 1821: Senate approves the resolution for conditional admission of Missouri by a 28-14 vote.³⁷¹
• March 2, 1821: President Monroe signs the resolution granting statehood to Missouri, on the condition that its legislature agree the state constitution "shall never be construed to authorize the passage of any law, and that no law shall be passed in conformity thereto, by which any citizen … shall be excluded from the enjoyment of any of the privileges and immunities to which such citizen is entitled under the constitution of the United States."³⁷²
• August 10, 1821: President Monroe issues a proclamation admitting Missouri as the 24^th state.³⁷³

Montana

• June 15, 1846: United States acquires part of the land that will become Montana from Great Britain in the Oregon Treaty, adding to land acquired from France in 1803 via the Louisiana Purchase.³⁷⁴
• December 14, 1863: Representative James M. Ashley of Ohio introduces 38 H.R. 15, a bill to create a new Territory of Montana.³⁷⁵
• March 17, 1864: House amends and passes 38 H.R. 15 without a recorded vote.³⁷⁶
• March 31, 1864: Senate amends 38 H.R. 15 and votes 29-8 to pass it.³⁷⁷
• May 19, 1864: Senate votes 26-13 to approve a compromise version of 38 H.R. 15.³⁷⁸
• May 20, 1864: House votes 102-26 to approve a compromise version of 38 H.R. 15.³⁷⁹
• May 26, 1864: President Abraham Lincoln signs 38 H.R. 15 into law, creating the Montana Territory.³⁸⁰
• December 12, 1887: Senator Charles F. Manderson of Nebraska introduces 50 S. 185, a bill to admit southern Dakota Territory as the State of Dakota and create a new Territory of Lincoln in northern Dakota Territory.³⁸¹
• April 19, 1888: Senate votes 26-23 to pass an amended version of 50 S. 185 that would create a State of South Dakota and a new Territory of North Dakota.³⁸²
• January 18, 1889: Houses votes 145-98 to pass an amended version of 50 S. 185. This new version would clear the way to admit Montana, New Mexico, Washington, and—depending on the results of a referendum on division—either a combined state of Dakota or separate states of North Dakota and South Dakota.³⁸³
• February 20, 1889: House and Senate agree to a compromise version of 50 S. 185 that allows the creation and admission of four new states: Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington. Both chambers pass the bill without recorded votes.³⁸⁴
• February 22, 1889: President Grover Cleveland signs 50 S. 185, enabling statehood for Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington.³⁸⁵
• July 4, 1889: Delegates gather in Helena to write a state constitution for Montana.³⁸⁶
• August 17, 1889: Delegates to the Helena convention vote 61-2 to adopt the new Montana state constitution.³⁸⁷
• October 1, 1889: Montana voters ratify the new state constitution, 24,676 to 2,274.³⁸⁸
• November 8, 1889: President Benjamin Harrison issues a proclamation admitting Montana as the 41^st state.³⁸⁹

Nebraska

• April 30, 1803: United States acquires the land that will become Nebraska from France in the Louisiana Purchase.³⁹⁰
• December 14, 1853: Senator Augustus Caesar Dodge of Iowa introduces 33 S. 22, a bill to create a new Nebraska Territory.³⁹¹
• January 31, 1854: Representative William A. Richardson of Illinois reports 33 H.R. 236, a bill creating new territorial governments for Kansas and Nebraska, from the House Committee on Territories.³⁹²
• March 3, 1854: Senate votes 37-14 to pass 33 S. 22, which as amended would create two new territories, Kansas and Nebraska.³⁹³
• May 22, 1854: House passes an amended version of 33 H.R. 236 on a 113-100 vote, in lieu of voting on the Senate-passed 33 S. 22.³⁹⁴
• May 25, 1854: Senate passes 33 H.R. 236 on a 35-13 vote.³⁹⁵
• May 30, 1854: President Franklin Pierce signs 33 H.R. 236 into law, creating the Kansas and Nebraska territories and repealing the 1820 Missouri Compromise that would have barred slavery there. Instead, the Kansas-Nebraska Act leaves residents of the two territories "perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way."³⁹⁶
• December 14, 1863: Representative James M. Ashley of Ohio introduces 38 H.R. 14½, a bill to enable the people of Nebraska to write a constitution and form a state government.³⁹⁷
• March 17, 1864: House passes 38 H.R. 14½ without a recorded vote.³⁹⁸
• April 14, 1864: Senate passes 38 H.R. 14½ without a recorded vote.³⁹⁹
• April 19, 1864: President Abraham Lincoln signs the Nebraska enabling act into law.⁴⁰⁰
• June 2, 1866: Following an abortive constitutional convention in 1864, Nebraska voters ratify a state constitution written by the territorial legislature, 3,938 to 3,838.⁴⁰¹
• December 5, 1866: Senator Benjamin Wade of Ohio introduces 39 S. 456, a bill to admit Nebraska as a state.⁴⁰²
• January 9, 1867: Senate votes 24-15 to pass an amended version of 39 S. 456.⁴⁰³
• January 15, 1867: House votes 103-55 to pass an amended version of 39 S. 456.⁴⁰⁴
• January 16, 1867: Senate votes 28-14 to accept the House's version of 39 S. 456.⁴⁰⁵
• January 30, 1867: President Andrew Johnson vetoes 39 S. 456, the Nebraska statehood act. He objected to its requirement that "there shall be no denial of the elective franchise, or of any other right, to any person, by reason of race or color" in Nebraska.⁴⁰⁶
• February 8, 1867: Senate overrides President Johnson's veto of 39 S. 456 by a 31-9 vote.⁴⁰⁷
• February 9, 1867: House overrides President Johnson's veto of 39 S. 456 by a 120-44 vote, enacting it into law.⁴⁰⁸
• March 1, 1867: President Johnson issues a proclamation admitting Nebraska as the 37^th state.⁴⁰⁹