naturally drew upon the constitutions of these States for suggestions; but their chief guides were the peculiar needs and sentiments of the people of the Ohio region. They Ohio drew up a constitution to suit the conditions which confronted them. Their work was submitted to Congress and was accepted, and Ohio was admitted as a State in 1803. The new State was prepared to be happy and contented in the Union, for it had just the government it wanted. The policy adopted in reference to Ohio was followed in reference to future applications for admission: a State was allowed to enter the Union with a constitution of its own making. The portion of the Northwest Territory left after Ohio was cut off was governed as the Indiana Territory until 1816, Indiana 1816 Illinois 1818 Michigan when the people within the boundaries of what is now Indiana, numbering 60,000 souls, were admitted into the Union as a State. The stream of emigration ran strong, and two years after the admission of Indiana, Illinois was large enough for statehood and was admitted. What is now Michigan was governed as a territory from 1805 to 1837, when it was admitted as a State. In 1848 Wisconsin, the last of the five States provided for by the Ordinance of 1787, was admitted, leaving a slice of the Northwest Territory for Minnesota. The governments of all five of the States formed under the Ordinance developed under the influence of men who were accustomed to the institutions of the northern States. 1837 Wisconsin 1848 While emigrants from the northern States were settling in the northwestern region and establishing governments and institutions according to northern ideas, emigrants from the southern States were pouring into the great southwest with their southern notions of government. Mississippi, a region granted to the United States by South Carolina and Geor Mississippi 1817 Alabama 1819 Florida gia, was rapidly settled, and in 1817 the western portion was admitted as the State of Mississippi. Two years later the eastern part was admitted as the State of Alabama. In the year in which Alabama was admitted the United States purchased the Florida country from Spain and governed it as a territory until 1845, when it was received into the Union. The governments of these three States developed strictly in accordance with southern ideas. 1845 Maine 1820 Maine was a part of Massachusetts until 1819, when she was given permission by the government of the latter State to form a government of her own if her people desired to do so. The sentiment was in favor of a separation, and in 1820 Maine was admitted as a State. As an outcome of a division in political sentiment during the Civil War the portion of Virginia west of the Alleghany Mountains was detached (118) from the parent State and brought into the Union as a separate State in 1863 under the name of West Virginia, thus making twenty-six States east of the Mississippi River. West Virginia 1863 The Louisiana Purchase. The account of the expansion west of the Mississippi may begin with the purchase from France (1803) of the region known as Louisiana-a purchase by which the area of the Union was doubled. In the admission of the States formed out of the Purchase the federal government was still guided by the Ordinance of 1787, except that slavery was sometimes allowed. The first State carved out of the Purchase was admitted under the name of Louisiana in 1812. The people of Louisiana were French in language, laws and institutions, and their constitution was greatly in Louisiana 1812 Missouri 1821 fluenced by this fact. Missouri was admitted in 1821, and Arkansas 1836 Iowa 1846 Minnesota 1858 Arkansas in 1836. These two States, being settled by pioneers from the older southern States, established governments of the southern type, and introduced southern institutions. Iowa, the next State to be formed from the Purchase, was admitted in 1846. Minnesota, formed in part from the Northwest Territory and in part from the Purchase, entered the Union in 1858. Iowa and Minnesota were organized by settlers from the northern States, and their government, of course, reflected their origin. Kansas Nebraska 1867 Colorado 1876 Kansas was the scene of a long and bitter struggle between northern and southern settlers as to the nature of the government that was to be established. Northern ideas prevailed, and Kansas was admitted in 1861. Nebraska, whose early political history is linked with that of Kansas, was admitted in 1867. Colorado, formed in part from the Purchase, in part from territory acquired from Mexico, was admitted in 1876 as the "Centennial State." Dakota was organized as a territory in 1861, but when the time for statehood arrived it was divided into two sections. The northern section came into the Union as North Dakota and the southern section as South Dakota. They were both admitted on the same day (November 2, 1889). Six days after the Dakotas were admitted, Montana, the greater part of which was formed from the Purchase (the smaller part from the Oregon country), was received into the Union. In 1868 a fragment of the great Purchase was combined with portions of the Mexican Ces North Dakota 1889 South Dakota 1889 Montana 1889 Wyoming 1890 sion and the Oregon country to form the territory of Wyoming, and this was admitted as a State in 1890. Thus twelve large States have been formed out of the wild region purchased by Jefferson. Texas 1845 The Texas Annexation. In 1836 Texas tore itself away from Mexico and became an independent republic. It soon sought admission into the Union, and this was secured by a joint resolution of Congress in 1845. Texas entered the Union with the privilege of forming out of its territory four additional States if it cared to do so. By the admission of Texas an independent nation was incorporated into the Union. This step in expansion increased our territory by an area greater than the combined area of France and England. Oregon The Oregon Country. The region west of the Rocky Mountains, lying between parallels 42 and 49, known as the Oregon country, was for a time jointly occupied by England and the United States, but in 1846 England released her claim and the United States became the sole possessor. The country was organized as the Oregon Territory in 1848, and in 1859 Oregon was set off as a State and admitted into the Union. In 1889 Washington entered the Union, to be followed by Idaho in the following year. 1859 Washington 1889 Idaho 1890 California The Mexican Cession. As a result of war, Mexico was compelled, in 1848, to cede to the United States about half a million square miles of her northern territory. Gold was at once discovered in the newly acquired region and thousands hastened to the scene. To meet the need for a civil government the people hurriedly framed a constitution in 1849, and in the following year the great State was admitted. California differed from all the other States in the history of her admission. She had no previous territorial government; she was not a part of another State. She sprang into statehood at a bound. At the same time that 1850 Nevada 1864 Utah 1896 California was admitted as a State Utah was erected into a territory. Nevada was organized as a territory in 1861 and became a State in 1864. Utah was admitted in 1896. Oklahoma, formed out of a part of the Louisiana Purchase, was organized as a Territory in 1890 and after a remarkable growth in wealth and population was admitted in 1907 as the last adopted daughter of the Union. The Spirit of Federal Expansion. The above sketch shows that growth is a characteristic feature of our Union. Quietly and steadily the United States has extended its boundaries until it has become one of the largest and most powerful nations of the world. When we regard the nature of our Union, its size, its strength, its texture, we may justly say that it is the greatest political achievement of man. Several causes have contributed to the success of this marvellous expansion. The economic advantage of being within the Union has been duly appreciated. A man in his effort to earn a living is not hemmed in under our system by the narrow boundaries of a State, but has the whole country as a field for his energies. The forces of industry and commerce have also contributed to strengthen the Union. Railways, canals, the telegraph, the telephone, have all helped in our national growth. But the most powerful element of success in our career of expansion is to be found in our political conduct. The federal government has not gone forth as a conqueror to bring States into the Union by force, and then ruled them with the heavy hand of power, but it has permitted States to enter when they were ready and willing, and has treated them with moderation and justice after they have entered. When a State has been admitted into the Union it has received all the benefits of the Constitution. Expansion, therefore, has always meant an extension of popular and constitutional government, and an increased enjoyment of civil liberty. QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 1. Bound your State and recite any interesting historical facts |