Indiana Territory was an organized territory of the United States from 1800 to 1816, created by 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 (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 present-day Michigan and the western half of the 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 State of Indiana.

From 1800 to 1813, the territorial capital was 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, the Territorial Secretary, was acting Governor during Harrison's absences 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