todaysdocument:

Happy 210th Statehood Day to Ohio!

The Act of April 30, 1802 (“Ohio Enabling Act”), 2 STAT 173, “enabling the people of the Eastern Division of the territory northwest of the river Ohio to form a Constitution and State government and for the admission of such state into the Union.”

Ohio was admitted to the Union on March 1, 1803, becoming the 17th state, and the first admitted under the Northwest Ordinance.

We have hundreds, of images about Ohio in our holdings - find one you like and submit it to us, or suggest it here.  What do you think best represents the Buckeye State?

We are partial to to any of the Berryman cartoons, but “Ohio, the Mother of Presidents” (306104) is one of our favorites! What do you think?

On December 31, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed an act admitting West Virginia into the Union. This petition in favor of admission was received by Congress in 1862. Petition from citizens of Monongalia County, requesting admission of West Virginia into the Union, 1862, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives (ARC 306643)
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On December 31, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed an act admitting West Virginia into the Union. This petition in favor of admission was received by Congress in 1862.

Petition from citizens of Monongalia County, requesting admission of West Virginia into the Union, 1862, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives (ARC 306643)

This document certifies the election of Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) to the 86th Congress as the State of Hawaii’s first voting member of the U.S. House of Representatives. After serving in the House for four years, Inouye was elected to the Senate in 1962 where he served until his passing on December 17. Certificate of Election for Representative Daniel K. Inouye, 8/21/1959, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives (ARC 6926548)
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This document certifies the election of Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) to the 86th Congress as the State of Hawaii’s first voting member of the U.S. House of Representatives. After serving in the House for four years, Inouye was elected to the Senate in 1962 where he served until his passing on December 17.

Certificate of Election for Representative Daniel K. Inouye, 8/21/1959, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives (ARC 6926548)

This week marks the bicentennial celebration of the statehood of Louisiana. Among the historical records of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate at the Center for Legislative Archives are many documents that illustrate the important role Congress plays in the creation of states. For Louisiana the road to statehood was relatively short; it became a state less than 10 years after being acquired from the French Government under provisions of the Louisiana Purchase. Visit our featured documents page for selection of congressional records that document Louisiana’s journey to become the 18th state in the Union.  

Proclamation of Governor William Claiborne, 12/20/1803, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives 

President Jefferson’s nomination of William Claiborne, 11/30/1804, Records of the U.S. Senate

The Constitution of the State of Louisiana, 1/22/1812, Records of the U.S. Senate

HR 88, 3/20/1812, Records of the U.S. Senate

todaysdocument:

Approved on March 6, 1820, the Missouri Compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a non-slave state at the same time, so as not to upset the balance between slave and free states in the nation. It also outlawed slavery above the 36º 30´ latitude line in the remainder of the Louisiana Territory but would be later repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

congressarchives: On February 10, 1791 this bill to admit Vermont to Union was introduced in the Senate. Vermont was the first state to be admitted to the Union after the original 13 colonies on March 4, 1791. Bill for Admission of Vermont to the Union, 2/10/1791, SEN 1A-B1, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 1151205)
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congressarchives:

On February 10, 1791 this bill to admit Vermont to Union was introduced in the Senate. Vermont was the first state to be admitted to the Union after the original 13 colonies on March 4, 1791.

Bill for Admission of Vermont to the Union, 2/10/1791, SEN 1A-B1, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 1151205)

(via todaysdocument)

Source: research.archives.gov

Today marks the 100th anniversary for Arizona’s statehood! Check out our image gallery to see a selection of documents we’ve compiled from Arizona’s path to statehood. Memorial of the Territory of Arizona praying for Statehood, 3/11/1899, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives
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Today marks the 100th anniversary for Arizona’s statehood! Check out our image gallery to see a selection of documents we’ve compiled from Arizona’s path to statehood.

Memorial of the Territory of Arizona praying for Statehood, 3/11/1899, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives

On February 10, 1791 this bill to admit Vermont to Union was introduced in the Senate. Vermont was the first state to be admitted to the Union after the original 13 colonies on March 4, 1791. Bill for Admission of Vermont to the Union, 2/10/1791, SEN 1A-B1, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 1151205)
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On February 10, 1791 this bill to admit Vermont to Union was introduced in the Senate. Vermont was the first state to be admitted to the Union after the original 13 colonies on March 4, 1791.

Bill for Admission of Vermont to the Union, 2/10/1791, SEN 1A-B1, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 1151205)

todaysdocument:

Based on ideas introduced in a speech by Senator Henry Clay on January 29, 1850, the Compromise of 1850 was actually a series of bills passed mainly to address issues related to slavery. The bills provided for slavery to be decided by popular sovereignty in the admission of new states, prohibited the slave trade in the District of Columbia, settled a Texas boundary dispute, and established a stricter fugitive slave act. This featured document is Henry Clay’s handwritten draft.