Indiana became the 19th U.S. state

On December 11, 1816, President James Madison approved the congressional resolution that admitted Indiana to the Union as the 19th state. The paperwork was almost a formality by then: Congress had passed an Enabling Act that April, and 43 delegates had gathered at Corydon beginning June 10, 1816 to draft a constitution, finishing it on June 29.

The new state moved quickly to organize itself. Jonathan Jennings became Indiana’s first governor, and Corydon served as the early capital before the seat of government shifted to a more central, purpose-built city.

That city, Indianapolis, took over as capital in 1824 — chosen for the map, not for any town that was already there.

Indiana’s path reflected a broader pattern of the era, as the young republic converted its western territories into states with striking speed. To this day, December 11 is observed across the state as Indiana Day, a small annual nod to the signature that made it official.