When did Nebraska Become a State
Nebraska is a landlocked state in the Midwest of the United States. It is bordered by the states of South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming. It is the 16th largest state in the United States with a total area of 200,520 km2 (77,354 sq mi). The state boasts a population of approximately 1.8 million people and about 400,000 of these people live in Omaha, which is the largest city in Nebraska. Let’s take a brief look at the history and founding of this state.
When did Nebraska become a state?
Nebraska was founded as a territory under the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which was passed by Congress in 1854, before it was founded as a state. Omaha was made the capital of the Nebraska Territory. During the 1860’s many of the Native Americans were forced onto reservations by the government. This move opened up much of the land for agriculture and many people moved into the area to claim land. The vast numbers of people moving to the area allowed Nebraska to apply to become a state. The constitution for Nebraska was created in 1866, but a restriction placed on non-white voters caused much debate in approving the statehood application. In February 1867 the Congress voted to admit the territory as a state as long as the restrictions on non-white voters were removed. This vote was vetoed by the President, but this was overruled by the Congress. On March 1, 1867, Nebraska became the 37th state of the United States of America. After becoming a state the capital of Nebraska was moved to Lancaster, which was renamed to Lincoln at a later date as a tribute to Abraham Lincoln.
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