What Was Indiana Called Before It Became a State?

 Let's explore the names and historical phases that defined Indiana before its statehood.

Land of the Miami, Potawatomi, and Lenape

For millennia prior to European arrival, the fertile plains and forests of what is now Indiana were home to numerous Native American peoples. These diverse groups lived along its rivers, hunted in its rich game lands, and cultivated its soil.

Some of the most prominent tribes included:

• Miami: A powerful Algonquian-speaking people who inhabited much of the central and northern parts of the region.
• Potawatomi: Another significant Algonquian tribe, primarily in the northern areas and along Lake Michigan.
• Lenape (Delaware): Displaced from their ancestral lands further east, many Lenape communities resettled in Indiana.
• Wea, Piankashaw, and Kickapoo: Other notable tribes with presence in the territory.

The name "Indiana" itself, as we will see, is an American designation directly referencing its primary inhabitants upon U.S. acquisition.

French Louisiana: "Illinois Country" / Louisiane

The first Europeans to extensively explore and claim the Indiana region were the French. By the late 17th century, explorers like Robert de La Salle had traversed the Great Lakes and ventured into the interior, establishing trade relations with Native American tribes.

The French claimed the vast Mississippi River watershed for France, naming it "Louisiane" (Louisiana) in honor of King Louis XIV. The portion of this territory that included Indiana was often referred to as the "Illinois Country," stretching from the Great Lakes down to the Mississippi River.

French presence in Indiana was primarily through trading posts and forts, which became crucial points of interaction with Native Americans. Notable French outposts included:

• Fort Ouiatenon (near present-day Lafayette, established 1717)
• Fort Miami (present-day Fort Wayne, established 1702)
• Poste Vincennes (present-day Vincennes, established around 1732), which became the first permanent European settlement in Indiana.

These posts connected French Canada to the Mississippi River network, facilitating the fur trade and asserting French control.

British North America: Part of Quebec and the Indian Reserve

Following their defeat in the French and Indian War (Seven Years' War), France ceded its claims east of the Mississippi River to Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris of 1763. This brought the Indiana region under British control.

British rule was met with significant resistance from Native American tribes, who had largely allied with the French. Pontiac's Rebellion (1763-1766) notably impacted the region. For administrative purposes, the British often included Indiana within the vast Province of Quebec, but much of the interior was also designated as an Indian Reserve by the Royal Proclamation of 1763, an attempt to prevent colonial settlement and appease Native American concerns.

American Expansion: The Northwest Territory

After the American Revolutionary War, the Treaty of Paris of 1783 formally transferred British claims south of the Great Lakes to the newly formed United States. This vast region, including Indiana, became part of the Northwest Territory, established by the U.S. Congress in 1787.

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was a landmark act that provided a framework for governing the territory, prohibiting slavery, guaranteeing religious freedom, and establishing a clear process for the formation of new states.

As American settlement slowly pushed westward, the Northwest Territory was successively divided:

• Indiana Territory (1800-1816): On May 7, 1800, Congress created the Indiana Territory, carving it out of the western part of the Northwest Territory. It initially included all of present-day Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and parts of Michigan and Minnesota. Vincennes served as its capital. This marked the final, distinct administrative phase directly preceding Indiana's statehood. The name "Indiana" itself was chosen because the territory was still largely inhabited by Native Americans ("land of the Indians").

The territorial period was marked by rapid American settlement, particularly after the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 (which significantly diminished Native American resistance), and the forced displacement of tribes.

Statehood

With a growing population and the establishment of a robust territorial government, Indiana was ready for statehood. A constitutional convention was held in Corydon in 1816, and a state constitution was drafted.

On December 11, 1816, President James Madison signed the bill admitting Indiana to the Union as the 19th state. The name "Indiana," a direct nod to its original inhabitants,