33 Indiana History Facts: Learn More About The Hoosier State

In the beginning, Indiana was part of what is called Indiana territory which consisted of Wisconsin, a part of Minnesota, Illinois, and Michigan.

The name Indiana means 'Land of the Indians'. This name was given to this state because of the many Indian and Native American tribes that lived here.

Indiana Territory finally became an independent state on December 11, 1816, and was admitted to the American Union. The state sits on the crossroads of America borders Michigan and Lake Michigan to the north, Ohio towards the east, Kentucky to the south, and Illinois to the west. This makes Indiana an integral part of the midwest. Indiana consists of 92 counties and the state capital of Indiana is Indianapolis but if you take a look at Indiana's history, the capital was Corydon until 1825. Indiana's state capitol building is called the Indiana Statehouse and is located in central Indiana. Indiana has a striking number of events in its historical record. Nonetheless, the state has gone through some rocky bumps along the way to reach the point where it is today. The Native American tribes were in constant conflicts with invaders and settlers for the land they owned. With the onset of British victory in 1763, the struggles faced by the Native Americans became severe. From the start of the '70s onwards, the state constitution of Indiana went through a lot of proposals in order to bring amendments to the constitution. In the end, the courts managed to work through them and meet the needs of the people.

Even though Indiana is situated in the north, many parts of the state of Indiana have some features and behaviors that resemble those of the south. Historians believe that this is because of the early settlement region consisting of people who came down from the south who were also known to not trust in the federal government. Indiana, during the Civil War, worked fervently in trying to get slaves to escape to their freedom. Specifically, the farming community of Fountain City which was then called Newport became known as the 'Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad'. The Civil War also saw a lot of volunteers for soldiers come in from Indiana. In fact, when the Union Army required around 7000 soldiers, volunteers came in numbers that crossed what was needed. As a result, many of them were told to go back home.

This American state also has loads of baseball and basketball fanatics! Although this state is more famous for the sport of basketball, Fort Wayne saw the first professional baseball game played in 1871. Indiana State has also done well in sending one president to the White House who is none other than Benjamin Harrison who was elected in 1888. Indiana is also home to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, who was born in the quaint town of Gary. The first train robbery ever recorded in the United States of America took place in Indiana in the year 1866 when the notorious criminal gang, 'Reno Brothers' stopped a train that was traveling between Ohio and Mississippi in Jackson County. They robbed around $13,000! Southern Indiana is also known to have the richest source of limestone deposits in the world. The population of Indiana is largely those who are in their 30s and 40s, with their median age being 37. To date, no one knows why the state of Indiana is called the 'Hoosier state'. The name was born when one day a visitor came into the city and knocked on the door of the cabin of a resident. The resident replied by saying, 'Who's 'yere?'. Wabash in Indiana was the first city anywhere around the world which was illuminated electronically. Indiana is further known for its corny reputation as the state is responsible for producing around 20% of the popcorn supply to the country.

Fun Facts About Indiana's History

The first European settlers to set foot on the land of Indiana were the French. At this time, Indiana had a large number of Native American tribes living here. The arrival of invaders and early settlers always led them to engage in conflicts with them as the settlers wanted to take portions of their land. The arrival of the French was mainly for the purpose of trading commodities like fur and food with the Native Americans. To make things easier, the very first trading post was set up called Fort Miami which is present-day Fort Wayne. However, when the British tried to gain control of the land, the native people sided with the french and together they fought the British. The English won and the land was taken over by them after the British victory.

Indiana finally became a state on December 11, 1816, when the then-president, James Madison gave his signature to the congressional resolution that admitted Indiana to the American Union and is the 19th state to have been admitted. The capital of Indiana was named Corydon and was the capital till 1825 when it got changed to Indianapolis. The first governor of Indiana was Jonathan Jennings. In 1996, the government declared the Wabash river as its state's river and it flows from Ohio through Indiana to the border it shares with Illinois and then south towards the Ohio River. The state flower is a peony, the state bird is the cardinal, and the state tree is the tulip tree.

Facts About Indiana's Statehood

Indiana state is a state that is part of the midwest in the United States of America. The Indiana historical society mentions that Indiana was the 19th state to be admitted to the Union and Indiana state received its statehood on December 11, 1816.

In 1812, Jonathan Jennings, who went on to become the first governor of Indiana and representative to Congress, introduced the first legislation that aimed at providing statehood to the state of Indiana. Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of the war in 1812, the legislation wasn't heeded to and as a result, no action was taken. The constitution at first stated that it would not allow African-Americans to settle on the land but amendments were soon made to the constitution that catered to the needs and requirements of the African-American community.

The people of Indiana moved in accordance with the opinions of the authority and supported the democratic government abolishing the slave trade in the state.

Facts About Battles Fought In Indiana

Indiana experienced at least 28 battles, according to the Indiana historical society. Way back in history, when the Indian tribes were living in large numbers across the land, early settlers, invaders, and explorers came in.

The first to arrive onto land were the French. The French came in solely for trading fur and other good with the people of the tribes. Fort Miami, which is today called Fort Wayne was set up as a trading center where people could come in and buy what they wanted. Soon, however, the British came in and tried taking over the land. This ignited a conflict between the native people who joined forces with the French and the English. The British won and the ownership of the land were given to the British. From here on, the freedom of the Native Americans was compromised to great lengths. Some of the battles that took place in Indiana are the Battle of Tippecanoe, the Battle of Big Pine Creek, the Battle of the White River Forks, and the Battle of Corydon.

Facts About Famous Leaders From Indiana

Indiana has produced some famous celebrities and leaders with a wide array of varied talents. The Hoosier state has also sent some leaders to the White House like Benjamin Harrison and his grandfather William Henry Harrison! Six Vice-Presidents in the White House were also seen to be from Indiana. They are Schuyler Colfax, Charles W. Fairbanks, Dan Quayle, Mike Pence, Thomas A. Hendricks, and Thomas R. Marshall.