Alabama Territory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Territory of Alabama |
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| Organized incorporated territory of United States | |||||||||
| 1817–1819 | |||||||||
 Flag
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| Capital | St. Stephens | ||||||||
| Government | |||||||||
| • Type | Organized incorporated territory | ||||||||
| Governor | |||||||||
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• 1817–1819
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William Wyatt Bibb | ||||||||
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• Established
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10 December | ||||||||
| 14 December | |||||||||
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The Territory of Alabama was a special area in the United States that was getting ready to become a state. It was created on August 15, 1817. This territory was formed from the eastern part of the larger Mississippi Territory. The Alabama Territory existed for a short time, until December 14, 1819. On that date, it officially joined the Union as the twenty-second state: Alabama.
Contents
History of the Alabama Territory
The idea for the Alabama Territory came from two laws passed by the United States Congress in March 1817. However, the territory did not officially begin until October 10, 1817. This delay happened because the laws said the territory would only start once the western part of the Mississippi Territory became a state.
The western part of the Mississippi Territory worked on creating its own state government. They adopted a state constitution on August 15, 1817. Elections were held in September, and their first legislative meeting was in October. This western part then became the State of Mississippi on December 10, 1817. Once Mississippi was a state, the Alabama Territory could officially begin.
Capital and Governor
During its time as a territory, St. Stephens was the capital city. It was located in the central part of the Alabama Territory, along the Tombigbee River.
The only governor of the Alabama Territory was William Wyatt Bibb. He was from Georgia. After Alabama became a state, William Wyatt Bibb was elected as its first state governor. He served as governor from 1819 to 1820.
On December 14, 1819, Alabama officially joined the Union. It became the 22nd U.S. state.
How Alabama's Land Changed Over Time
The land that would become the Territory of Alabama, and later the State of Alabama, changed hands many times throughout history. Here is a simple look at how it evolved:
- Spanish Control:
* Parts of this land were once controlled by the Kingdom of Spain. * This included areas like La Florida (from 1565 to 1763) and Florida Occidental (from 1783 to 1821). * The Mobile District was also part of Spanish West Florida.
- British Control:
* In 1763, after the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years' War), the land came under the control of the Kingdom of Great Britain. * Britain gained this land from Spain through the Treaty of Paris (1763). * Britain held this land until 1783.
- Becoming Part of the United States:
* After the American Revolution, the land was given to the newly independent United States in 1783, through the Treaty of Paris (1783). * It was first organized as the Southwest Territory (from 1790 to 1796). * Then, it was reorganized and renamed the Mississippi Territory (from 1798 to 1817). * Finally, the Territory of Alabama was created from the eastern half of the Mississippi Territory in 1817. It existed until 1819.
- States Giving Up Claims:
* Some U.S. states, like the State of South Carolina (in 1787) and the State of Georgia (in 1802), had claims to parts of this land. They gave these claims to the U.S. Federal government. Georgia sold its disputed Yazoo lands to the government.
- The Final Step:
* The Mississippi Territory (1798–1817) contained the land that would become Alabama. * From this territory, the State of Alabama was created on December 14, 1819, and it remains a U.S. state today.
See also
In Spanish: Territorio de Alabama para niños
