Indiana became a state on December 11, 1816, when it was admitted to the Union as the 19th U.S. state.

Quick Scoop: Indiana’s Statehood

  • Date of statehood: December 11, 1816.
  • Order of admission: 19th state in the United States.
  • President at the time: James Madison signed the resolution admitting Indiana to the Union.
  • Capital back then: Corydon served as the first state capital (later moved to Indianapolis in 1825).

How It Happened (Mini Story)

In the early 1800s, settlers were steadily moving into the Indiana Territory, pushing its population toward the threshold needed for statehood. Once they met the requirement, local leaders called for a constitutional convention in Corydon, where delegates drafted Indiana’s first state constitution in the summer of 1816. After this groundwork, Congress approved Indiana’s admission, and President James Madison signed the resolution on December 11, 1816, officially making Indiana a state. That date has been celebrated ever since as “Indiana Day,” the state’s official birthday.

Today’s Angle

  • Indiana still marks December 11 each year as Indiana Day, a legal holiday encouraging schools and citizens to reflect on the state’s history.
  • Around the 200th anniversary in 2016 and continuing afterward, museums, schools, and local communities have used statehood anniversaries to highlight Indiana’s role in U.S. expansion and Midwestern development.

In short, if you’re ever asked “when did Indiana become a state,” the key date to remember is December 11, 1816.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.