The Territory of Iowa was an

organized incorporated territory of the United States The territory of the United States and its overseas possessions has evolved over time, from the colonial era to the present day. It includes formally organized territories, proposed and failed states, unrecognized breakaway states, internatio ...

that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

. The remainder of the territory would have no organized territorial government until the Minnesota Territory was organized on March 3, 1849.

History

Most of the area in the territory was originally part of the

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase () was the acquisition of the Louisiana (New France), territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. This consisted of most of the land in the Mississippi River#Watershed, Mississipp ...

and was a part of the

Missouri Territory The Territory of Missouri was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 4, 1812, until August 10, 1821. In 1819, the Territory of Arkansas was created from a portion of its southern area. In 1821, a southe ...

. When

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

became a state in 1821, this area (along with the Dakotas) effectively became unorganized territory. The area was closed to white settlers until the 1830s, after the

Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans led by Black Hawk (Sauk leader), Black Hawk, a Sauk people, Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of ...

ended. It was attached to the

Michigan Territory The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan. Detroit ...

on June 28, 1834. At an extra session of the Sixth Legislative Assembly of Michigan held in September, 1834, the Iowa District was divided into two counties by running a line due west from the lower end of Rock Island in the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. The territory north of this line (which started just south of the present-day Davenport) was named Dubuque County, and all south of it was Des Moines County. When

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

became a state in 1836 the area became the Iowa District of western

Wisconsin Territory The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized and incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin. Belm ...

—the region west of the

. The original boundaries of the territory, as established in 1838, included

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

and parts of the Dakotas, covering about of land. Burlington was the provisional capital;

Iowa City Iowa City is the largest city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. At the time of the 2020 census the population was 74,828, making it the state's fifth-most populous city. The Iowa City metropolitan area, which enc ...

was designated as the official territorial capital in 1841. Fort Snelling was located on the western side of the Mississippi placing it within the Territory until statehood. When Iowa became a state on December 28, 1846, no provision was made for official organization of the remainder of the territory. Morgan L. Martin, the Wisconsin territorial delegate to congress, pushed through a bill to organize a territory of Minnesota which would encompass this land. While the bill passed in the house, it did not pass the senate. In the following session a bill by

Stephen A. Douglas Stephen Arnold Douglas (né Douglass; April 23, 1813 – June 3, 1861) was an American politician and lawyer from Illinois. As a United States Senate, U.S. senator, he was one of two nominees of the badly split Democratic Party (United States) ...

was introduced in the senate but also did not pass. The situation was resolved when Minnesota Territory was organized on March 3, 1849, the day before the close of congress. In the 1840 United States census, 18 counties in the Iowa Territory reported the following population counts:

Governance

The executive powers of the Territory were vested in a Governor, a Secretary (who in case of the death, removal, resignation, or absence from the Territory of the Governor had gubernatorial powers and would perform gubernatorial duties), a Treasurer and an Auditor.

Territorial officers and Congressional delegates

Territorial officers of Iowa Territory from 1838 to 1846.

Governors

* Robert Lucas, appointed 1838. * John Chambers, appointed 1841. * James Clarke, appointed 1845.

Secretaries

* William B. Conway, appointed 1838; died in office, November 1839. * James Clarke, appointed 1839. * O. H. W. Stull, appointed 1841. * Samuel J. Burr, appointed 1843. * Jesse Williams, appointed 1845.

Auditors

* Jesse Williams, appointed 1840. * William L. Gilbert, appointed 1843. * David Ira Bryan, appointed 1845.

Treasurers

* Thornton Bayless, appointed 1839. * Morgan Reno, appointed 1840.

Congressional delegates

* William W. Chapman 25th and 26th Congresses, 1838–1840 * Francis Gehon, irregularly "elected" in 1839, but never served as delegate * Augustus C. Dodge, in the 27th, 28th, and 29th Congresses, 1840–1846

Legislature

Legislative powers were vested in a Territory of Iowa Legislative Assembly, which like that of Wisconsin Territory was divided into an

upper house An upper house is one of two Legislative chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smaller and often has more restricted p ...

called the "Council" (although some legislative histories refer to the Council as the Senate) of 13 members, and a House of Representatives of 26.Shambaugh, Benjamin F. ''The constitutions of Iowa: Published by the State historical society in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the establishment of civil government in Iowa.'' Iowa City: State Historical Society of Iowa, 1934; p. 79

References

{{coord, 45, N, 96, W, dim:1000000_region:US, display=title Former organized territories of the United States 1863 establishments in Iowa 1846 disestablishments in the United States Pre-statehood history of Iowa Pre-statehood history of North Dakota Pre-statehood history of South Dakota