| A TIMELINE OF EVENTS FROM 1679-1988 |
| 1679 |
The French
explorer La Salle sets foot within the boundaries of what will one day be the state of
Indiana. |
| 1731 |
First permanent settlement in
Indiana is located at Vincennes. |
| 1779 |
George Rogers Clark
recaptures Vincennes from British during Revolutionary War. |
| 1783 |
Revolutionary War ends. |
| 1787 |
Northwest Ordinance of
1787 passed by Congress. |
| 1794 |
Battle of Fallen Timbers is
fought between Shawnees and their allies under Blue Jacket and American troops led by
General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. |
| 1800 |
Indiana Territory is
created. William Henry Harrison is elected territorial governor. |
| 1803 |
The Treaty of Fort Wayne acquires
for the U.S. a large chunk of land from American Indian tribes then living within the
boundaries of present-day Indiana. |
| 1804 |
First newspaper in
Indiana is published at Corydon. A General Land Office is established at Vincennes to
oversee the sale of federal land in that area to the public. |
| 1807 |
A General Land Office is
established at Jeffersonville. |
| 1811 |
Battle of Tippecanoe
is fought. |
| 1812 |
The War of 1812 begins. It is
ended by a treaty in December 1814. |
| 1813 |
Capitol of the Indiana
Territory is moved to Corydon from Vincennes. |
| 1816 |
Indiana becomes a state and the
first state constitution is written. |
| 1820 |
First Federal Census
is taken of the state of Indiana; it lists by name only heads of household (as does
Federal Censuses of 1830 and 1840). |
| 1822 |
A General Land Office is
established at Fort Wayne. |
| 1825 |
State capitol is moved
to Indianapolis. |
| 1831 |
Legislation requires that
free blacks settling in Indiana must post $500 bond with local authorities. |
| 1850 |
The Federal
Census taken this year is the first to list all members of a household by name. |
| 1851 |
Present Indiana state
constitution is written. It beefs up protection of property rights of married women and
severely restricts the rights of the state’s free black persons. |
| 1861 |
The American
Civil War begins. Indiana furnishes numerous regiments to the Union cause under the
leadership of Governor Oliver P. Morton. |
| 1882 |
Indiana counties begin the
recording of births and deaths in this year. |
| 1886 |
Indiana compiles a
list of veterans, their widows, and their orphans living within its borders (lists are
also compiled in 1890 and 1894). |
| 1890 |
Federal Census and Special Census
of Union veterans and their widows are done in this year. Records for the State of Indiana
are later destroyed by fire and no longer exist. |
| 1900 |
Indiana requires that
a record of deaths in the counties be forwarded to the State Board of Health in January of
this year. |
| 1906 |
Registration and naturalization
functions are assumed by the Federal Bureau of Immigration & Naturalization (prior to
this, aliens could declare intent and naturalize at any court of record). |
| 1907 |
Indiana requires that
a record of births in the counties be forwarded to the State Board of Health in October of
this year. |
| 1916 |
Indiana celebrates its
centennial. |
| 1917 |
Instruction in the
German language is eliminated from the public schools. |
| 1917-1918 |
Residents of countries hostile to
the United States are required to register with the Department of Justice as enemy aliens. |
| 1988 |
New law allows release
of non-identifying information from adoption records without consent of birth mother for
adoptions occurring after July 1, 1988. |
