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Louisiana Territory was a historic organized territory of the United States consisting of the portion of the Louisiana Purchase that was not partitioned off into Territory of Orleans, which later became the state of Louisiana. The Louisiana Territory existed from July 4, 1805 until December 11, 1812.
The Eighth Congress of the United States on March 26, 1804, passed legislation entitled "An act erecting Louisiana into two territories, and providing for the temporary government thereof",1 which established Territory of Orleans and the civil District of Louisiana. This act, effective October 1, 1804, extended the authority of the Governor and Judges of Indiana Territory in order to provide temporary jurisdiction over the District of Louisiana.
On March 3, 1805, Congress enacted legislation organizing the District of Louisiana into the Louisiana Territory, effective July 4, 1805. This territorial government was organized similarly to that of the Indiana Territory.2
The Louisiana Territory included everything in the Louisiana Purchase north of the 33rd parallel (the southern boundary of the present state of Arkansas). The seat of government was St. Louis.
Both Meriwether Lewis (1807-1809) and William Clark (1813-1820) served as territorial governors of the Louisiana Territory.citation needed
The Louisiana Territory had five subdivisions St. Louis District, St. Charles District, Ste. Genevieve District, Cape Girardeau District and New Madrid District. In 1806, the territorial legislature created the District of Arkansas from lands ceded by the Osage Nation. The remainder was known as the Upper Louisiana Territory.citation needed
On October 1, 1812, Governor Clark organized the five administrative districts of Upper Louisiana Territory into counties, which later became the first five counties of Missouri Territory. In 1818, Franklin and Jefferson counties were formed out of the original St. Louis County, leaving St. Louis County with the land that today comprises St. Louis County and St. Louis.citation needed
On June 4, 1812, the Twelfth U.S. Congress enacted legislation that renamed the Louisiana Territory as the territory of Missouri to avoid confusion with the recently admitted state of Louisiana.3
See also
References
- ^ "An act erecting Louisiana into two territories, and providing for the temporary government thereof". United States Statutes at Large. Eighth Congress, Session I, Chapter 38, March 26, 1804, pg. 283-289. From Library of Congress, A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875. (accessed December 14, 2008)
- ^ "An Act further providing for the government of the district of Louisiana". United States Statutes at Large. Eighth Congress, Session II, Chapter 31, March 3, 1805, pg. 331-332. From Library of Congress, A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875. (accessed December 14, 2008)
- ^ "An Act providing for the government of the territory of Missouri". United States Statutes at Large. Twelfth Congress, Session I, Chapter 95, June 4, 1812, pg. 742-747. From Library of Congress, A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875. (accessed December 14, 2008)