HISTORY GEOGRAPHY GOVERNMENT STATEHOUSE The state of was originally a The area of the state of Indiana is The shortest term served by an Indiana Indiana’s Statehouse was built at its region in the Northwest Territory. 35,826 square miles. The distance governor was two days. In 1861, present site in 1835. The building was from its northernmost point to its Henry Smith Lane and his running demolished in 1878 to make way for The territory’s first incorporated town southernmost point is 275 miles. The mate, Oliver P. Morton, agreed if they the current Capitol Building, which was Clarksville. Early settlers began widest east-west point is nearly 160 won the election and the Republicans was completed in 1888. building homes there in 1783. miles across. won control of the legislature, Lane would become a U.S. senator and On July 4, 1800, the Indiana’s highest altitude is 1,257 Morton would take over as governor. was carved from the Northwest feet, in Wayne County, and the lowest Territory, and Vincennes was named point is 320 feet, in Posey County. Possibly the most unusual bill its capital. introduced in an Indiana General The first public playground in Indiana Assembly was a proposal in 1897 to The name “Indiana” was coined by was a one-acre site opened in 1817 in change the mathematical value of pi early members of Congress, meaning Vernon. Known as “The Commons,” it from 3.1415926535... to 3.2. The bill “Land of the Indians.” is still in use. The stone for construction of the died in the Senate. Indiana Statehouse came from a quarry Corydon became the first state capital The first and only Indiana city to located in what is now McCormick’s encompass an entire county is In 1925, the Indiana General Creek State Park. when Indiana was granted statehood Assembly established a 35 mph speed on December 11, 1816. , which extended its limits to the boundaries of Marion County limit on state highways. It cost nearly $2 million to build the In October of 1824, a group of state by virtue of the Unigov law, which Statehouse in 1888. Indiana’s first female state officials loaded four spring wagons and took effect on January 1, 1970. representative was Julia D. Nelson, Indiana was the first state in the nation moved the state capital from Corydon who began serving during the 1921 to designate an area of its capitol to Indianapolis, 130 miles north. The 84% of land in Indiana is farms, forest, General Assembly session. for use as a chapel. The chapel, now journey took 11 days. or woodland, with 14.7 million acres of farmland being cultivated by Indiana’s referred to as the “meditation room,” When the border between Michigan farmers. The first female senator was is in the southwest corridor of the and Indiana was being established, Arcada Stark Balz, an ex-school fourth floor. misunderstandings by local surveyors teacher. She was the third woman in the nation elected to a state The glass dome over the rotunda of placed the state line 10 miles south of the Statehouse is 108 feet from the its present-day location. senate, where she served from 1942 to 1946. ground. In 1905, the Indiana Legislature S i n c e 1 8 6 9 , I n d i a n a h a s s e n t Eight marble statues in the rotunda outlawed the sale, manufacturing and area of the third floor represent Law, possession of cigarettes. Jocko Dooley six men to Washington, D.C., to serve as vice president. Oratory, Agriculture, Commerce, was one of the first violators brought Justice, Liberty, History and Art — to trial under the new law. Jocko, a In 1816, when Indiana was granted The first Hoosier to live in the White fields of human endeavor that shape a chimpanzee, was a circus performer statehood, there were 15 counties. By civilized society. and had a habit of smoking about 200 1824, when the state capital moved to House after the invention of the cigarettes a day. Records are unclear Indianapolis, there were 49 counties. electric light bulb was Benjamin In the horse-and-buggy days, as to whether Jocko was found guilty. The rest of the land was occupied by Harrison. Because they feared lawmakers stabled their horses in the Native Americans. Now, Indiana has touching the switches, the Harrisons basement of the Statehouse. The area 92 counties. left their lights on day and night. now is the site of offices for newspaper, television and radio reporters. INDIANA QUIZ Test your knowledge of the Hoosier state after you read the pamphlet! If you get stuck, go back and try to find the answer. Good luck! 1. What was the first state capital of 7. In 1925, what speed limit did lawmakers Indiana? establish on state highways? A view of y ur a.) Vincennes a.) 35 miles per hour b.) Corydon b.) 55 miles per hour c.) New Albany c.) 25 miles per hour

2. When did Indiana become a state? 8. Why did and his family a.) September 17, 1818 leave the lights on at the White House b.) December 11, 1816 during the night and day? c.) May 4, 1820 a.) They were afraid of the dark b.) They were afraid of the 3. Coined by early members of Congress, switches INDIANA what does the name “Indiana” mean? c.) They couldn’t reach the a.) “Home of the Indians” switches b.) “Land of the Indians” c.) “Dwelling of the Indians” 9. In what year was the first public playground created in Indiana? 4. When was the Statehouse built at its a.) 1905 current site? b.) 1817 a.) 1857 c.) 1842 b.) 1816 c.) 1835 10. In 1888, how much did it cost to build Indiana’s Statehouse? 5. What is the shortest term of office served a.) $2 million by an Indiana governor? b.) $1 billion a.) Two days c.) $750,000 b.) Two weeks c.) Two months

6. About how long is Indiana, north to south? a.) 340 miles b.) 275 miles

c.) 400 miles Answers: 1.) B; 2.) B; 3.) B; 4.) C; 5.) A; 6.) B; 7.) A; 8.) B; 9.) B; 10.) A 10.) B; 9.) B; 8.) A; 7.) B; 6.) A; 5.) C; 4.) B; 3.) B; 2.) B; 1.) Answers: