Alabama Territory


The Territory of Alabama was an organized incorporated territory of the United States. The Alabama Territory was carved from the Mississippi Territory on August 15, 1817 and lasted until December 14, 1819, when it was admitted to the Union as the twenty-second state.

History

The Alabama Territory#Notes| was designated by two interdependent Acts of the Congress of the United States on March 1 and 3, 1817, but it did not become effective until October 10, 1817. The delay was due to a provision in the Congressional Act which stated that the act would only take effect if and when the western part of the Mississippi Territory were to form a state constitution and government on the road to statehood. A state constitution for Mississippi was adopted on August 15, 1817, elections were held in September, and the first legislative session convened in October, with the western part of the Mississippi Territory existing since 1798 becoming the State of Mississippi on December 10, 1817.
St. Stephens, located in the central area of the Alabama Territory on the Tombigbee River, was the only territorial capital during the period. William Wyatt Bibb of Georgia was the only territorial governor, later elected to that position after statehood.
On December 14, 1819, Alabama was admitted to the union as the 22nd U.S. state, with Bibb becoming the first state governor.

Territorial evolution of Alabama