Oklahomans are filled with pride for their land of diverse cultures, scenic lakes and rivers, and its people’s friendliness.

On November 16 th 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th state of the United States.

How did Oklahoma become a state? Most states start out as a territory…but Oklahoma started out as TWO territories!

Before new lands are added to the United States, they spend a few years being a “territory.”

The next map shows all fifty states as they joined the union over one hundred years our nation’s growing ….

Map of all 50 states’ admission to the United States…

A “territory” is part of the United States, but its Governor is appointed by our national Congress. People who live in a territory must follow the laws that the Congress makes for them.

The United States Congress has the power to admit new states to the union- after the citizens living there have decided that is what they want.

First, state leaders gather together at a convention (meeting) to write a state constitution. All states have their own constitution- an agreement of how their government will be run.

After the state Constitution is approved, Congress then admits that territory as a state in the United States of America.

And that is just what the people in Oklahoma did. Only there were TWO groups of people who wanted to join the United States!

In 1905, leaders of many Indian tribes met together to ask for statehood. They wanted to join their lands together into a state, named after the Cherokee leader, Sequoyah.

State of Sequoyah

Another group of people met in Oklahoma City to propose admission of the western areas into a state called Oklahoma.

State of Oklahoma

But Congress would not approve either group’s request. The TWO territories were asked to work together and find a way to create ONE state.

In November, 1906, fifty-five men from Indian Territory and fifty-five men from Oklahoma Territory met together to write a constitution for one state.

This original state constitution is in the Oklahoma History museum.

They agreed to call the state “Oklahoma.” The capital was located in the center of the state in the town of Guthrie.

And the people from both territories voted “YES” to the joining of TWO territories together.

One year later, Congress admitted Oklahoma as the 46 th state. President Theodore Roosevelt signed the law that would officially make us a state!

Oklahoma is now a state!

…declared President Roosevelt as he signed the statehood proclamation at 10:16 o’clock on the morning of November 16, 1907.

The White House telegraph was connected to Guthrie and the minute the President signed the proclamation, the information was flashed to the new state!!!

A crowd was already waiting in the streets to celebrate. People cheered, men fired pistols into the air, and bands played.

The people had already held an election days before to choose their first Governor, Charles Haskell.

He was there, in Guthrie that morning, to take his oath of office as our first Governor.

"I do solemnly swear that I will support, obey, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma, and that I will faithfully discharge my duties as Governor of the State of Oklahoma to the best of my ability."

As part of the ceremony, a pretend wedding was held between a man who stood for Oklahoma Territory and a woman who stood for Indian Territory.

A minister of a nearby church “married” the two territories into ONE state, Oklahoma!

When Oklahoma was 25 years old, in 1932, the “wedding” ceremony was repeated in Guthrie…

Later, this postage stamp was created to celebrate our 50 th birthday.

Oklahoma celebrates its 100 th birthday as a state in 2007.

Many celebrations are planned, including this new postage stamp…

What other ways can we celebrate our statehood?