North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington admitted as U.S. states
- When
- 1889
- Where
- Bismarck, North Dakota; Pierre, South Dakota; Montana; Washington
- Episodes
- 4
The Enabling Act of 1889 authorized the admission of four states from existing territories. It permitted Montana and Washington to enter the Union and split Dakota into North Dakota and South Dakota. These states were admitted in November 1889, following the constitutional process for new states.
Episodes
- North Dakota Admission
North Dakota entered the Union following the Enabling Act of 1889, which split Dakota Territory into two states. Its constitutional convention was centered at Bismarck.
- South Dakota Admission
South Dakota entered the Union following the Enabling Act of 1889, which split Dakota Territory into two states. Its convention center was changed from Sioux Falls to Pierre.
- Montana Admission
Montana entered the Union under the Enabling Act of 1889, which permitted its entrance into the United States of America.
- Washington Admission
Washington entered the Union under the Enabling Act of 1889, which permitted its entrance into the United States of America.
Background and detail
Enabling Act Framework. The Admissions Clause of the Constitution authorizes Congress to admit new states. Typically, Congress passes an enabling act to allow territories to frame constitutions. The Enabling Act of 1889 specifically authorized residents of Dakota, Montana, and Washington territories to form state governments, with Dakota divided into two states.
Legislative Mechanism. Enabling acts detail the mechanism for admission after constitution ratification. The 1889 Act permitted the entrance of Montana and Washington and the splitting of Dakota. Newly formed states held elections for congressional representatives, submitting results by April 15, 1889, as a step toward Union admission.
People involved
- United States Congress · Legislative Authority
Sources
- Enabling Act of 1889 Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-28
- Admission to the Union Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-26
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.