1978: NOAA announces gender-neutral hurricane naming system
Federal News Network presents a daily update of important moments in the history of the U.S. government.
On Oct. 31, 1864, Nevada became the 36th state in the union. Prior to US statehood, the territory had be inhabited primarily by Native Americans including the Paiute, Shoshone, Quoeech, Washoe and Walapai tribes. Spaniards arrived in the late 18th century, followed by American Mormons in the 1800s. It was a territory of Mexico until the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo made it part of the U.S. in 1848. Not long after, mining and cattle ranching drew settlers to the area which still lacked a strong federal presence. The provisional territorial government led to the creation of Nevada Territory by Congress in 1861. On March 2 of that year, the Nevada Territory separated from the Utah Territory and adopted its current name, which was shortened from Sierra Nevada, or Spanish for “snow-covered mountain range.” Eight days before the presidential election of 1864 Nevada became the 36th state in the union, despite having only about 10,000 residents — far less than the minimum requisite 60,000 residents for statehood, but approval was rushed to help President Abraham Lincoln’s chances at re-election; the area was economically tied to the Union rather than to the Confederacy. The Nevada constitution was sent to Washington by telegraph for $3,416.77 and a response from Washington came on Oct. 31, 1864.
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