Ohio

History of Ohio – 17th State Admitted to the United States

The U.S. State of Ohio (OH) was admitted as the 17th state of the union (retroactively effective August 7th, 1953) on March 1st, 1803.  Like much of North America, the area of modern-day OH was inhabited by indigenous civilizations for several thousands of years before European contact.  During the 17th century, several Native American nations inhabited the region; among them were different tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy, the Algonquin, the Seneca, the Erie, and the Shawnee.  By the 1700s, the French had set up trading posts and began a fur trade in the region.  However, after their loss in the French and Indian War, the French ceded their hold on Ohio to Great Britain.

After the American Revolution, the newly formed United States of America took ownership over OH from Great Britain.  From there, the Northwest Territory was created in 1787, which encompassed the entire region of modern-day Ohio.  As the territory rapidly grew in population, they applied for statehood with only 45,000 citizens, under the assumption that once they were admitted, they would have already exceeded the required population of 60,000.

Ohio’s constitutions and boundaries were officially approved by President Thomas Jefferson on March 1st, 1803; however, no formal admission to the union was recognized.

Present

The state of Ohio ranks 34th among the fifty states in terms of land area, 7th in terms of population, and 10th in terms of population density.  In 2015, the United States Census Bureau estimated the population of OH to be 11,613,423, with the capital of Columbus being the most populated city, followed by the cities of Cleveland and Cincinnati.

Ohio maintains a rich, multifaceted economy with a handle in bio-sciences, manufacturing, financial services, utilities, transportation, and regional trade.  Currently, OH has the largest bioscience industry in the Midwest.  In addition, Ohio is the largest producer in the nation of plastics, rubber, and appliances.  In terms of GDP (Gross Domestic Product), Ohio’s manufacturing sector is the third-largest in the United States.  In addition, upwards of 5 million Ohio citizens are wage-based workers.

Several of the top 1,000 publicly traded companies in the United States maintain headquarters in Ohio, such as Proctor & Gamble, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Wendy’s, among others.

OH, fields sports teams in the four most popular major league sports leagues; football, baseball, basketball, and hockey.  These teams include the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL, the Cincinnati Reds of the MLB, the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA, and the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL.  OH is unique in that it helped to establish American Baseball when the first fully professional baseball team was established within its boundaries in 1869.   In addition, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, OH.

Politics

In addition to OH’s unique history and involvement in American sports, the state also has a unique history in American politics, granting it substantial bragging rights.  Seven of the forty-five United States Presidents have come from OH, garnering it the nickname, the “Mother of Presidents.” Presidents Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Harrison, McKinley, Taft, and Harding were all born in the state of Ohio.


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