SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28TH, IS IOWA’S 178TH BIRTHDAY.
IT WAS ON THAT DATE IN 1846 THAT PRESIDENT JAMES K. POLK SIGNED A BILL ADMITTING IOWA INTO THE UNION AS OUR 29TH STATE.
THAT CAME AFTER CONGRESS ON MARCH 3RD OF 1845 PASSED LEGISLATION TO ALLOW FOR THE ADMISSION OF THE TERRITORIES OF FLORIDA AND IOWA INTO THE UNION.
IOWA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FREE STATE AS THAT BILL KEPT INTACT THE POLITICAL ARRANGEMENT AT THE TIME TO KEEP THE NUMBER OF FREE AND SLAVE STATES THE SAME.
THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY DIVIDED THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH, LEADING TO THE CIVIL WAR AND THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
IOWA HAD THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA NUMBER OF SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL WAR, WITH NEARLY 80,000 IOWANS ENLISTED IN THE UNION ARMY.
AROUND 13,000 IOWANS DIED IN THAT STRUGGLE.
Information from Sen. Chuck Grassley
