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1st Europeans
French explorers Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette are thought to be the first Europeans to arrive in Iowa -
Louisiana Territory
French explorer La Salle, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de, claimed all the land entirely drained by the Mississippi River, "Louisiana", in honor of French King Louis XIV. -
Louisiana Purchase
The territory received from the French Louisiana Purchase included the land that would one day become Iowa -
Missouri Territory
In 1812, Louisiana became a state, leaving the land area of Iowa to become a part of the Missouri Territory -
Territory of Iowa
The territory of Iowa was created, which included all of present-day Iowa, most of Minnesota, and two-thirds of North and South Dakota -
Iowa City is capital
The capital was in Burlington, but was moved to Iowa City -
Iowa becomes a state
Iowa had to try several times to become a state, starting in 1844. There were some disagreements about the state's boundaries. Then Iowa was admitted to the Union in 1846 under President James K. Polk -
Des Moines becomes capital
When Iowa adopted the state constitution, then the capital was moved to Des Moines.