Question

Which was the Native American position on statehood?

Answer 1

They were very poor and did not have much

Answer 2

• There were two territories, by 1905, that wanted statehood: the remains of the Indian Territory (which included Native Americans) and the Oklahoma Territory. The former territory held a constitutional convention and decided to request admission as the state of Sequoyah. Moreover, both territories had statehood bills presented in Congress without approval since leaders from the East were concerned about the idea of having two Western states being introduced together: they thought they might lose their own power as politicians.
• Although Native American nations were not sovereign, they could share political power as a state. But a small share of the population of the proposed state of Sequoyah was Native American in this period, so the government had to comply with the settlers' needs as well.
• Finally, in 1906, President Teddy Roosevelt declared himself in favor of making only a single state. Therefore, the Oklahoma Enabling Act of 1907 created the single state of Oklahoma by combining Oklahoma Territory as well as the Indian Territory, terminating the existence of the Indian Territory.