We know Alabama as the heart of America’s Deep South. Yet, this fascinating region comes with a long and rich history — before and after it would become part of the United States. Before European settlers arrived in the 16th century, Alabama was home to numerous indigenous peoples. The Spaniards were the first Europeans to explore the region, paving the way for other European countries to arrive.
The 250 years followed saw numerous battles for control of the area among the French, British, and Spanish. These events would culminate in the American War of Independence. What’s more, the foundations of the cotton economy began around this time — an institution that would go on to shape Alabama’s society, culture, and history. Before joining the Union, Alabama was part of the Mississippi Territory. Up until then, Alabama was claimed by the colony of Georgia. As pressure to create two states mounted, Congress carved out a new Alabama territory from the east of the Mississippi Territory. William Wyatt Bibb was the region’s territorial governor.
Within two years, the Alabama territory grew in population and economy. Petitions for statehood soon became louder. Alabama’s shift to statehood began at a constitutional convention that took place in Huntsville. Six months later, Congress passed a resolution on December 14 granting statehood to Alabama — the only state added to the Union that year. Alabama joined the Union a few months before Maine and a year after Illinois. The town of Cahawba in Dallas County was the first capital, and William Wyatt Bibb became the state’s first governor. Much later, the unassuming town of Montgomery in Alabama would set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement that swept the rest of the country and the world.
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