History of Ohio

The history of Ohio as a state began in 1803 when it joined the United States as the 17th state. Before that, the area was part of the Northwest Territory.

In the late 1600s, French explorers from Canada reached the Ohio River. For many years before that, Native Americans lived in Ohio and the central midwestern United States.

By the 1700s, people traded furs with the tribes in Ohio. After the American Revolutionary War, more Americans settled there. After the Northwest Indian Wars, more people moved to Ohio.

After the Civil War, Ohio grew as an industrial state. Ships on the Great Lakes carried goods like iron ore. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many people from Europe came to work in factories.

In later years, Ohio’s economy changed. Jobs in steel and factories decreased, and the state focused more on services like medicine and education.

Precontact Indigenous history

Main article: Prehistory of Ohio

People have lived in Ohio for a very long time. Fossils show that hunters were there as early as 11,700 years ago. They used stone tools to hunt big animals like Jefferson's ground sloth. Later groups built big earthworks, like huge mounds and circles, for important ceremonies.

Many different cultures lived in Ohio over the centuries. Some well-known groups include the Adena, Hopewell, and Fort Ancient. The Hopewell built very large earthworks, some of which are still standing today. They used these places for important events and to watch the stars. These early people traded with others far away, reaching as far as the Atlantic coast, Kansas City, and Louisiana.

When Europeans arrived, many Native American tribes lived in Ohio. These included the Erie, Whittlesey, Mascouten, Miami, and Mosopelea, among others. However, wars and diseases brought by Europeans changed everything quickly. Most of these tribes were either driven away or disappeared before Europeans could learn much more about them.

Beaver Wars

Main article: Beaver Wars

In the 1600s, battles over fur trade led to big conflicts called the Beaver Wars. The Iroquois Confederacy, living in what is now New York, fought against many tribes in the Ohio area. They used newer weapons from traders, which made the fights very fierce. Many tribes were moved or disappeared because of these wars.

The wars changed the map of tribes in eastern North America. After the wars, the French and their allies took control of much of the land, leading to more conflicts between European countries and Native American tribes.

Dunmore's War

After the wars between the French and British, one last war happened before the American Revolution. This was called Dunmore's War. It was fought between American settlers from Virginia and the Shawnee tribe. The settlers said the Shawnee were stealing cattle, but later it was found they may have made up the story to start a war. Two Shawnee leaders, Chief Logan and Chief Cornstalk, were deeply affected by the violence of this time.

European colonization (1663–1787)

Main article: Ohio Country

New France

In the 1600s, the French were the first modern Europeans to explore what became known as Ohio Country. In 1663, it became part of New France, a royal province of the French Empire. Northeastern Ohio was explored by Robert La Salle in 1669.

During the 1700s, the French set up trading posts to control the fur trade in the region. These posts linked to their settlements in present-day Canada and what they called the Illinois Country along the Mississippi River. Fort Miami was built in 1680 near present-day St. Joseph, Michigan. They built Fort Sandoské by 1750.

By the 1730s, many Native American groups moved to the Ohio Country. The Delaware and Shawnee came from the east, and Wyandot and Ottawa from the north. The Miami lived in western Ohio. The Mingo formed from Iroquois who moved west.

Christopher Gist was one of the first English-speaking explorers to travel through the Ohio Country in 1749. When British traders such as George Croghan came to trade, the French and their allies drove them out. In 1752 the French raided a Miami Indian town called Pickawillany (now Piqua, Ohio). The French began military control of the Ohio Valley in 1753.

French and Indian War

By the middle of the 1700s, British and French traders both wanted control of the area. British traders had persuaded some Dutch people to move into eastern Ohio. They took over a trading post called Loramie's Fort, which the French attacked in 1752.

In the early 1750s George Washington was sent to the Ohio Country to survey the land. The fight for control of the territory started the French and Indian War. George Washington lost the Battle of Fort Necessity in 1754, and the Battle of the Monongahela the next year. The Treaty of Paris gave the land to Great Britain in 1763. During this time, there was much fighting between the region's Indian tribes.

Before the American Revolution, Britain had loose control over Ohio Country. Just beyond Ohio was the Miami capital of Kekionga, which became a center of British trade. By the Royal Proclamation of 1763, Britain forbade settlement west of Appalachia. The Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768 set aside lands north and west of the Ohio as Indian lands. British policies in the region helped start Pontiac's War in 1763. Ohio Indians took part in that war until a British expedition led by Colonel Henry Bouquet brought about a truce. Another expedition in 1774 ended Lord Dunmore's War. In 1774, Britain passed the Quebec Act that added Ohio and other western lands to the Province of Quebec. The ban on settlement west of the Appalachians remained, helping cause the American Revolution.

American Revolution

As a result of the actions of George Rogers Clark in 1778, the Ohio Country became part of Illinois County, Virginia. The county was dissolved in 1782 and given to the United States.

Early in the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress signed the Treaty of Fort Pitt with the Lenape. This treaty should have guaranteed that Ohio's Native lands would become a state under control of the Native peoples there, in return for their support of the patriot cause. However, poor communication led to the Ohio Natives not responding properly. The treaty was never carried out and many of Ohio's Native peoples were left confused about who to support during the war.

With the American victory in the Revolutionary War, the British gave Ohio and its territory in the West as far as the Mississippi River to the new nation. Between 1784 and 1789, the states of Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut gave their land claims in Ohio Country to Congress, but Virginia and Connecticut kept some areas. These areas were known as the Virginia Military District and Connecticut Western Reserve.

Northwest Territory and statehood (1787–1803)

Rufus Putnam was an important person in the early history of the United States. He helped make the Northwest Ordinance, which let people live in the Northwest Territory. This land would later become Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota. The territory was free land, where slavery was not allowed.

In 1788, Putnam and other settlers started Marietta, Ohio, the first permanent American town in the Northwest Territory. Many people from New England moved to Ohio to find new land to farm. They traveled by wagon, stagecoach, or by river. Native American tribes did not want these settlements, which led to some conflicts called the Northwest Indian War. Later, the United States made treaties with the Native Americans and gained control of much of Ohio.

Statehood and early years (1803–1838)

Ohio became a state in 1803. In 1801, when Ohio's population grew to 45,000, Congress decided it could become a state. The Enabling Act of 1802 explained how Ohio could join the United States. People in Ohio created their own government plan and decided not to allow slavery.

On February 19, 1803, President Thomas Jefferson approved Ohio's borders and government. Ohio officially became a state on March 1, 1803, when its first government met in Chillicothe, Ohio. Ohio had three capitals: Chillicothe, Zanesville, and finally Columbus, which became the capital in 1816 because it was in the middle of the state.

When Ohio became a state, its laws did not allow slavery. Many people in Ohio were against slavery and joined groups like the American Anti-Slavery Society and the American Colonization Society. The northeast part of Ohio was settled by people from Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania. Life was hard in the wilderness, with many living in simple log cabins.

People from Germany also moved to Ohio, keeping their language and traditions. They settled in places like German Village in Columbus and towns such as Gnadenhutten, Bergholz, New Bremen, New Berlin, and Dresden.

During this time, Ohio was mostly a farming place, but there were also mills and small factories. Women took care of homes and children while men worked on farms and public matters. Women also formed groups to help each other.

Around 1809, Shawnee leader Tecumseh tried to unite Native American tribes. This led to conflicts, including during the War of 1812 when British forces joined some Shawnee fighters in Ohio. A key battle happened at the Battle of Lake Erie, where American naval leader Oliver Hazard Perry won near South Bass Island.

In the 1820s, new roads and canals helped connect Ohio to other parts of the country. Ohio also had newspapers that spoke out against slavery, and the state helped enslaved people escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

In 1835, Ohio and the Michigan Territory argued over land called the Toledo Strip, known as the Toledo War. Only one person was hurt. Later, Michigan gave up the land but received part of the Upper Peninsula.

The first railroad in Ohio opened in 1836, connecting Toledo to Adrian, Michigan. By the 1840s, Ohio had many different religious groups living together peacefully. Education became important, and Ohio started public schools for all children.

Civil War era (1838–1865)

Main articles: Underground Railroad in Ohio and Ohio in the American Civil War

See also: List of Ohio Civil War units, Cincinnati in the Civil War, and Cleveland in the Civil War

During the Civil War from 1861 to 1865, Ohio was very important. It helped provide soldiers, leaders, and supplies for the Union army. Because of its central location and growing population, Ohio played a big role in supporting the war effort.

Ohio was also an important place for the Underground Railroad before and during the war. Many people who had escaped unfair treatment found safe routes through Ohio to reach freedom in the North.

Ohio sent many soldiers to fight for the Union. They were led by famous generals like Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Philip Sheridan, all from Ohio.

After the war, Ohio supported its veterans. Organizations like the Grand Army of the Republic helped veterans and their communities. Ohio also created homes to support veterans who needed help.

Industrialization and urbanization (1865–1890)

Between Abraham Lincoln and Herbert Hoover, Ohio became an important place for presidents. Many leaders came from Ohio, including Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, and Benjamin Harrison. This happened because Ohio was a mix of different parts of the country, making it a good training ground for leaders.

During this time, Ohio grew quickly with new factories and industries. Steel production became very important, especially in cities like Cleveland and Youngstown. Other industries, like making tobacco, farming tools, and carriages, also grew. Cleveland even became a big place for oil and chemicals, with companies like Standard Oil and Dow Chemical Company starting there.

Ohio’s natural resources, like coal and iron, helped it become a center for industry. By the early 1900s, Ohio had many railroads connecting its factories and mines. New kinds of entertainment also appeared, such as baseball teams and amusement parks. Companies like Procter & Gamble and Owens-Illinois began making everyday products that people still use today.

Progressive era and Roaring Twenties (1890–1929)

Ohio grew quickly during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Its population more than doubled from 2.3 million in 1860 to 4.2 million by 1900. By 1920, nine cities in Ohio had over 50,000 people.

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, built their first airplane, the Wright Flyer, in Dayton, Ohio. They made their first successful flights in North Carolina in 1903. Many people from different parts of the world moved to Ohio for jobs, especially in factories and mines. This brought new cultures to the state, like the Forty-Easters in Cincinnati and Irish families in Columbus.

Ohio was an important place during a time called the Progressive Era. Leaders worked to make government more fair and stop big companies from being too powerful. In 1912, Ohio changed its rules to let people vote directly on some laws.

The Roaring Twenties brought big changes, including new dance styles like swing. Some people broke the law to sell alcohol, which was not allowed at the time. This caused problems, but many groups that tried to control these issues lost power by the mid-1920s.

Great Depression, World War II and the Cold War (1929–1999)

Ohio had hard times during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Many people lost their jobs. The state supported Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal programs that created new jobs. By the 1940s, the economy started to get better.

During World War II, Ohio helped provide important supplies and materials. The state made many things needed for the war. After the war, Ohio worried about communism during the Cold War. The state was also important for space exploration. John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962, and Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon in 1969.

Ohio also helped American culture with music, film, and art. In 1995, the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame opened in Cleveland to honor the state's musical history.

History since 2000

Since 2000, Ohio's economy has changed a lot. Many factories closed, but the state created jobs in new areas. The state government helped grow new industries like solar energy and electric vehicles. In 2002, Governor Bob Taft started the "Third Frontier" program to help technology grow in Ohio.

Ohio sent soldiers to wars in the Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The state was important in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. After the Great Recession in 2007-2008, Ohio lost jobs and many people lost their homes. By 2010, the state started to recover. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic reached Ohio, which affected jobs and led to spending to help the economy. In 2023, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks were named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.