Utah History for Kids

Utahns began petitioning Congress for admission to the Union in 1849 but did not achieve statehood until 1896. During most of Utah's territorial years federally appointed men, all non-Mormons except for Brigham Young, served as territorial governors. They repeatedly clashed with the Mormon-dominated legislature. While the number of non-Mormons living in Utah was less than 10 percent, they lived mostly in the cities or in mining and railroad towns. There were several reasons the non-Mormon minority felt fearful of Mormon control: polygamy, church and state issues, and lack of free public schools.

Polygamy still held the country's attention. Congress passed the Anti-bigamy Act (1862), but it was generally not enforced. Finally, in 1887 the Edmunds-Tucker Act brought an end to the LDS church corporation and threatened the survival of all Mormon institutions. Additionally, women, who had the vote under territorial law, did not have the right to vote by this act. Clearly something dramatic had to be done. In September 1890 Mormon church president Wilford Woodruff issued the Manifesto. It stated that Mormons no longer accepted polygamy.

Statehood Day bunting on front of ZCMI, Salt Lake City, Utah, Statehood Day celebration.

In 1891, the Democratic and Republican political parties were organized in Utah. With each of these steps, Utah moved closer to becoming a state. Careful teamwork by Mormons and non-Mormons in Washington, D.C., and positive statements by the Utah Commission led to the passage of the Enabling Act. Signed by President Grover Cleveland, this bill allowed Utahns to hold a constitutional convention and apply for admission to the Union. That convention was held in 1895. On January 4, 1896, Utah became the 45th state. Utah women campaigned successfully for the return of their right to vote. They received a full equal rights provision in the new state constitution.