Enabling Act of 1889

The Enabling Act of 1889 (25 Stat. 676, chs. 180, 276–284, enacted February 22, 1889) is a United States statute that enabled North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington to form state governments and to gain admission as states of the union.

The enabling act laid out the mechanism by which the territories were admitted as states following ratification of their constitutions and election of state officers in October 1889. All of the states were subsequently admitted in November of that year.

The act further provided for the division of Dakota Territory into North Dakota and South Dakota.

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