On November 16, 1907, Oklahoma entered the Union as the 46th state. The new state combined Oklahoma Territory with most of what had been Indian Territory, land that Native nations had been forced onto in earlier decades. Statehood gave residents full representation in Congress and shifted control of many political decisions from federal authorities to state institutions. Oil and gas discoveries played a major role in shaping Oklahoma’s early economy and politics. At the same time, Native communities continued to face pressure on land, resources, and sovereignty. The admission of Oklahoma marked the near-completion of continental statehood in the contiguous United States.
