Nevada, which became a state in 1864 at the height of the Civil War, entered into the Union at this time for a few different reasons. The way in which Nevada acquired statehood reflects the national turmoil at the time and the history of the 36th state is rich with mining and gambling, to things that are still strongly associated with the state. Silver and gold were discovered in large quantities in the Comstock Lode in 1859, hastening Nevada’s development into a territory and state and quickly populating the state.
It took several failed attempts before the Nevada Territory legislature was able to produce the final version of their Constitution, although there was overwhelming support among residents of the territory for the formation of a state. Early versions of the Nevada constitution largely resembled the constitutions of New York and California, where most of the delegates writing the constitution were from. One of the greatest points of contention slowing the creation of Nevada’s constitution was a battle about the taxation of mines. Strong mining interests, obviously, did not want to have strong taxation of mines in the constitution (Bowers, 1993, p.6).
Finally, in 1864, a constitution was successfully written and passed and included restrictions that the state constitution would not be repugnant to the Declaration of Independence or Federal Constitution and that slaver was illegal except in cases of punishment for crimes.
President Lincoln quickly, after finally receiving the Nevada State Constitution via telegram, granted Nevada statehood. President Lincoln hastened to make Nevada a state in order to better take advantage of the wealth from Nevada’s mines and attempt to ensure his re-election, which was only about a week away. Lincoln also wanted to ensure that he had the additional votes in Congress necessary to pass the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery (Bowers, 2006, p.20).
Although the Nevada Constitution asserted that all men were free and equal, the delegates writing the constitution also only allowed white males the right to vote. Beginning early in the history of Nevada as a territory and state, Native Americans were treated poorly and subject to discrimination. Interracial marriage was prohibited in Nevada (Bowers, 2006, p.31). Chinese immigrants arrived in Nevada for mining and, largely, to work on the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad, but were excluded from unions and also discriminated against, only allowed to give testimony in court beginning in 1881. Although women were not afforded the right to vote in Nevada’s constitution, Nevada was, in 1914, one of the first states to grant women suffrage (Bowers, 2006, p.40).
Gaming was prevalent in Nevada’s pre-statehood era. It was largely a “wild-west” territory filled with prospectors and industries that arose around the male prospectors. President Lincoln appointed an anti-gaming governor to run the Nevada Territory. He encouraged the territorial legislature to pass a ban on gambling. The legislature instituted stiff gambling penalties, although the penalties were not very successful. With statehood, gambling penalties in Nevada became very minor and certain forms of gambling were legalized in 1869 only to again criminalize gambling in 1909 thanks to the Progressive movement. Gaming was legalized in Nevada during the Great Depression, leading to the rise of the modern, powerful and well-known gaming industry in Nevada (Nevada Resort Association, 2013).
References
Bowers, M.W. (1993). The Nevada state constitution: A reference guide. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Bowers, M.W. (2006). The sagebrush state: Nevada’s history, government and politics (3rd ed.).Reno, Nevada: University of Nevada Press.
National Archives Public Affairs Staff (2009). National archives celebrates the 145th anniversary of Nevada statehood. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved December 16, 2013, from http://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2009/nr09-127.html
Nevada Resort Association. 2013. The history of gaming in Nevada: 1864-1931. Nevada Resort Association. Retrieved December 16, 2013, from http://nevadaresorts.org/history/1860.php
