Which U.S. state was named by the U.S. Congress in 1800, and meant "land of the Indians"?

In 1800, the U.S. Congress carved a new territory out of the vast Northwest Territory. When choosing a name for this region, they selected a term that was a direct and literal description of its population at the time. By combining "Indian" with the Latin-style suffix "-a," which signifies a land or country, they created a name that meant "Land of the Indians." That territory, and the state it would become, is Indiana.

The name was chosen because the land was the home of numerous Native American tribes, including the Miami, Potawatomi, Delaware (Lenape), and Shawnee. While the name acknowledged the existing inhabitants, it was also part of the process of the United States asserting governmental control over the region. The federal government designated this area as a territory to be settled by American pioneers, a policy that would ultimately lead to the displacement of the very people for whom it was named.

Sixteen years after its creation as a territory, Indiana was admitted to the Union as the 19th state in 1816. Its name remains a permanent and unique reminder of the region's deep Native American heritage, officially bestowed by the nation's early lawmakers.