Iowa Territory: Polity Style: 1838-1846

3 Jul 1838	part of the Territory of Wisconsin constitutes a separate territorial government by the name of Iowa on 3 Jul 1838, the date appointed by an act passed by the Congress of the United States (Senate on 1 Jun 1838, House of Representatives on 6 Jun 1838 with amendments, Senate concurs in the amendments on 6 Jun 1838) and signed into law on 12 Jun 1838 (Statutes at Large, 5:235-241) [1]
3 Jul 1838 - 9 Sep 1846	Territory of Iowa
31 Oct 1844	the Constitution of the State of Iowa is adopted and signed by members of the Convention held in Iowa City on 31 Oct 1844, pending ratification by the people of Iowa of the Constitution together with any conditions that might be imposed by the Congress of the United States (Iowa Constitutional Convention 1844, pp. 185-186)
3 Mar 1845	the admission of Iowa into the Union within the prescribed boundaries is agreed upon, subject to the assent of the people of Iowa to those boundaries, in accordance with an act passed by the Congress of the United States (House of Representatives on 13 Feb 1845; Senate on 1 Mar 1845) and signed into law on 3 Mar 1845 (Statutes at Large, 5:742-743) [2][3]
19 May 1846	the Constitution of the State of Iowa is adopted at a session of the Convention held in Iowa City on 18 May 1846 and signed by the members on 19 May 1846, pending the ratification by the people of Iowa (Iowa Constitutional Convention 1846, pp. 105, 108)
9 Sep 1846	the Constitution of the State of Iowa is ratified by the people of Iowa at the general election held on 3 Aug 1846, the results of which were certified by proclamation issued by the Governor of the Territory of Iowa on 9 Sep 1846 (Burlington Hawk-Eye, No. 17, 17 Sep 1846, p. 1) [4]

Full title: An Act to divide the Territory of Wisconsin and to establish the Territorial Government of Iowa.
Full title: An Act for the admission of the States of Iowa and Florida into the Union.
The people of Iowa twice rejected ratification of the Constitution incorporating the prescribed boundaries, at elections held on 7 Apr 1845 and 4 Aug 1845. A convention was subsequently called to draft a second state constitution.
Following the adoption and ratification of the Constitution of the State of Iowa, all civil and military officers of the territorial government were authorized by a provision of the Constitution to continue in office until superseded.