Historical1896
Utah Admitted as 45th State
Utah was admitted to the Union as the 45th state after a long struggle over statehood tied to the practice of polygamy. Utah's admission followed the LDS Church's 1890 manifesto discontinuing polygamy and the adoption of a state constitution guaranteeing women's suffrage.
Why It Matters
Utah's path to statehood illustrated the tension between religious liberty and federal standards, and its constitution made Utah one of the first states to grant women the right to vote.