Indiana is the 19th state in the U.S., and rightfully holds its place as the 19th quarter to be released in the State Quarters Program. This coin was released in 2002, and features all the things that Indiana is known for. There are nineteen stars to signify its joining the Union as the 19th state, along with a race car because of the Indianapolis 500, which is a world-famous race. There is also an outline of the state of Indiana in the background, with the phrase ‘Crossroads of America’ printed below the race car on the coin.
Indiana, the Hoosier State, was admitted to the Union in 1816. It is located in the Midwest United States, and borders Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Kentucky. It also borders a small portion of Lake Michigan, one of the five Great Lakes. The state was initially created as part of the Northwest Territory in 1787, and was divided in 1800 into the Ohio territory and the Indiana territory. There have been people in the area since 8000 BC, with Paleo-Indians being the first known inhabitants of the area.
The French were the first to cross into the land in 1679 as far as European settlers were concerned. The fighting between the French and the British for the land during this time was very common, and occurred in this area as well as many others.