Indian Territory, Unorganized territory in Oklahoma, United States.
Indian Territory was an unorganized region in what is now Oklahoma, extending between the borders of Arkansas and Texas. The landscape included wide grasslands, wooded hills, and several river systems that ran through the area.
Congress created this territory in 1834 in response to the Indian Removal Act, which ordered the relocation of eastern tribes westward. The territory existed until 1907, when it merged with Oklahoma Territory to form the state of Oklahoma.
The tribes relocated in the 1830s developed new forms of self-government that combined elements of their original traditions with the demands of the American legal system. Many communities established schools, newspapers, and government buildings that now serve as the foundation for modern tribal sovereignty in the region.
Visitors interested in this history today will find references in museums and historic sites throughout eastern Oklahoma. Many tribal capitals and historic buildings from this period still stand and remain open to the public.
The territory had no single capital, as each nation maintained its own government and administrative center. This decentralized structure allowed the five major tribes to develop court systems, legislatures, and law enforcement that operated in parallel.
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