Congress and the Lincoln administration, however, saw Nevada statehood as additional support for the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution (which outlawed slavery) and for Lincoln's upcoming reelection. The U.S. Congress quickly passed the Nevada Enabling Act in March 1864 and by summer a new constitutional convention was convened.
Here's another source that mentions Nevada's inadequate (for statehood) population (State of Nevada, Department of Cultural Affairs):
Thus, Nevada, with a population less than required for statehood by the Northwest Ordinance, entered the union as the 36th state. The designation "Battle Born State" is appropriate inasmuch as Nevada's entry was a result of the Civil War and the accompanying problems.
Lincoln was nothing if not a schemer.
And a despicable scheme it was. Gaining another vote for a Constitutional Amendment to End Slavery. No wonder the LOS neo-confedeares hate the very ground he walked.
The man would stoop to any means for his evil ends, I guess.
< / sarcasm >
Oh. BTW. How does that "Bill Gates" source fit with the incessant neo-confederate mantra that Lincoln did nothing to end slavery in "The North"?
Great scheme, except that the 13th Amendment had passed out of the Senate before Nevada became a state. And Lincoln was narrowly reelected with 10 times the electoral votes of his opponent.
Thus, Nevada, with a population less than required for statehood by the Northwest Ordinance, entered the union as the 36th state.
The Northwest Ordinance outlined the requirements for a territory to be admitted as a state under the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution replaced the Articles and, as you might know, does not lay out a population requirement for statehood. Arkansas, Michigan, Iowa, Oregon, Wisconsin all were admitted with populations less than 50,000.