[Non-Sequitur]

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.

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.

[rustbucket]

Great scheme, except that the 13th Amendment had passed out of the Senate before Nevada became a state.

Here is a link to the story behind Nevada statehood as told by Charles Dana, Assistant Secretary of War under Lincoln: Link