▁presented ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 8 1 5 , ▁and ▁introduced ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 8 1 6 . ▁A ▁House ▁committee ▁cha ired ▁by ▁Jonathan ▁Jenn ings , ▁Indiana ' s ▁territorial ▁representative , ▁reported ▁out ▁a ▁bill ▁for ▁an ▁En abling ▁Act , ▁which ▁provided ▁for ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁deleg ates ▁to ▁a ▁convention ▁to ▁consider ▁state hood ▁for ▁Indiana . ▁The ▁bill ▁passed ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁House ▁on ▁March ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 8 1 6 , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 3 . ▁President ▁James ▁Mad ison ▁signed ▁the ▁En abling ▁Act ▁into ▁law ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 8 1 6 . ▁If ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁deleg ates ▁to ▁Indiana ' s ▁constitution al ▁convention ▁agreed , ▁the ▁deleg ates ▁would ▁proceed ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁state ▁constitution . ▁ ▁As ▁out lined ▁in ▁the ▁En abling ▁Act , ▁election ▁of ▁deleg ates ▁to ▁Indiana ' s ▁first ▁constitution al ▁convention ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 8 1 6 . ▁The ▁convention ▁at ▁C ory don , ▁the ▁territorial ▁capital ▁in ▁Harrison ▁County , ▁began ▁on ▁Monday , ▁June ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 8 1 6 . ▁The ▁convention ' s ▁elected ▁deleg ation ▁of ▁forty - three ▁men ▁were ▁app ort ioned