page_title: Provisional Legislature of Oregon
section_title: 1843
hierarchical_section_title: Provisional Legislature of Oregon / 1843
caption_attribution_description: English: Map of the administrative districts of the Provisional Government of Oregon, as of 1843.
context_page_description: The Provisional Legislature of Oregon was the single-chamber legislative body of the Provisional Government of Oregon. It served the Oregon Country of the Pacific Northwest of North America from 1843 until early 1849 at a time when no country had sovereignty over the region. This democratically elected legislature became the Oregon Territorial Legislature when the territorial authorities arrived after the creation of the Oregon Territory by the United States in 1848. The body was first termed the Legislative Committee and later renamed the House of Representatives. Over the course of its six-year history the legislature passed laws, including taxation and liquor regulation, and created an army to deal with conflicts with Native Americans.
  Many of the legislators would become prominent figures during the territorial years of Oregon. At first the body was a small committee of nine people, but the group was altered when the Organic Laws of Oregon were revised in 1845 with the legislative branch of the Provisional Government becoming the Oregon House of Representatives with a minimum of 13 members.
context_section_description: On May 16, the nine-person committee of James A. O'Neil, Robert Moore, William H. Gray, William P. Dougherty, David Hill, Robert Shortess, Thomas J. Hubbard, Robert Newell, and Alanson Beers met for three days to draft laws. The group met again for two days starting on June 16, with George LeBreton serving as the recorder and Moore as the chairman for both sets of meetings. The laws drafted became the Organic Laws of Oregon and were ratified on July 5. Committees on land claims, appropriations, military, the judiciary, and districting were also formed at that meeting.
  The organic laws were based on the laws of Iowa Territory. The document outlined the legislative branch and its powers, vested in a unicameral or single body. At that time the title of the legislature was the Legislative Committee and it consisted of nine elected representatives apportioned by population to the four established districts (which later became counties). The Organic Laws required the legislature to meet in June and December of each year.
caption: Original districts of the government with the eventual U.S. borders and states
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