Oregon Territory Oregon Territory The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries (see Oregon Country), the region was divided between the UK and US in 1846. When established, the territory encompassed an area that included the current states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, as well as parts of Wyoming and Montana. The capital of the territory was first Oregon City, then Salem, followed briefly by
Capital punishment in Oregon Capital punishment in Oregon Capital punishment is a legal penalty in the U.S. state of Oregon. In November 2011, Governor John Kitzhaber announced a moratorium on executions in Oregon, canceling a planned execution and ordering a review of the death penalty system in the state. Kitzhaber's successor, Governor Kate Brown, affirmed her commitment to the moratorium. Oregon is the only American state where someone can be convicted of a capital crime without a unanimous verdict from the jury: 11 jurors are enough to find the defendant guilty, unless the prosecution requests a unanimous verdict. But if the prosecution seeks the