The Wisconsin Territory was established on April 20, 1836, as a region of the United States. It included parts of present-day Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Michigan. The territory was created to facilitate settlement and governance in the area, which was previously part of the Northwest Territory. The capital of the Wisconsin Territory was initially located in Belmont, but it was later moved to Madison in 1837. The territory played a significant role in the westward expansion of the United States, attracting settlers and leading to the eventual admission of Wisconsin as the 30th state in 1848.