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Mapped: When Each State Joined the U.S.
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65 years have passed since the latest U.S. states achieved statehood—Alaska and Hawaii in 1959—but mapping out states by their year of statehood shows that the 19th century was when the U.S. added the most territory to the national footprint.
This map from USAFacts shows when each American state achieved statehood. Data comes from the US Senate and individual state governments.
U.S. States by Year of Statehood
The U.S. Constitution states that Congress has the sole authority to admit new states to the Union. Most states are formed by first drafting a state constitution and submitting it to Congress for approval. Once approved, Congress passes an Act of Admission, which the president signs, officially granting statehood.
Delaware ratified the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787, thus becoming the first state. In the intervening 172 years, 49 additional states were admitted.
U.S. StateYear of Statehood
Delaware1787
Pennsylvania1787
New Jersey1787
Georgia1788
Connecticut1788
Massachusetts1788
Maryland1788
South Carolina1788
New Hampshire1788
Virginia1788
New York1788
North Carolina1789
Rhode Island1790
Vermont1791
Kentucky1792
Tennessee1796
Ohio1803
Louisiana1812
Indiana1816
Mississippi1817
Illinois1818
Alabama1819
Maine1820
Missouri1821
Arkansas1836
Michigan1837
Florida1845
Texas1845
Iowa1846
Wisconsin1848
California1850
Minnesota1858
Oregon1859
Kansas1861
West Virginia1863
Nevada1864
Nebraska1867
Colorado1876
North Dakota1889
South Dakota1889
Montana1889
Washington1889
Idaho1890
Wyoming1890
Utah1896
Oklahoma1907
New Mexico1912
Arizona1912
Alaska1959
Hawaii1959
16 states were added to the Union in the 18th century, 29 in the 19th century, and five in the 20th century.
Many U.S. states were once U.S. territories. For instance, the Dakota Territory, established in 1861, included present-day North Dakota, South Dakota, and parts of Montana and Wyoming. It was divided, and on November 2, 1889, North Dakota and South Dakota became separate states.
Some other interesting facts about the states joining the U.S. include:
California was admitted as the 31st state in 1850 without ever having been a territory.
Arizona became the last of the contiguous states to join the Union in 1912.
Disneyland was founded in 1955, four years before Alaska and Hawaii became states.
But each state has its own unique story to statehood. Which ones stand out to you?
The post Mapped: When Each State Joined the U.S. appeared first on Visual Capitalist.