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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. State | Year of Statehood |
|---|---|
| Delaware | 1787 |
| Pennsylvania | 1787 |
| New Jersey | 1787 |
| Georgia | 1788 |
| Connecticut | 1788 |
| Massachusetts | 1788 |
| Maryland | 1788 |
| South Carolina | 1788 |
| New Hampshire | 1788 |
| Virginia | 1788 |
| New York | 1788 |
| North Carolina | 1789 |
| Rhode Island | 1790 |
| Vermont | 1791 |
| Kentucky | 1792 |
| Tennessee | 1796 |
| Ohio | 1803 |
| Louisiana | 1812 |
| Indiana | 1816 |
| Mississippi | 1817 |
| Illinois | 1818 |
| Alabama | 1819 |
| Maine | 1820 |
| Missouri | 1821 |
| Arkansas | 1836 |
| Michigan | 1837 |
| Florida | 1845 |
| Texas | 1845 |
| Iowa | 1846 |
| Wisconsin | 1848 |
| California | 1850 |
| Minnesota | 1858 |
| Oregon | 1859 |
| Kansas | 1861 |
| West Virginia | 1863 |
| Nevada | 1864 |
| Nebraska | 1867 |
| Colorado | 1876 |
| North Dakota | 1889 |
| South Dakota | 1889 |
| Montana | 1889 |
| Washington | 1889 |
| Idaho | 1890 |
| Wyoming | 1890 |
| Utah | 1896 |
| Oklahoma | 1907 |
| New Mexico | 1912 |
| Arizona | 1912 |
| Alaska | 1959 |
| Hawaii | 1959 |
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.