United States's states, from annexation to statehood
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How long does it take for a state in the United States's states, to move from annexation to statehood...
[edit | edit source]As of 2026[update] there are 50 states in the United States. In addition multiple territories make up the territory of the United States, including Puerto Rico, Guam and the District of Columbia. Individuals born in a territory have birth-right citizenship. But individuals living in a territory are not represented by voting members of the United States Congress. They do not cast a vote for President.
In 2025 President-elect Donald Trump started insisting that Canada should become American's 51st state. Can a US President offer state-hood to another country?
Well, no. Congress incorporates a new territory into the United States, as a new state. Congress passes an Enabling Act to turn it into a state. So, how did the current 50 states become states?
24 of the 50 states in the United States are in territory the USA annexed after independence. None of them was granted statehood immediately upon annexation. Their average wait time, from annexation, to statehood, was 45 years.
If, somehow, Canada was annexed to the USA, would former Canadians have to wait decades, as second class citizens, with no representation in the US Congress, who didn't get to vote for a POTUS? Or would statehood be rapid, like Texas's? Yes, Texas had to wait less than a year. But: (1) an independent Republic of Texas had been lobbying for annexation for something like a decade; (2) Texans were strongly committed to becoming Americans; (3) Congress was strongly committed to Statehood. In contrast, almost all Canadians are strongly opposed to becoming Americans, and Republicans are strongly opposed to Canadian statehood.
It would be a much better deal, for former Canadians, if each former province and former territory, became a separate state. 13 states would rate 26 senators.
| State | annexation | statehood | waiting | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 1787-12-07 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| Pennsylvania | 1787-12-12 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| New Jersey | 1787-12-18 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| Georgia | 1788-01-02 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| Connecticut | 1788-01-09 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| Massachusetts | 1788-02-06 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| Maryland | 1788-04-28 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| South Carolina | 1788-05-23 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| New Hampshire | 1788-06-21 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| Virginia | 1788-06-25 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| New York | 1788-07-26 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| North Carolina | 1789-11-21 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| Rhode Island | 1790-05-29 | 0 | One of the original 13 states | |
| Vermont | 1791-01-10 | 1791-03-04 | 0.2 | Real estate disputes with neighbouring states blocked entry from 1786-1791 |
| Kentucky | 1792-06-01 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| Tennessee | 1796-06-01 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| Ohio | 1803-03-01 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| Louisiana | 1804-03-10 | 1812-04-30 | 8.1 | Acquired through the Louisiana Purchase |
| Indiana | 1816-12-11 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| Mississippi | 1817-12-10 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| Illinois | 1818-12-03 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| Alabama | 1819-12-14 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| Maine | 1820-03-15 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| Missouri | 1804-03-10 | 1821-08-10 | 17.5 | Acquired through the Louisiana Purchase |
| Arkansas | 1804-03-10 | 1836-06-15 | 32.25 | Acquired through the Louisiana Purchase |
| Michigan | 1837-01-26 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| Florida | 1821-03-03 | 1845-03-03 | 24 | Acquired through the Adams-Oris Treaty |
| Texas | 1845-03-03 | 1845-12-29 | 0.75 | An independent Texas agreed to be annexed |
| Iowa | 1804-03-10 | 1846-12-28 | 42.75 | Acquired through the Louisiana Purchase |
| Wisconsin | 1848-05-29 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| California | 1848-07-04 | 1850-09-09 | 2.2 | Acquired through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo |
| Minnesota | 1858-05-11 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| Oregon | 1846-06-15 | 1859-02-14 | 12.9 | Acquired through the Oregon Treaty |
| Kansas | 1804-03-10 | 1861-01-29 | 56.9 | Acquired through the Louisiana Purchase |
| West Virginia | 1863-06-20 | 0 | Some states east of the Mississippi were carved out of territory originally ceded to the USA in its Peace Treaty with Britain | |
| Nevada | 1848-07-04 | 1864-10-31 | 6.25 | Acquired through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo |
| Nebraska | 1804-03-10 | 1867-03-01 | 62.9 | Acquired through the Louisiana Purchase |
| Colorado | 1848-07-04 | 1876-08-01 | 28.1 | Acquired through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo |
| North Dakota | 1804-03-10 | 1889-11-02 | 85.75 | Acquired through the Louisiana Purchase |
| South Dakota | 1804-03-10 | 1889-11-02 | 85.75 | Acquired through the Louisiana Purchase |
| Montana | 1804-03-10 | 1889-11-08 | 85.6 | Acquired through the Louisiana Purchase |
| Washington | 1846-06-15 | 1889-11-11 | 43.1 | Acquired through the Oregon Treaty |
| Idaho | 1846-06-15 | 1890-07-03 | 44.1 | Acquired through the Oregon Treaty |
| Wyoming | 1804-03-10 | 1890-07-10 | 86.5 | Acquired through the Louisiana Purchase |
| Utah | 1848-07-04 | 1896-01-04 | 47.5 | Acquired through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo |
| Oklahoma | 1804-03-10 | 1907-11-16 | 102.5 | Acquired through the Louisiana Purchase |
| New Mexico | 1848-07-04 | 1912-01-06 | 63.5 | Acquired through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo |
| Arizona | 1848-07-04 | 1912-02-14 | 63.5 | Acquired through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo |
| Alaska | 1867-03-30 | 1959-01-03 | 92.75 | Purchaased from Russia |
| Hawaii | 1898-07-06 | 1959-08-21 | 61.1 | Seized |