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40-488: Of the 37 states admitted to the Union by Congress, all but six have been established within existing U.S. organized incorporated territories . A state that was so created might encompass all or part of a territory. When the people of a territory or a region have grown to a sufficient population and have made their desire for statehood known to the federal government, Congress in most cases has passed an enabling act , authorizing

80-501: A general ticket . There were no political parties in this Congress. Members are informally grouped into factions of similar interest, based on an analysis of their voting record. New York , North Carolina , and Rhode Island were the last states to ratify the U.S. Constitution and, due to their late ratification, were unable to send full representation at the beginning of this Congress. Six Senators and nine Representatives were subsequently seated from these states during

120-552: A more complete list of regions and subdivisions of the United States used in modern times, see List of regions of the United States . † - indicates failed legal entities Unlike the land to the east, most of the land west of the Mississippi River was under French or Spanish rule until the first years of the 19th century. The following are state cessions made during the building of the U.S. The following

160-596: A new state out of an established one without the consent of the established state as well as the Congress. It was anticipated that Kentucky (which was a part of Virginia), Franklin (which was a part of North Carolina, and later became part of the Southwest Territory), Vermont (to which New York asserted a disputed claim), and Maine (which was a part of Massachusetts ), would become states. As a result of this compromise, new breakaway states are permitted to join

200-442: A part of New York and was not admitted until New York consented); two large additions to Nevada , which became a state in 1864, were made in 1866 and 1867. There have been numerous minor adjustments to state boundaries over the years as a result of improved surveys, resolution of ambiguous or disputed boundary definitions, or minor mutually agreed boundary adjustments for administrative convenience or other purposes. One notable example

240-532: A result of the attempted secession of the Confederacy during the American Civil War (1861–1865). Some were enclaves within enemy-held territories: These were regions disassociated from neighboring areas due to opposing views: Belts are loosely defined sub-regions found throughout the United States that are named for a perceived commonality among the included areas, which is often related to

280-443: Is a list of the 31 U.S. territories that have become states, in the order of the date organized . (All were considered incorporated .) The following are land grants, cessions, defined districts (official or otherwise) or named settlements made within an area that was already part of a U.S. state or territory that did not involve international treaties or Native American cessions or land purchases. These entities were sometimes

320-675: Is known as the equal footing doctrine. With the growth of states' rights advocacy during the antebellum period , the Supreme Court asserted, in Lessee of Pollard v. Hagan (1845), that the Constitution mandated admission of new states on the basis of equality. Historically, most new states formed by Congress have been established from an organized incorporated U.S. territory, created and governed by Congress in accord with its plenary power under Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2 of

360-468: Is the case New Jersey v. New York , in which New Jersey won roughly 90% of Ellis Island from New York in 1998. In addition to the original 13, six subsequent states were never part of an organized incorporated U.S. territory: Organized incorporated territories of the United States The territory of the United States and its overseas possessions has evolved over time , from

400-641: Is under no obligation to admit states, even in those areas whose population expresses a desire for statehood. In one instance, Mormon pioneers in Salt Lake City sought to establish the state of Deseret in 1849. It existed for slightly over two years and was never approved by the Congress. In 1905, leaders of the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole) in Indian Territory proposed to establish

440-525: The 1st United States Congress reaffirmed the Northwest Ordinance with slight modifications. The Northwest Territory remained in existence until 1803, when the southeastern portion of it was admitted to the Union as the State of Ohio , and the remainder was reorganized. At the 1787 Constitutional Convention , a proposal to include the phrase "new States shall be admitted on the same terms with

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480-605: The Mississippi River to eventually be divided into ten states. Once a given area reached 20,000 inhabitants, it could call a constitutional convention and form a provisional government . Then, upon enacting a state constitution which affirmed that the new state would forever be part of the Confederation, it would be admitted on an equal footing with all other states, based on a majority vote in Congress. Stipulations for new state dictated that it would be subject to

520-492: The colonial era to the present day. It includes formally organized territories, proposed and failed states, unrecognized breakaway states , international and interstate purchases, cessions , and land grants , and historical military departments and administrative districts. The last section lists informal regions from American vernacular geography known by popular nicknames and linked by geographical, cultural, or economic similarities, some of which are still in use today. For

560-469: The " Changes in membership " section. During this congress, two Senate seats were added for North Carolina and Rhode Island when each ratified the Constitution. During this congress, five House seats were added for North Carolina and one House seat was added for Rhode Island when they ratified the Constitution. This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives are listed by district. Senators were elected by

600-540: The Articles of Confederation and acts of Congress; would be subject to payment for federal debts; would not tax federal properties within the state border or tax non-residents at a rate higher than residents; and would have a republican form of government . Jefferson's original draft of the ordinance gave names to the proposed states and contained a provision that "After the year 1800 there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in any of them." The 1784 ordinance

640-734: The Confederation Congress enacted two ordinances governing the admission of new states into the Union. The first such ordinance was the Land Ordinance of 1784, enacted April 23, 1784. Thomas Jefferson was its principal author. The ordinance called for the land (recently confirmed as part of the United States by the Treaty of Paris ) west of the Appalachian Mountains , north of the Ohio River and east of

680-1238: The Constitution were passed by this Congress and sent to the states for ratification ; the ten ratified as additions to the Constitution on December 15, 1791, are collectively known as the Bill of Rights , with an additional amendment ratified more than two centuries later to become the Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution . Held March 4, 1789, through September 29, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City Held January 4, 1790, through August 12, 1790, at Federal Hall in New York City Held December 6, 1790, through March 3, 1791, at Congress Hall in Philadelphia There were no political parties in this Congress. Members are informally grouped into factions of similar interest, based on an analysis of their voting record. Details on changes are shown below in

720-421: The Constitution. In some cases, an entire territory became a state; in others some part of a territory became a state. In most cases, the organized government of a territory made known the sentiment of its population in favor of statehood, usually by referendum. Congress then empowered that government to organize a constitutional convention to write a state constitution . Upon acceptance of that constitution, by

760-581: The First Congress, the United States federal government officially began operations under the new (and current) frame of government established by the 1787 Constitution . The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the provisions of Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 , of the Constitution. Both chambers had a Pro-Administration majority. Twelve articles of amendment to

800-531: The Northwest Territory, Southwest Territory, and Mississippi Territory ; the 1791 cession by Maryland and Virginia of land to create the District of Columbia (Virginia's portion was returned in 1847); and the creation, on at least three occasions, of a new state ( Kentucky , Maine and West Virginia ) from a region of an existing state (Vermont was created from what was disputedly claimed to be

840-652: The States concerned as well as of the Congress. Between 1781 and 1789, the United States was governed by a unicameral Congress, the Congress of the Confederation , which operated under authority granted to it by the Articles of Confederation , the nation's first constitution. The 11th Article authorized Congress to admit new states to the Union provided nine states consented. Under the Articles, each state cast one vote on each proposed measure in Congress. During this period,

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880-469: The Union Clause forbids the creation of new states from parts of existing states without the consent of all of the affected states and that of Congress. The primary intent of the caveat was to give the four Eastern States that still had western land claims (Connecticut, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia) a veto over whether their western counties could become states. The clause has since served

920-458: The Union but only with the proper consents. Shortly after the new Constitution went into effect Congress admitted Vermont and Kentucky on equal terms with the existing 13 states and thereafter formalized the condition in its acts of admission for subsequent states. Thus the Congress, utilizing the discretion allowed by the framers, adopted a policy of equal status for all newly admitted states. The constitutional principle derived from these actions

960-464: The Union has been delayed by complicating factors. Among them, Michigan Territory , which petitioned Congress for statehood in 1835, was not admitted to the Union until 1837, because of a boundary dispute with the adjacent state of Ohio. The independent Republic of Texas requested annexation to the United States in 1837, but fears about potential conflict with Mexico delayed the admission of Texas for nine years. Also, statehood for Kansas Territory

1000-473: The election of state officers. Although the use of such an act is a traditional historic practice, several territories have drafted constitutions for submission to Congress absent an enabling act but were subsequently admitted. The broad outline for the process was established by the Land Ordinance of 1784 and the 1787 Northwest Ordinance , both of which predate the U.S. Constitution. The Admission to

1040-483: The most important legislative acts of the Confederation Congress, the Northwest Ordinance established the precedent by which the Federal government would be sovereign and expand westward with the admission of new states, rather than with the expansion of existing states and their established sovereignty under the Articles of Confederation. No new states were formed in the Northwest Territory under either ordinance. In 1789,

1080-401: The next two Congresses, requiring re-election in 1794. The names of members of the House of Representatives are listed by their districts. All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket . All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket . All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket . All representatives were elected statewide on

1120-590: The only governmental authority in the listed areas, although they often co-existed with civil governments in scarcely populated states and territories. Civilian administered "military" tracts, districts, departments, etc., will be listed elsewhere. During the American Civil War, the Department of the Pacific had six subordinate military districts: The Department of California (1858–1861) comprised

1160-567: The original States" in the new states clause was defeated. That proposal would have taken the policy articulated in the Ordinance of 1784 and made it a constitutional imperative. Many delegates objected to including the phrase, fearing that the political power of future new western states would ultimately overwhelm that of the established eastern states. Delegates, understanding that the number of states would inevitably increase, did agree to include wording into this clause to preclude formation of

1200-408: The people of that territory or region to frame a proposed state constitution as a step toward admission to the Union. The use of an enabling act has been a common historic practice, but several states were admitted to the Union without one. In many instances, an enabling act would detail the mechanism by which the territory would be admitted as a state after the ratification of their constitution and

1240-511: The people of the territory and then by Congress, Congress would adopt by simple majority vote a joint resolution granting statehood. Then the President of the United States would sign the resolution and issue a proclamation announcing that a new state had been added to the Union. While Congress, which has ultimate authority over the admission of new states, has usually followed this procedure, there have been occasions when it did not. Congress

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1280-451: The principles contained in these articles; and, so far as it can be consistent with the general interest of the confederacy, such admission shall be allowed at an earlier period, and when there may be fewer free inhabitants in the State than sixty thousand. While the Articles of Confederation were in effect, the Congress considered various ordinances admitting particular new states into the Union, none of which were approved: Considered one of

1320-682: The region's economy or climate. 1st United States Congress The 1st United States Congress , comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives , met from March 4, 1789, to March 4, 1791, during the first two years of George Washington's presidency , first at Federal Hall in New York City and later at Congress Hall in Philadelphia . With the initial meeting of

1360-406: The said States shall have sixty thousand free inhabitants therein, such State shall be admitted, by its delegates, into the Congress of the United States, on an equal footing with the original States in all respects whatever, and shall be at liberty to form a permanent constitution and State government: Provided, the constitution and government so to be formed, shall be republican, and in conformity to

1400-642: The same function each time that a proposal to partition an existing state or states has arisen. Article IV, Section 3, Clause 1: New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of

1440-666: The southern part of the Department of the Pacific: California, Nevada, and southern part of Oregon Territory; merged into the Department of the Pacific as the District of California. The Department of Oregon (1858–1861) comprised the northern part of the Department of the Pacific: Washington Territory and Oregon Territory. These "territories" had actual, functioning governments (recognized or not): These are functioning governments created as

1480-480: The state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers , which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, all senators were newly elected, and Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring re-election in 1790; Class 2 meant their term ended with the next Congress, requiring re-election in 1792; and Class 3 meant their term lasted through

1520-581: The state of Sequoyah as a means to retain control of their lands. The proposed constitution ultimately failed in Congress. Instead, the Indian Territory was incorporated into the new state of Oklahoma in 1907. Some U.S. territories existed only a short time before becoming states, while others remained territories for decades. The shortest-lived was Alabama Territory at 2 years, while New Mexico and Hawaii territories both were in existence for more than 50 years. The entry of several states into

1560-477: Was held up for several years (1854–1861) because of a series of internal violent conflicts involving anti-slavery and pro-slavery factions. Once established, most state borders have, with few exceptions, been generally stable. Notable exceptions include: the various portions (the Western land claims) of several original states ceded over a period of several years to the federal government, which in turn became

1600-527: Was superseded three years later by the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Enacted by the Confederation Congress on July 13, 1787, it created the Northwest Territory , the first organized incorporated territory of the United States. The Northwest Ordinance (Article V) provided for the admission of several new states from within its bounds: There shall be formed in the said territory, not less than three nor more than five States [...] And, whenever any of

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