First To Last
In July 1776—upon agreeing to the United States Declaration of Independence—the first 13 colonies were on their way to becoming the first states of the United States of America. But what state was the first, of those 13, to have their statehood ratified—and what was the order of the next 49? You think you know? Well, let's take a look...
1: Delaware
Date: December 7, 1787 (ratified)
Formed From: Colony of Delaware
Now it makes sense why Delaware's nickname is The First State.
Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
2: Pennsylvania
Date: December 12, 1787 (ratified)
Formed From: Proprietary Province of Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is one of the four states that uses the term "commonwealth" rather than "state" in their full official names.
Governor Tom Wolf, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
3: New Jersey
Date: December 18, 1787 (ratified)
Formed From: Crown Colony of New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey acted as the nation's capital for four months in 1783—and the city of Trenton was the capital in November and December of 1784.
Jack Boucher, Wikimedia Commons
4: Georgia
Date: January 2, 1788 (ratified)
Formed From: Crown Colony of Georgia
Georgia became a British Colony in 1752—it was the last, and the southernmost, of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Paul Brennan, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
5: Connecticut
Date: January 9, 1788 (ratified)
Formed From: Crown Colony of Connecticut
The state's official nickname, "The Constitution State," is a reference to the Connecticut Colony's adoption of the Fundamental Orders in 1639—which some consider to be the first written constitution in Western history.
John9474, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
6: Massachusetts
Date: February 6, 1788 (ratified)
Formed From: Crown Colony of Massachusetts Bay
The Massachusetts Bay colony was formed from the merger of a number of British colonies, and included: Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Plymouth Colony, the Province of Maine, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.
Jedimara, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
7: Maryland
Date: April 28, 1788 (ratified)
Formed From: Proprietary Province of Maryland
The Province of Maryland was the 13th colony to sign the Articles of Confederation.
high limitzz, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
8: South Carolina
Date: May 23, 1788 (ratified)
Formed From: Crown Colony of South Carolina
72 years after ratifying their statehood to the Union—South Carolina became the first state to vote in favor of secession from said Union, on December 20, 1860.
Jack Boucher, Wikimedia Commons
9: New Hampshire
Date: June 21, 1788 (ratified)
Formed From: Crown Colony of New Hampshire
In January 1776, New Hampshire was the first British North American colony to establish an independent government and a state constitution—six months later, it signed the United States Declaration of Independence.
Mikespenard, Wikimedia Commons
10: Virginia
Date: June 25, 1788 (ratified)
Formed From: Crown Colony and Dominion of Virginia
Not only was the country's first president, George Washington, from Virginia—but the state has been the birthplace of eight American presidents (more than any other state).
Ron Cogswell, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
11: New York
Date: July 26, 1788 (ratified)
Formed From: Crown Colony of New York
New York City was the national capital under the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, and it remained the capital under the new constitution until 1790.
John Carwitham, Wikimedia Commons
12: North Carolina
Date: November 21, 1789 (ratified)
Formed From: Crown Colony of North Carolina
Presidents James K Polk and Andrew Johnson were both from North Carolina.
Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
13: Rhode Island
Date: May 29, 1790 (ratified)
Formed From: Crown Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Rhode Island was the first colony to call for a Continental Congress, and the first to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown. But they were the last of the Thirteen Colonies to ratify the United States Constitution.
Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
14: Vermont
Date: March 4, 1791 (admitted)
Formed From: Vermont Republic
The Vermont Republic abolished slavery before any other US state.
Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
15: Kentucky
Date: June 1, 1792 (admitted)
Formed From: Virginia (nine counties in its District of Kentucky)
Kentucky County (later the District of Kentucky), was formed in 1777 by the Commonwealth of Virginia from the western portion of Fincastle County.
Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
16: Tennessee
Date: June 1, 1796 (admitted)
Formed From: Southwest Territory
Initially part of North Carolina—Tennessee later became part of the Southwest Territory, before its admission to the Union in 1796.
Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
17: Ohio
Date: March 1, 1803 (admitted)
Formed From: Northwest Territory (part)
Ohio was the first state admitted into the Union under the Northwest Ordinance.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
18: Louisiana
Date: April 30, 1812 (admitted)
Formed From: Territory of Orleans
The Territory of Orleans was created in 1804—as all of the Louisiana Purchase south of the 33rd parallel.
thepipe26, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
19: Indiana
Date: December 11, 1816 (admitted)
Formed From: Indiana Territory
Following the admittance of Indiana as the 19th state, the country grew by one new state every year through 1821.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
20: Mississippi
Date: December 10, 1817 (admitted)
Formed From: Mississippi Territory
The Territory of Mississippi was created by an act of congress and signed into law by President John Adams in 1798—making it an organized incorporated territory of the United States.
chmeredith, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
21: Illinois
Date: December 3, 1818 (admitted)
Formed From: Illinois Territory (part)
The Illinois Territory was another organized incorporated territory of the United States—this one created in 1809.
Shalileh, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
22: Alabama
Date: December 14, 1819 (admitted)
Formed From: Alabama Territory
After it seceded from the United States to become part of the Confederate States of America in 1861, Montgomery, Alabama became the first capital.
DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
23: Maine
Date: March 15, 1820 (admitted)
Formed From: Massachusetts (District of Maine)
Maine was a part of the state of Massachusetts until it voted to secede in 1820 and become its own state.
Albany NY, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
24: Missouri
Date: August 10, 1821 (admitted)
Formed From: Missouri Territory (part)
The United States picked up Missouri as part of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.
KTrimble, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
25: Arkansas
Date: June 15, 1836 (admitted)
Formed From: Arkansas Territory
The Territory of Arkansas was also part of the Louisiana Purchase.
Felix Mizioznikov, Shutterstock
26: Michigan
Date: January 26, 1837 (admitted)
Formed From: Michigan Territory
Michigan was admitted into the union as a free state in 1837.
Michael Tighe, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
27: Florida
Date: March 3, 1845 (admitted)
Formed From: Florida Territory
Under Spanish control, the Florida Territory was ceded to the United States as part of the Adams–Onís Treaty in 1819.
Massimo Catarinella, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
28: Texas
Date: December 29, 1845
Formed From: Republic of Texas
The Texas land was under Mexican control until they won their independence and became the Republic of Texas in 1836.
29: Iowa
Date: December 28, 1846 (admitted)
Formed From: Iowa Territory (part)
Iowa was a part of French Louisiana and Spanish Louisiana—and its state flag is inspired by the flag of France.
Henry Lewis, Wikimedia Commons
30: Wisconsin
Date: May 29, 1848 (admitted)
Formed From: Wisconsin Territory (part)
From July 3, 1836 to May 29, 1848—The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized and incorporated territory of the United States. It was at that time that the eastern part of the territory became the state of Wisconsin.
31: California
Date: September 9, 1850 (admitted)
Formed From: Unorganized territory / Mexican Cession (part)
California was part of the Spanish Empire but became a part of Mexico in 1821, after the successful war for independence. Then, in 1848 after the Mexican–American War, it ceded to the United States. Following the Compromise of 1850, the western part of Alta California was organized and admitted as the 31st American state.
Christian Mehlführer, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
32: Minnesota
Date: May 11, 1858 (admitted)
Formed From: Minnesota Territory (part)
Much of the current Minnesota was part of the French holding of Louisiana—which came to the United States via the Louisiana Purchase.
Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
33: Oregon
Date: February 14, 1859 (admitted)
Formed From: Oregon Territory (part)
The state of Oregon was formed from the southwestern portion of the Oregon territory.
Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
34: Kansas
Date: January 29, 1861 (admitted)
Formed From: Kansas Territory (part)
35: West Virginia
Date: June 20, 1863 (admitted)
Formed From: Virginia (50 Trans-Allegheny region counties)
Two states were admitted into the Union during the Civil War. West Virginia was one of them. It is also the only state to be formed by separating from a Confederate state.
Tim Kiser (Malepheasant), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
36: Nevada
Date: October 31, 1864 (admitted)
Formed From: Nevada Territory
The other state born during the Civil War.
Rmvisuals, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
37: Nebraska
Date: March 1, 1867 (admitted)
Formed From: Nebraska Territory
The Nebraska Territory was created by the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wikimedia Commons
38: Colorado
Date: August 1, 1876 (admitted)
Formed From: Colorado Territory
The Pike's Peak Gold Rush of 1858-1862 brought in a whole lotta settlers to the region and in 1861, President James Buchanan signed an act creating the Territory of Colorado.
39: North Dakota
Date: November 2, 1889 (admitted)
Formed From: Dakota Territory (part)
North and South Dakota both became states on the same day. But which one was a state first? No one knows, because...
Jonathan Schilling, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
40: South Dakota
Date: November 2, 1889 (admitted)
Formed From: Dakota Territory (part)
...President Benjamin Harrison shuffled the statehood papers before signing them. He did so on purpose so that no one could tell which got statehood first.
Jake DeGroot, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
41: Montana
Date: November 8, 1889 (admitted)
Formed From: Montana Territory
Six days after North and South Dakota, Montana got its statehood.
Ken Eckert, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
42: Washington
Date: November 11, 1889 (admitted)
Formed From: Washington Territory
November 1889 was a busy growth month for the United States of America.
Joseph Drayton (1795-1856), Wikimedia Commons
43: Idaho
Date: July 3, 1890 (admitted)
Formed From: Idaho Territory
The Idaho Territory was officially organized by Act of Congress on March 3, 1863—and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln.
44: Wyoming
Date: July 10, 1890 (admitted)
Formed From: Wyoming Territory
Wyoming became a state just one week after Idaho.
Alfred Jacob Miller, Wikimedia Commons
45: Utah
Date: January 4, 1896 (admitted)
Formed From: Utah Territory
After agreeing to outlaw polygamy, Utah was admitted as the 45th state.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
46: Oklahoma
Date: November 16, 1907
Formed From: Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory
The first state admitted into the union in the 20th century.
Oklahoma Legislative Services Bureau, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
47: New Mexico
Date: January 6, 1912 (admitted)
Formed From: New Mexico Territory
Paul Brady Photography, Shutterstock
48: Arizona
Date: February 14, 1912 (admitted)
Formed From: Arizona Territory
It would be over 50 years before another state would join the Union.
49: Alaska
Date: January 3, 1959 (admitted)
Formed From: Territory of Alaska
Russia sold what would become the Territory of Alaska to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million.
Ehedaya, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
50: Hawaii
Date: August 21, 1959 (admitted)
Formed From: Territory of Hawaii
And then there were 50.
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Cali Southwell Pictures, Shutterstock
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