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Admit us state field

American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are all United States territories their citizens are American they vote in presidential primaries and delegates represent them in the House of Representatives but how does a u.s. territory become a state Congress has the power to admit new states to the Union but the process for granting statehood isn't explicitly mapped out by the Constitution the baseline new States cannot be created by separating or merging existing States without the approval of Congress and the state's legislature in 1820 Maine became the 23rd state by breaking away from Massachusetts and West Virginia broke away from Virginia during the Civil War the size of 13 colonies almost every state in the Union was once a territory with exceptions like Texas in California historically territorial status is granted as a precursor to statehood and there's a process to how it all happens a territory holds a referendum on the desire or lack thereof for statehood if there is a majority in favor a petition is sent to Congress the territory must then adopt a government and constitution that conforms to the US the House and Senate then adopts a joint resolution by simple majority acknowledging statehood and the joint resolution is sent to the President's desk for signature Puerto Rico began the statehood process 70 years ago and has checked 3 of those boxes since then conflicts at home and abroad have put their petition on hold the process is also political support for Alaskan in Hawaiian statehood gained popularity after World War two because of their strategic Geographic placement news dates mean new representation and electoral votes Democrats for instance supported Alaskan statehood in the 1850s while Republicans including President Eisenhower favored Hawaii Alaska and Hawaii both became States in 1959 when it became clear that admitting both territories was critical to balance of power in Washington and while some statehood petitions have taken years to arrive at Congress's doorstep Congress has never outright denied a territory statehood petition [Music]