What was the first state? When each of the 50 states ratified the Constitution
You may know all the states in alphabetical order, but do you know them in order of statehood? The original 13 colonies entered the Union from 1787 to 1790, and the remaining 37 were continuously admitted as late as 1959.
States are accepted into the U.S. based on Article IV, Section 3, Clause 1 of the Constitution, also known as the "Admissions Clause," according to the National Constitution Center.
Virginia might have been the first colony but another state holds the title of the first state. No need to grab a map, it's time to learn the states in order of statehood.
What was the first state?
On Dec. 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, according to the Census Bureau. Since it was the first of the 13 original colonies to become a state, it has been aptly nicknamed "The First State." Its capital city is Dover.
Delaware celebrated its 235th anniversary of statehood in 2022.
The state flag for all 50 states: See the state flags (plus D.C.) and the meaning behind each.
What was the last US state?
On Aug. 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th and last state to join the Union, according to the National Archives. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the official proclamation of Hawaii's admission to the U.S.
Its nickname is the "Aloha State" and the capital city is Honolulu.
What is your state's official flower? Here's a list of the state flower for all 50 US states
In what order were the states admitted?
Here are the states in order of statehood date:
Delaware: Dec. 7, 1787
Pennsylvania: Dec. 12, 1787
New Jersey: Dec. 18, 1787
Georgia: Jan. 2, 1788
Connecticut: Jan. 9, 1788
Massachusetts: Feb. 6, 1788
Maryland: April 28, 1788
South Carolina: May 23, 1788
New Hampshire: June 21, 1788
Virginia: June 25, 1788
New York: July 26, 1788
North Carolina: Nov. 21, 1789
Rhode Island: May 20, 1790
Vermont: March 4, 1791
Kentucky: June 1, 1792
Tennessee: June 1, 1796
Ohio: March 1, 1803
Louisiana: April 30, 1812
Indiana: Dec. 11, 1816
Mississippi: Dec. 10, 1817
Illinois: Dec. 3, 1818
Alabama: Dec. 14, 1819
Maine: March 15, 1820
Missouri: Aug. 10, 1821
Arkansas: June 15, 1836
Michigan: Jan. 26, 1837
Florida: March 3, 1845
Texas: Dec. 29, 1845
Iowa: Dec. 28, 1846
Wisconsin: May 29, 1848
California: Sept. 9, 1850
Minnesota: May 11, 1858
Oregon: Feb. 14, 1859
Kansas: Jan. 29, 1861
West Virginia: June 20, 1863
Nevada: Oct. 31, 1864
Nebraska: March 1, 1867
Colorado: Aug. 1, 1876
North Dakota: Nov. 2, 1889
South Dakota: Nov. 2, 1889
Montana: Nov. 8, 1889
Washington: Nov. 11, 1889
Idaho: July 3, 1890
Wyoming: July 10, 1890
Utah: Jan. 4, 1896
Oklahoma: Nov. 16, 1907
New Mexico: Jan. 6, 1912
Arizona: Feb. 14, 1912
Alaska: Jan. 3, 1959
Hawaii: Aug. 21, 1959
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What was the first state? The 13 original colonies, and beyond