How does a new area of land apply for statehood in the United States?
156088
Approval must go through Congress.\n\nLst year I got to meet Bob Heft who designed the 50 Star U.S. Flag \n\nhe designed it in 1958 as a School Assignment when he heard that Congress was planning to admit Alaska as the 49th State.\n\nWhy a 50 Star flag when we were ready to admit a 49th State?\n\nWell ebcause the majority Party in Alaska was different from Majority Party in the U.S. Senate so Bob Heft had the feeling we were gonna also take in Hawaii for Political balance.\n\nHe figured correctly and well a new flag is unveiled on the 4th of July that comes after Statehood Admission and well Alaska and Hawaii were both admitted in 1959 but Alaska was admitted before the 4th and Hawaii admitted after the 4th of July so a 49 Star flag flew from 1959 - 1960 (and that was the shortest lived U.S. flag in History).\n\nBob Heft got a B - on his Flag and his eacher told him the Grade would be changed if he could get Washington, D.C. to accept his design.\n\nHe accepted the challenge and well low and behold his design was approved out of Thousands and it was 1st unveiled July 4th, 1960 and is currently the 2nd longest serving U.S. flag (in 2008 it will become the #1 longest serving flag if no other State is admitted into the Union by then).
480249
Yes. You could use the 'territory' rules that other places use, where the number of Representatives and/or Senators from DC (and maybe Puerto Rico) is smaller, because it isn't a state. But, it's hard to imagine a really good reason why the people of the Capital of the United States of America don't get to vote.
498646
nobody was exactly a founder of the state America annexed the land and it was a territory like oregon and than became state u had to fill a certain quota to become state
347364
Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959, making a total of 50 states. They had been territories prior to that.
1014478
Puerto Rico (currently a U.S. Territory) has had several referendums on the subject of applying for statehood, which have always been defeated.  It would be the most likely candidate for future statehood given its close ties to the United States already.
600738
Its where the states got to chose if they wanted to be a slave state or a free state. I'm studing the SAME THING!!! Good luck!! =)
458236
Just the Jungles.\nNo land is free in this world.\nThanks to USA.
187553
Good question. Most answers are wrong. The Union is a spiritual, not a geographical idea. It is about a state of law, governments that are responsible to the people, protection of human and civil rights, control of dangers to the citizens, working for welfare and peace. Any country that fulfills the Copenhagen criteria should join: Turkey, Romania, Ukraine. Putin of Russia has said that he is waiting at the door of the Union. Do not let him wait too long. Yes, off course: New Zealand, Australia can join and each state of the USA.
1169725
Puerto Rico I guess. Since they're already U.S. citizens anyway they might as well incorporate PR into the union.
41402
You have to make your question clearer so we no what your talking about.\n\nThe laws of one State must be recognized by the other States.
169561
Nothing. Call your State Legislature and ask him/her to introduce the bill. Ask others to do the same.\nNow if your thinking "grass roots referendum" to get the issue on the State vote, that's different.\nYour State may be different then mine.
658577
The reason that land belongs to the United States is because the people that lived there at the time wanted to be a part of the United States, not Mexico. Apparently, nobody wants to live in Mexico since they all want to come here. I wouldn't want to live in Mexico. If I were a Mexican citizen I would want the whole country of Mexico to become part of the United States.
719506
If the county owns they land...then they own it.\nThey don't have to do anything with it.
657367
Dependent areas of the USA = American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island \nnote: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)
229459
The county clerk will have the details.  If it is a state measure, the secretary of state's office.  The details vary from one jurisdiction to another, but basically what you need to do is print up the exact wording of the proposition and circulate it for signatures.  The signatories must all be registered voters of the jurisdiction involved, and there is a minimum number of signatures to qualify for the ballot.  There will also be time deadlines for submitting them.  Be sure to get all this information before you start, because collecting the signatures will take time and organization.  You need to put a handful of the printed propositions, with lots of lines for people to sign, on a clip-board, make sure you have a supply of pens that work, and canvas anyone who is willing to stop and speak to you in shopping areas, public buildings, around bus or train stations, etc.  Then you need to collect about 10% more signatures than the law requires, because some people will forget and sign twice, and some will not be validly registered to vote.\n\nGood luck!  I hope your idea is worth all that.  Once it gets on the ballot, of course, you will still have a huge amount of work persuading voters to vote in favor of it.
223103
It depends on the piece of land.  If Disney bought an island and wanted to apply for statehood, then no.  If Puerto Rico wanted to apply, then yes.  I guess the difference is is it just some person (or group of person) trying to be a wiseguy or is it really a group of people that want to be part of the United States.
939611
In the United States - each state has it's own democratic government officially represented by a "Governor" with State Representatives and Senators serving as representatives in the U.S. Congress and Senate.  Within each State are cities and townships officially represented by Mayors, Council, and/or other elected representatives.  It's confusing, isn't it?  All the States make up the country of the United States of America and all the States are bound to follow the laws of the country as a whole.  It works well... allowing people who want positions in politics plenty of spots to fill (meaning it's not likely we'll get overhauled by one guy who wants to be King) and allowing each and every citizen a voice by voting for the right people to represent them.