U.S. State: Wikis

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U.S. state

Category	Federated state
Location	United States
Number	50
Government	State government

.A U.S. state is any one of 50 sovereign federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government.^ COLTON, J.H. COLTON'S UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .

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^ STANFORD, EDWARD. THE UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA. STANFORD'S GEOGRAPHICAL ESTAB./S.D.U.K. LONDON. 1861.

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^ COLTON, J.H. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .

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Four states use the official title of commonwealth rather than state.^[1] Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile.^[2] .State citizenship is flexible and no government approval is required to move between states (with the exception of convicts on parole).^ Ex.Doc.No.86) Trade between Mexico and the United States.

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^ This year, on January 1, 2010, these states, with the exception of Colorado, kept their minimum wage requirements the same as those that existed in 2009.

U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Minimum Wage Laws in the States 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.dol.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

.The United States Constitution allocates power between these two levels of government.^ Ex.Doc.No.86) Trade between Mexico and the United States.

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^ Map showing the main lines of communication westward, when completed, in the BRITISH POSSESSIONS and in the United States Two maps on same sheet.

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^ FULL PRINTED COLOR. LITHOGRAPHY. Covers the northern two thirds of the United States and all of Canada with an inset map of the Arctic regions and ocean currents.

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By ratifying the Constitution, the people transferred certain limited sovereign powers to the federal government from their states. Under the Tenth Amendment, all powers not delegated to the U.S. government nor prohibited to the states are retained by the states or the people. .Historically, the tasks of public safety (in the sense of controlling crime), public education, public health, transportation, and infrastructure have generally been considered primarily state responsibilities, although all of these now have significant federal funding and regulation as well (based largely upon the "Commerce Clause" and the "Necessary and Proper Clause" of the Constitution).^ Map based largely on index plat maps from General Land Office with grids.

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^ Map based largely on index plat maps from the General Land Office, with grids.

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.Over time, the Constitution has been amended, and the interpretation and application of its provisions have changed.^ In an effort to reduce processing time, we have made some changes to our Land Mortgage Application packet, Title Policy requirements and Survey requirements.

Texas Veterans Land Board | Jerry Patterson, Chairman 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.glo.state.tx.us [Source type: General]

The general tendency has been toward centralization and incorporation, with the federal government playing a much larger role than it once did. .There is a continuing debate over "states' rights", which concerns the extent and nature of the states' powers and sovereignty in relation to the federal government as well as the rights of individual persons.^ There are 14 states (plus DC) with minimum wage rates set higher than the federal minimum wage.

U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Minimum Wage Laws in the States 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.dol.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ There are 5 states than have a minimum wage set lower than the federal minimum wage.

U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Minimum Wage Laws in the States 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.dol.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ There are 26 of the states that have a minimum wage requirement that is the same as the federal minimum wage requirement.

U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Minimum Wage Laws in the States 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.dol.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Congress may admit new states "on an equal footing" with existing ones; however, it has not done so since 1959. The Constitution is silent on the question of whether states have the power to unilaterally leave, or secede from, the Union, but the Supreme Court has ruled this to be unconstitutional, a position driven in part by the outcome of the American Civil War.

1 List of states
2 Federal power
3 Governments
4 Relationships
5 Admission into the union
- 5.1 Possible new states
- 5.2 Unrecognized entities
6 Secession
7 Commonwealths
8 Origin of states' names
9 Regional grouping
10 Lists
11 See also
12 References
13 Further reading
14 External links

List of states

The following sortable table lists each of the 50 states of the United States with the following information:

The state name
The preferred pronunciation of the common state name as transcribed with the International Phonetic Alphabet (see Help:IPA for English for a key)
The United States Postal Service (USPS) two-character state abbreviation^[3]
(also used as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standard 3166-2 country subdivision code)
An image of the official state flag
The date the state ratified the United States Constitution or was admitted to the Union
The United States Census Bureau estimate of state population as of 02009-07-01 July 1, 2009^[4]
The state capital
The most populous incorporated place or Census Designated Place within the state as of 02008-07-01 July 1, 2008, as estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau^[5]

The 50 United States of America
Name	IPA	USPS	Date	2009 Pop	Capital	Most populous city
Alabama	/ˌæləˈbæmə/	AL	01819-12-14 December 14, 1819	4,708,708	Montgomery	Birmingham
Alaska	/əˈlæskə/	AK	01959-01-03 January 3, 1959	698,473	Juneau	Anchorage
Arizona	/ˌærɪˈzoʊnə/	AZ	01912-02-14 February 14, 1912	6,595,778	Phoenix	Phoenix
Arkansas	/ˈɑrkənsɔː/	AR	01836-06-15 June 15, 1836	2,889,450	Little Rock	Little Rock
California	/ˌkælɪˈfɔrnjə/	CA	01850-09-09 September 9, 1850	36,961,664	Sacramento	Los Angeles
Colorado	/ˌkɒləˈrædoʊ/	CO	01876-08-01 August 1, 1876	5,024,748	Denver	Denver
Connecticut	/kəˈnɛtɪkət/	CT	01788-01-09 January 9, 1788	3,518,288	Hartford	Bridgeport^[6]
Delaware	/ˈdɛləwɛər/	DE	01787-12-07 December 7, 1787	885,122	Dover	Wilmington
Florida	/ˈflɒrɪdə/	FL	01845-03-03 March 3, 1845	18,537,969	Tallahassee	Jacksonville^[7]
Georgia	/ˈdʒɔrdʒə/	GA	01788-01-02 January 2, 1788	9,829,211	Atlanta	Atlanta
Hawaii	/həˈwaɪ.iː/, Hw: [mokuˈʔaːinɐ oː hɐˈvɛiʔi]	HI	01959-08-21 August 21, 1959	1,295,178	Honolulu	Honolulu
Idaho	/ˈaɪdəhoʊ/	ID	01890-07-03 July 3, 1890	1,545,801	Boise	Boise
Illinois	/ɪlɪˈnɔɪ/	IL	01818-12-03 December 3, 1818	12,910,409	Springfield	Chicago
Indiana	/ˌɪndiˈænə/	IN	01816-12-11 December 11, 1816	6,423,113	Indianapolis	Indianapolis
Iowa	/ˈaɪ.ɵwə/	IA	01846-12-28 December 28, 1846	3,007,856	Des Moines	Des Moines
Kansas	/ˈkænzəs/	KS	01861-01-29 January 29, 1861	2,818,747	Topeka	Wichita
Kentucky^[8]	/kɪnˈtʌki/	KY	01792-06-01 June 1, 1792	4,314,113	Frankfort	Louisville
Louisiana	/luːˌiːziˈænə/, Fr: [lwizjan]	LA	01812-04-30 April 30, 1812	4,492,076	Baton Rouge	New Orleans
Maine	/ˈmeɪn/, Fr: [mɛn]	ME	01820-03-15 March 15, 1820	1,318,301	Augusta	Portland
Maryland	/ˈmɛrələnd/	MD	01788-04-28 April 28, 1788	5,699,478	Annapolis	Baltimore^[9]
Massachusetts^[8]	/ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsɪts/	MA	01788-02-06 February 6, 1788	6,593,587	Boston	Boston
Michigan	/ˈmɪʃɪɡən/	MI	01837-01-26 January 26, 1837	9,969,727	Lansing	Detroit
Minnesota	/ˌmɪnɪˈsoʊtə/	MN	01858-05-11 May 11, 1858	5,266,214	Saint Paul	Minneapolis
Mississippi	/ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi/	MS	01817-12-10 December 10, 1817	2,951,996	Jackson	Jackson
Missouri	/mɪˈzʊəri, mɪˈzʊərə/	MO	01821-08-10 August 10, 1821	5,987,580	Jefferson City	Kansas City^[10]
Montana	/mɒnˈtænə/	MT	01889-11-08 November 8, 1889	974,989	Helena	Billings
Nebraska	/nəˈbræskə/	NE	01867-03-01 March 1, 1867	1,796,619	Lincoln	Omaha
Nevada	/nəˈvædə/	NV	01864-10-31 October 31, 1864	2,643,085	Carson City	Las Vegas
New Hampshire	/nuː ˈhæmpʃər/	NH	01788-06-21 June 21, 1788	1,324,575	Concord	Manchester^[11]
New Jersey	/nuː ˈdʒɜrzi/	NJ	01787-12-18 December 18, 1787	8,707,739	Trenton	Newark^[12]
New Mexico	/nuː ˈmɛksɪkoʊ/, Sp: [ˈnweβo ˈmexiko]	NM	01912-01-06 January 6, 1912	2,009,671	Santa Fe	Albuquerque
New York	/nuː ˈjɔrk/	NY	01788-07-26 July 26, 1788	19,541,453	Albany	New York^[13]
North Carolina	/ˌnɔrθ kærəˈlaɪnə/	NC	01789-11-21 November 21, 1789	9,380,884	Raleigh	Charlotte
North Dakota	/ˌnɔrθ dəˈkoʊtə/	ND	01889-11-02 November 2, 1889	646,844	Bismarck	Fargo
Ohio	/ɵˈhaɪ.oʊ/	OH	01803-03-01 March 1, 1803	11,542,645	Columbus	Columbus^[14]
Oklahoma	/ˌoʊkləˈhoʊmə/	OK	01907-11-16 November 16, 1907	3,687,050	Oklahoma City	Oklahoma City
Oregon	/ˈɒrɪɡən/	OR	01859-02-14 February 14, 1859	3,825,657	Salem	Portland
Pennsylvania^[8]	/ˌpɛnsɪlˈveɪnjə/	PA	01787-12-12 December 12, 1787	12,604,767	Harrisburg	Philadelphia
Rhode Island^[15]	/rɵˈdaɪlənd/	RI	01790-05-29 May 29, 1790	1,053,209	Providence	Providence
South Carolina	/ˌsaʊθ kærəˈlaɪnə/	SC	01788-05-23 May 23, 1788	4,561,242	Columbia	Columbia^[16]
South Dakota	/ˌsaʊθ dəˈkoʊtə/	SD	01889-11-02 November 2, 1889	812,383	Pierre	Sioux Falls
Tennessee	/ˌtɛnɪˈsiː/	TN	01796-06-01 June 1, 1796	6,296,254	Nashville	Memphis^[17]
Texas	/ˈtɛksəs/	TX	01845-12-29 December 29, 1845	24,782,302	Austin	Houston^[18]
Utah	/ˈjuːtɔː/	UT	01896-01-04 January 4, 1896	2,784,572	Salt Lake City	Salt Lake City
Vermont	/vərˈmɒnt/	VT	01791-03-04 March 4, 1791	621,760	Montpelier	Burlington
Virginia^[8]	/vərˈdʒɪnjə/	VA	01788-06-25 June 25, 1788	7,882,590	Richmond	Virginia Beach^[19]
Washington	/ˈwɒʃɪŋtən/	WA	01889-11-11 November 11, 1889	6,664,195	Olympia	Seattle
West Virginia	/ˌwɛst vərˈdʒɪnjə/	WV	01863-06-20 June 20, 1863	1,819,777	Charleston	Charleston
Wisconsin	/wɪsˈkɒnsɪn/	WI	01848-05-29 May 29, 1848	5,654,774	Madison	Milwaukee
Wyoming	/waɪˈoʊmɪŋ/	WY	01890-07-10 July 10, 1890	544,270	Cheyenne	Cheyenne

United States Census Bureau estimates of city population for 2009 will be available about July 31, 2010. Census Bureau estimates of state population for 2010 will be available about December 31, 2010.

Federal power

.Since the 1930s the Supreme Court of the United States has interpreted the Commerce Clause of the Constitution of the United States in an expansive way that has dramatically expanded the scope of federal power.^ "To accompany the report on the Internal Commerce of the United States".

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^ MAP EXHIBITING THE SEVERAL PACIFIC RAILROADS PREPARED FOR THE REPORT ON THE INTERNAL COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES. RAND, MCNALLY &CO. CHICAGO. 1884.

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^ THE AMERICAN GRAPHIC CO. N.Y. THE PRINCIPAL TRANSPORTATION LINES EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER , To Accompany The Report On The Internal Commerce Of The United States.

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^{.May 2009" style="white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]} For example, Congress can regulate railway traffic across state lines, but it may also regulate rail traffic solely within a state, based on the theory that wholly intrastate traffic can still have an impact on interstate commerce.^ Extra detail of the NYC & HRRR within NY state and showing connecting RR lines to WA state and rest of west coast.

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^ MAP OF THE ST. LOUIS, IRON MOUNTAIN AND SOUTHERN RAILWAY, AND CONNECTIONS Map Of The United States, Showing The St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway, The Great Trunk Line, Connecting The Northern Railways At St. Louis With The Southern Railways.

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^ MAP OF THE ST.LOUIS, IRON MOUNTAIN AND SOUTHERN RAILWAY AND CONNECTIONS. Map Of The United States, Showing The St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway, The Great Trunk Line, Connecting The Northern Railways At St. Louis With The Southern Railways.

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Another source of Congressional power is its "spending power"—the ability of Congress to impose uniform taxes across the nation and then distribute the resulting revenue back to the states (subject to conditions set by Congress). A classic example of this is the system of "federal-aid highways", which includes the Interstate Highway System. The system is mandated and largely funded by the federal government, but also serves the interests of the states. By threatening to withhold federal highway funds, Congress has been able to pressure state legislatures to pass a variety of laws. Although some object that this infringes on states' rights, the Supreme Court has upheld the practice as a permissible use of the Constitution's Spending Clause.

Governments

.States are free to organize their state governments any way they like, as long as they conform to the sole requirement of the U.S. Constitution that they have "a Republican Form of Government". In practice, each state has adopted a three branch system of government generally along the same lines as that of the federal government—though this is not a requirement.^ Map showing the main lines of communication westward, when completed, in the BRITISH POSSESSIONS and in the United States Two maps on same sheet.

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Despite the fact that each state has chosen to follow the federal model, there are significant differences in some states. One of the most notable is that of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature, which, unlike the legislatures of the other 49 states, has only one house. While there is only one federal president, who then selects a Cabinet responsible to him, most states have a plural executive, with members of the executive branch elected directly by the people and serving as equal members of the state cabinet alongside the governor. And only a few states choose to have their judicial branch leaders—their judges on the state's courts—serve for life terms.

.A key difference between states is that many rural states have part-time legislatures, while the states with the highest populations tend to have full-time legislatures.^ NIMMO, JOSEPH, JR. TRANSPORTATION LINES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, SHOWING DIFFERENCES IN ELEVATION. GPO. WASHINGTON, DC. 1884.

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Texas, the second largest state in population, is a notable exception to this: excepting special sessions, the Texas Legislature is limited by law to 140 calendar days out of every two years. In Baker v. Carr, the U.S. Supreme Court held that all states are required to have legislative districts which are proportional in terms of population.

States can also organize their judicial systems differently from the federal judiciary, as long as they protect the constitutional right of their citizens to procedural due process. See state court and state supreme court for more information. Most have a trial level court, generally called a District Court or Superior Court, a first-level appellate court, generally called a Court of Appeal (or Appeals), and a Supreme Court. However, Oklahoma and Texas have separate highest courts for criminal appeals. .New York state is notorious for its unusual terminology, in that the trial court is called the Supreme Court.^ LITHOGRAPHY. Includes lower left, 'Map of the State of New- York.

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^ New York, one of the famous and elusive American state wall maps, much scarcer than the pocket version.

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^ COLTON, G. W. COLTON'S RAILROAD & TOWNSHIP MAP OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITH PARTS OF THE ADJOINING STATES AND CANADA .

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Appeals are then taken to the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, and from there to the Court of Appeals. .Most states base their legal system on English common law (with substantial indigenous changes and incorporation of certain civil law innovations), with the notable exception of Louisiana, which draws large parts of its legal system from French civil law.^ Large inset of the system of which it was a part.

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Relationships

.Under Article IV of the Constitution, which outlines the relationship between the states, the United States Congress has the power to admit new states to the union.^ Ex.Doc.No.86) Trade between Mexico and the United States.

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^ The Act of Congress dividing the territory into two new states, just enacted in 1889, is termed a 'treaty.'

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^ THE AMERICAN UNION RAILROAD MAP OF THE UNITED STATES .

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The states are required to give "full faith and credit" to the acts of each other's legislatures and courts, which is generally held to include the recognition of legal contracts, marriages, criminal judgments, and—at the time—slave status. States are prohibited from discriminating against citizens of other states with respect to their basic rights, under the Privileges and Immunities Clause. The states are guaranteed military and civil defense by the federal government, which is also required to ensure that the government of each state remains a republic.

Admission into the union

Main article: List of U.S. states by date of statehood

U.S. states by date of statehood 1776–1790 1791–1799 1800–1819 1820–1839 1840–1859 1860–1879 1880–1899 1900–1950 1950-

The order in which the original 13 states ratified the constitution, then the order in which the others were admitted to the union.

.Since the establishment of the United States, the number of states has expanded from 13 to 50. The Constitution is rather laconic on the process by which new states can be added, noting only that "New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union", and forbidding a new state to be created out of the territory of an existing state or the merging of two or more states as one without the consent of both Congress and all the state legislatures involved.^ FULL HAND COLOR. LITHOGRAPHY. Handsome large two-sheet shellacked wall map on fabric with rods of one of the handsome American state maps.

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^ Map showing the main lines of communication westward, when completed, in the BRITISH POSSESSIONS and in the United States Two maps on same sheet.

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^ For a popularly priced map sold in London at this late period it shows a rather antique view of the United States.

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In practice, nearly all states admitted to the union after the original thirteen have been formed from U.S. territories (that is, land under the sovereignty of the United States federal government but not part of any state) that were organized (given a measure of self-rule by Congress). .Generally speaking, the organized government of a territory made known the sentiment of its population in favor of statehood; Congress then directed that government to organize a constitutional convention to write a state constitution.^ DONALDSON, THOMAS. MAP OF THE UNITED STATES EXHIBITING THE GRANTS OF LANDS MADE BY THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT TO AID IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILROADS AND WAGON ROADS TO JUNE 30, 1883.

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.Upon acceptance of that Constitution, Congress then admitted that territory as a state.^ The Act of Congress dividing the territory into two new states, just enacted in 1889, is termed a 'treaty.'

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The broad outlines in this process were established by the Northwest Ordinance, which predated the ratification of the Constitution.

.However, Congress has ultimate authority over the admission of new states, and is not bound to follow this procedure.^ The Act of Congress dividing the territory into two new states, just enacted in 1889, is termed a 'treaty.'

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A few U.S. states (outside of the original 13) that were never organized territories of the federal government have been admitted:

Vermont, an unrecognized but de facto independent republic until its admission in 1791
Kentucky, a part of Virginia until its admission in 1792
Maine, a part of Massachusetts until its admission in 1820 following the Missouri Compromise
Texas, a recognized independent republic until its admission in 1845
California, created as a state (as part of the Compromise of 1850) out of the unorganized territory of the Mexican Cession in 1850 without ever having been a separate organized territory itself
West Virginia, created from areas of Virginia that rejoined the union in 1863, after the 1861 secession of Virginia to the Confederate States of America

.Congress is also under no obligation to admit states even in those areas whose population expresses a desire for statehood.^ This provision shall not be interpreted as an impairment of the rights and obligations of the Member States under Articles 34 and 35 of the Charter of the United Nations.

CHARTER OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 10 September 2009 21:34 UTC www.oas.org [Source type: Original source]

^ None of the provisions of this Charter shall be construed as impairing the rights and obligations of the Member States under the Charter of the United Nations.

CHARTER OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 10 September 2009 21:34 UTC www.oas.org [Source type: Original source]

^ Note that, in accordance with the Privacy Act, the Department of State may not release information about those registered without their express written authorization.

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

.For instance, the Republic of Texas requested annexation to the United States in 1836, but fears about the conflict with Mexico that would result delayed admission for nine years.^ Ex.Doc.No.86) Trade between Mexico and the United States.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ NIMMO, JOSEPH, JR. TRANSPORTATION LINES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, SHOWING DIFFERENCES IN ELEVATION. GPO. WASHINGTON, DC. 1884.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ U.S.C.S. SKETCH SHOWING THE PROGRESS OF THE SURVEY ON THE ATLANTIC, GULF OF MEXICO, AND PACIFIC COAST OF THE UNITED STATES TO NOVEMBER 1864 .

1860's Maps of the United States, United States Maps,antique maps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^{[citation needed]} The Utah Territory was denied admission to the union as a state for decades because of discomfort with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' dominance in the territory, its desire to name the region Deseret due to its ties to Mormonism, and particularly with the Mormons' then-practice of polygamy.^{[citation needed]} Once established, state borders have been largely stable. There have been exceptions, such as the cession by Maryland and Virginia of land to create the District of Columbia (Virginia's portion was later returned) and the creation of states from other states, including the creation of Kentucky and West Virginia from Virginia, Maine from Massachusetts, and Tennessee from North Carolina.

Possible new states

.Today, there are very few U.S. territories left that might potentially become new states.^ The Act of Congress dividing the territory into two new states, just enacted in 1889, is termed a 'treaty.'

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ LITHOGRAPHY. Includes lower left, 'Map of the State of New- York.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

The most likely candidate may be Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico has been under U.S. sovereignty for over a century, and Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917. Puerto Rico currently has limited representation in the U.S. Congress in the form of a Resident Commissioner, a nonvoting delegate.^[20] President George H. W. Bush issued a memorandum on November 30, 1992 to heads of executive departments and agencies establishing the current administrative relationship between the federal government and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. This memorandum directs all federal departments, agencies, and officials to treat Puerto Rico administratively as if it were a state, insofar as doing so would not disrupt federal programs or operations.^[21] The commonwealth's government has organized several referendums on the question of status over the past several decades, though Congress has not recognized these as binding; all shown resulted in narrow victories for the status quo over statehood, with independence supported by only a small number of voters. On December 23, 2000, President Bill Clinton signed executive Order 13183, which established the President's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Status and the rules for its membership. Section 4 of executive Order 13183 (as amended by executive Order 13319) directs the task force to "report on its actions to the President ... on progress made in the determination of Puerto Rico’s ultimate status".^[22]

President George W. Bush signed an additional amendment to Executive Order 13183 on December 3, 2003, which established the current co-chairs and instructed the task force to issue reports as needed, but no less than once every two years. In December 2005, the presidential task force proposed a new set of referendums on the issue; if Congress votes in line with the task force's recommendation, it would pave the way for the first congressionally mandated votes on status in the island, and (potentially) statehood by 2010. The task force's December 2007 status report reiterated and confirmed the proposals made in 2005.^[22]^[23]^[24]

The intention of the Founding Fathers was that the United States capital should be at a neutral site, not giving favor to any existing state; as a result, the District of Columbia was created in 1800 to serve as the seat of government. The inhabitants of the District do not have full representation in Congress or a sovereign elected government (they were allotted presidential electors by the 23rd amendment, and have a non-voting delegate in Congress). Some residents of the District support statehood of some form for that jurisdiction—either statehood for the whole district or for the inhabited part, with the remainder remaining under federal jurisdiction. While statehood is always a live political question in the District, the prospects for any movement in that direction in the immediate future seem dim. Instead, an emphasis on continuing home rule in the District while also giving the District a vote in Congress is gaining support.^{[citation needed]}

.Constitutionally, a state may only be divided into more states with the approval of both Congress and of the state's legislature, as was the case when Maine was split off from Massachusetts.^ The Act of Congress dividing the territory into two new states, just enacted in 1889, is termed a 'treaty.'

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ The Dakota Territory is not yet divided into states, 1889.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

When Texas was admitted to the union in 1845, it was much larger than any other state and was specifically granted the right to divide itself into as many as five separate states. .However, according to Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, "New states may be admitted by the Congress into this union; but no new states 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 the states concerned as well as of the Congress."^ The Act of Congress dividing the territory into two new states, just enacted in 1889, is termed a 'treaty.'

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ COLTON, G. W. COLTON'S RAILROAD & TOWNSHIP MAP OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITH PARTS OF THE ADJOINING STATES AND CANADA .

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ COLTON'S RAILROAD AND TOWNSHIP MAP OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITH PARTS OF THE ADJOINING STATES & CANADA. G.W. & C.B. COLTON & CO. NEW YORK. 1871.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^[25]^[26]

Unrecognized entities

See also: Historical regions of the United States

The State of Franklin existed for four years not long after the end of the American Revolution, but was never recognized by the union, which ultimately recognized North Carolina's claim of sovereignty over the area. .A majority of the states were willing to recognize Franklin, but the number of states in favor fell short of the two-thirds majority required to admit a territory to statehood under the Articles of Confederation.
^ FULL PRINTED COLOR. LITHOGRAPHY. Covers the northern two thirds of the United States and all of Canada with an inset map of the Arctic regions and ocean currents.
Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
The territory comprising Franklin later became part of the state of Tennessee.
State of Jefferson
- On July 24, 1859, voters defeated the formation of the proposed State of Jefferson in the Southern Rocky Mountains. .On October 24, 1859, voters instead approved the formation of the Territory of Jefferson, which was superseded by the Territory of Colorado on February 28, 1861.
- In 1915, a second State of Jefferson was proposed for northern third of Texas but failed to obtain majority approval by Congress.
- In 1941, a third State of Jefferson was proposed in the mostly rural area of southern Oregon and northern California, but was cancelled as a result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
  ^ FULL PRINTED COLOR. LITHOGRAPHY. Covers the northern two thirds of the United States and all of Canada with an inset map of the Arctic regions and ocean currents.
  Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  ^ The Act of Congress dividing the territory into two new states, just enacted in 1889, is termed a 'treaty.'
  Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  ^ Inset: "Map of Oregon, Northern California & c".
  Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
  This proposal has been raised several times since.
State of Lincoln
- State of Lincoln is another state that has been proposed multiple times. It generally consists of the eastern portion of Washington state and the panhandle or northern portion of Idaho. It was originally proposed by Idaho in 1864 to include just the panhandle of Idaho, and again in 1901 to include eastern Washington. Proposals have come up in 1996, 1999, and 2005.
- Lincoln is also the name of a failed state proposal after the U.S. Civil War in 1869. The southwestern section of Texas was proposed to Congress during the Reconstruction period of the federal government after the Civil War.^{.July 2009" style="white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]}
State of Muskogee (in Florida, 1800), an unrecognized state with large Native American populations.
^ FULL HAND COLOR. LITHOGRAPHY. Handsome large two-sheet shellacked wall map on fabric with rods of one of the handsome American state maps.
Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^ FULL HAND COLOR. LITHOGRAPHY. Magnificent large two-sheet pocket map, among the handsomest American state maps.
Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]
^{[citation needed]}
State of Superior
- Several prominent legislators including local politician Dominic Jacobetti formally attempted this legislation in the 1970s, with no success. As a state, it would have, by far, the smallest population; its 320,000 residents would represent only 60% of Wyoming's population, and less than 50% of Alaska's. It would rank 40th in land area, larger than Maryland.^{[citation needed]}

Secession

The Constitution is silent on the issue of the secession of a state from the union. However, its predecessor document, the Articles of Confederation, stated that the United States of America "shall be perpetual." .The question of whether or not individual states held the right to unilateral secession remained a difficult and divisive one until the American Civil War.^ FULL HAND COLOR. LITHOGRAPHY. Handsome large two-sheet shellacked wall map on fabric with rods of one of the handsome American state maps.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ New York, one of the famous and elusive American state wall maps, much scarcer than the pocket version.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

In 1860 and 1861, eleven southern states seceded, but following their defeat in the American Civil War were brought back into the Union during the Reconstruction Era. Following the Civil War, the United States Supreme Court, in Texas v. White, held that states did not have the right to secede and that any act of secession was legally void. .Drawing on the Preamble to the Constitution, which states that the Constitution was intended to "form a more perfect union" and speaks of the people of the United States of America in effect as a single body politic, as well as the language of the Articles of Confederation, the Supreme Court maintained that states did not have a right to secede.^ WALKER, J. & C. RAILWAYS COMPLETED AND PROJECTED IN THE UNITED STATES And In The British Possessions In North America 1852.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ HASSARD, THOMAS. MAP SHOWING THE PRINCIPAL RAILWAYS OF THE UNITED STATES, MEXICO AND THE STATES OF CENTRAL AMERICA...

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ RAND, MCNALLY & CO.'S HANDY RAILROAD MAP OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

However, the court's reference in the same decision to the possibility of such changes occurring "through revolution, or through consent of the States," essentially means that this decision holds that no state has a right to unilaterally decide to leave the Union.^[27]^[28]

Commonwealths

Main article: Commonwealth (U.S. state)

Four of the states bear the formal title of commonwealth: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In these cases, this is merely a historically based name and has no legal effect. .Somewhat confusingly, two U.S. territories — Puerto Rico and the Northern Marianas — are also referred to as commonwealths, and do have a legal status different from the states (both are unincorporated territories).^ The Act of Congress dividing the territory into two new states, just enacted in 1889, is termed a 'treaty.'

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Origin of states' names

State names speak to the circumstances of their creation. See the lists of U.S. state name etymologies and U.S. county name etymologies.

Regional grouping

U.S. Census Bureau regions:
The West, The Midwest, The South and The Northeast. Note that Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales, and that the Aleutian Islands and the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are omitted from this map.

.States may be grouped in regions; there are endless variations and possible groupings, as most states are not defined by obvious geographic or cultural borders.^ In addition, many terrorist groups, seeking publicity for political causes within their own country or region, may not be looking for American targets.

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

For further discussion of regions of the U.S., see the list of regions of the United States.

Lists

References

^ a. Third Constitution of Kentucky (1850), Article 2, Section 1 ff. Other portions of the same Constitution refer to the "State of Kentucky".
b. Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Preamble.
c. Constitution of Pennsylvania, Preamble.
d. Constitution of Virginia (1971), Article IV, Section 1.
^ See the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
^ "Official USPS Abbreviations". United States Postal Service. 1998. http://www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/abbreviations.html. Retrieved 2007-02-26.
^ "Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009" (CSV). 2009 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 02009-12-23 December 23, 2009. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2009-01.csv. Retrieved 02009-12-23 December 23, 2009.
^ "Resident Population Estimates of Incorporated Places Only: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008" (CSV). 2008 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 02009-07-01 July 1, 2009. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/files/SUB-EST2008-IP.csv. Retrieved 02009-10-01 October 1, 2009.
^ The Hartford-West Hartford-Willimantic Combined Statistical Area is the most populous metropolitan area in Connecticut.
^ The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area is the most populous metropolitan area in Florida.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Official name calls it a commonwealth
^ Baltimore City and the 12 Maryland counties of the Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Combined Statistical Area form the most populous metropolitan region in Maryland.
^ The City of Saint Louis and the 8 Missouri counties of the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington Combined Statistical Area form the most populous metropolitan region in Missouri.
^ The 5 southeastern New Hampshire counties of the Boston-Worcester-Manchester Combined Statistical Area form the most populous metropolitan region in New Hampshire.
^ The 13 northern New Jersey counties of the New York-Newark-Bridgeport Combined Statistical Area form the most populous metropolitan region in New Jersey.
^ New York City is the most populous city in the United States.
^ The Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area is the most populous metropolitan area in Ohio.
^ Full name is State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
^ The Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area is the most populous metropolitan area in South Carolina.
^ The Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Columbia Combined Statistical Area is the most populous metropolitan area in Tennessee.
^ The Dallas-Fort Worth Combined Statistical Area is the most populous metropolitan area in Texas.
^ The 10 Virginia counties and 6 Virginia cities of the Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Combined Statistical Area form the most populous metropolitan region in Virginia.
^ Rules of the House of Representatives
^ "Political Status of Puerto Rico: Options for Congress". Congressional Research Service. http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL32933_20090804.pdf. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
^ ^a ^b Report By the President's Task Force On Puerto Rico's Status (December 2007)
^ Report By the President's Task Force On Puerto Rico's Status (December 2005)
^ H.R. 2499 - Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009 H.R. 2499
^ http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articleiv.html#section3
^ http://www.snopes.com/history/american/texas.asp
^ Aleksandar Pavković, Peter Radan, Creating New States: Theory and Practice of Secession, p. 222, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2007.
^ Texas v. White, 74 U.S. 700 (1868) at Cornell University Law School Supreme Court collection.

External links

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Hidden categories: Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from May 2009 | Articles needing additional references from January 2009 | All articles needing additional references | Articles with unsourced statements from January 2009 | Articles with unsourced statements from July 2009 | Articles with unsourced statements from June 2009

Genealogy

Up to date as of February 01, 2010

(Redirected to U.S. state article)

From Familypedia

.A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States (although four states use the official title commonwealth).^ Stores are similar to one in United States.

Every Student who applies to Win 25 September 2009 10:010 UTC www.windsor.edu [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ The Fifty States Profiles each of the 50 United States of America including points of interest, history, a State map and flag, and more.

Web Search Results: Usa Map 15 September 2009 21:31 UTC www.zoo.com [Source type: Reference]

^ State Street Corporation State Street Financial Center One Lincoln Street Boston, Massachusetts 02111 United States Main Telephone: +1 617 786 3000 .

Contact Us 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.statestreet.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

.The separate state governments and the federal government share sovereignty, in that an "American" is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of residence.^ A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.

Current Travel Warnings 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: News]

^ State Association Directory - US Youth Soccer Home » About Us » State Association Directory State Association Directory US Youth Soccer is the largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body for soccer in the United States.

State Association Directory - US Youth Soccer 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.usyouthsoccer.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ The Archives Records Information Access System (ARIAS) is designed to facilitate citizen access to archival records created by all branches and levels of Pennsylvania State Government.

Welcome to the Archives Records Information Access System (ARIAS) 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us [Source type: Reference]

.However, state citizenship is very flexible, and no government approval is required to move between states (with the exception of convicts on parole).^ Ex.Doc.No.86) Trade between Mexico and the United States.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ These conditions require states to partner with the federal government.

The People's Budget - 2009-10 Budget Highlights 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.peoplesbudget.state.fl.us [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ It creates a federal system of government in which power is shared between the federal government and the state governments.

Comparing Federal and State Court Systems 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.uscourts.gov [Source type: Original source]

.The United States Constitution allocates power between the two levels of government in general terms.^ It creates a federal system of government in which power is shared between the federal government and the state governments.

Comparing Federal and State Court Systems 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.uscourts.gov [Source type: Original source]

State Association Directory - US Youth Soccer 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.usyouthsoccer.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ At the same time, Latin American nations, seeking greater independence from the United States, minimized the role of the OAS, which they generally viewed as an instrument of U.S. domination.

Organization of American States - MSN Encarta 10 September 2009 21:34 UTC encarta.msn.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

.By ratifying the Constitution, each state transfers certain sovereign powers to the federal government and agrees to share other powers.^ State Association Directory - US Youth Soccer Home » About Us » State Association Directory State Association Directory US Youth Soccer is the largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body for soccer in the United States.

State Association Directory - US Youth Soccer 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.usyouthsoccer.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ This Website is an effort to make available a wide range of information on gambling laws at both the State and Federal levels governing the legality of various forms of gambling and gaming.

Gambling Law US - State Gambling Laws United States 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.gambling-law-us.com [Source type: Original source]

^ Check Procurement and Business Opportunities with state agencies, local governments, and others.

Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.dmbe.state.va.us [Source type: General]

.Under the Tenth Amendment, all powers not explicitly transferred or shared are retained by the states and the people.^ It reflects the federal governing system of allocating powers not only to a national government and to the people but also to the states.

MyAmerica.be 15 September 2009 21:31 UTC 1website.be [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ If you're looking for all the state flowers, for instance, you may find them quicker under the "State Flowers" link found after the individual state links below.

U.S. Geography Educational Games and Activities - State Units of Study 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.apples4theteacher.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ Memory aid to study, learn and retain all 50 states and capitals.

List States Capitals USA,learn 50 states capitals 16 September 2009 6:47 UTC www.clarkscript.com [Source type: General]

.Historically, the tasks of public education, public health, transportation and other infrastructure have been considered primarily state responsibilities, although all have significant federal funding and regulation as well.^ It hampered state-supported public education 3.

The Peculiar Institution of American Slavery 16 September 2009 6:47 UTC home.earthlink.net [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ The United States as a whole uses more than 148 trillion gallons for all purposes, including agriculture, manufacturing and other uses.

Thirty-Six U.S. States to Face Water Shortages in the Next Five Years 20 September 2009 6:55 UTC www.naturalnews.com [Source type: General]

^ The Veterinary Board protects the health, safety, and welfare of the general public, as well as the welfare of animals, by enforcing the licensing standards prescribed by statute for the licensing and regulation of veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary premises.

VMEB Home Page 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.vetbd.state.az.us [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Texas Veterans Land Board | Jerry Patterson, Chairman 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.glo.state.tx.us [Source type: General]

.The general tendency has been toward centralization, with the federal government playing a much larger role than it once did.^ For the U.S., oil is a critical commodity, but the industry plays a much smaller role in providing jobs or in determining what happens in the overall economy.

Workforce Info, Home, HOME 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC almis.labor.state.ak.us [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ Focuses on the role of state governments in the American federal system and publishes the latest research on intergovernmental policymaking; also provides information about state and local finances.

Politics in the American States 10 September 2009 21:34 UTC college.cqpress.com [Source type: Academic]

^ Counties play widely varying roles within the governments of the States.

County Boundaries of the United States 15 September 2009 21:31 UTC www.nationalatlas.gov [Source type: Original source]

.There is a continuing debate over "states' rights," which concerns the extent and nature of the powers that the states have given to the federal government.^ It creates a federal system of government in which power is shared between the federal government and the state governments.

Comparing Federal and State Court Systems 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.uscourts.gov [Source type: Original source]

State Association Directory - US Youth Soccer 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.usyouthsoccer.org [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ The Natural Resources Conservation Service is a member of the Federal Geographic Data Committee which has assumed leadership in the evolution of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure in cooperation with state and local governments, academia, and the private sector.

NRCS Data Resources | NRCS 15 September 2009 21:31 UTC www.nrcs.usda.gov [Source type: Academic]

1 List of states
2 Origin of states' names
3 Grouping of the states in regions
4 State lists
5 External links
6 References

List of states

The following sortable table lists each of the 50 states of the United States of America with the following information:

The common state name,
The official state name or names,
The United States Postal Service (USPS) two-character state abbreviation^[1]
(also used as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standard 3166-2 country subdivision code),
The date the state ratified the United States Constitution or was admitted to the Union,
The United States Census Bureau estimate of state population as of 2006-07-01,^[2]
The state capital,
The most populous incorporated place or census-designated place within the state as of 2005-07-01, as estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau,^[3] and
An image of the state flag.

The 50 United States of America
State	Official Name	USPS	Date	Population	Capital	Most Populous City
Alabama	State of Alabama	AL	181912141819-12-14	04,599,030	Montgomery	Birmingham
Alaska	State of Alaska	AK	195901031959-01-03	00,670,053	Juneau	Anchorage
Arizona	State of Arizona	AZ	191202141912-02-14	06,166,318	Phoenix	Phoenix
Arkansas	State of Arkansas	AR	183606151836-06-15	02,810,872	Little Rock	Little Rock
California	State of California	CA	185009091850-09-09	36,457,549	Sacramento	Los Angeles
Colorado	State of Colorado	CO	187608011876-08-01	04,753,377	Denver	Denver
Connecticut	State of Connecticut	CT	178801091788-01-09	03,504,809	Hartford	Bridgeport^[4]
Delaware	State of Delaware	DE	178712071787-12-07	00,853,476	Dover	Wilmington
Florida	State of Florida	FL	184503031845-03-03	18,089,888	Tallahassee	Jacksonville^[5]
Georgia	State of Georgia	GA	178801021788-01-02	09,363,941	Atlanta	Atlanta
Hawaii	State of Hawai`i Moku`a-ina o Hawai`i	HI	195908211959-08-21	01,285,498	Honolulu	Honolulu
Idaho	State of Idaho	ID	189007031890-07-03	01,466,465	Boise	Boise
Illinois	State of Illinois	IL	181812031818-12-03	12,831,970	Springfield	Chicago
Indiana	State of Indiana	IN	181612111816-12-11	06,313,520	Indianapolis	Indianapolis
Iowa	State of Iowa	IA	184612281846-12-28	02,982,085	Des Moines	Des Moines
Kansas	State of Kansas	KS	186101291861-01-29	02,764,075	Topeka	Wichita
Kentucky	Commonwealth of Kentucky	KY	179206011792-06-01	04,206,074	Frankfort	Louisville
Louisiana	State of Louisiana État de Louisiane	LA	181204301812-04-30	04,287,768	Baton Rouge	New Orleans^[6]
Maine	State of Maine	ME	182003151820-03-15	01,321,574	Augusta	Portland
Maryland	State of Maryland	MD	178804281788-04-28	05,615,727	Annapolis	Baltimore^[7]
Massachusetts	Commonwealth of Massachusetts	MA	178802061788-02-06	06,437,193	Boston	Boston
Michigan	State of Michigan	MI	183701261837-01-26	10,095,643	Lansing	Detroit
Minnesota	State of Minnesota	MN	185805111858-05-11	05,167,101	Saint Paul	Minneapolis
Mississippi	State of Mississippi	MS	181712101817-12-10	02,910,540	Jackson	Jackson
Missouri	State of Missouri	MO	182108101821-08-10	05,842,713	Jefferson City	Kansas City^[8]
Montana	State of Montana	MT	188911081889-11-08	00,944,632	Helena	Billings
Nebraska	State of Nebraska	NE	186703011867-03-01	01,768,331	Lincoln	Omaha
Nevada	State of Nevada	NV	186410311864-10-31	02,495,529	Carson City	Las Vegas
New Hampshire	State of New Hampshire	NH	178806211788-06-21	01,314,895	Concord	Manchester^[9]
New Jersey	State of New Jersey	NJ	178712181787-12-18	08,724,560	Trenton	Newark^[10]
New Mexico	State of New Mexico Estado de Nuevo México	NM	191201061912-01-06	01,954,599	Santa Fe	Albuquerque
New York	State of New York	NY	178807261788-07-26	19,306,183	Albany	New York
North Carolina	State of North Carolina	NC	178911211789-11-21	08,856,505	Raleigh	Charlotte
North Dakota	State of North Dakota	ND	188911021889-11-02	00,635,867	Bismarck	Fargo
Ohio	State of Ohio	OH	180303011803-03-01	11,478,006	Columbus	Columbus^[11]
Oklahoma	State of Oklahoma	OK	190711161907-11-16	03,579,212	Oklahoma City	Oklahoma City
Oregon	State of Oregon	OR	185902141859-02-14	03,700,758	Salem	Portland
Pennsylvania	Commonwealth of Pennsylvania	PA	178712121787-12-12	12,440,621	Harrisburg	Philadelphia
Rhode Island	State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations	RI	179005291790-05-29	01,067,610	Providence	Providence
South Carolina	State of South Carolina	SC	178805231788-05-23	04,321,249	Columbia	Columbia^[12]
South Dakota	State of South Dakota	SD	188911021889-11-02	00,781,919	Pierre	Sioux Falls
Tennessee	State of Tennessee	TN	179606011796-06-01	06,038,803	Nashville	Memphis^[13]
Texas	State of Texas	TX	184512291845-12-29	23,507,783	Austin	Houston^[14]
Utah	State of Utah	UT	189601041896-01-04	02,550,063	Salt Lake City	Salt Lake City
Vermont	State of Vermont	VT	179103041791-03-04	00,623,908	Montpelier	Burlington
Virginia	Commonwealth of Virginia	VA	178806251788-06-25	07,642,884	Richmond	Virginia Beach^[15]
Washington	State of Washington	WA	188911111889-11-11	06,395,798	Olympia	Seattle
West Virginia	State of West Virginia	WV	186306201863-06-20	01,818,470	Charleston	Charleston
Wisconsin	State of Wisconsin	WI	184805291848-05-29	05,556,506	Madison	Milwaukee
Wyoming	State of Wyoming	WY	189007101890-07-10	00,515,004	Cheyenne	Cheyenne

Admission of states into the union

.Since the establishment of the United States, the number of states has expanded from 13 to 50. The Constitution is rather laconic on the process by which new states can be added, noting only that "New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union", and forbidding a new state to be created out of the territory of an existing state without the consent of both that state's legislature and of Congress.^ RAND, MCNALLY & CO. RAND, MCNALLY & CO.'S NEW IMPERIAL ATLAS OF THE WORLD CONTAINING. large scale colored maps of each state and territory in the United States, provinces of Canada, the continents and their subdivisions.

Cartography,Antiquarian Books, Rare Books,antique maps,antique globes,historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 25 September 2009 10:010 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ The entry of the new political entity into the Organization shall result in the loss of membership of each one of the States which constitute it .

CHARTER OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 10 September 2009 21:34 UTC www.oas.org [Source type: Original source]

^ Note, however, that rules established under the U.S. Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, require that all persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air, must present a valid passport to reenter the United States.

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

.In practice, nearly all states admitted to the union after the original thirteen have been formed from U.S. territories (that is, land under the sovereignty of the United States federal government but not part of any state) that were organized (given a measure of self-rule by Congress).^ Within the United Nations, the Organization of American States is a regional agency.

CHARTER OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 10 September 2009 21:34 UTC www.oas.org [Source type: Original source]

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ The Member States should refrain from practicing policies and adopting actions or measures that have serious adverse effects on the development of other Member States.

CHARTER OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 10 September 2009 21:34 UTC www.oas.org [Source type: Original source]

Generally speaking, the organized government of a territory would make known the sentiment of its population in favor of statehood; Congress would then direct that government to organize a constitutional convention to write a state constitution. Upon acceptance of that Constitution, Congress would then admit that territory as a state. The broad outlines in this process were established by the Northwest Ordinance, which actually predated the ratification of the Constitution.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

A few U.S. states outside of the original 13 have been admitted that were never organized territories of the federal government:

Vermont, an unrecognized but de facto independent republic until its admission in 1791
Kentucky, a part of Virginia until its admission in 1792
Maine, a part of Massachusetts until its admission in 1820 following the Missouri Compromise
Texas, a recognized independent republic until its admission in 1845
California, created as a state (as part of the Compromise of 1850) out of the unorganized territory of the Mexican Cession in 1850 without ever having been a separate organized territory itself
West Virginia, created from areas of Virginia that rejoined the union in 1863, after the 1861 secession of Virginia to the Confederate States of America

CHARTER OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 10 September 2009 21:34 UTC www.oas.org [Source type: Original source]

^ None of the provisions of this Charter shall be construed as impairing the rights and obligations of the Member States under the Charter of the United Nations.

CHARTER OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 10 September 2009 21:34 UTC www.oas.org [Source type: Original source]

^ Note that, in accordance with the Privacy Act, the Department of State may not release information about those registered without their express written authorization.

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ NIMMO, JOSEPH, JR. TRANSPORTATION LINES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, SHOWING DIFFERENCES IN ELEVATION. GPO. WASHINGTON, DC. 1884.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ U.S.C.S. SKETCH SHOWING THE PROGRESS OF THE SURVEY ON THE ATLANTIC, GULF OF MEXICO, AND PACIFIC COAST OF THE UNITED STATES TO NOVEMBER 1864 .

1860's Maps of the United States, United States Maps,antique maps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

.Utah Territory was denied admission to the union as a state for decades because of discomfort with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' dominance in the territory, and particularly with the Mormon elite's then-current practice of polygamy.^ Present day state or territorial boundaries excepting Dakota.

1860's Maps of the United States, United States Maps,antique maps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Naming issues: Commonwealths, republics, and states

Four of the states bear the formal title of Commonwealth: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In these cases, this is merely a name and has no legal effect. Somewhat confusingly, two U.S. territories — Puerto Rico and the Northern Marianas — are also referred to as commonwealths, and do have a legal status different from the states.

The Republic of Texas was an independent nation for nine years, and the Republic of Hawaibb;i

, formerly the Kingdom of Hawaibb;i

, was also an independent nation. .There is debate over whether Vermont was ever an independent nation; however it was the first future state to write its own Constitution.^ The jurisdiction of States within the limits of their national territory is exercised equally over all the inhabitants, whether nationals or aliens.

CHARTER OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 10 September 2009 21:34 UTC www.oas.org [Source type: Original source]

.The so-called "California Republic" was actually a flag raised by Americans in the town of Sonoma after they expelled the local Mexican official.^ When you are in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws, and American officials are limited as to how they can assist you.

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ Familiar with local government agencies and resources in the country where they work, consular officers can help American crime victims to: .

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Ten days later the U.S. Army took over.

State governments

.States are free to organize their state governments any way they like, as long as they conform to the sole requirement of the U.S. Constitution that they have "a Republican Form of Government". In practice, each state has adopted a three branch system of government generally along the sames lines as that of the federal government—though this is not a requirement.^ Map showing the main lines of communication westward, when completed, in the BRITISH POSSESSIONS and in the United States Two maps on same sheet.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ They can arrange for the transfer of Social Security and other U.S. government benefits to beneficiaries residing abroad, provide U.S. tax forms, and notarize documents.

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ They include facts on each country’s land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and relations with other countries and the United States.

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

There is nothing that could stop a state from adopting a parliamentary system—with a fusion of powers, as opposed to a separation of powers—if it so choses.

Origin of states' names

State names speak to the circumstances of their creation. .(See the lists of U.S. state name etymologies and U.S. county name etymologies for more detail.^ OUTLINE PRINTED COLOR. LITHOGRAPHY. Map detailing counties, towns, topography, and naming all railroads, & distances along them.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ FULL HAND COLOR. LITHOGRAPHY. Map showing excellent railroad detail, names all lines and many towns, counties separately colored, distances from town to town depicted.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ For more information about consular assistance for victims of crime abroad, see http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1748.html .

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

)

British

Southeastern states on the Atlantic coast originated as British colonies named after British monarchs: Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. .Some northeastern states, also former British colonies, take their names from places in the British Isles: New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New York.^ The New York minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum.

U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Minimum Wage Laws in the States 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.dol.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ In processing lost/stolen passport cases, the Department of State must take special precautions that may delay the issuance of a new, full validity passport.

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ The New Hampshire minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum.

U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Minimum Wage Laws in the States 28 January 2010 2:02 UTC www.dol.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

Pennsylvania, meaning "Penn's woods," in Latin, takes its name from the father of its founder, William Penn. Delaware is named after Thomas West, Lord De La Warr, an early colonist and governor of the Jamestown Colony.

Native American

Many states' names are those of .Native American tribes or are from Native American languages: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, the Dakotas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and others.^ North American native languages .

AskA Help: Map Dewey (DDC) to LC (LCC) Classification 25 September 2009 10:010 UTC www.questionpoint.org [Source type: Academic]

Additionally, the name of Idaho was presented as a Native American word by eccentric lobbyist George M. Willing, though it was later revealed that he likely made it up. Indiana means literally "land of Indians". Hawaii is a Polynesian name.

Spanish

Because they are on territories previously controlled by Spain or Mexico, many states in the southeast and southwest have Spanish names. .They include Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Montana, and, ultimately of Native American origin, New Mexico.^ The cities include those in Florida as well as Savannah, New Orleans, Lookout Mountain and smaller resorts in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

California is also believed to be of Spanish origin, though this is not entirely clear (see Origin of the name California).

French

Because it was previously a French colony, Louisiana is named after Louis XIV (the King of France at the time). Maine may also be named after the historical French province of Maine, although another theory derives "Maine" from "mainland," differentiating it from the outlying islands. Vermont is derived from the French term for "green mountains", a reference to its mountainous but forested terrain.

Other

Formally referred to as the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Rhode Island likely gained its name through the supposed similarity of Aquidneck Island (the body of land known as Rhode Island, which contains the city of Newport and the towns of Portsmouth and Middletown) to the Greek Isle of Rhodes. Providence Plantations, which makes reference to the mainland that surrounds Narragansett Bay, was named by its religious founders for God's divine providence. The state of Washington was named after George Washington. Arizona may come from a Basque term, or it may be of Native American origin.

Origin Unknown

The origin of Oregon is not certain, although various theories exist, but is most likely to be of Native American origin.

Grouping of the states in regions

Tips for Traveling Abroad 17 September 2009 3:19 UTC travel.state.gov [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

.For further discussion of regions of the U.S., see the list of regions of the United States.^ Within the United Nations, the Organization of American States is a regional agency.

CHARTER OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 10 September 2009 21:34 UTC www.oas.org [Source type: Original source]

^ FULL PRINTED COLOR. LITHOGRAPHY. Covers the northern two thirds of the United States and all of Canada with an inset map of the Arctic regions and ocean currents.

Railroad Maps of the United States, United States State Maps,antiquemaps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

^ Main map listed in A.M. Modelski, Railroad maps of the United States.

1860's Maps of the United States, United States Maps,antique maps,antique globes, historical prints, travel guides, atlases, gazetteers 20 September 2009 11:011 UTC www.murrayhudson.com [Source type: FILTERED WITH BAYES]

State lists

List of U.S. state residents names

List of U.S. states by traditional abbreviation
U.S. postal abbreviations
U.S. state temperature extremes
Codes: FIPS state code, ISO 3166-2:US

Lists of U.S. state insignia

External links

Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (in order of population)
Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (alphabetical)
Origin of State Names
Rick's Search Assistant - Web links & addresses for many state agencies, e.g., Motor Vehicles, Corporate Records, Attorneys General
United States Postal Service
State and Territorial Governments on FirstGov.gov
StateMaster - statistical database for US States.

References

^ Official USPS Abbreviations ({{subst:#ifexist:HTML|[[HTML|]]|[[Wikipedia:HTML|]]}}). {{subst:#ifexist:United States Postal Service|[[United States Postal Service|]]|[[Wikipedia:United States Postal Service|]]}} (1998). Retrieved on 2007-02-26.
^ Table 1: Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States and States, and for Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 ({{subst:#ifexist:comma-separated values|CSV|CSV}}). 2006 Population Estimates. {{subst:#ifexist:United States Census Bureau|[[United States Census Bureau|]]|[[Wikipedia:United States Census Bureau|]]}}, Population Division ({{subst:#ifexist:2006-12-22|[[2006-12-22|]]|[[Wikipedia:2006-12-22|]]}}). Retrieved on 2007-02-26.
^ Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005 ({{subst:#ifexist:comma-separated values|CSV|CSV}}). 2005 Population Estimates. {{subst:#ifexist:United States Census Bureau|[[United States Census Bureau|]]|[[Wikipedia:United States Census Bureau|]]}}, Population Division ({{subst:#ifexist:2006-06-20|[[2006-06-20|]]|[[Wikipedia:2006-06-20|]]}}). Retrieved on 2007-02-26.
^ The {{subst:#ifexist:Hartford-West Hartford-Willimantic Combined Statistical Area|[[Hartford-West Hartford-Willimantic Combined Statistical Area|]]|[[Wikipedia:Hartford-West Hartford-Willimantic Combined Statistical Area|]]}} is the most populous metropolitan area in {{subst:#ifexist:Connecticut|[[Connecticut|]]|[[Wikipedia:Connecticut|]]}}.
^ The {{subst:#ifexist:Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area|[[Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area|]]|[[Wikipedia:Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area|]]}} is the most populous metropolitan area in {{subst:#ifexist:Florida|[[Florida|]]|[[Wikipedia:Florida|]]}}.
^ The {{subst:#ifexist:United States Census Bureau|[[United States Census Bureau|]]|[[Wikipedia:United States Census Bureau|]]}} estimates that, as of {{subst:#ifexist:2005-07-01|[[2005-07-01|]]|[[Wikipedia:2005-07-01|]]}}, the population of the {{subst:#ifexist:New Orleans, Louisiana|City of New Orleans|City of New Orleans}} was 454,863 and the population of the {{subst:#ifexist:Baton Rouge, Louisiana|City of Baton Rouge|City of Baton Rouge}} was 222,064. After {{subst:#ifexist:Hurricane Katrina|[[Hurricane Katrina|]]|[[Wikipedia:Hurricane Katrina|]]}} struck {{subst:#ifexist:Louisiana|[[Louisiana|]]|[[Wikipedia:Louisiana|]]}}, New Orleans lost a significant portion of its population while the population of Baton Rouge increased substantially.
^ {{subst:#ifexist:Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore City|Baltimore City}} and the 12 {{subst:#ifexist:Maryland|[[Maryland|]]|[[Wikipedia:Maryland|]]}} {{subst:#ifexist:county (United States)|counties|counties}} of the {{subst:#ifexist:Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Combined Statistical Area|[[Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Combined Statistical Area|]]|[[Wikipedia:Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Combined Statistical Area|]]}} form the most populous metropolitan region in Maryland.
^ The {{subst:#ifexist:St. Louis, Missouri|City of Saint Louis|City of Saint Louis}} and the 8 {{subst:#ifexist:Missouri|[[Missouri|]]|[[Wikipedia:Missouri|]]}} {{subst:#ifexist:county (United States)|counties|counties}} of the {{subst:#ifexist:St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington Combined Statistical Area|[[St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington Combined Statistical Area|]]|[[Wikipedia:St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington Combined Statistical Area|]]}} form the most populous metropolitan region in Missouri.
^ The 5 southeastern {{subst:#ifexist:New Hampshire|[[New Hampshire|]]|[[Wikipedia:New Hampshire|]]}} {{subst:#ifexist:county (United States)|counties|counties}} of the {{subst:#ifexist:Boston-Worcester-Manchester Combined Statistical Area|[[Boston-Worcester-Manchester Combined Statistical Area|]]|[[Wikipedia:Boston-Worcester-Manchester Combined Statistical Area|]]}} form the most populous metropolitan region in New Hampshire.
^ The 13 northern {{subst:#ifexist:New Jersey|[[New Jersey|]]|[[Wikipedia:New Jersey|]]}} {{subst:#ifexist:county (United States)|counties|counties}} of the {{subst:#ifexist:New York-Newark-Bridgeport Combined Statistical Area|[[New York-Newark-Bridgeport Combined Statistical Area|]]|[[Wikipedia:New York-Newark-Bridgeport Combined Statistical Area|]]}} form the most populous metropolitan region in New Jersey.
^ The {{subst:#ifexist:Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area|[[Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area|]]|[[Wikipedia:Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area|]]}} is the most populous metropolitan area in {{subst:#ifexist:Ohio|[[Ohio|]]|[[Wikipedia:Ohio|]]}}.
^ The {{subst:#ifexist:Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area|[[Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area|]]|[[Wikipedia:Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area|]]}} is the most populous metropolitan area in {{subst:#ifexist:South Carolina|[[South Carolina|]]|[[Wikipedia:South Carolina|]]}}.
^ The {{subst:#ifexist:Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Columbia Combined Statistical Area|[[Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Columbia Combined Statistical Area|]]|[[Wikipedia:Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Columbia Combined Statistical Area|]]}} is the most populous metropolitan area in {{subst:#ifexist:Tennessee|[[Tennessee|]]|[[Wikipedia:Tennessee|]]}}.
^ The {{subst:#ifexist:Dallas-Fort Worth Combined Statistical Area|[[Dallas-Fort Worth Combined Statistical Area|]]|[[Wikipedia:Dallas-Fort Worth Combined Statistical Area|]]}} is the most populous metropolitan area in {{subst:#ifexist:Texas|[[Texas|]]|[[Wikipedia:Texas|]]}}.
^ The 10 {{subst:#ifexist:Virginia|[[Virginia|]]|[[Wikipedia:Virginia|]]}} {{subst:#ifexist:county (United States)|counties|counties}} and 6 {{subst:#ifexist:independent cities#Virginia|Virginia cities|Virginia cities}} of the {{subst:#ifexist:Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Combined Statistical Area|[[Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Combined Statistical Area|]]|[[Wikipedia:Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Combined Statistical Area|]]}} form the most populous metropolitan region in Virginia.

Political divisions of the United States
States	Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
Federal District	Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia)
Insular Areas	American Samoa · Guam · Northern Mariana Islands · Puerto Rico · U.S. Virgin Islands
Outlying Islands	Baker Island · Howland Island · Jarvis Island · Johnston Atoll · Kingman Reef · Midway Atoll · Navassa Island · Palmyra Atoll · Wake Island

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Categories: Lists of country subdivisions | Subdivisions of the United States | States of the United States

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This article uses material from the "U.S. state" article on the Genealogy wiki at Wikia and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License.

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A U.S. state is one of the states of the United States of America. Four states (Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky) use the term commonwealth because they called themselves that when the United States was first formed, but this is only tradition and they are still states.

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Political divisions of the United States

States	Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

National capital	District of Columbia

Island areas	American Samoa • Baker Island • Guam • Howland Island • Jarvis Island • Johnston Atoll • Kingman Reef • Midway Atoll • Navassa Island • Northern Mariana Islands • Palmyra Atoll • Puerto Rico • Virgin Islands • Wake Island

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Categories: Stubs | U.S. states

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Contents

List of states

Federal power

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Possible new states

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List of states

Admission of states into the union

Naming issues: Commonwealths, republics, and states

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Grouping of the states in regions

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