51st state facts for kids

A U.S. 51 star flag has been created in case a 51st state actually joins the United States.

The idea of a 51st state is about a place that isn't one of the 50 states of the United States yet, but people talk about it becoming the 51st. This term is sometimes used as a joke in American politics, but it can also be a serious idea. It often refers to places like Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories that might join the United States.

When people use "51st state" to talk about other countries, like Canada, it's usually a joke. There have been times in history when people in the United States wanted Canada to join them, but Canada has never agreed. The term can also be used to describe countries that seem to be strongly influenced or controlled by the United States. Before 1959, when Alaska and Hawaii became states, people used to say "the 49th state" instead.

Places That Could Become a New State

Several places that are part of the United States but are not states right now could become the 51st state. These include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Dividing Current States

Besides adding a new territory, another idea for a 51st (or even 52nd) state is to split up a state that already exists. For example, California is the state with the most people and the third-largest in size. Some people have suggested dividing California into two or even three separate states. Another idea is to split Texas, which is the second-most populated state, into four or five states.

New States from Parts of Existing States

Some areas that include land from two different states have also been suggested as new states. These include:

• The "State of Jefferson": This area would include the northern part of California and the southern counties of Oregon.
• The "State of Lincoln": This would be made up of the eastern part of Washington State and the northern panhandle of Idaho.

There has also been a proposal to take the western one-fourth of Nebraska and add it to Wyoming. Wyoming is the state with the fewest people. This part of Nebraska is actually much closer to Cheyenne, Wyoming, which is Wyoming's capital city, than it is to Lincoln, Nebraska, its current capital.

Puerto Rico's Vote

In 2012 and again in 2017, the people of Puerto Rico voted strongly to become the 51st state. However, for Puerto Rico to become a state, the United States Congress also needs to approve it.

Images for kids

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  A 2017 license plate for Washington, D.C.

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  A resident of Seattle, Washington, through a homemade sign, jokingly says that the Republic of Iraq is the 51st U.S. state.