How does a territory become a state?
Rank the 6 steps listed below in the order in which they were taken in the process of granting statehood to alaska. Mark the first step taken 1, the nex 2, and so on until marking 6 for the last step. 15)____ The people of Alaska petitioned Congress for admission to statehood. 16)____ Congress passed statehood legislation. 17)____ Congress passed an enabling act authorizing Alaska to frame a state constitution. 18)____ The president proclaimed Alaska a state. 19)____ the ratified state constitution of Alaska was submitted to Congress. 20)____ The people of Alaska voted approval of the proposed state constittion.
Why don't the 16 U.S. territories and D.C. count as states, that way there would be 67 total U.S. states?
Congress would have to approve each territory’s request to become a state by a supermajority vote. Congress can’t agree on the time of day, so it seems unlikely they would be able to reach agreement on a 51st state, much less a 67th.
What are United states territories?
As of September 9, 2017…The United States has 16 territories.These 16 territories are…American SamoaBajo Nuevo BankBaker IslandHowland IslandGuamJarvis IslandJohnston AtollKingman ReefMidway IslandsNavassa IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsPalmyra AtollPuerto RicoSerranilla BankU.S. Virgin IslandsWake IslandOf these, the most well known are Guam and Puerto RicoGuamPopulation: 162,742 (2016)GDP: $5.793 Billion (USD)Guam, island and unincorporated territory of the United States in the North Pacific Ocean, the largest, most populous, and southernmost of the Mariana Islands. It lies about 5,800 miles (9,300 km) west of San Francisco and 1,600 miles (2,600 km) east of Manila.*All updated as of Sept, 2017*Puerto RicoPopulation: 3,411,000 (2016)GDP: $103.135 Billion (USD)Puerto Rico formally known as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and previously known as and often referred to as Porto Rico is the biggest insular region of the United States of America and it is situated in the northeast region of the Caribbean Sea. It is an archipelago that is made up of the main Puerto Rico Island and other smaller islands such as Vieques, Culebra and Mona. Its capital city is San Juan and it is also the most populated city in the country.*All updated as of Sept, 2017*
Why doesn't the U.S expand its territory?
You have a huge house and yard. Your neighbor has a tiny house and small hard but a nice apple tree. He gives you apples when he has extra, he looked after your kids when you had some bad stuff happen and he warned you when burglars were trying to gain entry into your house. He invited you over for dinner and you had a good time. He looked after the neighborhood and prevented drug gangs from entering when you decided all you needed was your big dogs to keep them out; that was the US equivalent to American isolationism in the 1940s.Now you’re going to repay him by stealing his land, burning down his house and murdering his family. What do you think the rest of the neighborhood would think of you? Do you think you’ll have another friend? No you won’t. And the next time you’re in trouble, guess who will be on your side? How about no one!Now, what were you saying about colonization?
Why doesn’t the U.S include its territories on their map like they do with Alaska or Hawaii in a separate section?
It would confuse people who already struggle to read maps properly. These people cannot locate a U. S. territory such as Puerto Rico on a map.Consequently, if you include Puerto Rico on a U. S. map, these people would get the mistaken impression that Puerto Rico is closer to the U. S. than it really is.Then, they will ask on Quora if there is an interstate highway that connects Puerto Rico to the Continental U. S. and/or Hawaii.
Why doesn't the U.S. let each of its 16 territories and Hawaii become their own individual countries?
If the American territories want to become independent they can certainly do so. Thus far, none of them have made that decision.The United States gave up on imperialism over a century ago. They kept most of the small island groups they had plus the Panama Canal Zone for security reasons.The Philippines wanted independence from 1898 on and got autonomy on a thirty year plan for independence. This was to make sure none of the colonial powers tried to conquer them and the United States would still be able to use the harbor facilities at Manila. The congress settled on 1944 as the year of independence, as they believed that imperialism would be out of fashion by then and they could pull the American navy out by 1946.It turned out that the British, German, and Japanese navies wanted the Philippines for themselves back in 1898 and were very angry that the Americans got there first. The British got over it, but the Japanese still had plans on file to conquer and exploit the islands forty years later. They were hoping to move in in 1948, but settled for 1941 when the German government offered to back them up.Puerto Rico is a commonwealth and has the option of declaring independence for decades.
Why didn't the us try to add more territory under the premise of the manifest destiny?
Wasn't the whole western half of the Mississippi Basin, half of Mexico, half of the Oregon Country, Alaska, and Hawaii enough? Actually, the U.S. did try to acquire more. They tried to take Canada in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, tried to buy much more of Mexico than they got in the 1853 Gadsden Purchase, and tried to buy and annex Cuba during the 1850s.
What's the difference between a U.S. state and a U.S. territory?
This is defined by Congress at the time the United States gains control over a land area, or at a later time when a territory previously defined is turned into a state, or an independent nation, or (at least in theory) if the territory is sold to another nation. Not all territories have populations, and not all that have populations have the same kind of government: it is defined by Congress, which can redefine the details when it wants to. Becoming a state is a bit more complicated, and there is a (variable over time) minimum population requirement. Territories may have representatives in the US House of Representatives, but while they can do almost anything a state representative can, they cannot vote when the House meets as a whole. [They DO vote in committees and other lesser groups that may form from time to time] They may have an elected government and legislature - it is up to Congress and usually is also related to the population (if any) in the territory. Only a state has Senators. States were originally countries (not just the first 13, but also Texas and Hawaii), and in one case they have the power to call a Convention to amend the US Constitution. [There are two ways - a 2/3 vote of both Houses of Congress - the only way ever successfully used - or if 2/3 of state legislatures vote for the Convention - which has never happened in the allowed time frame but which in theory could happen] There are a few other technical differences - state governors always have the power to grant pardons or allow extradition - territories usually do not. And the Electorial College, which elects the President, gets members only from states and one territory - the District of Columbia. So, with the exception of DC, territories don’t get electors, but states do.
If Congress offered US territories the option of becoming a 51st state "Carriba-Oceana" with each area given at least 1 congressional district and 1 Senator on each side, would they accept?
The US currently has 16 island territories (United States territory - Wikipedia) scattered across the Caribbean and the Pacific.It would seem unlikely that those territories would combine to seek statehood as a group, since they are so disparate in economies, language, culture, history, race and ethnicity, environment, and geographic location.For the same reason, if Congress initiated the process for territories to move to statehood, those 16 territories would would likely not be interested. (And even if Congress offered the option, the territories would have to come together to follow a process.)Finally, there are pros and cons to remaining a territory versus becoming a state. To focus on one “insular area” (the term for a US island territory), Puerto Rico, consider this tally of pros and cons: 17 Big Pros and Cons of Puerto Rico Becoming a State. Similar lists of pros and cons no doubt exist for other insular areas of the US.(Thanks for the A2A!)