Statehood

On November 29, 1777, the first non-military and non-missionary settlement in California was established as El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe in Alta, California.

Though the District of Columbia has served as our nation’s capital since 1791, its residents didn’t get to vote in their first presidential election until November 3, 1964.

On September 9, 1850, California became America’s 31st state. The discovery of gold there two years earlier created a population boom that led to the need for a state government.

On August 14, 1848, the Oregon Territory was established. It would be another 11 years before the territory achieved statehood.

On July 4, 1987, the USPS issued the first in a series of stamps honoring America’s first 13 states.  The series honored each state’s 200th anniversary of statehood as well as the bicentennial of the ratification of the Constitution. 

On April 28, 1788, Maryland was the seventh state to ratify the US Constitution, an act that admitted it as America’s seventh state.

On January 2, 1788, Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the US Constitution, making it our fourth state.

On November 8, 1889, Montana was admitted to the Union. The population exploded in the years leading up to after statehood due to the discovery of rich gold, silver, and copper deposits.

On November 2, 1889, North Dakota was admitted to the Union as the 39th state.