"Main article: List of U.S. state secession proposals
It is constitutionally possible for new states to be formed by reorganizing current states with the permission of their legislatures.
The State of Maine was part of Massachusetts
The state of West Virginia was formed during the Civil War by counties in northwestern Virginia that had remained loyal to the United States.
One proposal has been for New York City to secede from New York State (See New York City secession), which has been reciprocated by a call for Upstate New York to secede (See Upstate New York's Statehood Movement).
A similar circumstance has been proposed with the secession of Chicago from Illinois since over a half of the population of Illinois resides in the metropolitan area. A variation of this was called Chiwaukee, which would be the strip of land from Milwaukee down to Gary, Indiana.
Historically, it was possible that the counties of southern Oregon and northern California might have seceded from their respective states to form a new "State of Jefferson". Jefferson would have been the 49th state, making Alaska and Hawaii the 50th and 51st when they became states in 1959.
Also there have been brief calls for a 51st state named the State of Lincoln in 1996, 1999, and 2005. The state would be made of Eastern Washington and the Idaho Panhandle.
During the late 1700s, portions of North Carolina and Tennessee joined to form an alleged "State of Franklin" and while "lawmakers" were elected to its alleged "Legislature," Congress never admitted the "State of Franklin" into the Union.
Similar junctions have attempted to take place in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, which some wish to secede (sometimes along with adjoining counties of northern Wisconsin) in order to make a state called "Superior"."
(Courtesy of Wikipedia.)
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5 comments:
states should only be allowed to seceed or merge if their new borders formed interesting shapes.
I want to live in a State called "Superior". It would really boost my confidence. The State flag could be a giant foot crushing all the other states.
or a little snidey looking fella
I'm in total agreement with you, Dave. States should have interesting shapes. I mean, just look at Colorado and Wyoming -- a pair of vapid, characterless rectangles. And don't think North Dakota's winning any prizes in aesthetics either. What the hell were their founders thinking? If I lived within the borders of such geographic monotony, I'd need a handful of Ecstasy just to pull myself out of bed and check the mailbox.
Give me artfully shaped states like Alaska, Maryland, and East Mississippi.
Pat, why stop at a state flag featuring a giant foot? Just cut to the chase and have a state foot. "Superior" deserves to be the first in the Union with a state foot -- a colossal metatarsus that can rule the United States with an iron ankle. And emblazon that ankle with an intimidating state motto. I suggest Nos quidnam protero.
That'll keep those Arkansans and their creatine-guzzling mockingbird in line...
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