Hawaii sued to become a state in the wake of World War II. After seeing how badly the Japanese treated the Polynesians in the islands they overran, the Hawaiians wanted closer ties to the U.S. The terms of the referendum were that it would take a 90% plurality and statehood was irrevocable without the consent of the U.S. Government, meaning the Congress.
Well it’s a good thing we didn’t make The Philippines a state.
Their population is now 115 million! How many electoral votes and congressmen would that have translated to?
Doesn’t Japan own Hawaii today?
(Financially).