[MplsSteve]

Mexico is not a territory of the United States.

This is the essential difference.

Near as I can tell, no state has ever entered the Union without first being a territory of the United States.

[SedVictaCatoni]

Near as I can tell, no state has ever entered the Union without first being a territory of the United States.

Well, Texas.

[AmericanDave]

AHEM, TEXAS WAS AN INDEPENDANT REPUBLIC BEFORE JOINING!

[humblegunner]

Near as I can tell, no state has ever entered the Union without first being a territory of the United States.

Texas was it's own Republic before joining the union.
We have never been a territory.

[backtothestreets]

Near as I can tell, no state has ever entered the Union without first being a territory of the United States.

What of Texas which was an independent nation and Maine which was a part of Massachusetts? Neither were ever US Territories.

[dvwjr]

Originally posted by: MplsSteve

"Near as I can tell, no state has ever entered the Union without first being a territory of the United States."

Near as I can tell, there were 19. Ah, the benefits of my high school US History class...

I can list a few States that were NEVER Territories of the United States before admission to the Union.

1.) Delaware
2.) Pennsylvania
3.) New Jersey
4.) Georgia
5.) Connecticut
6.) Massachusetts
7.) Maryland
8.) South Carolina
9.) New Hampshire
10.) Virginia
11.) New York
12.) North Carolina
13.) Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
14.) Vermont
15.) Kentucky
16.) Maine
17.) Texas
18.) California
19.) West Virginia

That makes 19 of 50 States which were not admitted to the Union via Territorial Status. There is some debate about Tennesse...

dvwjr

[bert]

......Mexico is not (presently)a territory of the United States....