Hawaii Admitted as the 50th United States State
After World War II, the Territory of Hawaii sought full statehood amid debates over its strategic Pacific location and diverse population. Congress passed the Hawaii Admission Act in March 1959, which President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed. Hawaii residents approved statehood in a June referendum by an overwhelming margin. On August 21, 1959, Eisenhower issued the official proclamation admitting Hawaii as the 50th state, also ordering the new 50-star flag. The admission completed the continental expansion of the United States begun decades earlier with Alaska's entry earlier that year.
Why it matters: Hawaii's statehood integrated a key Pacific territory into the Union, enhancing U.S. military and economic reach while granting full citizenship rights to its residents. It marked the end of the territorial era for the contiguous expansion of the United States.