Which territory became the 49th U.S. state in 1959?

Alaska became the 49th U.S. state in 1959.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Act on July 7, 1958, after Congress approved statehood legislation. Alaska was formally admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959. Its admission made it the first state added to the United States since Arizona in 1912.

The region had been purchased from Russia in 1867 and was governed for decades as a department, district, and territory. Its enormous size, sparse population, distance from the contiguous states, and military importance shaped the long statehood debate. Supporters argued that Alaskans deserved full representation and control over local affairs.

Alaska is the largest U.S. state by area and is separated from the contiguous United States by Canada. Its statehood was followed later in 1959 by Hawaii’s admission as the fiftieth state, completing the current state count.