Which U.S. state was the 50th admitted to the Union?

Hawaii was the 50th U.S. state admitted to the Union.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Hawaii Admission Act on March 18, 1959, and Hawaii entered the Union on August 21, 1959. Its admission followed Alaska's, which became the 49th state on January 3 of the same year.

Hawaii is an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean. Its statehood followed decades as a U.S. territory after annexation in 1898 and territorial organization in 1900. A referendum held in Hawaii in June 1959 strongly supported statehood, although the ballot asked voters to choose between statehood and remaining a territory.

A frequent mix-up is reversing the order of Alaska and Hawaii. Alaska was admitted first, while Hawaii completed the modern list of 50 states. Hawaii's state flag retains the Union Jack, reflecting its historical relationship with Britain, and its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oahu.