statehood
Full governmental status
Statehood is the condition of being a state—a recognized political entity with sovereignty or, in the U.S., formal admission to the union.
Puerto Rico has debated statehood for decades.
The term often appears in discussions of territories seeking full political status: the path to statehood, statehood referendum.
Cloth symbol or signal
- anthemOfficial song of praise
- citizenshipStatus as state member
- cultureCollective social practices
- languageSystem of symbolic communication
history · tradition · identity · nationalism · patriotism · heritage · customs · unity
Independent decision-making capacity
- self-ruleGovernance without outside control
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- independenceFreedom from external control
- self-governanceIndependent management of affairs
jurisdiction · authority · dominion · supremacy · control · liberation · emancipation · freedom
Formal approval by authority
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- petitionFormal written appeal
- referendumDirect vote on legislation
- territoryLand under jurisdiction
union · annexation · accession · compact · delegate · proclamation · forty-ninth · fiftieth
Inherent physical or structural makeup
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- executiveSenior organizational leader
- judiciaryLaw-interpreting government branch
bureaucracy · policy · legislation · regulation · cabinet · ministry · governor · council
Absorbing territory into jurisdiction
- frontierEdge of settlement
- provinceRegional administrative district
- districtBounded administrative area
- enclaveSurrounded distinct territory
dependency · protectorate · reservation · colony · incorporation · demarcation · boundary · region
flag
Cloth symbol or signal
- anthemOfficial song of praise
- citizenshipStatus as state member
- cultureCollective social practices
language · history · tradition · identity · nationalism · patriotism · heritage · customs · unity · founding
autonomy
Independent decision-making capacity
- self-ruleGovernance without outside control
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- independenceFreedom from external control
self-governance · jurisdiction · authority · dominion · supremacy · control · liberation · emancipation · freedom · secession
ratification
Formal approval by authority
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- petitionFormal written appeal
- referendumDirect vote on legislation
territory · union · annexation · accession · compact · delegate · proclamation · forty-ninth · fiftieth · DC
constitution
Inherent physical or structural makeup
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- executiveSenior organizational leader
judiciary · bureaucracy · policy · legislation · regulation · cabinet · ministry · governor · council · parliament
annexation
Absorbing territory into jurisdiction
- frontierEdge of settlement
- provinceRegional administrative district
- districtBounded administrative area
enclave · dependency · protectorate · reservation · colony · incorporation · demarcation · boundary · region · acquisition
- American frontierfrontier, westward expansion, pioneers, homesteading, homesteads
- Pacific expansionprovisional government, overthrow, Queen Liliuokalani, Guam, Philippines
- Kurdish PoliticsKurds, Kurdistan, regional government, self-rule, autonomy
- AlaskaFairbanks, Juneau, Denali, Sitka, Kodiak
- Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto Rico, Carolina, Old San Juan, Arecibo
- Wild Westcowboy, howdy, sheriff, giddyup, lawmen
statehoodstatelessness
Having no recognized citizenship
dependency · territory · colony · protectorate · subjugation
statehoodstatelessness
Having no recognized citizenship
non-existence · dissolution · annexation · absorption · disintegration