Why Didn't Russia Sell Alaska to Canada? (Plus More State Stories)

How new states become part of the U.S. and why Washington, D.C. isn't already a state.

The Missing States of the United States By Melanie Radzicki McManus Our 50, nifty United States may have had several more siblings if things had turned out differently. Read more >> More State Stories Why Isn't Washington, D.C. Already a State? Why didn't the nation's founders make Washington, D.C., a state in the first place? Read more >> Why Is Missouri Called the Show-me State? What exactly does Missouri want to be shown and why? Where did this state nickname come from? Read more >> Why Didn't Russia Sell Alaska to Canada?   Why did the Russians part with such a bountiful region? And why didn't the country sell it to Canada, which — unlike the contiguous U.S. — actually borders Alaska? Read more >> How Do New States Become Part of the U.S.? "The 51st state" refers to areas or countries that might become a U.S. state. How likely is this, and how did the U.S. get the 50 it already has? Read more >> Quiz: How Did States Get Their Names? What does "Massachusetts" mean? Why are there two Dakotas when one would have been plenty? Take the quiz >> Were U.S. Interstates Really Designed as Runways?   Is 1 mile out of 5 on U.S. interstates really supposed to be straight so that planes can land on them in an emergency? Find out the truth about this long-held urban legend. Read more >> Copyright © 2020 HowStuffWorks, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website howstuffworks.com Our mailing address is: HowStuffWorks 1501 Main St Suite 101 Venice, CA 90291 Want to change how you receive these promotional emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list