Alaska Statehood Act

The Alaska Statehood Act is a document signed by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower on July 7, 1958 law that made ​​the Alaska Territory on January 3, 1959 49th state of the United States.

Alaska's efforts to status as a state go back to the 1920s. Parts of the population felt by the federal government, which was subordinate to the territory, but without having the rights of a Federal State, discriminated against. Others feared higher taxes, which would bring recognition as a State with themselves.

The efforts of Alaska were perceived by the federal government after the Second World War, when the strategically important due to its proximity to Russia capable of until then operated as a federal territory had shown immediate area.

A referendum in Alaska in 1946 yielded a 3:2 majority for recognition as a state. With this result, in the back brought Edward Lewis Bartlett, representatives of the Alaska Territory in the U.S. House of Representatives, a bill to Congress a. The document was rejected by the Republican Party, which feared by the representatives of Alaska in Congress to strengthen the Democrats. Although a second original 1949 happening in 1950 to Congress, but failed again to resistance from the Republicans in the Senate.

As a result, a 1955, held in Fairbanks Alaska Constitutional Convention and the Constitution was adopted in 1956 by a large majority. Another step toward recognition as a State was the choice and deployment of unofficial representatives of Alaska for the Congress. Ernest Gruening and William Egan attracted so in the Congress of the United States, but without being there officially recognized or have the right to vote.

After earlier against the inclusion of Alaska as a state like Sam Rayburn were on the side of the proponents, which include for instance Senator Lyndon B. Johnson owned, swirled, the law was adopted in July 1958 and Alaska the 49th state of the United States.