# State divided? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 17, 2001, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-divided/82092 "2001-09-17T04:28:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Killuminati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/50afbb/32.png) [@Killuminati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Killuminati)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-divided/82092/1 "2001-09-17T04:28:52Z")
I was wondering if any of you guys can tell me which state is the only state that can be divided into 2, 3, or 4 states by permission of Congress? It was a bonus question on my test for Amercian Gov’t. I put Texas but it was purely a guess. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-divided/82092/2 "2001-09-17T05:00:25Z")
TX is correct. When it joined the Union it was part of the agreement that it could divide into 2 to 5 states giving the area 2 to 8 extra Senators. There’s no way it would be allowed to happen today. Haj ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-divided/82092/3 "2001-09-17T05:10:36Z")
Whether it would be allowed or not is open to debate. The argument is often given that Texas is the only state that entered the Union by treaty. This is not correct. The treaty in question was never approved by the Senate, and Texas entered the Union by a joint resolution of congress. The following link has some information about the case: [http://www.urbanlegends.com/politics/texas\_secession.html](http://www.urbanlegends.com/politics/texas_secession.html) ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-divided/82092/4 "2001-09-17T22:18:04Z")
pardon my hijack… As recently as the 1920’s, Alaska nearly was carved up into 3 or 4 parts, each of which could’ve become states (the 4 least populous states, to be sure). [http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/BARTLETT/49state.html](http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/BARTLETT/49state.html) > [@](#): > > The Southeastern division, or “Panhandle” region, had by far the largest population and began to wonder if perhaps it could become a state separate from the other three less-populated divisions. It wouldn’t get you extra credit on your test, Killu, but it’s another one of those “What If?” scenarios.