7 historical events that happened on Valentine’s Day
5. Arizona becomes a state — 1912
Valentine’s Day is also Arizona Statehood Day, as it marks the anniversary of when Arizona achieved statehood, becoming the last of the 48 contiguous states to join the Union.
Arizona had previously been a territory owned by Mexico. However, the country lost most of it during the Mexican-American War in the 1840s and then sold off the rest in 1854.
“President James Buchanan bought the rest of Arizona and New Mexico territory with the 1854 Gadsden Purchase. Originally part of the Territory of New Mexico, the Territory of Arizona was established in 1863,” explained History.com.
“In the early 1900s, Arizona almost entered the United States as part of New Mexico, since Republicans thought it would help them maintain control of the Senate. The measure was rejected by voters.”
Arizona is neither the only state to have joined the United States on Valentine’s Day nor the first, as Oregon gained statehood on Feb. 14 decades earlier in 1859.
