State and Country

There are two U.S. states that have been their own countries in the past. One of them is Texas, which became the Republic of Texas after it won its independence from Mexico in 1836. Sam Houston was the first president of the republic, and the city of Houston served as the capitol until the seat of government moved to Austin in 1839. Texas became a state in 1845 when it was annexed to the United States.

The other state that used to be its own country is Hawaii. Once upon a time, Hawaii was ruled by several chiefs. In 1795, King Kamehameha the Great consolidated all of the Hawaiian islands together under his rule. This kingdom prevailed under several rulers until Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown in 1893. Hawaii became a republic until it was annexed by the U.S. in 1898. However, it was just a territory for about 60 years. Hawaii didn't become a state until 1959. Iolani Palace in Honolulu was used as the state capitol building for a while and is a National Historic Landmark today. The palace remains the only royal palace in the U.S. that has been used as an official residence by a reigning monarch.