State Guide: Chambers of Commerce. As a small business owner in the U.S., it is important to be familiar with your state's chamber of commerce. A chamber of commerce is a local organization of businesses designed to help protect and promote business interests. Some say they are essential to the economic growth of a community. However, if you own a small business, your membership in a chamber of commerce is not mandatory.
Washington became the forty-second state of the United States of America on November 11, 1889. After a hiatus of thirteen years when no new states were admitted to the Union, the United States Congress passed an act enabling the territories of Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana to seek statehood.
West Virginia Admitted as the 35th State in the Union. June 20, 1863. With the outbreak of the Civil War, Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861. Very few of the residents of the western counties owned slaves, so they decided to stay with the Union. As a result, West Virginia, where Mountaineers Are Always Free, was formed.