Can a State become it's own country?

Question

Could a State in the United States of America decide it doesn't want to be a part of the United States and become it's own country?

For example:

Let's say California no longer wanted to be a part of the United States and wanted to be it's own country..As each state has its own government.. Could something like that really happen? If it would other states might also decide they want to also..Then Washington would have a big problem

Answer 1

The answer to this question is complicated because it's yes and no.

It is possible for a state to become its own country if its independence is recognized by the United Nations. However, it's not clearly laid out in law and other powerful states have to be willing to support the state that wants independence.

Answer 2

The answer is probably "no". There is nothing in the US Constitution which allows for a state to remove itself or be removed in any way from the union we call the United States of America. The Civil War is an example of states attempting to leave the US, but that did not work. While Texas was a country, that was before it joined the US. While there could be a mechanism to allow for a state to leave the union, there currently is no mechanism.

Answer 3

Yes, but there's many parts to it, and it would be awkward and weird. Quitting is easy enough. The state in question could just secede from the Union, just like the founding states of the Confederacy did. The first thing you'd then have to do is figure out your military mess. All military members in the state, especially those in the National Guard and Air Guard would have to decide if they want to still be in the military, and if so, which one, the US Federal armed forces, or the armed forces of the new state. If it's a state on the ocean, it's got start to building it's own navy because the US Navy isn't going to let you keep any of their ships, then an Air Force. If this was California, and the Navy pulled out, San Diego would be an economically destroyed ghost town overnight. Then, getting recognized as your own country takes a little more doing. You'd have to reconfigure your entire state government apparatus to a country, and add embassies and consulates around the world, various diplomatic missions, and petition for recognition of your country as such by the United Nations. Then you have to figure out if you want to join NATO or whatever other trade or military protection groups that may apply.

This has already been done once, by the way. Texas was it's own country for 9 years. After the War with Mexico, the Republic of Texas was it's own country from 1836 to 1845..