Prince Edward Island joins the United States?

Apparently initially PEI wanted to remain a British Colony after Confederation and only joined after entertaining American officials who wanted to annex the island in 1871. So what if they had joined the United States?
 
Apparently initially PEI wanted to remain a British Colony after Confederation and only joined after entertaining American officials who wanted to annex the island in 1871. So what if they had joined the United States?

Such an event would have little more than rumour or being thrown forward to light a fire under the butts of the Canadians with little support to back it up. Britain tells the locals "no" in no uncertain terms then chastizes the Canadians for not getting PEI on board already
 
Well I was also thinking of PEI forming its own Dominion like they had planned, but that might be for another thread.
 
How did Prince Edward Island's population compare to most new states? If Prince Edward Island's population lags behind all the other states early enough, I think it would encourage the government to add more states with tiny populations. Who knows? Maybe the US could have 80 states by now.
 
How did Prince Edward Island's population compare to most new states? If Prince Edward Island's population lags behind all the other states early enough, I think it would encourage the government to add more states with tiny populations. Who knows? Maybe the US could have 80 states by now.

In 1867 it would have had around 90,000 people.
 
In 1867 it would have had around 90,000 people.

If PEI enters the US it would be open to immigration especially if there is significant reason for immigrating. Also it would be interesting if Confederation succeeds in a world where a part of the Maritimes has been annexed to the United States. It would also be interesting to see what the British response to this happening would be. Especially considering the future of Newfoundland, likely as a part of America or independent from both Britain and Canada. Just a thought.
 
I first read this as 'Prince Edward joins the United States?' and was curious to know which Edward you had in mind.
 
As a Prince Edward Island expatriate, I would suggest that would have been more of a ploy by the local government than not. At the time, PEI was in a state of crisis, with debt from the newly constructed railway threatening to sink the entire economy. Anything that would get the Dominion of Canada's attention would be fair. And it worked: the Dominion took on the railway debt and bought out the absentee landlords.
 
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