Why was Pennsylvania the 33rd state?

Answer 1

Pennsylvania was not the 33rd state in the most common sense of the phrase, that is, that it was the 33rd to ratify the Constitution. In that sense, Delaware was the first, and Pennsylvania was the 2nd (and by only 5 days!)

However Pennsylvania is the 33rd largest state, in regards to actual land area. This is because there are 32 states larger than Pennsylvania (such as Nebraska, California and Oregon). Before Alaska became the 49th and largest ever state to join the Union in 1959, Pennsylvania would have been the 32nd largest.