Manifest Destiny

Westward Expansion Review

American Progress 1872, John Gast

TERRITORY

DATE

ACQUIREDPREVIOUS

OWNER

CIRCUMSTANCES

OF ACQUISITION

Original 13 Colonies

1607-1776

Native

Americans,

Swedes, Dutch

Beginning with Jamestown, the

colonies developed into 13 distinct

towns/areas.

TERRITORYDATE

ACQUIREDPREVIOUS

OWNER

CIRCUMSTANCES

OF ACQUISITION

Original 13

states / territories

1783French,

Great Britain

and Natives

13 colonies received independence and all

land to the Mississippi River in the Treaty of

Paris at the end of the American Revolution

in 1783. Britain took French lands at end of

French and Indian War with the Treaty of

Paris in 1763.

TERRITORYDATE

ACQUIREDPREVIOUS

OWNER

CIRCUMSTANCES

OF ACQUISITION

Louisiana

Purchase

1803 Spain,

France and

Natives

U.S. bought this land to guarantee

access to the Mississippi River for

Western farmers after Spain transferred

control to France in 1800.

TERRITORYDATE

ACQUIRED

PREVIOUS

OWNER

CIRCUMSTANCES

OF ACQUISITION

British Cession(Red River Cession;

Treaty of 1818)

1818 Britain and

Natives

Britain and the U.S. agreed to make 49o

the border between Canada and U.S.

from Lake of the Woods in Minnesota to

the Rockies

TERRITORYDATE

ACQUIREDPREVIOUS

OWNER

CIRCUMSTANCES

OF ACQUISITION

British Cession

(Webster-Ashburton Treaty)

1842Britain and

Natives

Clearly defined borders were drawn

between Maine and New Brunswick,

and also in the Great Lakes area with

disputed lands in Wisconsin Territory

divided between Britain and U.S.A.

TERRITORYDATE

ACQUIRED

PREVIOUS OWNER

CIRCUMSTANCES

OF ACQUISITION

West Florida

1810-1813

Spain,Natives

Madison claimed west Florida in

1810, and the small region was

annexed by 1813 without much

resistance.

TERRITORYDATE

ACQUIREDPREVIOUS

OWNER

CIRCUMSTANCES

OF ACQUISITION

East Florida 1819 Spain and

Seminoles

U.S. received Florida via the Adams-Onis

Treaty after the U.S. complained that Spain

was not controlling Indian attacks on

Americans or returning escaping slaves.

TERRITORYDATE

ACQUIREDPREVIOUS

OWNER

CIRCUMSTANCES

OF ACQUISITION

Texas 1845 Republic of

Texas, Mexico,

Spain, Natives

Texas claimed status an independent

republic in 1836, but wasn’t annexed

until 45 due to fear over slavery issue.

Mexico still claimed more than half of

Texas, which was resolved later in the

Mexican-American War.

TERRITORYDATE

ACQUIREDPREVIOUS

OWNER

CIRCUMSTANCES

OF ACQUISITION

Oregon

Country 1846 Britain and

Natives

A compromise with Britain over this

disputed territory; U.S. made tariff

concessions to Britain, and land was

divided at 49o.

TERRITORYDATE

ACQUIREDPREVIOUS

OWNER

CIRCUMSTANCES

OF ACQUISITION

Mexican

Cession

1848 Mexico &

Natives

U.S. received land in the Treaty of

Guadalupe Hidalgo following American

victory in Mexican-American War. US paid

Mexico $15 million and gained California,

New Mexico territory, and Texas.

TERRITORYDATE

ACQUIREDPREVIOUS

OWNER

CIRCUMSTANCES

OF ACQUISITION

Gadsden Purchase 1853 Mexico

U.S. purchased this land for $10 million to

provide a route for transcontinental

railroad across southern border.