The history of the territorial expansion of the United States is a story of wars. Won and lost the regions bought and sold. When France lost the French and Indian War in 1763 exceeded most of its possessions in North America to Britain extending British Domain beyond the original 13 colonies.
Since Spain was an ally of France, it had to give east and west – to Britain, but was compensated by France with territory west of the Mississippi. With the declaration of independence form Britain 1776, United States was formed form the original 13 colonies but had to wage war with Britain to establish it sovereignty. The treaty of Paris concluded the revolutionary war in 1783 but America expanding to the Mississippi river and Spain recovering Florida since in this war it was American ally.
But in 1800’s Spain secretly ceded the Louisiana territory back to France when Napoleon was hoping to establish and empire in North America. When President Thomas Jefferson learned of this arrangement he became concerned with the potential threat of an aggressive empire builder. He send invoice to France to purchase New Orleans and west Florida for 10 million dollars instead they came back with the entire Louisiana territory for 15 million.
Napoleon had needed money for his war against Britain. In 1810 American settlers let a revolt against the Spanish in west Florida. Capturing the Port of — the remainder of west Florida was annex later by President James Madison. In an agreement after the war of 1812, Britain ceded the red river basin and the boundary between United States and British Territory what is now Canada was set at the 59th parallel with the Oregon territory to jointly occupied.
In 1821, the Spanish cessions of east and west Florida were finalized and Spain surrendered any claims to the Pacific Northwest. Later that year Mexico proclaimed it’s independence and became another power in North America. Settlers have been moving steadily into Texas and as in Florida fought for independence this time against Mexico. The Republic of Texas was declared in 1836. The slavery issue had kept Texas from being annexed to a several years but with the threat of a Mexican invasion, President Poke authorized its annexation.
American settlers moved into Oregon territory causing border disputes. Rather than rest coordinating 46 the border was extended along the 59th parallel as it is today, which in the south war erupted between Mexico and United States over the Texas border. Mexico lost and relinquished all claims north of the Rio Grande River as well as New Mexico and California.
Diplomat James Gadsen purchased additional Mexican territory for 10 million dollars in 1853, establishing the present day boundary. In 1867 William Seward purchased Alaska for 7.2 million dollars from Russia which have been ready to abandon its designs for an empire so far away. The same year, Canada gained its independence from Britain. The Spanish American war of 1898 proved Hawaii to be a strategic importance to the US navy. And it was annexed from Spain as well as Puerto Rico. By 1912 all the territories of the lower 48 were admitted as States. Alaska and Hawaii joined the union in 1959 completing the current formation of the United States.
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