U. S. Expansion

Disclaimer:  Prof. Jim Tompkins has compiled the following information for classes he has taught.  He has kindly contributed them for general use.  This information has been gathered from a variety of sources and, while it is free to use, copyright infringements may make it unsuitable for commercial purposes.

• 1600s - (Colonization of Atlantic Coast by Europe)  
English, German, Swedish, Dutch seeking economic and religious freedom

1607 - Jamestown founded

• 1700s - (Industrial Revolution)
Into Wilderness beyond the Fall Line into mountains, poor farmers without plantations

• 1770s to early 1800s - (American Revolution) trans-Appalachian settlement of NW & SW territories political and economic independence, mixed with French, Spanish, Indian cultures

1783 - Treaty of Paris - following Revolutionary War affirmed US independence and granted title to English lands between Appalachians, Mississippi, Canada

1784 - Northwest Ordinance sets system to create territories and states Northwest and Southwest Territories created along Ohio River

• early 1800s - (Louisiana Purchase, War of 1812)
Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas frontier those pushed out of over-populated lands

1803 - Louisiana Purchase - surprise sale of all French lands west of Mississippi

• mid to late 1800s - (Manifest Destiny, Mexican War, Gold Rush)
to the Pacific Slope and Great Basin leapfrogged the Great Plains and Rockies Oregon, California, Santa Fe, Mormon trails economic freedom and political influence

1818 - Treaty of London - following War of 1812, fixed northern Louisiana boundary 49°

1819 - Florida Purchase - forced sale by Spanish

1845 - Texas Annexation - end of the Republic of Texas, began Mexican War

1853 - Gadsden Purchase buys land for railroads

1848 - Treaty of Guadeloupe-Hidalgo ends Mexican War, gains California & SW

• late 1800s (Civil War, Reconstruction, Homestead Act)
filled in Great Plains and Rockies blending with Irish, German immigrants escaping economic and political problems out of work soldiers and immigrants used to build railroads

1867 - Alaska purchased from Russia, Seward’s Folly or Seward’s Icebox

•turn of 20th century (Spanish American War, American Imperialism) Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean, Pacific Islands

1888 - King of Hawaii cedes islands to US

1898 - Spanish American War, US wins Phillipines, Puerto Rico, Cuba freed

1947 - Phillipines granted independence

1959 - Alaska and Hawaii last states to enter Union

today - Puerto Rico statehood issue mired by language issue

Oregon's Role in Westward Expansion

• Claimed by Spain, England, Russia, and the US from 1542 to 1792

• Explored first by sea by Spanish, English, Russians, Americans - 1775 to 1796

1542 - Juan Cabrillo, Bartolome Ferrelo claim coast of Oregon to Vancouver Island for Spain

1579 - Sir Francis Drake winters on Oregon Coast

1728 - Pierre de Varennes claims river connects Oregon to east

1741 - Vitus Bering claims Alaska for Russians, Russian-American Fur Company follows

1775 - Bruno Heceta furthers Spain’s claim

1778 - James Cook claims Oregon coast for Britain

1786 - explorer LaPerouse sails Oregon coast for France

1792 - Robert Gray discovers mouth of Columbia River

1792 - George Vancouver

• Explored next overland - English and American only

1793 - Alexander Mackenzie crosses Canada from Winnipeg to the Pacific

1805 - Lewis and Clark winter at Fort Clatsop

1807 - David Thompson travels entire Columbia River

1832 - Jedediah Smith enters Oregon from California

1842-3 - John C. Fremont maps Oregon Trail route

• Sovereignty over Oregon

1818 - Treaty of London - following War of 1812, fixed northern Louisiana boundary 49° some to Canada, Red River to US, joint occupation in Oregon

1821 - Britain merges NWC into HBC, given control over Oregon for British

1824 - Dr. John McLoughlin comes to Columbia Department, builds HBC Fort Vancouver

1831 - Oregon Emigrating Society begun by Hall Jackson Kelley

1832 - Nathaniel Wyeth leads first American emigrants to Oregon

1840 - Jane Cazneau pens term Manifest Destiny, US pays for Methodist reinforcement

1841 - first wagon trains cross Oregon Trail

1842 - Webster-Ashburton Treaty confirmed 49th parallel to Rockies

1843 - independent Oregon Provisional Government created at Champoeg for Americans

1844 - James Polk elected president with Fifty Four Forty or Fight slogan

1846 - Treaty of Washington - ended joint occupation in Oregon, boundary at 49°

1848 - Congress passes Oregon Bill creating Oregon Territory

1849 - Gov Joe Lane brings territorial status to Oregon

1853 - Washington Territory created, current OR boundaries set

1859 - Oregon Statehood (February 14), Pig War in San Juans over boundary

1871 - Aribitrator Kaiser Wilhelm settles Oregon boundary issue

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