Growth of United States Provides a Land of Business Opportunity
From the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which officially recognized and defined the territory of the original 13 colonies as a new independent nation of United States, to the admittance of the states of Hawaii and Alaska in 1959, the size of the U.S. has grown significantly and has provided a land of opportunity for business and economic growth.
1783: Treaty of Paris
Recognized U.S. independence and established boundaries extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River.
1803: Louisiana Purchase
The United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France, doubling its size.
1818: Treaty of 1818
The Treaty of 1818, also known as the Convention of 1818, was signed between the United States and Great Britain. It resolved boundary issues in the Pacific Northwest, establishing the 49th parallel as the U.S.-Canada border from the Lake of the Woods in Minnesota to the Rocky Mountains. It also allowed for joint occupancy of the Oregon Country (present-day Oregon and Washington) for ten years.
1819: Adams-Onís Treaty
The United States acquired Florida from Spain through the Adams-Onís Treaty, which also defined the western boundary of the United States as the Sabine River and the 42nd parallel to the Pacific Ocean.
1845: Annexation of Texas
Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845, leading to its admission as a state in 1845.
1848: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
At the end of the Mexican-American War, the United States acquired the Mexican Cession, including present-day California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
1853: Gadsden Purchase
The United States acquired a strip of land (parts of present-day Arizona and New Mexico) from Mexico to facilitate the construction of a southern transcontinental railroad.
1867: Purchase of Alaska
The United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867.
Late 19th Century: Expansion into the West
The United States expanded further into the western territories through various means, including treaties with Native American tribes, land purchases, and the Homestead Act of 1862.
1898: Annexation of Hawaii
The United States annexed Hawaii in 1898, and it became a U.S. territory before eventually becoming a state in 1959.
1959: Admission of Alaska and Hawaii
Alaska and Hawaii were admitted as the 49th and 50th states of the United States, respectively, in 1959.
MORE:
Detailed History of U.S. Westward Expansion (American Territorial Growth) »
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