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Territorial Evolution of the United States



Louisiana #1

On October 1, 1804 the Louisiana Purchase was split into the District of Louisiana, which was temporarily under the authority of Indiana Territory, and the organized Territory of Orleans, which corresponded to part of present-day Louisiana with a small portion of Texas. The western border of Orleans Territory caused further conflict with New Spain, specifically over the region between the Sabine River on the west and the Arroyo Hondo (River) on the east, which became known as the Sabine Free State. This land was later confirmed as U.S. territory by the Adams-Onís Treaty of February 22, 1819.

On July 4, 1805 the District of Louisiana was organized as Louisiana Territory.
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Louisiana #2

On April 30, 1812 most of the Territory of Orleans was admitted as the 18th state, Louisiana. The  northwestern tip  of the territory was ceded to Louisiana Territory.

On June 4, 1812, Louisiana Territory, having the same name as the State of Louisiana, was renamed to Missouri Territory.
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Adams-Onís Treaty

The treaty was negotiated by John Quincy Adams (* 1767, † 1848), the Secretary of State (1817/1825) under the fifth US President James Monroe (* 1758, † 1831, in office 1817/1825), and Luis de Onís, (* 1762, † 1826) the Spanish foreign minister (1809/1819) during the reign of King Ferdinand VII (* 1784, r. 1808 and 1814, † 1833).

Louisiana
Spain and the United States had disagreed over the boundaries of the territory of the Louisiana Purchase (1803). Spain considered it to comprise only the west bank of the Mississippi River and the city of New Orleans. The United States claimed that the land they bought extended to the Summit of the Rocky Mountains. Eventually the US conceded to claim only as far west as the Sabine River, but Spain insisted upon the Arroyo Hondo boundary; the disputed region was known as Neutral Ground.



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