Oregon+Territory+-+Sarah

Sarah Hwang's Territorial Expansion Mini-Project.

Oregon Territory Expansion 

★__Give a brief explanation of how and why the U.S. acquired the trritory. Include discussion of conflicts that arose as a result of this expansion__.
The United States and the Britain had agreed upon "joint occupation" of Oregon until 1846, since 1818. James K. Polk, the president of the United States, was an expansionist. He wanted to attain Oregon, and let it be free of the hand of Britain. However, due to the fact that Oregon was loaded of different groups, the population was not well balanced. There was a conflict of disproportionate ratio of Americans living in Oregon compared to the amount of British settlers. Due to this imbalance, there were massive migration of Americans living in Oregon to the west; the Oregon Trail. Hence, the US government convinced the Britain to let go of Oregon, but the Britain did not accept their ambition. However, to keep up the economic diplomacy with the United States, the Britain approved the Oregon Treaty, having the 49th parallel drawn as the boundary, bisecting Vancouver Island.

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Before Britain gave possession of Oregon to the US, President Polk declared that the "joint occupation" can not be enlarged, and gradually commenced into diplomatic discussions. The Britain did not refuse the deal, since it did not want to encounter with any conflict and desired to retain a good economic relationship with the United States.=====

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★__What was the impact on the inhabitants of the territory?__ The people already living in Oregon were against people coming in to Oregon, which were mostly pioneers from the United States. Therefore, there was a struggle of survival to keeping their occupation. There was a competition of trading. The people already settled in Oregon had to undergo through a lose of their privilege in trading, especially fur trading.=====

**Economic change**
Due to numerous expansionlsts settling in Oregon, demands and trade increased, leading to an advantage in economy Most of the Americans in Oregon were not farmers, but fur-traders, successfully lead to an economic growth in the state. In addition, since World War II, the economy started to flourish of manufacturing and service industries.

**Population Change**
After the United States gained Oregon, the British moved to Canada, significantly influencing the population. For this reason, there became less conflict within the community.

**Natural resources/ Environmental changes**
The geography of the land of Oregon was very fertile, which was a great benefit to the state. There were many discovery of gold mines in the mountain, and great minerals buried in the ground.

**Impact on slavery or other institutions**
Slavery increased, and the gap between the rich and the poor also increased.

★**Political impact**
The exploiters strongly belived that territorial expansion is very crucial in terms of spreading a country's freedom and incentives. Moreover, the Oregon Dispute became to serve an essential role in geopolitical diplomacy between the British Empire and the new American Republic.

★**Overall, was the addition of this piece of land positive or negative? Consider all parties involved when developing your answer to this question**.
As an outcome of the territoral expansion, overall the addition of this piece of land was positive. Through the process of expansion, obviously there were detrimental effects to many things, such as people's occupation and the population. Most of all, the original people living in this particular land, were not treated fairly, and soon disappeared due to murder and lack of need. Nevertheless, the territorial expansion treaty that the United States declared to the Britain was not a big friction, since it did not arise much conflict in diplomacy of the two. Through obtaining the land, the United States gained an advantage to become a stronger country with more access to natural resources, comforting the economy.

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=**Bibliography**=

IMAGE: "File:Flag of Oregon.svg." //Http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Oregon.svg//. Web.//

"7. JAMES K. POLK." //PRESIDENTIAL POWER RANKINGS//. Web. .

//"The Oregon Country and Westward Expansion."// Westward Expansion Oregon Trail Country Mountain Main Indian History Facts Maps Pictures//. Web. .

"The Acquisitions of Oregon, Texas, California, and New Mexico."// The Acquisitions of Oregon, Texas, California, and New Mexico//. Web. .

"The Oregon Question."// Establishing Borders: The Expansion of the United States, 1846-48//. Web. .

"Oregon boundary dispute."// Oregon bounday dispute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. Web. .