424. At the close of the French and Indian war France yielded up all her claims to territories on the mainland in North America, excepting the city of New Orleans, ceding all east of the Mississippi to England, and all west to Spain. This gave England the entire country east of the Mississippi, excepting Florida, which was a Spanish possession. In the treaty of peace which followed the Revolutionary war, the boundaries of the United States included all of the English claims east of the Mississippi and north to the Great Lakes.

In 1800, Spain, by a secret treaty, restored to France the territory of Louisiana, comprising her possessions east of the Rocky Mountains, and north from Mexico to the British claims. The northern boundary of the Louisiana territory was never drawn.

*Original State.

In 1803 the United States purchased the Louisiana territory of France for $15,000,000.

In 1804 President Jefferson sent an exploration party under Lewis and Clark, to the head waters of the Missouri, and thence across to the Pacific. Up to this time the North Pacific country did not belong to any nation, but, as the United States became interested, England became jealous and claimed the same. The United States, however,

continued to assert her rights, and a great deal of correspondence between the two governments resulted. At last, in 1818, the United States and England agreed to a joint occupancy of the whole territory for ten years.

In 1828 the treaty of joint occupancy was renewed, to terminate on either party's giving a year's notice. No division was made until 1846. It was then agreed by a treaty that the American possessions should extend as far north as latitude 49°. From this acquisition was formed the state of Oregon, and the territories of Washington, Idaho and Montana.

In 1819 Florida was purchased from Spain for $5,

000,000.

In 1845 Texas became a part of the United States by annexation.

At the close of the Mexican war, in the treaty of Gaudaloupe Hidalgo, Feb. 2d, 1848, the Mexican government ceded to the United States California, Nevada, Utah, a part of Arizona, and New Mexico, for which the United States paid $15,000,000 and assumed the debts of Mexico to American citizens, amounting to $3,500,000 more.

In 1854 the "Gadsden Purchase" gave to the United States the southwestern corner of New Mexico and that part of Arizona south of the Gila river, for which was paid $10,000,000.

In 1867 Alaska was purchased of Russia for $7,200,000 in gold.

From the claims ceded to the United States, by Great Britain, in the Paris treaty, Congress formed two great territories: the Northwestern and the Southwestern territories. From the Northwestern, the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin have been formed; from the Southwestern, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama.

From the "Louisiana Purchase" have been formed the states of Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Kansas, also Dakota and Indian territories.

The Mexican treaty gave California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, a part of Arizona and New Mexico. Texas came by annexation. Florida by purchase. Maine, until 1820, was a part of Massachusetts. Vermont, until 1791, was disputed territory between New Hampshire and New York. As the northern and northwestern boundary of the "Louisiana Purchase" was never formed, the territory of Wyoming might be considered a part of that purchase, or a part of the claims made by the Clark and Louis expedition.

To fully understand the acquisitions of territory to the United States, the student should refer to a geographical map and there trace the given lines in accordance with the above.

QUESTIONS

ON

GEOGRAPHY.

I.

From what did the term geography derive its name?

2. How many kinds of geography?

7. What is supposed to be the reason why the earth is flattened at the poles?

8. How much greater is the diameter at the equator than the diameter at the poles ?

9. What is the axis of the earth? What are its poles ? How many revolutions has the earth? Define

TO.

each.

13. What is the earth's orbit? Its estimated length ? How great is the earth's annual motion ?

14.

15. Why is it cold in winter and warm in summer? 16. What are zones? How many? Their width ?

Where situated?

17. What is the inclination of the earth's axis to the plane of its orbit ?

18. Why are the zones given their respective widths?