Jim;

Some dates in United States history, which in general are related to acquisition or territorial declaration. Each of these topics would cover many books and it would be interesting to know more about the legal, governmental and economic details involved.

There are many things we learned in school, grammar through high school, that were far from true. Even in college we did not study “reality”, but rather some glamorized concept of history. After engineering college, I went back to school to obtain degrees in history and political science. My concept of history does not agree with the school text books and my children love to hear me discuss this subject, from my point of view.

When I was 10, I began reading on my own and decided that I should read at least five books from authors from different countries, when a specific event (war, etc.) was the topic. Thus I would obtain different perspectives. It is interesting how one event can have so many different interpretations! What interests me most about history is not who the rulers were but the status and daily life of the common man throughout time.

Sep. 3, 1783 - The United States gains what is currently Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia as a result of the Treaty of Paris 1783.

May 7, 1800 - The Indiana Territory is organized. May 7, 1800 - The Ohio Territory is organized.

Apr. 30, 1803 - The United States purchases the Louisiana Territory for $15 million, containing what is now Arkansas, part of Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, part of Minnesota, Missouri, part of Montana, part of North Dakota, part of Oklahoma, South Dakota, and part of Wyoming.

Jan. 11, 1805 - The Michigan Territory is organized.

Feb. 3, 1809 - The Illinois Territory is organized.

May 14, 1812 - The Mississippi Territory is organized. Jun. 4, 1812 - The Missouri Territory is organized.

Mar. 3, 1817 - The Alabama Territory is organized.

Feb. 22, 1819 - The United States annexes Florida. Mar. 2, 1819 - The Arkansas Territory is organized.

Mar. 30, 1822 - The Florida Territory is organized.

Jun. 30, 1834 - The Indian Territory is established in what is now Oklahoma. Apr 20. 1836 - The Wisconsin Territory is organized.

Jun. 11, 1838 - The Iowa Territory is organized.

Apr. 12, 1844 - The United States annexes what are now parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas as a result of the Adams-Onis Treaty with Spain.

Feb. 2, 1848 - The United States gains what is now California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Aug. 14, 1848 - The United States annexes the Oregon Territory containing what is now Idaho, part of Montana, Oregon, Washington, part of Wyoming. Mar. 3, 1849 - The Minnesota Territory is organized.

May 30, 1850 - The Kansas Territory is organized. May 30, 1850 - The Nebraska Territory is organized.

Sep. 9, 1850 - The Utah Territory is organized.

Mar. 2, 1853 - The Washington Territory is organized. Mar. 2, 1853 - The Oregon Territory is organized.

Feb. 22, 1861 - The Nevada Territory is organized.

Feb. 28, 1861 - The Colorado Territory is organized. Mar. 2, 1861 - The Dakota Territory is organized.

Feb. 24, 1863 - The New Mexico Territory is organized.

May 26, 1864 - The Idaho Territory is organized.

May 26, 1864 - The Montana Territory is organized.

Mar. 30, 1867 - The United States purchases the Alaska Territory from Russia for $7.2 million.

Aug. 28, 1867 - The U.S. annexes the Midway Islands.

Jul. 25, 1868 - The Wyoming Territory is organized.

May 17, 1884 - The Alaska Territory is organized.

May 2, 1890 - The Oklahoma Territory is organized.

Jul. 7, 1898 - The United States annexes Hawaii.

Feb. 6, 1899 - The United States annexes Guam, the Phillipines, and Puerto Rico.

Feb. 22, 1900 - The Hawaii Territory is organized.