The territory of the United States and its overseas possessions has evolved over time, from the colonial era to the present day. It includes formally organized territories, proposed and failed states, unrecognized breakaway states, international and interstate purchases, cessions, and land grants, and historical military departments and administrative districts. The last section lists informal regions from American vernacular geography known by popular nicknames and linked by geographical, cultural, or economic similarities, some of which are still in use today.
National Atlas map of United States territorial acquisitions
Map showing mid 17th century claims and land grant boundaries. Some colonies seen here are: Nova Scotia (NSc), Territory of Sagadahock (TS), First Province of Maine (Me), New Hampshire (NH), Plymouth (PC), Massachusetts Bay (MBC), New Netherland (NN), New Sweden (NSw), and Lord Baltimore's Land (Md; Maryland)New World settlements of The Netherlands, collectively called New Netherland
The Massachusetts Bay ColonyFrench settlements and forts in the so-called Illinois Country, 1763, which encompassed parts of the modern day states of Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and Kentucky)A 1775 map of the German Coast, a historical region of present-day Louisiana located above New Orleans on the eastern bank of the Mississippi RiverVandalia was the name of a proposed British colony located south of the Ohio River, primarily in what is now the U.S. states of West Virginia and eastern KentuckyA proposal for the creation of Westsylvania was largely deterred by the Revolutionary War
Map showing North American territorial boundaries leading up to the American Revolution and the founding of the United States: British claims are indicated in red and pink, while Spanish claims are in orange and yellow.
Unlike the land to the east, most of the land west of the Mississippi River was under French or Spanish rule until the first years of the 19th century.
La Louisiane (French Louisiana, 1682–1762 and 1802–1803)
The Oregon Country. The dispute over Oregon, between Britain and the U.S., led to an uneasy, parallel governing of the territory for almost 30 years.Seward's Folly. The controversial purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 turned out to be a great deal for the U.S. when the area proved to contain a treasure trove of natural resources.The Baton Rouge and Mobile Districts of Spanish West Florida, claimed by the United States, spanned parts of three later states. The Spanish province also included part of the present-day state of Florida.
Texas annexation; annexed from Mexico in 1846, including most of present-day Texas and parts of Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming and No Man's Land; disputed with Mexico until the end of the Mexican–American War in 1848
Progression of the two territorial governments, 1819–1836: Indian Territory is in teal; Arkansas is in dark green; western portion of Lovely's Purchase is in light green (to Indian Territory, 1828)Indiana lands acquired through treaties
The first state cessions. The 13 original states ceded their western claims to the federal government, allowing for the creation of the country's first western territories and states.
The following are state cessions made during the building of the U.S.
The Delaware Wedge, dispute with Pennsylvania settled in 1921; now a part of the state of Delaware.
District of Columbia retrocession; the return to Virginia of the District of Columbia lands which Virginia had originally ceded for its creation, 1847.
The Northwest Territory was ceded by Great Britain to the United States at the end of the American Revolutionary War. Britain irrevocably ceded all claims to the territory in the 1814 Treaty of Ghent.United States territorial expansion since 1803, maps by William R. Shepherd (1923)Census Bureau map depicting territorial acquisitions and effective dates of statehood
Territory of Missouri (1812–1821) became the State of Missouri and Unorganized Territory (the eastern part of which was attached to the Territory of Michigan in 1834).
Territory of Minnesota (1849–1858) preceded by unorganized territory of the original Northwest Territory (remnant of former Wisconsin Territory) and original Louisiana Purchase; split into the State of Minnesota and unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase.
Territory of Kansas (1854–1861) preceded by unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase. Part became the modern State of Kansas; the western part became part of the Colorado Territory.
Territory of Nebraska (1854–1867) preceded by unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase; split into the State of Nebraska, the Dakota Territory, additions to the Idaho Territory and additions to the Colorado Territory.
Territory of Idaho (1863–1890) preceded by parts of the territories of Washington, Dakota, and Nebraska; became the State of Idaho, the Montana Territory, additions to the Dakota Territory and additions to the Wyoming Territory.
Internal land grants, cessions, districts, departments, claims and settlementsedit
The Ohio Country, indicating battle sites between settlers and Native American Tribes, 1775–1794
The following are land grants, cessions, defined districts (official or otherwise) or named settlements made within an area that was already part of a U.S. state or territory that did not involve international treaties or Native American cessions or land purchases.
District of Louisiana; Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Montana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming; renamed Missouri Territory in 1812.
These entities were sometimes the only governmental authority in the listed areas, although they often co-existed with civil governments in scarcely populated states and territories. Civilian administered "military" tracts, districts, departments, etc., will be listed elsewhere.
Department of the Missouri (1861–1865) Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, part of Kentucky, and later Kansas; re-configured in 1865 as part of the Division of the Missouri.
District of California (headquarters at San Francisco, co-located with Department of the Pacific). Independent command from Department from (July 1, 1864 – July 27, 1865); those parts of California not in other districts.
The Department of California (1858–1861) comprised the southern part of the Department of the Pacific: California, Nevada, and southern part of Oregon Territory; merged into the Department of the Pacific as the District of California.
The Department of Oregon (1858–1861) comprised the northern part of the Department of the Pacific: Washington Territory and Oregon Territory.
Trans-Mississippi (or Trans-Mississippi Department; CSA) (1862–1865). Formerly "Military Dept. 2"; Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), Kansas, and Louisiana west of the Mississippi River.
The westedit
Department of the West (1853–1861): all U.S. lands between the Mississippi River and the Military District of the Pacific not included in other Districts or Departments.
Retroceded possessions and overseas territoriesedit
The Panama Canal Zone was once a territory of the United States
Kansas Territory (1854–1861) had two different governments in different cities, pro-slavery and anti-slavery, each claiming to be the real, lawful government of the entire territory. Since Kansas entered the union as a free state in 1861, there has only been one capital, Topeka, Kansas. It entered as a free state in 1861 because the entire pro-slavery block in Congress, which would not have allowed this, had left to become the Confederacy.
Animated map of secession and repatriation of the Confederacy, 1860–1870
These are functioning governments created as a result of the attempted secession of the Confederacy during the American Civil War (1861–1865). Some were enclaves within enemy-held territories:
Belts are loosely defined sub-regions found throughout the United States that are named for a perceived commonality among the included areas, which is often related to the region's economy or climate.
^Heidler, David Stephen; Heidler, Jeanne T.; Coles, David J.; Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History; W. W. Norton & Company; New York; 2000; p. 590.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Historical regions of the United States.
Official Name and Status History of the several States and U.S. Territories
Indian Land Cessions in the United States, 1784–1894; United States Serial Set, Number 4015
Animated map of Native American cessions, treaties, reservations, et al. on YouTube (1 mi 30 sec)
February 15, 2024
historical, regions, united, states, territory, united, states, overseas, possessions, evolved, over, time, from, colonial, present, includes, formally, organized, territories, proposed, failed, states, unrecognized, breakaway, states, international, interstat. The territory of the United States and its overseas possessions has evolved over time from the colonial era to the present day It includes formally organized territories proposed and failed states unrecognized breakaway states international and interstate purchases cessions and land grants and historical military departments and administrative districts The last section lists informal regions from American vernacular geography known by popular nicknames and linked by geographical cultural or economic similarities some of which are still in use today National Atlas map of United States territorial acquisitionsFor a more complete list of regions and subdivisions of the United States used in modern times see List of regions of the United States Map showing mid 17th century claims and land grant boundaries Some colonies seen here are Nova Scotia NSc Territory of Sagadahock TS First Province of Maine Me New Hampshire NH Plymouth PC Massachusetts Bay MBC New Netherland NN New Sweden NSw and Lord Baltimore s Land Md Maryland New World settlements of The Netherlands collectively called New NetherlandContents 1 Colonial era before 1776 1 1 Thirteen Colonies 1 2 Pre Revolutionary War regions 1 2 1 New England 1 2 2 Mid Atlantic 1 2 3 Southern 1 2 4 Interior 1 2 5 Far West 1 3 Colonies settled but unrecognized 1 4 Colonies proposed but unrealized 2 Independent entities later joined to the Union 3 Regions purchased from foreign powers 4 Regions annexed from or ceded by foreign powers 5 Ceded or purchased Native American regions 6 Interstate territorial and federal cessions 7 Former organized territories 8 Internal land grants cessions districts departments claims and settlements 8 1 Alaska 8 2 Colorado 8 3 Iowa 8 4 Nebraska 8 5 New York 8 6 Ohio 8 7 Oklahoma 8 7 1 Indian reserves 8 8 Pennsylvania 9 Federal military districts and departments 9 1 Central United States 9 2 Pacific area 9 3 The south 9 4 The west 10 Retroceded possessions and overseas territories 11 Functioning but non sanctioned territories 11 1 Civil War related 12 Regional nicknames 12 1 Belts 13 See also 14 References 15 External linksColonial era before 1776 edit nbsp The Massachusetts Bay Colony nbsp French settlements and forts in the so called Illinois Country 1763 which encompassed parts of the modern day states of Illinois Missouri Indiana and Kentucky nbsp A 1775 map of the German Coast a historical region of present day Louisiana located above New Orleans on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River nbsp Vandalia was the name of a proposed British colony located south of the Ohio River primarily in what is now the U S states of West Virginia and eastern Kentucky nbsp A proposal for the creation of Westsylvania was largely deterred by the Revolutionary WarThirteen Colonies edit Main article Thirteen Colonies Connecticut Colony Delaware Colony Province of Georgia Province of Maryland Province of Massachusetts Bay Province of New Hampshire Province of New Jersey Province of New York Province of North Carolina Province of Pennsylvania Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Province of South Carolina Colony and Dominion of VirginiaPre Revolutionary War regions edit Main article European colonization of the Americas indicates failed legal entities New England edit Acadia Dominion of New England Equivalent Lands King s College Tract Provinces of Maine Territory of Sagadahock Popham Colony or Sagadahoc Colony Gorges Mason Grant Mason Lands Gorges Patent Lygonia Patent New Somersetshire Muscongus Patent also known as the Waldo Patent and eventually the Bingham Purchase Massachusetts Bay Colony Narragansett Country New Hampshire Grants New Haven Colony Plymouth Colony Saybrook Colony Wessagusset Colony Mid Atlantic edit Granville District East Jersey West Jersey New Netherland and its settlements New Sweden Southern edit Province of Carolina Fort Caroline Charlesfort La Florida San Agustin St Augustine San Miguel de Gualdape in present day South Carolina Mocama Province Jamestown Northern Neck Proprietary or Fairfax Grant The Lost Colony of Roanoke Stuarts Town Interior edit nbsp Map showing North American territorial boundaries leading up to the American Revolution and the founding of the United States British claims are indicated in red and pink while Spanish claims are in orange and yellow District of West Augusta Illinois Country Indiana Company The Indian Reserve Ohio Country or The Ohio Company of Virginia Province of Quebec lower portion below the Great Lakes Far West edit Unlike the land to the east most of the land west of the Mississippi River was under French or Spanish rule until the first years of the 19th century La Louisiane French Louisiana 1682 1762 and 1802 1803 Arkansas Post The German Coast Luisiana 1 Spanish Louisiana 1762 1802 Tejas Fort Saint Louis Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico Las CaliforniasColonies settled but unrecognized edit Transylvania Watauga Republic nbsp The Oregon Country The dispute over Oregon between Britain and the U S led to an uneasy parallel governing of the territory for almost 30 years nbsp Seward s Folly The controversial purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 turned out to be a great deal for the U S when the area proved to contain a treasure trove of natural resources nbsp The Baton Rouge and Mobile Districts of Spanish West Florida claimed by the United States spanned parts of three later states The Spanish province also included part of the present day state of Florida Colonies proposed but unrealized edit Charlotina Colony Mississippi Colony Vandalia Colony WestsylvaniaIndependent entities later joined to the Union editVermont Republic also known as the Republic of New Connecticut 1791 Republic of Texas disputed with Mexico 1846 Republic of Hawaii 1898 after U S immigrant and military involvement in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom Regions purchased from foreign powers editSee also Territorial evolution of the United States and Manifest Destiny Louisiana Purchase 1803 from France for 15 000 000 Florida Purchase or the Spanish Cession 1819 effective 1821 from Spain for 5 000 000 included East Florida West Florida and Sabine Free State or Neutral Ground Gadsden Purchase 1853 from Mexico for 10 000 000 Alaska Purchase also called Seward s Folly 1867 from Russia for 7 200 000 Virgin Islands 1917 from Denmark for 25 000 000Regions annexed from or ceded by foreign powers editRepublic of West Florida Annexation seceded from Spain 1810 disputed with Spain until 1821 Baton Rouge District annexed by the U S 1810 Mobile District annexed by the U S 1812 Pembina Region formerly part of Rupert s Land and the Red River Colony often referred to as the British Cession of 1818 to U S in an exchange for the unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase lands north of the 49th parallel The Aroostook War Compromise Lands 1842 split jointly claimed areas with the UK Maine New Brunswick Border Republic of Indian Stream South Acadia Northwest Angle Rupert s Land south of the 49th parallel Oregon Country U S the 1846 Oregon Treaty finally split the jointly governed region called Columbia by the English between the U S and United Kingdom at the 49th parallel Mexican Cession effective 1848 from Mexico including Alta California California Nevada Utah Nuevo Mexico New Mexico Arizona parts of Texas Colorado Oklahoma Wyoming Kansas Provisional New Mexico Texas annexation annexed from Mexico in 1846 including most of present day Texas and parts of Oklahoma Colorado Wyoming and No Man s Land disputed with Mexico until the end of the Mexican American War in 1848 included old Coahuila y Tejas areas United States Minor Outlying Islands most claimed under the Guano Islands Act as outside the jurisdiction of other nations 1856 and later After victory in the Spanish American War in 1898 from Spain The Philippine Islands became a U S Territory 1900 1935 and a U S commonwealth 1935 1946 Puerto Rico Guam American Samoa 1899 from Germany Some historic and current U S territories nbsp The Philippines was a commonwealth of the United States 1935 1946 nbsp Worldwide location of current U S insular areas nbsp The Commonwealth of Puerto RicoCeded or purchased Native American regions edit nbsp Progression of the two territorial governments 1819 1836 Indian Territory is in teal Arkansas is in dark green western portion of Lovely s Purchase is in light green to Indian Territory 1828 nbsp Indiana lands acquired through treatiesFurther information Aboriginal title in the United States Black Hawk Purchase 640 000 purchased 1832 Michigan Territory eventually Iowa California Indian Reservations and Cessions 1851 52 unratified treaties California Cherokee Outlet 7 000 000 purchased 1893 Oklahoma Territory eventually Oklahoma Cherokee Strip a disputed two mile wide tract of land between the Cherokee Nation and Kansas that was eventually ceded to Kansas in 1866 Jackson Purchase 300 000 purchased by Tennessee and Kentucky from the Chickasaw Nation in 1818 Lovely s Purchase 1816 land purchase from the Osage Nation Platte Purchase 7 500 purchased 1836 Missouri Saginaw Cession ceded 1819 Michigan Territory eventually Michigan Interstate territorial and federal cessions edit nbsp The first state cessions The 13 original states ceded their western claims to the federal government allowing for the creation of the country s first western territories and states The following are state cessions made during the building of the U S The Delaware Wedge dispute with Pennsylvania settled in 1921 now a part of the state of Delaware Washington D C to the Federal Government from Virginia and Maryland 1790 District of Columbia retrocession the return to Virginia of the District of Columbia lands which Virginia had originally ceded for its creation 1847 Greer County Texas a disputed county claimed both by Texas and the Federal Government to Oklahoma Territory 1896 The Honey Lands a disputed tract of land between the Territory of Iowa and State of Missouri to State of Iowa 1851 District of Kentucky from Virginia became the Commonwealth of Kentucky 1792 Illinois County from Virginia became Northwest Territory 1784 District of Maine from Massachusetts became the State of Maine 1820 The Toledo Strip the object of the nearly bloodless Toledo War between Ohio and Michigan to Ohio 1837 Washington District from North Carolina became the Southwest Territory 1790 West Virginia from Virginia separating itself from the Confederacy declared 1861 admitted to the Union in 1863 The Western Reserve from Connecticut to the Northwest Territory Ohio 1800 The Yazoo lands from Georgia to the Mississippi Territory 1802 Former organized territories edit nbsp The Northwest Territory was ceded by Great Britain to the United States at the end of the American Revolutionary War Britain irrevocably ceded all claims to the territory in the 1814 Treaty of Ghent nbsp United States territorial expansion since 1803 maps by William R Shepherd 1923 nbsp Census Bureau map depicting territorial acquisitions and effective dates of statehoodThe following is a list of the 31 U S territories that have become states in the order of the date organized All were considered incorporated Northwest Territory 1787 1803 became the state of Ohio and the Territory of Indiana Territory South of the River Ohio also known as the Southwest Territory 1790 1796 became the State of Tennessee Territory of Mississippi 1798 1817 became the State of Mississippi and the Territory of Alabama Territory of Indiana 1800 1816 split into the Illinois Territory the Michigan Territory and the State of Indiana Territory of Orleans 1804 1812 became the State of Louisiana Territory of Michigan 1805 1837 became State of Michigan and the Territory of Wisconsin Territory of Louisiana 1805 1812 preceded by the District of Louisiana then renamed the Territory of Missouri Territory of Illinois 1809 1818 split into the State of Illinois and additions to the Michigan Territory Territory of Missouri 1812 1821 became the State of Missouri and Unorganized Territory the eastern part of which was attached to the Territory of Michigan in 1834 Territory of Alabama 1817 1819 became State of Alabama Territory of Arkansaw 1819 1836 became the State of Arkansas additions to the unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase and the unorganized Indian Territory which eventually spawned Indian Territory Oklahoma Territory and No Man s Land Territory of Florida 1822 1845 became the State of Florida Territory of Wisconsin 1836 1848 split into the State of Wisconsin the Iowa Territory and Unorganized Territory Territory of Iowa 1838 1846 split into the State of Iowa and unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase Territory of Oregon 1848 1859 preceded by the unrecognized Oregon Country split into the State of Oregon and Washington Territory Territory of Minnesota 1849 1858 preceded by unorganized territory of the original Northwest Territory remnant of former Wisconsin Territory and original Louisiana Purchase split into the State of Minnesota and unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase Territory of New Mexico 1850 1912 preceded by Nuevo Mexico the southern part was known as the Arizona Territory 1861 1864 by the Confederate States of America split into the Arizona Territory and the State of New Mexico Territory of Utah 1850 1896 preceded by Alta California and the unrecognized State of Deseret split into the State of Utah the Nevada Territory additions to the Colorado Territory and additions to the Wyoming Territory Territory of Washington 1853 1889 became the State of Washington and additions to the Idaho Territory Territory of Kansas 1854 1861 preceded by unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase Part became the modern State of Kansas the western part became part of the Colorado Territory Territory of Nebraska 1854 1867 preceded by unorganized territory of the original Louisiana Purchase split into the State of Nebraska the Dakota Territory additions to the Idaho Territory and additions to the Colorado Territory Territory of Colorado 1861 1876 preceded by parts of the territories of Kansas Utah New Mexico and Nebraska became the State of Colorado See also Jefferson Territory Territory of Nevada 1861 1864 preceded by the Utah Territory and the unrecognized State of Deseret became the State of Nevada Territory of Dakota 1861 1889 became the State of North Dakota the State of South Dakota additions to the Idaho Territory and additions to the Wyoming Territory Territory of Arizona 1863 1912 became the State of Arizona and an addition to the State of Nevada Territory of Idaho 1863 1890 preceded by parts of the territories of Washington Dakota and Nebraska became the State of Idaho the Montana Territory additions to the Dakota Territory and additions to the Wyoming Territory Territory of Montana 1864 1889 became the State of Montana Territory of Wyoming 1868 1890 preceded by parts of the territories of Dakota Utah and Idaho became the State of Wyoming Territory of Oklahoma 1890 1907 preceded by the unorganized Indian Territory 1834 1907 and the Neutral Strip became the State of Oklahoma Territory of Hawaii 1898 1959 preceded by the Republic of Hawaii became the State of Hawaii Territory of Alaska 1912 1959 preceded by the Department of Alaska and the District of Alaska became the State of Alaska Internal land grants cessions districts departments claims and settlements edit nbsp The Ohio Country indicating battle sites between settlers and Native American Tribes 1775 1794The following are land grants cessions defined districts official or otherwise or named settlements made within an area that was already part of a U S state or territory that did not involve international treaties or Native American cessions or land purchases Cumberland District North Carolina also called the District of Miro Tennessee District of Louisiana Missouri Kansas Iowa Nebraska Minnesota North and South Dakota Montana Arkansas Oklahoma Colorado Wyoming renamed Missouri Territory in 1812 Military Tract of 1812 Illinois Michigan Arkansas Missouri Ohio Country parts of Ohio Indiana Pennsylvania West Virginia Alaska edit District of Alaska renamed the Alaska Territory in 1912 Colorado edit Pike s Peak CountryIowa edit Half Breed Tract Keokuk s ReserveNebraska edit Nemaha Half Breed ReservationNew York edit nbsp Selected tract purchases of western New York StateCentral New York Military Tract The Holland Purchase Macomb s Purchase Mill Yard Tract The Morris Reserve Phelps and Gorham Purchase The Triangle TractOhio edit Main article Ohio Lands nbsp Map of the Ohio LandsCanal Lands College Lands College Township Congress Lands or Congressional Lands 1798 1821 Congress Lands North of Old Seven Ranges Congress Lands West of Miami River Congress Lands East of Scioto River North and East of First Principal Meridian South and East of the First Principal Meridian Dohrman Tract Ephraim Kimberly Grant Firelands or Sufferers Lands French Grant Indian Land Grants Maumee Road Lands Michigan meridian or Michigan Meridian Survey also Toledo Tract Miami amp Erie Canal Lands Ministerial Lands Moravian Indian Grants Gnadenhutten Tract Salem Tract Schoenbrunn Tract Ohio amp Erie Canal Lands The Ohio Company Donation Tract First Purchase Purchase on the Muskingum or Second Purchase Refugee Tract Salt Reservations or Salt Lands School Lands Seven Ranges or Old Seven Ranges Symmes Purchase or Miami Purchase also the Land Between the Miamis Turnpike Lands Twelve Mile Square Reservation Two Mile Square Reservation United States Military District Virginia Military District Zane s Tracts or Zane s Grant also Ebenezer Zane Tract Oklahoma edit nbsp Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory along with No Man s Land also known as the Oklahoma Panhandle The division of the two territories is shown with a heavy purple line Together these three areas would become the State of Oklahoma in 1907 Big Pasture Indian Territory or The Oklahoma Indian Country Neutral Strip or No Man s Land Unassigned LandsIndian reserves edit The original and current Cherokee Nation Cheyenne Arapaho Reserve Chickasaw Reserve Choctaw Reserve Comanche Kiowa and Apache Reserve Creek Reserve Iowa Reserve Kaw Reserve Kickapoo Reserve Osage Reserve Ponca and Otoe Missouria Reserve Citizen Potawatomi and Absentee Shawnee Reserve Sac and Fox Reserve Seminole Reserve Tonkawa Reserve Wichita and Caddo Reserve nbsp Pennsylvania land purchases from Native AmericansPennsylvania edit Erie Triangle New Purchase Walking Purchase Welsh TractFederal military districts and departments editSee also Reconstruction Era Military reconstruction These entities were sometimes the only governmental authority in the listed areas although they often co existed with civil governments in scarcely populated states and territories Civilian administered military tracts districts departments etc will be listed elsewhere Central United States edit Department of the Northwest 1862 1865 Dakota Minnesota Montana Wisconsin Iowa Nebraska 2 District of Minnesota 1862 1865 District of Wisconsin 1862 1865 District of Iowa 1862 1865 District of Dakota 1862 1866 District of Montana 1864 1866 Department of the Missouri 1861 1865 Missouri Arkansas Illinois part of Kentucky and later Kansas re configured in 1865 as part of the Division of the Missouri Division of the Missouri 1865 1891 Department of Dakota 1866 1911 Minnesota Montana North Dakota and parts of Idaho South Dakota and the Yellowstone portion of Wyoming Department of the Missouri 1865 1891 Arkansas Kansas Missouri Indian Territory and Territory of Oklahoma Department of the Platte 1866 1898 Iowa Nebraska Colorado Dakota Territory Utah Territory Wyoming except Yellowstone and a portion of Idaho Department of Texas 1871 1880 originally part of the Department of the Gulf Texas after 1865 Department of New Mexico 1854 65 New Mexico Territory previously part of the District of California and the Department of the West Pacific area edit Pacific Division 1848 1853 lands won in the Mexican American War became the original Department of the Pacific in 1853 Military Department 10 1848 1851 California Military Department 11 1848 1851 Oregon Territory Department of the Pacific 1853 1858 and 1861 1865 separated into the Department of California and the Department of Oregon in 1858 District of Oregon 1853 1858 Washington Territory Oregon Territory District of California 1853 1858 California New Mexico Territory Utah added 1858During the American Civil War the Department of the Pacific had six subordinate military districts District of Oregon headquarters at Fort Vancouver January 15 1861 July 27 1865 District of California headquarters at San Francisco co located with Department of the Pacific Independent command from Department from July 1 1864 July 27 1865 those parts of California not in other districts District of Southern California September 25 1861 July 27 1865 Counties of Southern California southward from San Luis Obispo and Tulare Counties District of Humboldt December 12 1861 July 27 1865 Del Norte Humboldt Klamath Mendocino Counties of California District of Utah August 6 1862 July 27 1865 Utah Territory Nevada Territory later State of Nevada District of Arizona March 7 1865 July 27 1865 Territory of ArizonaThe Department of California 1858 1861 comprised the southern part of the Department of the Pacific California Nevada and southern part of Oregon Territory merged into the Department of the Pacific as the District of California The Department of Oregon 1858 1861 comprised the northern part of the Department of the Pacific Washington Territory and Oregon Territory Military Division of the Pacific 1865 1891 Department of Alaska 1868 1884 became the civilian ruled District of Alaska Department of Arizona 1865 1891 Arizona Territory included New Mexico Territory after 1885 Department of the Columbia 1865 1891 Oregon Washington Territory part of Idaho Territory and Alaska after 1870 District of Oregon 1865 1867 Washington Territory Oregon Territory and Idaho Territory New Department of California 1865 1891 California Nevada Territory Arizona Territory and part of New Mexico Territory nbsp Post Civil War military districts were set up to aid in the repatriation process of the southern states during Reconstruction The south edit Department of the Gulf 1862 1865 created by the U S for the Civil War Mississippi Alabama Louisiana and Texas Trans Mississippi or Trans Mississippi Department CSA 1862 1865 Formerly Military Dept 2 Missouri Arkansas Texas Indian Territory now Oklahoma Kansas and Louisiana west of the Mississippi River The west edit Department of the West 1853 1861 all U S lands between the Mississippi River and the Military District of the Pacific not included in other Districts or Departments Retroceded possessions and overseas territories edit nbsp The Panama Canal Zone was once a territory of the United StatesThe Milk River and Poplar River cessions to the United Kingdom Treaty of 1818 Commonwealth of the Philippines to Republic of the Philippines 1946 Chamizal Texas to Mexico 1964 Swan Islands to Honduras 1971 Rio Rico Texas Horcon Tract to Mexico 1977 Panama Canal Zone to Panama 1979 Canton and Enderbury Islands administered jointly with the UK to Kiribati 1979 Functioning but non sanctioned territories edit nbsp The boundaries of the State of Deseret as proposed in 1849These territories had actual functioning governments recognized or not Cimarron Territory State of Deseret State of Frankland Franklin Jefferson Territory Kansas Territory 1854 1861 had two different governments in different cities pro slavery and anti slavery each claiming to be the real lawful government of the entire territory Since Kansas entered the union as a free state in 1861 there has only been one capital Topeka Kansas It entered as a free state in 1861 because the entire pro slavery block in Congress which would not have allowed this had left to become the Confederacy Long Republic Nataqua Territory Trans Oconee RepublicCivil War related edit nbsp Animated map of secession and repatriation of the Confederacy 1860 1870These are functioning governments created as a result of the attempted secession of the Confederacy during the American Civil War 1861 1865 Some were enclaves within enemy held territories Confederate States of America CSA see map Confederate Arizona parts of the territories of Arizona and New Mexico State of Dade Second Republic of South CarolinaThese were regions disassociated from neighboring areas due to opposing views Nickajack Free State of Jones Republic of Winston see Winston County Alabama State of Scott seceded from Tennessee and became a Union enclave see Scott County Tennessee Town Line New York Free State of Van Zandt seceded from Texas to be its own republic Regional nicknames editMain article List of regions of the United States nbsp Regions of the United States New England Mid Atlantic East North Central Great Lakes or Eastern Midwest West North Central Western Midwest or The Great Plains States South Atlantic East South Central West South Central Mountain States Pacific StatesEastern United States The East Coast The Northeast New England Mid Atlantic States The Burnt Over District South Atlantic States Appalachia East North Central States The South Border States The Deep South Dixie The Midwest The Great Plains The Dust Bowl The West Mountain States The Rockies Inland Empire Washington and Idaho Great Basin The Southwest The Four Corners The West Coast The Pacific NorthwestBelts edit Belts are loosely defined sub regions found throughout the United States that are named for a perceived commonality among the included areas which is often related to the region s economy or climate Bible Belt Black Belt Borscht Belt Breadbasket of the United States Cotton Belt Grain Belt or Corn Belt Mormon Corridor or Jello Belt Lead Belt Rust Belt Snow Belt Sun Belt Tornado AlleySee also editEuropean colonization of the Americas List of former United States counties List of regions of the United States Political divisions of the United States Proposed states and territories of the United States Territorial evolution of the United States Territories of the United States on stamps United States territorial acquisitionsReferences edit Luisiana Artifacts org Retrieved 2012 09 17 Heidler David Stephen Heidler Jeanne T Coles David J Encyclopedia of the American Civil War A Political Social and Military History W W Norton amp Company New York 2000 p 590 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Historical regions of the United States Official Name and Status History of the several States and U S Territories Indian Land Cessions in the United States 1784 1894 United States Serial Set Number 4015 United States Territorial Maps 1775 1920 Animated map of Native American cessions treaties reservations et al on YouTube 1 mi 30 sec Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Historical regions of the United States amp oldid 1199080505, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
