Janice R. Andrews
The United States’ interesting centuries-long territorial development has been characterized by exploration, war, diplomacy, and growth. What started out as a group of 13 British colonies on the east coast has expanded into a huge country that now includes 50 states in North America, each having its own distinct history and statehood journey.
The Origins of Colonialism
English colonizers founded colonies along the Atlantic coast at the beginning of the 17th century, marking the beginning of the United States’ history. Under British rule, these 13 colonies—which included Virginia, Massachusetts, and New York—were vital to the early growth of the future United States. Although each colony had its own administration and functioned somewhat independently, they were all united under British domination.
Throughout the 18th century, frustrations and other factors, such as taxation without representation, contributed to the escalation of tensions between the colonies and Britain. The American Revolution, which started in 1775, was the result of these conflicts coming to a head. Following the formal rupture from Britain signaled by the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the colonies set about the difficult task of unifying into a single nation.
The Early Expansion and the Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was one of the first important laws passed by the newly independent nation. The territory northwest of the Ohio River would be the first state to be admitted to the Union under the terms of this law. The law established a standard for the contiguous growth of the US and the formation of new states from federal territory.
Manifest Destiny and the Louisiana Purchase
With the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the United States doubled in size in the early 19th century. The new country gained 828,000 square miles when President Thomas Jefferson acquired this sizable area from France, opening the door for westward migration. The notion of “Manifest Destiny”—the conviction that American expansion throughout the continent was preordained—became prevalent.
As people migrated westward, new states were admitted throughout this century. The first states to be divided from the Northwest Territory were Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. States created from the Louisiana Purchase included Louisiana, Missouri, and Arkansas.
The Path to the 50 States
The United States kept growing its borders throughout the late 19th and early 20th century. After the Mexican-American War, the United States gained additional territory, including the Southwest, Florida, and Texas, which contributed to its expanding size. With the addition of Alaska and Hawaii in the middle of the 20th century, the US went from being 13 colonies to 50 states.
The United States’ evolving territory today is a reflection of its complicated past, which was fashioned by a mix of ambition, war, and diplomacy and resulted in a nation that spans the continent.
