The United States and Great Britain established in 1818 joint claim over the Oregon Territory - the region north of Spanish controlled Upper California up to the southern boundary of Russia's Alaska Territory at North latitude 54°40'. By the late 1830's this arrangement was beginning to fall apart. In the 1840's the expansionist Democrats, including their 1844 presidential candidate, James Polk, claimed the entire region for the United States. Their expansionist desires were expressed by Polk's famous campaign slogan, "Fifty-four Forty or Fight!" The slogan also became a rally cry for Americans desiring to settle the territory. Following Polk's election, the dispute was resolved by the 1846 Treaty of Oregon, which struck a compromise that fixed the U.S./Canadian boundary at 49º North.

Excellent map of North America and the West Indies. Beautifully engraved with the embossed atlas seal beside the script title. Alaska is Amerique Russe and is still a bit misshapen. The United States is shown in control of much of present day British Columbia. The individual state borders are shown up to the Mississippi River except for the new state of Missouri. In the west are a large Arkansas Territory and a huge Oregon Territory. Mexico is still in control of Texas and the Southwest. Surrounded by keyboard style border.

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Condition: A

Contemporary outline color with minor toning.