990:" (…) it is agreed, that … the confines between the dominions of his Britannick Majesty and those of his Most Christian Majesty, in that part of the world, shall be fixed irrevocably by a line drawn along the middle of the River Mississippi, from its source to the river Iberville, and from hence, by a line drawn along the middle of this river, and the lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain to the sea; and for this purpose, the Most Christian King cedes in full right, and guaranties to his Britannick Majesty the river and port of Mobile, and every thing which he possesses, or ought to possess, on the left side of the river Mississippi, except the town of New Orleans and the island in which it is situated, which shall remain to France, (…)"— Article VII of the Treaty of Paris (1763) at Wikisource
981:"His Most Christian Majesty cedes and guaranties to his said Britannick Majesty, in full right, Canada, with all its dependencies, as well as the island of Cape Breton, and all the other islands and coasts in the gulph and river of St. Lawrence, and in general, every thing that depends on the said countries, lands, islands, and coasts, with the sovereignty, property, possession, and all rights acquired by treaty, or otherwise, which the Most Christian King and the Crown of France have had till now over the said countries, lands, islands, places, coasts, and their inhabitants" – Article IV of the Treaty of Paris (1763) at Wikisource
131:
817:
32:
294:
cessions were not entirely selfless—in some cases the cessions were made in exchange for federal assumption of the states' Revolutionary War debts—but the states' reasonably graceful cessions of their oft-conflicting claims prevented early, perhaps catastrophic, rifts among the states of the young
Republic, and assuaged the fears of the "landless" states enough to convince them to ratify the new
286:
Only seven of the thirteen states had western land claims, and the other, "landless" states were fearful of being overwhelmed by states that controlled vast stretches of the new frontier. Virginia in particular, which already encompassed 1 in 5 inhabitants of the new nation, laid claim to modern-day
Kentucky, and the vast territory it called
190:, while not resolving the disputes over the colonies' trans-Appalachian claims, succeeded in slowing down the movement of people into the region and the making of new claims in it. Many, however, ignored the proclamation, and various frontier settlement enterprises, owing allegiance to disparate colonial governments, continued.
293:
In the end, most of the trans-Appalachian land claims were ceded to the
Federal government between 1781 and 1787; New York, New Hampshire, and the hitherto unrecognized Vermont government resolved their squabbles by 1791, and Kentucky was separated from Virginia and made into a new state in 1792. The
281:
that ended the
American Revolution established American sovereignty over the land between the Appalachians and the Mississippi; the jobs of determining how that land should be governed, and how the conflicting claims to it by several of the states should be resolved, were one of the first major tasks
285:
The potential for trouble arising from these claims was twofold. One problem was obvious: in many cases more than one state laid claim to the same piece of territory, but clearly only one would be ultimately recognized as the sovereign. The other conflict also threatened the peace of the new union.
309:
held on to its claims over trans-Appalachian land for another decade, and this claim was complicated by the fact that much of the land was also disputed between the United States and Spain. When
Georgia finally sold the land west of its current boundaries to the United States for cash in 1802, the
579:
Ceded a swath, approximately 12 miles (19 km) wide (north–south), west from its northwestern tip to the
Mississippi River, across extreme southwest North Carolina, northern Georgia, plus the southern edge of present-day Tennessee, along with the northern edge of present-day Alabama and
863:
to sell its territory to the U.S.). After the
American victory in that war, the Mexican government recognized American sovereignty over the disputed Texan lands and also ceded/sold the land extending west to the Pacific Ocean. The Mexican government was paid $ 25,000,000 under the
890:, Texas ceded its conflicting northern and western territorial claims to the U.S. in return for debt relief, removing its conflicting claims from the U.S. territorial gains of the Mexican–American War. This ceded land eventually became portions of the states of
186:"; others did not have western boundaries established at all. These colonies thus ended up with theoretical extents that overlapped each other and conflicted with the claims and settlements established by other European powers. The British government's
181:
colonies were established in the 17th and early 18th century when geographical knowledge of North
America was incomplete. Many of these colonies were established by royal proclamation or charter that defined their boundaries as stretching
302:
and the expansion of the U.S. into the center of the North
American continent, and also established the pattern by which land newly acquired by the United States would be organized into new states rather than attached to old ones.
201:
that became the United States had been for the most part surveyed and agreed upon. Their land claims also corresponded in varying degrees to the actual reality on the ground in the west at the eve of the
Revolution.
1001:
598:
showed that the headwaters of the Savannah River actually extended into North Carolina. This meant that this strip of land for South Carolina had actually been illusory.
1098:
1088:
1083:
794:; after Massachusetts and Connecticut ceded their claims to it, the Erie Triangle was sold to Pennsylvania by the federal government in 1792.
549:, a swath between present north and south border-latitudes west to the Mississippi River, from which the federal government created the
934:
1058:
847:
control of the Texan government – Texan attempts to exercise control of these territories as a sovereign state (most famously, the
1093:
166:
143:
929:
96:
835:
Later in the 19th century, there was one more case of a state ceding some of its land to the federal government. Before the
447:. Unique among the cessions, Georgia charged the federal government $ 1.25 million for this land, which it apparently paid.
957:
68:
546:
234:
218:' claims to land in modern-day Michigan and Wisconsin, by contrast, amounted to little more than lines drawn on a map.
75:
871:
In addition, the maximalist land claims of the Republic of Texas did not set the northern and western borders of the
642:
115:
157:
The areas ceded comprise 236,825,600 acres (370,040.0 sq mi; 958,399 km), or 10.4 percent of current
733:
1068:
49:
82:
146:
in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The cession of these lands, which for the most part lay between the
53:
828:(in light yellow); the full extent of the Texan claim (light yellow and green); and modern-day borders of the
245:. Great Britain, gaining the eastern half of France's southern lands, extended the claims of its colonies of
214:
serving as practical sovereign over the area until its admission into the Union as a separate state in 1792.
1035:
64:
1053:
489:, to which it was entitled by its interpretation of its original sea-to-sea grant from The British Crown.
875:. Most, but not all, of its northern boundary had been set by a treaty between the United States and the
865:
402:
295:
187:
848:
701:
630:
622:
207:
859:
of 1846–47 (another being the western land aspirations of the U.S. coupled with the refusal by the
856:
855:
that the U.S. government inherited upon the annexation of Texas. This was one of the causes of the
378:
130:
580:
Mississippi. In a separate agreement, South Carolina and Georgia adjusted their common boundary.
158:
42:
690:(and is now the entirety of it). Maryland's northern border forms part of the Mason–Dixon line.
880:
278:
222:
1063:
1017:
969:
860:
852:
765:
686:
No land claim farther west, but ceded land to the federal government that became part of the
226:
147:
89:
717:
713:
687:
673:
638:
411:
306:
262:
8:
777:
773:
721:
626:
550:
474:
470:
436:
432:
362:
358:
194:
1031:
887:
554:
162:
851:) had ended in disaster. Thus, there was a border dispute between Texas, Mexico, and
836:
825:
705:
366:
290:, and the smaller states feared that it would come to completely dominate the union.
266:
198:
151:
515:. New York was allowed to keep the land claimed by it and Massachusetts west of the
1048:
939:
924:
729:
725:
633:, south of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi River – present-day
520:
495:
478:
183:
516:
287:
178:
154:, was key to establishing a harmonious union among the former British colonies.
876:
872:
829:
790:
Pennsylvania claimed the portion of land along Lake Erie commonly known as the
741:
591:
587:
563:
529:
374:
258:
254:
1077:
791:
695:
453:
299:
246:
238:
215:
134:
A map of the United States showing land claims and cessions from 1782 to 1802
919:
800:
769:
759:
512:
370:
816:
444:
428:
341:
250:
142:
are the areas of the United States that the separate states ceded to the
161:, and make up all or part of 10 states. This does not include the areas
907:
749:
583:
784:
from the western boundary of New Jersey and northwestern boundary of
781:
595:
486:
398:
637:. Also ceded land to the federal government that became part of the
629:, but initially retained its remaining trans-Appalachian claim, the
582:
Note that the claim by South Carolina had been for land between the
31:
903:
895:
785:
681:
667:
634:
605:
482:
394:
386:
211:
203:
728:. New Hampshire's claim upon the land was extinguished in 1764 by
899:
737:
709:
672:
No land claim farther west. Its western border forms part of the
594:, and thence westward. In fact, however, later and more accurate
440:
390:
17:
891:
230:
439:
of latitude west to the Mississippi River, across present-day
242:
1038:. Public Land Law Review Commission, (1968), Washington D.C.
298:. The cessions also set the stage for the settlement of the
382:
788:. Its southern border forms part of the Mason–Dixon line.
616:
611:
574:
569:
540:
535:
506:
501:
464:
459:
422:
417:
352:
347:
269:; in some cases, this reinforced earlier charter claims.
1034:, History of Public Land Law Development, Chapter III
999:
958:
Table 1.1 Acquisition of the Public Domain 1781–1867
23:
U.S. areas ceded by states to the federal government
56:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1000:Worthington C. Ford; et al., eds. (1904–37).
843:a good deal of land that had never been under the
1075:
780:in latitude, and extending west five degrees in
1003:Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789
405:" was ceded to the federal government in 1800.
272:
970:The Public Domain, Its History with Statistics
651:
310:last phase of western cessions was complete.
604:
562:
528:
494:
452:
410:
340:
169:, which make up parts of five more states.
1099:Territorial evolution of the United States
935:Territorial evolution of the United States
820:Map of Texas, illustrating the area under
477:border-latitudes west, across present-day
318:
313:
116:Learn how and when to remove this message
815:
129:
1089:History of the Midwestern United States
1076:
625:, which would subsequently become the
1084:History of United States expansionism
1036:State Cessions of Western Land Claims
930:Historic regions of the United States
839:joined the United States in 1845, it
740:its land claim to Vermont for 30,000
712:, territory that was also claimed by
623:the territory north of the Ohio River
206:, for instance, was organized into a
736:, and in 1790 the State of New York
54:adding citations to reliable sources
25:
724:and the later establishment of the
13:
1025:
951:
700:Prior to the American Revolution,
16:For state cessions elsewhere, see
14:
1110:
1042:
720:" dispute led to the rise of the
519:in 1786, which eventually became
1006:. pp. Vol. 33, pp. 466–477.
397:, except for a portion south of
225:that ended the war known as the
30:
235:claims to land on the continent
41:needs additional citations for
1094:Pre-statehood history of Texas
1010:
993:
984:
975:
962:
764:Original land grant from King
469:Ceded a swath between present
357:Ceded a swath between present
1:
945:
772:was for the land between the
590:and the southern boundary of
365:border-latitudes west to the
197:, the boundaries between the
172:
805:No land claim farther west.
754:No land claim farther west.
545:Ceded its trans-Appalachian
273:The resolution of the claims
7:
913:
886:In an act of Congress, the
866:Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
643:retroceded back to Virginia
10:
1115:
708:, in present-day southern
704:claimed territory west of
652:States without land claims
296:United States Constitution
188:Royal Proclamation of 1763
15:
799:
758:
748:
694:
680:
666:
661:
658:
603:
561:
527:
493:
451:
409:
401:. Sovereignty over this "
339:
334:
331:
328:
325:
811:
621:Ceded its vast claim to
1069:Map of state claims (5)
1064:Map of state claims (4)
1059:Map of state claims (3)
1054:Map of state claims (2)
1049:Map of state claims (1)
553:, and subsequently the
319:States with land claims
314:Details of the cessions
282:facing the new nation.
159:United States territory
853:Native American tribes
832:
641:; this land was later
279:Treaty of Paris (1783)
223:Treaty of Paris (1763)
135:
861:United Mexican States
819:
766:Charles II of England
511:Ceded claims west of
369:, across present-day
229:in North America had
227:French and Indian War
148:Appalachian Mountains
133:
857:Mexican–American War
718:New Hampshire Grants
688:District of Columbia
639:District of Columbia
379:Pennamite–Yankee War
335:Claims and cessions
163:later ceded by Texas
50:improve this article
1016:Donaldson, (1884),
972:, p. 87 (1884)
849:Santa Fe expedition
722:Green Mountain Boys
627:Northwest Territory
551:Southwest Territory
547:Washington District
195:American Revolution
193:By the time of the
1032:Paul Wallace Gates
968:Thomas Donaldson,
888:Compromise of 1850
833:
555:State of Tennessee
208:county of Virginia
167:federal government
144:federal government
136:
837:Republic of Texas
826:Republic of Texas
809:
808:
716:. The resulting "
706:Connecticut River
649:
648:
541:February 25, 1790
536:December 22, 1789
502:February 19, 1780
460:November 13, 1784
367:Mississippi River
267:Mississippi River
233:cede most of its
199:Thirteen Colonies
152:Mississippi River
126:
125:
118:
100:
1106:
1020:
1014:
1008:
1007:
997:
991:
988:
982:
979:
973:
966:
960:
955:
940:Trans-Appalachia
925:Illinois Country
726:Vermont Republic
674:Mason–Dixon line
656:
655:
618:
613:
608:
576:
571:
566:
542:
537:
532:
521:Western New York
508:
507:October 29, 1782
503:
498:
466:
461:
456:
424:
419:
414:
377:disputed in the
354:
349:
344:
323:
322:
179:British American
121:
114:
110:
107:
101:
99:
65:"State cessions"
58:
34:
26:
1114:
1113:
1109:
1108:
1107:
1105:
1104:
1103:
1074:
1073:
1045:
1028:
1026:Further reading
1023:
1015:
1011:
998:
994:
989:
985:
980:
976:
967:
963:
956:
952:
948:
916:
824:control of the
814:
654:
631:Kentucky County
612:January 2, 1781
517:Preemption Line
403:Western Reserve
321:
316:
288:Illinois County
275:
184:from sea to sea
175:
122:
111:
105:
102:
59:
57:
47:
35:
24:
21:
12:
11:
5:
1112:
1102:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1072:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1044:
1043:External links
1041:
1040:
1039:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1021:
1018:pp. 41–42
1009:
992:
983:
974:
961:
949:
947:
944:
943:
942:
937:
932:
927:
922:
915:
912:
877:Spanish Empire
873:State of Texas
830:State of Texas
813:
810:
807:
806:
803:
797:
796:
762:
756:
755:
752:
746:
745:
698:
692:
691:
684:
678:
677:
670:
664:
663:
660:
653:
650:
647:
646:
619:
614:
609:
601:
600:
592:North Carolina
588:Savannah River
577:
575:August 9, 1787
572:
567:
564:South Carolina
559:
558:
543:
538:
533:
530:North Carolina
525:
524:
509:
504:
499:
491:
490:
467:
465:April 19, 1785
462:
457:
449:
448:
425:
420:
418:April 24, 1802
415:
407:
406:
375:Wyoming Valley
355:
350:
345:
337:
336:
333:
332:Date accepted
330:
327:
320:
317:
315:
312:
274:
271:
259:South Carolina
255:North Carolina
210:in 1776, with
174:
171:
140:state cessions
124:
123:
38:
36:
29:
22:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1111:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1081:
1079:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1046:
1037:
1033:
1030:
1029:
1019:
1013:
1005:
1004:
996:
987:
978:
971:
965:
959:
954:
950:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
917:
911:
909:
905:
901:
897:
893:
889:
884:
882:
878:
874:
869:
867:
862:
858:
854:
850:
846:
842:
838:
831:
827:
823:
818:
804:
802:
798:
795:
793:
792:Erie Triangle
787:
783:
779:
778:38th parallel
775:
774:42nd parallel
771:
767:
763:
761:
757:
753:
751:
747:
743:
739:
735:
731:
727:
723:
719:
715:
711:
707:
703:
702:New Hampshire
699:
697:
696:New Hampshire
693:
689:
685:
683:
679:
675:
671:
669:
665:
657:
644:
640:
636:
632:
628:
624:
620:
617:March 1, 1784
615:
610:
607:
602:
599:
597:
593:
589:
585:
578:
573:
570:March 8, 1787
568:
565:
560:
556:
552:
548:
544:
539:
534:
531:
526:
522:
518:
514:
510:
505:
500:
497:
492:
488:
484:
480:
476:
472:
468:
463:
458:
455:
454:Massachusetts
450:
446:
442:
438:
437:31st parallel
434:
433:35th parallel
430:
426:
423:June 16, 1802
421:
416:
413:
408:
404:
400:
396:
392:
388:
384:
380:
376:
373:(notably the
372:
368:
364:
360:
356:
351:
346:
343:
338:
324:
311:
308:
304:
301:
300:Upper Midwest
297:
291:
289:
283:
280:
270:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
247:Massachusetts
244:
240:
239:Great Britain
236:
232:
228:
224:
219:
217:
216:Massachusetts
213:
209:
205:
200:
196:
191:
189:
185:
180:
170:
168:
164:
160:
155:
153:
149:
145:
141:
132:
128:
120:
117:
109:
98:
95:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67: –
66:
62:
61:Find sources:
55:
51:
45:
44:
39:This article
37:
33:
28:
27:
19:
1012:
1002:
995:
986:
977:
964:
953:
920:Ohio Country
906:(1907), and
885:
879:– along the
870:
844:
840:
834:
821:
801:Rhode Island
789:
770:William Penn
760:Pennsylvania
581:
513:Lake Ontario
371:Pennsylvania
353:May 28, 1786
348:May 11, 1786
305:
292:
284:
276:
253:, Virginia,
220:
192:
177:Most of the
176:
156:
139:
137:
127:
112:
106:January 2014
103:
93:
86:
79:
72:
60:
48:Please help
43:verification
40:
730:royal order
445:Mississippi
431:", between
429:Yazoo lands
427:Ceded the "
342:Connecticut
329:Date ceded
251:Connecticut
1078:Categories
946:References
908:New Mexico
750:New Jersey
734:George III
584:headwaters
173:Background
76:newspapers
881:Red River
868:of 1848.
782:longitude
596:surveying
487:Wisconsin
399:Lake Erie
914:See also
910:(1912).
904:Oklahoma
902:(1890),
898:(1876),
896:Colorado
894:(1861),
845:de facto
822:de facto
786:Delaware
776:and the
714:New York
682:Maryland
668:Delaware
635:Kentucky
606:Virginia
496:New York
483:Michigan
479:New York
395:Illinois
387:Michigan
212:Virginia
204:Kentucky
150:and the
900:Wyoming
841:claimed
742:dollars
710:Vermont
586:of the
441:Alabama
412:Georgia
391:Indiana
307:Georgia
265:to the
263:Georgia
165:to the
90:scholar
18:Cession
892:Kansas
662:Notes
659:State
393:, and
326:State
261:, and
231:France
92:
85:
78:
71:
63:
812:Texas
738:ceded
475:south
471:north
363:south
359:north
243:Spain
97:JSTOR
83:books
485:and
473:and
443:and
435:and
383:Ohio
361:and
277:The
241:and
221:The
138:The
69:news
768:to
732:of
381:),
237:to
52:by
1080::
883:.
744:.
676:.
645:.
557:.
523:.
481:,
389:,
385:,
257:,
249:,
182:"
119:)
113:(
108:)
104:(
94:·
87:·
80:·
73:·
46:.
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
