Page:Handbook for Boys.djvu/345

324 Florida Purchase: In 1819, we purchased Florida from Spain at a cost of over $5,000,000, and this single state is larger in territorial area than the combined territory of Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland.

Texas: In 1845, Texas came to us by annexation, but the outcome of this annexation later on was our war with Mexico. In territorial area this is an empire in itself.—larger than the whole German Empire.

Oregon Territory: In 1846, by treaty with Great Britan, we acquired what is known as the Oregon Territory. This includes the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

Mexican Cession and Purchase from Texas: As an outcome of the Mexican War, we obtained from Mexico, in 1848, the territory of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and a part of New Mexico at a cost of $15,000,000; and in 1850, we purchased from Texas the remaining part of New Mexico and that part of Colorado not included in the Louisiana Purchase, at a cost of $10,000,000.

Gadsden Purchase: In 1853, we made what is known as the Gadsden Purchase, acquiring thus from Mexico a needed tract of land on the boundary between Mexico, Arizona, and New Mexico, paying for this tract $10,000,000.

Alaska: In 1867, we paid Russia $7,000,000, and added Alaska to our possessions. This purchase is spoken of in history as "Seward's Folly," because the transaction, made while he was secretary of state, was not generally considered a good bargain. Nevertheless it has proved one of our most valuable possessions.

Hawaii: In 1898, we reached out into the Pacific waters and annexed the beautiful Hawaiian or Sandwich Islands.

Porto Rico, Pine Islands, Guam, Philippine Islands: In 1898, the island of Porto Rico with an area of 3600 square miles came into our possession as an outcome of the Spanish-American War; likewise the Pine Islands with their 882 square miles; Guam with 175 square miles; and the Philippine Islands with a territorial area of 143,000 square miles. But for these latter in settlement of a number of private claims, and to gain peaceable possession of various public lands, we paid Spain $20,000,000.

Samoan Islands: In 1899, we acquired the Samoan Islands, with an area of 73 square miles; and, in 1901, some additional islands in the Philippines.