In the nineteenth century, the young United States had focused her eyes towards the West. The country had various economic and political reasons for expanding westward, but the Americans also had created an exuberance of American patriotism during this time period. The belief of “manifest destiny” deemed that it was the destiny of the United States to exalt her dominance over the entirety of North America. This put the “Oregon Country” in the crosshairs of American expansionism. However, the Americans were not the only ones interested in this territory. The Russians, British, and Spanish had also made claims to this territory. The dispute was put at the focal point for American politics as the situation escalated to the point of many Americans
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The Europeans and Americans had a common interest in the region: fur trade. The fur trade in the region with the Natives proved to be the dominant economic force in the region and would make the Oregon Territory a valuable region for all countries involved. As the Spanish revoked all claims north of the 42nd parallel in the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819, they did not establish a company to participate in the fur trade. However, the Russians, British, and Americans each established a company to participate in this trade. The Russians created the Russian-American Company, the British used the North West Company, and the Americans relied on the Pacific Fur Company. The Russians were unable to colonize in the region and instead established the southern border of Russian America in present day …show more content…
had a claim to the entirety of the Oregon Territory. Indeed, Polk would recommend to Congress to give the British a one-year notice declaring the U.S. intention to end the joint occupation of the region. Despite his statements, Polk was not interested in going to war over the territory. While he did sincerely believe that America had a stronger claim to the region than the British, he understood that the U.S. would be at a major disadvantage in a war with the British. The British had no intention of going to war either, as the economic importance of the region had decreased as the Hudson Bay Company shifted focus from the fur trade to shipping. However the British understood that they were the superior power in the situation, and were prepared to use that to their advantage during this
The Europeans and Americans had a common interest in the region: fur trade. The fur trade in the region with the Natives proved to be the dominant economic force in the region and would make the Oregon Territory a valuable region for all countries involved. As the Spanish revoked all claims north of the 42nd parallel in the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819, they did not establish a company to participate in the fur trade. However, the Russians, British, and Americans each established a company to participate in this trade. The Russians created the Russian-American Company, the British used the North West Company, and the Americans relied on the Pacific Fur Company. The Russians were unable to colonize in the region and instead established the southern border of Russian America in present day …show more content…
had a claim to the entirety of the Oregon Territory. Indeed, Polk would recommend to Congress to give the British a one-year notice declaring the U.S. intention to end the joint occupation of the region. Despite his statements, Polk was not interested in going to war over the territory. While he did sincerely believe that America had a stronger claim to the region than the British, he understood that the U.S. would be at a major disadvantage in a war with the British. The British had no intention of going to war either, as the economic importance of the region had decreased as the Hudson Bay Company shifted focus from the fur trade to shipping. However the British understood that they were the superior power in the situation, and were prepared to use that to their advantage during this