Who was involved in the Oregon territory?
The Oregon Territory was a subject of dispute and negotiations between several parties. The primary parties involved were:
1. United States of America: The United States claimed the territory based on the 1803 Louisiana Purchase and the 1819 Adams-Onís Treaty with Spain, which defined the western boundary of U.S. territory as the 42nd parallel. The U.S. claimed the area as far north as latitude 54°40′.
2. Great Britain: The British also claimed the region, citing exploration and fur trading activities by British subjects, including the Hudson's Bay Company. The British claimed the area as far south as the Columbia River, at around the 42nd parallel.
3. Russia: Russia had claims to parts of the Pacific Northwest, based on explorations and fur trading activities by Russian explorers.
4. Spain: Spain held some historical claims to the area through exploration and settlement activities during the Spanish colonial period. However, Spain eventually ceded its claims to the United States in 1819 through the Adams-Onís Treaty.
Negotiations between the United States and Great Britain were ultimately successful, resulting in the signing of the Oregon Treaty in 1846, which established the boundary between the United States and British North America (Canada) at the 49th parallel.