Oregon Territory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Territory of Oregon |
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| Organized incorporated territory of the United States | |||||||||||
 Seal of the Oregon Territory
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 Map of the Oregon Territory, before the creation of Washington Territory |
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| Capital |
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| Population | |||||||||||
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• 1850
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13,294 | ||||||||||
| Government | |||||||||||
| • Type | Organized incorporated territory | ||||||||||
| • Motto | Alis volat propriis | ||||||||||
| Governor | |||||||||||
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• 1848–1850; 1853
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Joseph Lane | ||||||||||
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• 1850
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Kintzing Prichette | ||||||||||
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• 1850–1853
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John P. Gaines | ||||||||||
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• 1853–1854
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John W. Davis | ||||||||||
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• 1854–1859
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George L. Curry | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| 15 June 1846 | |||||||||||
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• Organized
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14 August 1846 | ||||||||||
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• Washington Territory split off
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2 March 1853 | ||||||||||
| 14 February 1859 | |||||||||||
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The Oregon Territory was a special part of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859. It was like a stepping stone for the land to become a full state. When it was created, this territory was much larger than today's Oregon. It included all of what is now Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, plus parts of Wyoming and Montana.
Before it became a U.S. territory, this land was called the Oregon Country. Many countries, including Spain, Great Britain, and the United States, claimed it. Eventually, Great Britain and the U.S. agreed to share it for a while. In 1846, they finally decided on a border, and the U.S. took control of its part.
The capital city of the Oregon Territory moved a few times. It started in Oregon City, then moved to Salem, briefly to Corvallis, and then back to Salem. Salem eventually became the capital when Oregon became a state.
Contents
Exploring the Oregon Country
Long ago, Native Americans lived in the area that became the Oregon Territory. European explorers first arrived by sea. Spanish explorers made the first recorded voyage in 1777. Soon after, British and American ships also visited the region.
Later, explorers like Alexander Mackenzie and the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled across the land. The fur trade also grew, with many people coming to hunt animals for their valuable furs. These activities made both Great Britain and the United States want to claim this rich land.
To avoid conflict, Great Britain and the U.S. signed the Treaty of 1818. This agreement allowed both countries to share the vast "Oregon Country". This shared area included what are now the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. It also covered parts of Montana and Wyoming, and a piece of what is now British Columbia in Canada.
How the Territory Was Formed
During the time Great Britain and the U.S. shared the land, most of the activity came from the fur trade. The British Hudson's Bay Company was very powerful in this business. Over time, some fur trappers decided to settle down and start farms. Missionaries also began to arrive in the 1830s to teach and help people.
More settlers started coming in the late 1830s. Many traveled in covered wagons along the famous Oregon Trail starting in 1841. At first, there was no single government for everyone in the Oregon Country. Only the local Native American communities had their own ways of governing.
In 1841, a group of settlers in the Willamette Valley started meeting to talk about creating a government. These meetings, held in a place called Champoeg, Oregon, led to the creation of the Provisional Government of Oregon in 1843. This was a temporary government set up by the settlers themselves.
In 1846, the U.S. and Britain finally settled their disagreement over the border. They signed the Oregon Treaty, which officially divided the Oregon Country between them.
The U.S. government took two years to organize its new land. But when news of a difficult event called the Whitman massacre reached the United States Congress, it sped things up. On August 14, 1848, Congress passed a law to create the Territory of Oregon.
This new territory was huge! It included all of today's Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. It also covered parts of Montana and Wyoming west of the Continental Divide. Its southern border was the 42nd parallel, and it stretched north to the 49th parallel. Oregon City, Oregon was chosen as the first capital.
How the Territory Was Governed
The Oregon Territory had a government similar to what states have today, but with some differences. It included:
- A governor
- A marshal
- A secretary
- An attorney
- A three-judge supreme court
The President of the United States appointed all these officials. The judges traveled around the territory to hear cases.
The territory also had a Oregon Territorial Legislature with two parts: an upper council and a lower house of representatives. People in the territory voted each year to choose who would represent them in these groups. This legislature was responsible for making laws for the territory.
To pay for the government, people paid taxes. There was a property tax of 0.25% each year for the territory, and counties could add their own tax. This tax applied to town lots, buildings, mills, carriages, clocks, watches, and livestock. Farmland and farm products were not taxed. There was also a small tax for voters under 60 and fees for merchants.
Becoming a State
The capital city of the Oregon Territory moved several times. It was in Oregon City from 1848 to 1851. Then it moved to Salem from 1851 to 1855. For a short time in 1855, Corvallis was the capital, but it soon returned to Salem, where it stayed.
In 1853, a big change happened. The northern part of the Oregon Territory, north of the Columbia River, became its own separate area called the Washington Territory. This happened after a meeting called the Monticello Convention and was approved by the U.S. Congress and President Millard Fillmore.
As the territory grew, people wanted to become a state. In 1857, leaders held the Oregon Constitutional Convention to write a constitution for the future state. The people approved this document in November of that year.
By 1850, the Oregon Territory had a population of 13,294 people. This count included people living in what are now 7 counties in Oregon and 3 counties in Washington.
Finally, on February 14, 1859, the Oregon Territory officially joined the United States as the State of Oregon. It became a state with its current borders. The remaining eastern parts of the old territory (in today's southern Idaho and western Wyoming) were then added to the Washington Territory.
See also
In Spanish: Territorio de Oregón (Estados Unidos) para niños
