Thomas Donaldson Public Domain

Annotation

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The English, by reason of the voyages of the Cabots along our eastern coast in 1498 acquired the title of first discoverers to the country extending from the thirty-eighth to the sixty-seventh degree of north latitude. They were instructed to discover countries unknown to Christian people and to take possession of the same in the name of the King of England.<br><br>The English Government began the work of taking possession of America by colonization.<br><br>The first charter was granted by Queen Elisabeth, March 25, A. D. 1584, to Sir Walter Raleigh, known since as the North Carolina charter. Five voyages were made thereunder, but no permanent settlements established. Then followed a series of grants and charters to individuals and companies, under which the colonies comprising the thirteen original States of the American Union and their western lands were acquired. The title to our national domain comes, first, by discovery by the Cabots; second, by discoveries and colonization under grants, authorizations, and charters from England, Holland, France, Sweden, and Spain, and treaties and conventions thereafter; third, by Revolution in 1776, and confirmation through and by the definitive treaty of peace at Paris with Great Britain, September 3, 1783, whereby the Crown of Great Britain recognized the Independence of the United States; fourth, by purchase from France of the province of Louisiana, April 30, 1803; fifth, by purchase from Spain of the East and West Floridas, February 22, 1819; sixth, by annexation of the Republic of Texas, December 29, 1845; seventh, by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 2, 1848; eighth, by purchase from the Republic of Mexico (the Gadsden purchase) of the Mesilla Valley, December 30, 1853; ninth, by purchase from the Empire of Russia of Alaska, March 30, 1867.