How to Talk About U.S. Expansion History — Like We Know What We’re Talking About

What the United States Bought, What It Annexed — and What It Took – and What It Didn’t Get

Last week’s explainer on Greenland showed why talk of “buying†land — while politically charged — is rooted in real U.S. history. After so much response to that historical perspective, we decided to offer another in the same genre.

This installment looks at what the United States actually bought, what it annexed, what it wanted but did not get, and what land was taken by force.

The result is a more precise way to talk about American expansion — without myths, or oversimplifications.

The last time the United States attempted to take over and permanently govern another country was in 1898, with the acquisition of the Philippines. Since then, U.S. power has been exercised through alliances, bases, and influence — not territorial expansion.

What the U.S. Actually Bought

1803 — Louisiana Territory

• Bought from: France

• Price: $15 million

• How: Direct purchase

• Why: Control of the Mississippi River and New Orleans, westward expansion, and national security. France needed cash and feared losing the territory to Britain.

1819 — Florida

• Bought from: Spain

• Price: $5 million (via U.S. assumption of claims)

• How: Adams–Onís Treaty

• Why: Spain could no longer effectively govern Florida. The U.S. sought to end border conflicts and eliminate remaining European influence.

1848 — Mexican Cession

• Obtained from: Mexico

• Price: $15 million

• How: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (after war)

• Why: To end the Mexican–American War and secure western lands, including California and access to the Pacific.

1853 — Gadsden Purchase

• Bought from: Mexico

• Price: $10 million

• How: Direct purchase

• Why: To allow construction of a southern railroad route and finalize the U.S.–Mexico border.

1867 — Alaska

• Bought from: Russia

• Price: $7.2 million

• How: Direct purchase

• Why: Russia feared losing Alaska to Britain. The purchase later proved critical for resources and national defense.

1917 — U.S. Virgin Islands

• Bought from: Denmark

• Price: $25 million

• How: Direct purchase

• Why: To prevent German expansion during World War I and protect Caribbean shipping lanes.

What the U.S. Annexed — Not Purchased

1845 — Texas

Texas was annexed from the Republic of Texas, which had broken away from Mexico in 1836 and existed as an independent nation for nearly a decade. Mexico never recognized Texas’ independence — a dispute that directly triggered the Mexican–American War.

1898 — Hawaii

Hawaii was not purchased. It was annexed after the U.S.-backed overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893. Strategic naval positioning and commercial interests drove the decision.

1898 — Puerto Rico and Guam

Acquired from Spain under the Treaty of Paris ending the Spanish–American War. No separate purchase price was paid.

A Critical Exception: Indian Territory

Indian Territory does not fit the purchase or annexation model.

• How it was created: Federal law (Indian Removal Act of 1830)

• What it was: Land designated for Native American tribes forcibly removed from the eastern U.S.

• What happened: The land was later opened to non-Native settlement and dissolved when Oklahoma was admitted in 1907. Indian Territory was promised as permanent — but then reclaimed

When the United States Took Land by Force

With one clear exception, U.S. expansion involved treaties, purchases, or formal transfers.

Native American Nations

• Land was taken through:
  War, forced removals, broken treaties, and congressional acts

• No foreign sovereign sold the land

• Compensation was often minimal or never honored

This is the only category in which land was permanently taken without consent from another sovereign government.

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The Coutries the U.S. Wanted — But Did Not Get

Cuba

• Owner at the time: Spain

• U.S. offers: Up to $130 million (mid-1800s)

• Why it failed: Spain refused; Cuba later gained independence

Canada

• When: Revolutionary era through War of 1812

• Why it failed: British defense and local resistance

Dominican Republic (then Santo Domingo)

• When: 1869–1870

• Why it failed: U.S. Senate rejected annexation treaty

Greenland

• When: 1867, 1946, 2019

• Why it failed: Denmark declined all offers

Why Greenland Keeps Coming Up

Greenland stands apart from earlier U.S. acquisitions because of its small population (about 56,000 people), vast land area, and growing strategic value. Modern discussions have included the idea of direct financial benefits to Greenlanders themselves, rather than a traditional government-to-government purchase.

The island’s position along emerging Arctic shipping lanes, its role in missile defense and surveillance, and its mineral and rare-earth potential have all increased its importance. For Greenland’s people, any future change in status would likely focus less on sovereignty transfer and more on investment, infrastructure, and self-governance as the Arctic becomes increasingly central to global trade and security.

What the Philippines Are — and Are Not

Philippines

• Independent since 1946

• A U.S. treaty ally

• Not a U.S. territory

• Not governed by the U.S.

The Philippines are notable because the U.S. chose to let them go, rather than make them permanent possessions.

What This History Explains

U.S. expansion has followed multiple paths:

• Purchase

• Annexation

• War settlement

• Restraint

• Forced dispossession of Native nations

Only states gained full voting rights. Territories like Guam and Puerto Rico remain under U.S. sovereignty without full representation.

The Takeaway

American expansion was not one story but many — shaped by calculation, conflict, restraint, and force.

That complexity explains why talk of “buying land†still resurfaces — and why it is far more constrained today than it once was.

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Series note

Installment #1: How to talk about Greenland like you know what you’re talking about – HERE

How to Talk About Greenland Like You Know What You’re Talking About

https://rinewstoday.com/how-to-talk-about-greenland-like-you-know-what-youre-talking-about/

Installment #2: What the U.S. bought, annexed — and took

We will continue with this dive into history so many of US either never learned or have forgotten.