Oregon Boundary Disputes

I.Causes of the Dispute
-1792 British claim Oregon
-British trading is successful with Hudson Bay Company
-1805 Lewis and Clarke build American Fort Clatsop in Oregon
-occupy land together
-War of 1812 Treaty of Ghent does not settle who owns Oregon, leaves 10 years of joint occupation
-Americans begin westward expansion and come across Overland Trails to Oregon
-significant American population; call for Oregon to become an American Territory in 1830s-1840s

II.Settling of the Dispute
-1844 James K. Polk becomes President and promises to go to war if U.S. does not get Oregon up to the 54' 40' line
-British won't give in; Polk actually does not want to go to war
-agrees to James Buchanan's Treaty of Oregon
-U.S. gets up to 49th parallel