A Nation Assembled From European Countries

Most of the US was assembled from four European colonies “owned” by England, France, Spain, and Russia.

Land that was bought for cash includes the Louisiana Purchase (from France) and Alaska (from Russia).

Lands acquired through war and treaty includes lands owned by Britain and Spain.  

The map shown here greatly under-represents the Spanish claims, which extended up to Oregon (82nd parallel) under the Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, and also much farther north and east.  

Basically all of the land that was NOT Oregon and Washington State was claimed by Spain (aka “New Spain”) right up to the line of the Louisiana Purchase.

The land that became the Louisiana Purchase was owned by Spain (Spanish Louisiana) up to 1801. 

So far as I can tell, the only part of the US that has *never* been a claimed Europen colony is Oregon and Washington State.

Spain lost “New Spain” in 1821 when Mexico won independence.

Spain and Mexico’s claims shrunk considerably under the “Mexican Cession” which was forced by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which officially ended the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848.  

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo gave the United States control of the area that is now Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, as well as parts of Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming.  Up until then, this was all land claimed by Mexico.

The Spanish–American War of 1898, between Spain and the United States, resulted in the U.S. acquiring sovereignty over Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, and establishing a protectorate over Cuba.