Written by Linda Thompson History of America EXPLORING THE TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED STATES Rourke Educational Media rourkeeducationalmedia com Scan for Related Titles and Teacher Resources
Chapter 1 The 48 States and Beyond As the United States grew westward after the American Revolution it added new states following a given pattern Each new section of frontier land became a U S territory When 5,000 free men lived there they could form a local government As many as five states could be created out of a territory but 60,000 residents were required to qualify for statehood Citizens of every new state had the same rights and freedoms as all U S citizens including the right to a jury trial and to a public education This pattern was set by the Northwest Ordinance which Congress passed in 1787 Since the end of the nineteenth century however the country has acquired various territories that have not become states The United States now has more territories than any other country and governs the lives of more than 4 6 million people in these territories Jobos Beach near Isabela Puerto Rico is one of the best beaches to learn the sport of surfing due to the great waves on a low depth area 4
FLORIDA GULF OF MEXICO Andros Island THE BAHAMAS NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN CUBA Navassa Island HAITI DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Puerto Rico U S JAMAICA CARIBBEAN SEA St Croix U S Virgin Islands U S territories in the Caribbean Sea All of these entities are islands in the Caribbean Sea or the Pacific Ocean They include Puerto Rico the Virgin Islands Guam the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa The United States also has compacts of free association with the Federated States of Micronesia the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau In addition a number of tiny islands or groups of islands without permanent populations are called U S possessions Some former U S possessions are now independent countries For example Cuba and the Philippine Islands prizes from the Spanish American War became independent years ago Two other former territories Alaska and Hawaii ended a long statehood struggle by becoming the 49th and 50th states in 1959 5
