Louisiana Territory

Louisiana Territory was a historic, organized territory of the United States from July 4, 1805 until December 11, 1812. It consisted of the portion of the Louisiana Purchase that was not partioned off into Orleans Territory, which later became the state of Louisiana. The Louisiana Territory was everything in the Purchase north of the 33rd parallel (the southern boundary of the present state of Arkansas). The seat of government was St. Louis.

Related Topics:
Organized territory - United States - July 4 - 1805 - December 11 - 1812 - Louisiana Purchase - Orleans Territory - Louisiana - Arkansas - St. Louis

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Louisiana Territory in some contexts can refer to the French or Spanish colonial territories of Louisiana; see French colonization of the Americas, Spanish colonization of the Americas. The term is often used informally as synonymous with all of the area included in the Louisiana Purchase.

Related Topics:
French colonization of the Americas - Spanish colonization of the Americas

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Both Meriwether Lewis (1807-1809) and William Clark (1813-1820) served as territorial governors of the Louisiana Territory.

Related Topics:
Meriwether Lewis - William Clark

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The Louisiana Territory had five subdivisions St. Louis District, St. Charles District, Ste. Genevieve District, Cape Girardeau District and New Madrid District. In 1806, the territorial legislature created the District of Arkansas from lands ceded by the Osage Nation. The remainder was known as the Upper Louisiana Territory.

Related Topics:
St. Louis District - St. Charles District - Ste. Genevieve District - Cape Girardeau District - New Madrid District - 1806 - District of Arkansas - Osage Nation

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On October 1, 1812, Governor Clark organized the five administrative districts of Upper Louisiana Territory into counties, which later became the first five counties of Missouri Territory. In 1818, Franklin and Jefferson counties were formed out of the original St. Louis County, leaving St. Louis County with the land that today comprises St. Louis County and St. Louis.

Related Topics:
October 1 - 1812 - Counties - Missouri Territory - 1818

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The Louisiana Territory was renamed Missouri Territory in 1812 to avoid confusion with the new state of Louisiana.

Related Topics:
Missouri Territory - 1812 - Louisiana

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See also: Historic regions of the United States

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