In this newsletter:

• Personal Update
• Pacific Northwest expansion wrapup.
• About My New Book - debuts next Saturday!
• FREE eBook Giveaway - The Lewis and Clark Expedition

Ahh, we're home for a short break after a wonderful Eagle Society cruise along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. We had a blast speaking, entertaining, and socializing with wonderful repeat cruisers. What a beautiful start to autumn.

Oregon Trail

This week we finish our Northwest arc as we've highlighted in the last few weeks how the Lewis and Clark Expedition was followied by fur trappers and Oregon Trail pioneers. The Northwest story continues with steamboats and railroads, hydroelectric dams, nuclear weapons, and a fascinating collection of people who impacted the development of the region. Enjoy these stories and more in my History Highlights book, CLICK HERE.​

ABOUT MY NEW BOOK

Next week is the debut of my new book! Last week, I shared with you insights about the expansion from colonies through gaining the Mississippi River valley and the Gulf Coast.

When Texas joined the United States in 1845, Mexico still considered it rebellious Mexican territory. Even worse, the two countries disagreed about its southern boundary. Mexico recognized the Nueces River. The United States supported the Texas claim to the Rio Grande.

President James K. Polk sent American troops into the disputed region. Fighting erupted, and in 1846 the United States declared war. The consequences transformed the map.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo transferred an enormous territory to the United States, including much of the southwest. The later Gadsden Purchase filled in another piece of the southern border.

At almost the same time, diplomacy settled another potential conflict in the Pacific Northwest. The United States and Britain compromised to divide most of the Oregon Country between them with the 49th parallel as a border.

By the 1850s, the familiar outline of the continental United States was emerging. But expansion wasn’t finished. In 1867, Secretary of State William Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million—a decision mocked by some critics but eventually recognized for its enormous strategic and economic importance. Then American attention increasingly moved beyond the continent.

Hawaii was annexed. Victory in the Spanish-American War brought Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines under American control. American Samoa became a U.S. territory. The Virgin Islands were purchased from Denmark. The Panama Canal Zone gave the United States extraordinary influence over one of the world’s most important transportation routes.

Expansion had changed. The United States was no longer simply filling in a continental map. It was becoming a global power. But putting all these acquisitions on a map raises a more interesting question: Why did the United States keep some of these places, turn others into states, and eventually relinquish control of others? That question offers fascinating exploration through these diverse histories. Watch for a special discount debut to help get the book reviews rolling in. Thank you for your support, especially at exciting times like these!

FREE eBook GIVEAWAY

This weekend, this free eBook highlights the drama and importance of the Lewis and Clark Expedition - Part 1 of 2. CLICK HERE.​

Free book giveaways attract new readers and increase book reviews. PLEASE REVIEW any of my books quickly and easily here: CLICK HERE.

Get ready for my new book's launch next Saturday. Have a great week!
Bill and Laura