We have seen how the United States, which was at first limited by the Mississippi River on the west and by Florida on the south, received before the American Civil War five great additions to its territory: 1. The old French province of Louisiana, a vast region west of the Mississippi. 2. Oregon (including Washington Territory), by exploration and discovery. 3. Florida, by purchase from Spain. 4. Texas, by the annexation of an independent republic, once a part of Mexico. 5. The Mexican cessions after the Mexican-American War.

To these must be added Alaska, which was purchased from Russia in 1867 for a little more than seven million dollars ($7,200,000). This is the only territory we have that does not lie adjoining to the rest of the country. It is partly in the arctic regions, but the climate of Alaska on the Pacific coast is not severe. The killing of seals for their furs was the chief business interest in Alaska in times past.

The number of States at the beginning of the Civil War was thirty-four. By 1876, the hundredth year of the American Republic, the number had increased to thirty-eight. Two States had been admitted during the war. The people of the western part of Virginia were mostly on the side of the Union. This part of the State separated itself from eastern Virginia, which was acting with the Confederacy. It obtained admission to the Union in 1863, as a separate State, under the name of West Virginia. Nevada, just east of California, and a part of the territory ceded to us by Mexico, was admitted in 1864. It was a land of silver-mining.

In 1867 Nebraska was admitted. It is one of the most fertile of farming States. In the centennial year, Colorado came into the Union. This State lies in the Rocky Mountain region, and has gold and silver mines. Cattle-raising was one of its chief industries.

The settlement of the Western States and Territories has brought the European settlers into conflict with the American Indians of the plains.

Though there were no horses in America when the European settlers came, the American Indians of the plains acquired a breed of small ponies from the early Spanish conquerors of Mexico. The Plains American Indians fight on horseback, and are said to be "the best light cavalry in the world." They were in the habit of waring with the European settlements in the summer, when there was grass for the ponies. In the winter, when the ponies were almost starved, they took shelter in remote valleys, and counted themselves safe from attack, on account of the difficulty the settlers found in moving wagon-trains.

But, in November, 1868, General Sheridan sent General Custer, after the snow had fallen, to attack the American Indians in their villages. Custer, carrying his provisions on mules, followed the trail of a group of American Indians, under the chief Black Kettle, to their town on the Washita [wau'-she-tawl River, in the American Indian Territory, and fell upon the sleeping American Indians at daybreak, defeating them with great slaughter. This battle alerted the American Indians of the Southern plains, who no longer felt safe from punishment in their winter retreats. But, in a later war with the Sioux of the Northern plains in 1876, Custer, having attacked a force outnumbering his own, was surrounded and killed, with all the soldiers under his immediate command. In this fight, called the Battle of the Little Bighorn, the Sioux were led by Sitting Bull.

The American Indians were afterward attacked by fresh troops and driven into Canadian territory. They were later allowed to return.

There have been other American Indian wars, but, of course, the tribes were worsted in the long run. The irresistible march of settlers has destroyed the buffaloes, or bison, and broken down the old life of the American Indians. All the hunting-grounds are occupied by farms, mines, and cities. There was little left for the American Indians but to adapt or to perish. Some Europeans attempted to convince the American Indians to have their children taught to live the lives of settlers, on farms, owned not by the tribes, but by individuals. Many American Indian children were taught by the government in an attempt to convert them. Some of the tribes once located in the American Indian Territory adopted the ways of the settlers.