Before the echoes of cannon fire signaled the start of the Mexican-American War in 1846, the map of America looked vastly different from the continental United States we know today. On the flip side, the continent was a patchwork of established states, independent republics, disputed territories, and vast, uncharted frontiers. Understanding the map of America before the Mexican-American War requires a journey back to a time when the concept of Manifest Destiny was just beginning to reshape national ambitions and redraw international boundaries.
The Eastern and Southern Borders
To the east of the Mississippi River, the United States was largely settled and organized, comprising over two dozen states.
