It is known as the Oregon Treaty, but it had as much to do with Montana as with Oregon. The treaty was between the United States government and British North America (present-day Canada).
Before the treaty, both countries had occupied the Oregon Territory in the far Northwest (which included part of Montana). But they could not agree on how to divide it. The disagreement became part of the 1844 presidential campaign, which included the slogan, “Fifty-four Forty or Fight.” The slogan referred to the parallel, or line of latitude, the U.S. government proposed for the boundary between U.S. and British territory. In the end, the two countries agreed on the 49th parallel. On June 15, 1846, the treaty was signed and the western part of present-day Montana became part of the Oregon Territory. Here’s what happened next . . .
