INTERIOR BOUNDARIES.
The internal divisions of the United States are founded on one or other of the following bases: (1) Boundaries between the colonies of the different European nations in territory now possessed by the United States; (2) co lonial subdivisions made by powers other than England; (3) colonial subdivisions made by the English government; (4) boundary agreements between English colonies and States; (5) State and territonal boundaries by act of Congress.
Boundaries Between Colonies of Dif erent European Nations.— The boundary of Maine on the east and north corresponds with the line of division between the French colony of Acadia and the English settlements prior to 1713. The boundary line between Georgia and Florida follows the supposed dividing line be tween the English and Spanish colonies pre vious to 1763. The channel of the Mississippi and the line between Alabama and Mississippi on the north and sections of Florida and Louis iana on the south were from 1782 until 1803 the boundary between the Spanish colonies and the United States. From 1819 to 1845 the national boundary line on the southwest fol lowed the present boundaries between Louisiana and Texas and between Texas and Oklahoma. From 1819 to 1848 the 42d parallel, which forms the southern boundary of Idaho and Oregon, constituted the dividing line between Spanish (later Mexican) territory and the claims of the United States and was changed as explained above by the Mexican War and the Gadsden treaty. The boundary between New York and Connecticut nearly coincides with that decided upon 19 Sept. 1650, by arbitrators appointed by Governor Stuyvesant of the Dutch colony of New Netherland and the United Colonies of New England. The boundary between New Netherland and the colony of New Haven was to begin at Greenwich Bay and to run north erly 20 miles into the country and beyond *as it shall be agreed," but nowhere was it to ap proach the Hudson nearer than 10 miles. Dela ware's present western boundary in the main follows the subdivision between the Dutch colony of New Sweden and the English colony of Maryland.
Colonial Subdivisions by Powers Other than In 1655 Governor Stuy vesant of New Netherland forcibly annexed New Sweden, the Swedish colony on the Dela ware, to New Netherland, and in 1664 the Eng lish, having taken possession of the colony, asserted their authority over the Swedish colony, naming it *Delaware Territory.* But New Netherland never possessed definite boundaries and was not subdivided, wherefore the present map bears no impression of changes made. The Illinois country was at first a part of Canada, but the French later annexed it to Louisiana. When the Floridas were in pos session of the English (1763-82) the Appa lachicola River constituted the boundary be tween the regularly established English colonies and East and West Florida, and the upper wa ters of that river now form a part of the bound ary line between Georgia and Alabama. Dur ing the period of Spanish ascendency in East and West Florida (1782-1803) the dividing line was the Perdido River, and on the north the 31st parallel comprised the boundary; hence the present boundary between Florida and Ala bama, particularly the Perdido River. Spanish and Mexican subdivisions within their own territories are scarcely discernible on the present map, save that the Red River, now con stituting most of the southern boundary of Oklahoma, conforms nearly to the boundary line between Spanish Louisiana and Texas. The southern boundary of California from the Colorado to the Pacific corresponds with the old Spanish dividing line between Upper and Lower California.
Subdivisions by the English Government or by Agreements Between Colonies and cavalier manner in which European monarchs laid claim to and granted away American lands resulted in vexatious and extended disputes, which may best be described by dealing with the colonies and States as nearly as possible in geographical order, though all disputes between States cannot be amplified.