Oregon Land Claim

The Oregon Land Claim refers to the historical process where settlers, explorers, and before them, indigenous peoples, claimed or were granted rights to land in the Oregon Territory during the 19th century. As American settlers moved westward, disputes arose over land ownership and boundaries, especially after the Oregon Treaty of 1846 settled the U.S.-British boundary. Over time, policies like the Donation Land Act of 1850 encouraged settlement by granting land to settlers. These claims shaped Oregon's development, often involving legal, governmental, and indigenous considerations concerning land rights and ownership.