Territories of the United States on stamps discusses commemorative postal issues devoted to lands that have been ceded to the nation or purchased by treaty in conjunction with both war and peace. Thirteen states have been created from colonial territories, two from independent republics, four from previous states in the Union, and an additional thirty-one from United States territories.

Many aspects of acquisition, settlement and exploration have been celebrated on postage stamps. These are represented below in issues that appeared prior to 1978 (the images of subsequent stamps remain under copyright by the United States Postal Service and may not be reproduced).

National boundaries

Treaty of Paris From the territory ceded by Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris 1783, five states were to emerge from the Northwest Territory, two from the Southwest Territory. States under the Articles of Confederation ceded their claims to western lands, allowing Congress to administer territories until statehood; the practice was extended under the Constitution. From the Northwest Territory came Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. From The Southwest Territory came Mississippi and Alabama.

A 3-cent stamp was issued on July 13, 1937, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Northwest Territory as defined by the Ordinance of 1787. The Territory consisted of lands north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River ceded by eastern states. The Ordinance established the Territory, banned slavery, and specified that land must be purchased from the Indians and offered for sale by the United States. It also made provision for temporary and permanent governments and eventual statehood of included regions based on population. The stamp shows a map of the Territory which is flanked by Manasseh Cutler who drafted the ordinance, and Rufus Putnam, superintendent of territorial settlement.Trotter, Gordon T., "Ordinance of 1787 Sesquicentennial Issue", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum online. Viewed March 7, 2014. The 150th anniversary of establishment of the Mississippi Territory was celebrated by a 3-cent stamp on April 7, 1948. The vignette shows an outline map of the region of today's Mississippi and Alabama. The present Mississippi is shown in a darker tone. The map is divided into three sections with dates 1798, 1804, and 1812, showing the growth of the Territory. Over the map is the original seal of the Territory on which the second double "s" of Mississippi is written as a single "s." The portrait is of Winthrop Sargent, first governor of Mississippi Territory.Trotter, Gordon T., "Mississippi Territory Issue", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum online. Viewed March 7, 2014.

Manifest destiny The first expansion beyond Treaty of Paris borders occurred with the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803 under President Thomas Jefferson, known as the architect of the Louisiana Purchase. His portrait is featured on the second stamp of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition issue.Haimann, Alexander T., "2-cent Jefferson", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum online. Viewed March 7, 2014. This issue of 1904 also featured a 10-cent stamp with an outline of the Louisiana Purchase territory superimposed over a political map of the United States.Haimann, Alexander T., "10-cent Map of Louisiana Purchase", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum online. Viewed March 7, 2014. The Louisiana Purchase sesquicentennial 1953 featured James Monroe, Robert R. Livingston and François Barbé-Marbois, "signing the Louisiana Transfer, Paris 1803"."150th Anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase Issue", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum online. Viewed March 7, 2014.

A map of the 1822 Florida Territory was pictured on the statehood commemoration from its original state seal on its 100th anniversary by a 3-cent stamp on March 3, 1945. The gates of St. Augustine are pictured on the left and the State Capitol in Tallahassee on the right.Trotter, Gordon T., "Centenary of Florida Statehood", Arago: people, postage & the post. National Postal Museum. Online, viewed March 10, 2014. Texas was annexed in 1845 by Republic of Texas petition to the United States under the presidency of James K. Polk. The 100th anniversary of Texas statehood was commemorated by a 3-cent stamp on December 29, 1945. The Republic of Texas was established in 1836 in the aftermath of a rebellion against Mexican authority. Texas annexation to the U.S. was resisted by Northerners opposed to the expansion of slavery. But during the Polk Administration, Texas was annexed as a slave state. This led directly to the Mexican–American War as Mexico moved to protect its territorial claims from American expansion.Trotter, Gordon T., "100th Anniversary of Texas Statehood Issue", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum online. Viewed March 7, 2014.

The Mexican–American war begun under President James Polk had three distinct operational phases. The Kearny Expeditions through Mexican territory to reach the Pacific, the invasion of Mexico from the north under Zachary Taylor, and the invasion of Mexico from Vera Cruz under Winfield Scott to capture Mexico City. A 3-cent stamp, "Kearny Expedition" was issued October 16, 1946, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Col. Stephen Watts Kearny expedition in New Mexico during the MexicanAmerican War. In Santa Fe he established American authority with himself as military governor. He commanded several expeditions through western territories, and in California he was engaged in several battles and was again military governor.Trotter, Gordon T., "Kearny Expedition Issue", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum. The 2-cent Army stamp of January 15, 1937, shows Andrew Jackson (left) and Winfield Scott a hero of the Mexican War, leading a campaign from Vera Cruz to Mexico City.Trotter, Gordon T., "2-cent Jackson & Scott", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum online. Viewed March 7, 2014. Following the Peace Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, the Mexican Cession turned over to the U.S. territory stretching west to the Pacific Ocean.

The Oregon Territory dispute was settled by the Oregon Treaty between the U.S. and Great Britain in 1846 under President Polk. The Oregon Territory was commemorated on its 100th anniversary with a 3-cent stamp on July 14, 1936. It comprised the present states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and parts of Montana and Wyoming. The stamp features a map of the Territory, including a trace of the Oregon Trail, flanked by a Native American scene and a covered wagon train.Trotter, Gordon T., "Oregon Territory Issue", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum online, viewed March 13, 2014. A 3-cent commemorative of the 100th anniversary of the Gadsden Purchase issued December 30, 1953. The U.S. bought the Gadsden Purchase (1854) from Mexico. It amounted to 29,670 square miles which later became parts of Arizona and New Mexico."Gadsden Purchase", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum. viewed March 7, 2014. With the Gadsden Purchase, the contiguous territory which would become the "lower forty-eight" contiguous states of the United States was complete.

The Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition commemorated the nation's northwest territory on the 10th anniversary of the 1897 Klondike Gold rush and the 40th anniversary of the 1867 Alaska Purchase. Delayed from 1907 to 1909 to avoid competing with the Jamestown Exposition. Secretary of State William H. Seward is shown. He negotiated the $8 million purchase of Alaska from Russia. The popular press in 1867 referred to the purchase as "Seward's Folly," but by 1909 the importance of this acquisition was recognized.Brody, Roger S., "Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition Issue", Arago: people, postage & the post. National Postal Museum. Online, viewed March 10, 2014.

Insular territories

The U.S. Postal Department issued four 3-cent stamps commemorating Insular Territories: Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands over the three months of October to December 1937. The first was to honor the Territory of Hawaii acquired in 1898. It showed the statue of King Kamehameha I, unifier of the Hawaiian Islands, at the Iolani Palace in Honolulu. The second honored Alaska which was purchased in 1867. The stamp pictured snow-covered Denali with a farm and a village to symbolize modern development in the territory.Trotter, Gordon. 3-cent Hawaii Issue, "3-cent Alaska Issue". Arago: people, postage & the post. National Postal Museum. Viewed March 4, 2014. Alaska and Hawaii territories were admitted as states in 1959.

The third stamp honored Puerto Rico featuring 'La Fortaleza', the Spanish Governor's Palace. Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in an 1898 treaty ending the Spanish American War. Though some thought the stamp was limited to Puerto Rico, it was valid throughout the U.S. and its territories. The final stamp was in honor of the U. S. Virgin Islands, which was purchased from Denmark in 1917. The stamp displays a view of Charlotte Amalie, capital city of the territory.Trotter, Gordon. "3-cent Puerto Rico Issue", and "3-cent Virgin Islands Issue". Arago: people, postage & the post. National Postal Museum. Viewed March 4, 2014.

In the "Flags of our nation series" 2008–2012, five territorial flags were featured. The 42-cent denominations were the American Samoa Flag showing island peaks and trees, issued June 14, 2008, and the Guam Flag was illustrated with fish and tropicbird, issued September 2, 2008. Forever stamps included Northern Marianas Flag picturing a palm tree issued 2011, Puerto Rico Flag illustrated by a bird issued 2011, and Virgin Islands Flag showing a sailfish issued 2012."Flags of our nation series 2008–2012", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum. Viewed March 7, 2014. Images of each flag can be seen at Arago online, National Postal Museum at the Smithsonian Institution on the following links: American Samoa Flag, Guam Flag, Northern Marianas Flag stamp, Puerto Rico Flag, U.S. Virgin Islands Flag.

The U.S. Postal Department also used general issue stamps with the territorial name overprinted, such as PUERTO RICO, CUBA, GUAM, PHILIPPINES or CANAL ZONE. Cuba and the Philippines were granted independence, and the Canal Zone was returned to Panama.

Alternatively, the U.S. issued a 1932 'United States of America' stamp for 18 centavos in the Philippines, 1930 stamps for use in Guam only designated 'Guam Guard Mail, or 1952 'Ryukyus' stamp for 100 yen in Okinawa. The Philippines was granted independence, the Ryukyus were returned to Japan.

Panama Canal has been featured on several U. S. commemorative stamps, as well as on Panama's own postage. The territory was returned to Panama.

The Panama Canal is represented by the Pedro Miguel Locks in the Panama–Pacific Exposition issue. An estimated 500 million of these 2-cent stamps were printed and issued to the public in a first release in 1913 with perforations 12, and a second in 1914 in perforations 10.Haimann, Alexander T., "2-cent Panama Canal", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum online. Viewed March 26, 2014.

The Panama Canal opening was commemorated on its 25th anniversary with a 3-cent stamp issued on August 15, 1939. The stamp shows a steamship passing through the Gaillard Cut, President Theodore Roosevelt on the left promoted the canal and General George W. Goethals on the right was chief engineer and first governor of the Panama Zone.Trotter, Gordon T., "Panama Canal Issue", Arago: people, postage & the post, National Postal Museum online. Viewed March 27, 2014.

Filling in settlement

Eastern growth East of the Mississippi River.