On December 24, 1814, representatives of the United States and the British Empire met to sign the Treaty of Ghent that, once ratified, would end another war between them. The Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812, an oft overlooked conflict that continues to shape the politics and culture(s) of North America. Supplied by JSTOR.

The “compromise” attempted to answer the question of whether the Missouri territory would be admitted to the Union as a “slave” or “free” state. Supplied by JSTOR.

Signed February 2, 1848, the treaty compelled Mexico to cede 55 percent of its territory, bringing more than 525,000 square miles under US sovereignty. Supplied by JSTOR.