FAQ: U.S. Geography of the Early 1800s

What subjects were taught in one-room schools?
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic were the main subjects taught in one-room schools. They were called the "Three Rs" (Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmetic). Recitation, the act of saying a verse or paragraph aloud from memory, was sometimes added as a fourth "R." Geography could also be a featured school subject -- but science and history were not taught as we know it today.

Why was there just one book per child, not one book per subject or grade?
In the 1800s, paper was an expensive product, so books were also expensive. Pioneer parents often didn't have the kind of money available to supply a book for every topic or grade, so the all-in-one primer functioned as a solution.​

Geography​
Geography would have been one of the last subjects covered every day at school. The primer we use with our Texian Time Machine program has two maps on the very last page. One shows the United States in 1820 and the other shows the United States 10 years later in 1830.

• How many states were in the United States in 1820?*
• What about in 1830?*

What is the difference between a territory and a state?
What is the difference between an unorganized territory and an organized territory?

• State – A state is a subdivision of the United States that has both population and organized government. These sections of land have constitutions and governments, and have a fair amount of autonomy to decide what will happen inside of their boundaries.
• Territory – A territory is a section of land that is occupied and has an organized governing system, but is not a state of the United States. This territory is owned by the United States.
• Unorganized Territory – This is a section of land that is occupied (though usually sparsely), and does not have an organized governing system. This type of land was eventually populated to a point that more formal government is adopted and it becomes a territory.
• Joint Occupation – Oregon was explored in 1777 by the Spanish. Soon afterward, explorers from Britain and the U.S. followed and both countries claimed the land. In the "Treaty of 1818," a joint occupation was set up between Britain and the United States. In 1846, the Oregon Treaty was signed and the land was split evenly between the U.S. and Britain.

*Answers:

• 1820: 23
  
• 1830: 24