Historic regions of the United States


This is a list of historic regions of the United States that existed at some time during the territorial evolution of the United States and its overseas possessions, from the colonial era to the present day. It includes formally organized territories, proposed and failed states, unrecognized breakaway states, international and interstate purchases, cessions, and land grants, and historical military departments and administrative districts. The last section lists informal regions from American vernacular geography known by popular nicknames and linked by geographical, cultural, or economic similarities, some of which are still in use today.
For a more complete list of regions and subdivisions of the United States used in modern times, see List of regions of the United States.
settlements of The Netherlands, collectively called New Netherland

Colonial era (before 1776)

Thirteen Colonies

† - indicates failed legal entities

New England

Unlike the land to the east, most of the land west of the Mississippi River was under French or Spanish rule until the first years of the 19th century.
, claimed by the United States, spanned parts of three later states. The Spanish province also included part of the present-day state of Florida.
The following are state cessions made during the building of the U.S.
The following is a list of the 31 organized U.S. territories that have become states, in the order of the date organized.
The following are land grants, cessions, defined districts or named settlements made within an area that was already part of a U.S. state or territory that did not involve international treaties or Native American cessions or land purchases.

Pennsylvania

These entities were sometimes the only governmental authority in the listed areas, although they often co-existed with civil governments in scarcely populated states and territories. Civilian administered "military" tracts, districts, departments, etc., will be listed elsewhere.

Central United States

During the American Civil War, the Department of the Pacific had six subordinate military districts:
The Department of California comprised the southern part of the Department of the Pacific: California, Nevada, and southern part of Oregon Territory; merged into the Department of the Pacific as the District of California.
The Department of Oregon comprised the northern part of the Department of the Pacific: Washington Territory and Oregon Territory.
process of the southern states during "Reconstruction".

The south

These "territories" had actual, functioning governments :
These are functioning governments created as a result of the attempted secession of the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Some were enclaves within enemy-held territories:
These were regions disassociated from neighboring areas due to opposing views:

Proclaimed

These entities have been proclaimed in the past, but have never had an elected, recognized, or functioning government:
These are state or territorial proposals actually brought to either a congressional, legislative or popular vote, but which never became a functioning entity:
These are failed state or territorial proposals whose establishment proposals never were voted on, or never made it out of committee:
are loosely defined sub-regions found throughout the United States that are named for a perceived commonality among the included areas, which is often related to the region's economy or climate.