44. What is the nearly 30,000 square mile acquisition known as?
Answer: D
The nearly 30,000 square mile acquisition is known as the Gadsden Purchase.
This acquisition, completed in 1853, involved the purchase of land from Mexico that is now part of southern Arizona and New Mexico, solidifying the borders of the continental United States.
A) Alaska Purchase
The Alaska Purchase refers to the acquisition of Alaska from Russia in 1867, which is not relevant to the nearly 30,000 square mile acquisition mentioned in the question. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
B) Hawaii Annexation
The annexation of Hawaii occurred in 1898 and involved the incorporation of the Hawaiian Islands into the United States. This event is unrelated to the territorial acquisition described in the extract, making this option incorrect.
C) Oregon Territory
The Oregon Territory was established through treaties and negotiations with Great Britain, primarily in the 1840s, and does not pertain to the specific acquisition of nearly 30,000 square miles from Mexico in 1853. Thus, this option is incorrect.
D) Gadsden Purchase
The Gadsden Purchase was indeed the acquisition of nearly 30,000 square miles from Mexico in 1853. This purchase was significant for establishing the current borders of the continental United States and is the correct answer to the question.
Conclusion
The Gadsden Purchase is definitively the correct answer as it directly pertains to the nearly 30,000 square mile acquisition described in the extract. All other options are either unrelated acquisitions or occurred in different contexts, failing to address the specific territorial expansion referenced.