Border Research

GOAL: Research how borders shape a territory.

Quebec is a French-speaking province of Canada bordered by the English speaking Canadian provinces of Ontario, Newfoundland and New Brunswick. The southern border of Quebec borders the United States territories of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. In 1608 the French explorer Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City. The Treaty of 1763 ended the French and Indian War, transferred New France to Britain. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 founded the province of Quebec. The Quebec Act of 1774 was passed by the British Parliament and gave recognition to Catholic religion, French language, French civil law and French culture in general. Pressures that the colony of Quebec may side with the Thirteen Colonies to the south facilitated the passing of the Quebec Act.

In 1863 the northwestern counties of Virginia seceded from the state to form West Virginia. The branching off of a new state occurred after Virginia seceded from the Union. West Virginia then gained approval from Lincoln to enter the Union. West Virginia’s constitution freed slaves over 21 years old.

During the time of the Civil War Kentucky, Delaware, Maryland, Missouri and West Virginia were referred to as the Border States. These states shared borders with both the Union and Confederacy, which tied them to the economic, political and social structures of both governments. Kentucky and Missouri even had two state governments that supported both sides. The Border States were critical in deciding the outcome of the American Civil War. Even today, the Border States draw a cultural border that delineates the north from the south.

Oregon has a history of polarizing conflicts that include loggers against environmentalists, growing cities vs. established rural areas and conservatives vs. liberals. Groups from Oregon have tried to secede to form new states such as the State of Jefferson or the sovereign state of Cascadia.

During World War II Germany and the Soviet Union, who both bordered Poland, occupied Poland simultaneously. Poland was in the unlucky spot of being of being sandwiched by these two opposing forces. The close proximity of Germany to Poland also made maintaining and defending the Nazi death camps possible. Following World War II, Poland would be controlled by the Soviets but when the communist government was overthrown, Poland was then able to govern itself.

Following World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel by the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviets would influence what became known as North Korea. Both the United States and the Soviets pushed their opposing ideologies onto these countries that bordered each other. The tensions between North and South Korea then led to civil war (Korean War) and the creation of a demilitarized zone to separate the conflicted countries. Both countries would like to reunite Korea into a single identity but according to each of their owns ideology. North Korea is bordered by China, Russia and South Korea.