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Fifty-Four Forty Or Fight

1846

Fifty-four Forty or Fight | Slogan | Hey did you know that BC almost became part of America? The phrase Fifty-four Forty or Fight arose from the Oregon Boundary Dispute, wherein “the U.S. Democratic Party, appealing to expansionist sentiment and the popular theme of manifest destiny, asserted that the U.S. had a valid claim to the entire Oregon Country up to Russian America at parallel 54°40? north”. The phrase was immortalized by local band 54-40.

Usage: “I wonder what would have happened if Fifty-Four Forty Or Fight had become a reality…”explore-the-lexicon

 

There is 1 comment

  1. it did become a reality. they used to call it seward’s folly, but they changed it to alaska. the brits and yanks could readily agree that keeping out the ruskies was the main thing. brits got the right to exploit the forest and the yanks got the coastline…all the way up to alaska, which is even better than silly old 54 40. of course, the native americans didn’t get much say in the matter as usual.

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