Editing Oregon Territory (section)

{{Short description|Territory of the U.S. between 1848–1859}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2013}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox Former subdivision
| conventional_long_name = Territory of Oregon
| common_name            = Oregon Territory
| nation                 = the United States
| subdivision            = [[Organized incorporated territories of the United States|Organized incorporated territory]]
| event_pre              = [[Oregon Treaty]]
| date_pre               = June 15, 1846
| event_start            = Organized
| date_start             = August 14
| year_start             = 1846
| event1                 = [[Washington Territory]] split off
| date_event1            = March 2, 1853
| event_end              = [[Oregon|Statehood]]
| date_end               = February 14, 1859
| year_end               = 1859
| p1                     = Provisional Government of Oregon
| flag_p1                = US flag 29 stars.svg
| s1                     = Washington Territory
| flag_s1                = Flag of the United States (1851-1858).svg
| s2                     = Oregon
| flag_s2                = Flag of Oregon.svg
| s3                     = 
| flag_s3                = 
| image_flag             = 
| image_coat             = Oregon-Territory-seal.tif
| symbol_type            = [[Seal (emblem)|Seal]] of the Oregon Territory
| motto                  = ''[[Alis volat propriis]]''
| image_map              = Map of Washington and Oregon territory.jpg
| image_map_caption      = Map of Oregon territory
| capital                = {{plainlist|
*[[Oregon City, Oregon|Oregon City]] (1848–1851)
*[[Salem, Oregon|Salem]] (1851–1855)
*[[Corvallis, Oregon|Corvallis]] (1855)
*[[Salem, Oregon|Salem]] (1855–1859)}}
| government_type        = [[Organized incorporated territories of the United States|Organized incorporated territory]]
| title_leader           = [[List of Governors of Oregon|Governor]]
| leader1                = [[Joseph Lane]]
| year_leader1           = 1848–1850; 1853
| leader2                = [[Kintzing Prichette]]
| year_leader2           = 1850
| leader3                = [[John P. Gaines]]
| year_leader3           = 1850–1853
| leader4                = [[John Wesley Davis|John W. Davis]]
| year_leader4           = 1853–1854
| leader5                = [[George Law Curry|George L. Curry]]
| year_leader5           = 1854–1859
| legislature            = 
}}

The '''Territory of Oregon''' was an [[organized incorporated territory of the United States]] that existed from August 14, 1848,<ref>{{USStat|9|323}}</ref> until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the [[United States|Union]] as the [[Oregon|State of Oregon]]. Originally claimed by several countries (see [[Oregon Country]]), Spanish "El Orejón"{{Citation needed|reason="Orejón" is folk etymology and is not used in actual 18th century Spanish documents|date=September 2024}} was part of the Territorio de Nutca (1789–1795), later in the 19th century, the region was divided between the [[British North America|British Empire]] and the US in 1846. When established, the territory encompassed an area that included the current states of Oregon, [[Washington (state)|Washington]], and [[Idaho]], as well as parts of [[Wyoming]] and [[Montana]]. The capital of the territory was first [[Oregon City, Oregon|Oregon City]], then [[Salem, Oregon|Salem]], followed briefly by [[Corvallis, Oregon|Corvallis]], then back to Salem, which became the state capital upon Oregon's admission to the Union.