Posted by Eugene Volokh: Acquired Cities: http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2005_05_15-2005_05_21.shtml#1116534588
Over the last two centuries, the United States has on several occasions acquired land. Much of the land was sparsely inhabited, but some contained cities. Of the cities that the U.S. has acquired, which was the most populous at the time of its acquisition? (If the city became part of a Territory when it was acquired, and then part of a State, I'm counting the population at the time it became part of a Territory. Let's include for purposes of the question the land the U.S. "acquired" at the time it was created. Let's also exclude land -- such as Germany or Japan after World War II -- that the U.S. merely ruled as a self-consciously temporary occupation. Finally, let's assume, together with Lincoln, that the seceding South never actually became foreign land, and thus wasn't reacquired in 1865.) I don't have the precise statistics, but I'm pretty sure I know the right answer. Rather than just giving it, though, let me ask people to post their thoughts on the Comments; naturally, if you have authoritative sources handy -- or, better yet, linkable -- you should post those. I will post the right answer tomorrow, together with an admission if it turns out that I got the answer wrong myself. _______________________________________________ Volokh mailing list [email protected] http://highsorcery.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/volokh
