Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The region now known as Iowa has changed hands several times before becoming part of the United States. Three nations have formally claimed this territory at different points in history.
French explorers were the first Europeans to document the area, claiming it as part of the vast Louisiana Territory. Their initial claim lasted until the end of the French and Indian War, when France ceded the territory to Spain. Napoleon later regained control of Louisiana in 1800, briefly restoring French sovereignty before selling the entire territory to the United States in 1803.
Under the Treaty of Paris (1763), Spain received the Louisiana Territory from France. Spanish administration lasted for nearly four decades, though the region remained sparsely settled. In 1800, Spain returned the territory to France under the secret Treaty of San Ildefonso.
The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 transferred ownership of the land, including present-day Iowa, to the United States. American settlement accelerated in the 1830s, and Iowa achieved statehood in 1846 as the 29th state.