Here is how it worked. In the 19th century Spain, the United States, Russia and Britain (Canada was part of the British Empire) disputed where the boundaries would be between their territories on the Pacific coast of North America. Spain agreed not to claim anything north of the 42nd parallel (the current southern border of Oregon) and Russia agreed not to claim anything south of 54 degree 40 minutes (the southernmost part of Alaska). That left the US and Britain to argue over where the border between their claims should go. The eventually decided on the 49th parallel, which forms much of the current US-Canada border

They refer to the degrees latitude. That is 49 and 42 degrees north of the equator.

The 49th Parellel in the northern border of the 48 contiguous states. The 42 is the most southern point of Canada.

49th Parallel Map

42nd Parallel

what states are in the 42 parallel?

Survivors will not be buried but victims.

Here are some maps.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.solarnavigator.net/geography/geography_images/canada_political_map.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.solarnavigator.net/geography/canada.htm&h=599&w=680&sz=49&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=JilzSZOFNX7ymM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=139&prev=/images%3Fq%3D49th%2Bparallel%2Bmap%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG

http://dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/nsla/archives/political/historical/map06.jpg