Final answer:
The correct answer is option b) Through a diplomatic negotiation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Maine dispute, known as the Aroostook War or the "bloodless" war, occurred due to land hunger and border disputes between the British in Canada and the United States. This tension was settled through diplomatic negotiation, specifically the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842, which resolved the Aroostook War and established a definitive northeastern border between the United States and Canada.
The United States gained over 7,000 square miles of territory and reaffirmed details of the eastern border with British North America, which would later become Canada.