Let the Land Rejoice, for You Have Bought Louisiana for a Song

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The Louisiana Purchase- 1803 "Let the Land rejoice, for you have bought Louisiana for a Song." --Gen. Horatio Gates to President Thomas Jefferson, July 18, 1803 Within the Louisiana Territory are the current day boundaries of many states. The Louisiana Purchase made westward expansion and development possible in the United States. The land later became all or part of sixteen states. (The number of states that were formed from the land will differ depending on the source. When the treaty was signed the boundaries of the land were unclear.) It took nearly 100 years for all of the territory to be divided into states.12

Use the map in the textbook atlas (A20-A21) and Chapter 15.2 in History Alive – (Pg198-199)

The West in 1800 (pg. 318) 1. Why were the Mississippi River and the Port City of New Orleans so important to farmers settling west of the Appalachian Mountains?

2. What European country was in control of the Louisiana Territory in 1800? What were Napoleon’s plans for the land? 3. Why did Napoleon’s plan alarm frontier farmers?

The Louisiana Purchase

1. What Country borders the Louisiana Purchase to the North?

2. What body of water borders the Southern tip of the purchase?

3. Name the states or part of states that make up the Louisiana Purchase?

4. What are the natural borders of the Louisiana Purchase? (east/west)

5. When was the purchase made? How Much money? How much did it cost per acre?

6. Who made the purchase? (president)

7. What country did we purchase the land from?

8. What did Jefferson send James Monroe to purchase originally?

9. Why did Napoleon sell the land? (Give two reasons)

10. Who was sent out in May of 1804 to explore the land?