The Louisiana Purchase

ooooooooooooo History ooooooooooooo

When Thomas Jefferson became president of the United States, the nation’s western border ended at the Mississippi River. President Jefferson wanted to expand the nation’s size. To do that, he needed land…and a lot of it!

Early Explorers from Europe Explorers from France were among the first Europeans to reach the land west of the Mississippi River. These explorers claimed the land for France in 1682. They named the area “Louisiana” after their king, Louis XIV. The French soon set up trading posts in order to trade with the Native Americans. However, because of a war, France gave the land to Spain in 1762. Many cities were built under Spanish control. Then, in 1800, Spain agreed to give the territory back to France.

A Man with a Vision President Jefferson began serving as president in 1801. At that time, American farmers sent their crops down the Mississippi River. Roads were not very good and it was easier to float your goods down a river than travel by wagon on land. Farmers then sold their

© 2014 Created by Sally Camden ~ The Reflective Educator ~ www.thereflectiveeducator.com crops in the port city of New Orleans. The city, however, belonged to France…not the United States. What if France refused to let American farmers sell their crops? President Jefferson was also a man with a vision. He wanted to see the country’s borders expand farther west. He hoped that one day America would stretch from one ocean to another.

The Deal of the Century President Jefferson asked France if America could buy the city of New Orleans. To his surprise, France offered to sell not only New Orleans but also the entire Louisiana Territory! The president quickly accepted the offer. The United States bought the Louisiana Territory for $15 million, or about four cents per acre. The U.S. Senate approved the deal on October 20, 1803.

A Nation Grows France officially gave control to the United States in St. Louis on March 10, 1804. The deal became known as the Louisiana Purchase. It was an important step in the history of America for many reasons. First, farmers could sell their crops in New Orleans. Second, in a single day, the size of the country doubled. Also, the new land was full of natural resources. These resources included water, animals, timber, minerals and, of course, the land itself. Eventually, all or some of 15 states were formed from the Louisiana Purchase. America took a big step forward in seeing President Jefferson’s dream come true.