Lewis & Clark State Hi s t o ric Site - Teachers Gu i d e
Lesson #4: Louisiana Pu rc h a s e
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE
Some of the land west of the Mississippi River (including pre s e n t day Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Ne b r a s k a ,
South Dakota, No rth Dakota, Minnesota and Montana) was once
owned by Fr a n c e . The French named the area to the north the “Up p e r
L o u i s i a n a” and present-day Louisiana the “Lower Louisiana.” B o t h
we re named for King Louis XIV. The French used the land for extens i ve trading and trapping, but the area was not settled. France lost
c o n t rol of the land to Spain during war but regained control thro u g h
t reaties in 1800 and 1801. President Thomas Jefferson wanted to gain
c o n t rol of the land in order to control river trade along the Mi s s i s s i p p i
R i ve r.
Napoleon, Fr a n c e’s leader in 1803, was nearing war with
Britain, and his ministers advised him to sell the Louisiana area for
f u n d i n g . Ro b e rt Livingston, which was one of Je f f e r s o n’s ambassadors
along with James Madison went to Paris to try to buy New Or l e a n s ,
Florida, and parts of present-day Alabama and Mi s s i s s i p p i . In s t e a d ,
Napoleon offered them the entire Louisiana are a . The total price was
fifteen million dollars. They signed the treaty on April 30, 1803.
This land officially became part of the United St a t e s .
Lewis & Clark State Hi s t o ric Site - Teachers Gu i d e
Lesson #4: Louisiana Pu rc h a s e
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1 ) Who was the Louisiana area named after?
- a n s we r : King Louis XIV
2 ) Which country originally owned the Louisiana are a ?
- a n s we r : Fr a n c e
3 ) Which U.S. President wanted to purchase the Louisiana are a ?
- a n s we r : President Thomas Je f f e r s o n
4 ) Why did he want to purchase the are a ?
- a n s we r : to control trade along the Mississippi Rive r
5 ) Which French leader decided to sell the Louisiana are a ?
- a n s we r : Na p o l e o n
6 ) How much was the Louisiana Pu rc h a s e ?
- a n s we r : fifteen million dollars
7 ) What year did the Louisiana area become part of the United St a t e s ?
- a n s we r : 1 8 0 3
Lewis & Clark State Hi s t o ric Site - Teachers Gu i d e
Lesson #4: Louisiana Pu rc h a s e
WORD FIND
Find these important words that relate to the Louisiana Pu rc h a s e . They ru n
d i a g o n a l l y, down and sidew a y s .
FRANCE
L I V I N G S TO N
LO U I S I A N A
MADISON
JEFFERSON
T R E ATY
M I S S I S S I P PI
TRADE
NAPOLEON
S PA I N
Lewis & Clark State Hi s t o ric Site - Teachers Gu i d e
Lesson #4: Louisiana Pu rc h a s e
WORD FIND (ANSWERS FOR TEACHERS)
Find these important words that relate to the Louisiana Pu rc h a s e . They ru n
d i a g o n a l l y, down and sidew a y s .
FRANCE
L I V I N G S TO N
LO U I S I A N A
MADISON
JEFFERSON
T R E ATY
M I S S I S S I P PI
TRADE
NAPOLEON
S PA I N
Lewis & Clark State Hi s t o ric Site - Teachers Gu i d e
Lesson #4: Louisiana Pu rc h a s e