ooooooooooooo History ooooooooooooo
The Louisiana
Purchase
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.
© 2014 Created by Sally Camden ~ The Reflective Educator ~ www.thereflectiveeducator.com