Louisiana Purchase

Use with Accompanying Worksheet

Napoleon Bonaparte originally wanted the Louisiana area because he needed land to feed his soldiers as they (France) expanded their influence in the Caribbean. He was hoping to also expand French territory on this continent.

The United States wanted to buy New Orleans from France.

Why New Orleans? Control of Shipping Port Why was Napoleon

willing to sell? Needed $ to finance his

war in Europe

We paid $15 million for the whole thing!

What a Deal!

It comes to only a few (4) cents per acre. The tricky part was that the ambassadors had to make the decision on the spot without contacting the president because there was no communication available like today. (They were actually only authorized to purchase New Orleans.) It was a good call. They decided yes, President Jefferson was glad, and Congress approved the purchase.

Today’s National Debt

In today’s dollars, that would still be only about $294,666,514. A killer deal no matter how you look at it!

Today, our national debt grows at a rate of 3.68 billion per day. That means that our national debt increases just over 300 million every 2 hours. So 2 hours growth of today’s national debt would cover the total cost of the Louisiana Purchase!

Why was it such a great investment?

The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the U.S.

It opened up the continent to westward expansion

It gave us control of the Port of Mississippi and the lower Mississippi River

Two Reasons why we purchased Louisiana

Reason #1: The offer may not

always be available, especially if Napoleon was replaced as leader of France.

Reason #2 If U. S. turned down the

offer, the French might settle in the area & expand. The U.S. did not want to compete for territorial control.

Cost of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

$38,722.25

What did Jefferson Want?

Could the land be settled? What, exactly, was out there? People,

plants, animals Detailed notes from Lewis and Clark Northwest Passage (water route across the

continent)