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The Louisiana Purchase After the French and Indian war in 1762, France pawns Louisiana off on its ally Spain

as a token of gratitude by King Louis XV On Saturday April 30, 1803, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty was signed by Robert

Livingston, James Monroe on behalf of President Thomas Jefferson, and Barbé Marbois in Paris

The U.S. paid 60 million francs ($11,250,000) plus cancellation of debts worth 18 million francs ($3,750,000), for a total sum of 15 million dollars for the Louisiana territory ($219 million in 2010 dollars). Acquiring the 828,800 square miles territory would double the size of the United States at a sum of less than 3 cents per acre

Encompassed all or part of 15 current U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. The land purchased contained all of present-day Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, parts of Minnesota that were west of the Mississippi River, most of North Dakota, nearly all of South Dakota, northeastern New Mexico, northern Texas, the portions of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado east of the Continental Divide, and Louisiana west of the Mississippi River, including the city of New Orleans

One of Thomas Jefferson’s Greatest Achievement

April 30, 1803

Then … Now A Tremendous Accident Worthless Empty Place Remains Largely Uncharted Populated By Native America Swampy Land Filled With

Savages No Man’s Land Population: 92,345 people Worth $15 Million

40% of the U.S. Today Made U.S. a

Transcontinental Nation and A World Power

Most Valuable Piece of Land

Worth $15=$219 Million

Jefferson vs. Napoleon

Not Impulsive Passive Cautious Averse to War

Extremely Impulsive Active Powerful Authority Powerful Confidence Ultimate Soldier

Source

Film – The Louisiana Purchase