Answer:
The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States, and it included all or part of fifteen present-day states and two Canadian provinces. The purchase was made possible by the goodwill of Napoleon Bonaparte, who needed the money to finance his wars in Europe. The Lewis and Clark Expedition was sent to explore the new territory, and American settlers began moving into the area. The Louisiana Purchase was an important step in the westward expansion of the United States.
Historical context leading up to the Louisiana Purchase (Pretty important to know):
In the late 1700s, the United States won its independence from Great Britain in the American Revolution. During the war, the Americans had received some help from the French.
After the war, the French became allies of the United States. In 1795, the Jay Treaty was signed between the United States and Great Britain. The treaty resolved some issues from the Revolutionary War, but it angered the French because it seemed to favor the British.
In 1798, the United States and France nearly went to war because of this issue. In 1800, the French leader Napoleon Bonaparte signed the Treaty of San Ildefonso with Spain. The treaty returned the Louisiana Territory to France. Napoleon wanted to use the Louisiana Territory to build an empire in North America.
In 1801, Thomas Jefferson became the President of the United States. Jefferson was worried that Napoleon would try to take over the United States. In 1803, Napoleon offered to sell the Louisiana Territory to the United States. President Jefferson decided to buy the territory for $15 million.
Further explanation of key concepts:
What was the American Revolution?
The American Revolution was a war fought between the American colonists and Great Britain. The colonists were angry because they thought they felt they were being taxed without representation by the British. The British wanted to keep the colonies because they were profitable. In 1775, the war began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. In 1783, the war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, and the United States of America became an independent country.
How did the Lousiana Purchase lead to more westward expansion?
The Lousiana Purchase led to more westward expansion because it opened up new areas of land for settlement. The new lands were rich in resources and offerred vast new opportunities for settlers. The purchase also made it easier for settlers to travel west, as the new lands were close to the existing settlement which led to a surge in westward expansion.
Who were Lewis and Clark?
Lewis and Clark were American explorers who led a party of men through the Western United States in an attempt to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, they encountered many Native American tribes and made detailed observations of the natural world. They also contributed to the discovery and mapping of the American West.