Final answer:
President Jefferson and his diplomats bought the Louisiana Territory from France, effectively doubling the size of the United States. President Jefferson then sent the Lewis and Clark expedition to explore the new territory.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson and his diplomats bought the Louisiana Territory from France, effectively doubling the size of the United States. The purchase was made possible due to events outside the nation's control, such as France's abandonment of its quest to re-establish a French Empire in America. To explore this new territory, President Jefferson sent the Lewis and Clark expedition from 1804 to 1806.