Stuart 1

Madeline Stuart
The Louisiana Purchase
Within the time frame of the course, pre-Columbian to the present, explain and defend your
position on what you think is the most significant event that has shaped America into the nation
it is today.
The Louisiana purchase, in which Thomas Jefferson agreed to purchase the Louisiana
territory from France, helped shape America into the country it is today. Without it, we wouldnt
have been as powerful a nation in trade, which is still true now. It led to the discovery of the land
in the Louisiana territory, of its mountains, waterways, and other landmarks, as well as giving the
United States 13 new states to the union.
The Louisiana territory was founded by the French explorer Robert Cavelier Sieur de la
Salle in 1682. He named it Louisiana in honor of King Louis XIV. Then, in 1718, Jean-Baptiste
le Moyne Sieur de Bienville Founded the Site of New Orleans, named after Phillipe, Duke of
Orleans. By the time the United States purchased the land, there were around 8,000 people living
in New Orleans (Hariss). For around a century afterward, Spain, France, and America fought
over who would control the Mississippi river and the New Orleans port, both great resources for
trade when transportation on land was impractical and costly. (ushistory.org).
The territory covered approximately
827,000 square miles of land north of New
Orleans, and the purchase about doubled
the size of the nation (Wilson). In it, the
United States received access to the
Mississippi river and an important trading
port in New Orleans, as well as 13 new
states and a portion of two others, though
the first wasnt added to the union until
1812, when Louisiana became the 18th
state. It cost $15 million, around 4 cents per
Figure 1: The Louisiana Purchase
acre, which was a deal that Napoleon made
with the United States that, though cheap for the time, was still a large proportion of Americas
wealth (ushistory.org).
Napoleon decided to sell his American colony to the United States despite his brothers
trying to convince him to keep it. He most likely thought it unwise to try and maintain control of
a colony where the newly independent nation was located. France was also in need of money for
the war they were fighting against Britain, and he hastily sold the colony to cut down on his
nations debt (ushistory.org).

Stuart 2
Thomas Jefferson was one president known for his
strict interpretation of the Constitution, but the Louisiana
purchase contradicted this interpretation, as well as his desire
to reduce the national debt since the revolution. This
purchase was so contrary to many of his views, but showed
that he could make important decisions for the nation even if
they were unpopular (ushistory.org).

of course, the Mississippi river

for travel, transportation, and

A significant theme in the 19th century was westward

expansion, and this was important in aiding that process. This
was one important reason Jefferson purchased Louisiana on
the new nations small budget. Many Americans searched for
new economic opportunities, as the land was rich in ores like
gold and silver, as well as places to farm and plant crops and,
which was a great source
Figure 2: Thomas Jefferson
other resources.

The Louisiana purchase called for an exploration of the land to find out what resources it
provided the nation. Thomas Jefferson recruited his secretary, Meriwether Lewis, to go on an
expedition to find a prospective waterway connecting the Mississippi river to the pacific ocean.
Lewis asked for the assistance of William Clark on the expedition, as well as a military Corps of
Discovery, and they took a two year journey to discover the new land that had been added to the
United States (Perry).
The history leading up to, and since, the Louisiana purchase is as fascinating as it is long,
and had a great impact on the nation today. It influenced how we trade with other countries, as
well as different groups within America. It changed citizens views on what it means to be
American and inspired many to look for a new life. It incited exploration and a desire to see what
the country had to offer. It is clear what a significant event the Louisiana purchase was.

Stuart 3
Reflection
The Louisiana purchase was one of the things that created the nation
as we know it now, along with the Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution. It nearly doubled the countys land, and changed our influence
on other nations around the world, and our countrys size sets us apart and
makes us unique. According to Carles Cerami, author of Jeffersons Great
Gamble, If we had not made this purchase, it would have pinched off the
possibility of our becoming a continental power. That, in turn, would have
meant our ideas on freedom and democracy would have carried less weight
with the rest of the world. This was the key to our international influence
(Hariss).
Even the power of slavery was weakened when, after the purchase, a
new dialogue was created to decide where slavery would be allowed. This
would have caused slavery to last longer in the south, and it would have
been a larger part of the nations history (Mannino).
The city of New Orleans also has cultural significance, with its French
influence in cuisine, music, art, and language, it still ties us to the time when
the purchase was made. It is a vibrant city that is just one of many that have
an important part of the history of the United States. After the purchase of
the Louisiana territory, many French-speaking Catholic people became
American citizens, creating a more diverse population in America, and was
an early example of multiculturalism (Mannino).

My ePortfolio: mstuar17.weebly.com

Stuart 4
Sources Cited
Harriss, J. (2003, April ). How the Louisiana purchase changed the world. Retrieved December
10, 2016, from Smithsonian.com
Mannino, Ed (2013, February 1). How the Louisiana Purchase Transformed
America. Retrieved December 13, 2016
Perry, D. (2016, September 7). Lewis & Clark Expedition. Retrieved December 11, 2016
Ushistory.org. (2016). Westward Expansion: The Louisiana Purchase. Retrieved December 11,
2016
Wilson, G. (2003). Louisiana purchase. Retrieved December 10, 2016, from Thomas Jeffersons
Monticello
Pictures Cited
Figure 1: Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc., Louisiana Purchase
Figure 2: Peale, R. (1800). Portrait of Thomas Jefferson [Painting]. White House
Historical Association