The Louisiana Purchase - Lewis & Clark

Before the Louisiana Purchase

•        The Louisiana Territory belonged to Spain, which allowed the U.S. to use the lower Mississippi River for trade.

•         In 1802, Spain transfers the Louisiana Territory to France. Jefferson was afraid France would try to extend its empire to America and offered the French as much as $10 million.

•         A revolution in Santo Domingo (Haiti) led by Toussaint-Louverture, a former African slave, drives the French and British out of Santo Domingo.

•         France needed money to finance Napoleon’s plans for a war against England, so they agreed to sell the Louisiana Territory to the U.S.

Louisiana Purchase (1803) – The U.S. buys 828,800 square miles of territory from France for $15 million. The purchase doubles the size of the country and eventually 13 more states.

Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806) – Thomas Jefferson chooses Meriweather Lewis and William Clark to explore the new territory. The Corps of Discovery was also guided by a Native American woman, Sacagawea.