Analysis: The Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase was signed on April 30, 1803, in Paris, France, during Thomas Jefferson's presidency. While many people were not convinced that it was unconstitutional for the government to purchase land and felt it would be a waste of money, Jefferson envisioned more freedom from foreign superpowers, more land to farm, and unrestricted access to the Mississippi River which was controlled by the more-powerful France. Acquiring the Port of New Orleans and the Floridas from France was a significant milestone and the most important real estate deal in history. It set a precedent for future land purchase, gave people opportunities to settle into unsettled territory and strengthened our nation.

Under the orders of President Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston and James Monroe traveled to France to purchase the Port of New Orleans and the Floridas for a price of $10 million dollars. But when they arrived, Napoleon Bonaparte offered them the entire Louisiana Territory for $15 million dollars. Even though the United States did not have that kind of money, the offer was too hard to pass up and so the purchase

My topic fits with this theme in all ways. The Louisiana Purchase was an exchange of real estate between the United States and France. This purchase would lead to the Lewis and Clark Expedition which would explore the new land. There would be many encounters along the way of the exploration. The Louisiana Purchase is very important because it gave people opportunities to settle territory and strengthened our nation. It was a milestone real estate deal that not only made our country larger, but was a gateway to future land deals. The Louisiana Purchase would impact many generations and even future generations. It showed us how to purchase land, how to explore and map it, and how to settle it. Without this purchase, our United States would be a very different country than what we know and love