The Louisiana Territory refers to a large area of land in North America that was acquired by the United States from France through a historic purchase.
Related terms
Thomas Jefferson: The U.S. President who authorized and oversaw the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory.
Lewis and Clark Expedition: A famous exploration journey led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore and map out the newly acquired territory.
Manifest Destiny: The belief that it was America's destiny to expand its territory from coast to coast.