Louisiana Purchase

Definition

The Louisiana Purchase was a major land acquisition by the United States from France in 1803, which doubled the size of the country and had significant implications for the nation's growth and development in the early 19th century.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States, expanding the country's territory from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains.
2. President Thomas Jefferson, a strict constructionist, overcame his constitutional concerns to approve the purchase, which he saw as a unique opportunity to strengthen the young nation.
3. The acquisition of the Louisiana territory opened up vast new lands for settlement and exploration, fueling the concept of Manifest Destiny.
4. The Lewis and Clark Expedition, commissioned by Jefferson, was sent to explore the newly acquired Louisiana territory and the Pacific Northwest.
5. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a pivotal event related to the Louisiana Purchase, as it addressed the issue of slavery's expansion into the new territories.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Louisiana Purchase was connected to the concept of Manifest Destiny and the westward expansion of the United States.
  • The Louisiana Purchase significantly expanded the territory of the United States, doubling its size and opening up vast new lands for settlement and exploration. This acquisition fueled the belief in Manifest Destiny, the idea that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. The Louisiana Purchase provided the physical space and resources for the country to grow and fulfill its perceived destiny, setting the stage for the subsequent westward expansion of the United States in the 19th century.
• Describe the role of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the context of the Louisiana Purchase.
  • Following the Louisiana Purchase, President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the newly acquired territory and the Pacific Northwest. Led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the expedition was tasked with mapping the region, documenting its natural resources, and establishing relationships with the Native American tribes living in the area. The information and discoveries made by the Lewis and Clark Expedition were crucial in helping the United States understand and integrate the Louisiana Purchase into the country, paving the way for further westward expansion and settlement.
• Analyze the impact of the Missouri Compromise on the legacy of the Louisiana Purchase.
  • The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a significant event related to the Louisiana Purchase, as it addressed the issue of slavery's expansion into the new territories acquired through the purchase. The compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, while prohibiting slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel in the remaining Louisiana Purchase territory. This legislative act had long-lasting implications, as it temporarily maintained the balance of power between slave and free states, but also set the stage for the growing tensions over the expansion of slavery that would ultimately lead to the Civil War. The Missouri Compromise highlighted the complex and divisive nature of the issues surrounding the Louisiana Purchase and its integration into the United States.

Related terms

Manifest Destiny: The belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans.

Lewis and Clark Expedition: The exploration of the western United States commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson following the Louisiana Purchase, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.

Missouri Compromise: A legislative compromise in 1820 that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, while prohibiting slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel in the remaining Louisiana Purchase territory.