Impact of the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark...

The year of 1803 significantly changed our nation eternally. It stunned many people. In no way, shape or form, did we ever believe that our nation would expand so rapidly. What started with the small purchase of New Orleans led into the substantial purchase of the Louisiana Territory. This was a purchase that will make Thomas Jefferson a man to be remembered. Although, he wasn’t the only man who impacted the United States during this time period. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark are the two men that are greatly known for their expedition across the Louisiana Territory. These two subjects, the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition, altered our nation immeasurably. The Louisiana Purchase came as a surprise that neither†¦show more content†¦New American settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains depended on river transportation to transport their goods because overland trade was very expensive and impractical. Also, the United States wanted a tract of land on the lower Mississippi. James Monroe, the primary negotiator in Paris, was empowered to obtain New Orleans and West Florida for anywhere between two and ten million dollars. Surprisingly, however, Napoleon offered much more. The United States was given the opportunity to buy the Louisiana Territory, which stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. This one transaction doubled the physical size of the United States and cost our nation fifteen million dollars. Fifteen million dollars came out to approximately three cents an acre. Now this seems like a relatively small sum for such a massive amount of land, but it was still a gigantic price tag for the modest federal budget of the day. Thomas Jefferson had mixed emotions about the Louisiana Purchase. On one hand, he knew it would be a grand opportunity, and the United States would be assured free navigation of the Mississippi River. Also, it would double our nation in size and be considered one of the larges t, if not the largest, land transaction in history. On the other hand, he was conflicted whether or not to buy the Louisiana Territory because of guidelines set forth in the Constitution. The Constitution did not specificallyShow MoreRelatedLouisiana Purchase And The Louisiana1535 Words   |  7 Pagessignificant occurrence happened. The purchase of 827,000 square miles of land for approximately 4 cents an acre or 15 million dollars was made. This purchase was unlike any other, for it would have the most importance of any other purchase made in the United States. It is referred to as the Louisiana Purchase. The land that was purchased was known as the Louisiana Territory. Also, this territory wasn’t just bought. It was exchanged, for an important reason. The Louisiana Purchase is known as one of the mostRead MoreLouisiana Purchase Essay1253 Words   |  6 PagesThe Louisiana Purchase was the most influential and important land purchases in American history. The acquired la nd in this historical purchase proved to far outweigh what most Americans at the time could imagine. The Louisiana Purchase more than doubled the size of the United States, and lead to many great discoveries and societal benefits. Some of the major and most prominent ways that the Louisiana Purchase influenced the evolution of American were the expeditions of Louis and Clark on theRead MoreLewis And Clark s Impact On The United States1480 Words   |  6 PagesLewis And Clark Expedition The exploration of Lewis and Clark into the Louisiana Purchase had a great impact on the United States. During the exploration, they encountered Native American tribes, who exchanged items with them, and new species of plants and animals. The expedition of Lewis and Clark began on May 21,1804. Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774 in Albemarle County, Virginia. Lewis met Clark in 1795 in the army. Lewis was asked to be Thomas Jefferson’s private secretary in 1801Read MoreTo What Extent Was the Election of 1800 Aptly Named the Revolution of 1800? Respond with Reference to Two of the Following Areas: Foreign Policy - Judiciary - Politics - Economics623 Words   |  3 Pagesmachine-based economy along with Albert Gallatin issuing the, â€Å"Report on Roads and Canals,† leading to the creation of a national road were both big contributions to the American economy at that present time. Along with the Louisiana Purchase from France and Lewis and Clarke Expedition were two huge factors in the way America’s geography would turn out to this present day, along with helping the economy drastically. The election of Thomas Jefferson was on of the best things that has ever happenedRead MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1333 Words   |  6 PagesThe acquired Louisiana territory doubled the size of America and allowed the boundaries of the country to be extended. This acquisition of land became to be known as the Louisiana Purchase. However, the new and unknown territory had to be explored in order to obtain an accurate sense of the strange land and what resources it had to offer. Jefferson was in need of someone brave enough who would take on the challenge and achieve success. The role best fit the appointed soldier, politician, and publicRead MoreLewis And Clark Expedition : Analysis1504 Words   |  7 PagesAlexander Hohlt Professor Abbie Grubb History 1301 May 4, 2016 Lewis and Clark expedition In May of 1803 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark departed from St. louis, Missouri to simply find a water route in the west. They were exploring brand new, just acquired territory from Napoleon of France by Thomas Jefferson, who was our president at the time. This was called the great Louisiana purchase. The Lewis and Clark exploration was nothing less than extraordinary, they came across three-hundredRead MoreThe Louisiana Purchase Shaping America1213 Words   |  5 Pages The Louisiana Purchase shaping America Christopher Richeson East Forsyth High School Mrs. Callendar American History 4th Period December 15, 2015 Abstract The Louisiana Purchase was a major event in the growth of the United States of America. Purchased from France for 15 million by Thomas Jefferson in 1803, it gave America twice the available land, adding 827,000 square miles. Some may argue the Louisiana Purchase is unconstitutional, but Jefferson found a way around that. TheRead MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1415 Words   |  6 PagesCaptain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark put their lives on the line only to return with information regarding the Pacific Northwest of the United States territory. Their reasons behind this journey, being to expand the United States to the West, involved the entire nation but debatably, their accomplishments and the reaction of others became a major part of today’s history. The foremost reason behind the Lewis and Clark expedition was all based on Thomas Jefferson’s, president at the time, interestRead MoreThomas Jefferson And The Declaration Of Independence1360 Words   |  6 Pageswanted America to remain independent. Jefferson was the man with the vision to look into the future and make it a better country. One of the things our third president Thomas Jefferson did was purchased the Louisiana Purchase from France as a part to help his Economics. The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal between the United States and France, and the United States acquired eight hundred and twenty-seven thousand square miles of land in the west of Mississippi River for fifteen million. AlthoughRead MoreThe Success Of The Lewis And Clark Expedition1810 Words   |  8 Pagesadmirable historical figure, though not many knew of her contributions. She was a Shoshone Indian who worked as an interpreter, guide, and peacemaker for the Lewis and Clark expedition. Through these essential roles, she became a vital part of the journey to find territory. The efforts of Sacagawea lead to the success of the Lewis and Clark expedition which greatly impacted the expansion and advancement of America. The early life of Sacagawea became preparation for an important time to come. Her childhood