Transcript How Can You Measure Matter?

What was the Louisiana
Purchase?
A Secret Treaty
In 1800, Spain made a
secret treaty, or written
agreement, with
France. Spain gave
Louisiana back to
France. Napoleon
Bonaparte, the French
ruler, wanted Louisiana
out of British (English)
control.
President Jefferson
In 1801, Thomas
Jefferson became the
third President of the
United States. He grew
concerned when he
learned about the French
treaty between Spain and
France. Farmers shipped
their goods down the
Mississippi River to the
French-owned port of
New Orleans.
President Jefferson wanted to
guarantee American access to
New Orleans and the Mississippi
River. In 1803 he offered to buy
Louisiana for $15 million.
Napoleon agreed. In March 1804
in St. Louis, the French gave
Louisiana to the United States.
This Louisiana Purchase doubled
the size of the United States. It also
added to the nation’s resources –
land, timber, water, minerals,
animals. Jefferson told Congress
that Americans would spread “the
blessings of freedom and equal laws.”
However, he did allow slavery in the
new territory.
Louisiana Purchase
• An area of land
bought by
President
Jefferson that
doubled the size
of America.
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