1803 Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase was a significant land deal between the United States and France in 1803. The U.S. acquired approximately 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million, effectively doubling the size of the nation. This territory extended from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada and from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. The purchase helped fuel westward expansion, provided access to vital resources, and reinforced the idea of Manifest Destiny, which held that Americans were destined to expand across the continent. It was a crucial moment in U.S. history and territorial development.