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Louisiana was initially owned by France, but France had to give it over to Spain because of the Treaty of Paris after the war against Great Britain. Later on, Napoleon Bonaparte, leader of France, got Louisiana back from Spain as part of his plan to expand France's territory in North America.

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For the United States, New Orleans was an important part of their economy. They used the New Orleans port to import and export goods and money. In order to secure the territory, Thomas Jefferson, who was president at the time, first sent Robert Livingston in a failed attempt to convince Napoleon to sell the territory if New Orleans to the US. In the second attempt by James Monroe, Napoleon agreed not only to sell New Orleans to Jefferson, but the whole Louisiana territory.

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While Napoleon refused to sell the land at the beginning, he eventually had to agree and abandon his goal to expand France in the New World because of the war France was in against Great Britain and the fear of debt.

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Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana territory from French Military Leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, in 1803. It was worth 15 Million dollars, supposedly 3 cents per acre. 500 million acres of land was added to the U.S., all the natural resources in this area, the Port of New Orleans.

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Jefferson noticed that the Constitution didn’t cover for presidents buying territory from other countries and adding them to America. Because of his values in interpreting the Constitution literally, he proposed to Congress to make an addition to the Constitution. Congress denied his proposal but let him buy the territory either way.

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Jefferson asked his personal secretary, Meriwether Lewis, to explore the new territory in order to be known of the land and to prepare the Natives living there for accepting the new settlers that were to occupy the new addition to America. Lewis asked for William Clark to accompany him, and Jefferson agreed to it. The people in the group were Lewis, Clark, and about 38 other men. On May 14, 1804, the expedition begun.

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He overthrew French Directory in 1799 and became emperor of the France in 1804. He failed to defeat Great Britain and abdicated in 1814. He returned to power briefly in 1815 but was defeated and died in exile on St. Helena.

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He was the third President of the United States. He favored limited central government. He was chief drafter of the Declaration of Independence. He approved of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and sent out the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the new addition of land.

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American minister to France from 1801-1804 and negotiated the purchase of Louisiana Territory in 1803.

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He was the fifth president of the United States of America. Served two terms as president from 1817-1825. He was in executive office during a time of industrial growth, little conflict, increased world power, and national unity. His presidency was known as the "Era of Good Feelings".

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An American soldier, Jefferson's personal secretary, and explorer who led the famous expedition through Louisiana territory.

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Joined Meriwether Lewis, in leading the expedition of Louisiana territory from 1804-1806.