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Picture of sections sold in Treaty of Fontainebleau 

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France, by the Treaty of Fontainebleau, ceded Louisiana as a consideration for losses of Spain in the Seven Years' War. The large territory extended from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. The transfer reduced French influence in North America and tended to restore the balance of power.

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1800 – Spain Returns Louisiana to France

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1800 – Spain Returns Louisiana to France

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By the secret Treaty of San Ildefonso, Spain returned Louisiana to France, though it was still under the control of Spain temporarily. The newly risen-to-power Napoleon Bonaparte now wished to make Louisiana key to his empire-building strategy in North America. The transfer would raise an alarm in the United States, for the threat that French control posed to American trade.

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1801 – Jefferson Becomes President and Considers Louisiana

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1801 – Jefferson Becomes President and Considers Louisiana

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Thomas Jefferson assumed the presidency and promptly made the Mississippi River and New Orleans a cornerstone of American trade. Apprehensive over French ambitions thwarting westward expansion, Jefferson wanted to find a peaceful path toward acquiring New Orleans. His administration began discussing how to go about the possibility of negotiating with France for the territory.

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1802 – Spain Closes New Orleans to U.S. Trade 

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1802 – Spain Closes New Orleans to U.S. Trade 

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Spain, still in control of Louisiana, closed New Orleans to American shipping, an action that infuriated and alarmed Americans. This move disrupted the U.S. trade and placed pressure on the Jefferson administration to find access to the port. Jefferson viewed this as a matter of great concern for U.S. farmers and merchants, and as such, prepared to treat with France.

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James Monroe (left) Robert Livingston (right) 

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1803 – Jefferson Sends Monroe to Join Livingston in Paris

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1803 – Jefferson Sends Monroe to Join Livingston in Paris

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He named James Monroe to join the U.S. Minister Robert Livingston in Paris with the authority to buy New Orleans and territory west of the Mississippi River including part of Florida for as much as $10 million. Initially, the United States had no intention of acquiring all of Louisiana but wanted to guarantee trade access. The seriousness with which Jefferson felt the need to negotiate with France was reflected in the appointment.

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April 1803 - Napoleon Decides on the Sale of Louisiana

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April 1803 - Napoleon Decides on the Sale of Louisiana

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Confronting military difficulties in Europe and in Haiti, Napoleon decided to abandon his North American empire and proposed to sell all of Louisiana to the U.S. The war with Britain had drained French resources; the Haitian Revolution had destroyed French control of the Caribbean. That unexpected decision presented an astonishing opportunity for the U.S. to expand.

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April 30  1803 - Signing of Louisiana Purchase Treaty

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April 30  1803 - Signing of Louisiana Purchase Treaty

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Livingston and Monroe agreed to purchase Louisiana for 15 million dollars, a price over twice what they had been authorized to pay. The purchase added more than 800,000 square miles to the United States and effectively doubled the nation's size. It remains one of history's largest land deals, signed without prior approval from Congress.

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July 4, 1803 – News of the Purchase Reaches the U.S.  

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July 4, 1803 – News of the Purchase Reaches the U.S.  

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Word of the Louisiana Purchase reached the United States and was greeted by celebrations and disputations. Some Federalists opposed this move as unconstitutional and questioned the ability of the state to control such a massive amount of land, but the general feeling in the country was one of optimism, seeing this purchase as a way to achieve greatness.

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October 20, 1803 – U.S. Senate Ratifies the Louisiana Purchase Treaty

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October 20, 1803 – U.S. Senate Ratifies the Louisiana Purchase Treaty

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Despite much opposition, he received the Senate's ratification of the treaty, and with that act, the new territory formally came into the United States. The ratification demonstrated Jefferson's commitment to agrarian expansion and his willingness to adapt with regard to interpretation of the Constitution. This set a precedent for further land acquisitions.

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December 20, 1803 – Formal Transfer of Louisiana to the United States

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December 20, 1803 – Formal Transfer of Louisiana to the United States

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This ceremony, held in New Orleans, marked the official transfer of Louisiana from France to the United States and consummated the requirement for American control. It opened the possibility of further U.S. expansion westward by exploration, settlement, and new states. It confirmed the U.S. as an emerging world power, stretching influence across the continent.