Louisiana Purchase Research Papers

The Louisiana Purchase With the opening of the 19th century, new opportunities emerged for the new Republic of the United States and her peoples. Newly independent, the Americans were eager to expand the country's boundaries. The country was surrounded by colonial nations and native tribes, very much different from their style of republic. The Louisiana Purchase was the most important land acquisition in the history of the United States, as it led to exploration, international incidents, and America’s climb to a global superpower.
In order to purchase Louisiana, the international diplomatic climate must have been perfect for the offer the United States’ foreign minister received. Before the conclusion of the Seven Years War, Spain had been given France’s territory westward of the Mississippi River. France was given the territory back after Napoleon
Soon after the Purchase, President Jefferson searched for explorers to undertake the task of exploring the Louisiana territory for what resources and what geographical features the land held. Two intrepid soldiers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, were employed to assemble a “Corps of Discovery” to begin the expedition. Newly formed, the Corps of Discovery departed from Camp Dubois on May 14th and continued along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, then moved to the Pacific Ocean. On the way, the group mapped the lands on their journey and logged the species that they encountered, such as coyotes, deer, and numerous types of rodents. The Corps traded and made friends with the various Native American tribes which the expedition had came across frequently. One Native that they had met, Sacagawea. came along as a translator. Right after their exploration, the group each was granted land and money, Lewis and Clark were also governors of the territory they