Territorial Expansion

How did the U.S. acquire the territory in question?

On the auspicious date of April 30, 1803, the United States of America bought eight hundred and twenty eight thousand square miles worth of land from the French government of Napoleon Bonaparte. Thomas Jefferson, the President of America, wanted to secure this deal.

Wars were rampaging overseas in the continent of Europe and Napoleon had intentions to safeguard what he had acquired there. The area was a vast stretch of land extending from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. Spain had ceded Louisiana to France and this did not have positive implications for the young American government. The diplomatic world was discussing the accession as early as 1802. The clauses of the Treaty of San Ildefonso were not shared and this escalated concerns, primarily in the Jefferson regime. The United States of America depended on the port of...
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