Chapter 8.2 The Louisiana Purchase
Sacagawea
A Shoshone Native American who aided the Lewis & Clark Expedition by serving as a guide and interpreter.
Robert Livingston
A U.S. Ambassador who was sent to France to negotiate the purchase of the Louisiana Territory. He was assisted by James Monroe.
Meriwether Lewis
A former army captain chosen by Jefferson to lead an expedition to explore the Western Frontier.
Lewis & Clark Expedition
A long journey set to explore the Louisiana Purchase and Western Frontier in 1804.
Zebulon Pike
An explorer of the west who was sent to find the starting point of the Red River and reached the summit of the mountain known as Pike's Peak.
New Orleans
An important port city for the United States located at the mouth of the Mississippi River.
William Clark
Co-leader of the western expedition who was chosen by Meriwether Lewis.
What 2 reason did Napoleon have for selling Louisiana to the United States?
He needed quick cash, and he didn't have the resources to maintain a huge possession that far away.
What new states were added to the Union by the early 1800s?
Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio
Napoleon Bonaparte
Leader of France during the early 1800s who agreed to sell the Louisiana Territory to the United States because France needed money to fund their war with Great Britain.
What areas did the Lewis and Clark expedition and the Pike expedition explore?
Lewis and Clark explored the Northern part of the Louisiana Purchase, traveling up the Missouri River, and Pike explored the southern half, looking for the start of the Red River.
Why were Meriwether Lewis and William Clark chosen to lead the exploration of the Louisiana Purchase?
Lewis was chosen because of his experience as a leader, and Clark was chosen for his mapmaking skills.
Spain
Originally governed New Orleans and the Louisiana Territory up until 1802, but then transferred ownership to France under a secret treaty.
Why were New Orleans and the Mississippi River important to settlers in the West?
Settlers depended upon the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to move their products to eastern markets
Why was the Louisiana Purchase important to the United States?
The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 was extremely important to the United States because it dramatically expanded the size of the country. It essentially doubled the size of union. It was also acquired peacefully rather than through warfare. This not only increased the power of the country but also set the stage for further development across the continent.
Louisiana Purchase
The United States' purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million, which roughly doubled the size of the United States.
France
Took control of New Orleans and the Louisiana Territory through a treaty with Spain, but later sold this land to the United States for $15 million in 1803.