Louisiana Purchase and Lewis & Clark

Louisiana Purchase Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president, purchased the Louisiana Territory from the French in 1803. It was the largest real estate (land) purchase in American history, and it doubled the size of the country. The majority of the Louisiana Purchase was in the middle of America, and area we call The Great Plains http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMh8RCqJf9U

How Big Was It? The Louisiana Purchase was huge. It totaled 828,000 square miles and all or part of what would later become 15 different states. It doubled the size of the United States and made it a major world nation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mHMGQE0NsU

Borders The Louisiana Purchase stretched from the Mississippi River in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west. Its southernmost tip was the port city of New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. To the North it included much of Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana up to the border of Canada.

Opposition At the time, many leaders in the United States were against the Louisiana Purchase. They thought that Thomas Jefferson didn't have the right to make such a large purchase of land and that we would soon be at war with Spain over the land. The purchase was nearly cancelled by Congress and only passed by the vote of 59-57.

Exploration President Jefferson organized an expedition to adventure across the new land. The most famous expedition was that of Lewis and Clark. Thomas Jefferson set up three goals: Discover a waterway to the Pacific Ocean Study and observe new plant and animal life Make peaceful friendships with the Native Americans http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKC63tkMnwg

Importance The Louisiana Purchase was important to American History because it now allowed citizens to move westward towards the Great Plains. More opportunity for new farms, jobs, and way of life.

Lewis and Clark Route Why do you think that Lewis and Clark chose to avoid a route going through Spanish territory? What job would you like to have on the expedition and why? (Mapper, hunter, scientist, or Captain)

Lesson 3 – Another War with Britain Using pages 380-384 in your textbook, read the text and complete the cause/effect graphic organizer chart You will read each pair of cause/effect statements. Label the box at the top whether each statement is a cause or effect. Then draw an arrow from cause  effect Use pages 362-384 to help you complete the Westward Expansion crossword puzzle on the backside of the graphic organizer