1. The Jefferson Era, 1800-1815: The Louisiana Purchase
United States History 8
Unit 3, Chapter 8, Section 2

2. Main Ideas
As American settlers moved West, control of the Mississippi River became more important to the United States.
The Louisiana Purchase almost doubled the size of the United States.
Expeditions led by Lewis, Clark, and Pike increased Americans’ understanding of the West.
Under Resident Jefferson’s leadership, the United States added the Louisiana Territory.

3. New Orleans
By the early 1800s, thousands of American settled in the area between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River, forming the states of Kentucky, Tennessee & Ohio
Used the Mississippi & Ohio Rivers to transport products to eastern markets, making New Orleans a very important port
Originally Spanish, Louisiana was traded to France

4. The Louisiana Purchase
In 1802, Spain handed over Louisiana to France and closed New Orleans to American shipping
Jefferson asked U.S. Ambassador to France, Robert R. Livingston to try to buy New Orleans, James Monroe helped
Napoleon wanted to rebuild Louisiana using French Haiti as a supply base, but lost Haiti in 1802 to an enslaved African revolution
French foreign minister Charles Talleyrand offered to sell all of Louisiana for $15 million (less than 3 cents per acre) to finance French war with Britain
Senate approved Louisiana Purchase on October 20, 1803

7. Lewis and Clark
In May 1804, captain Meriwether Lewis and lieutenant William Clark led an expedition with 50 skilled frontiersmen known as the “Corps of Discovery” to discover a route to the Pacific through the Louisiana Purchase territory
Used the Missouri River as their highway, crossed Rockies, followed the Colombia River to Pacific
Reached Pacific in November 1805, March 1806 started home
Could not find water route to Pacific, but explorers established contact with many Native American groups and collected much valuable information about western plants and animals

10. Native Americans
Sacagawea, a Shoshone from the Rocky Mountains guided the explorers; her husband, a fur trader, served as interpreter; her brother provided horses for the journey
Lewis and Clark met the powerful Nez Perce which provided food

14. Jefferson Peace Medal
Paha Ska, of Keystone, SD, an Elder of the Oglala Sioux tribe holds an authentic Presidential Peace & Friendship Medallion from President Thomas Jefferson, 2001

15. Pike’s Exploration
In 1806, Zebulon Pike sent on a mission west to find the starting point of the Red River, considered to be the boundary of Louisiana and New Spain
Headed into present day Colorado to reach the summit known as Pike’s Peak, but was arrested by Spanish in 1807
Pike’s report offered Americans their first description of the Southwest

16. Writing Focus
How many states, or parts of states, came from the Louisiana Purchase?
List them.
How would you react as a Native American living in this area to 50 strangers traveling into your land?