The Louisiana Purchase is one of the greatest real estate transactions the United States has ever made. In one instance, with the signature of Thomas Jefferson, the US simply doubled in size of land it owned. The great expanse from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains was now ours. I still cannot believe today that Napoleon simply let this land go for such a cheap offer. This is what happens when you have to pay for war with Great Britain. 828,000 acres was purchased for $15 million which equals out to roughly 3 cents an acre. Almost immediately after, the famous Lewis & Clark Expedition would ensue to discover the land west of the Mississippi.
In my mind it is easy to see why the Louisiana Purchase was so beneficial. First and foremost, it doubled the size of our country. This was done in a peaceful manner, while most land/territories in the past all around the world were gained through war. It eventually allowed the US to add more states to the union. It created a whole new and different area of resources, especially agriculture, which we would come to find in the future was great for growing crops and raising animals. It also simply allowed the American sense of adventure/discovery to blossom as Westward Expansion would boom during the 1800s.
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