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When Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States, the French had only just retaken control of the region. Napoleon had acquired Louisiana Territory from the Spanish after signing the Treaty of San Ildefonso.
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In the Treaty of San Ildefonso France received six warships and the Louisiana Territory and the Spanish king's son-in-law was appointed to the position of king of Etruria in Italy.
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The Canadian Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan had small portions of land in their southern regions sold as part of the Louisiana Purchase.
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The fifteen U.S. states that included land forming part of the Louisiana Territory included portions of North and South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Texas.
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In essence the Louisiana Purchase covered the land from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains, with its most southern tip at the Gulf of Mexico at New Orleans, and its most northern region stretching to the border at Canada.
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The Louisiana Purchase almost did not happen. Congress passed the purchase with a vote of 59-57, with many leaders opposing Thomas Jefferson's plan. They thought it would start a war with Spain, and that the President did not have the right to make the purchase.
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The land purchased in the Louisiana Purchase cost about $0.03 an acre at the time.
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After the Louisiana Purchase was made Thomas Jefferson decided to send Lewis and Clark on their now famous expedition to explore the newly acquired land.
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Expeditions to explore the newly acquired land included Lewis and Clark's expedition, the Pike Expedition, and the Red River Expedition.
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The United States did not have all the money needed to buy the Louisiana Territory from France. The U.S. had $3 million in gold, and had to borrow from two banks in Europe at 6% interest.
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The purchase of $15 million did not include the $3.75 million debt from France being paid off. Therefore amount the U.S. had to come up with was $11.25 million, but all they had was $3 million in gold. Once the loans for the $8.25 million balance were paid off in 1823 the total cost of the Louisiana Purchase was more than $23 million.
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Napoleon wanted his money quickly because he had intended to invade England. He never succeeded in his plan.
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