Information

This month we're celebrating the bicenntenial of the Louisana Purchase. In April of 1803, this land purchase treaty was ratified between France (under Napoleon) and America (under President Jefferson). Jefferson originally wished to purchase only the city of New Orleans, to gain control of the Missisippi River. Instead, the Louisiana Purchase became the biggest land buy in history. The acquisition of the territory effectively doubled the size of the United States, adding 800,000 square miles of land for the sum of $15 million (a bargain at the time). In the map above, the yellow-colored portion represents the georgraphical area encompassed by the purchase.

Considered by many historians to be the most significant accomplishment of Thomas Jefferson during his presidency, the Louisiana Purchase lead directly to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which was directed by Jefferson to investigate the new territory opened up to American exploration. See below for more information and further readings on the Louisiana Purchase, as well as our seperate exhibition on the bicenntial celebration of Lewis and Clark.

Websites

1) The Louisiana Purchase Bicenntenial Page

            The main website commemorating the bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase of December 20, 1803. There are lots of links to individual states that owe part or all of their territory to the Louisiana Puchase. The site also contains information as to how each state is celebrating the bicentennial.

2) The Avalon Project at Yale Law School

            Here you can find a collection of historical documents that pertain to the Louisiana Purchase, including the wording of the original Louisiana Purchase Treaty.

3) A Louisianna Purchase Interactive Website

            This site includes a “Lousiana Purchase” game, with triva questions about the era. There are also teachers’ resources located on the site, in case you wish to formulate an instructional session on this historical event.

4) Boondocksnet.com- The Louisiana Purchase Cenntenial Celebration

            Some information on the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, which hosted the first Louisiana Purchase Cenntenial (1803-1903) celebration.

Bibliography

Note; these titles are held at the A.C. Buehler Library. Check our catalog for availability.

1) A wilderness so immense : the Louisiana Purchase and the destiny of America / Jon Kukla, 2003

call number: 976.3 K96w

2) The constitutional history of the Louisiana Purchase, 1803-1812./ Brown, Everett Somerville, 1972

call number: 342.73 B877C

3) From the palaces to the pike: visions of the 1904 World's Fair / Timothy J. Fox and Duane R. Sneddeker, 1997

call number: 907.477866 F794F

4) Views of Louisiana / Various authors, 1996

call number: 917.7 B797V

Created by J. Hill 10.29.03