The land Napoleon sold the US in 1803 now lies in 15 American states and two Canadian provinces.

1803

It cost less than three cents an acre.

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The event

• Louisiana Purchase1803 · New Orleans, USA. President Jefferson wanted to buy only New Orleans from France, but Napoleon, short of money for his war with Britain, offered all of Louisiana. For $15 million the US gained some 2.1 million km² between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains, nearly doubling the country. In 1804 the Lewis and Clark expedition set out to explore the new lands as far as the Pacific.

19th century

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