The Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase

• Thomas Jefferson was president and wanted New Orleans.

• Occurred on April 30th, 1803• Purchased from France (Napolean Bonaparte)• $15,000,000• 800,000 square miles (got New Orleans and a

whole lot more)• Doubled the United States size.• Jefferson did this very quickly because he really

didn’t have the authority to do this.

So…The question is, was this a good deal for America or should

Jefferson have been impeached?

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One acre is 43,560 square feet or 4,840 square yards. There are exactly 640 acres in a square mile.

a. How many acres were purchased?

b. What was the cost per acre?

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Today, an acre of land can cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000,000.

Assuming $500 per acre as a very low price, how much would the Louisiana Purchase have cost at this rate?

The value of money then and now

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Use the chart to determine the price of the Louisiana Purchase in today’s dollars.

http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

This is an inflation calculator