The Louisiana Purchase expanded U.S. territory from the west bank of the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and was purchased from which country?

• A. France
• B. Spain
• C. Britain
• D. Portugal

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how the United States expanded its territory through a major foreign-aent purchase. In 1803, the U.S. bought the vast Louisiana Territory from France. France, led by Napoleon, agreed to sell the land spanning from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains for about $15 million, also ensuring American access to New Orleans as a crucial port. This purchase more than doubled the size of the United States and set the stage for westward exploration and settlement, including the Lewis and Clark expedition. While Spain had controlled parts of the region earlier, by the time of the sale the land was under French control, so the seller was France, not Spain, Britain, or Portugal.