The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal between the United States and France in 1803, in which the United States acquired nearly 828,000 square miles of the Louisiana territory for $15 million. This more than doubled the size of the United States at the time.
Napoleon Bonaparte, the emperor of France at the time, had originally planned to use Louisiana as a base for a new French empire in the Americas. However, he was forced to abandon this plan after a series of defeats in Europe, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
In order to raise money for his wars in Europe, Napoleon decided to sell Louisiana to the United States. The United States was eager to acquire the territory, as it gave them control of the Mississippi River and access to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Louisiana Purchase was a major turning point in American history. It more than doubled the size of the country, and it gave the United States a strong presence in the Midwest and the South. The purchase also helped to secure the western border of the United States, and it paved the way for the future expansion of the country.