What comes to mind when the Louisiana Purchase is mentioned? Is it images of vast, rolling plains, Thomas Jefferson, the Lewis and Clark expedition, or perhaps just shear, untapped potential and pride? It is widely accepted that the acquisition of the Louisiana territory shaped America, but why was it so significant? The answer lies in the many benefits it bestowed to the suddenly greater nation, from the numerous new resources to the international authority, and even a revision in reasoning and perspective. The Louisiana Purchase is considered one America’s most important and prosperous investments. The acquisition of the area would increase the size of the country two-fold; it was one of the largest property proceedings in history, involving more land than today’s France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, and the British Isles combined (Harriss). It would provide the U.S. with territory spanning from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada, and from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains; …show more content…
with. The purchase officially removed the last remnants of significant European power from the North American Continent, and ultimately laid the foundations of America as a major world power (Kennedy and Cohen, 209). In his article, Joseph Harris quoted Douglas Brinkley, director of the Eisenhower Center for American Studies in New Orleans, when he said, “With the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, [The Louisiana Purchase] is one of the three things that created the modern United States.” Without the authority this new asset had allotted, some of our standards, such as democracy and freedom, would have been less distinguished and dominant internationally. This dominance not only dictated what ideals were acknowledged around the world, but also allowed us to further expand our power into places such as Florida, Texas, California, Porto Rico and the