Thomas Jefferson played an immensely instrumental part of the expansion in the United States. Jefferson was elected to the highest ranking office of our country, becoming the third president in 1801. Since the time the Americas gained freedom from England, they endeavored to expand the country westward. Unfortunately, the land belonged to France and it would require negotiations to secure. Fortuitously, France was facing a dire financial crisis. Napoleon, who some considered a tyrant, ruled the land to the west and had squandered his nation’s money on war. He was compelled to sell the land to fund his expansion campaigns in Europe. The Louisiana Territory consisted of 828,000 acres of land, and was sold for only fifteen million dollars! Each acre cost measly four cents which today can’t buy you a sweet-savory stick of gum! Ultimately it was this expansion that proved Jefferson to be an adept leader and pillar of our nation.
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