President Thomas Jefferson acquired the Louisiana Territory by purchasing it from France in 1803. With this purchase, the geographical size of the United States doubled. Questions
1. Why would this large addition to the United States territory excite farmers, ranchers, and immigrants?

2. How do you think the Native American tribes living in this region may have felt about their land being owned by the United States? Why?

3. What challenges did families who wanted to establish farms or ranches in this new territory face?

4. What challenges would the acquisition of such a large land area pose to a young democratic government?