Louisiana Purchase

The Arrow Rock State Historic Site visitors’ center opened in 1991 and features nearly 9,000 square feet of exhibit space. The center interprets the history of Arrow Rock and the central Missouri region historically known as “Boone’s Lick Country.” You can watch a 20-minute video “Arrow Rock: Frontier Town of the Boone’s Lick” an introduction and overview of the community.

In 1803, France sold the United States hundreds of thousands of acres of land west of the Mississippi River—lands that belonged to many Indigenous people.

Federal Land Offices, like the one in Steubenville, parceled out the lands taken from Indigenous people and gave it to White, mostly male American citizens.

This lesson is based on Vieux Carré Historic District, one of the thousands of properties and districts listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This property has been designated a National Historic Landmark.

As the American economy blossomed in the early 19th century, many of the French developed an opinion about our new policies. Read here about how they reacted to US support of free trade, something that Meriwether Lewis also advocated for between American traders and Tribal Nations.

After the Louisiana Purchase was completed between France and the United States in December 1803, the United States and Spain were unable to agree on the boundary between Louisiana Territory and Texas. In order to avert an armed clash, Gen. James Wilkinson and Lt. Col. Simón de Herrera, the American and Spanish military commanders respectively entered into an agreement declaring the disputed territory Neutral Ground on November 5, 1806.

On Tuesday, December 20, 1803, in The Cabildo, a government building used by both the Spanish and French in New Orleans, the Louisiana Territory was officially transferred from France to the United States. The U.S. would take possession 10 days later.

Once the U.S. Congress ratified the treaty which purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in October 1803, the actual transfer took place in two phases. Lower Louisiana was transferred in New Orleans in December 1803, but due to difficult winter travel conditions up the Mississippi River, Upper Louisiana wasn’t transferred in St. Louis until the following spring, in March 1804.

The Louisiana Purchase consisted of three different written agreements between the United States and France. The first was a treaty of cession and the other two outlined the details of the financial transactions.

There are certain dates that people circle on their calendar. Year to year, these dates may change for some, with the incidental importance one day may hold to the next. Vacations, doctor’s appointments, dates, family reunions, etc. are all important. They affect us all differently, at varied stages of our lives. One date, however, on the calendar of most Americans, is generally highlighted. The fourth day of July is significant for all of us.