Who traveled part way down the Mississippi River?
Hernando de Soto
Which explorer traveled down the Mississippi River from the Great Lakes finally reaching the Gulf of Mexico?
René-Robert Cavelier
What happened to the Mandan villages?
In 1781, a smallpox epidemic devastated the Mandan villages forcing the survivors to move north and establish two villages about five miles south of the Hidatsa villages. They prospered once again until an 1837 smallpox epidemic reduced the Mandan to as few as 125 individuals.
How did the Louisiana Purchase benefit the United States economy?
The Louisiana Purchase widely influenced the economic development of the United States. It essentially doubled the size of the United States and allowed plenty of Americans to migrate west. There were a variety of agricultural opportunities because of the new farmland and forests discovered in the west.
Why did France sell Louisiana to the US?
The Louisiana Purchase Was Driven by a Slave Rebellion. Napoleon was eager to sell—but the purchase would end up expanding slavery in the U.S. Slaves revolting against French power in Haiti. But the purchase was also fueled by a slave revolt in Haiti—and tragically, it ended up expanding slavery in the United States.
How did the US pay the French the total amount owed?
According to this article in Wikipedia, the Louisiana Purchase was settled with $3M payment in gold as a down payment, and the US issued bonds for the rest. The US cancelled $3.75M in debt owed by France and paid Napoleon the balance of 50 million francs or $11.25M in gold to cover the amount of $15M.
How much would the Louisiana Purchase cost in 2020?
You’d arrive at more than $51 billion 1973 dollars, or more than a quarter trillion today. Even at $2.6 billion for all of it—or $8.5 billion, adjusted for inflation—the Louisiana Purchase remains an unbelievable steal.
How much did America pay for Louisiana Purchase?
In 1803 the United States paid France $15 million for the Louisiana Territory–828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River.
What is Alaska worth today?
Today, Alaska is, of course, worth much more than that. The state encompasses 586,412 square miles or more than 375 million acres. 2 Even at a cost of just $100 per acre, that would equate to more than $37 billion.
What if Russia had not sold Alaska?
The point is: If they had not sold Alaska, they would have lost it anyway. If Russia hadn’t sold Alaska the state would have broken from Russia during the Russian Civil War and eother become an independent state closely allied to America (as Canada is). Or, more likely, the state would have requested to join Canada.