How did the Louisiana Purchase impact the size of the United States?
(1 point)
Responses
It had no significant impact on the size of the United States
It had no significant impact on the size of the United States
It doubled the size of the United States' territory
It doubled the size of the United States' territory
It reduced the size of the United States' territory
It reduced the size of the United States' territory
It increased the size of the United States by 50%
It doubled the size of the United States' territory.
The correct response is:
(2 points)
It doubled the size of the United States' territory
The correct answer is: It doubled the size of the United States' territory.
To arrive at this answer, we need to understand what the Louisiana Purchase was and its impact on the size of the United States.
The Louisiana Purchase refers to the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from France by the United States in 1803. This territory encompassed a vast area, including present-day states such as Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, parts of Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, New Mexico, Texas, and Montana, as well as portions of Canada.
To determine the impact on the size of the United States, we can analyze the territorial extent before and after the purchase. Prior to the Louisiana Purchase, the United States consisted mainly of the original 13 colonies and the western areas acquired through the Treaty of Paris in 1783. This meant that the United States had a relatively small territorial presence.
After the Louisiana Purchase, the United States effectively doubled its land area overnight. The acquisition added approximately 828,000 square miles of territory to the country. This expansion significantly increased the size of the United States, opening up vast new lands for settlement and future growth.
Therefore, the correct answer is that the Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States' territory.