On October 20, 1803, the Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase Treaty by a vote of twenty-four to seven. The agreement, which provided for the purchase of the western half of the Mississippi River basin from France at a price of $15 million, or approximately four cents per acre, doubled the size of the country and paved the way for westward expansion beyond the Mississippi.

Question
Based on the excerpt, which of the following statements can be inferred about the effect the Louisiana Purchase would have on the United States?

The inferred statement about the effect the Louisiana Purchase would have on the United States is that it would greatly increase the country's territory and allow for westward expansion beyond the Mississippi River.