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France sold the United States the Louisiana territory in 1803. This occurred when Napoleon made a deal with Robert R. Livingston to sell the entire territory. It was mentioned that France sold this territory, because of their recent war with Great Britian and needed the money from the sale. France sold the territory for $11,250,000. As well as selling the claims they had on the people who lived there under the French rule for $3,750,000. This territory was 2,144,520 square km. However, in the treaty of the purchase, there was not a clear distinction of the boundary line that included this territory. This left more negotiation with Spain and France to figure this out.¹

This research will be focused on the Louisiana purchase. Specifically, the effect it had on the indigenous tribes during this time. The significance of this research is to understand the impact of the Indigenous tribes. This research will be focused on the years 1800-1820. This is a part of the United States history that is often ignored, since the focus became taking land from France and having more territory than Great Britain. This research is aimed at those who are unaware of the horrific events the Indigenous nations experienced at this time and how that affected their history and culture. It is important to make this information available in digital form to a wide audience, to educate young scholars on the history of our country. The Louisiana purchase impacted the treatment and agreements in place with the Indigenous nations living on the land.

¹“Louisiana Purchase.” Encyclopædia Britannica, October 22, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/event/Louisiana-Purchase