The Louisiana Purchase was a very significant event in the United States of America that changed the country we live in today. By “1762, Spain possessed the Louisiana Territory, between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains” (Office of the Historian). This purchase led to many great things because the French now had possession of it. Even though the French sold a major portion of the land in the Louisiana Purchase, the money gained by France and the land acquired by America was a win for both parties to the agreement. Many years before the Louisiana Purchase was even thought of, this land was owned by several Native American tribes that included men and women. “Evidence shows that they had extensive networks of cultural and economic exchange with surrounding tribes, reaching as far south as Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Material goods, such as language, technology, and recreational practices, were exchanged” (The Louisiana Purchase). Native Americans were good people and very humble, but unfortunately “they were overwhelmed by Europeans and disappeared as a distinct group before the 19th century” (The Louisiana Purchase). Panfio de Narvaez led the expedition in 1528 to the mouth of the Mississippi River. . Years had passed and Hernando de Soto did something similar, traveling to the northern and western states of Mississippi, then migrating to the Mississippi River traveling to the Gulf of Mexico where they began to take a great interest in Louisiana. In the 17th century, the French and French Canadians were seeking the ability to govern and control the Mississippi River and Gulf Coast, while also seeking religion and commercial operations. France claimed many states on both sides of the Mississippi River to trade with... middle of paper... a few years to complete the discovery of various plants, animals, and Native American tribes that remained undisturbed and forgotten before that time. This purchase brought benefits to both parties in the form of money to the French and land to the United States to continue the growth of their respective countries. Many great things came from the Louisiana Purchase, such as the California Gold Rush in the 19th century. It also led to a division in the nation between the North (free states) and the South (slave states) in the form of which of the new states would be free or slave. These differing views eventually led to a civil war, but had it not been for the Louisiana Purchase, no economic or geographic growth would have occurred. If it weren't for the Louisiana Purchase led by Thomas Jefferson, in my opinion the United States might still be just the 13 colonies we had in the beginning