Louisiana Purchase
Another landmark decision for Jefferson would come in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase. In 1787, the Northwest Ordinance established a procedure by which territories, or sections of land in the western U.S., could become states. Under President Jefferson’s administration, the Land Act of 1800 allowed settlers to purchase land in small increments on credit in the western region of the United States. A major selling point of this area was the Mississippi River. The river not only provided a water source, but also a means of transportation, which served as an asset in trading.
