Not Worth A Sou

The Louisiana Purchase: A Costly Mistake

The United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 for $15 million. At the time, it was hailed as a great bargain. But now, historians say it was actually a huge mistake.

A Vast and Useless Territory

The Louisiana Territory was a huge and mostly unexplored region. It stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. But most of it was worthless desert or swamp.

The United States paid a lot of money for the Louisiana Territory, but it didn't get much in return. The land was too barren to farm, and it was too far away from the rest of the country to be of much use.

A Costly Mistake

The Louisiana Purchase was a costly mistake for the United States. It cost the country $15 million, and it didn't give the country anything in return.

The United States would have been better off not buying the Louisiana Territory. It would have saved the country a lot of money, and it would have avoided the problems that came with it.