Did the US need the Louisiana Purchase?

I would argue yes. For one, there are constant Indian attacks that attacked American settlers west of the Appalachian mountains and retreated back into then French territory, which the army can't invade unless they want to provoke France. read more

The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 brought into the United States about 828,000,000 square miles of territory from France, thereby doubling the size of the young republic. read more

The Louisiana Purchase (French: Vente de la Louisiane "Sale of Louisiana") was the acquisition of the Louisiana territory (828,000 square miles or 2.14 million km²) by the United States from France in 1803. read more

At the time, the L.P. was a huge unoccupied wilderness. The only population center was New Orleans, and Jefferson wanted that city, bad. The proposal was to purchase the city only, from the French. read more