America as a great nation has a rich and diverse history spanning almost 250 years ever since its inception as one nation. Today the USA has undergone transformation and reformation even while witnessing both the joys and sadness of a history that can never be forgotten. Either way, be it the tragedy of 9/11 or the joys of the 4th of July, America always prevails steadfast as its pledge of allegiance proclaims, “One Nation Under God For Liberty And Justice For All”. Here are 12 important events in US history not likely to be forgotten.
12 Purchase of Louisiana
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Thomas Jefferson doubled the area of the USA when as the President o he purchased Louisiana from the French for 60 million francs. Frances debts that totaled an additional 18 million was canceled which made it a total of 78 million francs or $15 million. The area amounting to 828,800 sq miles is now valued in excess of $220 million today. The entire area makes up the states of Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas. The ruler of France was none other than Napoleon Bonaparte who besides needing the money also thought he was giving a fitting rival to England on the high seas.
Louisiana was explored by Louis and Clark on commission from the President to find a suitable water communication across the continent. This one large transaction allowed a third of the United States to be explored, acquired and founded.
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11 Lincoln Assassination
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America has had many of its worst moments in history but perhaps this was the first one of them. Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth who attributed the destruction of the south to Lincoln and the abolition of slavery. Booth’s conspirators were David Herold, John Surat, George Atzerodt and Lewis Powell. They had also planned to break into the house of the secretary of state William Seward and stab him to death. Atzerodt was also deputed to shoot vice president Andrew Johnson. Only Booth succeeded when he shot Lincoln with a .44 derringer at the Ford Theatre when Lincoln was watching a play “Our American Cousin”.
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