On This Day (3/10/1803): In 1803 the Louisiana Purchase took place. It was the acquisition by the United States of America of 828,800 square miles (2,147,000 km2) of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S. paid 60 million francs ($11,250,000) plus cancellation of debts worth 18 million francs ($3,750,000), for a total sum of 15 million dollars for the Louisiana territory ($219 million in 2010 dollars). What was purchased was France's claim only, not the actual territory, which belonged to the Native Tribes which inhabited the area. The territory itself was acquired slowly throughout the nineteenth century by different battles and wars, as well as treaties signed with various Native American tribes.