Today, it seems, is the 200th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase, in which President Jefferson doubled the land area of the USA at one stroke by buying the greater part of the present-day "Midwest" from France for $15 million. (Napoleon had some stompling of his neighbors to do and needed the money.)

Of course, no one asked the people LIVING ON THE LAND AT THE TIME what they thought of this. But for better and worse, it is certainly one of the more significant moments in USA history. (end lecture.)

copyright 2003 carrie lynn king.