The Louisiana Purchase Would you believe that what is now the middle portion of the United States was once purchased from France for a mere 15 million dollars? This might sound like a lot of money, but in 1803, for that amount of land, it was still quite a bargain. This huge international business deal was called the Louisiana Purchase, and for the price of about 45 cents an acre, the United States nearly doubled in size.
From 1776 to 1803 the United States was about a quarter of the size it is today. It stretched from the northern tip of Maine down to the southern border of Georgia and was marked on the west by the Mississippi River. At the time, the United States was growing fast and Thomas Jefferson, the president, knew that to be a competitive force in the world, the United States would have to acquire and settle more land.
Initially, Jefferson offered to buy only the port city of New Orleans, Louisiana. However, France was in desperate need of money and offered to sell the entire Louisiana Territory to the United States. This land stretched from the eastern border of the Mississippi River across the Midwest and through half of what is now Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and the northern tip of Texas. At 830,000 square miles, this purchase instantly doubled the land area of the United States! The United States was well on its way to becoming a larger country and one of the largest powers in the world.

Which of the following best describes the organization of the paragraphs in this passage?​
A

during the purchase, purpose of the purchase, after the purchase

B

general introduction, before the purchase, after the purchase

C

purpose of the purchase, after the purchase, conclusion

D

general introduction, after the purchase, purpose of the purchase