There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad-free.

Listen with Wondry Plus in the Wondari app,

or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts at intohistory.com.

This retro episode of History Daily originally aired on March 23, 2022.

It's December 20, 1803 in New Orleans.

Behind the closed door of a meeting room,

three men prepared to seal one of the greatest real estate deals in history.

Commanding General of the U.S. Army, James Wilkinson, watches as Louisiana's French governor,

Pierre Clément Delassard, signs a document that will officially transfer the Louisiana territory

to the United States. The signing done, the men ride to exchange handshakes. Wilkinson watches as

Louisiana's last French governor shapes the hand of William C. C. Clairborn.

Louisiana's first American governor. With this exchange,

the Louisiana purchase is finally complete. Wilkinson walks to the nearest window

and draws the curtain to peer out to the crowd gathering outside. He watches as a color guard

pulls down the French flag and raises the U.S. flag in its place. Then as Wilkinson opens the

window, he hears cheers erupt from the city's American settlers. Wilkinson can't help but notice

the grim faces on the city's Spanish and French residents in the crowd. They're not sure what's coming.

Wilkinson isn't smiling either. Though President Thomas Jefferson himself entrusted

Wilkinson to take possession of the Louisiana territory. Wilkinson does not support American

expansion. He doesn't say it out loud. He keeps his true opinion secret because he's a spy

serving the Spanish Empire. And today's landmark achievement for the growth of American territory

spells trouble for the nation he has secretly pledged his allegiance to. At 530 million acres,

...