Imagine how surprised they were when the French government offered to sell the entire (or whole) area, a much, much bigger area than just New Orleans known as the Louisiana Territory, for just $15 million.
试想当法国政府提出以1500万美元的价格出售整个(或全部)地区时,他们该有多么讶异,这个叫做路易斯安那属地的面积可比新奥尔良要大得多得多。
This area was almost 830,000 square miles!
这个地区的面积将近830,000平方英里!
This was much more land than the U.S. had intended (or planned) to buy, but the opportunity was too good to pass up (or not buy).
这可比美国打算(或计划)购买的土地要多,但机不可失,不能放弃(或不买)。
The territory was bought in 1803 and the transaction (or sale) became known as the Louisiana Purchase.
该地区于1803年被购买,该交易(或买卖)被称为“路易斯安那购地案”。
The Louisiana Territory was larger than the whole United States at that time.
路易斯安那属地的面积比当时整个美国的面积都要大。
Today the area is almost one-fourth (or 25%) of the United States, covering 15 states and part of Canada.
如今,该地区的面积将近是美国领土面积的四分之一(或25%),覆盖了15个州和加拿大的一部分。
Most of the Louisiana Territory was uncharted land when it was bought, meaning that it was land that no one had explored (or traveled to and knew very much about).
购买路易斯安那属地时它的大部分地区都人迹罕至,也就是说没有人勘探过(或前往并了解过)这片土地。
It was also home for many Native Americans who were not involved in the transaction and did not even know about the purchase.
它也是许多美洲原住民的家园,他们没有参与这一交易,他们被蒙在了鼓里。
The United States and France had agreed that the U.S. would own the land, but the U.S. would spend the next years fighting the Native Americans there to decide who would actually get to use the land.
美国和法国一致同意美国将拥有这片土地,但美国会在接下来的几年里与那里的美洲原住民进行战争来决定谁真正拥有这片土地的使用权。