1. Which of the following events occurred, which most likely prompted the United States to coitsider purchasing the city of New Orleans? a. The United States started growing much more tobacco than they had previously. b. Spain revoked the United States' ability to use New Orleans as a port in 1798 . c. The course of the Mississippi River drastically changed and made New Orleans more important. d. The invention of the steam ship made traveling up the Mississippi River more practical.

In the late 18th century, New Orleans was a strategic port city crucial for trade, especially for the burgeoning agricultural output of the American interior. When Spain, which controlled the city at the time, imposed restrictions on U.S. access to the port, it raised alarms among American leaders about the potential loss of access to vital trading routes. This event significantly heightened the urgency for the United States to obtain control over New Orleans to secure its economic interests. Additionally, the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, which included New Orleans, was instrumental in expanding U.S. territory and securing control over the Mississippi River. This monumental deal not only doubled the size of the nation but also facilitated westward expansion. The acquisition permitted American settlers easier access to the fertile lands of the Midwest, proving essential for the country's growth and development.