The Pros And Cons Of The Purchase Of Louisiana

Despite not having enough money and being in debt, The United States government instead focused on expanding their nation and purchased the Louisiana territory from France. Although seemingly contradictive, the United States government wanted to expand westward despite the costs and when the opportunity presented itself, they took it. The territory of Louisiana was purchased from France for fifteen million dollars during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency in 1803. The Louisiana territory “stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada and from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains” (Give Me Liberty, Eric Foner, pg 310). This purchase “doubled the size of the United States…and Federalists were appalled” because the United States gave money

Previously, under the Spanish and French, “law accorded free blacks…nearly all the rights of white citizens” (Give Me Liberty, Eric Foner, pg 312). Under Spanish rule in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, slaves “enjoyed legal protections”, it was “easy for slaves to obtain their freedom through purchase or voluntary emancipation by their owners”, and “slave women had the right to go to court for protection against cruelty or rape by their owners” (Give Me Liberty, Eric Foner, pg 312). The treaty that relinquished the rights of Louisiana to the United States “promised that all free inhabitants would enjoy the rights, advantages, and immunities of citizens” (Give Me Liberty, Eric Foner, pg 313). Despite making the treaty agreement, the promises were not followed through with. For example, “Spanish and French civil codes…recognized women as co-owners of family property, but under American rule, Louisiana kept the principle of community property within marriage” (Give Me Liberty, Eric Foner, pg 313). Also, “free blacks suffered a steady decline in status” which was affected drastically by the implement of slave codes in the South that forbade blacks to ever consider themselves as equal to whites and “limiting the practice of manumission and access to the courts” (Give Me Liberty, Eric Foner, pg 313). Ironically, slaves enjoyed more freedom “under the rule of tyrannical Spain than as part of the liberty-loving United States” Give Me Liberty, Eric Foner, pg 313). Women and blacks got the short end of the stick during the United States westward expansion and were in turn burdened the