Nathan Vang
Professor Melvin R. Earnest
History 1301
17 November 2015 Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase The $15 million dollars real estate purchase of Louisiana from the French is probably one of the greatest real estate deals in history. When Thomas Jefferson heard that Spain was giving back the Louisiana territory to the French he was worried that if the french gained control of the Mississippi River, and the ports in New Orleans the United States would no longer have access to the Gulf of Mexico, which would upset America's Plan, Therefore Thomas Jefferson ordered U.S. Minister Robert Livingston, and former governor of Virginia James Monroe to negotiate a trade with France for the Louisiana Territory. With Napoleon Bonaparte
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It was a less cost than expected and for a vast amount of land. The U.S. secured the Mississippi River for free usage to transport goods to markets, and not only that this led to Jefferson authorizing and funding the Lewis & Clark Expedition, which proved to be a good thing because we learned so much about the territory they explored. The river not only made trade easier in Louisiana but all over the country. After the purchase, America had complete control of the river without interference from France or Spain. That is the major benefit of the Louisiana purchase. Then as now the Mississippi is a major waterway for the transport of goods from the mid-west and North to the Gulf of Mexico. Also, as you may know, the purchase doubled the size of the country, which allowed the U.S. to continue its westward expansion. After the signing of the Louisiana Purchase Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set an expedition to explore the vast wilderness of the west, traveling 8,000 miles they gathered up huge amounts of information on the resources, people, wildlife, …show more content…
This was an important mark of U.S. History because they got to keep the ports on the Mississippi River, they gained 828,000 square miles of land for just only $15 million, and the Lewis and Clark expedition which led to the westward expansion. Thomas Jefferson Purchase of Louisiana was unconstitutional and he tried to say his actions were constitutional but didn't have enough evidence to prove it was in the constitution. Louisiana was an important historical event in U.S. history, but what Thomas Jefferson did to get it questions was it for the young growing nation or an unconstitutional act done by
Without the Louisiana Purchase, many major factors contributing to the growth of the U.S. would most likely never have happened, and it would still be a small, minor country rather than a major world power. “Americans might turn their eyes southward and create states out of Cuba, Central America, or even Latin America… The Civil War may even be avoided altogether with slavery being phased out in the late 19th century”(6). Most likely, the United States would press to find land in other areas, but none of them would be as beneficial and necessary as the Louisiana Purchase. Even without it, Jefferson would “Attempt to seize New Orleans, but if the French have a secure base to send troops to Louisiana to, it could get ugly for the U.S.”(7).
Because, this purchase from France helped to magnify the nation by essentially doubling the size of it. However, Jefferson faced a serious problem against his own moral principal pertaining to the Louisiana Purchase because as someone who highly opposed of the federal government using their power over the common man by spending the nation’s money. Because the purchase of property such as land from a foreign government was not within the constitution, and to Jefferson the federal government’s rights were based on the words written within the constitution. Through this purchase he would be using his own presidency power going against the limits of what the federal governments rights according to the Constitution. Which to Jefferson was unconstitutional, his justification towards his decision to draft a treaty for the purchase against his moral principal was the reality that if not purchased then and there.
Thomas Jefferson during his terms (1801-1809), Jefferson made on of the most controversial decision at that time, the Louisiana Purchase, he sent James Monroe in 1803 to help with the negotiation to buy New Orleans. Monroe was astonished to learn that France already offered to sell 828,00 square miles of Louisiana to the United States for $15 million (4cent an acre), by April 30 they sign a treaty to purchase the vast territory. Its legality was questionable, the constitution gave him no clear authority to acquire new territory and incorporate into the nation but it promised fulfillment of the dream of a continental nation reaching the Pacific Coast. When John Quincy Adams was adopted as Secretary of State, one of his remarkable moves was to settle long-term dispute with Spain. During the war of1812 U.S. remain on the West Florida, Adams dealt with Don Luis de Onís (Spanish minister) who ceded Florida without payment this was later on known as the “Adams –Onís Treaty”.
Jefferson knew it was a good buy, in contrary, he would have to break his anti-alliances policy in order to defeat Napoleon and his army. He proposed to make an alliance with Britain against France to secure New Orleans. Once Louisiana was ceded by the United States by signing three treaties for $15 million, Thomas Jefferson the strict constructionist was conflicted. He did not want to break the constitution where it says the president is authorized to obtain treaties with a large expanse into the union. The expanse was filled with diverse inhabitants, he ensured that American experiment in democracy would be beneficial.
The Louisiana Purchase was land that was bought by America from France. By purchasing this land it opened new opportunities for faster trade and more land that they could use to colonize. The two famous explorers that were able to discover and chart new routes that could be used. For example on one of their journeys they were able to find an overland route that would get them through the mountain range. Drafted and put into act by the U.S president Thomas Jefferson and Secretary of State James Madison the Embargo Act of 1807 would control the trade in and out of the U.S. “during the continuance of the, act laying an embargo on all ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States (Embargo Act 1807).”
If Jefferson were to purchase the Louisiana territory, like he should, we 'll take control of the massive Mississippi River. This river we have been using since it was discover this river is essential for trade our country needs foreign resources and money from trades. Let alone this river helps with our economics such as cheaper, less dangerous travel trading, and fishing this river will help our economic system
The Louisiana Purchase was a purchase of the Louisiana Territory bought by President Thomas Jefferson from France without saying anything to anyone except he had the help of Robert R. Livingston, and James Monroe, who went to France to make the deal for Louisiana Territory. Jefferson bought approximately 827,000 square miles of land for $15 million dollars. This was the biggest purchase that had been ever made. He thought this was the best decision for the future growth of the United States. This purchase of the Louisiana Territory seemed like a good thing for the United States, but not everyone was happy about it.
The purchase was beneficial to to the United states for these main reasons. The Louisiana purchase was a gain for the United States because it was a very cheap acquirement. The
Although the Louisiana Purchase was one of our Nation 's greatest achievement, the circumstances involved in this action should have warranted the dismissal of this act. Thomas Jefferson may have overstepped his executive limitations with
The land mass was first claimed by france, ceded to Spain in 1762, and then ceded back to France nearly 40 years later. History in unclear whether France first offered it to the U.S. or the U.S. showed interest in it to buy it from France. In a Note to U.S. minister Robert Livingston, Thomas jefferson, The Third President said “The day that France takes possession of New Orleans…we must marry ourselves
1. I think that some reasons that america had intrest in buying some or all of the Louisiana Territory are that they want to expand their land, get new resources form the land, and use the Mississippi river for trade an transportation. 2. Based on what I already know about this period in US history, I think that some consequences of the Louisiana Purchase would be that the US could be in debt after it, the natives could retaliate, and the new part could feel separated from the rest of the country. I think that the US could be in debt after the purchase because we are still a new-ish country and we have been trying to aviod war because of the cost.
In Document A: Alexander Hamilton, it states, “The purchase of New Orleans is essential to the peace and prosperity of out Western country, and opens a free and valuable market to our commercial states.” This means that if it wasn’t for the Louisiana Purchase that the United States wouldn’t be a
Imagine bringing your family from Paris to New Orleans and expecting to reign over the majority of Louisiana. The same territory that was suppose to be France’s North American Empire. However, before you know it, the territory you expected to reign over is sold. This is exactly what happened to Pierre Clement de Laussat when Napoleon Bonaparte sold the territory to the United States. The sale was known as the Louisiana Purchase and it changed the world.
Lewis and Clark Some might know about the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark's expedition but do you know how it benefited the U.S. besides just doubling our size? Well, Lewis and Clark traveled to the United States that achieved mapping out new uncharted territory and advancing the U.S. medical prowess. Officially starting such a journey for Lewis and Clark, the French sold all the land west of the Mississippi river in 1803 totaling around 15 million dollars and 530 million acres of land, this purchase doubled the size of the U.S. at the time. Such a purchase included 15 states (Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Minnesota.) The French sold Louisiana
France came back with the counter offer of the whole Louisiana territory for a little more than a nickle a square mile (“background”). This was an offer that would be very beneficial to capitalize on, yet it went against Thomas Jefferson’s beliefs in the