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 …show more content…
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
Section 1- Political Developments A) The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 doubled the territory of the United States. The land was acquired from France in a deal between Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon. This new territory increased the feeling of independence by letting settlers and yeoman farmers expand into the west.
Jefferson decided to try and buy New Orleans. Why did he want to buy it? He wanted to be sure that American farmers would always be able to ship their goods through the port. Jefferson sent Robert Livingston and James Monroe to buy New Orleans and to buy West Florida from Napoleon. The president said they could offer as much as $10 million.
Another reason we bought the Louisiana Purchase was to admit more states. We needed to admit more states so we could expand our population. We wanted more
So by purchasing the Louisiana Territory and doubling the size of the US, I say this promoted Jefferson’s vision for the country. There were also ways that the Louisiana Purchase went
The Louisiana Purchase has more than doubled our available land. This means we can spread into the land when we get too crowded at our towns. This also means that the available supplies would increase as we can get medicines and other stuff from over on the purchased land. The land might have more than we
In addition, it sped up Manifest Destiny as it was inevitable that the U.S had just doubled in size. The purchase, however, also caused conflict with Native Americans and Mexico. Due to geographic factors the United States government has decided to make certain decisions and take certain actions. Making the Louisiana Purchase and Passing the Proclamation of 1763 are two examples of this. The government took these actions for many reasons which include peace between people, resources, and
The Louisiana Purchase was historic and significant event to the United States because, under President Thomas Jefferson, it basically added tremendous land opportunities to the colonists' farmers and provided property to many buyers. This moment in history was essential because the Jefferson saw it necessary to literally buyout France occupation of the territory. Jefferson knew that his presidency didn't limit his power to make such a huge achievement. "... Jefferson had to abandon his conviction that the federal government was limited to powers specifically mentioned in the Constitution, since the document said nothing about buying territory from a foreign power"(304). The Louisiana Purchase provided a new chance for total power through land.
The Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana purchase was one of the biggest land purchases in history. In 1803, the United States paid around $15 million dollars for around 800,000 square miles of land. This was arguably the greatest achievement of thomas jefferson’s presidency. The louisiana territory was a wild card in the european game of imperialism.
The Federalists obviously opposed the Louisiana Purchase for political reasons, not practical because they hated Thomas Jefferson. "I am disgusted with the men who now rule us. The coward at the head [Jefferson] is like a French Revolutionary," (Pickering, 1803) stated Timothy Pickering in a letter to Rufus King. This shows, clearly, that federalists only care about opposing Thomas Jefferson, not opposing the Louisiana Purchase. Most federalists, although some had very good reasons for opposing the constitution, only cared about hatred for Mr. Jefferson and with that hatred for all of his ideas.
Manifest Destiny is known as the nations biggest attempt to expand westward and possibly to gain control of the world. The idea imperialism started off the idea of gaining power over the wen led to bloody battles and successful wars for the United states. The Louisiana Purchase was the first territory the U.S gained in 1803. James Monroe and Livingston were sent by the president to Paris to negotiate the sale.
The Louisiana Purchase was the purchase of the Louisiana territory by the United States from France in 1803. The U.S. paid fifty million dollars and a cancellation of debts worth eighteen million dollars which averages to less than three cents per acre. The Louisiana territory included land from fifteen present U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. The territory contained land that forms Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, portions of Minnesota, large portions of North Dakota; large portions of South Dakota, parts of New Mexico, the northern portion of Texas, the area of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. The Louisiana Purchase was smart move by the United States.
Louisiana Purchase was unconstitutional. Large County was impossible to govern. Others objected to the $15 million price tag. "We are to give money of which we have too little," wrote a Boston critic,” for land of which we already have too much. Another issue was that the states might get too much power and could overrule the government.
The dilemma that bourdons me the most is that if I buy this Louisiana Purchase then I will not be following the constitution. I have always said that I need to follow the constitution strictly. The constitution does not give me, the president, the power to buy land for the nation. If I buy this land I could be going against the constitution, but I cannot pass up this offer to double the United States overnight.
It was known as the Louisiana Territory. Napoleon didn't have any need for this land after his attempt to control Haiti and revolved to sell it for financial aid to get back money lost in the attack. This was good for America because "farmers needed access to the Mississippi to transport their crops to markets. Their goods traveled down the Mississippi to New Orleans, where workers loaded them onto other ships bound for markets on the East Coast. " The two nations compromised on a price of $15 million, and this exchange was regarded as the Louisiana Purchase.
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