Essay About Indian War France And President Thomas Jefferson

Louisiana Purchase
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Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was done in the year 1803. In this purchase the United
States of America paid fifteen million dollars to get all the land west of the Mississippi
River and east of the Rocky Mountains. This transaction was done between Thomas
Jefferson and the great Napoleon. The benefits that the United States of America
experienced from this purchase were numerous. For one, it gave the U.S. complete
control of the Mississippi, which in tern helped many farmers with transporting
goods. Second, it more than doubled the size of the United States. With this huge
amounts of land, the government could set up more farms to feed the young but
growing nation. Despite these benefits, however, many people believe that the
Louisiana Purchase was an unconstitutional mistake, for it was not written that the
government could buy land from other nations. The question, however, still remains, was
the Louisiana Purchase a necessity for the young growing nation, or was the purchase
an unconstitutional act done by President Thomas Jefferson himself?
At the end of the French and the Indian War France had given up its claims to
lands west of the Mississippi to Spain. However, when Napoleon came to power he took
back the Louisiana lands from Spain. The news of this transaction reached the United
States government. This alarmed the president and the rest of the republicans, for
they feared the French control of the western lands. First of, it would get France to
occupy the western lands of America. France, as one may know, was a powerful and
aggressive nation, having France on Americas borders created fear of invasion among
the Americans. Jefferson was also afraid that the French might limit the westward
expansion. Also, French control of the Gulf of Mexico and the mouth of the of the
Mississippi River could deprive westerners of the right to deposit at New Orleans, and
it could greatly limit their trade. “The day that France takes New Orleans,” said President
Jefferson, “We must marry ourselves to the British fleet ad nation.” (Curti 245). That
quote tells one that Jefferson was really concerned. It was this fact that led Jefferson to
urge the American minister to Paris, Robert R. Livingston, and James Monroe to travel
to France where they were to negotiate a deal with Napoleon. They were to offer ten
million dollars to Napoleon for New Orleans and West Florida.
When the ambassadors have arrived in Paris, they quickly began to negotiate with
Napoleon and his advisors. Napoleon then offered the American ambassadors a deal of a
lifetime–the whole Louisiana lands for only fifteen million dollars. Now why would
France want to sell all this land? For one, there was a civil war in the Island of Haiti.
There the slaves have revolted and won independence from France. Napoleon tried
hopelessly to get the Island of Haiti back under control, but it was to no avail. Without
control of Haiti the lands of Louisiana were useless to France, and thus Napoleon decided
to sell it to the Americans. Moreover, Napoleon was planning to conquer all of Europe,
this meant war with Great Britain. Since Napoleon knew that Britain would easily
gain Frances overseas lands, he decided to sell them for fifteen million dollars. Robert
Livingston and James Monroe contacted Jefferson, who only wanted to get New Orleans,
for advice, and the final decision. Jefferson, seeing it as an opportunity, agreed to pay
fifteen million dollars to get all of the Louisiana lands. “This land sale, probably the
largest in history, was negotiated early in 1803.” (Curti 247).