who sold the louisiana territory to the united states

By April 30, 1803, they hashed out an agreement where the Americans would pay $15 million, a considerable reduction, although its constitutionality was debated. 730 Words3 Pages. In this light the deal can be seen as a win-win between Napoleon and the United States. By the 1720s, several settlements had developed, the chief of which was the territory's capital at New Orleans. C. would have a hard time managing the land and needed the money for war in Europe. Your email address will not be published. Without sufficient revenues from sugar colonies in the Caribbean, Louisiana had little value to him. The British would have likely garrisoned New Orleans and would have occupied it for a very long time because they and their ally Spain did not recognize any treaties and land deals conducted by Napoleon since 1800, especially the Louisiana Purchase. By early 1803, Napoleon decided to abandon his plans to rebuild France's New World empire. The U.S. adapted the former Spanish facility at Fort Bellefontaine as a fur trading post near St. Louis in 1804 for business with the Sauk and Fox. 50721. The question of what to do with the territory brought out deep divisions along sectional lines and ultimately helped lead to the Civil War. This success stuck in Napoleon's craw. The Louisiana Purchase extended United States sovereignty across the Mississippi River, nearly doubling the nominal size of the country. The final price after the 15-year bonds were paid was $27 million, still a very good deal for the United States, and not really a bad one for Napoleon, considering the pressure he was under to dump the territory. Napoleon brought stabilization to the regime, though direct taxes on the population made up a sky-high ~60% of all government revenues, compared to just 30% pre-revolution.2, In addition, Napoleons government maintained a large standing army to protect the nation and ward off enemies. Napoleon's goal: an American empire. The asking price was $125 million. [23], After Monroe and Livingston had returned from France with news of the purchase, an official announcement of the purchase was made on July 4, 1803. To read more on what we're all about, learn more about us here. President Thomas Jefferson had acquired purchased the Louisiana Territory almost a year earlier, for the price of about $15 million (about $342 million in 2020, adjusted for inflation).The ceremony took place in St. Louis, Missouri, earning the U.S. city its nickname "Gateway to . What was one reason the napoleon sold the Louisiana territory to the united states 2 See answers Advertisement JaxonA One reason Napoleon sold it because he needed the money. all of the above Ultimately, the French need for more money was a significant factor in Napoleons decision to sell Louisiana. The territory utterly transformed the nation over the next decades, in both good and bad ways. Out of anger towards Spain and the unique opportunity to sell something that was useless and not truly his yet, Napoleon decided to sell the entire territory. [citation needed], In Saint-Domingue, Leclerc's forces took Louverture prisoner, but their expedition soon faltered in the face of fierce resistance and disease. Alain Chappet, Roger Martin, Alain Pigeard. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million and nearly doubled the size of the U.S. National Geographicpoints out that in modern dollars, the Louisiana Purchase would have cost $342 million. The Louisiana territory would go on to play a central role in the westward expansion of the United States throughout the 19th century. The eastern boundary below the 31st parallel was unclear. In November 1803, France withdrew its 7,000 surviving troops from Saint-Domingue (more than two-thirds of its troops died there) and gave up its ambitions in the Western Hemisphere. [1][2] More recently, the total cost to the U.S. government of all subsequent treaties and financial settlements over the land has been estimated to be around 2.6 billion dollars.[1][2]. Despite the implications of the Louisiana Purchase for both France and the United States, Native Americans were unquestionably the biggest losers in the arrangement. The American representatives were prepared to pay up to $10million for New Orleans and its environs but were dumbfounded when the vastly larger territory was offered for $15million. [42] The first group of bonds were issued on January 16, 1804, but the banks had already provided a 10 million franc advance to France in July 1803. President Jefferson's Secretary of the Treasury. However at the time Napoleon traded long-term potential for short-term gain. While the dreams of colonial domination evaporated, Napoleon turned his attention towards establishing an empire across the European continent instead. Washington set a precedent by serving ______ terms as President. Louisiana had never been considered one of New Spain's internal provinces. While the transfer of the territory by Spain back to France in 1800 went largely unnoticed, fear of an eventual French invasion spread across America when, in 1801, Napoleon sent a military force to secure New Orleans. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Military expenditures accounted for nearly 60% of the overall budget, a staggering number to maintain.2. A final reason for Napoleons fateful decision was that he foresaw the difficulty in maintaining a French colony in North America across the Atlantic and so close to the United States. While Napoleon had his reasons for the sale of the Louisiana territory, the treaty has gone down in history as one of the most impactful for the United States. Pinckney's Treaty, signed with Spain on October 27, 1795, gave American merchants "right of deposit" in New Orleans, granting them use of the port to store goods for export. When Napoleon rose to power in 1799, the French governments finances were in disarray due to the effects of the French Revolution. [46], Because Napoleon wanted to receive his money as quickly as possible, Barings and Hopes purchased the bonds for 52 million francs, agreeing to an initial 6 million franc payment upon issuance of the bonds followed by 23 monthly payments of 2 million francs each. Knowing that war was imminent, Napoleon sensed two opportunities by selling the Louisiana territory. Even the commanding General, Napoleons brother-in-law Charles Leclerc, succumbed to tropical disease as did tens of thousands of other troops.1. This secret deal did not remain secret for long. In 1718, the French established New Orleans, and scant groups of colonists moved in. Manifest destiny was in full effect. This, together with the successful French demand for an indemnity of 150 million francs in 1825, severely hampered Haiti's ability to repair its economy after decades of war. Napoleon 6. First, as mentioned before, France needed more money for the impending war and to concentrate its resources on Europe. They wanted the U.S. government to establish laws allowing slavery in the newly acquired territory so they could be supported in taking their slaves there to undertake new agricultural enterprises, as well as to reduce the threat of future slave rebellions. (land, gold, and to start a new life). The Library of Congress explains how President Thomas Jefferson realized the precariousness of having France as a neighbor. Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin added that since the power to negotiate treaties was specifically granted to the president, the only way extending the country's territory by treaty could not be a presidential power would be if it were specifically excluded by the Constitution (which it was not). Nobody really knows what post-victory plans for New Orleans and Upper Louisiana were given by the British government to Major General Sir Edward Pakenham and his second-in-command Major General Samuel Gibbs because both generals were killed in action at the Battle of New Orleans. The additional land helped lead to the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the various frontier wars and broken treaties with the Plains natives of the late 1800s. PBS describes how by 1812, France had increased its army strength to 600,000 men, not to mention the thousands in the navy. ' Weegy: Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States because he would have a hard time managing . President Jefferson's Secretary of State. The land that was purchased was very, very cheap. Before the revolution, France had derived enormous wealth from St. Domingue at the cost of the lives and freedom of the slaves. [32] The Senate quickly ratified the treaty, and the House, with equal readiness, authorized the required funding, as the Constitution specifies. The problem with Saint-Domingue was that its entire economy was supported by and depended entirely upon slavery. The United . [24], Henry Adams and other historians have argued that Jefferson acted hypocritically with the Louisiana Purchase, because of his position as a strict constructionist regarding the Constitution since he stretched the intent of that document to justify his purchase. Otherwise, Louisiana would be an easy prey for a potential invasion from Britain or the U.S. They wrote an enthusiasticletter to Secretary of State James Madison: "An acquisition of so great an extent was, we well Know, not contemplated by our appointment; but we are persuaded that the Circumstances and Considerations which induced us to make it, will justify us, in the measure, to our Government and Country.". The Louisiana Purchase was a significant event of monumental proportions in the history of the United States. [53][54], The eastern boundary of the Louisiana purchase was the Mississippi River, from its source to the 31st parallel, though the source of the Mississippi was, at the time, unknown. Napoleon informed his brothers of the sale and asked for their opinion. The main issue for the Americans was free transit of the Mississippi out to sea. Washington University in St. Louis Press. How many amendments make up the Bill of Rights? Napoleon sold French Louisiana to the US in 1803 as the Louisiana Purchase. See Page 1. This would allow the Americans to retain clear access to the river. 3) Deutsch, Eberhard P. The Constitutional Controversy Over the Louisiana Purchase. American Bar Association Journal, vol. When it came to profit and geopolitical importance, Napoleon was far more interested in the Caribbean. This respite gave Napoleon breathing room in his failed attempt to recover Saint-Domingue. Saint-Domingue was a powder keg, ready to explode. Louisiana Purchase, western half of the Mississippi River basin purchased in 1803 from France by the United States; at less than three cents per acre for 828,000 square miles (2,144,520 square km), it was the greatest land bargain in U.S. history. Plans were also set forth for several missions to explore and chart the territory, the most famous being the Lewis and Clark Expedition. France turned over New Orleans, the historic colonial capital, on December 20, 1803, at the Cabildo, with a flag-raising ceremony in the Plaza de Armas, now Jackson Square. . In 1763, Louis XV gave Louisiana to his cousin, Charles III of Spain. In the 1780s, it produced 60% of the world's coffee and supplied Britain and France with 40% of its sugar. Why is France sold the Louisiana Purchase to the US? 5057. As a result, while the territory of Louisiana was technically very large, it had hardly been touched by the Europeans, with the exception of the areas along the lower Mississippi River. How did Jefferson acquire Louisiana Territory? Today, the 31st parallel is the northern boundary of the western half of the Florida Panhandle, and the Perdido is the western boundary of Florida. On April 30, 1803, representatives of the United States and Napoleonic France conclude negotiations for the Louisiana Purchase, a massive land sale that doubles the size of the young American republic. [14][15] The total of $15million is equivalent to about $337million in 2021 dollars, or 64 cents per acre. Regardless of its legality, Smithsonian Magazine details how in order to finance the transaction, several British banks actually bought the territory and turned it over to the United States in exchange for bonds at 6% interest. Adams' Vice President 4. went to France to purchase New Orleans 5. sold Louisiana to the United States 6. explored the Louisiana Territory 1. First, an empowered United States could effectively act as a formidable rival to Britain. [27], Spain protested the transfer on two grounds: First, France had previously promised in a note not to alienate Louisiana to a third party and second, France had not fulfilled the Third Treaty of San Ildefonso by having the King of Etruria recognized by all European powers. According to Slavery and Remembrance, the French imported nearly 800,000 enslaved Africans to the colony for brutal plantation work in what was one of the most violent slavery systems in the Americas. Napoleon Bonaparte sold the land because he needed money for the Great French War. ", The Historic New Orleans Collection provides more nuance to the negotiations of the Louisiana Purchase. The great expansion of the United States achieved by the Louisiana Purchase did receive criticism, though . What Napoleon needed was a way to divest himself of the territory while at the same time preventing it from falling into British hands. The Significance of the Zimmermann Telegram. On April 11, 1803, just days before Monroe's arrival, Barb-Marbois offered Livingston all of Louisiana for $15million,[13] which averages to less than three cents per acre (7/ha). Spain Originally governed New Orleans and the Louisiana Territory up until 1802, but then transferred ownership to France under a secret treaty. In legislation enacted on October 31, Congress made temporary provisions for local civil government to continue as it had under French and Spanish rule and authorized the President to use military forces to maintain order. Answer and Explanation: JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25723883. This made it difficult, when compared to Britain, to obtain the necessary money to wage large-scale wars. [51] The dispute was ultimately resolved by the AdamsOns Treaty of 1819, with the United States gaining most of what it had claimed in the west. On March 10, 1804, France officially transferred its claim to the Louisiana Territory to the United States. Many members of the House of Representatives opposed the purchase. When Joseph continued to object, Napoleon shouted, "You are insolent!" "[29] The sale of course was not "worthless"the U.S. actually did take possession. Also, many Federalists were speculators in lands in upstate New York and New England and were hoping to sell these lands to farmers, who might go west instead, if the Louisiana Purchase went through. Acquiring the territory doubled the size of the United States. When word got around that Napoleon was giving up Louisiana to the Americans, not everybody agreed. Who was President at the time of the Whiskey Rebellion? 'Sale of Louisiana') was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. [39] New Orleans was the administrative capital of the Orleans Territory, and St. Louis was the capital of the Louisiana Territory. The U.S. claimed the land as far as the Perdido River, and Spain claimed that the border of its Florida Colony remained the Mississippi River. The Louisiana Territory was established, as described by Smithsonian Magazine, in 1682, when the French explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, arrived at the mouth of the Mississippi River, put up a cross and column, and declared to a group of puzzled Native Americans that the entire river basin belonged to France. Desperate to avoid possible war with France, Jefferson sent James Monroe to Paris in 1803 to negotiate a settlement, with instructions to go to London to negotiate an alliance if the talks in Paris failed. Jefferson had authorized Livingston only to purchase New Orleans. Without Saint Domingue, Napoleons dreams of a French colonial empire in the Americas were dashed. The territory made up all or part of fifteen modern U.S. states between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. [60] With tensions increasing with Great Britain, in 1809 Fort Bellefontaine was converted to a U.S. military fort and was used for that purpose until 1826. The Federalists strongly opposed the purchase, favoring close relations with Britain over closer ties to Napoleon. I renounce Louisiana. The former slaves fought the French forces to a standstill while yellow fever and malaria outbreaks decimated the French invaders. leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, sold Louisiana Territory to the United States, The first capital of the United States was Washington, D.C. From the French perspective, just why did Napoleon sell the Louisiana territory to the Americans? When Napoleon rose to power he recommitted to recapture the colony of Saint Domingue (Haiti) and sent tens of thousands of troops in 1802 to crush the rebellion. He wanted Saint-Domingue and its incredibly profitable sugar and coffee plantations restored and under French control, with the old system reinstated. The French Revolution and the Politics of Government Finance, 1770-1815. The Journal of Economic History, vol. On April 30, 1812, exactly nine years after the Louisiana Purchase agreement was made, the first of 13 states to be carved from the territoryLouisianawas admitted into the Union as the 18th . [62] The U.S. later built or expanded forts along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, including adding to Fort Bellefontaine, and constructing Fort Armstrong (1816) and Fort Edwards (1816) in Illinois, Fort Crawford (1816) in Wisconsin, Fort Snelling (1819) in Minnesota, and Fort Atkinson (1819) in Nebraska. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2123552. This gave Jefferson and his cabinet until October, when the treaty had to be ratified, to discuss the constitutionality of the purchase. What is the eagle on the Great Seal holding in his right talon? Napoleon quipped after the Louisiana treaty: Napoleon was correct in that the Jeffersonian Democrats favored closer relations with France over Spain. With war in Europe likely, the French did not have the resources to defend and maintain the Louisiana territory. However, one has to question whether the French ruler considered the consequences of selling France's interest in Louisiana. The British had re-entered the war and France was losing the Haitian Revolution and could not defend Louisiana. As the United States spread across the Appalachians, the Mississippi River became an increasingly important conduit for the produce of America's West (which at that time referred to the . 2), which is just what Jefferson did. This was possible because the Louisiana territory did not only encompass Louisiana as the state that exists today. This situation would further expand and strengthen the British empireNapoleons worst-case scenario. With the failure to retake Saint-Domingue and the inevitability of renewed war between France and Britain, Napoleon refigured his political calculus. Jefferson ultimately came to the conclusion before the ratification of the treaty that the purchase was to protect the citizens of the United States therefore making it constitutional. This land needed to be explored to see what the United States had purchased. Who sold the massive Louisiana Territory to the United States? Required fields are marked *. On January 1, 1804, Haiti declared its independence. In January 1802, France sent General Charles Leclerc on an expedition to Saint-Domingue to reassert French control over a colony that had become essentially autonomous under Louverture. This was particularly true in the area of the present-day state of Louisiana, which also contained a large number of free people of color. The Louisiana Purchase encompassed 530,000,000 acres of territory in North America that the United States purchased from France in 1803 for $15 million. Louis. Though viewed as of lesser importance than the colony of Saint Domingue (Haiti), Louisiana and its crucial port city of New Orleans was to play a large role in French colonial dominance.1. 53, no. a Federalist judge who wanted his commission granted.