Changes

Hamilton had fought Jefferson for over a decade.  But Hamilton knew how Burr was rotten to the core.  So Hamilton persuaded Congress to make Jefferson president.  Some suspect that Jefferson cut a deal with the Federalist Hamilton to act like more like a Federalist as president than he would have otherwise.

Hamilton had fought Jefferson for over a decade.  But Hamilton knew how Burr was rotten to the core.  So Hamilton persuaded Congress to make Jefferson president.  Some suspect that Jefferson cut a deal with the Federalist Hamilton to act like more like a Federalist as president than he would have otherwise.

In 1803, Jefferson appointed the former anti-Federalist [[James Monroe]] to negotiate terms for the purchase from France of New Orleans and West Florida, and to offer $2 million for this land but to go as high as $10 million if necessary.  But by this time [[Napolean]] had suffered a costly failure in connection with a slave revolt in [[Haiti]], and he had decided that France should not try to colonize the New World further.  So France asked Monroe how much he would pay for all of France's territory, which included the vast tract of land northwest of Louisiana (stretching all the way along the Missouri River what what is now Oregon on the Pacific coast).  Monroe was able to negotiate extremely favorable terms of $11.25 million to France for all of the property, which was equal in size to the entire United States at the time.  The overall purchase price was $15 million because Monroe also agreed that the United States would assume nearly $4 million in debts owed by France to American citizens at the time.   

In 1803, Jefferson appointed the former anti-Federalist [[James Monroe]] to negotiate terms for the purchase from France of New Orleans and West Florida, and to offer $2 million for this land but to go as high as $10 million if necessary.  But by this time [[Napoleon]] had suffered a costly failure in connection with a slave revolt in [[Haiti]], and he had decided that France should not try to colonize the New World further.  So France asked Monroe how much he would pay for all of France's territory, which included the vast tract of land northwest of Louisiana (stretching all the way along the Missouri River what what is now Oregon on the Pacific coast).  Monroe was able to negotiate extremely favorable terms of $11.25 million to France for all of the property, which was equal in size to the entire United States at the time.  The overall purchase price was $15 million because Monroe also agreed that the United States would assume nearly $4 million in debts owed by France to American citizens at the time.   

But the Constitution does not give the President the power to buy new territory.  As a strict constructionist, Jefferson needed to violate his own principles about the Constitution in order to accept this unexpected, but extremely attractive, offer.

But the Constitution does not give the President the power to buy new territory.  As a strict constructionist, Jefferson needed to violate his own principles about the Constitution in order to accept this unexpected, but extremely attractive, offer.