Difference between revisions of "Louisiana Purchase"
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| − | The '''Louisiana Purchase''' was the most important act of President [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s first administration. In | + | The '''Louisiana Purchase''' was the most important act of President [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s first administration. In 1803 the United States bought 827,987 square miles of land from [[France]] for $15,000,000. This land lay between the [[Rocky Mountains]] and the [[Mississippi River]] and between the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and what of what is now [[Canada]]. |
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| + | It was important to the growing United States that they could gain access to the vast interior of North America via the Mississippi River and the port of [[New Orleans]]. | ||
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| + | France had surrendered its North American possessions at the end of the [[French and Indian War]] to [[Spain]] in 1762. [[Napoleon]], who took power in 1799, aimed to restore France's presence on the continent and had an elaborate plan with the King of Spain to claim the lands. Jefferson and Secretary of State [[James Madison]] worked to resolve the issue through diplomatic channels, but some factions in the West and the opposition Federalist Party called for war and advocated secession by the western territories in order to seize control of the lower Mississippi and New Orleans.<ref>[http://www.monticello.org/jefferson/lewisandclark/louisiana.html Jefferson's Big Deal]</Ref> | ||
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| + | Napoleon's plans to re-establish France in the New World did not last as a new war with Britain seemed inevitable. France could not afford to send forces to occupy the entire Mississippi Valley, and so they agreed to sell to the United States. | ||
It was explored from 1804 to 1806 by [[Lewis and Clark]]. | It was explored from 1804 to 1806 by [[Lewis and Clark]]. | ||
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| + | ==References== | ||
| + | </References> | ||
[[category:United States History]] | [[category:United States History]] | ||
Revision as of 22:59, April 8, 2008
The Louisiana Purchase was the most important act of President Thomas Jefferson's first administration. In 1803 the United States bought 827,987 square miles of land from France for $15,000,000. This land lay between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River and between the Gulf of Mexico and what of what is now Canada.
It was important to the growing United States that they could gain access to the vast interior of North America via the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans.
France had surrendered its North American possessions at the end of the French and Indian War to Spain in 1762. Napoleon, who took power in 1799, aimed to restore France's presence on the continent and had an elaborate plan with the King of Spain to claim the lands. Jefferson and Secretary of State James Madison worked to resolve the issue through diplomatic channels, but some factions in the West and the opposition Federalist Party called for war and advocated secession by the western territories in order to seize control of the lower Mississippi and New Orleans.[1]
Napoleon's plans to re-establish France in the New World did not last as a new war with Britain seemed inevitable. France could not afford to send forces to occupy the entire Mississippi Valley, and so they agreed to sell to the United States.
It was explored from 1804 to 1806 by Lewis and Clark.
References
</References>