Following French defeat in the Seven Years' War, Spain gained control of the territory west of the Mississippi, and the British received the territory to the east of the river. While the concept of "manifest destiny" would not make it into the American lexicon until 1845, the idea that the United States had a divine mission to expand had been in place since the earliest colonial times. The Federalists even tried to prove the land belonged to Spain, not France, but available records proved otherwise. 9, no. The Louisiana Territory was a vast stretch of land of over 500 million acres from the Mississippi River Delta to the present-day border between Montana and Canada. [47] However by December 1803, the British directed Barings to halt future payments to France. As a result, Thomas Jefferson instructed James Monroe and Robert Livingston to purchase New Orleans in 1802. While 3-4 cents an acre was not a massive deal, from Napoleon's perspective he received a large sum of money for land he had just received and had virtually no control over. Why did France sell Louisiana to the US? The Northerners were not enthusiastic about Western farmers gaining another outlet for their crops that did not require the use of New England ports. Why is France sold the Louisiana Purchase to the US? 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. Your email address will not be published. On April 12, 1803, Franois Barb-Marbois met with the Americans. The Significance and Purpose of the Treaty of Tordesillas. 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 exact scenario is what happened to Mexico with their province of Tejas during the Texan Revolution. This was coupled with the importation of enslaved Africans. By early 1803, Napoleon decided to abandon his plans to rebuild France's New World empire. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million and nearly doubled the size of the U.S. [4] The colony was the most substantial presence of France's overseas empire, with other possessions consisting of a few small settlements along the Mississippi and other main rivers. It takes a certain amount of chutzpah to think you can establish a global empire, and Napoleon Bonaparte is no exception. The remaining 60 million francs ($11.25 million) were financed through U.S. government bonds carrying 6% interest, redeemable between 1819 and 1822. According to the Library of Congress, the Louisiana Territory was mainly ignored by the French government and remained unprofitable. When Joseph continued to object, Napoleon shouted, "You are insolent!" [17] The signers were Robert Livingston, James Monroe, and Franois Barb-Marbois. 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. Many people believed that he and others, including James Madison, were doing something they surely would have argued against with Alexander Hamilton. Its European peoples, of ethnic French, Spanish and Mexican descent, were largely Catholic; in addition, there was a large population of enslaved Africans made up of a high proportion of recent arrivals, as Spain had continued the transatlantic slave trade. 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. 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. These wars, the Napoleonic Wars, lasted from 1803 to 1815 and led, as described by the New World Encyclopedia, to a brief French dominance of Europe. Louisiana Territory Changes Hands In 1796, Spain allied itself with France, leading. The Louisiana territory was now worthless to him, and he immediately sought to offload the territory to the United States. The AdamsOns Treaty with Spain resolved the issue upon ratification in 1821. Lucien later reported in a memoirthat the pair sought out their brother in the Tuileries, where they found the ruler indulging in a bath. [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. True False. In a letter, Thomas Jefferson wrote that France's repossession of the territory "is the embryo of a tornado which will burst on the countries on both shores of the Atlantic and involve in it's effects their highest destinies.". Would that make the United States too powerful? True False, Federalists believed in a strict following of the Constitution exactly as it was worded. However, France only controlled a small fraction of this area, most of which was inhabited by Native Americans; effectively, for the majority of the area, the United States bought the "preemptive" right to obtain "Indian" lands by treaty or by conquest, to the exclusion of other colonial powers.[1][2]. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25723883. As the Library of Congress describes, Saint-Domingue was incredibly valuable. Napoleon's goal: an American empire. 'Sale of Louisiana') was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. Ambassador who was sent to France to negotiate the purchase of the Louisiana Territory. This was emphasized when in the memoir of Franois Barb-Marbois, Napoleon gave up his claim to the territory saying, "Irresolution and deliberation are no longer in season. 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. I renounce it with the greatest regret." By the 1720s, several settlements had developed, the chief of which was the territory's capital at New Orleans. Why did Napoleon Sell the Louisiana Territory? 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. Instead, the area encompasses 15 states and two Canadian provinces according to today's terms. Jefferson considered a constitutional amendment to justify the purchase; however, his cabinet convinced him otherwise. Napoleon needed peace with Britain to take possession of Louisiana. Spain had not yet completed the transfer of Louisiana to France, and war between France and the UK was imminent. 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). The Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804) traveled up the Missouri River; the Red River Expedition (1806) explored the Red River basin; the Pike Expedition (1806) also started up the Missouri but turned south to explore the Arkansas River watershed. In 1803, the United States nearly doubled in size when it bought the Louisiana Territory in a deal that shaped history. The French Revolution and the Politics of Government Finance, 1770-1815. The Journal of Economic History, vol. When the United States found out that instead of Spain as their neighbor, it was to be France under Napoleon with imperial ambitions, the Americans feared that their access to the Mississippi would be cut off. But in early 1803, continuing war between France and Britain seemed unavoidable. was a self-trained military genius who won the battle of New Orleans from the British The Treaty of Ghent represented: a substantial victory for the United States a substantial victory for the British a return to conditions as they were prior to the war a diplomatic coup for Napoleon a return to conditions as they were prior to the war Of 176 electoral votes cast, all but 14 were in his favor. The island colony of Saint Domingue was the most profitable of all French colonies given its vast sugar plantations. Napoleon foresaw the United States as a future ally that could one day match Britain in might. [citation needed], In Saint-Domingue, Leclerc's forces took Louverture prisoner, but their expedition soon faltered in the face of fierce resistance and disease. In order to lessen the strain of direct taxes on the populace, the French government simply needed more money from other sources. Was the 1887 Dawes Severalty Act Successful? Britain and France renewed hostilities on May 18, 1803, shortly after the deal was finalized. See Page 1. Earlier in 1803, Francis Baring and Company of London had become the U.S. government's official banking agent in London following the failure of Bird, Savage & Bird. As the lands were being gradually settled by American migrants, many Americans, including Jefferson, assumed that the territory would be acquired "piece by piece." To Napoleon's line of thinking, if the United States took control of Louisiana, then it would deny Britain the opportunity of conquering it. Your email address will not be published. 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. The land that was purchased was very, very cheap. Plans were also set forth for several missions to explore and chart the territory, the most famous being the Lewis and Clark Expedition. From the French perspective, just why did Napoleon sell the Louisiana territory to the Americans? Check out our timeline of the history of the United States for a great place to start and navigate through American history! President Jefferson's Secretary of the Treasury. This was possible because the Louisiana territory did not only encompass Louisiana as the state that exists today. 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. [30], Other historians counter the above arguments regarding Jefferson's alleged hypocrisy by asserting that countries change their borders in two ways: (1) conquest, or (2) an agreement between nations, otherwise known as a treaty. With war in Europe likely, the French did not have the resources to defend and maintain the Louisiana territory. [55], Because the western boundary was contested at the time of the purchase, President Jefferson immediately began to organize four missions to explore and map the new territory. 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. [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. Also, Spain's refusal to cede Florida to France meant that Louisiana would be indefensible. James Monroe 5. However, in 1800 Spain had ceded the Louisiana territory back to France as part of Napoleon's secret Third Treaty of San Ildefonso. A treaty, dated April 30 and signed May 2, was then worked out that gave Louisiana to the United States in exchange for $11.25 million, plus the forgiveness of $3.75 million in French debt. [31], Madison (the "Father of the Constitution") assured Jefferson that the Louisiana Purchase was well within even the strictest interpretation of the Constitution. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Timeline of the History of the United States. The first Europeans to reach. Negotiating with French Treasury Minister Franois Barb-Marbois, the American representatives quickly agreed to purchase the entire territory of Louisiana after it was offered. In return for fifteen million dollars, or approximately eighteen dollars per square mile, the United States nominally acquired a total of 828,000sqmi (2,140,000km2; 530,000,000 acres) in Middle America. President Jefferson's Secretary of State. He engaged in back-channel diplomacy with Napoleon on Jefferson's behalf during a visit to France and originated the idea of the much larger Louisiana Purchase as a way to defuse potential conflict between the United States and Napoleon over North America.[11]. He added later, "I require money to make war on the richest nation in the world.". All four started from the Mississippi River. 50721. Who sold the massive Louisiana Territory to the United States? [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. sold Louisiana Territory to the United States Marcus Whitman missionary family in Oregon Pennsylvania had a Whiskey Rebellion tariff tax on imported goods Cabinet President's team of workers Dolley Madison saved White House treasures Zebulon Pike explored the Louisiana Territory olive branch symbol of peace Francis Scott Key Southern Quarterlynotes, "What is often remembered as a remarkably 'peaceful' transfer of land was in fact predicated on events of enormous violence that took place in the Caribbean.". 1803 acquisition of large region of Middle America land by the U.S. from France, Domestic opposition and constitutionality, Formal transfers and initial organization. [42] In October 1803, the U.S. Treasury had some $5.86 million in specie on hand, $2 million of which would be used to pay a portion of the debts assumed from France as part of the purchase. The French government replied that these objections were baseless since the promise not to alienate Louisiana was not in the treaty of San Ildefonso itself and therefore had no legal force, and the Spanish government had ordered Louisiana to be transferred in October 1802 despite knowing for months that Britain had not recognized the King of Etruria in the Treaty of Amiens. In 1718, the French established New Orleans, and scant groups of colonists moved in. The problem with Saint-Domingue was that its entire economy was supported by and depended entirely upon slavery. Both Federalists and Jeffersonians were concerned over the purchase's constitutionality. At the same time, this territorial expansion also allowed for the growth and expansion of slavery in the United States, which finally culminated in the American Civil War. He was assisted by James Monroe. By April 30, 1803, they hashed out an agreement where the Americans would pay $15 million, a considerable reduction, although its constitutionality was debated. In order to finance his dreams of conquest, Napoleon needed money to finance his military operation, which had been growing in an arms race with Britain. What Napoleon needed was a way to divest himself of the territory while at the same time preventing it from falling into British hands. War Hawks The House called for a vote to deny the request for the purchase, but it failed by two votes, 5957. In 1763, Louis XV gave Louisiana to his cousin, Charles III of Spain. 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.". 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. Livingston and Monroe were only authorized to spend up to $10 million for the purchase of New Orleans and West Florida. On January 1, 1804, Haiti declared its independence. 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. miles of land for fifteen million dollars. The Kingdom of France had controlled the Louisiana territory from 1699 until it was ceded to Spain in 1762. The Louisiana Purchase was a significant event of monumental proportions in the history of the United States. Acquisition of Louisiana was a long-term goal of President Thomas Jefferson, who was especially eager to gain control of the crucial Mississippi River port of New Orleans. I renounce Louisiana. The Louisiana Purchase was a land purchase made by President Thomas Jefferson in 1803. As explained by Medium, in 1803, even before final Haitian independence, it had dawned on Napoleon that his prospects for developing an American empire were growing increasingly faint. The four decades following the Louisiana Purchase was an era of court decisions removing many tribes from their lands east of the Mississippi for resettlement in the new territory, culminating in the Trail of Tears. . The Louisiana Territory That Was Sold. The Louisiana Purchase (1803) was a land deal between the United States and France, in which the U.S. acquired approximately 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million. all of the above Monroe, along with the minister to France, Robert Livingston, made the inquiry. Alain Chappet, Roger Martin, Alain Pigeard. In the end, Barings and Hopes acquired the $11.25 million in bonds for just $9.44 million. The formidable British navy could easily blockade the territory and seize it for themselves. However, France's failure to suppress a revolt in Saint-Domingue, coupled with the prospect of renewed warfare with the United Kingdom, prompted Napoleon to consider selling Louisiana to the United States.