This made it difficult, when compared to Britain, to obtain the necessary money to wage large-scale wars. But although the Americans never asked for it, Napoleon dangled the entire territory in front of them on April 11, 1803. Already at the time, American frontier settlers slowly trickled into the territory. In 1718, the French established New Orleans, and scant groups of colonists moved in. William Marbury. While the United States kept Napoleon at arms length and enacted the Embargo Act of 1807 against both Britain and France, the issue of British impressment led directly to the important War of 1812, thereby indirectly helping Napoleons cause by diverting British resources from Europe. Jefferson's philosophical consistency was in question because of his strict interpretation of the Constitution. Who sold the massive Louisiana Territory to the United States? [57], The Louisiana Territory was broken into smaller portions for administration, and the territories passed slavery laws similar to those in the southern states but incorporating provisions from the preceding French and Spanish rule (for instance, Spain had prohibited slavery of Native Americans in 1769, but some slaves of mixed African-Native American descent were still being held in St. Louis in Upper Louisiana when the U.S. took over). The AdamsOns Treaty with Spain resolved the issue upon ratification in 1821. 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. The question of what to do with the territory brought out deep divisions along sectional lines and ultimately helped lead to the Civil War. Felix S. Cohen, Interior Department Lawyer who helped pass ICCA, is often quoted as saying, "practically all of the real estate acquired by the United States since 1776 was purchased not from Napoleon or any other emperor or czar but from its original Indian owners", roughly estimating that Indians had received twenty times as much as France had for the territory bought by the United States, "somewhat in excess of 800 million dollars". I renounce it with the greatest regret." To learn more about US history, check out this timeline of the history of the United States. The island colony of Saint Domingue was the most profitable of all French colonies given its vast sugar plantations. 55, no. In 1799, he had seized power in a coup d'tat in France and wanted to restore French glory in the Americas. 22755. However at the time Napoleon traded long-term potential for short-term gain. The Sac and the Fox lived on the northern Mississippi River, the Osage on the Missouri River and on the Arkansas River in present eastern Oklahoma, and the Quapaw at the . Britain B. Spain C. RussiaD. Francis Baring's son Alexander and Pierre Labouchre from Hopes arrived in Paris in April 1803 to assist with the negotiations. The problem with Saint-Domingue was that its entire economy was supported by and depended entirely upon slavery. There was no arguing with Napoleon, who would, after all,crown himself Emperor in 1804. So while a slave rebellion helped drive the Louisiana Purchase, the new territory was destined to become a place of suffering and exploitation for the thousands of slaves forced to work there.. 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. 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. Another concern was whether it was proper to grant citizenship to the French, Spanish, and free black people living in New Orleans, as the treaty would dictate. [8] In 1801, Jefferson supported France in its plan to take back Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti), which was then under control of Toussaint Louverture after a slave rebellion. Difficulty in Maintaining Louisiana Territory, timeline of the history of the United States, Understanding the Significance of the 1793 Proclamation of Neutrality, The Significance of the 1775 Olive Branch Petition, The Significance of the Corrupt Bargain Election of 1824, The Significance of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. Where Saint Domingue would be the crown jewel with its lucrative sugar plantations, Louisiana would be the bread basket supplying the empire with grains. 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. miles of land for fifteen million dollars. Napoleon sold French Louisiana to the US in 1803 as the Louisiana Purchase. The territory made up all or part of fifteen modern U.S. states between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. The Louisiana Purchase was a land purchase made by United States president, Thomas Jefferson, in 1803. [42] In the final agreement, the value of the U.S. currency was set at .mw-parser-output .sfrac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .sfrac.tion,.mw-parser-output .sfrac .tion{display:inline-block;vertical-align:-0.5em;font-size:85%;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .sfrac .num,.mw-parser-output .sfrac .den{display:block;line-height:1em;margin:0 0.1em}.mw-parser-output .sfrac .den{border-top:1px solid}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}5+3333/10000 francs per U.S. 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. Slaves were routinely terrorized in a race-based social order. As part of the deal, the U.S. assumed responsibility for 20 million francs ($3.75 million) of French debts owed to U.S. citizens. [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. pp. 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. "The district of Louisiana changed to the territory of Louisiana". Why Did Napoleon Sell the Louisiana Territory? - History in Charts How many amendments make up the Bill of Rights? The Louisiana Purchase was the latter, a treaty. He added later, "I require money to make war on the richest nation in the world.". When Monroe and Livingston were offered the opportunity to buy the entire territory, they could not help but be excited. Napoleon quipped after the Louisiana treaty: Napoleon was correct in that the Jeffersonian Democrats favored closer relations with France over Spain. While this was just a rumor, he had made up his mind to sell the territory. [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. This respite gave Napoleon breathing room in his failed attempt to recover Saint-Domingue. As tensions in Europe continued to grow, the unprofitable territory seemed to be more of a liability than asset. what was one reason the napoleon sold the Louisiana territory to the This success stuck in Napoleon's craw. They also feared that this would lead to Western states being formed, which would likely be Republican, and dilute the political power of New England Federalists. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2123552. . What is the eagle on the Great Seal holding in his right talon? Some of those other sources included the colonies and in this instance, the Louisiana territory. Napoleon dreamed and yearned for a French colonial empire to rival the British. In the 1780s, it produced 60% of the world's coffee and supplied Britain and France with 40% of its sugar. On April 12, 1803, Franois Barb-Marbois met with the Americans. 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. France The Louisiana Purchase was a land purchase made by United States president, Thomas Jefferson, in 1803. 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. 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.". Napoleon reported told his Minister of Finance Barbe-Marbois in reference to the Louisiana territory: Second, selling the Louisiana territory to the United States could strengthen the nation and thus provide a counterweight against their British foes. 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. 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. 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. leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, sold Louisiana Territory to the United States, The first capital of the United States was Washington, D.C. [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. American diplomats Robert Livingston and James Monroepurchased the Louisiana Territory from the French for $15 million dollars, or four cents an acre, in 1803. [32] The Senate quickly ratified the treaty, and the House, with equal readiness, authorized the required funding, as the Constitution specifies. The French Revolution and the Politics of Government Finance, 1770-1815. The Journal of Economic History, vol. 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. All four started from the Mississippi River. On the following day, October 21, 1803, the Senate authorized Jefferson to take possession of the territory and establish a temporary military government. As discussed in the Journal of Economic History, France had a historically bad reputation for credit and finance due to the upheavals of the French Revolution. Furthermore, the French had no administration over the territory and few French settlers lived on the land. Negotiating with French Treasury Minister Franois Barb-Marbois, the American representatives quickly agreed to purchase the entire territory of Louisiana after it was offered. [26] The Federalists also feared that the power of the Atlantic seaboard states would be threatened by the new citizens in the West, whose political and economic priorities were bound to conflict with those of the merchants and bankers of New England. Andrew Jackson. 3) Deutsch, Eberhard P. The Constitutional Controversy Over the Louisiana Purchase. American Bar Association Journal, vol. D. was forced to sell the land after losing a war to the United States. 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. Mar 10, 1804 CE: The Louisiana Purchase Is Completed [33] The fledgling United States did not have $15 million in its treasury; it borrowed the sum from Great Britain, at an annual interest rate of six percent. 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). JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1833473. On March 10, 1804, France officially transferred its claim to the Louisiana Territory to the United States. 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. 9, no. Advertisement lollol The Louisiana Territory was sold to the United States by France on December 20th, 1803, for the bargin of less than three cents per acre. [citation needed]. Among Eurocentric circles, the Louisiana Purchase was seen as one of the greatest land deals in history. Why did France sell Louisiana to the US? At the time of the Louisiana Purchase Europe was held under a temporary peace as a result of the 1802 Treaty of Amiens. France ceded the territory to Spain in 1762 in the secret Treaty of Fontainebleau. While Washington was president, the political parties that formed in the United States were the _______ Party, led by Hamilton and the _______ Party, led by Jefferson. What's more, as described by Medium, the French ruler believed that a more powerful United States was better for France. Even if the British did not seize the territory, the United States also posed a significant future threat. In order to lessen the strain of direct taxes on the populace, the French government simply needed more money from other sources. As a result, the State Department describes how the president began military preparations along the Mississippi and sent James Monroe to France with authorization to buy New Orleans and West Florida for up to $10 million. The Northerners were not enthusiastic about Western farmers gaining another outlet for their crops that did not require the use of New England ports. By the 1720s, several settlements had developed, the chief of which was the territory's capital at New Orleans. Pakenham was ordered to conduct the New Orleans/Mobile campaign even in the middle of the peace negotiations in late 1814. 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. The Lewis and Clark expedition followed shortly thereafter. American Indians were also present in large numbers. Why is France sold the Louisiana Purchase to the US? In the meeting, he said that Napoleon had read an account in the London press that 50,000 British troops might be sent to New Orleans. 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. The Significance of the Zimmermann Telegram. Even in 1803, that was dirt cheap. True False, Federalists believed in a strict following of the Constitution exactly as it was worded. all of the above It was even subject to a speculative bubble which ruined fortunes. However, one has to question whether the French ruler considered the consequences of selling France's interest in Louisiana. He was assisted by James Monroe. He could not or did not see the value in sending troops to defend worthless Louisiana, not with Saint-Domingue out of the equation. [28], Henry Adams claimed "The sale of Louisiana to the United States was trebly invalid; if it were French property, Bonaparte could not constitutionally alienate it without the consent of the French Chambers; if it were Spanish property, he could not alienate it at all; if Spain had a right of reclamation, his sale was worthless. Louverture, as a French general, had fended off incursions from other European powers, but had also begun to consolidate power for himself on the island. Manifest destiny was in full effect. National Geographicpoints out that in modern dollars, the Louisiana Purchase would have cost $342 million. While Napoleon originally tried to sell the territory for $22 million, the two sides eventually agreed to a sale at $15 million. Jefferson had authorized Livingston only to purchase New Orleans. Your email address will not be published. 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. Monroe, along with the minister to France, Robert Livingston, made the inquiry. The first plan of government used by the United States was under the: Who was the President at the time of the Alien and Sedition Act? Pamela Martin In 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte surprised U.S. negotiators with an offer to sell the Louisiana Territory for approximately 4 cents per acre. First, an empowered United States could effectively act as a formidable rival to Britain. The vast territory was named after Louis XIV, the so-called Sun King. Of 176 electoral votes cast, all but 14 were in his favor. He bought the Louisiana territory from France, which was being led by Napoleon Bonaparte at the time, for 15,000,000 USD. 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. Your email address will not be published. History in Charts is a website dedicated to writing about historical topics and diving deeper into the data behind different events, time periods, places, and people. Why Was Washingtons Farewell Address Important? The scene caused a servant to faint, and when Lucien lingered to try to argue the point, Napoleon said to his brother that if he opposed him he would break him like a snuffbox which he smashed into the floor. Who Was the French Leader Who Sold the Louisiana Territory? Napoleon sold the Louisiana territory to the United States in 1803 Zebulon Pike What nickname were Americans given who wanted war with England? When word got around that Napoleon was giving up Louisiana to the Americans, not everybody agreed. 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 Louisiana territory would go on to play a central role in the westward expansion of the United States throughout the 19th century. 730 Words3 Pages. 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. In need of funds, Napoleon pressed the banks to complete their purchase of the bonds as quickly as possible, and by April 1804 the banks transferred an additional 40.35 million francs to fully discharge their obligations to France. Because of this favored position, the U.S. asked Barings to handle the transaction. Why Did Thomas Jefferson Buy The Louisiana Territory? 3, 1904, pp. [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. As for France, it never seriously established a colonial presence in the Americas again. 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. 2, 1995, pp. 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. However, the territory, like a regifted picture frame, was swapped among European powers. This was possible because the Louisiana territory did not only encompass Louisiana as the state that exists today. Who was President at the time of the Whiskey Rebellion? This could weaken Britain's war effort against France and give Napoleon victory. Though Jefferson urged moderation, Federalists sought to use this against Jefferson and called for hostilities against France. As told by Michigan State University, both of them were shocked when the French minister, Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, asked how much they would pay for the entire territory. The Similarities And Differences Between The Lewis And | ipl.org In a way, this almost came to pass in the War of 1812. Cantonment Belle Fontaine 8051826 The First U.S. Fort West of the Mississippi River. There was also concern that an increase in the number of slave-holding states created out of the new territory would exacerbate divisions between North and South. The Federalists strongly opposed the purchase, favoring close relations with Britain over closer ties to Napoleon. ' Weegy: Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States because he would have a hard time managing . 5057. 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. Jefferson sent Livingston to Paris in 1801[9] with the authorization to purchase New Orleans. As quoted by Smithsonian Magazine, historian Charles A. Cerami said, "If we had not made this purchase, it would have pinched off the possibility of our becoming a continental power." Without sufficient revenues from sugar colonies in the Caribbean, Louisiana had little value to him. The French loss of Saint-Domingue sent a shudder through the world. The great expansion of the United States achieved by the Louisiana Purchase did receive criticism, though . Why did Napoleon Sell the Louisiana Territory? Though the strike never materialized, the United States made it clear it would act with the nations best interests in mindincluding if it came to war. Lucien said that the legislative chambers of the French government would not approve it, to which Napoleon replied that he would do it without their consent. Spain turned the territory over to France in a ceremony in New Orleans on November 30, a month before France turned it over to American officials. Browman, David L (2018). 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. While the dreams of colonial domination evaporated, Napoleon turned his attention towards establishing an empire across the European continent instead. Adams' Vice President 4. went to France to purchase New Orleans 5. sold Louisiana to the United States 6. explored the Louisiana Territory 1. Louisiana Territory | The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture By April 30, 1803, they hashed out an agreement where the Americans would pay $15 million, a considerable reduction, although its constitutionality was debated. John Adams 2. The United States was leery of Frances intentions with the territory, and the port city of New Orleans was critical to the US economy.2. On March 9 and 10, 1804, another ceremony, commemorated as Three Flags Day, was conducted in St. Louis, to transfer ownership of Upper Louisiana from Spain to France, and then from France to the United States. [17] The signers were Robert Livingston, James Monroe, and Franois Barb-Marbois. In 1801, Spanish Governor Don Juan Manuel de Salcedo took over from the Marquess of Casa Calvo, and restored the American right to deposit goods. Aside from the strategic reasons, the United States was the best market to sell the Louisiana Territory. (80) Napoleon sold the Louisiana territory to the United States in 1803 because he hoped to increase the U. S. status against what nation?A. [22] In 1804 Haiti declared its independence; but fearing a slave revolt at home, Jefferson and the rest of Congress refused to recognize the new republic, the second in the Western Hemisphere, and imposed a trade embargo against it. 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. Since 1762, Spain had owned the territory of Louisiana, which included 828,000 square miles. Alarmed over the French actions and its intention to re-establish an empire in North America, Jefferson declared neutrality in relation to the Caribbean, refusing credit and other assistance to the French, but allowing war contraband to get through to the rebels to prevent France from regaining a foothold. dollar. The relatively narrow Louisiana of New Spain had been a special province under the jurisdiction of the Captaincy General of Cuba, while the vast region to the west was in 1803 still considered part of the Commandancy General of the Provincias Internas. 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. 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.". With a $15 million investment, the United States acquired more than 800,000 acres, almost doubling the country's land holdings. Knowing that war was imminent, Napoleon sensed two opportunities by selling the Louisiana territory. "[29] The sale of course was not "worthless"the U.S. actually did take possession. Napoleon Bonaparte sold the land because he needed money for the Great French War. [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].