louisiana purchase essay titles

Louisiana Purchase Essay

The beginning of the 19 th century was a tumultuous time for the United States. There was ongoing strife within the country and around the country’s borders. The Reigning president at the time was Thomas Jefferson. One of Jefferson’s most significant acts as president was overseeing the Louisiana Purchase. The “Louisiana Purchase is still the largest land deal in the US history as it involved a $15 million price tag in 1803” (Sloane, 2004).

The transacted land amounted to over eight hundred thousand square miles. Jefferson brokered this deal through two of his ambassadors James Monroe and Robert Livingston. The idea to acquire Louisiana was conceived after the New Orleans port fell under Napoleon Bonaparte’s French territory. The port was of great importance to the US trade and its closure necessitated sending ambassadors to France. It was in this mission that Napoleon agreed to sell not only the New Orleans port but also the entire Louisiana territory.

Before the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson prided himself in being a strict constitutionalist. However, this enormous transaction put a blemish on Jefferson’s record of strict adherence to the constitution. Some people feel that the Louisiana Purchase was conducted within the confines of the United States constitution. This paper will explore the arguments forwarded by both sides of the debate and offer a personal interpretation of the matter.

The argument against Jefferson’s actions is always supported from various angles. Before the transaction was completed, Jefferson expressed fears that it would be deemed unconstitutional. Therefore, he forwarded a constitutional amendment that would eliminate doubts against the constitutionality of the transaction to senate representatives. However, Jefferson received advice against this process because it would take too long and Napoleon could change his mind within this period.

Eventually, Jefferson opted to draw up a constitutional amendment that would give the federal government power to acquire new land on behalf of the people (Les Benedict, 2007). This amendment was ratified by the senate a few months after the Louisiana Purchase was completed. One of the reasons why Jefferson’s actions did not raise a storm in 1803 is because the citizens were pleased with this purchase.

The argument against the constitutionality of the Louisiana Purchase is founded on the fact that the responsibility of acquiring new territory was not defined in the US constitution. The Louisiana Purchase had a huge impact on the US territory because it doubled its size at the time. The people who claim that Jefferson’s actions were unconstitutional argue that the constitution did not give him the right to acquire new territory (Levin & Chen, 2012).

This means that Jefferson’s actions were not defined by any part of the constitution and this makes them unlawful. The issue under contention is the unconstitutional expansion of territory. This is in spite of the fact that Thomas Jefferson did not assume presidency with any territory-expansion agendas. The Louisiana Purchase was just a series of events that ended with territory expansion.

The people who are of the view that Jefferson acted within the constitution when he acquired the Louisiana territory, use the tenth amendment to support their argument. According to the tenth amendment, both states and citizens have the right to carry out any actions that are not disallowed by the constitution.

Jefferson’s actions fall under this category. The people who fault Jefferson’s actions do so using the argument that his actions were not defined by the constitution. However, his actions were not disallowed in the US constitution and they are therefore legitimized by the tenth amendment. The group supporting Jefferson’s actions feels that the constitutionalist’s actions never violated his beloved constitution.

The argument against the Louisiana Purchase constitutionality is pegged on the lack of a constitutional clause that allows governments to increase territory through any means. This argument would be void if the Louisiana Purchase occurred today.

However, the main purpose of the fresh constitution of 1803 was to ensure that the government could not intrude the citizens’ lives. Therefore, expansion of territory could qualify as an intrusion of people’s lives. Jefferson was an avid supporter of this notion. By using these two precedents, it would be easy for anyone to castigate Jefferson.

Nevertheless, constitutionality is not judged by notions but by what is expressed through writing. This means that Jefferson was still shielded by the tenth amendment. The amendment legalizes Jefferson’s actions because the rest of the constitution does not make them illegal. In addition, using the principle of notions, one can argue that the Louisiana Purchase was ‘accidental’. Jefferson’s actions were not pre-planned and therefore he was not taking advantage of the tenth amendment.

Initially, Jefferson had sent two ambassadors to France to negotiate a possible treaty with France. The treaty was supposed to involve the exchange of the Florida territory with the New Orleans port but it eventually became about territory expansion. Jefferson considered this transaction a great opportunity for America and he opted to go ahead with the purchase.

The Louisiana Purchase has led to one of the oldest debates concerning the constitutionality of a president’s actions. Even though both sides of the debate make valid claims, it is clear that no constitutional clauses were violated. This debate is likely to continue mostly because of the significance of Louisiana Purchase in the US history.

Les Benedict, M. (2007). The blessings of liberty: a concise history of the Constitution of the United States . New York, NY: Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic.

Levin, R. Z., & Chen, P. (2012). Rethinking the constitution–treaty relationship. International Journal of Constitutional Law, 10 (1), 242-260.

Sloane, W. M. (2004). The world aspects of the Louisiana Purchase. The American Historical Review, 9 (3), 507-521.

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The Louisiana Purchase of 1803

April 30, 1803

In 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million and doubled the size of the nation.

Thomas Jefferson, Painting, Rembrandt Peale

President Thomas Jefferson authorized Robert R. Livingston and James Madison to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. Image Source: Wikipedia.

The Louisiana Purchase was the extraordinary acquisition the United States made of roughly 530,000,000 acres of land from the French First Republic in 1803. The United States paid $15 million to take control of New Orleans and the land between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.

Louisiana Purchase Quick Facts

The Louisiana Purchase was roughly 827, 000 square miles and doubled the size of the United States.
The United States agreed to pay $11,250,000, and forgive $3,750,000 of debt, for a total of around $15 million.
After interest, the total payments made for the territory amounted to roughly $27 million.
The Louisiana Purchase is considered to be one of the largest land deals ever made.
President Thomas Jefferson was initially only interested in buying New Orleans in order to protect access to the Mississippi River.
France, under the leadership of Napoleon, needed money to help pay for the Great French War, which is why they offered to sell the entire territory.
Founding Fathers Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe negotiated the purchase on behalf of the United States.
The American flag was raised in New Orleans on December 20, 1803.
Jefferson chose Meriweather Lewis to lead an expedition to explore and map the new territory. Lewis asked William Clark to help with the “Corps of Discovery.”
15 states were eventually created out of the Louisiana Territory.

Louisiana Purchase Date

April 30, 1803 — The Louisiana Purchase Treaty was signed on April 30, 1803, by Robert R. Livingston , Minister Plenipotentiary, James Monroe, Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy, and French representative Francois Barbé-Marbois. The treaty was ratified by the United States Senate on October 20, 1803, by a vote of 24-7.

Lewis and Clark Expedition, Encounter Chinooks, Painting

Louisiana Purchase Overview

Control of the louisiana territory.

After the American Revolutionary War, the United States spread westward, over the Appalachian Mountains, and toward the Mississippi River. The territory, known as the Louisiana Region, was claimed for France by the explorer LaSalle in 1731. In 1762, France ceded the territory to Spain in the Treaty of Fontainebleau. The following year, France surrendered New France to Great Britain in the 1763 Treaty of Paris .

As the United States expanded, there were territorial disputes with Spain over the western and southern borders of the United States. Spain did not want to encourage the United States trade, so it closed the Mississippi River off to American shipping.

The two nations also disagreed on who owned land that today makes up portions of Alabama and Mississippi. Spain had the advantage, because it had some forts in the territory, and also had alliances with Native American Indian tribes.

Pinckney Treaty of 1795

However, Spain’s priorities started to change in 1793 when it joined other nations in the war against France. In 1794, Spain suffered military defeats, and the Spanish Prime Minister, Manuel de Godoy, worked to restore peace with France. While France and Spain negotiated, President George Washington sent John Jay to Great Britain to negotiate an alliance with the British. This concerned Spain, because an American-British alliance would threaten Spanish possessions in North America.

Godoy reached out to the United States and asked President Washington to send someone to negotiate a new treaty with Spain. Washington sent Thomas Pinckney, who was the Minister to Great Britain.

Pinckney traveled to Spain in June and quickly negotiated the Treaty of San Lorenzo, which is also known as Pinckney’s Treaty . The treaty did two things:

Set the southern border of the United States at the 31st parallel.
It gave Americans free access to navigate the Mississippi River.

The provisions of the treaty, which was signed on October 27, 1795, allowed Americans to have access to the port of New Orleans and encouraged westward expansion.

Napoleon’s Plan for the Lousiana Territory

When Napoleon Bonaparte came to power in France, he planned to capture St. Domingue — present-day Haiti — a sugar colony that had been taken over in a slave revolt, and then use Louisiana for the benefit of the French Empire. He sent an army to St. Domingue and prepared to send another one to New Orleans.

In 1800, France negotiated the Treaty of San Ildefonso, which returned Louisiana to France. The following year, in 1801, President Thomas Jefferson learned France had regained control of the territory.

Americans were concerned about the potential for a strong French presence to the west, but also the possibility of losing access to the Mississippi River. Jefferson wrote to the United States Minister to France, Robert R. Livington, and told him, “every eye in the US. is now fixed on this affair of Louisiana. perhaps nothing since the revolutionary war has produced more uneasy sensations through the body of the nation.”

Robert R Livingston, The Chancellor, Portrait

When the French took control in 1802, Spain announced it would not allow Americans to access warehouses in New Orleans. Jefferson wanted to resolve the situation diplomatically, however, some of his political opponents in the Federalist Party suggested more extreme measures, including going to war with France in order to regain access to New Orleans.

France Makes the United States an Offer

Jefferson started to make military preparations in the event there was a conflict with France in the Mississippi River Valley. However, he also made diplomatic overtures to France and sent James Monroe to help Livingston negotiate with the French government. He authorized them to offer to buy West Florida and New Orleans for as much as $10 million.

By the time Monroe arrived in Paris on April 12, 1803, the French had made a stunning offer to Livingston. For various reasons, Napoleon had decided to abandon his plans for Louisiana and he had Prime Minister Talleyrand offer not just New Orleans, but the entire territory to the United States for $15 million. Monroe and Livingston agreed to the purchase and they signed a treaty with France on April 30, 1803.

The Louisiana Purchase is Ratified

When Jefferson was informed of the details, he was shocked. The treaty more than doubled the size of the United States, but it also put him in a bad political position. He was a staunch advocate for following the Constitution and it did not grant the President the power to purchase land. He was also concerned Napoleon would not be patient enough to wait for a Constitutional Amendment to be passed, granting the power to the President. However, there was strong public support for the treaty, so Jefferson went ahead and authorized the Louisiana Purchase and submitted the Treaty to the Senate. It was ratified on October 20, 1803.

Significance of the Lousiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase was important because it significantly increased the size of the United States of America. It paved the way for Westward expansion and eventually led to the formation of 15 new states. It also strengthened the nation and supported the idea of implied powers enshrined in the Constitution.

Important Things to Know About the Lousiana Purchase

The purpose of the Louisiana Purchase was to expand the United States and give it control of the Mississippi River and New Orleans. It also provided France with the money it needed to fund its armies in Haiti and Europe, and allowed it to remove itself from obligations in North America.

Merriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Zebulon Pike explored the Louisiana Purchase. In 1804, the Lewis and Clark Expedition set out to explore the land west of the Mississippi River. In 1805, Zebulon Pike led an expedition to find the headwaters of the Mississippi. Both expeditions helped map the new territory and aided westward expansion. Pike led a second expedition in 1806 that traveled to the Rocky Mountains and then southwest.

The states in the Louisiana Purchase are all of the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Parts of Colorado, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming are also in the Louisiana Purchase. In all, there are 15 states with land in the Louisiana Purchase.

The outcome of John Jay’s trip to Britain was the Jay Treaty of 1794. The treaty resolved issues between the United States and Britain that lingered after the 1783 Treaty of Paris. The treaty was unpopular in America, but maintained U. S. neutrality and reinforced George Washington’s Proclamation of Neutrality.

Text of the Louisiana Purchase Treaty

TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE FRENCH REPUBLIC

The President of the United States of America and the First Consul of the French Republic in the name of the French People desiring to remove all Source of misunderstanding relative to objects of discussion mentioned in the Second and fifth articles of the Convention of the 8th Vendémiaire an 9 (30 September 1800) relative to the rights claimed by the United States in virtue of the Treaty concluded at Madrid the 27 of October 1795, between His Catholic Majesty & the Said United States, & willing to Strengthen the union and friendship which at the time of the Said Convention was happily reestablished between the two nations have respectively named their Plenipotentiaries to wit The President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate of the Said States; Robert R. Livingston Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States and James Monroe Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy extraordinary of the Said States near the Government of the French Republic; And the First Consul in the name of the French people, Citizen Francis Barbé Marbois Minister of the public treasury who after having respectively exchanged their full powers have agreed to the following Articles.

Whereas by the Article the third of the Treaty concluded at St Ildefonso the 9th Vendémiaire an 9 (1st October) 1800 between the First Consul of the French Republic and his Catholic Majesty it was agreed as follows.

“His Catholic Majesty promises and engages on his part to cede to the French Republic six months after the full and entire execution of the conditions and Stipulations herein relative to his Royal Highness the Duke of Parma, the Colony or Province of Louisiana with the Same extent that it now has in the hand of Spain, & that it had when France possessed it; and Such as it Should be after the Treaties subsequently entered into between Spain and other States.”

And whereas in pursuance of the Treaty and particularly of the third article the French Republic has an incontestible title to the domain and to the possession of the said Territory–The First Consul of the French Republic desiring to give to the United States a strong proof of his friendship doth hereby cede to the United States in the name of the French Republic for ever and in full Sovereignty the said territory with all its rights and appurtenances as fully and in the Same manner as they have been acquired by the French Republic in virtue of the above mentioned Treaty concluded with his Catholic Majesty.

In the cession made by the preceeding article are included the adjacent Islands belonging to Louisiana all public lots and Squares, vacant lands and all public buildings, fortifications, barracks and other edifices which are not private property.–The Archives, papers & documents relative to the domain and Sovereignty of Louisiana and its dependances will be left in the possession of the Commissaries of the United States, and copies will be afterwards given in due form to the Magistrates and Municipal officers of such of the said papers and documents as may be necessary to them.

The inhabitants of the ceded territory shall be incorporated in the Union of the United States and admitted as soon as possible according to the principles of the federal Constitution to the enjoyment of all these rights, advantages and immunities of citizens of the United States, and in the mean time they shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, property and the Religion which they profess.

There Shall be Sent by the Government of France a Commissary to Louisiana to the end that he do every act necessary as well to receive from the Officers of his Catholic Majesty the Said country and its dependances in the name of the French Republic if it has not been already done as to transmit it in the name of the French Republic to the Commissary or agent of the United States.

Immediately after the ratification of the present Treaty by the President of the United States and in case that of the first Consul’s shall have been previously obtained, the commissary of the French Republic shall remit all military posts of New Orleans and other parts of the ceded territory to the Commissary or Commissaries named by the President to take possession–the troops whether of France or Spain who may be there shall cease to occupy any military post from the time of taking possession and shall be embarked as soon as possible in the course of three months after the ratification of this treaty.

The United States promise to execute Such treaties and articles as may have been agreed between Spain and the tribes and nations of Indians until by mutual consent of the United States and the said tribes or nations other Suitable articles Shall have been agreed upon.

As it is reciprocally advantageous to the commerce of France and the United States to encourage the communication of both nations for a limited time in the country ceded by the present treaty until general arrangements relative to commerce of both nations may be agreed on; it has been agreed between the contracting parties that the French Ships coming directly from France or any of her colonies loaded only with the produce and manufactures of France or her Said Colonies; and the Ships of Spain coming directly from Spain or any of her colonies loaded only with the produce or manufactures of Spain or her Colonies shall be admitted during the Space of twelve years in the Port of New-Orleans and in all other legal ports-of-entry within the ceded territory in the Same manner as the Ships of the United States coming directly from France or Spain or any of their Colonies without being Subject to any other or greater duty on merchandize or other or greater tonnage than that paid by the citizens of the United States.

During that Space of time above mentioned no other nation Shall have a right to the Same privileges in the Ports of the ceded territory–the twelve years Shall commence three months after the exchange of ratifications if it Shall take place in France or three months after it Shall have been notified at Paris to the French Government if it Shall take place in the United States; It is however well understood that the object of the above article is to favour the manufactures, Commerce, freight and navigation of France and of Spain So far as relates to the importations that the French and Spanish Shall make into the Said Ports of the United States without in any Sort affecting the regulations that the United States may make concerning the exportation of the produce and merchandize of the United States, or any right they may have to make Such regulations.

In future and for ever after the expiration of the twelve years, the Ships of France shall be treated upon the footing of the most favoured nations in the ports above mentioned.

The particular Convention Signed this day by the respective Ministers, having for its object to provide for the payment of debts due to the Citizens of the United States by the French Republic prior to the 30th Sept. 1800 (8th Vendémiaire an 9) is approved and to have its execution in the Same manner as if it had been inserted in this present treaty, and it Shall be ratified in the same form and in the Same time So that the one Shall not be ratified distinct from the other.

Another particular Convention Signed at the Same date as the present treaty relative to a definitive rule between the contracting parties is in the like manner approved and will be ratified in the Same form, and in the Same time and jointly.

The present treaty Shall be ratified in good and due form and the ratifications Shall be exchanged in the Space of Six months after the date of the Signature by the Ministers Plenipotentiary or Sooner if possible.

In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have Signed these articles in the French and English languages; declaring nevertheless that the present Treaty was originally agreed to in the French language; and have thereunto affixed their Seals.

Done at Paris the tenth day of Floreal in the eleventh year of the French Republic; and the 30th of April 1803.

Robt R Livingston [seal]

Jas. Monroe [seal]

Barbé Marbois [seal]

Written by Randal Rust

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The History and Impact of The Louisiana Purchase

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Published: Aug 14, 2018

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The first amendment, historic document, the louisiana purchase, treaty between the united states of america and the french republic (1803).

Robert Livingston, James Monroe and Barbé Marbois | 1803

reproduction of painting by H.S. Whorf of the Louisiana Purchase, 1803, in ornate frame

Negotiated by the administration of Thomas Jefferson and ratified by Congress on October 20, 1803, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty roughly doubled the size of the United States. An enormous area stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to what is now the Canadian border, the land would ultimately be carved into fifteenth separate states, including Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri. The addition of new lands opened up conflicts over the disposition of Native people’s claims to land and sovereignty in the territory as well as the issue of slavery. Whether these new states permitted or prohibited slavery would affect the precarious balance of power between slave state and free state under the original Constitution. The 1820 debates over the admission of Missouri resulted in a “compromise” whereby Missouri would be admitted as a slave state; but all future states carved out of the territory above the 36-30 line would be free. For the next forty years, the nation became increasingly divided over slavery and congressional power to ban slavery in the territories. In Dred Scott v. Sanford , Chief Justice Taney declared that the Missouri Compromise unconstitutionally denied slave owners of their property rights under the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. The adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865 ended the question of slavery in the territories. The Fourteenth Amendment transformed the treaty’s protection of the “rights, advantages and immunities of citizens of the United States” into the “privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States” which “no state shall” abridge.

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His Catholic Majesty promises and engages on his part to cede to the French Republic six months after the full and entire execution of the conditions and Stipulations herein relative to his Royal Highness the Duke of Parma, the Colony or Province of Louisiana with the Same extent that it now has in the hand of Spain, & that it had when France possessed it; and Such as it Should be after the Treaties subsequently entered into between Spain and other States.

Article II

Done at Paris the tenth day of Floreal in the eleventh year of the French Republic; and the 30th of April 1803.

Robt R Livingston [seal] Jas. Monroe [seal] Barbé Marbois [seal]

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The Louisiana Purchase History Essay Example

Long before Louisiana was ceded back to France, it was under French and Spanish rule. Napoleon became the leader of France and, needing to finance his wars, sold Louisiana to the United States. This event was great towards making America more civilized and larger in size.

France at the beginning claimed the Mississippi Valley and Spain claimed west of that towards the Pacific Ocean, this is because Spain signed a secret treaty to return that part of land back to France. "Spain agreed to return the Louisiana territory to France in the secret treaty of San Ildefonso on the condition that Napoleon promise that he would never cede it to the United States.” (Flashpoints). When Thomas Jefferson discovered that Spain signed a secret treaty to cede that part of Louisiana to France, it meant that France was a potential threat to the U.S. This was one of the reasons he feared France for their power. France was then led under Napoleon’s rule at the time because of his past record for good leadership skills and victories. Napoleon was known as a military genius because of his exceptional decision making. One of the future decisions included giving back Louisiana west of the Mississippi River to Spain, because it was of no use and Spain wanted the gold and silver mines with other recourses.

Any decision that was made was determined by Napoleon when he was appointed to be leader based on his leadership skills. This was known as The French Revolution. He had a history of multiple past victories and he brought peace to the people of France. There were agreements and disagreements with America and France about Louisiana and how much it would cost, but with Napoleon’s right decision making the conflicts were resolved. “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” (history.com). After Napoleon resolved his conflicts with the U.S. Louisiana was sold to the United States, making it twice as large. This now meant that Napoleon had broke his agreement to never do business with the U.S.

Napoleon got money from Louisiana by the United States purchasing it for more land and power. "Napoleon was at war in Europe so, he needed money, America paid 60,000,000 francs for the land and cancelled another 18,000,000 francs, which the French owed” (Flam Ester). The U.S is one of those who is surety for depts. "Be one of those who is surety for depts" (Prov. 22: 26) . America approximately got Louisiana for four cents an acre and gained lots of land, resources, and power which is also referred to as the greatest real estate offer. The United States was not very large and there were not many states at the time, however when Louisiana was added, it doubled in size. America only had fourteen states before Louisiana was added.

America gained more positive opportunities such as attaining a better community, having another option for housing, and more local areas. “The purchase also solidified America’s place as a growing power and challenge to the British, something Napoleon was doubtless aware of.” (history.gov). America had grown into a larger area and added an additional land mass to the United States and made it twice as big at the time which was astonishing. Louisiana also gave the U.S food, transportation, trade, silver and gold mines, cattle, coastal wetlands, sulfur, and salt. This resulted in giving us more survival and farming benefits along with a considerable amount of power.

There used to be a rivalry between Europe and France for more land mass because of the desire for more resources, power, and a gain in society. Napoleon also did not really have a good relationship with Europe because of past rivalries, and a lot of disagreements. “Great Britain and France fought for European supremacy and treated weaker powers heavy-handedly.” (state.gov). Napoleon wanted Europe to have the same laws or rules to apply to all people and have the same type of freedom. Napoleon also invaded most of their land because of these rivalries.

Louisiana was sold to the United States, there are bigger land masses and an abundance of recourses which are very helpful towards our economy. This event was a very important one to the U.S and we should be thankful that it worked out as well as it did after negotiating with Napoleon. Now the United States is one of the biggest countries in the world and this was a great help.

Annotated Bibliography

Thesis Statement: Long before Louisiana was ceded back to France, it was under French and Spanish rule. Napoleon became the leader of France and needing to finance his wars, sold Louisiana to the United States and doubled its size.

Primary Sources

“Primary Documents in American History.” Louisiana Purchase, 1803 (Primary Documents of American History: The American Revolution and the New Nation, 1775-1815) | Web Guides, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/rr/program//bib/ourdocs/louisiana.html.

“The Louisiana Purchase : Articles and Essays : Louisiana: European Explorations and the Louisiana Purchase : Digital Collections : Library of Congress.” The Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/collections/louisiana-european-explorations-and-the-louisiana-purchase/articles-and-essays/the-louisiana-purchase/.

Secondary Sources

Chamberlain, Charles. “Spanish Colonial Louisiana.” 64 Parishes, 24 Sept. 2020, https://64parishes.org/entry/spanish-colonial-louisiana.

Fleming, Esther. “Home.” Sidmartinbio.org, 10 Apr. 2021, www.sidmartinbio.org/why-did-napoleon-want-to-sell-the-louisiana-territory/.

History.com Editors. “Louisiana Purchase.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2 Dec. 2009, www.history.com/topics/westward-expansion/louisiana-purchase.

Proverbs 22:26-27 NKJV - - Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%2B22%3A26-27&version=NKJV.

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Louisiana Purchase Essay Examples

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Louisiana Purchase

Several great American Statesmen were pivotal in shaping and molding the government of the United States. History has since forgotten some of these founding fathers. The ones remembered throughout history are those we hold up for their accomplishments. Thomas Jefferson is one of the American Statesmen that stands out from the rest as being one…

How the Louisiana Purchase Changed the World

I believe that the Louisiana Purchase was one of the greatest impacts on American society because of the large amount of land and how it helped our economy. In this report, you will see how lucky that the United States is to have obtained this large piece of land from France. There are many reasons…

United States History: The Louisiana Purchase Essay

The Louisiana Purchase was a vast region in North America, that the United States purchased from France by a treaty signed on Apr. 30, 1803. The Louisiana Territory contained more than 2 million sq km (800,000 sq mi) of land extending from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. The territory comprised present-day Arkansas, Missouri,…

The Louisiana Purchase Argumentative Essay

The Louisiana Purchase was the purchase of the French province of Louisiana by the United States in 1803. The province stretched from the Mississippi River westward to the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico northward to Canada, covering an area equal to that of the United States, prior to the purchase. Except for…

The West – Thomas Jefferson Essay

When Thomas Jefferson became president of the United States in 1801, he dreamed of sending an expedition to explore the little-known territory west of the Mississippi River. Between 1783 and 1792 Jefferson has encouraged plans for three expeditions. All three expeditions failed. In January 1803, he asked Congress for $2,500 to pay for an expedition…

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Note: The three documents transcribed here are the treaty of cession and two conventions, one for the payment of 60 million francs ($11,250,000), the other for claims American citizens had made against France for 20 million francs ($3,750,000).

THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE

Treaty between the united states of america and the french republic, a convention between the united states of america and the french republic, convention between the united states of america and the french republic.

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Louisiana Purchase Essay Examples

Analysis of the louisiana purchase.

Monticello and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation provide an in depth explanation of the Louisiana purchase and it conveys insight to the importance of the negotiations. Monticello is owned and operated by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc., which was founded in 1923. As a private, nonprofit...

American Foreign Policy: Louisiana Purchase

The United States has involved itself in multiple foreign policy affairs before. However, none of the foreign policies the United States involved itself in went free of opposing opinions on how to approach the situation. This recurring opposition of different opinions can be seen in...

Crucial to Louisiana Purchase for the United States

When the United States made the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, little did we know that this would be one of the biggest land deals in history and that it would be transformational for the United States. The Louisiana Purchase gave the United States an additional...

Historical Overview of the Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase refers to a transaction in which the United States purchased an enormous North American territory from France. This acquisition approximately doubled the territory of the United States and gave her total control of the Mississippi River from the Gulf of Mexico up...

Pecularities of the Louisiana Purchase Issue

Although seemingly shrouded in ambiguity and looked at with askance, the Louisiana Purchase along with all other land purchases are constitutional. These are strictly because of articles 4 and 6, the elastic clause, and the tenth amendment. Firstly article IV section 3 grants the aggregation...

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About Louisiana Purchase

May 2, 1803

The Louisiana Purchase was signed in Paris, France, by Robert Livingston and James Monroe on May 2, 1803, but the treaty was antedated to April 30.

The total price was $27, 267, 622. It was ultimately the greatest land bargain in U.S. history.

François, marquis de Barbé-Marbois, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, James Monroe, Charles Pinckney.

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