The Louisiana Purchase Coach Kuntz United States History

Objective: Explain how the United States doubled in size in the 1800s. Describe the exploration of the West.

Review: 1. What is the name of the famous house that Thomas Jefferson designed for himself? 2. What did Jefferson refer to his election as and why? 3. In his Inaugural Address, Jefferson said “We are all _________________, we are all ______________.” 4. Define laissez-faire— 5. Who was Jefferson’s Secretary of Treasury? 6. What were John Adams’s last-minute judicial appointments known as? 7. In which case did the Supreme Court claim for the first time that a law passed by Congress was unconstitutional? 8. Define judicial review—

The Louisiana Territory The land from the Mississippi River west to the Rocky Mountains was called the Louisiana Territory. In a secret treaty in 1800, Spain ceded, or granted, the Louisiana Territory to France. America’s use of the lower Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans was once again in jeopardy. Jefferson also feared that the French dictator, Napoleon Bonaparte, might want to base a North American empire in the Louisiana Territory.

An Offer to France Jefferson was unwilling to see more land in North America in European hands. He authorized Robert Livingston and James Monroe to negotiate the purchase of the city of New Orleans from France. The House of Representatives voted $2 million for the purchase, but Jefferson authorized Monroe to offer up to $10 million.

A Revolution in the Caribbean In 1791 enslaved Africans in the French colony of Saint Domingue had begun a revolt against French plantation owners. After fierce and bitter fighting, the rebels, led by Toussaint L’Ouverture, declared the colony an independent republic. In 1804, following a brief setback, the rebels gained their freedom and set up the republic of Haiti.

The Louisiana Purchase The rebellion in Saint Domingue (Haiti), combined with his war with Britain, ended Napoleon’s interest in a French empire in North America. Needing money to maintain his war with Britain, Napoleon decided to sell the entire Louisiana Territory to the United States. The Louisiana Purchase (1803) cost a mere $15 million (3 cents/acre) and almost doubled the size of the nation.

The Louisiana Purchase

Justifying the Purchase Jefferson struggled with the notion of purchasing territory from another nation, something the Constitution does not authorize. In the end, Jefferson justified the purchase through his constitutional power to make treaties; he urged the Senate to quickly approve it.

Federalist Opposition Federalists feared that the Louisiana Purchase would add more slave states to the Union and argued that it was too expensive. The idea of so much new, open land, however, appealed to most Americans. The Senate quickly approved the treaty, thus doubling the size of the U.S. and opening the way for westward expansion.

Review: 9. Identify the Louisiana Territory— 10. Define cede— 11. Why was the U.S. worried about the French taking over the Louisiana Territory? 12. Who was the French dictator during the early 1800s? 13. What city were American diplomats authorized to buy for $2-10 million? 14. Who led a successful slave rebellion in Saint Domingue? 15. What did the rebels rename Saint Domingue? 16. For what two reasons did Napoleon decide to sell the entire Louisiana Territory to the U.S.? 17. For how much money did the U.S. purchase the Louisiana Territory? 18. How did the Louisiana Purchase affect the size of the United States? 19. Jefferson justified the Louisiana Purchase through his constitutional power to make _____________. 20. What did the Federalists fear about the Louisiana Purchase?

Lewis and Clark To learn more about the Louisiana Purchase and discover a possible water route to the Pacific, Jefferson organized an expedition. This expedition, called the Corps of Discovery, was led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The Lewis and Clark expedition set out from St. Louis in the spring of 1804, reached the Pacific in the late autumn of 1805, and returned in September 1806.

Sacajawea The Lewis and Clark expedition encountered new plants, animals, and physical features—including the imposing Rocky Mountains—along the 8,000 miles of the journey. Assisting Lewis and Clark for much of their journey was a pregnant teenage Shoshone Indian woman named Sacajawea.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition

Pike’s Peak Around this time Lieutenant Zebulon Pike was leading a smaller expedition to the upper Mississippi River. Pike did not find the source of the Mississippi, although he did learn much about the land and about British trade there. Later, in 1806-1807, Pike explored the Colorado region and sighted the tall mountain now known as Pike’s Peak.

The Expedition of Zebulon Pike

The Duel When Jefferson won reelection in 1804, he chose George Clinton to replace Aaron Burr as his Vice President. Burr ran for governor of New York, but lost because Alexander Hamilton forcefully campaigned against him. Burr challenged Hamilton to a pistol duel and killed him on a July morning in 1804.

Review: 21. Who did Jefferson send to explore the Louisiana Purchase? 22. What was the purpose of the expedition? 23. From what city did the expedition set out in the spring of 1804? 24. What Shoshone Indian woman acted as a guide and interpreter for the Lewis and Clark expedition? 25. Who explored both the upper Mississippi River and Colorado region? 26. Who killed Alexander Hamilton in a pistol duel?