Unit 3
#1
1) Identify what type of constitutional interpretation President Jefferson used when he
purchased Louisiana.
2) Describe the details of the Louisiana Purchase.
3) Discuss why the Louisiana Purchase was so important.
In 1801, Spain signed a secret treaty with France to return Louisiana Territory to
France.
Americans had been moving westward into the Ohio River and Tennessee River
valleys, and these settlers were highly dependent on free access to the
Mississippi River and the strategic port of New Orleans.
Jefferson feared that France would soon seek to dominate the Mississippi River
and the Gulf of Mexico.
In a letter to U.S. minister to France, Robert Livingston,
Thomas Jefferson stated,
"The day that France takes possession of New Orleans...we must marry
ourselves to the British fleet and nation."
France was slow in taking control of Louisiana, but
in 1802 Spanish authorities, acting under French
orders, revoked a U.S.-Spanish treaty that granted
Americans the right to use New Orleans.
In response, Jefferson sent future U.S. president
James Monroe to Paris to aid Livingston in the
New Orleans purchase talks.
In mid-April 1803, shortly before Monroe's arrival,
Napoleon asked a surprised Livingston if the
United States was interested in purchasing all of
Louisiana Territory.
Napoleon Bonaparte
(French)
At the end of April 1803, the U.S. agreed to pay $15 Million to acquired the
Louisiana Territory, an area roughly 828,000 square miles of land.
The treaty was dated April 30 and signed on May 2.
In October, the U.S. Senate ratified the purchase.
In December 1803 France transferred authority over the region to the United
States.
Video Clip
a) What does the constitution say about the Federal Government buying land?
b) How does Jefferson buy the Louisiana Territory?
c) What type of constitutional interpretation is that?
d) Has Jefferson always thought like this?
e) Explain one example of each type of interpretation used by Jefferson?
1) The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size
of the United States.
2) Jefferson used a loose interpretation
of the constitution
(elastic clause).
Jefferson appoints Meriwether Lewis to
lead an expedition to collect scientific
data from the new territory. Lewis
picked William Clark to be his second in
command.
The group (started with 50) shrank in
size but added Sacajawea. She was the
guide and interpreter.
It expedition took 2 years and 4 months.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESITONS:
1) What type of constitutional interpretation President
Jefferson use AND why is that important?
2) Describe the details of the Louisiana Purchase.
3) Why is the Louisiana Purchase so important.