Document 1: The Louisiana Purchase
In 1801, U.S. President Thomas Jefferson began his pursuit of just the French City of New
Orleans (French Orleans Territory) in an effort to gain control of Mississippi River access; his $10
million offer was initially rejected by the French.
Over the next year Napoleon was actively involved in his growing European military
campaign against Britain, as well as other political conflicts in the Americas; apparently
stretched-thin, he tired of his Louisiana Territory (and needing focus and funds) he finally
wavered, and on April 30, 1803 he authorized the sale of the entire French Territory of
Louisiana for $15 million, which included the City of New Orleans; justifiably, President
Jefferson was jubilant.
The nation-changing Louisiana Purchase subsequently almost doubled the size of the United
States overnight. This massive transfer of land included all of present-day Arkansas, Oklahoma,
Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa; most of Colorado, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming, as
well as significant parts of North Dakota, Minnesota, Texas and Louisiana. Parts of it also extended
into what is now Canada for a short period of time. Eventually Spain ceded (lost) all of its territories
to the United States, beginning in Florida in 1819, as the modern-shape of the U.S.A. finally came
together.
1.) Why did Thomas Jefferson want the city of New Orleans?
2.) How much money did Napoleon sell the Louisiana Territory to the U.S. for?
3.) What did the purchase of Louisiana do to the size of the United States?
Document 2Map Louisiana Purchase
4.) What countries owned the three major territories of North Americas?
5.) Name four states that were acquired through the Louisiana Purchase?
Document 3:
Original Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
We view this passage across the continent as affording immense advantages to the fur
trade, but fear that the advantages which it offers as a communication for the productions of the
East Indies to the United States and thence to Europe will never be found equal on an extensive
scale to that by way of the Cape of Good Hope; still we believe that many articles not bull~y, brittle
nor of a very perishable nature may be conveyed to the United States by this route with more
facility and at less expense than by that at present practiced.
If the government will only aid, even if in a very limited manner, the enterprise of her
citizens I am fully convinced that we shall shortly derive the benefits of a most lucrative trade from
this source, and that in the course of ten or twelve years a tour across the continent by the route
mentioned will be undertaken by individuals with as little concern as a voyage across the Atlantic is
as present.
6.) List 2 advantages of the land explored by Lewis and Clark.
Document 4:
Horatio Gate's letter to President Jefferson.
"Let the land rejoice, for you have bought Louisiana for a song."
- General Horatio Gates to President Thomas Jefferson, July 18, 1803
7.) Describe the meaning of Gate's message.
Document 5:
Alexander Hamilton wrote an editorial called “Purchase of Louisiana” for the New York
Evening Post, July 1803.
The purchase of New Orleans is essential to the peace and prosperity of our Western
country, and opens a free and valuable market to our commercial states. This purchase will
probably make it seem like Mr. Jefferson is brilliant. Any man, however, who possesses any amount
of intelligence, will easily see that the purchase is the result of lucky coincidences and unexpected
circumstances and not the result of any wise or thoughtful actions on the part of Jefferson’s
administration. As to the vast region west of the Mississippi, it is a wilderness with numerous tribes
of Indians. And when we consider the present territory of the United States, and that not onesixteenth is yet under occupation, the possibility that this new purchase will be a place of actual
settlement seems unlikely. If our own citizens do eventually settle this new land, it would weaken
our country and central government. On the whole, we can honestly say that this purchase is at best
extremely problematic.
8) What does Alexander Hamilton identify as the value of New Orleans to the U.S.?
Document 6.
The Journal of a Fur-Trading Expedition on the Upper Missouri 1812-1813
By John C. Luttig-Clerk of the Missouri Fur Company
Friday the 29th departed at Day light, opposite the little Osage Island we were obliged to
stop on account of head wind and strong Current, arranged a new top Mast, went fishing with the
Seine and caught 13 large fish 1 Turtle, the wind having somewhat abated we made way at 2 P.M.
but still wind a heads, at the little Osage Prairie we stopped for the little Boat which got around, met
a shoal of Cat fish close in shore the Men who were Cordelling killed one with a stick which weighed
after cleaning 40 lbs, went on a little way and found a small Run full of fish, the other Boat not
having come up as yet we took our Seine and caught 161 Bass and other fish, which we salted,
camped and killed 2 Deer.
9) How are the members of the group able to find food?
10) How might the amount of fish they caught and deer they hunted compare to what people
living in the eastern part of the U.S. in 1812 would expect to catch or hunt?