The Louisiana Purchase
By Ryan Bilger & Jarred Ring
Early Louisiana History
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Originally colonized by France
Given up to Spain after French and
Indian War
Treaty of Fontainebleau
Americans still allowed to settle in
Spanish Louisiana
Quasi-War/XYZ Affair: Early Controversy
Between United States and France
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Quasi-War: Unofficial war where French
ships attacked American ships in 1797
XYZ Affair- French government bribing
American government for an end to the
quasi-war; 1797-1798
Caused massive uproar among antiFrench Americans
Treaty of San Ildefonso
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September 30, 1800
Louisiana given back to France from Spain
Spain supposed to get a French kingdom
in Italy, but it was never handed over
Treaty supposed to be secret; still found
out about by Americans, and the Senate
was notified by Thomas Jefferson
Slave Rebellion in St. Domingue
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St. Domingue- French colony in presentday Haiti
Led by Toussaint L’Overture
Napoleon sent over 40,000 soldiers to
fight rebels
French soldiers decimated by yellow fever,
forced troops to withdraw
Most French defeated in 1802
Napoleon’s Desire to Sell Louisiana
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Loss of St. Domingue diminished
Napoleon’s opinion of Louisiana
Thought it was useless without St.
Domingue as a jumping-off point
Wanted to ease tension with United
States after XYZ Affair
Prepared to offer territory to
American diplomats in France
Jefferson Appoints Negotiators
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Livingston appointed “Resident
Minister at the Court of Napoleon” in
1801
Monroe appointed “Envoy
Extraordinary” in 1803
Jefferson notified the Senate of these
positions in a January 1803 message
Both would negotiate the treaty with
Napoleon
The Offers for Louisiana
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Monroe was to offer $9,375,000 to buy
New Orleans and Florida
Napoleon offered entire Louisiana Territory
for $22,500,000
Monroe and Livingston counter-offer
$8,000,000
Napoleon offers $16,000,000, Americans
offer $12,000,000
Louisiana Purchase Treaty
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France agrees to sell Louisiana for
$15,000,000; price confirmed in First
Convention
Rate of 6 cents per acre
First signed by Livingston and
Monroe for the United States in April
1803
Louisiana Territory and all French
public/government buildings included
Louisiana Purchase Treaty (cont.)
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Over 800,000 acres of land added
Gave U.S. access to the Mississippi
River, but France and Spain were still
allowed to import; economy boost
Money for purchase loaned from a
British bank
Treaty passed by Congress on
October 20, 1803
Louisiana Purchase Immediate
Aftermath
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U.S. occupied Louisiana in
December, 1803 after Spain gave it
over to France days before
Napoleon’s North American empire
was gone; he eventually lost his
European empire as well
Spain angered by what France had
done, but they had no power to
change it
Louisiana Purchase Immediate
Aftermath (cont.)
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Lewis and Clark explored the
territory from 1805-1806
Development would displace many
natives, as well as change the lives
of French and Spanish in the area
Louisiana Purchase Today
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Land is now home to many species of
animals
New cities built/further developed in
LA territory e.g. St. Louis, MO;
Kansas City, MO; Omaha, NE
Land makes up all or parts of 15
states
Contains some of Yellowstone
National Park
Thomas Jefferson- Did he overstep
his bounds?
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During negotiations, he didn’t have the
power to buy the land
Nothing in the Constitution about land
acquisitions
Jefferson himself said he didn’t have the
authority; knew it was important
acquisition, so he went through with it
• Eventually given authority by Congress to
acquire Louisiana Territory in Oct. 1803
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Lasting impact on Federal Power
Impact on Federal Power
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Purchase seen as beginning of expansion of
federal power
Strengthened federal government; gave them
more power to do what they wanted
Constitution interpreted more loosely by future
governments
Examples of growing federal power’s impact
throughout history:
• Federal power vs. states’ rights argument during Civil
War
• Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal
• Barack Obama’s healthcare reform