The American West
The Louisiana
Purchase
Objectives
1. Explain with evidence, why the federalist
opposed the Louisiana Purchase.
2. List Two Importance of the Mississippi River.
3. Explain two other arguments against the
Louisiana Purchase.
Importance of the Mississippi
• Provided Access to Interior
of North America
• Helped increase trade
– New Orleans became huge
trade city
• Helped increase the
transportation of goods &
people
What action should the United States take?
A. Offer to buy the city of New Orleans from France
so that American farmers can export their goods
from that port.
B. Threaten to go to war if France does not hand
over New Orleans to the United States.
C. Offer to buy all of the Louisiana Territory,
including New Orleans, so that French are no
longer a threat to the United States.
“A Noble Bargain”
• President Jefferson sent James Monroe to
France to discuss Louisiana.
• On April 30, 1803, Monroe gave France
$15 million for Louisiana (That’s about 2 to
3 cents an acre!).
• The French foreign minister told Monroe,
“You have made a noble bargain for
yourselves, and I suppose you will make
the most of it.”
The Purchase Debate
• Politicians in the East:
– Feared the possibility of lose of
power with new states in the west
out numbering states in the east.
• Other Arguments:
– America had plenty of land as it was and
– Didn't’t have the money to waste on land
– Jefferson had no Constitutional right to make such a
deal
– New Size of the U.S. would make it harder to govern.
• Result:
– Senate would ratifies the treaty and double the size of
the U.S.