Jefferson and Napoleon
0 After failing to seize India Napoleon wanted power in New World.
0 Spain held areas west of Mississippi,
0 1800 Treaty of San Ildefonso granted French this Louisiana.
0 Also held sugar-rich West Indian islands Guadeloupe, Martinique, Santo Domingo (where
slave revolt led by Toussaint L’ouverture put down)
0 Jefferson unaware of Napoleon’s imperial agenda,
0 pursued pro-French foreign policy0 apptd pro-French Robert Livingston minister,
0 secured Franco-American settlement of 1800, disapproved of black Santo Domingo uprising
0 Reconsidered position when heard of secret transfer of Louisiana and seizure of New
Orleans,
0 alarmed in 1802 when Spanish intendant at New Orleans forbade transfer of American cargo to
ocean going vessels (which was guaranteed in Pinckney Treaty of 1795)- this closed lower Miss. to
US shippers
0 Westerners demanded govt reopen river,
0 Jefferson ordered Livingston negotiate purchase of New Orleans,
0
in meantime expanded military and river fleet to give impression of New Orleans attack
0 Nap offered sale of whole Louisiana Territory. Plans for American empire awry b/c army
decimated by yellow fever, reinforcements frozen
The Louisiana Purchase
0 Livingston and James Monroe in Paris decided to proceed with sale of
whole territory even though not authorized to do so by govt,
0 treaty signed April 1803
0 US paid $15 million to France, had to incorporate N.O. residents into
Union
0 Jefferson unsure US had authority to accept offer b/c power not
specifically granted in Constitution,
0 ultimately agreed constituted as treaty power.
0 December 1803 territory handed over from Spain to France then US
0 Govt organized Louisiana territory like Northwest territory w/ various
territories to eventually to become states0 Louisiana first, admitted 1812
Lewis and Clark Explore the West
0 Jefferson planned expedition across continent to Pacific Ocean in 1803
to gather geographical fats and investigate trade w/ Indians
0 Lewis and Clark set out 1804 from Mississippi R. in St Louis w/ Indian
Sacajawea as guide, reached pacific fall 1805
0 Jefferson dispatched other explorers to other parts of Louisiana
Territory, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike led two expeditions btwn Mississippi
and Rocky Mts
The Burr Conspiracy
0 Reelection of 1804 suggested nation approved of Jefferson’s acquisitions,
0 but some NE Federalists known as Essex Junto felt expansion weakened power of Federalists
+ region.
0 Felt only answer secession and “Northern Confederacy”
0 Plan required support of NY, NJ, New England, but leading NY Federalist Alexander Hamilton
refused support
0 Turned to Vice President Aaron Burr (who had no prospect in own party after 1800 election
deadlock) to be Federalist candidate for NY governor in 1804
0 Hamilton accused Burr of treason and negative remarks about character,
0 when Burr lost election blamed defeat on Hamilton’s malevolence
0 Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel 1804, Hamilton mortally wounded
0 Burr, now political outcast, fled NY for West and along with General James Wilkinson,
governor of Louisiana Territory, planned capture of Mexico from Spanish and possibly
make his own empire.
0 1806 tried for treason, acquitted
0 “Conspiracy” showed perils of central govt that remained deliberately weak w/ vast
tracts of nominally controlled land, state of US as stable and united nation