The Louisiana Purchase

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The Louisiana Purchase

• Chapter 11.2

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The Louisiana Purchase

• Spanish controlled the territory known as
  Louisiana
• Traded it back to the French when they
• couldnt keep the US settlers out
• French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte
• wanted to build a strong French
• empire in America
• 1st he had a rebellion to deal with in Haiti (led
  by enslaved Africans)
• French failed to quell this rebellion

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• Jefferson became concerned about French ownership
  of Louisiana (especially the port of New Orleans)
• Sent diplomats to convince the French that the US
  should control New Orleans
• The French were willing to sell the entire
  Louisiana territory
• Needed the money to fight the British
• Signed the treaty in 1803 to buy Louisiana for
  15,000,000 dollars (15 million)
• After Senate approval, this doubled the size of
  the United States

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• Facts
• Made up of 828,000 sq. miles
• Portions of 15 states included in this purchase
• Some opposed this acquisition
• Approximately .03/.04 acre
• Paid 3 million up front and financed the rest
  from European Banks

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• Exploring the western territories
• Even before the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson
  wanted to send explorers beyond the Mississippi
• 1803 Congress funded a group led by Meriwether
  Lewis and William Clark to do the exploring
• from St. Louis to the Rockies to the
• Pacific. A journey that lasted 2 years
• Met many Indian tribes and collected
• scientific information
• Also sent Zebulon Pike to find the source of the
  Red River (northern border of Texas). Traveled
  along the Rio Grande and imprisoned by Spanish
• Reported that the U.S. should take advantage of
  business opportunities with the Spanish

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