French Control Of The Western Lands example essay topic

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase was done in the year 1803. In this purchase the United States of America paid fifteen million dollars to get all the land west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains. This transaction was done between Thomas Jefferson and the great Napoleon. The benefits that the United States of America experienced from this purchase were numerous. For one, it gave the U.S. complete control of the Mississippi, which in tern helped many farmers with transporting goods. Second, it more than doubled the size of the United States.

With this huge amounts of land, the government could set up more farms to feed the young but growing nation. Despite these benefits, however, many people believe that the Louisiana Purchase was an unconstitutional mistake, for it was not written that the government could buy land from other nations. The question, however, still remains, was the Louisiana Purchase a necessity for the young growing nation, or was the purchase an unconstitutional act done by President Thomas Jefferson himself? At the end of the French and the Indian War France had given up its claims to lands west of the Mississippi to Spain. However, when Napoleon came to power he took back the Louisiana lands from Spain.

The news of this transaction reached the United States government. This alarmed the president and the rest of the republicans, for they feared the French control of the western lands. First of, it would get France to occupy the western lands of America. France, as one may know, was a powerful and aggressive nation, having France on America's borders created fear of invasion among the Americans. Jefferson was also afraid that the French might limit the westward expansion. Also, French control of the Gulf of Mexico and the mouth of the of the Mississippi River could deprive westerners of the right to deposit at New Orleans, and it could greatly limit their trade.

"The day that France takes New Orleans", said President Jefferson, "We must marry ourselves to the British fleet ad nation". (Curti 245). That quote tells one that Jefferson was really concerned. It was this fact that led Jefferson to urge the American minister to Paris, Robert R. Livingston, and James Monroe to travel to France where they were to negotiate a deal with Napoleon. They were to offer ten million dollars to Napoleon for New Orleans and West Florida. When the ambassadors have arrived in Paris, they quickly began to negotiate with Napoleon and his advisors.

Napoleon then offered the American ambassadors a deal of a lifetime-the whole Louisiana lands for only fifteen million dollars. Now why would France want to sell all this land? For one, there was a civil war in the Island of Haiti. There the slaves have revolted and won independence from France. Napoleon tried hopelessly to get the Island of Haiti back under control, but it was to no avail. Without control of Haiti the lands of Louisiana were useless to France, and thus Napoleon decided to sell it to the Americans.

Moreover, Napoleon was planning to conquer all of Europe, this meant war with Great Britain. Since Napoleon knew that Britain would easily gain France's overseas lands, he decided to sell them for fifteen million dollars. Robert Livingston and James Monroe contacted Jefferson, who only wanted to get New Orleans, for advice, and the final decision. Jefferson, seeing it as an opportunity, agreed to pay fifteen million dollars to get all of the Louisiana lands. "This land sale, probably the largest in history, was negotiated early in 1803".

(Curti 247). Napoleon's offer to sell land pleased Jefferson, but it also troubled him, for he believed that the Constitution did not allow him to buy huge amounts of land. This was partially due to the fact that he was a Republican, and Republicans believed that a leader should follow the Constitution word for word. The Constitution said nothing about the president buying land from foreign countries, so Jefferson felt an amendment was necessary before the purchase could be made. However, due to the long amendment process, his cabinet advised him to secure the purchase before Napoleon could change his mind. Therefore, Jefferson sent a treaty of approval to the Senate.

In the Senate, Federalists strongly objected to the treaty. The Federalists stated that fifteen million dollars is a lot of price for wilderness. They also expressed their fears that when farmers filled these vast lands, the eastern representatives in Congress would get out voted. Most Federalists, ironically, insisted that the Constitution did not give the federal government power to buy territory. The Federalists have long claimed that the Constitution should be broadly interpreted. These changes of views for both parties illustrates how ideas change as interests and situations change.

Despite Federalists arguments, the treaty of the purchase was approved. And in 1803, the Louisiana Territory became part of the United States of America. So was the Louisiana Purchase a necessity to the young but growing nation, or was it a unconstitutional mistake? Many Americans would probably say that the Louisiana Purchase was a necessity to the United States of America.

That is because it provided America with more land for its growing population. Also, the purchase gave full control to the Americans over the Mississippi River, and Western Florida. This would intern influence trade, and transportation of products would become easier. Also, it is because of this purchase, that the Americans get rid of the French from the American Continent, for if they had not removed French claims, who knows what Napoleon would have done.

Finally, the Louisiana Purchase was not an unconstitutional, for the Constitution could be broadly interpreted for the good of the country.