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Louisiana PurchaseUnit 3

#1

1) Identify what type of constitutional interpretation President Jefferson used when he purchased Louisiana.

2) Describe the details of the Louisiana Purchase.3) Discuss why the Louisiana Purchase was so important.

Objectives:

In 1801, Spain signed a secret treaty with France to return Louisiana Territory to France.

Americans had been moving westward into the Ohio River and Tennessee River valleys, and these settlers were highly dependent on free access to the

Mississippi River and the strategic port of New Orleans.

Jefferson feared that France would soon seek to dominate the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.

In a letter to U.S. minister to France, Robert Livingston,Thomas Jefferson stated,

"The day that France takes possession of New Orleans...we must marry ourselves to the British fleet and nation."

Louisiana Purchase

Louisiana PurchaseFrance was slow in taking control of Louisiana, but

in 1802 Spanish authorities, acting under French orders, revoked a U.S.-Spanish treaty that granted

Americans the right to use New Orleans.

In response, Jefferson sent future U.S. president James Monroe to Paris to aid Livingston in the

New Orleans purchase talks.

In mid-April 1803, shortly before Monroe's arrival, Napoleon asked a surprised Livingston if the

United States was interested in purchasing all of Louisiana Territory. Napoleon Bonaparte

(French)

Louisiana Purchase

At the end of April 1803, the U.S. agreed to pay $15 Million to acquired the Louisiana Territory, an area roughly 828,000 square miles of land.

The treaty was dated April 30 and signed on May 2.

In October, the U.S. Senate ratified the purchase.

In December 1803 France transferred authority over the region to the United States.

Video Clip

Things to think about…

a) What does the constitution say about the Federal Government buying land?

b) How does Jefferson buy the Louisiana Territory?

c) What type of constitutional interpretation is that?

d) Has Jefferson always thought like this?

e) Explain one example of each type of interpretation used by Jefferson?

Louisiana Purchase:The MUST KNOW’s

1) The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States.

2) Jefferson used a loose interpretation of the constitution

(elastic clause).

Now What?Jefferson appoints Meriwether Lewis to lead an expedition to collect scientific

data from the new territory. Lewis picked William Clark to be his second in

command.

The group (started with 50) shrank in size but added Sacajawea. She was the

guide and interpreter.

It expedition took 2 years and 4 months.

Turn to the person next to you and…

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESITONS:

1) What type of constitutional interpretation President Jefferson use AND why is that important?

2) Describe the details of the Louisiana Purchase.

3) Why is the Louisiana Purchase so important.