Louisiana Purchase

Louisiana Purchase

Many Flags have flown here

This land has been controlled by France, Spain, France again, and eventually the U.S.A.

Poll

Many colonial nations have laid claim to lands they have never seen or explored. Do you think that they should be able to claim /sell large chunks of land without exploring/settling it?

• Yes, they hold the legal rights

• No, they need to actually live there to be able to sell it

The Story

• Jefferson wanted to buy New Orleans

• Farmers needed to use the Mississippi to ship their crops, so owning the City at the mouth of the River would be advantageous

The Story

• Jefferson sent Robert Livingston to France to buy New Orleans

• Napolean, in need of cash to fund his wars, decided to simply sell the rest of France's lands in the New World to the U.S.A.

• This would DOUBLE the size of the U.S.A.

Poll

The power to buy land or territory is not listed in the Constitution. Jefferson believed that he could use the Treaty Powers Clause (Which gives the President the right to make treaties with other nations as long as a majority of the Senate votes to ratify the Treaty). Did Jefferson have the authority to buy the Louisiana Territory?

• Yes, despite the Constitution needing to be stretched a bit to do it.

  (Loose View)

• No, the Constitution does not give him that power directly (Strict view)

What a Deal!

• Napolean offered New Orleans and all of the Louisiana Territory for $15,000,000 ($309 Million today)

• This is about eighteen dollars per square mile or four cents an acre

• The land today would cost ~$4,000,000,000,000

NEXT WE EXPLORE!