Essay On Louisiana Purchase

In “When the Ends Justify the Means,” Barry J. Balleck debates that President Jefferson did not abandon his political ethics by purchasing the Louisiana Territory (P. 14). Balleck states that the Louisiana Purchase was “the greatest achievement of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency” (P. 14). With the addition of the new territory to the United States, President Jefferson secured the nation “for generations, if not centuries to come” (P. 14). Jefferson was confident that purchasing the Louisiana Territory would encourage the development of an upright Republican populace (P. 14). Surprisingly, he had many reservations about his authority to purchase Louisiana, but that did not stop him from laying the treaty before Congress (P. 19). He also knew that, by purchasing Louisiana, the Federalists power might be lost, but he still pushed forward with the treaty (P. 19). Although many historians criticize President Jefferson for giving up his most visible political convictions by purchasing Louisiana, he knew that it would double the size of the United States and ensure much land expansion for the country (P. 20). He strongly believed that the new territory was “essential to national security” (P. 21). In President Jefferson’s mind, purchasing Louisiana secured the “virtues of Republicanism in an ‘Empire of Liberty’” (P. 22). “The Louisiana

Though the Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States, the President had incorporated a great deal of territory into the Union. Jefferson was not expecting this territory, though he authorized its purchase. As a result, this purchase was unconstitutional because Jefferson did not have the right to ratify the purchase, the House and the Senate did. Even though the House and Senate could not resist this opportunity for such land gain, Jefferson had exemplified Federalist ideals by giving great power to the

Entering his presidency, Thomas Jefferson did not intend on expanding the land of the newborn country, the United States of America, but soon discovered a deal in his hands that was too good to refuse. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803, was debated as unconstitutional or illegal. Secondly, the Louisiana Purchase was a vast area of land that stretched approximately 820,000 square miles, the territory reached from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains, to the Gulf of Mexico, and Canada impacting thousands different groups of people. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803, was debated as unconstitutional or illegal. The Louisiana Purchase territory was one of the biggest land sales in World History causing heated debates as on how unconstitutional it and President Jefferson were at the time, it’s vast area of land it covered effected multiple groups in the country, and still to this day the purchase affects American lives.

Another important power of the president as commander in chief is that they have the power to gain additional territory for the United States. Although this has not happened recently, the power is implied from the power to make and write treaties from Article II of the Constitution. They have the power to take over another country, attempt to invade, or make a trade deal regarding the land or property of a country. The Louisiana Purchase was a major example of this power being used. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson bought over 800,000 square miles of land from France. It nearly doubled the size of the U.S. Today, it has shaped the way the U.S. is today, with the addition of 11 states in the Midwest. Because of this power, the president can literally shape the way a country is. The majority of the U.S. was either purchased or annexed from another country. As commander in chief, the president, as well as the Secretary of

The constitution guarded against tyranny by giving us federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and large vs. small states. The constitution was written in Philadelphia in the year of 1787. This established America’s national government and fundamental laws

Jefferson having helped the average farmer did so at certain at the price of losing his original ideals of his presidency. As Jefferson had made the Louisiana Purchase he made the national debt of the United States increase; Jefferson had promised to decrease the debt during his presidency but instead increased it through his purchase. Jefferson also failed to follow his own strict interpretation of the Constitution, as there was no statement of whether Jefferson had the power to make purchases for the United States and did not even consult Congress about his decision. Jefferson had increased the executive power he was given by making a purchase without any consultation with Congress and therefore increased the power of the Federal Government. Jefferson had

Jefferson faced a political dilemma by having to make a difficult decision with purchasing the Louisiana. He was a very strict person involved in the constitution. The federal government had a very hard time dealing with the constitution. The constitution would not give the federal government enough power to purchase it from France. Jefferson was an anti-federalist, although he wrote the constitution he did not agree to author it. He also faced the fact about deciding whether purchasing and acquiring land was even legal. On top of that there was also cons Jefferson dealt with. A con was that the United States would have to protect a larger nation with purchasing the Louisiana. The United States would also have to be careful with how the Americans explored the land and settled. Thomas Jefferson had a lot going on after

The Louisiana Purchase was a “land deal” made between France and the U.S. in December of 1803, where France sold America 828,000 miles of land along the west side of the Mississippi River for 15 million dollars (approximately 4 cents per acre). People regard it as Thomas Jefferson’s greatest achievement because of how drastically it changed the United States. The purchase greatly expanded America and brought many other benefits along with it. Although it was definitely a major benefit to the United States, even Jefferson had his doubts about the purchase. But despite their many doubts, the U.S. made the decision to ratify the purchase, and because of that decision, America has changed for the better.

Throughout the first half of the 19th century the United States would expand their territories gaining lands from coast to coast. Numerous agreements, treaties, and compromises were made to shape America into what it is today including the Kansas- Nebraska Act, the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, and the Compromise of 1850 are a few to name. The debate of territorial expansion had supporters, namely, the democrats, and opponents which varied over time and over which land was in the midst of being a new American territory. With the government's actions and policies the United States became the Transcontinental Nation it is today.

Thomas Jefferson had mixed emotions about the Louisiana Purchase. On one hand, he knew it would be a grand opportunity, and the United States would be assured free navigation of the Mississippi River. Also, it would double our nation in size and be considered one of the largest, if not the largest, land transaction in history. On the other hand, he was conflicted whether or not to buy the Louisiana Territory because of guidelines set forth in the Constitution. The Constitution did not specifically

When the Louisiana Purchase was made by Thomas Jefferson in 1802, nobody in the United States knew anything about the territory. Everyone had to know more about the huge land grant that was just purchased by the U.S. People took the challenge and went out to see the great land. Famous explorers are known for their exploration of the Louisiana Purchase. Two famous explorers are known by many, Lewis and Clark. Although, there is one explorer that is less known but explored just as much area as Lewis and Clark. Zebulon Pike started his expedition of the Louisiana Purchase shortly after Lewis and Clark.

Federalists argued that the Constitution would improve the nation’s economy and social status, as well as fixing the errors made in the Articles of Confederation. Anti-federalists argued that the new Constitution’s executive branch received too much power and the poorer and less educated would receive the least power. Anti-federalists also argued that the Constitution would violate their natural rights and freedoms. Although the Anti-federalists may have made solid arguments, the federalists won the debate. In order for the Anti-federalists to agree with the U.S. Constitution. The convention compromised with the Anti-federalists to write the Bill of Rights to protect and secure citizens rights. Slowly, but surely the U.S. corrected other errors addressed by the Anti-federalists Constitution along the way. All in all, this discourse was a healthy debate for shaping the present United States of

Jefferson, himself, carefully deliberated whether the Constitution granted him the right to acquire territory for the purpose of expandi the Union. He reflected on the possible need for an amendment to the Constitution to justify the action. Finally, under intense pressure, he allowed the purchase and set an important precedent. His action established the power of the president to expand the borders of the United States under the existing powers of the Constitution. Despite the economic and political implications of the Louisiana Purchase, the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) had more significant historical implications on this time period.

States of America paid fifteen million dollars to get all the land west of the Mississippi

Some argued that the purchase was unconstitutional because the Constitution didn’t say that Jefferson could purchase the land. Others argued that the purchase was indeed constitutional because the Constitution didn’t say Jefferson couldn’t purchase the land. Also, like said above, Jefferson had an aversion to big moves by the central government. Again, he compromised his beliefs by purchasing a territory from a foreign nation (obviously a huge move by the central government (not by the states)). It is seemingly understandable, however, that Jefferson decided to compromise his beliefs. He was afraid that the French would give up the deal in the time it would take to pass an amendment saying that he could purchase the land. Jefferson also resolved the issue (of constitutionality, his personal beliefs, etc.) by deciding that the growth of the nation (at a modest price) was more important than his own political aversion to big moves by the central government. In addition, Jefferson seemed to have purchased the land in order to protect the United States. First off, Spain’s agreement to give Louisiana back to the French compromised Pinckney’s Treat, which gave the United States access to the Mississippi River. Also, he feared that Napoleon, if he had control over the territory, would close off New Orleans to the United States