Essay On Louisiana Purchase

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.

The Louisiana Purchase was a portion of land west of the mississippi. It was purchased from Napoleon (French) by the U.S. for 15 million dollars in 1803. The U.S. wanted new orleans because then The United States would have a faster route to get to the coastal states. The federalist had legitimate problems with the Purchase and expressed them openly.

The Decisions made to buy the Louisiana Purchase were tough; however, in the end the Louisiana Purchase was the most important land purchase in American history. In 1803 the United States had seventeen states along with the Northwest Territory. America still had not reached its potential growth, even though the states were still growing with settlers, until after the Louisiana Purchase. The president at this time was Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson’s decision would soon be the birth of our nation, as well as be the largest land purchase in American history.

Power is another word for control. People can abuse of their power by demanding things beyond their reach. In the article The Louisiana Purchase, the author demonstrates how Thomas Jefferson abused his power as President to buy the Louisiana territory from the French. The president; Thomas Jefferson, knew that the purchase of this territory was beyond his reach and he still went out and he purchased Louisiana. In the passage it states, "Jefferson was delighted with the deal. At the same time he had a serious problem. The Constitution nowhere states that the President has the power to buy land from a foreign country." Jefferson knew he could not buy Louisiana from the French, but he was delighted with the deal so much, he proceeded with the

The Louisiana Purchase today, is considered one of the greatest things an acting president has ever done. However, when Jefferson did buy the territory, it was viewed by many of his fellow Republicans as Federalistic, and an act of viewing the Constitution very loosely. Many claimed that he was abandoning his political principles, which he had fought for so strongly in the past. However, amid all the claims of his betrayal of his political principles by buying the territory without consulting congress, it is clear that he didn’t abandon them, because he did it for an agrarian expansion, and because he believed that it was best for Americans. Both of these reasons are two of the main ideals of the Republican

It was interesting to me to read about Thomas Jefferson’s leadership style in the CNN article and hear about it the video “The Louisiana Purchase.” One of the things in the video that really interested me was how the presidents and politicians would use their own code. I was surprised when the video mentioned how Jefferson purposely sent a letter that was not coded so that Napoleon could hear rumors of America thinking about allying with British. I did not know Thomas Jefferson had it in him to bluff like that. It all makes me wonder, though, who was reading the letters and how many people talked about it for Napoleon himself to end up hearing about the contents of the letter?

“One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” does that sound familiar? If so, it is because nearly everyone in America knows these words like the back of their hand. However, most do not consider their importance. These words are a part of the Pledge of Allegiance. Pay attention to the beginning, “one nation,” a nation that changed significantly with the Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana Purchase added 828,000 square miles which doubled the land area of the United States (history.com 1). The importance of the Louisiana Purchase can be best appreciated by understanding why this purchase was considered significant to the United States, why France agreed to sell such a sizable amount of land, and how the Louisiana Purchase changed the United States forever.

President Thomas Jefferson faced many moral dilemmas during the process of deciding to purchase the territory, the moral predicaments that president Thomas Jefferson faced was going against the constitution, going in major debt to pay for the territory, and also faced many issues with foreign policy almost exclusively between the countries Spain and France. President Jefferson was put in a situation that no other leader of our young country had ever been in, and he stressed about breaking his own moral code to make the correct decision for his nation.

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.

The year of 1803 significantly changed our nation eternally. It stunned many people. In no way, shape or form, did we ever believe that our nation would expand so rapidly. What started with the small purchase of New Orleans led into the substantial purchase of the Louisiana Territory. This was a purchase that will make Thomas Jefferson a man to be remembered. Although, he wasn’t the only man who impacted the United States during this time period. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark are the two men that are greatly known for their expedition across the Louisiana Territory. These two subjects, the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition, altered our nation immeasurably.

Zebulon Montgomery Pike was an American brigadier general and explorer. Pikes Peak in Colorado is named after Zebulon Pike. He was a United States Army captain in 1806 to 1807. Pike led the Pike Expedition; he was sent out to explore the southern Louisiana territory and to find where the start of the Red River was. Since Zebulon Pike’s part confused their location they found themselves in Colorado, during The Pike Expedition. They were later on captured by the Spaniards. They were released from Chihuahua, Mexico in 1807 at the border of Louisiana after being captured. Pike published a paper about all his expeditions in 1810. After Pike published his paper, he achieved the rank of general in the Army. Zebulon Pike served during the War of 1812,

He joined the militia of the war of 1812, but joined to late to do any fighting. He went back to Louisiana, to cut and sell timber. When he went back to Texas, he got Mexican citizenship, acquired land grants, married Maria Ursula, and stayed. After he got married he began to look for Los Almagres mine also known as the San Saba mine. After getting permission to go on an expedition, he, his brother, and other men set out to search for the mine. During that time they were attacked by Native Americans. Many natives were killed or injured but only a few of Bowie’s men were hurt. They went back home and after a while they went back to look for the mine, but never found

James Bridger was born March 17, 1804, Richmond VA. Bridger’s full name was James Felix Bridger. His family called him Old Gabe. James had an amazing sense of humor. He was one of the greatest frontiersman. He trapped for many leading fur companies. James was a hunter, trader, trapper, and an Indian fighter. He was also a guide and he was one of the trappers to remain in the Rockies. He had been married three times to Native American women. He had two children. One of those wives was named Cora and she sadly died in childbirth. Bridger’s first and second wives both died. James father was an innkeeper. His mother, father, and younger brother all died when the family was moving. When Bridger worked as a business man he never enjoyed

Zebulon M. Pike was inspired by Lewis and Clark’s expedition. Pike’s Exploration began in 1806. It was named the brainchild of General James Wilkinson, a new governor of the Louisiana Territory. Wilkinson was a big participant of the Aaron Burr conspiracy. Wilkinson sent Pike towards the Spanish territory, possibly to start a war.

Georgia demanded the total region spreading west from the Chattahoochee to the Mississippi River and tried to sell lands there before 1798. For its organization Georgia finally terminated the disputed area in 1802 for the United States national Government. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1804, the government assigned the northern part of this cession to Mississippi Territory. Then later the southern became Louisiana Territory. The Mississippi Territory agonized initially from several difficulties that troubled its growth. In 1975 Pinckney’s Treaty of 1795 terminated Spanish control of Mississippi, then Spain continued to hinder the territory’s growth by distressing commercial traders. American trading and travel on the Mississippi River down