Westward Settlement-Up After Revolutionary War

Americans were able to ship their goods peacefully through New Orleans until 1801. Thomas Jefferson had found out that Spain had secretly given France New Orleans and the Louisiana Territory. The French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte was trying to conquer all of

The Louisiana Purchase was a seminal event for a new nation that caused heated debates to just how constitutional this deal of land was. Due to Jefferson’s familiarity with the French during his time in France as an American envoy. Another factor that led Jefferson to purchase of this vast land, was his understanding of the potential dangers of the French military. Posted on the Mississippi River, controlling the ports, and what can enter and leave, this would make trade for the United States much more difficult. The deal was instantly popular but soon found

The United States was changing in the 1800’s. Many settlers moved to the west, populating the plains. For many Americans, the movement westward brought new economic opportunities, but for others it meant conflict and a way of life.

Even though Jefferson was very opposed to loose interpretation of the constitution and judicial expansion under John Marshal, he did discard his strict principles from time to time when it became necessary. “Self-preservation—the first law of nature and nations—took precedence over the constitutional limitations that he scrupulously observed in peacetime.” This is especially true in the case of the Louisiana Purchase. Americans were expanding westward and needed a port for transport on the Mississippi, so Spain allowed them to use New Orleans. In 1801 Louisiana was ceded to France by Spain. France was not as cooperative as Spain and closed the port of New Orleans to the U.S. Therefore, a sudden disruption in trade was a legitimate cause for tension between the U.S. and France, and many people believed that a war would break out if the Americans did not buy New Orleans. Thomas Jefferson himself thought troubles were

Jefferson was troubled by the fact of France owning the land, because it might scare people away to settle in the land. In response James Monroe was sent to France along with Robert Livingston to negotiate a trade for the New Orleans territory. Jefferson limited the cost to $10

At the commencement of the 17th century, successions of westward expansion had already begun to take place. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson, who was president at the time, purchased the Louisiana territory from France. Several citizens did support Jefferson’s purchase in virtue of the many

With all of the social and economic rifts in America, Napoleon saw a perfect opportunity to capture the sugar colony of St. Domingue from their slave rebellion and establish Louisiana as a part of his American empire. After having purchased Louisiana from France in 1800, Napoleon sent his troops to St. Domingue, preparing to acquire New Orleans. New Orleans had been a major trading port for America, dealing with almost half of America’s import and exports, and Thomas Jefferson began to question his trust in France when Napoleon threatened to take it. Jefferson decided to discretely handle the matter by approaching the situation as it came rather than taking a rash action that would surely create dissonance between France and America. Thomas Jefferson knew that the American West would be put into jeopardy if France captured it as they would have the same commercial rights and privileges as they did whilst under the Spanish. Jefferson issued a warning to Napoleon and treated to side with Britain if France captured New Orleans. As Napoleon’s army weakened and his fear of American attack grew, he decided to sell Louisiana to Thomas Jefferson for a mere 15 million dollars. This made Jefferson reevaluate his strict interpretation of the Constitution as he had to create his own rules with the Elastic Clause in order to obtain the land and secure American safety. Napoleon was not American and therefore did not hold an opinion on federalism and different interpretations of the Constitution. However, he had a major impact on the politicians of the Jeffersonian Age and made people reevaluate how they viewed America. The whole transaction also made America a more powerful force who was willing to side with their long-term enemy with due cause. Napoleon challenged Federalists and Democratic-Republicans as they scrambled to save Louisiana from French rule and

Westward Expansion started with President Thomas Jefferson made the Louisiana Purchase from the French for only fifteen million dollars. This allowed landless families to migrate from where they currently were to a new place with fresh lands to claim. This had a few effects such as increasing the size of the country, while providing land and means for income to families. During the course of westward expansion the size of the United States took a drastic population increase, with the overall population going from five million to seventy-six million. This set the U.S. on the fast track to expand out to the west coast. Abraham Lincoln signed in to law the Homestead Act, which gave people willing to

Thomas Jefferson a leader of the Republican Party had long imagined an empire of Liberty that would span “North America.” (Sparknotes.com, 2014) Thomas Jefferson probably never knew beforehand that acquiring that empire would require a great deal of strain that would test his ability to make America great. Jefferson wanted America to be great and he knew that in order to do that he had to somehow act in the best interest of America to acquire Louisiana. In the midst of acquiring Louisiana Jefferson had to find the balance between the French and New Orleans.

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

New Orleans was a key port on the Mississippi that gave the possessor a substantial amount of power in that area. France would gain critical access to the Mississippi River and have the ability to travel about it and maybe take land along the way. Possession of New Orleans would also give it access to western land, which is something America was after. America would

To the government’s eyes whoever had power over the port of New Orleans and the Mississippi River was a humungous threat to America. President Thomas Jefferson knew that he had to take action very soon. America knew that if France ended up owning the port of New Orleans and the Mississippi River, it would allow them easy access into any

When the United States got the offer to buy all of the Louisiana Territory, they took it. Robert Livingston and James Monroe were sent to buy New Orleans from France, but Napoleon Bonaparte, the French ruler at the time, gave them a surprising offer. He offered to sell the entire Louisiana Territory to the United States for $15 million.

Jefferson's plans for the nation were dependent upon westward expansion for educated American farmers. He wanted access to international markets to create the ideal society of agriculturist. His enduring vision was altered and crushed, however, when France repossessed control of Louisiana in 1801. The ambitious Napoleon Bonaparte, who had risen to power during the French Revolution, threatened to block American access to the New Orleans port on the Mississippi River. This port played a crucial key in the American business. New American settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains were dependent on the Mississippi River to transport their goods. The then president, Thomas Jefferson understood that blocking access to New Orleans was a grave threat to the interests of Americans. So what did Jefferson do? Well when the vast territory presented itself, he knew he could not pass it up. Jefferson always stated his strong belief that the federal government powers should be followed strictly. In fact, Article IV of the Constitution states that new states could be added, but made no provisions for the taking of foreign territories ("Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase"). Being a strict constructionist, he strongly felt that any powers not specifically given to the federal government were reserved for the interest of individual sovereign states. Jefferson followed the Constitution 'religiously' and when he purchased Louisiana it challenged his whole belief on it. He previously argued with Alexander Hamilton about the Presidential Powers as presented (The Moral Dilemma). Needless to say, he was caught in the act and people took notice. Many of those in the Federalist Party believed that if anyone else were to do the same thing he would have objectified on Constitutional grounds. Some New England Federalists even began to talk of secession since their political

America is often considered one of the most wealthy and powerful countries in the world. The United States is associated with global reverence and respect; however, could a nation so great preserve indigenous societies continuously impeding the country’s potential growth without giving up on aspirations of success and expansion? Would our country exist as the power symbol it is today without certain actions that removed the barriers preventing American expansion and growth? Although the aboriginal people of America had claimed their land before the settlement of white colonists, the Native Americans proved an impediment towards the ultimate growth in America’s economic and commercial power. However harsh the treatment of Native Americans