30 Apr 1803 Jahr - Louisiana Purchase

Beschreibung:

After the French military and political leader Napoleon Bonaparte secretly forced Spain to give the Louisiana Territory back to its former owner, France, in 1800, Napoleon lost interest in the territory in an effort to concentrate French resources on fighting England and because of a rebellion against French rule led by Toussaint l'Ouverture on the island of Santo Domingo. Jefferson was interested in buying New Orleans because of the economic impact of its closure and because of its consequences on foreign policy, fearing entanglement in European affairs. After offering up to $10 million for both New Orleans and a strip of land extending from that port eastward to Florida, Napoleon's ministers offered to sell the entire Louisiana Territory for $15 million, which the American ministers accepted. While Jefferson and most Americans strongly approved the Louisiana Purchase, he was committed to a strict interpretation of the Constitution, which did not explicitly state that a president could purchase foreign land. However, for the country's good, he submitted the purchase agreement to the Senate, whose Republican majority quickly ratified. The purchase not only more than doubled the size of the U.S., but also removed European presence and extended the western frontier to lands beyond the Mississippi. In addition, the acquisition strengthened Jefferson's hope that the U.S. would be more agrarian based and increased Jefferson's popularity.

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