Disadvantages Of Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase was a major event in America’s history. Western expansion came with many different actions, but none of them were as important as the Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana territory was bought by President Thomas Jefferson from Napoleon Bonaparte, the French Ruler, in 1803. The purchase increased Americas land by approximately 827,000 square miles of land stretching from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains, and cost $15 million dollars, which was only about 5 cents a square mile (www.monticello.org). There were as many disadvantages as there were advantages regarding the Louisiana Purchase. An advantage of Thomas Jefferson’s purchase was that it doubled the nation’s size.

Jefferson originally had sent a request

The Louisiana Purchase increased American opportunity, but it also raised constitutional questions, as well as political concerns. Many Americans criticized him for purchasing the Louisiana Territory. Thomas Jefferson had a difficult time contemplating the purchase of the Louisiana Territory. He believed strongly in constitutionalism, and strictly abiding by the Constitution’s guidelines that is set. According to the Constitution it gave the president no power to acquire or purchase land from another country. Alexander Hamilton believed that the Constitution was only a guideline. Previously Jefferson had argued against Hamilton’s interpretation of the Presidential powers, and in concern to the National Bank, because he said it was not included in the constitution, therefore Jefferson claimed it was unconstitutional. When Jefferson tried to change the Constitution so that he was able to Purchase the Louisiana Territory and still abide to the Constitution, it made most Americans look at him as hypocritical. He wanted to begin the western expansion but did not want to seem to be a hypocrite, or upset Americans with his decision. “But, to Jefferson, what it really indicated was a willingness to sacrifice a small point of principle for a much larger one. And with the securing of these vast new territories—territories that doubled America's size”

Although the land only cost around 5 cents a square miles, it still had to be paid for. Jefferson agreed to pay $15 million dollars for the land, while America was still in debt. This also upset Americans because not only did they think it was unconstitutional and hypocritical, but now Jefferson had spent $15 million dollars. The purchase doubled America’s size, which also doubled administrative cost for the land. Since there was now double the land more people had to be hired to take care of the land, farm, build, and manage all of the land that had been purchased. There also needed to be people who were appointed to administer the land. With all of these cost adding up Americans began to get upset with Jefferson’s