What Was The Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase was a major purchase for the United States in 1803 in which the United States acquired approximately 827,000 square miles of land West of Mississippi River for $15 million dollars. When Jefferson became president in 1801, Louisiana Vast territory included the most important port of New Orleans which was the mainly used for shipping in the south. The western expansion by United States was hindered by the loss of rights to the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans which in this case threatened the American economy as a whole. Louisiana was first given to Spain by France in 1963, but due to the circumstances that succumbed Spain, it had to return the Louisiana land to France.

New Orleans was becoming inaccessible, and in 1975 a treaty was founded which gave t the United States the rights to use the Mississippi River and deposit their goods in New Orleans for transfer to vessels crossing the ocean. This was achieved through a letter President Jefferson wrote Minister to France Robert Livingston. In this letter it gave the United States ground that it might be able to take some of Spain’s land possession because it was Vulnerable and weak. Because of the situation Spain was in, Spain’s ruler

In 1803, President Jefferson Stroke a deal with James Monroe to join Robert Livingston in assisting in the negotiations. Jefferson writes Robert Livingstone, “…we must learn at once whether we can acquire New Orleans or not.” This negotiations that President Jefferson ordered were for the purchase of New Orleans, and or part of Florida, and if that was not possible, then they would have to purchase only New Orleans, and if that was too not possible, they would try and secure the United States access to the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans. Acquisition was apparently difficult because of the more powerful Napoleon. He was targeting to retake victory in the continent when he took power in