why did france sell louisiana

[57], The Louisiana Territory was broken into smaller portions for administration, and the territories passed slavery laws similar to those in the southern states but incorporating provisions from the preceding French and Spanish rule (for instance, Spain had prohibited slavery of Native Americans in 1769, but some slaves of mixed African-Native American descent were still being held in St. Louis in Upper Louisiana when the U.S. took over). The British had re-entered the war and France was losing the Haitian Revolution and could not defend Louisiana. Both present-day Arkansas and Missouri already had some slaveholders in the 18th and early 19th century. Out of anger towards Spain and the unique opportunity to sell something that was useless and not truly his yet, Napoleon decided to sell the entire territory. The key to opening the western goal was securing the Mississippi River and the Louisiana Territory. But the official view was summed up by Antoine de La Mothe Cadillac, whom Louis XIV named governor of the territory in 1710: The people are aheap of the dregs of Canada, he sniffed in a 42-page report to the king written soon after he arrived. When Joseph continued to object, Napoleon shouted, "You are insolent!" [5], In 1798, Spain revoked the treaty allowing American use of New Orleans, greatly upsetting Americans. Her work has appeared in outlets like The Washington Post, National Geographic, The Atlantic, TIME, Smithsonian and more. Barb-Marbois received his orders on April 11, 1803, when Napolon summoned him. Also, Spain's refusal to cede Florida to France meant that Louisiana would be indefensible. He planned on using that money to build a better army and navy. Regardless of its legality, Smithsonian Magazine details how in order to finance the transaction, several British banks actually bought the territory and turned it over to the United States in exchange for bonds at 6% interest. [51] The dispute was ultimately resolved by the AdamsOns Treaty of 1819, with the United States gaining most of what it had claimed in the west. But if Haiti was under the control of the slaves, his plan was for naught. The Boston Columbian Centinel editorialized, We are to give money of which we have too little for land of which we already have too much. And Congressman Joseph Quincy of Massachusetts so opposed the deal that he favored secession by the Northeastern states, amicably if they can; violently if they must.. Spain procrastinated until late 1802 in executing the treaty to transfer Louisiana to France, which allowed American hostility to build. When the United States found out that instead of Spain as their neighbor, it was to be France under Napoleon with imperial ambitions, the Americans feared that their access to the Mississippi would be cut off. I renounce it with the greatest regret. U.S. ownership of the whole Louisiana Purchase region was confirmed in the Treaty of Ghent (ratified in February 1815) and guaranteed on the battlefield at the decisive Battle of New Orleans when the British sent over 10,000 of the best British Army soldiers to try to take New Orleans in a 5 month long campaign starting from September 1814 (First Battle of Fort Bowyer) to February 1815 (Second Battle of Fort Bowyer). In his initial meeting with Napolon after taking up his Paris post in 1801, Livingston had been warned about Old World ways. He took possession of the whole Mississippi River basin, he avowed, in the name of the most high, mighty, invincible and victorious Prince, Louis the Great, by Grace of God king of France and Navarre, 14th of that name. And it was in honor of Louis XIV that he named the land Louisiana. It hangs not far from a color engraving of the French Declaration of the Rights of Man, which was composed in 1789 by Lafayette with the advice of his American friend Thomas Jefferson. Lucien said that the legislative chambers of the French government would not approve it, to which Napoleon replied that he would do it without their consent. Without that, the United States' international influence would be less, as would its influence over the development of democracies. 'Sale of Louisiana') was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. There was also concern that an increase in the number of slave-holding states created out of the new territory would exacerbate divisions between North and South. All Rights Reserved. Napoleon's brothers, Lucien and Joseph, objected, thinking it a black mark on France's reputation and glory. However, in 1800 Spain had ceded the Louisiana territory back to France as part of Napoleon's secret Third Treaty of San Ildefonso. But in 1800, the region again changed hands, when Napolon negotiated the clandestine Treaty of San Ildefonso with Spains Charles IV. At the time, Britain and France were at war in Europe, and if France had not sold Louisiana that war would most likely have spread to North America .The emergence of a vastly larger British North America might also have made it easier to confine slavery within the southern states. Napoleon Bonaparte sold the land because he needed money for the Great French War. By any measure, it was one of the most colossal land transactions in history, involving an area larger than todays France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Holland, Switzerland and the British Isles combined. Without the profits from Saint-Domingue, it did not make sense to try to defend the sprawling Louisiana Territory, and Napoleon was worried about the British. When Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from France, he altered the shape of a nation and the course of history Joseph A. Harriss April 2003 The Louisiana Purchase nearly. And he saw the Mississippi River not as the western edge of the country, but as the great spine that would hold the continent together., As it was, frontiersmen, infuriated by the abrogation of the right of deposit of their goods, threatened to seize New Orleans by force. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 brought into the United States about 828,000 square miles of territory from France, thereby doubling the size of the young republic. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. The Louisiana Purchase had major consequences for the United States. Napoleon sent a massive 30,000 troops French expeditionary force commanded by his brother-in-law Charles Victor Emmanuel Leclerc to St. Domingue to accomplish this goal. In need of funds, Napoleon pressed the banks to complete their purchase of the bonds as quickly as possible, and by April 1804 the banks transferred an additional 40.35 million francs to fully discharge their obligations to France. He had always seen Saint Domingue, with a population of more than 500,000, producing enough sugar, coffee, indigo, cotton and cocoa to fill some 700 ships a year, as Frances most important holding in the Western Hemisphere. Behind the scenes, he plotted to take the island back over and reinstitute slavery. As for France, it never seriously established a colonial presence in the Americas again. He stood up and then splashed back down into the water so heavily that his brothers got soaked. Let the Land rejoice, Gen. Horatio Gates, a prominent New York state legislator, told President Thomas Jefferson when details of the deal reached Washington, D.C. For you have bought Louisiana for a song., Rich in gold, silver and other ores, as well as huge forests and endless lands for grazing and farming, the new acquisition would make America immensely wealthy. In response, Jefferson sent future U.S. president James Monroe to Paris to aid Livingston in the New Orleans purchase talks. Having arrived in New Orleans from Paris with his wife and three daughters just nine months earlier, in March 1803, the cultivated, worldly French functionary had expected to reign for six or eight years as colonial prefect over the vast territory of Louisiana, which was to be Frances North American empire. Meanwhile, Louisiana, which also became a state after the purchase, remained a slave state, and New Orleans remained a critical hub of the slave trade. She has been a regular contributor to History.com since 2017. As a result of its defeat in the Seven Years' War, France was forced to cede the east part of the territory in 1763 to the victorious British, and the west part to Spain as compensation for Spain losing Florida. On the following day, October 21, 1803, the Senate authorized Jefferson to take possession of the territory and establish a temporary military government. This deal between the United States and France sold over 500 million acres at a bargain price of fewer than . The purchase included land from fifteen present U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, including the entirety of Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska; large portions of North Dakota and South Dakota; the area of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado east of the Continental Divide; the portion of Minnesota west of the Mississippi River; the northeastern section of New Mexico; northern portions of Texas; New Orleans and the portions of the present state of Louisiana west of the Mississippi River; and small portions of land within Alberta and Saskatchewan. A seascapeportrays the Marquis de Lafayettes ship La Victoire setting sail to carry him across the Atlantic in 1777 to fight in the American Revolution. Aside from the obvious drive for conquest by Napoleon, he knew that when war started between the two countries, Britain would attempt to take Louisiana. However, Livingston was certain that the United States would accept the offer.[16]. 3 Reply frenchchevalierblanc 5 yr. ago France had lost Louisiana in the 1760s to Spain. This was the key to our international influence., The bicentennial is being celebrated with yearlong activities in many of the states fashioned from the territory. Alain Chappet, Roger Martin, Alain Pigeard. Napoleon Bonaparte used the cash to finance his war efforts, but he was finally and permanently defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. This secret deal did not remain secret for long. Louis. It was even subject to a speculative bubble which ruined fortunes. Why did France want to sell the Louisiana Territory? [50] Spain insisted that Louisiana comprised no more than the western bank of the Mississippi River and the cities of New Orleans and St. The lack of instructions and the necessity of consulting ones government are always legitimate excuses in order to obtain delays in political affairs, he once wrote. Overcoming the opposition of the Federalist Party, Jefferson and Secretary of State James Madison persuaded Congress to ratify and fund the Louisiana Purchase. Spain turned the territory over to France in a ceremony in New Orleans on November 30, a month before France turned it over to American officials. Jefferson sent Livingston to Paris in 1801[9] with the authorization to purchase New Orleans. Get the latest History stories in your inbox? But in early 1803, continuing war between France and Britain seemed unavoidable. Advertisement Advertisement mira11111 mira11111 Answer: he needed money for the French War. They burned cities, used guerrilla warfare and killed thousands. [27], Spain protested the transfer on two grounds: First, France had previously promised in a note not to alienate Louisiana to a third party and second, France had not fulfilled the Third Treaty of San Ildefonso by having the King of Etruria recognized by all European powers. Americans cried Huzzah! and waved their hats, while French and Spanish residents sulked in glum silence. But if it werent for a slave rebellion, Louisiana wouldnt be part of the United States at all. iii. When Monroe and Livingston were offered the opportunity to buy the entire territory, they could not help but be excited. WATCH: Full episodes of The American Presidency with Bill Clinton online now. "[29] The sale of course was not "worthless"the U.S. actually did take possession. From March 10 to September 30, 1804, Upper Louisiana was supervised as a military district, under its first civil commandant, Amos Stoddard, who was appointed by the War Department. [58] The institutionalization of slavery under U.S. law in the Louisiana Territory contributed to the American Civil War a half century later. Napoleon wanted its revenues and productivity for France restored. Napoleon was eager to sellbut the purchase would end up expanding slavery in the U.S. Map showing the area covered by the Louisiana Purchase. All or parts of 15 Western states would eventually be carved from its nearly 830,000 square miles, which stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada, and from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. But by the time Victor assembled enough men and ships in January 1803, ice blocked the Dutchport, making it impossible for him to set sail. I renounce Louisiana, Napolon told him. Why happened to Louisiana Territory? The treaty was signed by Barb-Marbois, Livingston and Monroe on May 2 and backdated to April 30. By the time Monroe arrived in Paris on April 12, the situation had, unknown to him, radically altered: Napolon had suddenly decided to sell the entire Louisiana Territory to the United States. Acquisition of Louisiana was a long-term goal of President Thomas Jefferson, who was especially eager to gain control of the crucial Mississippi River port of New Orleans. They wanted the U.S. government to establish laws allowing slavery in the newly acquired territory so they could be supported in taking their slaves there to undertake new agricultural enterprises, as well as to reduce the threat of future slave rebellions. That same month Jefferson asked James Monroe, a former member of Congress and former governor of Virginia, to join Livingston in Paris as minister extraordinary with discretionary powers to spend $9,375,000 to secure New Orleans and parts of the Floridas (to consolidate the U.S. position in the southeastern part of the continent). We strive for accuracy and fairness. The Louisiana Purchase was an incredible deal for the United States, the final cost totaling less than five cents per acre at $15 million (about $283 million in today's dollars). In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million and nearly doubled the size of the U.S. With the colony in danger of being lost, the territory was less useful. The whole thing came as a total surprise to him and his negotiating team in Paris, because it was, after all, Napolons idea, not his., Showing up unexpectedly at the dinner party Livingston gave on April 12 for Monroes arrival, Barb-Marbois discreetly asked Livingston to meet him later that night at the treasury office. Since the late 1780s, Americans had been moving westward into the Ohio River and Tennessee River valleys, and these settlers were highly dependent on free access to the Mississippi River and the strategic port of New Orleans. Cookie Settings, Five Places Where You Can Still Find Gold in the United States, Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Otherand the Birds Loved It, Balto's DNA Provides a New Look at the Intrepid Sled Dog, The Science of California's 'Super Bloom,' Visible From Space, What We're Still Learning About Rosalind Franklins Unheralded Brilliance. But the purchase was also fueled by a slave revolt in Haitiand tragically, it ended up expanding slavery in the United States. Manifest destiny was in full effect. [citation needed], After the early explorations, the U.S. government sought to establish control of the region, since trade along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers was still dominated by British and French traders from Canada and allied Indians, especially the Sauk and Fox. The money would also be immediately useful to finance his wars. By the middle of the 18th century, France controlled more of the present-day United States than any other European power: from New Orleans northeast to the Great Lakes and northwest to modern-day Montana. As described by History, under the leadership of Toussaint Louverture, the enslaved allied with nonwhite free people and successfully overthrew the slave order, taking control of all of Hispaniola, not just Saint-Domingue. II, Sec. The favorable majority, however, easily prevailed and New England remained in the Union. In addition, the DunbarHunter Expedition (18041805) explored the Ouachita River watershed. [citation needed], During this period, south Louisiana received an influx of French-speaking refugee planters, who were permitted to bring their slaves with them, and other refugees fleeing the large slave revolt in Saint-Domingue. It is the Hudson, the Delaware, the Potomac, and all the navigable rivers of the Atlantic States, formed into one stream.. What was the most important effect of the Louisiana Purchase? By April 30, 1803, they hashed out an agreement where the Americans would pay $15 million, a considerable reduction, although its constitutionality was debated. The Kingdom of France had controlled the Louisiana territory from 1699 until it was ceded to Spain in 1762. He was in a hurry to get some money for the depleted French treasury, although the relatively modest price shows that he was had in that deal. As a result, the State Department describes how the president began military preparations along the Mississippi and sent James Monroe to France with authorization to buy New Orleans and West Florida for up to $10 million. Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.. Jefferson soon commissioned the Lewis and Clark Expedition, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, to explore the territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase. Napoleon needed peace with Britain to take possession of Louisiana. This, together with the successful French demand for an indemnity of 150 million francs in 1825, severely hampered Haiti's ability to repair its economy after decades of war. The Louisiana Purchase was one of history's greatest bargains, a chance for the United States to buy what promised to be one of France's largest and wealthiest territories and eliminate a. In the 1780s, it produced 60% of the world's coffee and supplied Britain and France with 40% of its sugar. In 1762, during the French and Indian War, France ceded French Louisiana west of the Mississippi River to Spain and in 1763 transferred nearly all of its remaining North American holdings to Great Britain. The enlightened government of France saw, with just discernment, he told Congress, with typical tact, on October 17, 1803, the importance to both nations of such liberal arrangements as might best and permanently promote the peace, friendship, and interests of both. But, excited by the commercial opportunities in the West, Jefferson, even before official notice of the treaty reached him, had already dispatched Meriwether Lewis to lead an expedition to explore the territory and the lands beyond. The crunch came for Jefferson in October 1802. The eastern boundary below the 31st parallel was unclear. In 1718, the French established New Orleans, and scant groups of colonists moved in. Why did . The U.S. claimed the land as far as the Perdido River, and Spain claimed that the border of its Florida Colony remained the Mississippi River. The French government replied that these objections were baseless since the promise not to alienate Louisiana was not in the treaty of San Ildefonso itself and therefore had no legal force, and the Spanish government had ordered Louisiana to be transferred in October 1802 despite knowing for months that Britain had not recognized the King of Etruria in the Treaty of Amiens. How was the Louisiana Territory acquired? [citation needed], Governing the Louisiana Territory was more difficult than acquiring it. Livingston replied that hewould be ready to purchase provided the sum was reduced to reasonable limits. Then he rushed home and worked until 3 a.m. writing a memorandum to Secretary of State Madison, concluding: We shall do all we can to cheapen the purchase; but my present sentiment is that we shall buy.. In 1801, Spanish Governor Don Juan Manuel de Salcedo took over from the Marquess of Casa Calvo, and restored the American right to deposit goods. France turned over New Orleans, the historic colonial capital, on December 20, 1803, at the Cabildo, with a flag-raising ceremony in the Plaza de Armas, now Jackson Square. In 1763, Louis XV gave Louisiana to his cousin, Charles III of Spain. pp. Beginning in the 17th century, France explored the Mississippi River valley and established scattered settlements in the region. Louverture, as a French general, had fended off incursions from other European powers, but had also begun to consolidate power for himself on the island. The bank then turned over ownership of the Louisiana Territory to the United States in return for bonds, which were repaid over 15 years at 6 percent interest, making the final purchase price around $27 million. He was compelled to do so primarily because France urgently needed funds for an imminent war with Britain. The Louisiana Purchase (French: Vente de la Louisiane, lit. [64], The purchase of the Louisiana Territory led to debates over the idea of indigenous land rights that persisted into the mid 20th century. France acquired Louisiana from Spain in 1800 and took possession in 1802. Then, too, Napolon was gearing up for another campaign against Britain and needed funds for that. The French ruler was just about to embark on a series of devastating wars. Napoleonic France Acquires Louisiana All these soldiers needed to be fed, housed, and paid. The Northerners were not enthusiastic about Western farmers gaining another outlet for their crops that did not require the use of New England ports. There never was a government in which less could be done by negotiation than here, a frustrated Livingston wrote to Madison on September 1, 1802. They also feared that this would lead to Western states being formed, which would likely be Republican, and dilute the political power of New England Federalists. A. i only B. i and iv only C. ii and iii only

Webcachelocal: A Request To Write To The File, Bogdanoff Brothers Before And After, Nancy Mckenna Actress, Articles W