why did france sell louisiana

The Louisiana Purchase is perhaps the most famous real estate deal in American history. 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. [24], Henry Adams and other historians have argued that Jefferson acted hypocritically with the Louisiana Purchase, because of his position as a strict constructionist regarding the Constitution since he stretched the intent of that document to justify his purchase. Yet each also is navigating a fine line on how to address election fraud conspiracies as they gear up campaigns for U.S. Senate or governor in 2024. ", This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 22:34. Would that make the United States too powerful? France's land was mainly unexplored wilderness, and so the fertile soils and other valuable natural resources we know are present today might not have been factored in . A wily political survivor who held high offices under the French Revolution, and later under Napolons empire and the restored Bourbon monarchy, Talleyrand had spent the years 1792 to 1794 in exile in America after being denounced by the revolutionary National Convention, and had conceived a virulent contempt for Americans. [58] In a freedom suit that went from Missouri to the U.S. Supreme Court, slavery of Native Americans was finally ended in 1836. The revolution brought the colony to a state of insurrection and civil war. Refinement, he declared, does not exist in the United States. The Louisiana Territory, in Napolons view, was useful mainly as a granary for Saint Domingue. 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. While this strategy was successful at first, by 1803, disease and heavy casualties forced the French to withdraw. What did the French call the Louisiana Territory? - 2023 In a way, this almost came to pass in the War of 1812. Why did France give Louisiana to Spain? - KnowledgeBurrow.com Morales proclamation meant that American merchandise could no longer be stored in New Orleans warehouses. The Louisiana territory was born on April 9, 1682, when the French explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur (Lord) de La Salle, erected a cross and column near the mouth of the Mississippi and solemnly read a declaration to a group of bemused Indians. Napoleon's brothers, Lucien and Joseph, objected, thinking it a black mark on France's reputation and glory. But he did manage to sell something that he didnt really have any control overthere were few French settlers and no French administration over the territoryexcept on paper. As for Jefferson, notes historian Cerami, he actually wasnt out to make this big a purchase. As a result, while the territory of Louisiana was technically very large, it had hardly been touched by the Europeans, with the exception of the areas along the lower Mississippi River. As the lands were being gradually settled by American migrants, many Americans, including Jefferson, assumed that the territory would be acquired "piece by piece." GOP Election Officials Walk Fine Line On Fraud, Integrity - HuffPost Plenty of sunshine. How was the Louisiana Territory acquired? The Louisiana Purchase was the latter, a treaty. The key to opening the western goal was securing the Mississippi River and the Louisiana Territory. This respite gave Napoleon breathing room in his failed attempt to recover Saint-Domingue. Charles A. Cerami, author of Jeffersons Great Gamble, agrees. Cookie Policy 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. France acquired Louisiana from Spain in 1800 and took possession in 1802. 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. The Lewis and Clark expedition followed shortly thereafter. . We also show that our political and cultural relationship with France was extraordinarily rich at the time, a spirited interchange that altered the shape of the modern world.. [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. There is no people, no legislature, no counselors. Joseph A. Harriss This created an unstable situation at the western border which could draw his young country into the Napoleonic Wars. What Napoleon needed was a way to divest himself of the territory while at the same time preventing it from falling into British hands. In a letter to U.S. minister to France Robert Livingston, President Thomas Jefferson stated, The day that France takes possession of New Orleanswe must marry ourselves to the British fleet and nation.. [31], Madison (the "Father of the Constitution") assured Jefferson that the Louisiana Purchase was well within even the strictest interpretation of the Constitution. France was slow in taking control of Louisiana, but in 1802 Spanish authorities, apparently acting under French orders, revoked a U.S.-Spanish treaty that granted Americans the right to store goods in New Orleans. We strive for accuracy and fairness. All Rights Reserved. . As the Library of Congress describes, Saint-Domingue was incredibly valuable. LA History Chapter 8 Test Review Flashcards | Quizlet In 1718, the French established New Orleans, and scant groups of colonists moved in. When Monroe and Livingston were offered the opportunity to buy the entire territory, they could not help but be excited. As detailed by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Americans believed that the acquisition and settlement of new lands to the west were critical to the future development of the country. Who Owned Louisiana First? - CLJ To their surprise, France offered to sell them the entire territory of Louisiana instead. The Real Reason France Sold The Louisiana Territory To The United 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. [24], The opposition of New England Federalists to the Louisiana Purchase was primarily economic self-interest, not any legitimate concern over constitutionality or whether France indeed owned Louisiana or was required to sell it back to Spain should it desire to dispose of the territory. If Napoleon's designs had succeeded, perhaps his decision to abandon Louisiana would be looked at in history as a bit more shrewd than it seemed at first blush. Behind the scenes, he plotted to take the island back over and reinstitute slavery. When Jefferson heard rumors of Napolons secret deal, he immediately saw the threat to Americas Western settlements and its vital outlet to the Gulf of Mexico. [64], The purchase of the Louisiana Territory led to debates over the idea of indigenous land rights that persisted into the mid 20th century. [42] In the final agreement, the value of the U.S. currency was set at .mw-parser-output .sfrac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .sfrac.tion,.mw-parser-output .sfrac .tion{display:inline-block;vertical-align:-0.5em;font-size:85%;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .sfrac .num,.mw-parser-output .sfrac .den{display:block;line-height:1em;margin:0 0.1em}.mw-parser-output .sfrac .den{border-top:1px solid}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}5+3333/10000 francs per U.S. (Louisiana Shaping) They lost a lot of resources due to previous losses in other areas of the world. Why did France sell Louisiana : to finance the conquests. On April 11, 1803, just days before Monroe's arrival, Barb-Marbois offered Livingston all of Louisiana for $15million,[13] which averages to less than three cents per acre (7/ha). But in 1800, the region again changed hands, when Napolon negotiated the clandestine Treaty of San Ildefonso with Spains Charles IV. The social order of the island crumbled and in an attempt to stop the violence, France abolished slavery. Americans cried Huzzah! and waved their hats, while French and Spanish residents sulked in glum silence. See chapter iii, "Treaty Ceding Louisiana to the United States" (1803 ff.). Advertisement Advertisement mira11111 mira11111 Answer: he needed money for the French War. How did France obtain the Louisiana Territory? - 2023 HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. It remained in Spanish hands until 1800, when Napoleon Bonaparte negotiated a secret treaty with Spain and took the vast holding back in exchange for tiny Etruria in Northern Italy. He planned on using that money to build a better army and navy. [62] The U.S. later built or expanded forts along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, including adding to Fort Bellefontaine, and constructing Fort Armstrong (1816) and Fort Edwards (1816) in Illinois, Fort Crawford (1816) in Wisconsin, Fort Snelling (1819) in Minnesota, and Fort Atkinson (1819) in Nebraska. Among Eurocentric circles, the Louisiana Purchase was seen as one of the greatest land deals in history. The final price after the 15-year bonds were paid was $27 million, still a very good deal for the United States, and not really a bad one for Napoleon, considering the pressure he was under to dump the territory. According to the memoirs of Franois Barb-Marbois, in what was a prophetic statement foreshadowing the American Civil War, Napoleon said, "Perhaps it will also be objected to me, that the Americans may be found too powerful for Europe in two or three centuries: but my foresight does not embrace such remote fears. To France, it was a backwater sort of like owning Mediterranean Avenue in Monopoly. [33] The fledgling United States did not have $15 million in its treasury; it borrowed the sum from Great Britain, at an annual interest rate of six percent. In 1800, Napoleon, the First Consul of the French Republic, regained ownership of Louisiana as part of a broader effort to re-establish a French colonial empire in North America. ", The Historic New Orleans Collection provides more nuance to the negotiations of the Louisiana Purchase. The French and Indian war cost her Canada and all of her other possessions on the east bank of the Mississippi. As for France, it never seriously established a colonial presence in the Americas again. While the concept of "manifest destiny" would not make it into the American lexicon until 1845, the idea that the United States had a divine mission to expand had been in place since the earliest colonial times. As part of the deal, the U.S. assumed responsibility for 20 million francs ($3.75 million) of French debts owed to U.S. citizens. With the colony in danger of being lost, the territory was less useful. It takes a certain amount of chutzpah to think you can establish a global empire, and Napoleon Bonaparte is no exception. In financial straits at the time, Monroe sold his china and furniture to raise travel funds, asked a neighbor to manage his properties, and sailed for France on March 8, 1803, with Jeffersons parting admonition ringing in his ears: The future destinies of this republic depended on his success. In November 1803, France withdrew its 7,000 surviving troops from Saint-Domingue (more than two-thirds of its troops died there) and gave up its ambitions in the Western Hemisphere. But the focal point of the celebrations is Louisiana itself. The Louisiana Purchase had major consequences for the United States. How the Louisiana Purchase Changed the World | History| Smithsonian As quoted by Smithsonian Magazine, historian Charles A. Cerami said, "If we had not made this purchase, it would have pinched off the possibility of our becoming a continental power." Why did France want to sell the Louisiana Territory? 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. In the meeting, he said that Napoleon had read an account in the London press that 50,000 British troops might be sent to New Orleans. As discussed in the Journal of Economic History, France had a historically bad reputation for credit and finance due to the upheavals of the French Revolution. 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. [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. After William C.C. Negotiations moved swiftly, and at the end of April the U.S. envoys agreed to pay $11,250,000 and assume claims of American citizens against France in the amount of $3,750,000. (Livingston) Napoleon intended to gain money by selling Louisiana. A full 40 percentof Britain and Frances sugar, and 60 percent of its coffee, was produced in Haiti, and the lucrative market lent itself to a particularly brutal slave trade. by force of arms. As Secretary of State James Madison explained, The Mississippi is to them everything. The sale of Louisiana was a FIRE SALE for France, and specifically, its self-appointed ruler, Napoleon Bonaparte, for these reasons: 1) France had gotten "burned" with her earlier misadventures in North America. The Lewis and Clark expedition followed shortly thereafter. It is not only New Orleans that I will cede, it is the whole colony without reservation. Thus, the correct answer is option A. 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. [citation needed], Governing the Louisiana Territory was more difficult than acquiring it. He had contacts at Britains Baring & Co. Bank, which agreed, along with several other banks, to make the actual purchase and pay Napolon cash. [4] The colony was the most substantial presence of France's overseas empire, with other possessions consisting of a few small settlements along the Mississippi and other main rivers. Under the leadership of Toussaint Louverture, slaves took over the entire island of Hispaniola, including St. Domingue and its neighbor Santo Domingo. Inspired by republican ideals of liberty, fraternity and equality, they pressed for their rights, and some were given the right to vote in 1790 by the French government. Watch: Elon Musk Comes Clean on Why He Bought Twitter The confederations that are called perpetual, only last till one of the contracting parties finds it to its interest to break them, and it is to prevent the danger, to which the colossal power of England exposes us, that I would provide a remedy. This was particularly true in the area of the present-day state of Louisiana, which also contained a large number of free people of color. Why did France sell Louisiana? Napoleon informed his brothers of the sale and asked for their opinion. This secret deal did not remain secret for long. The Louisiana Purchase encompassed 530,000,000 acres of territory in North America . [50] Spain insisted that Louisiana comprised no more than the western bank of the Mississippi River and the cities of New Orleans and St. [21] The Louisiana Territory was vast, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico in the south to Rupert's Land in the north, and from the Mississippi River in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west. National Geographicpoints out that in modern dollars, the Louisiana Purchase would have cost $342 million. This made it difficult, when compared to Britain, to obtain the necessary money to wage large-scale wars. The History of the Louisiana Purchase - ThoughtCo Britain and France renewed hostilities on May 18, 1803, shortly after the deal was finalized. Everybody who has taken grade-school history knows the story. In 1799, he had seized power in a coup d'tat in France and wanted to restore French glory in the Americas. Fashion-conscious American ladies reportedly imitated Rcamiers attire, but not her custom of receiving visitors in her bedroom. Though there were 10 black slaves for every white person in Haiti, slaves occupied the bottom rung of society and were treated like expendable commodities. The French were fascinated by Americawhich they often symbolized in paintings and drawings as a befeathered Noble Savage standing beside an alligatorbut they could not decide whether it was a new Eden or, as the naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon declared, a primitive place fit only for degenerate life-forms. [58] The institutionalization of slavery under U.S. law in the Louisiana Territory contributed to the American Civil War a half century later. The relatively narrow Louisiana of New Spain had been a special province under the jurisdiction of the Captaincy General of Cuba, while the vast region to the west was in 1803 still considered part of the Commandancy General of the Provincias Internas. 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. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for SIGNED Roughneck Daddy: A Memoir by Donna F. Orchard, Paperback Louisiana Oil at the best online prices at eBay! Slaves were routinely terrorized in a race-based social order. The U.S. claimed that Louisiana included the entire western portion of the Mississippi River drainage basin to the crest of the Rocky Mountains and land extending to the Rio Grande and West Florida. France worried about an alliance between America and England. Spain procrastinated until late 1802 in executing the treaty to transfer Louisiana to France, which allowed American hostility to build.

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