1. LOUISIANA PURCHASE

2. 1796

3. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
1) Why did France give Louisiana to Spain after the French and Indian War?
France pawns Louisiana off on their ally as a token of gratitude (territory was thought of as worthless)
Louis XV of France even apologized for it being such a measly gift
Was a swampy land filled with “savages”

4. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
2) How did Louisiana serve as a “buffer” for Spanish colonies in Central and South America?
Serves as a buffer zone for the silver mines in Mexico
The invaders King Carlos feared most were the British, until the Americans won independence and were land hungry (dynamic and aggressive, commercially active, growing in population)
Settlers are moving “west” and settling along the Mississippi and into Spanish Louisiana

5. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
3) How was the Mississippi the “lifeblood of American commerce”?
Economically important
Nearly half of produce comes from frontier farms
Easy transport
Who controls New Orleans becomes very important

6. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
4) How did Spain plan to use their control of New Orleans to discourage Americans from spilling over their border?
Spanish hope that by securing the port they can discourage Americans from spilling over the border. In 1784 they closed the lower Mississippi to foreigners
How did American frontier farmers respond to Spain’s closure of the port of New Orleans?
A sentiment that we’re being abandoned by our own govt, that our basic rights are not secure, so maybe we should look around and see what kind of deal we can get from the Spanish/ Some in the west threatened to secede

7. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
5) Why did some American states come to see their interests better served through loyalty to Spain than to their own government?
Revolution had bound everyone together, but quickly after, unity was unraveling
Stability of the republic was fragile
Local interests were above national interests (states’ rights)
Some would rather become colonists of Spain so their goods could pass through New Orleans

8. LOUISIANA PURCHASE 6) What was Genet’s secret mission in the U.S.?
Regain the glory that France’s monarchy had squandered and reclaim Louisiana from Spain
Strategy is to stir up the Americans out west who want access to New Orleans
Plan is to get word to Kentuckians that a French-Louisiana would be open to Americans
Meets with Jefferson to “assist” with plan (goes against our neutrality)
Genet’s mission has to be secret, but it was found out

9. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
7) Why did Spain restore access to the port of New Orleans for American farmers and traders?
Soon after the Genet affair and Jay’s Treaty, Spain recognizes a need to improve relations with America and access is restored
Pinckney's Treaty

10. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
8) Why did Spain sign a secret treaty ceding control of Louisiana to Napoleonic France?
France’s arch enemy is England, but Napoleon’s quest is to dominate the world
He casts his gaze to North American (Louisiana in particular)
Spanish feel it’s too costly to maintain forces and Spain has grown weak under a new king
Napoleon puts pressure on Spain to give Louisiana back (keep secret from the U.S.)

11. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
9) Why was Saint Domingue (Haiti) regarded as the “Jewel of France”?
The French ruler doesn’t value Louisiana for itself
Napoleon wanted Haiti
Needs Louisiana only to realize his grander goal
It provides 2/3 of France’s trade
Richest colony in the world
Sugar cane and sugar production
Imported African slaves (50,000/year)

12. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
10) How was it ironic that Haitian slaves revolted against French control in 1791?
The slaves were inspired by the ideals of the French Revolution (and, in turn, the American Revolution)
Rebellion was very violent
Toussaint L’Ouverture (“black Napoleon”)
30,000 men sent over to Haiti to crush the rebellion
Haitians are successful and become the 2nd nation to achieve independence from their mother country

13. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
11) Why was it so important for Napoleon to control both Haiti and Louisiana?
The vast and fertile Mississippi River valley would provide the work force of Haiti with its lumber and goods
That way, all the islands’ arable land could be donated to sugarcane production and other valuable crops

14. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
12) How did Jefferson attempt to bluff Napoleon into reconsidering his plan to capture the port of New Orleans?
Jefferson wrote a letter not in code because he wanted it leaked to Napoleon
Jefferson vowed to create an alliance with British if Napoleon took possession of New Orleans
Wants to present an ultimatum

15. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
13) What three factors ultimately barred Napoleon from invading Louisiana?
Lost control of Haiti
Yellow fever
Ice storm prevented 3000 French troops from going to Louisiana

16. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
14) What made Napoleon decide to not only sell New Orleans, but also the rest of Louisiana?
Renewed war with England was inevitable and France needed the funds
With Haiti a lost cause, so is the Louisiana Territory
We only wanted New Orleans and Florida

17. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
15) Who loaned the U.S. the money for the Louisiana Purchase? Why?
$15M purchase
A British bank (Baring and Company)
They want to keep their enemy (France) out of America
6% loan on a 15 year term
We finally had it all repaid by 1823 (ending up paying altogether $23M)

18. LOUISIANA PURCHASE
16) What did Jefferson intend to do with the most of the Louisiana Purchase?
He had already commissioned the Lewis and Clark expedition for purely scientific purposes
Proposal—put aside as a preserve for Native Americans. Ask the people of St. Louis to give up their land west of the river and relocate to east of the river

19. Advantages Increases size
Gain full control of New Orleans and the Mississippi River
Remove French influence from N. America

20. Disadvantages Had to defend more land
Manage how Americans explored land
Improve ways of travel
Native Americans

21. Jefferson’s Problem Jefferson’s Solution
Was the purchase legal?
The Constitution said nothing about acquiring new territory
Jefferson’s Solution
Used the “treaty making” section of the Constitution to justify purchase

22. Lewis and Clark Very little was known about the area
T.J sent out an expedition to explore
Lewis (TJs private secretary)
Clark (amateur scientist)