Louisiana Territory Research Paper

Words: 664
Pages: 3

Could you believe a piece of gum was worth more than a piece of land? That was the case in 1803. Just because something seems cheap doesn’t mean it’s not valuable. The Louisiana Territory was filled abundant with wild animals, including wild buffalo, and fertile farmlands. The area was also held large amounts of minerals deposits. Little did we know it would change all of America as we know it today.
In the 1682 a French explorer discovered and claimed the Louisiana Territory and by the 18th century France controlled from New Orleans to modern day Montana. During the French and Indian War France gave most of its land to Spain and the rest to Great Britain. In 1801, Spain signed a secret treaty for France to take back their land that they
…show more content…
He then sent Robert Livingston and signed his as a minister to France to try and negotiate. They then thought the negotiations were going to fail. So, Jefferson sent James Monroe to Paris to help Robert Livingston with the Negotiations. Before Monroe got to Paris in February, French offered Livingston a proposal that any man would be foolish to decline. As the years had gone by the French had become less, and less interested in the
Louisiana Territory. After they failed to stop the slaves revolt, and also failed to establish their new empire in North America as they hoped, things became very tense in the Louisiana Territory. Napoleon was torn because of the war with Great Britain that was near. If they went into war they would more likely lose important land. They also suffered from financial difficulties, so Napoleon decided to cancel the military expedition to Louisiana in March. Napoleon decided it was better to sell all of Louisiana so it could benefit him in the war.
By April, minister Talleyrand told Robert Livingston that they were willing to sell all of Louisiana to America. The price America had to pay was fifteen million dollars and a cancellation debt of three million seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The land France sold to America was half the size of the United States as we know today, and two Canadian