The Mississippi River was a highway for trade in America because it ran into the New Orleans Port. This was a major port for trading goods the westerners made. Traders needed this port to have a "right to deposit" this meant that Americans could ship their goods without having to worry about a tax. In 1801 rumors began to sprout about Spain giving the territories to France. President Jefferson sent Robert Livingston, the American Minister to France, but he sent back no answers. In 1802 the United States found out that the rumors were indeed true and a treaty was already signed to give the French the Louisiana Territory. So President Jefferson told Livingston to try and buy the New Orleans Port from the French. If he could not purchase the port he was instructed to secure the right of free passage. He tried for weeks but he was unsuccessful.
Since France had not sent any one to watch over Louisiana, Spain still governed it, and on October 15,1802 Spain canceled the U.S. right of deposit. This made westerners furious, because they believed that having to pay a tax was the same as not being able to use the port at all. Some Westerners called for war aga
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That same day the House of Representatives authorized the borrowing of money from the Dutch and English banks. So Thomas Jefferson sent James Monroe to France to help Livingston negotiate. He was the French minister of Treasury. After stretching the constitution to its breaking point Jefferson approved the treaty. On the expidition they collected hundreds of samples of plants, animals, and minerals. It doubled the size of the United States. Then Monroe and Livingston signed a treaty for the land. Monroe and Livingston had to think of the cons: They were not authorized to buy all this land, they had a limit of ten million dollars and the French were asking for more than seventeen, and was it legal to do this in the rules of the constitution.
Since no one knew exactly how big the territory of Louisiana was President Jefferson sent his personal secretary Meriwether Lewis and his friend William Clark to explore the lands and take down notes on what they discover. After taking this all into mind Monroe and Livingston decide to take the offer. Barbe-Marbois told Monroe and Livingston it was either all or nothing and they had two days to decide. So when Spain got wind of the news they were outraged.
Approximate Word count =
797
Approximate Pages =
3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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