The Louisiana Purchase
On April 30, 1803, the area of the United States approximately doubled. Until that time, United States territory had extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the banks of the Mississippi and from the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River to the thirty-first parallel. The national land now was expanded westward to include practically all of the area between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains and between the Gulf of Mexico and the Canadian border. On that day, for fifteen million dollars, the United States purchased from France 875,000 square miles of territory. After Robert R. Livingston, an American who represented President Jefferson in France, signed his name to the treaty, he rose, shook hands with James Monroe and Marbois, the Frenchman representing Napoleon and remarked, We have lived long, but this is the noblest work of our lives. As we glance backward upon this important event in history, we must agree that the signing of the treaty for the purchase of Louisiana was probably the most important event in Thomas Jeffersons administration. Without the acquisition of this territory, the United States would most probably have not developed into the powerful nation which it is today.
What Causes Led to Purchase of the Louisiana Territory
Until 1763, Louisiana had been a possession of France, but in that year it was given to Spain to repay an old debt. Twenty years later in Paris, the treaty ending the American Revolution was signed between the United States and Great Britain. One of the terms of this treaty was that the western border of the United States was to stretch to the Mississippi River. Immediately settlers and pioneers crossed westward over the Allegheny Mountains to clear the territory and establish farms. Since roads were scarce and difficult to travel, the products of these farmers had to be shipped on the waterways leading to the Mississippi River and then down this great stream to New Orleans. At this port city, the produce was transferred to larger ocean-going vessels and transported to markets on the Eastern Seaboard or to Europe. However, Spains ownership of both shores of the river for at least two hundred miles north of New Orleans permitted this foreign nation to control the trade moving on the Mississippi. As a monarchy ,the Spanish government distrusted the rising spirit of democracy in the United States, especially the much freer expression of democracy that existed among the western farmers. This distrust of democracy resulted in the desire of the Spanish to deny the use of the great river to any Americans. The reaction was instantaneous and furious, western farmers raised their voices to protest and the United states sent John Jay to Madrid to discuss this matter. In 1795 this conflict was settled. Spain consented to allow citizens of the United States the right to use the lower Mississippi River and also the right of deposit at New Orleans, the right of deposit permitted American farmers, without a duty charge, to remove their products from smaller boats at New Orleans after having navigated down the Mississippi, and then to transfer the agricultural commodities to larger ocean-going vessels.
For the succeeding five years this agreement was observed and little conflict existed. On October 1, 1800, however, Spain signed a treaty giving the ownership of the Louisiana territory back to France. The news of this treaty did not reach Jefferson until May of the following year. As soon as he became aware of the change in ownership of the territory, Jefferson realized that this was part of a plan by which Napoleon hoped to establish France as a great power in the New World. Although Napoleon still permitted Spain to remain in control of the port of New Orleans, the future threat to the navigation rights of the western farmers still remained. At any moment, Napoleon might send troops to the Gateway and forbid Americans to use it for navigation. This would affect almost forty per cent of the total export trade of the United States. By April 1802 Jeffersons concerns in this matter became even more intense. Napoleon had shipped armed forces to Santo Domingo to suppress the uprising. Once this had been accomplished, the troops were under orders to take possession of Louisiana with its key port city of New Orleans. On the eighteenth of that month the President wrote his now-famous letter to the American Minister to France, Robert R. Livingston.
There is one place on the globe, one single spot, the possessor of which is our natural and habitual enemy. It is New Orleans through which the produce of three eighths of our territory must pass to market. . . it seals the union of two nations who in conjunction can maintain exclusive possession of the ocean. From that moment we must marry ourselves to the British fleet and nation.
体坛英语资讯:Man. United settle for second after defeat to Valencia, Man. City top group
国内英语资讯:China deepens reform on judicial, social systems
国内英语资讯:Xi, Turkish president hold talks, agreeing to deepen strategic cooperation
国际英语资讯:World Bank president Kim to join U.S. private equity fund as partner, vice chairman
国际英语资讯:Israeli former minister pleads guilty of spying for Iran
“小丑女”玛格特罗比确定主演真人版《芭比公主》!
The Beauty of Nature 大自然的美
国内英语资讯:Information consumption new booster for Chinese economy
为解决食物浪费危机 英国任命首任厨余专员
国际英语资讯:German politicians voice dismay over brutal attack on German AfD politician
国内英语资讯:Chinese, Djibouti presidents exchange congratulations on 40th anniversary of ties
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Around 8,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon hit hard by storm: UN refugee official
绿皮书指出 我国人口负增长时代即将到来
国内英语资讯:China Focus: Key dialogue pools wisdom for global security
来自他人的善意
体坛英语资讯:Red Star hammer Brescia 103-67 to enter Eurocup Top 16
国内英语资讯:Xi honors two academicians with Chinas top science award
我国5A级旅游景区目前总数为259个
国内英语资讯:Xi Focus: Self-reform: most distinctive character of worlds largest ruling Party
国内英语资讯:Indeed! Gold found in garbage as Shanghai mandates sorting
劳斯莱斯要改行做飞机了?而且有望打破世界纪录
国际英语资讯:EU leaders agree on top positions, naming von der Leyen to be Commission president
国内英语资讯:Chinese police to tighten security measures during Spring Festival
娱乐英语资讯:Egypt congratulates Rami Malek on Golden Globes best actor award
国内英语资讯:Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un hold talks, reaching important consensus
国际英语资讯:U.S. state of Washington opposes federal plan to reclassify nuclear waste
Reading Makes Me Happy 读书让我快乐
体坛英语资讯:Gold-winning US swimmer Murphy no pressure at worlds
天作之合!梅根即将接手第一份王室工作
英剧《维多利亚》居然在美国先上映,英国粉丝怒了!
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |