The Louisiana Purchase: Significant In American History
Megan Shanks
History 1301-I53
February 25, 2017
Professor Stokes
The Louisiana Purchase
The United States has a long history of crucial decision after crucial decision, each one with significant impact on the country and the world. While these decisions do hold great importance, the Louisiana Purchase was especially significant in American history. Jefferson dealt with different options, faced consequences, as well as created a huge impact across time when he signed the “Treaty of Cession.” Jefferson made the single most famous purchase in United States history in 1803. He started by simply sending Robert Livingston to Paris as a U.S. minister after he received word that France would be purchasing Louisiana from Spain. This was a catastrophe …show more content…
He was quick to realize his hunger for an empire had clouded his thought process. The purchase of new territory was covered nowhere in the Constitution. Despite his consistent position defending the right of the state and the Constitution’s structure, Jefferson stood by his decision along with many other members of the Republican party. His reasons for doing so were very clear as he was quoted saying the purchase was in the best interest of citizens who were pioneers of the west and it would create a barrier protecting the U.S. from other countries by removing French involvement from the continental landmass. There was also hope to slice through the racial tensions in the East by opening space for freed …show more content…
The United States would not be the country it is today without gaining that land and it would have failed in future battles without the development of these states. It gave the country more fertile land to grow crops and appropriate weather conditions for different kinds of crops. It created a completely different culture in Louisiana, a mixture of southern and French characteristics that can still be recognized today.
It is difficult, impossible even to imagine a country so small ever existed under the title “United States of America,” but it did. It existed, thrived, grew, adapted. The people of today’s America would not be quite the same without the pieces of land and culture gained with a mere sacrifice of $15 million. Regardless of the dilemmas and consequences President Jefferson faced, he would surely stand by everything if he could see what it grew
History 1301-I53
February 25, 2017
Professor Stokes
The Louisiana Purchase
The United States has a long history of crucial decision after crucial decision, each one with significant impact on the country and the world. While these decisions do hold great importance, the Louisiana Purchase was especially significant in American history. Jefferson dealt with different options, faced consequences, as well as created a huge impact across time when he signed the “Treaty of Cession.” Jefferson made the single most famous purchase in United States history in 1803. He started by simply sending Robert Livingston to Paris as a U.S. minister after he received word that France would be purchasing Louisiana from Spain. This was a catastrophe …show more content…
He was quick to realize his hunger for an empire had clouded his thought process. The purchase of new territory was covered nowhere in the Constitution. Despite his consistent position defending the right of the state and the Constitution’s structure, Jefferson stood by his decision along with many other members of the Republican party. His reasons for doing so were very clear as he was quoted saying the purchase was in the best interest of citizens who were pioneers of the west and it would create a barrier protecting the U.S. from other countries by removing French involvement from the continental landmass. There was also hope to slice through the racial tensions in the East by opening space for freed …show more content…
The United States would not be the country it is today without gaining that land and it would have failed in future battles without the development of these states. It gave the country more fertile land to grow crops and appropriate weather conditions for different kinds of crops. It created a completely different culture in Louisiana, a mixture of southern and French characteristics that can still be recognized today.
It is difficult, impossible even to imagine a country so small ever existed under the title “United States of America,” but it did. It existed, thrived, grew, adapted. The people of today’s America would not be quite the same without the pieces of land and culture gained with a mere sacrifice of $15 million. Regardless of the dilemmas and consequences President Jefferson faced, he would surely stand by everything if he could see what it grew