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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 tothe banks of the Mississippi and from the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Riverto the thirty-first parallel. The national land now was expanded westward toinclude practically all of the area between the Mississippi River and the RockyMountains and between the Gulf of Mexico and the Canadian border. On that day,for fifteen million dollars, the United States purchased from France 875,000square miles of territory. After Robert R. Livingston, an American whorepresented President Jefferson in France, signed his name to the treaty, herose, shook hands with James Monroe and Marbois, the Frenchman representingNapoleon and remarked, "We have lived long, but this is the noblest work of ourlives. " As we glance backward upon this important event in history, we mustagree that the signing of the treaty for the purchase of Louisiana was probablythe most important event in Thomas Jefferson's administration. Without theacquisition of this territory, the United States would most probably have notdeveloped 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 itwas given to Spain to repay an old debt. Twenty years later in Paris, the treatyending the American Revolution was signed between the United States and GreatBritain. One of the terms of this treaty was that the western border of theUnited States was to stretch to the Mississippi River. Immediately settlers andpioneers crossed westward over the Allegheny Mountains to clear the territoryand establish farms. Since roads were scarce and difficult to travel, theproducts of these farmers had to be shipped on the waterways leading to theMississippi River and then down this great stream to New Orleans. At this portcity, the produce was transferred to larger ocean-going vessels and transportedto markets on the Eastern Seaboard or to Europe. However, Spain's ownership ofboth shores of the river for at least two hundred miles north of New Orleanspermitted this foreign nation to control the trade moving on the Mississippi. Asa monarchy (君主政体) ，the Spanish government distrusted the rising spirit ofdemocracy in the United States, especially the much freer expression ofdemocracy that existed among the western farmers. This distrust of democracyresulted in the desire of the Spanish to deny the use of the great river to anyAmericans. The reaction was instantaneous (瞬间的 ) and furious, western farmersraised their voices to protest and the United states sent John Jay to Madrid todiscuss this matter. In 1795 this conflict was settled. Spain consented to allowcitizens of the United States the right to use the lower Mississippi River andalso the "right of deposit" at New Orleans, the right of deposit permittedAmerican farmers, without a duty charge, to remove their products from smallerboats at New Orleans after having navigated down the Mississippi, and then totransfer the agricultural commodities to larger ocean-going vessels.

For the succeeding five years this agreement was observed and littleconflict existed. On October 1, 1800, however, Spain signed a treaty giving theownership of the Louisiana territory back to France. The news of this treaty didnot reach Jefferson until May of the following year. As soon as he became awareof the change in ownership of the territory, Jefferson realized that this waspart of a plan by which Napoleon hoped to establish France as a great power inthe New World. Although Napoleon still permitted Spain to remain in control ofthe port of New Orleans, the future threat to the navigation rights of thewestern farmers still remained. At any moment, Napoleon might send troops to the"Gateway" and forbid Americans to use it for navigation. This would affectalmost forty per cent of the total export trade of the United States. By April1802 Jefferson's concerns in this matter became even more intense. Napoleon hadshipped armed forces to Santo Domingo to suppress the uprising. Once this hadbeen accomplished, the troops were under orders to take possession of Louisianawith its key port city of New Orleans. On the eighteenth of that month thePresident wrote his now-famous letter to the American Minister to France, RobertR. Livingston.

There is one place on the globe, one single spot, the possessor of which isour natural and habitual enemy. It is New Orleans through which the produce ofthree eighths of our territory must pass to market. . . it seals the union oftwo nations who in conjunction can maintain exclusive possession of the ocean.From that moment we must marry ourselves to the British fleet and nation.

Seven months later Jefferson learned that the Spanish officials at NewOrleans had suspended(暂不实行) the right of deposit. Immediately western

farmers protested. Many demanded immediate action. Others pressed for adeclaration of war. The Federalists in the East who opposed Jefferson sided withthose who wished to declare war, in order to split the ranks of his followers.In January 1803, Congress appropriated two million dollars "to defray (支付)expenses to help improve relations between the United States and foreignnations. " Jefferson asked James Monroe to sail for France to resolve thedifficulty. Monroe was instructed to negotiate for the purchase of New Orleansand Florida. He was permitted to offer 50,000,000 francs for this concession ofterritory. If this offer were refused, then an alternative offer of 37,500,000francs was to be made for New Orleans alone. A third alternative to be used inthe negotiation was to insist upon the permanent right of deposit at New Orleansand navigation along the lower Mississippi. If all three offers were rejected byNapoleon, Monroe and Livingston were instructed to negotiate an alliance withthe British Government "not to make any peace with France. "

Why Napoleon Sold Louisiana

Events favored the United States. Napoleon had transported 35,000 troops towipe out the rebellion in Santo Domingo, but yellow fever and the rebels didaway with most of the French troops. With this disaster Napoleon's visions ofexpanding in the mainland at New Orleans vanished. He also recognized heinevitability of a conflict with Great Britain. How could he hope to keepLouisiana, thousands of miles away across the Atlantic, as long as Britain was"Empress of the Seas"? The revenue that the sale of Louisiana would bring to

France was a temptation to Napoleon, whose treasury was almost depleted(消耗). Confronted with so many problems Napoleon quickly arrived at a decision.OnApril 11, 1803, even before the arrival of Monroe in Paris, Talleyrand proposedthat the United States purchase all of the Louisiana territory.Livingston'sfirst offer for this "bargain" was 20, 000, 000 francs, but Talleyrand counteredwith a demand for 125,000,000. In a brief negotiation both finally compromisedon 80,000,000 francs, equivalent to $ 15,000,000 in

American money. On April 30, 1803, Louisiana became the possession of theUnited States. Three-fourths of the sum went to France, the balance was reservedto pay the claims of American citizens against France.

1. The passage gives a general description of the reasons for and theeffect of the Louisiana purchase.

2. The purchase of Louisiana helped the U. S. to grow into the powerfulnation which it is today.

3. The Louisiana purchase only expanded the territory of the U. S. .

4. The rising spirit of democracy in the U. S. was introduced to Spain andFrance instantaneously.

5. The purchase of Louisiana was accomplished at a much lower price thanoriginally intended.

6. Spain was the original possessor of the Louisiana territory.

7. Livingston's eloquence persuaded Marbois to accept an unreasonably lowprice for the Louisiana territory.

8. Louisiana was sold to the U. S, for______francs.

9. The Federalists in the East of U. S. were in favor of declaring war onSpain because they wished to______of President Jefferson's followers.四级英语答案

10. When Louisiana was purchased, the export trade moving on theMississippi accounted for___of the total export trade of the U. S. .

答案：1. Y 2. Y 3. N 4. N 5. Y 6. N 7. NG 8. 80,000,000 9. split the ranks 10.40%