Louisiana Purchase

Louisiana Purchase

After America was established, it was looking to expand • Napoleon (of France) needed $$ b/c he was in a war, so he sells the Louisiana territory to Thomas Jefferson for $15 million dollars in 1803 • Probably the best land purchase in American history • The purchase doubles the size of America overnight • Jefferson sends Lewis & Clark to explore the territory • The new land poses a problem: how to admit new states to the union- slave state or free state? • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs2w4lwQRtc

Lewis and Clark • Jefferson authorized the Lewis and Clark expedition to explore the new territories west of the Mississippi River. • Looking for a river west and looking for resources they could use in America • Sacajawea, an American Indian woman, served as their guide and translator. • Took two years and four months (May 1804- March 1806) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eqGmM6ze2s

War of 1812 • During Jefferson’s second term as president, fighting began again between Britain and France • This threatened American shipping to Europe • In 1806 Napoleon decided to keep all British goods out of Europe • In Return, England decided to blockade Europe • By 1807 England had seized more than 1,000 American ships and confiscated the cargo. France had seized about 500 ships.

Causes of the War With England • Although both England and France seized American ships, America was most angry at England because of impressment • Seizing Americans at sea and “impressing” or drafting them into the British navy • In June 1807 an English warship opened fire on a US ship, killing 3 Americans and wounding 18 more • In 1811 the Shawnee attacked American General William Henry Harrison at the Tippecanoe river • Harrison won, but suffered heavy losses • The Native Americans were using weapons from British Canada • War Hawks from the South called for war against England and Canada • http://www.history.com/videos/james-madison-and-the-war-of-1812#americans-and-british-face-off-in-war-of-1812

Madison Declares War • By the Spring of 1812 James Madison was president and had decided to go to war against England • Madison believed England was trying to stop American trade and ruin the American Economy • British interference with American shipping and western expansionism fueled the call for a declaration of war. • Federalists opposed Madison’s war resolution, talked of secession, and proposed constitutional amendments • http://www.history.com/videos/james-madison-and-the-war-of-1812#james-madison-and-the-war-of-1812

During the War • American military was unprepared for the war • Detriot was captured • Native Americans tried to side with the British • November 1812 British government blockaded the East Coast • British burned the White House in 1814 • http://www.history.com/videos/james-madison-and-the-war-of-1812#dolley-madison-saves-washingtons-portrait • Battle of New Orleans • Andrew Jackson won a series of battles earning him fame • Jackson defeated the British at New Orleans • http://www.history.com/videos/james-madison-and-the-war-of-1812#andrew-jackson-hero-of-new-orleans • Treaty of Ghent ends the war in 1814

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2AfQ5pa59A • http://www.pbs.org/wned/war-of-1812/

Effects of the War • The American victory over the British in the War of 1812 produced an American claim to the Oregon Territory and increased migration of American settlers into Florida, which was later acquired by treaty from Spain. • Star Spangled Banner was written • The Monroe Doctrine (1823) stated the following: • The American continents should not be considered for future colonization by any European powers. • Nations in the Western Hemisphere were inherently different from those of Europe—i.e., they were republics by nature rather than monarchies. • The United States would regard as a threat to her own peace and safety any attempt by European powers to impose their system on any independent state in the Western Hemisphere. • The United States would not interfere in European affairs.

Louisiana Purchase