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The Louisiana Purchase. Chapter 9 Section 2. The Nation Looks West. Many western settlers were farmers. Depended on the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans to ship their crops Spain owned the Miss. River and the port of New Orleans and threatened to close it many times
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The Louisiana Purchase Chapter 9 Section 2
The Nation Looks West • Many western settlers were farmers. • Depended on the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans to ship their crops • Spain owned the Miss. River and the port of New Orleans and threatened to close it many times • 1795- US negotiated treaty with Spain • Pinckney Treaty guaranteed Americans’ right to ship goods down the Miss. to New Orleans • 1801- Jefferson discovered Spain secretly gave new Orleans the its LA territory to France
Buying Louisiana • 1802- Spanish governor of LA withdrew Americans right to ship goods through New Orleans • Westerners demanded Jefferson go to war
A Surprise Offer • Jefferson sent James Monroe to France to make a deal to buy New Orleans and West Florida • Robert Livingston helped • French had been driven from Caribbean colony of Haiti (their base) by a revolution led by Toussaint L’Ouverture • France offered to sell U.S. their entire LA territory ($15 million) • Area stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada/from the Miss. River to Rocky Mtns. • This purchase almost doubled the size of the U.S. • U.S. now has ownership of the Miss. River
Jefferson’s Dilemma • Constitution does not state the President has the right to buy land • How did he solve this dilemma? • Constitution does allow the President to make treaties • Senate approved the treaty • Congress voted to pay for the land
Lewis and Clark Explore the West • 1803 (before LA purchase), Jefferson convinced Congress to spend $2500 on a western expansion (a long and carefully organized journey) • Meriwether Lewis led the expedition • William Clark was his coleader • They were ordered to report back about the land, plants, animals, and other natural features • Other goals • Make contact with Native Americans that lived in the LA territory • Find out if a waterway existed between the Miss. River and the Pacific Ocean
Into the Unknown • 1804- Lewis, Clark, 40 others head up the Miss. River • Most Americans, several French Canadians, and an enslaved African American named York • Mid July- reached the mouth of the Platte River • Early Aug.- met Native Americans • Three weeks later- expedition reached the edge of the Great Plains • Oct.- reached territory of Mandan people (North Dakota) • Camped there for the winter • Joined by French Can. Trader and his wife named Sacagawea • Traveled with them and served as translator
Crossing the Rockies • April 1805- expedition reaches Montana • Began to climb the Rockies • Aug.- reached the Continental Divide (the place on a continent that separates the river systems flowing in opposite directions) • Met a group of Shoshone warriors (including Sacagawea’s brother) • The Shoshones agreed to sell the expedition horses that were needed to cross the mountains.
At the Pacific • Reached Columbia River • Stopped to build canoes • November- reached the Pacific Ocean • Began the return journey in March 1806 • Took ½ year to return to St. Louis • Brought American people new awareness of rich and beautiful part of the continent
Pike’s Expedition • 1805-1807: Zebulon Pike explored northern part of LA territory • Led expedition west to Rocky Mtns. • Tried to climb a mtn. • Made it 2/3 to the top, snow up to his waist • Forced to turn back • This mountain is known as Pike’s Peak • Return took him to Spanish Mexico • Arrested (they were afraid he was a spy) • After months, he was released. He reported back about the Spanish borderlands. This created American interest in the region.
