The Louisiana Purchase
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The Louisiana Purchase
In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson struck a land deal with the French dictator, Napoleon Bonaparte. Jefferson sent his good friend James Monroe, along with the help of an American minister living in Paris named Robert Livingston, to approach Bonaparte about buying the city of New Orleans. Cash strapped and with a war looming with Great Britain, Bonaparte surprised the two men by asking if Jefferson wanted the entire French-owned Louisiana Territory. The price was $15 million dollars or 4 cents an acre. The Louisiana Territory proved to be an amazing bargain for our country and practically doubled the size. Study the map and complete the chart below, citing as many reasons as you can think of that might prove to be advantages and disadvantages of this purchase. After you have completed that task, turn your paper over, read the excerpt and answer the question that follows.
Louisiana Purchase United States of 1803 America
1803
BRAINSTORM:
Possible ADVANTAGES of the Louisiana Purchase Possible DISADVANTAGES of the Louisiana Purchase Directions for Part II: With your seat partner, sort the advantages and disadvantages slips of paper into the appropriate category (I suggest using one desk for advantages and one desk for disadvantages). Then, decide on the three most important advantages and the three most important disadvantages and place them in the chart below (1 being most important 3 being least important of top 3). Feel free to abbreviate and put the phrases into your own words.
Advantages of the Louisiana Purchase Disadvantages of the Louisiana Purchase
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
After weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the Louisiana Purchase, if you were Thomas Jefferson, what would your decision be and why? Give one reason from above and explain how it supports your decision and one counter claim (explaining why a point from the other side is not a good point)
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Excerpt from a textbook:
“In the end, Jefferson decided that he did have the authority to buy Louisiana. The Constitution, he reasoned, allowed the President to make treaties. The Senate approved the treaty and Congress quickly voted to pay for the land.”
1. Explain how Jefferson justified purchasing the land. Why do you think Congress was so eager to pay for the land?
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