Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States and played an important role in the Westward Movement. He believed that the goal would be eventually to buy the Louisiana Territory and New Orleans in portions over time. Jefferson was concerned that someone who was stronger than Spain would come along and scoop up this land, such as France. New Orleans harbor was already a necessity to move food supplies. New Orleans harbor was as they say, “was all about location, location, location.” Jefferson penned a letter that said, “This little event, of France possessing herself of Louisiana, … is the embryo of a tornado which will burst on the countries on both shores of the Atlantic and involve in it’s effects their highest destinies”. The United States was growing and needed the harbor of New Orleans to continue this growth. Spain still owned New Orleans but allowed the United States to access the Mississippi River and be able to move their supplies and get them to ships.
The land that Spain owned was needed but if France obtained it, a stronger force would be close in that of Napoleon Bonaparte. By the close of the French and Indian War, North America acquired belongings from France. Land was broken into different ownership. Spain acquired the land on the west side of the Mississippi – New Orleans and Louisiana. Britain acquired land what was towards the east of the Mississippi that would add Canada to that group. It was in the year 1799 that Napoleon would come to command France and he wanted to acquire the land again once more. Yet, the things he hoped to gain in the New World were slowing falling apart. The army of French that were supposed to control uprising of slaves in Saint Domingue were taken out by yellow fever and another war with Britain was likely. It was Francois de Barbe-Marbois who didn’t believe it was worth obtaining Louisiana and talked Napoleon out of it. France’s military would cost more to monitor the Mississippi Valley than what it was worth. It was then decided to sell this area to the United States. In doing so, the size of the United States doubled.
In 1803, Louisiana had French living there. People already living in the States did not approve because it was not already written about getting more land in the constitution. The constitution did not encompass what this area may need as well. What was once known as the Louisiana Purchase, we know that area today as Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, parts of Minnesota and Louisiana to the west of the Mississippi River to include New Orleans, large areas of North and northeastern New Mexico, South Dakota, North part of Texas, area of Wyoming, Montana, Colorado as well to include areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan – Canada.
By obtaining the Louisiana Purchase, it increased the size of America. It made this nation stronger. If France had acquired this land, our nation would have been divided and it would not have been the strongest nation we now know. Location was always important, as well as the control of the harbors to be able to build a stronger nation. By buying the Louisiana Purchase, it increased the overall wealth of this nation and made it known as the greatest nation in the world.
