Transcript The Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase
and Exploration
Chapter 10, Section 2
The West
 In
1800 the “West” meant the area
between the Appalachian Mountains
and the Mississippi River.
 The US border was the Mississippi
River but there was a great deal of
activity further west.
 After
the French and Indian War
Spain took control of the Louisiana
Territory and New Orleans
 Spain was a relatively weak neighbor
and relations were generally good
between the two.
 In 1800, France and Spain began
negotiating for ownership of the
Louisiana Territory which returned to
French control
 The
Pacific Northwest and the
Oregon country also drew increasing
attention.
 Spain, Russia, Great Britain, and the
United States all claimed land in the
region
The Mississippi River and New
Orleans
 Use
of the Mississippi River and the
port of New Orleans was vital to
those living in the “west” so much so
that they were willing to go to war to
protect it.
 After France regained control of the
Louisiana territory, Jefferson offered
to buy New Orleans from France.
The Louisiana Purchase
 Napoleon
offered to sell the United
States the entire Louisiana territory
for $15 million dollars or about 3
cents an acre.
 This purchase
would double the
size of the United
States
Reasons for Napoleon’s Offer
 He
was alarmed by America’s
determination to keep the port open.
 Revolts in the French West Indies
may have lessened his desire for
colonies.
 The war with Britain was costly and
made money more valuable than
land.
Jefferson’s Dilemma
 As
a strict constructionist, the
Constitution did not authorize the
president to buy land.
 Jefferson wanted a nation of small
farmers which would be benefitted
by having more land.
 He decided to make the purchase
Lewis and Clark Explore
 Meriwether
Lewis Jefferson’s private
secretary was chosen to lead the
trip.
 Lewis asked his friend Lieutenant
William Clark to select and oversee a
volunteer force.
 Clark was a skilled mapmaker, and
outdoorsman, and a strong leader
Lewis and Clark Explore
 The
Corps of Discovery set out in the
summer of 1803 and spent the
winter in St. Louis waiting for March
when the Louisiana Territory would
officially belong to the United States
Up the Missouri River
 Goals
of the trip:
–Find a water route across the
continent
–Establish good relations w/
Native Americans
–Describe the landscape, plants,
and animals
Up the Missouri River
Travelling against the current was
hard and it took from May to October
to make it to what is now North
Dakota where the expedition stayed
with the Mandan tribe.
 Here they met Sacagawea who
joined the expedition as a translator
and guide

On to the Pacific Ocean
 The
explorers had to carry their
boats around the Great Falls of the
Missouri River.
 The Shoshone chief recognized
Sacagawea as his sister and traded
horses to the expedition and helped
them cross the Rocky Mountains
On to the Pacific Ocean
 In
November 1805 they reached the
Pacific Ocean via the Columbia River.
 The following spring they returned to
St. Louis
Results of the Expedition
 Brought
back a wealth of scientific
and geographic information.
 Learned that an all water route
across the continent did not exist.
 Americans got an exciting report of
the West.
Pike’s Expedition
Zebulon Pike’s mission was to find
the sources of the Arkansas and the
Red Rivers.
 Followed the Arkansas River to the
Rocky Mountains.
 Failed to find the Red River and were
arrested in Spanish Territory

Pike’s Expedition

Brought back descriptions of the
Great Plains and the Rio Grande
River Valley
Effects of Exploration
 Accurate
maps: Lewis and Clark and
Pike produced the first good maps of
the Louisiana Territory.
 Growth of the fur trade: exploration
boosted interest and hunters and
trappers added to knowledge of the
west.
 Mistaken View of the Great Plains:
The plains were described as a
useless desert