July 4 – Anniversary of a BIG Birthday Gift

nPostednon July 4, 2014

ThenAmerican people started celebrating Independence Day on July 4 fromnthe country’s earliest days (even though Congress voted to declarenindependence on

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nJuly 2, and most scholars believe that thenDeclaration of Independence was signed in August). In a way, peoplenlooked on the Fourth as the nation’s birthday.
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nAndnon the Fourth of 1803, President Thomas Jefferson – the very fellownwho wrote the Declaration of Independence – was able to give a bignpresent to the American people:

n Thennew nation had suddenly doubled in size!

nInn1802, the king of Spain had given over the huge territory callednLouisiana to France (led by Napoleon Bonaparte) in return for thenking’s son-in-law gaining power over Tuscany. n

nAmericansngreeted the land transfer with very negative feelings. They had had antreaty with Spain giving them rights to use the Mississippi River forntransport of goods plus the right to store goods in New Orleans untilnthey could be loaded onto oceangoing ships. But as soon as Francengained the Louisiana Territory—which included the important portncity of New Orleans—they alerted the Americans to the fact thatnthey no longer could store goods in the port’s warehouses.

nAndnwhen I say “negative feelings,” I mean outrage! Some Americansncalled for war. When Jefferson and Secretary of State James Madisonnworked to resolve the issue through peaceful diplomacy rather thannwar, some Americans called for secession by the western territoriesnthat were most dependent on the Mississippi! That’s right, theynwanted to leave the new nation, and create their own nation, so thatnthey could fight for—and hopefully grab control of—New Orleans.

nJeffersonnresponded to the warmongers in two fairly visible ways. First, hensent James Monroe to Paris, France, to help with negotiations – andnalthough Monroe was a trusted friend of Jefferson’s, Monroe did ownnland in Kentucky (which was “the west” back then!), and he hadnbeen vocal about the need to safeguard the rights of those living innthe western territories.

James Madison – Thomas Jefferson – James Monroe

nThensecond thing Jefferson did was to work to create an expedition thatncould explore the vast Louisiana Territory, no matter who owned it.nYou probably know that the exploratory mission became known as thenLewis and Clark Expedition.

Here’snthe deal: Monroe was given instructions to purchase New Orleans andnmaybe West Florida, and he was authorized to spend up to ten millionndollars for that land.

nButn(travel time back in the early 1800s being what it was) by the timenMonroe landed in France, France’s minister of finance had convincednNapoleon that Louisiana would be less valuable without Haiti (whichnFrance was losing to a rebellion by former slaves) and that Francencouldn’t afford to send enough soldiers to keep control of the wholenMississippi Valley, anyway.

nSo,nby the time Monroe arrived, Napoleon had decided to sell the wholenthing. A huge amount of territory—obviously worth more than thenauthorized ten million dollars!

nMonroenjumped on the chance, and alongside the other US diplomat in France,nRobert Livingston, ended up negotiating the sale price for all ofnthat property at just 15 million dollars!

nMakingnthis sale exceeded Monroe’s and Livingson’s authority – and theirnspending limit – but it was such a great deal for the UnitednStates, nobody complained!

nIfnyou want to know how good a deal – it was about four cents pernacre!

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