pp. 200-211
Napoleon named “first consul” of France in 1799
Empirical ambitions France claimed
Louisiana from Spain in 1800
Hoped to est. French empire in America
French empire in West Indies Guadeloupe, Martinique,
Santo Domingo (Haiti today)
Sugar plantations brought wealth
Slaves revolted in Santo Domingo & created a republic Led by Toussaint
L’Ouverture
The Adams administration/Federalist party had typically been pro-British
Jefferson administration/Republican Party=pro-French
French & British were at war nearly non-stop from 1792-1815
Jefferson finds out in 1802 that New Orleans/lower Mississippi River is off limits to Americans
Westerners are unhappy/limits their trade
Jefferson instructs Robert Livingston (ambassador to France) to negotiate for the purchase of New Orleans…
While waiting for Livingston’s response Jefferson prepares for war
Napoleon offers not only New Orleans, but all of Louisiana
Napoleon had given up hopes of a French empire in America Yellow fever wiped out
forces Ships frozen in place
through winter of 1802-1803
Agreement signed on April 30, 1803 $15 million/3 cents per acre
Boundaries were not clearly defined
Jefferson was happy w/ agreement & its terms
But…why was he concerned with the acquisition of Louisiana?
“the good sense of our country will correct the evil of loose construction when it shall produce ill effects.”
Government organized Louisiana like it had the NW territory Louisiana becomes 18th state in 1812
Louisiana Territory was relatively unknown
Few Americans had ventured west of the Mississippi
Before Purchase Jefferson was planning a westward expedition
Hand-picked Meriwether Lewis as its guide Had been Jefferson’s
personal secretary
Lewis chose William Clark as his co-pilot Experienced
frontiersman
Left St. Louis, MO in April of 1804 4 dozen men Traveled up Missouri River, against the
current Stayed at Ft. Mandan in present-day ND
during winter of 1804-1805 Met Sacajawea, she led expedition from
there Reached Pacific in October of 1805 Back to St. Louis in by September of 1806
Made it as far west as Colorado Pike’s Peak
Left Americans of the East believing that Plains & West were uninhabitable & not farmable
“Not a stick of timber” “These vast plains of the
western hemisphere, may become in time equally celebrated as the sandy deserts of Africa”
1823—Major Stephen Long labels the area the “Great American Desert”
Pike’s Peak, CO
What was Essex Junto?Why the threat of secession?
MA, extreme FederalistsThreatened secessionDidn’t get support from Hamilton
Turned to Aaron Burr Supposedly Burr did support secession…
Asked to be Federalist candidate for governor of NY
Rumors he supported Federalist secession
Hamilton accused Burr of treason & said he had “despicable” character
Burr lost & blamed it on Hamilton
Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel July 11, 1804 near Weehawken, NJBurr wounds Hamilton, Hamilton dies
the next dayBurr was charged with multiple
crimes, but never tried in courtFinish VP term, but political career
was over
Before duel, Burr had plotted to capture Mexico
Also, rumors that he hoped to rule a western empire Little evidence
Burr arrested as a traitor, but eventually acquitted
What did the Burr Conspiracy say about the nation in the early 1800s?
American merchant marine grew rapidly
Controlled much of the trans-Atlantic trade
By 1805 Napoleon controls almost entire European continent
Napoleon bans British trade to Europe
British responds by requiring all good going to Europe to be on British vessels or checked at a British port
America=Rock & Hard Place
British navy was capturing American sailors & forcing them into service=impressment
British navy was losing manpower & needed replacements
Chesapeake-Leopard incident in 1807 British Leopard opened fire, Americans
surrenderedAmericans wanted revenge
Jefferson & Madison (Sec. of State) tried to keep the peace
Asked Brits to end impressment, but refused to do so
The Embargo (Act)—Ended American exports to all foreign countries Hurt merchants, esp. in New England Led to economic downturn
Jefferson replaced Embargo w/ Non-Intercourse Act Only banned trade w/ France & Britain Ban lifted in 1810
Jefferson’s plan: Natives could assimilate into settled farmers or move West of the Mississippi
W. H. Harrison, governor of Indiana Territory from 1801 to 1812, strictly enforced Jefferson’s plan
Rising American population west of Appalachians
Tribes were losing lands quickly, see maps on p. 208, until…
1. British attempted to ally with Native tribes, expecting American invasion of Canada
2. Rise of the Prophet & his efforts to unite tribes
Harrison
The Prophet sparked a religious revival & a renunciation of white ways, back to roots
The Prophet’s brother, Tecumseh, hoped to unite all tribes of the Mississippi Valley
While Tecumseh was absent, Harrison fought the tribal forces
Battle of Tippecanoe (1811)
Weakened Native forces
By 1812 Tecumseh’s warriors were attacking white settlements
British helped supply Natives
Push to acquire Spanish Florida Threat to Georgia & other southern
states Slaves escaped Indian attacks Americans captured western part of
Florida Territory in 1810 & made plans to take the rest
Spain was Britain’s ally
Calls for war increasedTerritorial expansionWar Hawks led by:1. Henry Clay—KY2. John C. Calhoun—SCPresident Madison approved war on
June 18, 1812
Clay
Calhoun
PresidentMadison