On April 11, 1803, in an unexpected turn of events in diplomatic history, French Foreign Minister Charles Maurice de Talleyrand made an offer to sell the entire Louisiana Territory to the United States.
Tallerand is a wise man. As the Foreign Minister of the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, he was one of the most powerful people in the world. Three years earlier, Talleyrand convinced Napoleon that he could create a French empire in North America. The French have long declared sovereignty, although quite faint, for the vast land to the west of the Mississippi River, called Louisiana territory. In 1800, Napoleon secretly signed a treaty with Spain, helping the French officially gain full control of the region. Later, he began to bring his mighty army to occupy New Orleans and strengthen France's dominance.
When President Thomas Jefferson learned of Napoleon's plan in 1802, he could not help but feel threatened. Jefferson always hoped that the United States would expand to the west, beyond Mississippi, but the young republic has no military power to challenge the French and win the territory. Jefferson expects his ambassador to France, Robert Livingston, to at least could negotiate an agreement whereby Napoleon would let Americans control New Orleans, the gateway to the Mississippi River.
The initial situation was quite bleak because of Livingston's efforts to achieve a failed diplomatic agreement. In early 1803, Jefferson dispatched a Virginia friend, James Monroe, to Paris to assist Livingston. Fortunately for Americans, at that time, the situation of Napoleon's army in Europe was changing in a bad direction. The war between France and England was about to happen, and Napoleon has no longer been able to maintain the necessary military resources to control the Louisiana territory. Realizing that the powerful British navy could occupy this land with force, Napoleon argued that it should be sold to Americans rather than letting it fall into his enemy's hands.
After many months of defeat negotiations about New Orleans, Livingston met Talleyrand again on 11/4/1803. Before the surprise of the US Ambassador, this time French Foreign Minister cautiously asked: "How much do you pay to this territory? ” It was not the entire New Orleans, but the entire Louisiana territory. Quickly realizing this was a great proposal for the United States, Livingston and Monroe discussed the price that the French suggested. A few weeks later, on April 30, 18803, the US representative signed a treaty with France to buy this large land for $ 11,250,000.
More than two weeks later, Britain declared war on France. With the sale of the Louisiana territory, Napoleon accepted to give up his dream of an empire in North America, but he achieved the goal he thought was more important. Napoleon then wrote: "The sale [Louisiana] will forever ensure the US's power, and I have given Britain a competitor, those who sooner or later will dissipate Britain's pride."
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