WITHOUT passing through the process of bloodshed, which commonly happened then, the United States (US) managed to take the territory now known as the State of Louisiana from the French. The success of the United States can not be separated from the expertise in diplomacy and a little trick.
The area that stretches from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains becomes one of the first 15 states to form the modern US. Uncle Sam's country should be grateful to the rapid action of President Thomas Jefferson and the Ambassador to France, Robert Livingston, and James Monroe.
Louisiana is actually found by the Kingdom of Spain. The colonization is then known by its current name as Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Then France came and began a massive exploration.
Louisiana territory was returned to the hands of Spain in 1762. When entering the 19th century, Louisiana re-move ownership to France.
In the early 1800s, Louisiana was inhabited by approximately 60 thousand inhabitants, some of whom were descendants of ordinary citizens and French aristocrats who lived in harmony. Life is the opposite in the eastern region where approximately 300 thousand US citizens always want to trade and produce something. These people live on the east side of the Mississippi River and depend on exporting goods through the Port of New Orleans.
They produce products of tobacco, flour, whiskey, cheese, and butter. New Orleans is very important it is under the Spanish occupation. The US and Spanish governments have profitable trade agreements. Suddenly there was a big change.
Reporting from The Vintage News on Sunday, President Thomas Jefferson received information from British spies that Napoleon, the leader of the war-torn French Revolution government, managed to take over Louisiana and New Orleans through a secret deal with Spain.
Jefferson then acted swiftly by ordering Robert Livingston to start negotiating the liberation of the Port of New Orleans. Napoleon and Foreign Affairs Minister Talleyrand later revealed a secret deal that was intertwined with Spain.
Napoleon also declared a plan to make France return as a large and influential colony. Livingston wrote to Jefferson and advised him to prepare for war. Americans who are angry at not being able to export goods, are ready to fight. However, Thomas Jefferson had a different, brilliant idea.
Jefferson was aware that in the agreement between Napoleon and Spain there was a clause that Louisiana should not be sold or handed over to the US. He then decided to try to buy New Orleans and Florida in any way. Jefferson sent James Monroe to help Livingston in Paris.
At the same time, Napoleon has his own plan. The short man planned to resell Louisiana without the knowledge of Spain, without even notifying Talleyrand. Napoleon reasoned, it lacked funds to fight against the British.
For the sake of making the decision, Napoleon saw that England had a sizable fleet leaning in the Gulf of Mexico to conquer Louisiana whenever the war began. For Napoleon, Louisiana was about to disappear.
James Monroe arrived in Paris and at that moment both sides knew each other's plans. French Finance Ministers, Barbe-Marbois, and Livingston exchanged offers and eventually offered bids to Louisiana. Do not want to waste time, Livingston immediately sent a letter to Jefferson.
Without asking at all, the US accepted the sale offer. It turns out that in the clause it is mentioned that the offer includes not only New Orleans and Florida, but also Louisiana. However, the selling price is high enough that makes the US was hesitant. Time keeps scrolling.
Livingston and Monroe realized it took 45 days for their letter to reach President Thomas Jefferson. Decisions must be taken quickly. After several meetings, they managed to reduce the price to USD15 million.
Realizing that it was the best offer and not long to wait, the two accepted the agreement without Jefferson's consent. Livingston and Monroe believe US citizens and President Thomas Jefferson will agree with their actions.
On May 2, 1803, the agreement was established. The sale and purchase transactions took place formally on May 22, 1803, four days after the war between England and France began.
When the news reached the American mainland, the people cheered. However, the biggest issue (even for Jefferson himself) is the actions of Livingston and Monroe contrary to the constitution. The Senate eventually agreed and supported the purchase of the land.
Because the US does not have enough funds to buy the land alone, then formed bonds and hope there will be buyers. The bonds were taken by British investor Baring Bank, and that was where the irony occurred. Britain financed Napoleon for the war against the British.
