Louisiana Purchase
Imagine buying good land for less than four cents an acre! That's what President Thomas Jefferson did in 1803. The Louisana Purchase was considered one of the best real estate deals ever in United States history. It nearly doubled the size of our country making it one of the largest countries in the world. Why would the emperor of France be willing to sell his land in North America to the United States?
While Jefferson was president one of his visions was to expand the United States beyond its current borders into a country of selfsufficient farmers so we could be a self sustaining country. At that time, Americans had begun the trek westward. People began wanting more: more places to live, more land, more opportunity for wealth, more livestock for their farms. The one thing that the United States Government wanted more of was land. And the Louisiana Territory had a lot of land.
While Jefferson was president one of his visions was to expand the United States beyond its current borders into a country of selfsufficient farmers so we could be a self sustaining country. At that time, Americans had begun the trek westward. People began wanting more: more places to live, more land, more opportunity for wealth, more livestock for their farms. The one thing that the United States Government wanted more of was land. And the Louisiana Territory had a lot of land.
Print out the following quesions, answer them, and use them as a guide to complete the following project.
On December 20, 1803, the United States officially took possession of the Louisiana Territory. This land deal cost 15 million dollars and nearly doubled the size of our country. Today, almost everyone agrees that the Louisiana Purchase was a good deal for the United States. There were, however, many men in Congress who disagreed with President Jefferson’s desire to purchase the Louisiana Territory. You are going to write 2 persuasive letters to the President. In the first one you are going to side with Jefferson's decision to purchase the Louisiana Territory. In the second, you are going to take the side of those opposed to it. Be convincing in both. Use the information from your research to support your decision. You can handwrite these or type them in Microsoft Word. |
Letter to President Jefferson
1. Describe who you are (one of the Congressmen at the time) and explain why you are writing this letter.
2. Give 2 reasons why the U.S. should/should not buy the Louisiana Territory.
3. Explain how the United States would benefit from gaining more land/would benefit from remaining small.
4. Describe why we need the acquisition of the land and the city of New Orleans to increase our trade/another way the United States could ship products around the world without using the city of New Orleans.
5. Describe why 15 million dollars is a bargain for the purchase of all this land/describe one other way that the United States could use the 15 million dollars instead of spending it to purchase the Louisiana Territory.
6. Have an ending for your letter.
1. Describe who you are (one of the Congressmen at the time) and explain why you are writing this letter.
2. Give 2 reasons why the U.S. should/should not buy the Louisiana Territory.
3. Explain how the United States would benefit from gaining more land/would benefit from remaining small.
4. Describe why we need the acquisition of the land and the city of New Orleans to increase our trade/another way the United States could ship products around the world without using the city of New Orleans.
5. Describe why 15 million dollars is a bargain for the purchase of all this land/describe one other way that the United States could use the 15 million dollars instead of spending it to purchase the Louisiana Territory.
6. Have an ending for your letter.
Websites to Use:
http://www.ducksters.com/history/westward_expansion/louisiana_purchase.php
http://beta.lpb.org/index.php?/site/programs/americas_louisiana_purchase/americas_louisiana_purchase
http://web.archive.org/web/20040409134147/http://members.tripod.com/~jtlawson/index.html
https://sites.google.com/a/ramapocentral.net/burgerhistory/home/louisiana-purchase-causes-and-effects
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2003/spring/louisiana-purchase.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20031009112458/http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/oct20.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20031008161758/http://enlou.com/time/timelineindex.htm
http://www.gatewayno.com/history/LaPurchase.html
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/texas/louisiana-purchase.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/manifest-destiny/videos#louisiana-purchase-doubles-size-of-america
http://www.splashpublications.com/files/wexpansionpreview.
Discovery Education
Destiny WebPath Express
NC WiseOwl Encyclopedias
http://www.ducksters.com/history/westward_expansion/louisiana_purchase.php
http://beta.lpb.org/index.php?/site/programs/americas_louisiana_purchase/americas_louisiana_purchase
http://web.archive.org/web/20040409134147/http://members.tripod.com/~jtlawson/index.html
https://sites.google.com/a/ramapocentral.net/burgerhistory/home/louisiana-purchase-causes-and-effects
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2003/spring/louisiana-purchase.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20031009112458/http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/oct20.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20031008161758/http://enlou.com/time/timelineindex.htm
http://www.gatewayno.com/history/LaPurchase.html
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/texas/louisiana-purchase.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/manifest-destiny/videos#louisiana-purchase-doubles-size-of-america
http://www.splashpublications.com/files/wexpansionpreview.
Discovery Education
Destiny WebPath Express
NC WiseOwl Encyclopedias