Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase describes the United States acquisition of more than 529,911,680 acres (2,144,476 km2) of territory from France in 1803 for about $3/sq. mile or $11,250,000 (which, if adjusted for inflation, would equal approximately $193 million in 2005).

Domestic opposition

The American purchase of the Louisiana territory was not accomplished without domestic opposition. The Federalists strongly opposed the purchase, and favored close relations with Britain rather than Napoleon. The Federalists argued that the purchase was unconstitutional, and that the U.S. had paid a large sum of money just to declare war on Spain. It was also feared that the political power of the Atlantic seaboard states would be threatened by the new citizens of the west, a clash of western farmers versus the merchants and bankers of New England. A group of Federalists led by Massachusetts senator Timothy Pickering went so far as to plan a separate northern confederacy and offered Vice-President Aaron Burr the presidency of the proposed break off if he would persuade New York to join. Alexander Hamilton helped stop the northern secession and showed hostility towards Burr, which grew in the 1801 election and ended with Hamilton's death in a duel with Burr in 1804.

Related Topics:
Federalists - Atlantic seaboard - New England - Massachusetts - Senator - Timothy Pickering - Aaron Burr - New York - Alexander Hamilton - Duel

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