Dr. M on Nostr: We continue the series of posts about Greenland, America and land purchases. Check ...
We continue the series of posts about Greenland, America and land purchases. Check out the previous posts if you are interested.
The so-called Louisiana Purchase is certainly the most important expansion of the USA by purchase in its entire history. As I said, everyone knows about the purchase of Alaska from the Russians, but this is far more important.
I don't know if this huge piece is officially bigger than Alaska (which is huge) or Greenland (which is also huge), but these are wastelands on the edge of space, and this is the center, the "core" of what is now the USA.
It should be said that France controlled a very small part of this territory at the time, so it was not a territory that was purchased, but the right for the USA to fight (or negotiate) with the Indians and annex their territory. France is giving up its "right" and will not cause problems for the Americans.
Although Foreign Minister Talleyrand was against the plan, Napoleon (who was not yet Emperor but "First Consul" or something), on April 10, 1803, told Finance Minister François Barbé-Marbois that he was considering selling the Louisiana Territory to the United States. As early as April 11, 1803, a few days before Monroe's arrival, Barbé-Marbois offered Livingston all of Louisiana for $15 million, equivalent to about $371 million today. The American representatives had been prepared to pay up to $10 million for New Orleans and the surrounding area, but were stunned when they were offered a much larger area for $15 million. Jefferson authorized Livingston only to purchase New Orleans. However, Livingston was confident that the United States would accept the offer and took it all.
This, after the independence of the original 13 colonies from England, was probably the most important event in the westward expansion of the United States. The newly conquered territory did not immediately become states, in fact the only civilized part was New Orleans and Louisiana, a city and state that still have a strong French tradition.
This is where the idea of Manifest Destiny was born, an expansionist, nationalist, and today we would say maybe racist idea that the entire width of the continent belongs to the USA by "God's right" and that the expansion goes all the way to the Pacific. The colonists then went west, there were occasional conflicts with the Indians, certain pieces of land first became "territory" and later "states", etc. Wild west, material for westerns.
And all that for not so much money. Alaska was bought for $7.2 million, today's equivalent of $129 million.
Although everyone laughs at the Russians for selling it cheaply, this was much cheaper, for a much more important territory. However, the important difference is that Russia actually and effectively controlled the southern coast of Alaska, while France actually controlled almost nothing of this territory, only claiming it, which they gave up for a handful of dollars.
The so-called Louisiana Purchase is certainly the most important expansion of the USA by purchase in its entire history. As I said, everyone knows about the purchase of Alaska from the Russians, but this is far more important.
I don't know if this huge piece is officially bigger than Alaska (which is huge) or Greenland (which is also huge), but these are wastelands on the edge of space, and this is the center, the "core" of what is now the USA.
It should be said that France controlled a very small part of this territory at the time, so it was not a territory that was purchased, but the right for the USA to fight (or negotiate) with the Indians and annex their territory. France is giving up its "right" and will not cause problems for the Americans.
Although Foreign Minister Talleyrand was against the plan, Napoleon (who was not yet Emperor but "First Consul" or something), on April 10, 1803, told Finance Minister François Barbé-Marbois that he was considering selling the Louisiana Territory to the United States. As early as April 11, 1803, a few days before Monroe's arrival, Barbé-Marbois offered Livingston all of Louisiana for $15 million, equivalent to about $371 million today. The American representatives had been prepared to pay up to $10 million for New Orleans and the surrounding area, but were stunned when they were offered a much larger area for $15 million. Jefferson authorized Livingston only to purchase New Orleans. However, Livingston was confident that the United States would accept the offer and took it all.
This, after the independence of the original 13 colonies from England, was probably the most important event in the westward expansion of the United States. The newly conquered territory did not immediately become states, in fact the only civilized part was New Orleans and Louisiana, a city and state that still have a strong French tradition.
This is where the idea of Manifest Destiny was born, an expansionist, nationalist, and today we would say maybe racist idea that the entire width of the continent belongs to the USA by "God's right" and that the expansion goes all the way to the Pacific. The colonists then went west, there were occasional conflicts with the Indians, certain pieces of land first became "territory" and later "states", etc. Wild west, material for westerns.
And all that for not so much money. Alaska was bought for $7.2 million, today's equivalent of $129 million.
Although everyone laughs at the Russians for selling it cheaply, this was much cheaper, for a much more important territory. However, the important difference is that Russia actually and effectively controlled the southern coast of Alaska, while France actually controlled almost nothing of this territory, only claiming it, which they gave up for a handful of dollars.