Eleanor Finch
On October 20, 1803, the US Senate ratified a treaty with France, promoted by President Thomas Jefferson, that doubled the size of the United States. The Louisiana Purchase encompassed 530,000,000 acres of territory in North America that the US purchased from France for $15 million. However, Jefferson, a strict constructionist, recognised that the Constitution did not authorise the government to purchase new territory. He considered a constitutional amendment the only way to conclude the deal with France, but he also did not want to lose the deal. This was a seminal moment for a new nation, and the purchase was never questioned in court.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the Louisiana Purchase | April 30, 1803 |
| Date the Senate voted for ratification | October 20, 1803 |
| Date the treaty was signed | October 31, 1803 |
| Number of states that comprised the Louisiana Purchase | 15 |
| Number of acres encompassed by the Louisiana Purchase | 530,000,000 |
| Amount paid for the Louisiana Purchase | $15 million |
| Jefferson's stance on the Constitution | Strict constructionist |
| Jefferson's view on the constitutionality of the Louisiana Purchase | He believed an amendment was necessary to conclude the deal |
| Outcome of the Senate vote | 24-7 in favor of ratification |
| Political opposition to the Louisiana Purchase | Federalists |
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What You'll Learn
Jefferson's strict interpretation of the Constitution
Thomas Jefferson was a strict constructionist and took a literal view of the US Constitution. He believed that the government did not have the power to purchase new territory, as it was not among the powers listed in the Constitution. In a letter to John Dickinson in 1803, Jefferson wrote, "The General Government has no powers but such as the Constitution gives it. It has not given it power of holding foreign territory, and still less of incorporating it into the Union. An amendment of the Constitution seems necessary for this."
Jefferson, however, did not want to lose the deal with France, which would double the size of the United States and fulfil his dreams of westward expansion. He recognised that expediency was sometimes the wisest policy and that in the time it would take to enact and ratify a constitutional amendment, Napoleon might change his mind or void the treaty. Therefore, he pushed for ratification by the October 30 deadline, and the Senate approved the treaty with France by a vote of 24-7 on October 20, 1803.
Despite the debate over the constitutionality of the Louisiana Purchase, the purchase was never questioned in court. Years later, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall, who was also Jefferson's cousin and political rival, made his thoughts clear about the Treaty Clause in an 1823 decision: "The Constitution confers absolutely on the government of the Union, the powers of making war, and of making treaties; consequently, that government possesses the power of acquiring territory, either by conquest or by treaty."
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The absence of specific constitutional authorization
Thomas Jefferson's acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase for $15 million from France in 1803 was a seminal moment for the United States. The purchase of 530,000,000 acres of territory in North America doubled the nation's size and added land that would become 15 states.
Jefferson advocated a strict construction of the Constitution, and nowhere in the document could he find authorization for the government to purchase new territory. The ability to buy property from foreign governments was not among the powers listed in the Constitution, which his political opponents, the Federalists, were eager to point out. Seven senators opposed the deal—all Federalists—objecting to Jefferson's exercise of executive authority in the absence of any specific constitutional authorization. Delaware senator Samuel White warned that relocating settlers thousands of miles away from the capital might alienate their affections for the Union.
Jefferson considered a constitutional amendment the only way to conclude the deal with France. He wrote to John Dickinson in 1803: "The General Government has no powers but such as the Constitution gives it. It has not given it power of holding foreign territory, and still less of incorporating it into the Union. An amendment of the Constitution seems necessary for this." However, Jefferson did not want to lose the deal with France, and he recognised that expediency was sometimes the wisest policy. In the time it would take to enact and ratify a constitutional amendment, Napoleon might change his mind or void the treaty. Jefferson went along with his advisers and dropped the idea of a constitutional amendment, pushing for ratification by the October 30 deadline.
The Senate voted for ratification on October 20, 1803, by a vote of 24-7, and the treaty was signed on October 31, 1803. Although some Federalists continued to view the Louisiana Purchase as unconstitutional, the purchase was never questioned in court.
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Jefferson's exercise of executive authority
Thomas Jefferson's exercise of executive authority in the Louisiana Purchase was a highly significant moment in American history, but one that was not without controversy. The Louisiana Purchase saw the United States acquire a vast territory from France, encompassing 530,000,000 acres of land that would eventually become 15 states, including Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. This acquisition doubled the size of the United States and fulfilled Jefferson's dreams of westward expansion.
Jefferson's envoys in Paris, James Monroe and Robert Livingston, negotiated the deal with Napoleon Bonaparte, who was losing interest in establishing a North American empire and needed funds to fight the British. The purchase price was $15 million, which exceeded what the envoys had the authority to spend. While the deal was instantly popular, there were questions about its constitutionality. Jefferson himself was a strict constructionist and acknowledged that the Constitution did not explicitly authorize the government to purchase new territory. He considered a constitutional amendment necessary to conclude the deal, but he also did not want to lose the opportunity to acquire the territory.
Jefferson's political opponents, the Federalists, criticized his exercise of executive authority without specific constitutional authorization. They argued that the ability to buy property from foreign governments was not among the powers listed in the Constitution. Despite these objections, the Senate ultimately ratified the treaty by a vote of 24-7 on October 20, 1803. This swift ratification was due in part to the concern that Napoleon might change his mind or void the treaty, and the recognition that the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory was a unique opportunity that could not be missed.
The Louisiana Purchase was a seminal moment for the young nation, shaping its future expansion and development. While it was a controversial exercise of executive authority by Jefferson, it demonstrated his pragmatic approach to statesmanship and his commitment to ensuring America's control over the vital Mississippi River gateway. The purchase's constitutionality was never formally challenged in court, and it set a precedent for the government's power to acquire territory through treaties or conquest.
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The Louisiana Purchase Treaty
James Monroe and Robert Livingston were sent to France to negotiate the purchase. Napoleon, however, offered to sell the entire Louisiana Territory to the Americans. After several weeks of negotiations, the Americans agreed to a $15 million purchase, exceeding their original authorization. The deal was instantly popular, but it also raised questions about its constitutionality. Jefferson himself took a strict, literal view of constitutional powers and believed that a constitutional amendment was necessary to conclude the deal. However, he was also aware that seeking an amendment could risk the deal falling through.
On October 20, 1803, the Senate voted to ratify the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, with a vote of 24-7, and it was signed on October 31. While some Federalists continued to view the purchase as unconstitutional, it was never challenged in court. The treaty marked a significant expansion of US territory and demonstrated Jefferson's commitment to westward expansion and his pragmatic approach to governance.
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The Senate's ratification of the treaty
The Louisiana Purchase Treaty, which saw the United States acquire the Louisiana Territory from France, was a seminal moment in the history of the young nation. On October 20, 1803, the US Senate voted to ratify the treaty by a margin of 24-7, with two-thirds of senators approving the deal. The treaty was signed on October 31, 1803, and as a result, the United States doubled in size. The land acquired in the treaty, totalling 830,000 square miles, would eventually encompass 15 states, including Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and parts of Minnesota, New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.
The treaty was the culmination of negotiations between the United States and France, which began when President Thomas Jefferson instructed the American minister in Paris to try to purchase the city of New Orleans and the Florida Panhandle from France. Jefferson recognised the strategic importance of controlling the Mississippi River, which had become an increasingly important transportation route for the produce of America's West. However, when James Monroe arrived in France in 1803 to join Robert Livingston in the negotiations, Napoleon had already decided to offer the entire Louisiana Territory to the United States. After several weeks of negotiations, the Americans agreed to purchase the territory for $15 million, exceeding their original budget.
While the deal was instantly popular with the American public, there were questions raised about its constitutionality. Jefferson himself was a strict constructionist when it came to the Constitution, and he recognised that there was no explicit authorisation for the government to purchase new territory. He initially considered a constitutional amendment to be necessary to conclude the deal, but he was also aware that Napoleon might change his mind if they waited too long. The seven senators who opposed the treaty, all Federalists, objected to Jefferson's exercise of executive authority without specific constitutional authorisation. However, the majority of the Senate approved the treaty without delay, recognising the importance of the opportunity to expand the nation's territory.
The Louisiana Purchase Treaty was a significant event in the early history of the United States, shaping the country's geography and destiny. Despite the constitutional questions it raised, the treaty was never challenged in court. The acquisition of the Louisiana Territory paved the way for further westward expansion and played a crucial role in the nation's development and growth.
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Frequently asked questions
The Louisiana Purchase was a treaty with France, promoted by President Thomas Jefferson, that doubled the size of the United States.
The Louisiana Purchase encompassed 530,000,000 acres of territory in North America that the United States purchased from France in 1803 for $15 million.
Jefferson wanted to buy the port of New Orleans so that the United States could control the gateway to the Mississippi River, the main street of commerce in what was then the American West.
The ability to buy property from foreign governments was not a power listed in the Constitution. Jefferson considered a constitutional amendment the only way to conclude the deal with France, but he did not want to lose the deal. He acknowledged that expediency was sometimes the wisest policy.
The Senate approved the ratification of the Louisiana Purchase treaty on October 20, 1803, by a vote of 24-7. The treaty was signed on October 31, 1803.
