DAY 2 - LEAP PREP - Should the U.S. Have Purchased Louisiana?
In 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in a deal known as the Louisiana Purchase. For $15 million, the United States doubled its size. President Thomas Jefferson believed the land would help farmers, protect access to the Mississippi River, and strengthen the nation. However, some Americans questioned whether the purchase was constitutional. The Constitution did not clearly state that the president could buy foreign land. Others worried about the cost, the risk of foreign conflict, and how the land would be governed. At the time, Americans debated whether the Louisiana Purchase was a smart decision or an unconstitutional risk.
Group 1
Activity 2 – Annotate the Sources
Source 1.1
Source A: Map of the Louisiana Purchase
- What does this map show about the size and importance of the land?
Source 1.2
In a private letter, President Jefferson wrote that owning Louisiana was essential to protect American trade on the Mississippi River. He believed the land would secure the nation’s future, even though he worried the Constitution did not clearly allow the purchase.
Source B: Letter from President Jefferson
- Why does Jefferson believe the purchase is important?
- What concern does he admit?
Source 1.3
Source C: Cost Chart
- What does this chart suggest about the value of the purchase?
Source 1.4
Source D: Journal Entry from a Federalist Critic (Excerpt)
“The Constitution has made no provision for our holding foreign territory, still less for incorporating foreign nations into our Union. This purchase stretches the powers of the executive beyond what was ever intended and threatens to weaken the balance of our government.”
Question 1a
What does the map of the Louisiana Purchase show about the size and importance of the land?
Question 1b
Why does Jefferson believe the purchase is important? What concern does he admit in his letter?
Question 1c
What does the cost chart suggest about the value of the Louisiana Purchase?
Question 1d
What is the main argument made by the Federalist critic in the journal entry about the Louisiana Purchase?
Group 2
Directions: Write a complete extended response that addresses the prompt above and includes:
- A clear claim
- Two accurate pieces of evidence (one from a source and one from your own knowledge)
- Reasoning that explains how and why the evidence supports your claim
Question 2a
Should the United States have purchased Louisiana?
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