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The Pinckney treaty of 1795 had resolved friction between Spain and the United States over the right to navigate the Mississippi and the right for Americans to transfer their goods to ocean-going vessels at New Orleans. With the Pinckney treaty in place and the weak Spanish empire in control of Louisiana, American statesmen felt comfortable that the United States’ westward expansion would not be restricted in the future.
This situation was threatened by Napoleon Bonaparte’s plans to revive the French empire in the New World. He planned to recapture the valuable sugar colony of St. Domingue from a slave rebellionToussaint Louverture, and then use Louisiana as the granary for his empire. Louverture not only led the original revolt but had become the governor of Saint Domingue and had declared self-rule in 1801. France acquired Louisiana from Spain in 1800 and took possession in 1802. France wanted to end Louvertre's rule and reinstate slavery. Napoleon sent a massive 30, sending a large 000 troops French expeditionary force commanded by his brother-in-law Charles Victor Emmanuel Leclerc to St. Domingue to accomplish this goal. The size of the French force suggests that the army was not just sent to take control of St. Domingue and preparing , but Napoleon clearly wanted the army to send another to New Orleansoccupy the Lousiana Purchase for France. This army put France directly at odds with the United States's ambitions.
====France's ambitions fall apart====
[[File:1200px-Leclerc_Expedition.png|thumbnail|left|300px|Leclerc's Haitian Expedition]]
Westerners became very apprehensive about having the more-powerful French in control of New Orleans: President Thomas Jefferson noted, “There is on the globe one single spot, the possessor of which is our natural and habitual enemy. It is New Orleans.” In addition to making military preparations for conflict in the Mississippi Valley, Jefferson sent James Monroe to join Robert Livingston in France to try to purchase New Orleans and West Florida for as much as $10 million. Failing that, they were to attempt to create a military alliance with England.
====Conclusion====
* Article: [https://history.state.gov/milestones/1801-1829/louisiana-purchase| Louisiana Purchase, 1803]
[[Category:US State Department]] [[Category:Wikis]][[Category:United States History]] [[Category:Colonial American Historyof the Early Republic]] [[Category:18th Century History]] [[Category:Political History]] [[Category:Diplomatic History]]
