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Presidential Decisions—Presidential Decisions—Thomas Jefferson: Thomas Jefferson:

The Louisiana PurchaseThe Louisiana Purchase

Using the Spartan Using the Spartan Writing Protocol Writing Protocol

(SWP)(SWP)

Step 1:Step 1: Read the Read the task/question task/question carefully.carefully.

Step 2:Step 2: Circle key Circle key words and underline words and underline key concepts.key concepts.

Step 3:Step 3: Read the Read the passage carefullypassage carefully

United States Presidents have United States Presidents have made important decisions in made important decisions in an effort to solve crucial an effort to solve crucial problems.problems.

Theme: Presidential DecisionsTheme: Presidential Decisions

From your study of United States From your study of United States History, identify two important History, identify two important Presidential decisions and for each:Presidential decisions and for each:•Describe the historical circumstances Describe the historical circumstances surround the Presidential decisionsurround the Presidential decision•Discuss one immediate or long-term Discuss one immediate or long-term effect of the decision on United States effect of the decision on United States history.history.

Task:Task:

Describe means “give a sketch Describe means “give a sketch or impression of the subject or or impression of the subject or topic.”topic.”

Discuss means “examine and Discuss means “examine and talk about all sides of a talk about all sides of a subject or issue in a carefully subject or issue in a carefully organized manner.”organized manner.”

Step 4:Step 4: Take notes Take notes that respond to the that respond to the task/questiontask/question

Presidential DecisionPresidential Decision

To purchase the Louisiana To purchase the Louisiana Territory from FranceTerritory from France

Historical Circumstances (1/5)Historical Circumstances (1/5)• French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte

wanted to get rid of France’s American colonies so he could fight wars in Europe.

Historical Circumstances (2/5)Historical Circumstances (2/5)• French diplomats approached the

United States to see if they were interested in buying Louisiana, the land owned by France to the west of the Mississippi River, for $15 million ($.03 an acre).

Historical Circumstances (3/5)Historical Circumstances (3/5)• Since the founding of the country, the

U. S. was threatened with wars with France and/or Britain. If France no longer had colonies in the Americas, a possible source of conflict could be removed.

Historical Circumstances (4/5)Historical Circumstances (4/5)• Jefferson, one of the strongest

proponents of a strict interpretation of the Constitution, was conflicted because the document does not address the acquisition of territory.

• Jefferson decided that the Constitutional power of the Executive Branch to make treaties with foreign countries (pending Senate approval) implied the ability to negotiate to add territory.

Historical Circumstances (5/5)Historical Circumstances (5/5)• The deal was too good to pass up. Not

only did he use a loose interpretation, but he also had to use Alexander Hamilton’s banking system he opposed to finance it.

SPECIFIC impact (1/3)SPECIFIC impact (1/3)• The Louisiana Purchase helped fuel the idea The Louisiana Purchase helped fuel the idea

of Manifest Destiny.of Manifest Destiny.• Americans came to believe God wanted Americans came to believe God wanted

them to continue to expand westward, all them to continue to expand westward, all the way to the Pacific Ocean, a belief called the way to the Pacific Ocean, a belief called Manifest Destiny.Manifest Destiny.

SPECIFIC impact (2/3)SPECIFIC impact (2/3)• The Purchase double the size of the United The Purchase double the size of the United

States and gave it control of vital resources.States and gave it control of vital resources.–Mississippi RiverMississippi River– Port of New OrleansPort of New Orleans– The “breadbasket” of the United States – The “breadbasket” of the United States –

the Great Plains of the Midwestthe Great Plains of the Midwest

SPECIFIC impact (3/3)SPECIFIC impact (3/3)• Despite causing Jefferson to get criticized Despite causing Jefferson to get criticized

by going against this principles, the by going against this principles, the decision to buy Louisiana strengthened the decision to buy Louisiana strengthened the country (and the presidency) and would country (and the presidency) and would motivate further land acquisitions until the motivate further land acquisitions until the country extended from “sea to shining country extended from “sea to shining sea.”sea.”

Presidential Decisions—Thomas JeffersonPresidential Decisions—Thomas Jefferson

DecisionDecision Historical CircumstancesHistorical Circumstances Immediate or long-term effectImmediate or long-term effect

To To purchase purchase

the the Louisiana Louisiana Territory Territory

from from France.France.

French diplomats approached the United States French diplomats approached the United States to see if they were interested in buying to see if they were interested in buying Louisiana, the land owned by France to the west Louisiana, the land owned by France to the west of the Mississippi River, for $15 million ($.03 an of the Mississippi River, for $15 million ($.03 an acre). acre).

Jefferson, one of the strongest proponents of a Jefferson, one of the strongest proponents of a strict interpretation of the Constitution, was strict interpretation of the Constitution, was conflicted because the document does not conflicted because the document does not address the acquisition of territory.address the acquisition of territory.

The deal was too good to pass up. Not only did The deal was too good to pass up. Not only did he use a loose interpretation, but he also had to he use a loose interpretation, but he also had to use Alexander Hamilton’s banking system he use Alexander Hamilton’s banking system he opposed to finance it.opposed to finance it.

Americans came to believe God wanted Americans came to believe God wanted them to continue to expand westward, them to continue to expand westward, all the way to the Pacific Ocean, a belief all the way to the Pacific Ocean, a belief called Manifest Destiny.called Manifest Destiny.

• Mississippi RiverMississippi River

The Louisiana Purchase helped fuel the The Louisiana Purchase helped fuel the idea of Manifest Destiny.idea of Manifest Destiny.

French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte wanted to French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte wanted to get rid of France’s American colonies so he could get rid of France’s American colonies so he could fight wars in Europe.fight wars in Europe.

The Purchase double the size of the The Purchase double the size of the United States and gave it control of United States and gave it control of vital resources.vital resources.

• Port of New OrleansPort of New Orleans

• The “breadbasket” of the United The “breadbasket” of the United States – the Great Plains of the States – the Great Plains of the MidwestMidwest

Despite causing Jefferson to get criticized Despite causing Jefferson to get criticized by going against this principles, the by going against this principles, the decision to buy Louisiana strengthened decision to buy Louisiana strengthened the country (and the presidency) and the country (and the presidency) and would motivate further land acquisitions would motivate further land acquisitions until the country extended from “sea to until the country extended from “sea to shining sea.”shining sea.”

Jefferson decided that the Constitutional power Jefferson decided that the Constitutional power of the Executive Branch to make treaties with of the Executive Branch to make treaties with foreign countries (pending Senate approval) foreign countries (pending Senate approval) implied the ability to negotiate to add territory.implied the ability to negotiate to add territory.

Since the founding of the country, the U. S. was Since the founding of the country, the U. S. was threatened with wars with France and/or Britain. threatened with wars with France and/or Britain. If France no longer had colonies in the Americas, If France no longer had colonies in the Americas, a possible source of conflict could be removed.a possible source of conflict could be removed.

Step 5:Step 5: Complete the Complete the Evidence and Analysis Evidence and Analysis boxes on your Spartan boxes on your Spartan Writing Template Writing Template (SWT)(SWT)

Step 6:Step 6: Write your Write your claim.claim.

United States Presidents have made United States Presidents have made important decisions in an effort to important decisions in an effort to solve crucial problems.solve crucial problems.

Thomas Jefferson’s decision to Thomas Jefferson’s decision to purchase the Louisiana Territory from purchase the Louisiana Territory from France had a major impact on United France had a major impact on United States history.States history.

Step 7:Step 7: Determine the Determine the relevancy of your relevancy of your evidence in supporting evidence in supporting your claim.your claim.

Step 8:Step 8: Complete a concluding Complete a concluding sentence box on your Spartan sentence box on your Spartan Writing Template (SWT).Writing Template (SWT).

Thomas Jefferson’s decision to buy Thomas Jefferson’s decision to buy Louisiana set America on a course that Louisiana set America on a course that led westward expansion and led westward expansion and continental dominance.continental dominance.

Step 9:Step 9: Write your Write your response (using the response (using the Spartan Writing Spartan Writing Template [SWT])Template [SWT])

Step 10:Step 10: Self-Assess Self-Assess your paragraph using your paragraph using the Spartan Writing the Spartan Writing RubricRubric