The Louisiana Purchase

Summary
This lesson is designed to familiarize the students with the Louisiana Purchase.

Objectives
• to identify some of the people who were involved in the Louisiana Purchase;

• to describe the difference between a Federalist point of view and an agrarian one;

• to explain and discuss the reason for the Louisiana Purchase.

Suggested Grades
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th Grade

Excerpt
After the presidential campaign of 1800, Thomas Jefferson s goal was to reconcile the colonies and restore the principle of the Revolution of 1776. In many ways, Thomas Jefferson was the complete opposite of the president before him, President Adams.

Thomas Jefferson was unlike the Federalist leaders of the time. The Federalists supported big business and big cities. Jefferson believed in an agrarian society and wanted strong local governments. He thought that farming was a noble thing to do because it kept men away from the temptations that were present in large cities. He thought that farming was honest work, and he favored informal government.

Jefferson was busily trying to downsize the federal government while also stimulating the economy. While he was pursuing these goals, Napoleon Bonaparte was trying to revive French Imperialism in the New World. Spain agreed to give Louisiana back to France.

Continued...