Chapter 4 Notes - Part 1

​The same year George Washington becomes president, 1789, is also the start of the French Revolution.

As a result of the French Revolution, 1000's died including the king and queen of France, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

As a result of the chaos caused by the French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte, a dictator, rises to power in France.

One of Napoleon’s goals was to expand France, into America, or wherever else he was able.

a. Napoleon worked out a secret treaty to get Louisiana back from Spain

​b. Problems with the Port of New Orleans that made it hard for American ships to trade or do business.

After not wanting to sell New Orleans initially, Napoleon was persuaded to sell after a revolt in Saint-Domingue, or Haiti, changed his mind.

Initially, James Monroe went to buy New Orleans, but when he arrived, Napoleon was willing to sell all of Louisiana.

The Louisiana Purchase was agreed to on April 30, 1803.

The Louisiana Purchase was made for a cost of $15 million, or roughly 3 cents per acre.

As a result of the purchase, the total United States land size doubled.

The people living in Arkansas at the time had to shift from a time of being governed by monarchs to being governed by United States ideals.

Because Jefferson knew little about the land that he purchased, he sent a series of explorers to gather information and chart the land.

​a. Not really tied to Arkansas, but are tied to the Louisiana Purchase

​b. Sent to chart out the land and specifically the Northwest Passage

​c. Left from St. Louis, by way of the Missouri River

​d. Voyage took two years in total and allowed much of the American Northwest to be mapped

​a. Instead of the NW section of the purchase, the goal was to explore the southern section

​b. Their journey took them down the Black, Red, and Ouachita Rivers and into parts of Louisiana

​c. Gathered research about animal and plant life, geography, climate, and settler/Native American relationships