Day 8 & 9: Early Republic Lesson Notes

Louisiana Purchase

• Napoleon of France was

running out of money
while fighting a war and
was willing to sell the vast
Louisiana Territory

• Even though Jefferson

was not sure the
Constitution gave him the
power to do so, he
bought the land

• In 1803, the U.S. paid $15

million for the land

Day 8
slide 1

U.S.A.
1783

Day 8
slide 1

Lewis and Clark

• Meriwether Lewis and

William Clark explored
the Louisiana
Territory

• Sacagawea helped
guide their expedition

• Their trip laid the

groundwork for future
Americans to move
west

Day 8
slide 2

U.S.A.

1803

Day 8
slide 2

Day 9

British Attack Americans

• Britain, who was at

war with France
again, would seize
American ships and
force American sailors
to join the British
Navy (impressment)

• In 1807, a British ship

attacked a U.S. ship,
The Chesapeake, and
killed 3 Americans

Day 9
slide 1

Jefferson Responds

• In response to the British

attacks, Jefferson passed
the Embargo Act which
prohibited America from
trading with any other
countries

• While the Embargo Act

was meant to hurt Britain,
it ended up hurting
America more

• Congress overturned the

failed embargo, and
Jefferson decided to not
run for a 3rd term as
president.

Day 9
slide 2