HIST 3071 Lecture : Lecture 4 January 29 2015
Document Summary
Topic: the louisiana purchase high politics and regular people. After 1783, spain"s vast (but vulnerable) holdings (visual) This map illustrates that spain has an enormous territorial advantage, which also makes spain vulnerable (success sews the seeds of failure in some respects) Rising importance of trade in new orleans the mart of this country (visual) 1784: spain closed the mississippi river (they obviously do not close the river, but they made it very difficult or impossible for the americans conduct trade and use facilities at the port) Jay"s charge: secure free navigation of the mississippi from the source to the ocean (get control of it) Even jay was not certain the united states needed the mississippi river. New englanders preferred focus on atlantic trade (where they have control and where they make the profit) Some feared the country would become too large to govern. Died (in 1788) and what happens with louisiana is up to the son of carlos iii.
