Louisiana Purchase
State Standard: 8.1.12
Objective:
SWBAT: describe the Louisiana Purchase, discuss what it
exposed about The Constitution and the Power of the
President, and hypothesize what it entails for the future of
America by examining, questioning, and completing an exit
pass.
Agenda & Purpose
Big Idea:
Explain the developments and
changes of the U.S. from 1789 1859
Essential Question for today:
What did the Louisiana Purchase
expose about the power of the
President and the Interpretation
of The Constitution?
*stereotypical picture of guy thinking*
While looking at the timeline,
think about the following
questions:
1.
2.
What was the Louisiana Purchase?
How do you think Americans felt about it?
Crash Course w/ John Green: Louisiana Purchase
Go to Canvas. Between the timeline and the video, answer Big
Question #1 & 1.5:
1. What was the Louisiana Purchase
1.5 How do you think Americans felt about it (your best educated
guess)?
Think Who (countries involved), Why (U.S. & F perspective?), What (was the outcome of the Louisiana Purchase).
Louisiana Purchase = 828,000 sq. miles = 3 cents/acre
Southport, IN = 403 acres
After a little bit of math… 403 acres x 3 cents/acre = $12.09 … which equals a little over $200 today.
So far the Louisiana Purchase sounds like a steal, right? …
To some, YES!
BUT, like mentioned in the video …
THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY
Everyone welcome to the stage, the Federalists!
* Politics in a Gif *
Quick Flashback:
Think back to yesterday’s lecture (and the Crash Course video)!
What were some of the main differences between
Jefferson (Democratic-Republican) and Hamilton (Federalist)?
THINK OF THEIR IDEALS ABOUT GOVERNMENT (Specifically Size &
Interpretation of Constitution)
Keep these differences in the back of your mind while reading the following documents
Underline two reasons Hamilton opposed
the Louisiana Purchase
Underline the concerns King and Pickering had
about the Constitution. Why did they have these
concerns?
BIG QUESTION # 2
In groups, talk about and answer the following question:
_____________________________________________________________________
Did Federalists believe the Louisiana Purchase was Constitutional
and that the President had the power to do such a thing??
2 Main Points
Constitutional? Within President’s power?
●
The power to buy land and create states was NOT a power granted to the
President by The Constitution.
- BUT, it was IMPLIED by the treaty-making power of the President
Hypocritical?
Hypocrite: A person who acts in contradiction
to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
• Based on what we have learned about Jefferson
so far, do you believe the purchase of Louisiana
Territory made Thomas Jefferson a hypocrite?
- What were Jefferson’s personal beliefs?
- Does he hold true to those beliefs when it
came to the Louisiana Purchase?
Hypocritical?
Explained...
●
•
LP = One of the most notable BIG
Government/Presidential power grabs in
U.S. History.
- Jefferson went against his own beliefs
of SMALL Government and strict
constructionism by purchasing the
Louisiana Territory.
Too good of a deal to turn down? Even if it
was, does that make it ok for the President to
do so?
Big Question #3
At the bottom of the handout, think about and answer
the following question:
With all of that new land to the West, what do you
believe the Louisiana Purchase entails for the future
of the United States?
Moving forward from the Louisiana Purchase, we will see how the exploration of
Lewis & Clark will lead to westward expansion and the idea of “Manifest
Destiny” – an event that will drastically change the United States and the lives
of Native Americans.