News+Cast

Article 1- Napoleon Bonaparte dreamed of rebuilding the French Empire in North America. He planned to take Louisiana and replace Spanish rule with French. There was but one problem, the French colony on Saint Dominique or Haiti today had been overthrown by the enslaved Africans. This alarmed all slave owners throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Napoleon sent a French army to recapture Saint Dominique. To his surprise they fought back but the French captured the land in the end. Article 2- After France had taken over Louisiana the United States started to watch Napoleons actions with suspicion. President Jefferson knew that the French controlled Louisiana and he knew that it might pose a problem when expanding west for the U.S. the French then could take control of New Orleans and interfere with U.S. trade. New Orleans soon became the focal point of Jefferson’s foreign policy. Article 3- Jefferson did not want to start a war even though he wanted to keep the French from controlling New Orleans. He decided that buying the port would solve the problem. Jefferson sent Robert Livingston to France to buy New Orleans as well as Florida. The U.S. realized that the French were willing to sell Louisiana to them; Napoleon didn’t want Louisiana any more. Napoleon wanted supplies for French armies in Europe for this trade. Congress was authorized to spend $10 million but they agreed to buy Louisiana for $15 million. Article 4- As Louisiana was purchased the United States came to realize that this land was a great opportunity for agricultural expansion. At first Jefferson was skeptical about the Louisiana Purchase he thought that the constitution did not allow government of the executive branch to bring territories such as Louisiana into the United States. Although skeptical at first Jefferson soon came to realize that the Louisiana Purchase expanded the empire of liberty.

Opening- Hello and welcome to the local news I'm chris,todays headlines are "Napoleon's attempts to take Louisiana" "The suspicion of the French" "Buying New Orleans" and "Realizing the oppertunity of a life time"