Two Most Important Historical Events in Early American History

3). For years, he had been collecting selective information about the interior of the North American continent beyond the borders of the 13 colonies. Jefferson knew that the Mississippi river and its major tributaries operated the continent like arteries service a human body, and that the boon to commerce that this river system presented was of the essence(p) to the future of the nation (Kennedy, 2003, p. 114). He knew, too, that his young nation was imperiled by the French control of this region. The French may not pass on been a direct threat against the join States per se, but because they were here, and their long rivals and enemies the British were in Canada and the Spanish in the Caribbean, the danger existed that all one of the seemingly unending European conflicts could flare up in the New World and spill over and take in the United States (p. 191). The western border of the United States was not detain so long as a European post was in residence there, and Jefferson saw this as yet some other compelling reason to acquire the lands.

During the Jefferson presidency, all of Europe was sweep in war as Napoleon sought to fabricate a French Empire. Napoleon recognized that France's strength define on the ground, not at sea, however, and his empire was to be an in all continental one. The overseas holdings of France were burdensome to garrison and protect and he therefore tended to neglect them (Dupuy and Dupuy, 1998, p. 745). In addition, he needed

The achievement of the Southwest was accomplished by removed different means. Rather than negotiating a settlement and purchasing the land, the United States simply seized it and forced Mexico to recognize the seizure at gunpoint. The acquisition of the Southwest had its roots in the Texas war for independence.

Commager, H.S., ed. 1963. Documents of American narrative: Volume I, to 1898, 7th Edition. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Peace negotiations began at Guadalupe Hidalgo in September of 1846 and dragged on until February of the next year.

The United States demanded that Mexico not save recognize the Rio Grande as the southern boundary of Texas, but excessively that it cede all of New Mexico and California, including what is now known as Baja California. As the negotiations dragged on, expansionist sentiment in America grew rase stronger, and the U.S. negotiator was recalled, with the intention of demanding even more territory. The ambassador, N. P. Trist, ignored his orders, however, and think a treaty that encompassed all of the original demands, with the exception of Baja California. In total, Mexico transferred to the United States what are now the entire states of California, Nevada, Utah, most of azimuth and New Mexico, and large parts of Colorado and Wyoming. In transform for this, the United States payed Mexico $15 Million and removed their military forces from Mexican territory (Commager, pp 313-314).

vast sums of money to prosecute his wars. Having added to his North American holdings by his conquest of Spain, he bundled these lands together and offered them for sale to death chair Jefferson, who jumped at the opportunity. Thus, for the sum of 80 million
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