Louisiana Purchase Land Acquisition

While present-day United States is extremely involved in the affairs of other nations, that was not always the case. In fact, when the country was still young, it decided that the best way to grow was to avoid being brought into European conflicts. Self-preservation was key at that point. Through the treaties it has signed, the desire of land acquisition, and the practice of isolationism, the United States sought to dominate its own continent and gain power. Treaties played a large part in the United States’ goal of achieving dominance in its own sphere because it would negotiate to gain control of land nearby. For instance, Pinckney’s Treaty, signed in 1795, granted the United States usage of the Spanish Mississippi River, which would be a great benefit to the …show more content…
The most famous example of this is the Louisiana Purchase. To firmly establish its rights to the Mississippi River and come closer to conquering land up to the Pacific Ocean, the United States, under Thomas Jefferson, purchased a large tract of land. While the Louisiana Purchase was a peaceful transfer of power over the central area of North America, some Americans were willing to fight to acquire land. Gripes against Great Britain may have been the main reason for the War of 1812, but the desire to win Canada was a large part of why the war was fought in the first place. Although the Americans were reluctant to involve themselves in European conflict from having their own issues from learning to manage an entire country by themselves, prospects of power and expansion ultimately made the decision. War Hawks in Congress urged confrontation in an effort to live the glory of the Founding Fathers by defeating the British to gain land and power. Although the attempt to take Canada failed, it demonstrated the American desire to expand its influence through taking