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Napoleon decided to sell such a large piece of land to the United States because he had to collect money to finance the war against Great Britain. Furthermore the sell will avoid the Louisiana Territory from being seized by the British. Napoleon was indeed in need of funds to prosecute his ongoing wars with Britain and other European powers, and the sale of land to the United States did provide some revenue for him; but it was more of a ''fire sale'' than anything else. The final purchase price was less than two cents per acre, an excellent price even in those days. Napoleon was not so desperate at that point in time that he had to ''sell the farm'', so to speak. His real motive, for selling to the U.S. is still vague, but several circumstances shed light on the issue:
Napoleon had only acquired the territory himself three years earlier in a Treaty in Spain. He had made promises to the Spanish which he frankly did not intend to keep. It is quite likely that Napoleon had no interest in ever retaining the property. In the meantime, Thomas Jefferson, then president of the United States, was concerned that the French might try to close the port of New Orleans to American traffic. the Mississippi River at that point was the nations primary point;if the U.S. were to lose access to New Orleans, the country might be strangled economically. Although Jefferson was something of a Francophile and had little use for the British, he realized that such a situation might require him to negotiate with the British, simply because they were at war with France and Napoleon
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Napoleon had only acquired the territory himself three years earlier in a Treaty in Spain. He had made promises to the Spanish which he frankly did not intend to keep. It is quite likely that Napoleon had no interest in ever retaining the property. In the meantime, Thomas Jefferson, then president of the United States, was concerned that the French might try to close the port of New Orleans to American traffic. the Mississippi River at that point was the nations primary point;if the U.S. were to lose access to New Orleans, the country might be strangled economically. Although Jefferson was something of a Francophile and had little use for the British, he realized that such a situation might require him to negotiate with the British, simply because they were at war with France and Napoleon
Hope this helped and if you need more help then just message me instead :)
