| Synopsis: |
This is a renowned historian's fascinating account of how the United States doubled its size. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million. The purchase, which included over 600 million acres, extended the boundaries of the United States from the Mississippi River to the Rockies, ending French colonial ambitions in North America, adding lands that would become the better part of thirteen states, and fueling the idea of Westward expansion and Manifest Destiny.Now, historian Thomas Fleming takes a fresh look at this decisive moment in American history and brings to life the diplomatic maneuvering and political battles that led to the purchase. We encounter a cavalcade of striking personalities: Jefferson, the enigmatic, mercurial ideologue; James Madison, the shrewd, eminently realistic secretary of state; Robert Livingston, the Hudson River grandee who was ambassador to France; Alexander Hamilton, who energized New England opposition to the "unconstitutional" purchase; Talleyrand, the supremely corrupt foreign minister of France; and Napoleon Bonaparte, the man of destiny himself.Brimming with vivid details, forgotten facts, and astute insights, "The Louisiana Purchase" is a treat for history readers everywhere.Thomas Fleming (New York, NY), a well known historian, is the author of more than forty books of fiction and nonfiction, including "Duel: Alexander Hamilton", "Aaron Burr", and the "Future of America", and "Liberty!: The American Revolution", and "The New Dealers War: FDR and the War within World War II". A Fellow of the Society of American Historians and the former Chairman of the American Revolution Round Table, he writes regularly for "American Heritage" and appears frequently on NPR, PBS, the History Channel, and the Today show. |