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Living history re-enactor as Napoleon Bonaparte |
Napoleon Bonaparte: Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the greatest military generals in the history of France. While serving as First Consul of the French Republic, Bonaparte received an offer from the United States to purchase New Orleans and a part of Florida for $9,000,000. After deep consideration, Napoleon offered the entire colony of Louisiana to the United States for the sum of $15,000,000. He needed the money to help finance a war against England.
William Dunbar: After purchasing the Louisiana Territory from France for the United States, President Thomas Jefferson was eager to send explorers throughout the new territory in order to learn more about the newly-purchased 828,000 square miles. Jefferson appointed William Dunbar to head one of the exploratory scientific expeditions. In October 1804, he and George Hunter set out with several other men to explore the Ouachita River up to the point of modern-day Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Thomas Jefferson: Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States. In 1803, he was responsible for deciding to buy the Louisiana Purchase from France. This enormous land transaction nearly doubled the size of the United States and greatly helped trade within the new country.
For more on the Louisiana Purchase and the Hunter-Dunbar Expedition, see the Fall 1985 issue of the Arkansas News on “Pre-Statehood Arkansas.”
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