The United States depended upon the ports along the Mississippi River for commercial use. Spain owned Louisiana. French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte desired to obtain this expanse of land west of the Mississippi River to rejuvenate a French empire, to prevent the United States from furthering its western boundaries, and to secure provisions for the French colonies located in the West Indies.

The King of Spain desired a kingdom for his son-in-law. Thus, covertly, Napoleon and the King of Spain forged an agreement stipulating, that if Louisiana was returned to France, than this land expanse would become the Spanish kingdom.

However, due to a slave revolt in the French colony of what is now known as Haiti, French troops retreated home. If French troops were unable to restore order in Haiti, how would they protect Louisiana?

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