<P> The American representatives were prepared to pay up to $10 million for New Orleans and its environs, but were dumbfounded when the vastly larger territory was offered for $15 million . Jefferson had authorized Livingston only to purchase New Orleans . However, Livingston was certain that the United States would accept the offer . </P> <P> The Americans thought that Napoleon might withdraw the offer at any time, preventing the United States from acquiring New Orleans, so they agreed and signed the Louisiana Purchase Treaty on April 30, 1803 . On July 4, 1803, the treaty was announced, but the documents did not arrive in Washington, D.C. until July 14 . The Louisiana Territory was vast, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico in the south to Rupert's Land in the north, and from the Mississippi River in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west . Acquiring the territory would double the size of the United States, at a sum of less than 3 cents per acre . </P> <P> Henry Adams and other historians have argued that Jefferson acted hypocritically with the Louisiana Purchase, due to his position as a strict constructionist regarding the Constitution since he stretched the intent of that document to justify his purchase . This argument goes as follows: </P> <P> The American purchase of the Louisiana territory was not accomplished without domestic opposition . Jefferson's philosophical consistency was in question because of his strict interpretation of the Constitution . Many people believed that he and others, including James Madison, were doing something they surely would have argued against with Alexander Hamilton . The Federalists strongly opposed the purchase, favoring close relations with Britain over closer ties to Napoleon, and were concerned that the United States had paid a large sum of money just to declare war on Spain . </P>

One result of the purchase of the louisiana territory was that the united states