WI the USA only purchased New Orleans

[Oliveia]

The Louisiana Purchase was originally solely for the purchase of New Orleans, as the city was an important location of trade that the United States were willing to invest $10 million in the purchase of. However, Napoleon was prepared to offer the whole of Louisiana for $15 million, which caused the US to purchase the whole colony out of fear that Napoleon would withdraw and leave the US without New Orleans.

What if the original dealings of New Orleans for $10 million was the final deal, with France never ceding the United States the colony of Louisiana? Would America gain the territory eventually?

 

[Tempered Zen]

My bet is Louisana becoming a part of Mexico if the US doesn't annex it.

 

[Admiral Halsey]

Wasn't the reason Nappy did 15 for the whole colony because it would've been impossible to financially keep without New Orleans?

 

[Don Corleone]

Possibly, but it would be a lot harder. With the Napoleonic Wars, other European powers would have claimed the territory, and if one of them (especially the British) took that area, it would be difficult to dislodge them. We'd have a much larger Canada in that case (and a larger Mexico, since they wouldn't have been adjacent to us).

 

[vuun]

It was logistically impossible for France to hold onto the rest of Louisiana without New Orleans, which is why Napoleon offered the whole thing to the US. Some of Louisiana could have conceivably been given back to Spain instead I suppose, in which case it'll probably see American squatter settlement in the vein of OTL Texas eventually. So it probably still ultimately becomes part of the US, though it could slow or reduce westward expansion compared to OTL.

 

[wcv215]

Louisiania is worthless to France without New Orleans. Getting 5 million out of it after selling New Orleans was a solid gain so far as France was concerned.

 

[Dave Howery]

If the US has controlled access down the entire length of the Mississippi, then they would be happy for the moment. I don't recall if Manifest Destiny was really a thing back then. After that... depends a lot on what whoever ends up owning the place does with it. If it's a crumbling Spain that is fighting rebellion all over the place, the temptation to sell those thinly settled northern provinces (or for the US to go to war for them) might win out. If it's still France, then the temptation to sell the rest of the place might be high.. or for the US to annex it when Napoleon falls. If it's the UK that never really does anything with the place, then the temptation for the US to try to buy/conquer the place might be there (succeeding might not happen, of course). If it's the UK that actually does something with the place, then the US might be stopped right at the Mississippi River....

 

[Brady Kj]

I say that even if the United States winds up with the territory in the end, it would have interesting ramifications on the future of the country. I imagine parts of the Louisiana Territory might be more influenced by French law and culture if they were annexed by the US later. And if not more French influence, they might have more influence from local Native American cultures, and possibly from Spanish and British colonial powers who might become legal owners of parts of the territory in the short term. I'd love to see a timeline that explores the cultural ramifications of a Louisiana that stays French longer before becoming part of the US.