On this episode of Inspired by History, Rebecca Barry interviews Nathan Raab of The Raab Collection about a rare manuscript marking the moment France, led by Napoleon, handed the signed Louisiana Purchase Treaty to U.S. representatives James Monroe and Robert Livingston in 1803, instructing it be delivered to President Thomas Jefferson. Raab describes the key participants, including French negotiator Barbé-Marbois, and explains that the treaty was ultimately carried to the U.S. by Peter Augustus Jay, John Jay’s son, amid delays and concerns that France might reconsider. 

The episode discusses Jefferson’s surprise at the scale of the purchase, constitutional questions it raised, and the document’s significance in enabling westward expansion and explorers like Lewis and Clark. Raab also notes its French formal script and its provenance in the Karpeles Manuscript Library, including its rescue during a 2019 fire.

To learn more: https://www.raabcollection.com/american-history-autographs/louisiana-purchase-manuscript 

00:00 Introduction

00:31 The Louisiana Purchase 

01:31 Where the Treaty Changed Hands

01:52 Who Signed and Delivered It

02:37 Thomas Jefferson, Ratification

03:34 The Manuscript’s Script

04:43 Why It Matters Historically

06:03 Provenance

07:23 Awe of Holding a Piece of History

08:28 Conclusion