Timon and Pumbaa. Maverick and Goose. Brennan and Dale. France and the United States.
What do all of these dynamic duos have in common?
That's right: they're besties.
They have the same interests, they have the same enemies, they do fun stuff together, and sometimes they trade ginormous pieces of land for fat stacks of cash in order to further cement their bonds of friendship.
Okay, maybe that last one is kind of rare. But that's exactly what happened with France and the United States.
Back in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, both countries were going through some revolutionary hard times, and their similar experiences—and similar distrust of Great Britain's intentions—brought them closer together. We see a bunch of evidence of their warm fuzzies toward one another in the language of the Louisiana Purchase documents; the word "friendship" itself is used three times.
So while maybe our own friendships don't involve a lot of $15 million real estate transactions, we can still relate to the sentiment being portrayed in the Louisiana Purchase. Because no matter how much moolah changes hands (or doesn't), true friendship? That stuff is priceless.
Questions About Friendship
- Why are touchy-feely words like "friendship" used in treaties, anyway?
- Was the driving force behind the Louisiana Purchase friendship, necessity, or something else? Explain.
- According to your definition of friendship, were France and the United States friends in 1803? Why or why not?
Chew on This
The Louisiana Purchase was less about friendship and more about international politics and positioning. The parties probably went home and trash talked the other side.
The Louisiana Purchase never would have happened if France and the United States hadn't been buddies; their good relationship made the whole thing possible.