On March 1, 1801 Thomas Jefferson learned that the Spanish government had secretly ceded the Louisana Territory to France under the Treaty of San Ildefonso in October of 1800. The Louisiana Territory was an area of land comprising part or all of 15 present day U.S. States. Fearful of the French regaining control of port of New Orleans, which the U.S. was using to export its produce to the rest of the world, Jefferson sent Robert Livingston, an American politician and diplomat, and James Monroe, a future president, to negotiate the purchase of New Orleans from the French government.
Despite the initial reluctance, Bonaparte found himself facing financial difficulties caused by the ongoing war in Europe. Furthermore, he was aware of the significant threat that the British Royal Navy posed to his control over the Louisiana territory. With his attention focused on the conflicts across the Atlantic. Bonaparte saw an opportunity to generate substantial funds and secure a good relationship with the U.S. by selling the Louisiana Territory. This decision not only fulfilled Bonaparte's financial needs, but also weakened a possible ally of Great Britain.