It wasn't a given that Congress would ratify the Louisiana Purchase documents once they arrived on Thomas Jefferson's desk.

In fact, there were some people who were super concerned about the whole deal: what would all this new land do to the United States? Would it bring the country closer together or rip it apart? Would France stick to the terms, or would they eventually decide they wanted Louisiana back and come after it in a violent and bloody way? And what about Spain—how did they feel about their former territory now belonging to the Americans?

Ponder these questions and more with Senator Samuel White in a speech he gave supporting a postponement of the treaty's ratification on November 3rd, 1803.

His request was denied; the treaty and conventions were 100 percent ratified. But we totally admire the guy for standing up and speaking his mind.