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There would be no recurrence of taxation
也不會出現無代表的
without representation.
重復征稅
Instead the United States would enjoy stability.
而且美國能夠維持穩定
Even though the United States
雖然美國
had boundaries with the British in Canada,
和英國和加拿大仍有界限劃分
the French in Louisiana
比如路易斯安那州的法國人
and the Spanish in Florida and Mexico,
還有佛羅里達和墨西哥的西班牙人
the United States was allowed
美國得以安享長達25年的和平
a quarter century of peace before the War of 1812
直到1812年
broke out with the British.
與英國的戰爭爆發
The Louisiana Purchase; France bows out.
路易斯安那州購買案，法國人拱手退讓
After losing the French and Indian War in 1763
在1763年輸掉法國和印第安戰爭后
France had to give up the Louisiana Territory to Spain.
法國不得不把路易斯安娜州的領土讓給西班牙
This included all French territory
這里面包括了
west of the Mississippi River
密西西比河西邊的所有法國領土
along with the strategic port of New Orleans
以及位于密西西比河河口的
located near the Mississippi River's mouth.
戰略性的新奧爾良港口
But in 1803 Napoleon was
但是1803年，拿破侖正忙著
establishing French dominance all over Europe
在整個歐洲植入法國勢力
and he also took Louisiana back
他也從西班牙人手中
from the simpering Spaniards.
奪回了路易斯安那
The United States was not happy about
美國人對于
having Napoleon's France
這個西邊最大的法國鄰居
as their largest western neighbor.
感到非常不滿
But suddenly Napoleon made
但是拿破侖突然和
President Thomas Jefferson a deal that
托馬斯·杰斐遜總統做了個交易
Jefferson couldn't refuse.
杰斐遜無法拒絕
To raise money for his European adventures
為了給歐洲的征戰籌集資金
Napoleon offered America
拿破侖要求美國拿
the entire Louisiana Territory for 15 million dollars.
1500萬美元贖回路易斯安那州
This addition,
這一附加條件
the so-called Louisiana Purchase
就是我們所說的路易斯安那州購買案
would nearly double America's size in one fell swoop.
這將一下子把美國領土擴大將近一倍
The US had in fact
事實上，美國政府只想要
only wanted to purchase New Orleans
買下新奧爾良
and its immediate surroundings.
以及附近的領土
Besides as Jefferson well knew
除此之外，杰斐遜總統深知
because he helped write the Constitution,
因為憲法是由他參與編撰的
a President had no constitutional right
憲法沒有賦予總統權力
to make a treaty acquiring territory.
簽訂購買領土的條約
Moreover Jefferson was personally concerned as
而且杰斐遜本人來自南方
a southerner with preserving individual states' rights.
本州的權利就非常有限
But regardless of its legality
但是且不論它的合法性
Jefferson accepted the offer.
杰斐遜最終接受了這一條件
The Senate quickly recognized
參議院迅速地批準并
and ratified Jefferson's wise decision.
通過了杰斐遜明智的決策
This was the right choice.
這是一個正確的選擇
Thanks to the Northwest Ordinance
多虧了西北法令
there was an established plan by which
能夠根據現有的法律
this new land could be assimilated,
順利地將這片新的土地融合進美國
politically at least, into the United States.
至少從政治層面上來說是這樣的
Best of all France was now
這真是太好不過了，法國人終于
out of the Americas for good.
永遠地從美洲消失了
War with Britain.
接下來就是與英國的戰爭
By 1807 the British ruled the seas
到1807年，英國依然憑借700艘軍艦
with a navy 700 warships strong.
稱霸海上
Yet life in the Royal Navy was so awful that
但是皇家海軍的生活太可怕了
sailors and marines constantly deserted,
船員和海軍常常逃跑
often going onto American ships.
很多都投靠了美國船艦
The Royal Navy began stopping American ships
因此皇家海軍開始禁止美國船只進入
and searching for British sailors
并且下令搜查
and marines who shouldn't be there.
那些非法逃入的水兵和海員
And that was bad enough.
那實在是太糟糕了
When the British officers couldn't find
當英國官員們無法找到
any British deserters they often quote/unquote
任何棄船的英國船員時，他們通常會
impressed American soldiers into the British Navy
會吸引美國士兵到英國海軍效力
on the grounds that they were
當然條件是
really Englishmen anyway.
他們必須是真正的英國人
In an attempt to
為了要反抗
intimidate Great Britain Congress embargoed,
并威脅英國
that is to say shut down,
1807年12月
all foreign trade in December of 1807.
國會完全關閉了所有的對外貿易
But it backfired completely.
但這一舉措卻事與愿違
