Discuss the major obstacles Jefferson faced in acquiring the Louisiana Purchase.

There were several obstacles being faced in acquiring the
Louisiana Territory.  One was simply financial.  Fifteen million dollars was a great
deal of money, and while the new nation possessed it, there was significant question as
to what was being purchased.  Within this, another objection would be the awkwardness of
granting immediate citizenship to people who were not seen as Americans.  On a domestic
level, there was a certain amount of apprehension in conferring instant citizenship to
people who were not "American," whatever this was seen to mean at the time.  The largest
objection, though, was a philosophical one.  Jefferson and his Republican supporters
were followers of a strict interpretation of the Constitution.  They did not see the
President's role as one that could facilitate such a large negotiation without
Congressional approval.  Firm believers in restraint, many of Jefferson's fellow
Republicans could not embrace the idea that the President was able to fully negotiate
and ratify a deal that would almost double the size of the United States without any
sort of Congressional check.  At the same time, the Federalists were not supportive of
an  emerging relationship with Napoleon, for they preferred bolstering ties with
England.  In this, the largest obstacles to the Purchase presented themselves.  While
this was futile, for the land was purchased, these were the obstacles Jefferson
faced.