Did Thomas Jefferson Abandon His Ethics for the Lousiana Purchase

1030 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Institutional presidential power

Did Thomas Jefferson give up his deeply held political values in order to purchase the Louisiana Territory from the French (P. 2)? This is the major question that has led to much debate within the early history of America (P. 1). Some historians argue that Thomas Jefferson did, in fact, throw away his commitment to states’ rights and constructionism by the large purchase of Louisiana for the U.S. (P.1). On the other hand, some believe that President Jefferson supported his political beliefs, the fortification of the republican government, with the Louisiana Purchase (P. 1).
David A. Carson argues in “Blank Paper of the Constitution: The Louisiana Purchase Debates” that Thomas Jefferson did abandon his political ideals when purchasing Louisiana (P. 1). The Louisiana Territory gave the United States control of the Mississippi Valley and the mainland of North American, and it opened the doors for the expansion of slavery across the country (P. 3). Although the acquisition of Louisiana was important to the success and growth of the United States, Carson states that President Jefferson, “Saw that it threatened to make “blank paper” of the Constitution since it expanded the powers of the national government further than even the most die-hard Federalists could have imagined” (P. 3). On the 16th of July, two days after Jefferson received the purchased treaty, he called together his cabinet to help plan the course of the agreements through Congress (P. 4). The cabinet agreed to assemble Congress on the 17th of October to give both houses enough time to act before the closing day of October 30th (P. 4).
Before the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, President Jefferson struggled with the constitutional difficulties of adding to the o...

... middle of paper ...

...vide protection to the citizens, and to ensure a progressive future for the country. I believe he or she is appointed solely for the greater good of our nation. Although President Jefferson did go against his principles of having more states’ rights and a strict constructionism for the government, he purchased the Louisiana Territory because he saw how beneficial it would be to the growth of America. As President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson was not looking at the criticism he would face, but the broader picture of how the new territory would positively affect the country. With both historians providing a sufficient amount of facts to base their arguments on, my final opinion is that President Jefferson did indeed abandon some of his political beliefs in purchasing Louisiana, but I believe that he did it so in order to better America as a growing country.

Show More
Related

  • AP US History: 1800s

    992 Words  | 2 Pages

    The longer Jefferson was in office, the more the Democratic Republicans started to go against their own principles. The acquisition of the Louisiana territory, in 1803, was the most notable achievement of Jefferson's presidency, yet it showed the inconsistency between his actions and his beliefs. Jefferson realized that there was no time for strict constructionalism due to the slow process of the amendment. This purchase violated his constitutional morals and his belief in a weak central government.

    Read More

  • George Washington's National Identity In 'Founding Gardeners'

    1090 Words  | 3 Pages

    This transaction would come to be known as the Louisiana Purchase and nearly doubled the size of the new nation. While George Washington and John Adams made efforts at westward expansion, Thomas Jefferson secured the Louisiana Purchase and initiated the Lewis and Clark expedition. According to Wulf, “maybe Lewis would find the huge mastodon roaming across the plains; discover profitable crops, flowers in exotic shapes and sizes, and trees that would soar even higher than those already encountered. Jefferson planned this expedition in the name of science, but it would also be the beginning of a distinctly American glorification of the wilderness” (Wulf, 157). The Lewis and Clark expedition and the Louisiana Purchase had such a significant impact on America’s identity.

    Read More

  • Louisiana Purchase Dbq

    443 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Louisiana Purchase stands as an iconic event today that nearly doubled the size of America, ultimately introducing the United States as a world power. In 1762, during the Seven Years’ War, France ceded its control of the Louisiana Territory to Spain (Britannica). However, when Napoleon Bonaparte assumed control of France in 1799, France rallied as a world power once more. Bonaparte’s interest in the Louisiana Territory spiked, and he pressured Spain’s king, Charles IV to relinquish his control of the land on October 1, 1800. This was known as the Treaty of San Ildefonso (Britannica). In view of the transfer between France and Spain, president Thomas Jefferson sent Robert R. Livingston to Paris in 1801. Jefferson became worried, because

    Read More

  • The Influence Of Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    Madison as he was in the Louisiana Purchase, he was still a key player in this episode that redefined the Judiciary branch of American government. Jefferson had just taken over the presidency from John Adams, a member of the rival Federalist Party, who, during his last days in office, had many of his fellow Federalists assigned offices in the Judiciary, including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Marshall (Goldfield 277). Jefferson and his Secretary of State, James Madison, resented this Federalist grab for power and refused to give one of the appointees his position. This appointee, William Marbury, used the Judiciary Act of 1789 to take the issue to court (277). However Marshall, did not rule that Marbury be given his appointment by Jefferson, who had been actively removing Federalist Judges and would likely choose not to acknowledge Marshall’s authority (277). Marshall took a different approach, instead of giving Marbury his appointment, he declared the Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional because it gave the Supreme Court authority that was beyond what was outlined in the Constitution (277). By taking away some of his own authority, Marshall gave the Supreme Court the formidable ability to declare laws unconstitutional (277). Interestingly, it would never have happened if Jefferson and his administration had not have taken action (or in this case lack of action) against the appointment

    Read More

  • Jeffersonian-Republicans

    1136 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thomas Jefferson's strict interpretation not only stretched on political views, but religious views as well. Creating the Virginia Statue of Religious Freedom, Jefferson gave states the right to make those decisions, and the federal government had no say in religion (1). Politically, Jefferson was of strict interpretation, yet he did through-out his presidential terms made loose interpretations of the Constitution. This was mainly shown in the purchase of Louisana. At first, Jefferson wanted only New Orleans to keep the mouth of the Mississippi out of French possesion. If that would fail, he was even willing to make an alliance with Britain. When hearing that the United States had bought all of the Louisana Territory, Jefferson soon began to fret over whether it was unconstitutional (a loose interpretation). When Jefferson first took office, he appointed a new Treasury Secretary Gallatin, and kept most of the Federalist policies laid down by Alexander Hamilton in place. All the ideas the Democratic-Republicans were against, Thomas Jefferson kept all of them except for the excise tariff. Against war, Jefferson decided to size down the army during his administration. But the pasha of Tripoli declared an outrageous amout of money by the United States, and with the United States saying no, cutdown the flagstaff in front of the U.S. Consolate (4). Jefferson was forced to go against his views, and build up the army against the North African Barbary States in the First Barbary War (4). And last, but not least, Jefferson's Embargo Act of 1807 not only changed from strict to loose interpretations, but changed New Englanders minds as well (1)(5).

    Read More

  • Taking a Look at the Louisiana Purchase

    1232 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... a few years to complete discovered various plants, animals, and Native American Tribes that were undisturbed and forgot about before that time. This purchased benefited both sides in the form of money to the French and land going to the United States to continue the growth of their respective countries. Many great things come from the Louisiana Purchase such as the California Gold Rush in the 19th century. It also led to a split in the nation between the north (free states) and the south (slave states) in the form of which of the new states would be free or slave. These different views eventually led to a civil war, but if it wasn’t for the Louisiana purchase, no economical or geographical growth would have occurred. If it wasn’t for the Louisiana Purchase led by Thomas Jefferson, the United States may only still be the 13 colonies we had at first in my opinion

    Read More

  • Thomas Jefferson: Pragmatics over Doctrine

    624 Words  | 2 Pages

    Unfortunately, the President’s consistency with Republican principles in matters of political power was not nearly as strong as his resolve to reduce the national debt. Under Jefferson and Madison, the federal government assumed political powers that the Constitution did not allot for. While prior to his presidency, Jefferson, then a strict constructionist had argued that the government should not assume any power unless specifically provided for in the Constitution, the Louisiana Purchase where America purchased a vast tract of land for $15 million, compromised these lofty ideals. In terms of the military, Thomas Jefferson had come to power vowing to reduce military size and power. Contrary to those principles, the Barbary War, where for nearly three years the American military exercised a naval blockade of the North African coast wasted millions of dollars of the people’s money and unconstitutionally violated states rights and strict constructionist principles, in their place asserting an alien un-Republican nationalism.

    Read More

  • Jeffersonian Republicans Vs. Federalists

    1170 Words  | 3 Pages

    As Jefferson’s presidency wore on, the Jeffersonian Republican beliefs began drifting farther away from the original ideals they began with. Some of the decisions made by Jefferson proved to follow the loose construction of the Constitution of the Federalists. When he made the decision to purchase the Louisiana Territory, he never obtained congressional approval. He...

    Read More

  • Jefferson And Madison And Federalism

    916 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jefferson didn't out right abandon Republican views. Jefferson's mission was to restore republicanism, to check the growth of government power, and to stop the decline of virute that had set in during Federalist rule. In his inaugural address he stated, "The will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; the minority posses their equal rights, which equal law must project, and to violate would be oppression." A Republican view was to be ruled by informed masses which is majority rule. The common good pointed in the direction of Federalism. Jefferson had to do soemthing about the Barbary Pirates. He sent a navy to the shores of Tripoli. After four years, a treaty was signed. The small gunboats that were used in the war fascinated Jefferson so he deployed 200 of these gunboats along the coast to guard American shores. Republicans believed in a minimal army and navy. Jefferson aboandoned Republicanism by entering into the Tripolitan War and then keeping a navy along the Untied States' coast after the war. The United States was given the chance to buy all of Lousiana for $15 million. Jefferson knew that this would be technically unconstitution but he still sumbitted the treaties to the Senate. Once again, Jefferson changed from Republican views to Federalist views because of his realist and public official side. Jefferson knew this would help the United States grow and it would keep Louisana out of the hands of other countries in Europe. Because of the war between France and Britain, the United States wanted to perserve their neutrality. The United States could trade with either of the countries without facing attacks. Jefferson asked Congress for an embargo.

    Read More

  • The Impact Of The Louisiana Purchase

    970 Words  | 2 Pages

    Wachal, Barbara Schwarz. "Louisiana Purchase." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 5. New York: Charles Scribner 's Sons, 2003. 162-163. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 13 Nov.

    Read More

  • Thomas Jefferson's Presidency

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/louisiana-purchase>. The "Miller Center" - "Miller" American President Thomas Jefferson. Ed. Peter Onuf. N.p., n.d. Web.

    Read More

  • Purchase Of The Louisiana Purchase

    2611 Words  | 6 Pages

    In 1803 the United States would make the largest and possibly most controversial land purchases in American history, the Louisiana Purchase. During the years leading up to this event the United States was still trying to solidify a national identity. There were two subjects that were causing for division of the new national identity, one being westward expansion. The Northern states and Federalists opposed the idea of westward expansion while the Southern States and the Jeffersonians backed this purchase. Although there was a struggle for a single national identity and this controversial purchase did not aid in finding that single identity, it was still the right decision for the United States. By purchasing this land from the French the United States would not share a colonial boundary with the French who were continuing to gain power under Napoleon. Purchasing the Louisiana Territory would prove to be beneficial for the United States for more reason than one.

    Read More

  • Thomas Jefferson

    738 Words  | 2 Pages

    President Jefferson was instrumental in the Louisiana Purchase, which secured an area extending from Canada to the Gulf and the Mississippi to the Rockies, for fifteen million dollars. This purchase also led to the planning and organization of the Lewis and Clark expedition. However, the argument over whether or not Florida was included in the Louisiana Purchase caused many sarcastic attacks on Thomas Jefferson from members of congress.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of American Sphinx By Joseph J. Ellis

    1477 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, the author 's interpretations of Jefferson 's decisions and their connection to modern politics are intriguing, to say the least. In 1774, Jefferson penned A Summary View of the Rights of British America and, later, in 1775, drafted the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms (Ellis 32-44). According to Ellis, the documents act as proof that Jefferson was insensitive to the constitutional complexities a Revolution held as his interpretation of otherwise important matters revolved around his “pattern of juvenile romanticism” (38). Evidently, the American colonies’ desire for independence from the mother country was a momentous decision that affected all thirteen colonies. However, in Ellis’ arguments, Thomas Jefferson’s writing at the time showed either his failure to acknowledge the severity of the situation or his disregard of the same. Accordingly, as written in the American Sphinx, Jefferson’s mannerisms in the first Continental Congress and Virginia evokes the picture of an adolescent instead of the thirty-year-old man he was at the time (Ellis 38). It is no wonder Ellis observes Thomas Jefferson as a founding father who was not only “wildly idealistic” but also possessed “extraordinary naivete” while advocating the notions of a Jeffersonian utopia that unrestrained

    Read More

  • The Compromises of the Founding Fathers in Founding Brothers byJoseph J. Ellis

    644 Words  | 2 Pages

    compromise. Jefferson’s account suggests the growing divide, showing that without a mediator, the ideologies are too far divided to achieve legisla...

    Read More

More about Did Thomas Jefferson Abandon His Ethics for the Lousiana Purchase

Open Document