Dbq Thomas Jefferson

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On March 4, 1801 is the day that Thomas Jefferson assumed office as the third president of the United States. Besides the political debate between the two parties, Jefferson had a philosophy. Jefferson’s philosophy was about having economy in government, unrestricted trade, freedom of religion and press, friendship to all nations but “entangling alliances” with none. As president, Jefferson wanted to shape the nature of the emerging republic and defining the powers of the Constitution as well as end the importation of slaves and maintain his view of the separation of church and state (“Establishing”). When it comes to Jefferson’s political opponents, the opposing political party was the biggest challenge for him. The Federalists were afraid of what Jefferson would do if he became president. For example, they thought that he would reverse what was accomplished during the …show more content…

The Louisiana Territory stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada and from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. After a year later in 1803, Jefferson authorized the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the northwest territory in order to observe a transcontinental route and natural resources. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark along with about 45 other men started the expedition in 1804. They began by moving up the Missouri River, crossed the Rocky Mountains, and reached the Pacific Ocean by November 1805. When they returned in September of 1806 to St. Louis, they recited the important information that they brought back about native people, plants and animals, and the geography (“The Lewis”). As a result of this expedition, it would establish trading relations with western Indians and locate a water route to the Pacific Ocean as well as the idea that American territory was destined to reach all the way to the Pacific was strengthened by the success of their journey

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