Thomas Jefferson and George Washington are the two most prominent leaders in establishing a stable government after the adoption of the Constitution. After the Revolution, America was unstable but was controlled after policies and regulations were set under the presidency of Washington and Jefferson. Washington excelled in making the right decisions based on what he thought was right for America’s future. Jefferson expanded independence because of his wants for more political liberty and freedom of religion and education. Although the two had different views, they both succeeded in greatly changing the nation's government for the better. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson helped in establishing a stable government for the new nation by …show more content…
His presidency, as the third president of the United States, started with the Revolution of 1800, the first time political parties sent candidates and campaigned. In his inaugural address, he attempted to unify the two competing political parties: “Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle… We are all Republicans; we are all Federalists.”[3] This quote his reflects Jeffersonian republicanism, which was his views of government. Jefferson implied that in order to best suit the needs of the people, we needed a simple government and to simplify all conflicts in the government. Jefferson held that the common people should control the government. Jefferson had performed the most important act of his presidency in accordance with these beliefs; purchasing the Louisiana territory from France. In 1803, Jefferson doubted whether the Constitution gave him the power to purchase the land Napoleon offered to sell to him. He bought the Louisiana territory, contrary to his own beliefs of strict interpretation of the Constitution,. This more than doubled the size of America, giving America the opportunity to create many more states. The Louisiana Purchase decreased the power of the federal government by increasing the quantity of state governments. Another one of his major accomplishments was clearing the Revolutionary debt the United States incurred. One of Jefferson’s goals as president was to pay off that
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were the last living individuals from the first American progressives who had confronted the British people and manufactured another political group in the previous provinces. Then again, while they both trusted stock in vote based system and life, freedom and the quest for joy, their conclusions on the best way to accomplish these standards separated after some time. Later, serving two presidential terms, Jefferson and Adams each communicated to outsiders their appreciation the other and their longing to recharge their friendship. Adams was the first to end the hush; he sent Jefferson a letter around the time of new year’s, in which he wished Jefferson numerous great new years to come. Jefferson reacted with
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were both strong presidents who kept a stabile nation, but they differed in their methods of doing so. Adams was a federalist so he helped establish a stable government by focusing on forming a strong central government. Jefferson being a democrat-republican worked to establish stability in the US government by promoting state’s rights. They both worked for stability in different but successful ways. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson brought many different viewpoints and strengths after the establishment of the Constitution but they both put the nation’s stability first and wanted to preserve the wellbeing of the people first by Adams ending the Quazi war and Jefferson making the Louisiana Purchase.
•Compare the backgrounds of Jefferson and Paine; did Paine have an advantage or disadvantage by not being born in the colonies? Explain.
The novel, “A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines, portrays a teacher named Grant and how he was given the task to teach Jefferson, a man who might have been wrongfully accused of murder and attempted theft, that he is to die a man when he is to be executed. Before he was given the verdict, Jefferson’s lawyer compared him to a mindless hog and over time began to believe it himself. Grant now had to not only teach him how to be a man, but also a human being. He didn’t like the idea of teaching Jefferson, when he himself was struggling to figure out what being a man really means. In the end, the two of them found their answers. However, Jefferson clearly learned more than Grant could ever grasp. Though Grant was the one who was assigned
Both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington helped to stabilize the American government through their accomplishments during their presidency. The United States’ government would continue to stabilize and grow during the rest of the New Nations
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.
Thomas Jefferson, a slave owner himself, originally wrote in the Declaration of Independence that all slaves should coexist with society, but he ended up revoking his opinions. Notes on the State of Virginia, written by Thomas Jefferson was a story that had conflicting ideas about African Americans and their role in society. During Jefferson’s time period, whites often regarded African Americans simply as slaves, or even a different species altogether. Slaves were regarded as culturally, physically, and mentally different from their white counterparts. Americans started to become dependent on their slaves, which made them want to keep their dominant relationship even more than before. Jefferson believed
George Washington the first president of the United States had a great duel ahead of him. Outraged citizens had a great deal of tension before his term, but when he entered into office those feelings of frustration arose. The Americans commenced to contradicting the ideas and beliefs of their counterparts, these hostile events eventually lead to the clashing of the citizens. Both sides were infuriated with one another, so they formed separate parties known as Republicans and Federalists. These clashes were instituted by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison of the Republican Party, along with Alexander Hamilton of the Federalist Party. Alexander Hamilton and The Federalists supported a strong central government, and they believed that without one an individual would have too much power possibly forming an anarchy, while the Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and
The Louisiana Purchase was the most important event of President Thomas Jefferson's first Administration. In this transaction, the United States bought 827,987 square miles of land from France for about $15 million. This vast area lay between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian Border. The purchase of this land greatly increased the economic resources of the United States, and cemented the union of the Middle West and the East. Eventually all or parts of 15 states were formed out of the region. When Jefferson became president in March 1801, the Mississippi River formed the western boundary of the United States. The Florida's lay the south, and the Louisiana Territory to the west. Spain owned both these territories.
Alexander Hamilton exerted the most influence in the new Federalist Party. He believed that only an enlightened ruling class could produce a stable and effective federal government. The government therefore needed the support of wealthy men. Thomas Jefferson and the Republicans defended more the rights of the common man and an agrarian society with little power from the federal government. His basic principle was "in general I believe the decisions of the people in a body will be more honest and more disinterested than those of wealthy men."
As the young colonies of America broke away from their mother country and began to grow and develop into an effective democratic nation, many changes occurred. As the democracy began to grow, two main political parties developed, the Jeffersonian Republicans and the Federalists. Each party had different views on how the government should be run. The Jeffersonian Republicans believed in strong state governments, a weak central government, and a strict construction of the Constitution. The Federalists opted for a powerful central government with weaker state governments, and a loose interpretation of the Constitution. Throughout the years, the political parties have grown, developed, and even dispersed into totally new factions. Many of the inconsistencies and changes can be noted throughout the presidencies of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
There were many men involved in the establishment of the government, the laws regulating states and people, and individual rights in the construction of the United States of America. Two men stand out as instrumental to our founding principles: Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.
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.
When it comes to the visions of America we tend to think of two sides. Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin. They each have their own unique way of saying what Americas Vision is.Thomas Jefferson 's vision of America is what we would call idealistic. Meaning it is ideal to be lived for and for which must always strive. He states in the Declaration of Independence that "All are created equal." Defining equality can be difficult because the meaning is always changing. It does not mean we are the same, but it does mean we all are granted the same rights and freedom. I believe that America is always struggling to live up to "all are created equal" but have yet to succeed at it. I think that America has not lived up to Jefferson ideal. If we look back it in time and compare to the present we are still dealing with some of the same situations. Race, Religions, etc. A quote from the Declaration of Independence states, "That they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness." Stating that every human deserves to have their own life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness if they do to wish so.
It has been said that his particular taking of office had lead to the simplest speech stating that "essential principals" would guide his administration and would support all states with "equal and exact justice to all". And the actual changes of administration were the most peaceful of all, nothing like those previously. Jefferson’s accomplishments were most greatly seen by the ability to simplify the Republican government in the new capital by cutting back the unnecessary branches and less useful positions while replacing Federalists with Republicans. And by the year 1808, Republicans held almost all the government offices. At the same time, Jefferson fought to keep the size of the government from continuously growing.