Dbq Thomas Jefferson

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

last twelve years. They also thought that Jefferson would overthrow the Constitution by returning power to the states, dismantling the army and navy, and overturning Hamilton’s financial system (“Alexander”). Despite Jefferson was not even sworn into office yet or made any decisions as president, the Democratic party thought that he would destroy everything that they achieved during the past twelve years. They judged his character and his thoughts despite not knowing who he was as a man or his character.
As president, Jefferson wanted to make sure that the government is limited and that the government allowed its citizens to be “free to regulate their own pursuits.” During his time serving, he wanted to dismantle as much of the Federalist system as possible. He did not believe that all those imprisoned under the Sedition Act should no longer be imprisoned so he pardoned all of them. In the time he spent as president, he reduced the number of government employees, slashed the army and navy, and abolished all taxes except the tariff. Also, he paid off part of the national debt, minimize federal power, and eliminate government oversight of the economy. Unlike Hamilton had envisioned, Jefferson wanted to make sure his policies ensured that the United States would not become a centralized state on a European model.
Jefferson own a few farms, but his main farm plantation was known as the Monticello. Between his different lands, he had 150 enslaved workers working for him. When it comes to discussing Jefferson and his views on slavery, he would be known to contradict his own words. Despite being the one that drafted the words “all men are created equal,” and worked to limit the stranglehold of slavery on the new country, he owned slaves that worked for him everyday of their lives on his plantation. He thought that he could take a little action to resolve the problem of slavery, but would leave most of it for future generations. Even though he wrote things in the Declaration of Independence about everyone being equal, he personally found no political or economic remedies for the problem. I think that this is the one weak point about Jefferson that he would say one thing, but his actions did not back up his words (“A Day”).
The purchase of the Louisiana Purchase was the greatest achievement during the presidency of Jefferson.

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

(Foner).