How Did Thomas Jefferson Reflect The Ideals Of The Democratic Republicans

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison served both as the presidents of The United States in the 1800s. Before and when they were running for the presidency they both claimed to be very strong Democratic­ Republicans and they preached the ideals of the democratic republicans very much. However, throughout both of their presidencies, the decisions they made often showed the ideals of their opposing party, the Federalists.Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were false Democratic Republicans, because during their presidencies, many of the choices they made regarding foreign, domestic and economic affairs, strongly showed that they reflected the ideals of the Federalist Party and Alexander Hamilton.

In the issues of foreign affairs, the decisions of Thomas Jefferson made were

very controversial at the time since he always claimed to be a strong democratic republican. However when the Tripoli declared war on the United States in 1805, Jefferson responded by building a fleet of small ships named the mosquito fleet to make the U.S look strong to other nations even if it went against his ideals. Jefferson building the mosquito fleet strongly demonstrated Federalist ideals because at the time the Federalists believed in a strong national government and the expansion of the navy would cause for the national government's power to grow. Jefferson's purpose of using the map of the Barbary States demonstrated in Document E, was to demonstrate to his audience where it was that the mosquito fleet was going to be sent (Doc E). Conflicts and tensions which would lead to war arose between between France and Great Britain. During this turbulent time Thomas Jefferson was the president of the United States and Jefferson claimed that he was a Democratic Republican and the Democratic Republicans believed that the United States should side with France since they helped them during their revolutionary war. However, Jefferson saw that doing so, would cause a conflict with the British and, for that reason, he decided it would be best for the country to remain neutral, resulting in Jeferson not following the ideals of his party. The war between France and Great Britain went into Madison's presidency. Madison like Jefferson also decided to remain neutral in the conflict that was happening between Britain and France. Madison decision angered the Democratic Republicans since, they believed that the United States must side with the French. Madison decided to pass the Non­Intercourse act, the passing of this went against the Democratic Republican ideals that the U.S. should aid France in their war. Although Madison did go against Democratic Republican ideals he did what he believed was best for the country. As shown in Document G, John Adams believed that Madison was truly doing the correct thing for the country as Adams did, and that even though to accomplish such thing he had to follow the ideas of his opposing party more(Doc G).

Many people argue that when it came to domestic affairs, Jefferson and Madison handle the issues in a very democratic republican stance.

Many believed this for Thomas Jefferson as shown in Document D, his point of view on the federalists was that he was completely against their ideals (Doc D). However this was completely wrong due to the fact that as soon as he had the opportunity to buy the Louisiana Territory from France he bought it. He took the opportunity due to the fact that he believed it would be in the best interest of the country, but of course many, if not all democratic republicans opposed the purchase, since they believed it was unconstitutional and an expansion of the federal government's power. Thomas Jefferson argument to these accusations was that he claimed that it was constitutional and supported his claim with the federalist idea of loose construction, which was contradicting to his ideals. James Madison was also believed to be a very strong Anti- Federalist, he was one of the drafters of the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions. As shown in Document C, James Madison's believed that the Federal Government's power was to be limited just it what was stated in the constitution(Doc

C).

In issues with the economy of the United States, Jefferson mostly based his economic ideas from his opposing party's member Alexander Hamilton. When Jefferson became president, the nation and his fellow party members expected him to abolished the Bank Of The United States, since his views believed it to be an immense extension of the federal government's power and due to the fact that it was created by Hamilton, whom he critiqued a lot for creating it. As shown in Document A, Jefferson's point regarding the bank was that the bank was constitutional and necessary for the development of the nation (Doc A). In 1815, Jefferson passed a tariff bill that surprisingly did not benefit the poor whom he claimed to support. Many of the Democratic Republicans including John Randolph, would agree that by passing the Tariff Bill, Jefferson was proving to be a false democratic republican. As shown in Document H, John Randolph showed the congressmen his point of view on the tariff bill that Jefferson had passed. His point of view was that Jefferson who claimed to be a democratic republican was starting to demonstrate through his decisions the ideals of the Federalist Party and by betraying his party he was making the country become worse and worse (Doc H).

Overall Thomas Jefferson and James Madison proved through their actions that they were false Democratic Republicans throughout their presidencies. And even if they did show some democratic republican ideals through their presidencies, they proved to follow more of the ideals of their opposing party. However the decisions that these presidents took affected the country in the way that they believed it would. The purchase of the Louisiana Territory forever altered the country's destiny and it would lead to the full expansion to the pacific.