Dbq Louisiana Purchase

Even though Jefferson was very opposed to loose interpretation of the constitution and judicial expansion under John Marshal, he did discard his strict principles from time to time when it became necessary. “Self-preservation—the first law of nature and nations—took precedence over the constitutional limitations that he scrupulously observed in peacetime.” This is especially true in the case of the Louisiana Purchase. Americans were expanding westward and needed a port for transport on the Mississippi, so Spain allowed them to use New Orleans. In 1801 Louisiana was ceded to France by Spain. France was not as cooperative as Spain and closed the port of New Orleans to the U.S. Therefore, a sudden disruption in trade was a legitimate cause for tension between the U.S. and France, and many people believed that a war would break out if the Americans did not buy New Orleans. Thomas Jefferson himself thought troubles were

As his presidency continued Jefferson began drifting further away from the original ideals of the Republican Party. His decisions no longer reflected a strict interpretation of the Constitution, but resembled the loose construction of the Constitution employed by the Federalists. When he made the decision to purchase the Louisiana Territory in 1803, effectively doubling the territory of the USA, he loosely interpreted the Constitution like that of a federalist by working around the Constitution. No where did the Constitution state that the president had the power to make such a purchase, but by using the “necessary and proper” clause as a loop pole he made the purchase. He went against his party doctrine of strict interpretation in order to expand American domain and to protect the US from the threat of a resurgent France. Another show of Republican movement away from being strict constructionist was when Jefferson passed The Embargo Act of 1807, which banned all foreign exports. Supported by Document C, the Embargo Act was extremely unpopular with the American public. No where in the listing of the presidential powers did it state that a law such as the Embargo Act could be passed. When Jefferson passed this Act,

Most importantly, Thomas Jefferson deeply contradicted his views on land expansion and violated his policy on following the constitution completely. A prime example of this was the Louisiana Purchase, in which Napoleon offered Jefferson the opportunity to purchase all of France's American territory for only $15 million, doubling the physical size of the nation. The French needed the money to fight a war with the British, and Jefferson wanted the mouth of the Mississippi River for America. So, Jefferson "gave the Constitution a close reading" to seek authorization for such a move. Failing to find any, he decided to unconstitutionally take the offer anyway (Doc C). This clearly violated his previous views on such an issue. However, it is obvious that Jefferson made the right decision in the matter, and the American people should be very grateful for Jefferson's

uring the years 1789 through 1816 (the time known as the Launching of a New Nation) the United States had to build their way up to where they are today. There were 2 political parties forming with polar opposite views. which set up a way the government is like today. The United States expand West through war and settlements made with other foreign countries. The first four presidents set a precedent on how the county is ran and it is has still been followed for the past few centuries. Although, the Embargo Act ruined the relation with France, the Louisiana Purchase and the War of 1812, strengthen the economic and political system.

The Louisiana Purchase opened a window of opportunity to the Americans, as the purchase expanded the nation further west. Evidently, the purchase of this land mass created a need for new technology and transportation. Throughout the period of 1800-1853, changes in technology and transportation further developed the Northern and Northwestern states, while the Southern states continued with a similar way of life aided by advancements in technology and transportation. Advances in technology and transportation dictated the opportunities presented to Northern and Northwestern society and settlement, but preserved continuity in Southern labor systems.

President Jefferson’s major personal moral dilemma was actually purchasing the territory of louisiana from the french. Jefferson was a strong Democratic-Republican. This party was founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, This party was created in opposition of the federalist party which was led by Alexander Hamilton. The Democratic-Republican party believed that a strong central national government would deplete and completely rid the rights of states. The party strongly disapproved of the national Bank Of The United States stating that the bank was taking away power that belonged to the states. Among many of the views of the Democratic-Republican the strongest belief was to strictly abided by the constitution, so when the opportunity arose to purchase the French owned territory, the constitution did not state whether the government could or could not acquire any new land

Thomas Jefferson had mixed emotions about the Louisiana Purchase. On one hand, he knew it would be a grand opportunity, and the United States would be assured free navigation of the Mississippi River. Also, it would double our nation in size and be considered one of the largest, if not the largest, land transaction in history. On the other hand, he was conflicted whether or not to buy the Louisiana Territory because of guidelines set forth in the Constitution. The Constitution did not specifically

In Thomas Jefferson’s letter to Gideon Granger, a loyal Jeffersonian Republican, Jefferson says that he believed the nation was too large to have a dominant central government. On the contrary, later in his second term he finalizes the Louisiana Purchase with France, thus making the nation larger and using federal power to do something (Doc A). This example is one of the few times Jefferson switched his side for the progression of a young United States. Jefferson even admitted that he did this sometimes. In his letter to Samuel Kercheval, he says the reason for this is “the progression of the human mind” (Doc G). This further proves how politicians changed their views to aid the advancement of the young United States of

The Louisiana Purchase was purchased in 1803 by Thomas Jefferson the president at that time. The Louisiana purchase was a land purchase between the United States and France, in which the U.S. gained around 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million dollars. This was the greatest land deal in history.

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson signed the Louisiana Purchase, a $15 million deal which effectively doubled the size of the United States. Jefferson firmly believed that western expansion was vital to the republic and a virtuous body of citizens. Given land, Jefferson believed that making Americans independent small yeoman farmers would make them capable of virtue.

At first the United States wanted to buy only New Orleans and the land around it. The purchase met with the strong opposition in the United States on account of being unconstitutional. Those accusations were correct to some extent. President Jefferson couldn’t deny that the Constitution of the United States did not provide for buying new territories but still he decided to proceed with the purchase since the removal of French presence in the region was such an important issue.

When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1800, few could have imagined the lasting impact his decisions would have on the future of America. In 1803, he made one of the most important purchases that would alter the course of the United States, this event became known as the Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana Purchase contributed significantly to the growth and expansion of a United States, that at the time, was experiencing rapid growth in population. The acquisition of this land from France, gave the United States access to a land that had not been fully explored and riches that had yet to be discovered. It gave the United States full access to the Mississippi River which was great for trade, and the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery expedition mapped out the terrain and cultivated relationships with the natives.

He was intent on shrinking the size and footprint of central government. Jefferson wanted to reduce the number of employees and the size of the army and navy. He believed in a government that “restrained men from injuring one and another and left them free to lead their lives” was the best type. Jefferson wanted strong state militias in place of a strong national army or navy. America has risen to prominence in the world by being the strongest super power.

He could not pass up a great opportunity of new land being added to their nation. This deal turned out to be one of the greatest real estate purchases ever made. It would double the size of the United States, make westward expansion possible, remove European presence, and supply more resources. However, being a strict Constitutionalist, Jefferson faced the conflict of the negotiation’s constitutionality. If Jefferson chose to go through with the Purchase, he would be abandoning his beliefs and implying that the Federalists’ idea of a loose interpretation of the constitution was the correct way to govern. Thereby, Jefferson would have to take a broader view of the Constitution, an idea that he strictly opposed. As a result of the Purchase, Jefferson lost his principals: strict constitutionalism and state’s rights for the country’s

In a different path than Washington, Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, promoted the general welfare of the people and helped them and future generation prosper. “As a man faithful to a more democratic self-government,” he provided a nation a chance to prosper with the help of the new, more powerful government. (Foner, pg. 248) His purchase of the Louisiana Territory provided the people a place to live, greatly increasing the land area of the United States. With a national government, he was able to achieve this purchase with less bickering than if the individual states were sovereign. If this purchase were under the Articles of Confederation and democracy, the dividing of the new land would cause unrest in many of the states on