Jefferson Letter Louisiana Purchase Analysis

In “When the Ends Justify the Means,” Barry J. Balleck debates that President Jefferson did not abandon his political ethics by purchasing the Louisiana Territory (P. 14). Balleck states that the Louisiana Purchase was “the greatest achievement of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency” (P. 14). With the addition of the new territory to the United States, President Jefferson secured the nation “for generations, if not centuries to come” (P. 14). Jefferson was confident that purchasing the Louisiana Territory would encourage the development of an upright Republican populace (P. 14). Surprisingly, he had many reservations about his authority to purchase Louisiana, but that did not stop him from laying the treaty before Congress (P. 19). He also knew that, by purchasing Louisiana, the Federalists power might be lost, but he still pushed forward with the treaty (P. 19). Although many historians criticize President Jefferson for giving up his most visible political convictions by purchasing Louisiana, he knew that it would double the size of the United States and ensure much land expansion for the country (P. 20). He strongly believed that the new territory was “essential to national security” (P. 21). In President Jefferson’s mind, purchasing Louisiana secured the “virtues of Republicanism in an ‘Empire of Liberty’” (P. 22). “The Louisiana

Jefferson states his strict constructionist views in a letter he writes to Gideon Granger (Doc. A). In Jefferson's letter he also states the Federalists views of loose interpretation. Through Jefferson's perspective the Federalists belief in loose interpretation of the Constitution would lead to a superior government that would take away from the states rights which are laid out in the Constitution. Jefferson also reflects his strict interpretation of the Constitution in a letter to Samuel Miller where he emphasizes on the Constitution's declaration of religious freedom (Doc. B). Jefferson's strict constructionist views are reflected throughout his presidency, including his disapproval of a national bank since he views it to be unconstitutional. However, throughout Jefferson's presidency, Jeffersonian Republicans and their strict interpretation of the Constitution take a turn for the betterment of the nation. The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 is an example of how this characterization of strict constructionism was inaccurate during this time period. After 1802 when the Spanish intendant at New Orleans forbade the practice settled in the Pinckney Treaty in 1795, which allowed Americans to deposit cargoes in New Orleans for transfer to oceangoing vessels, the US negotiated with Napoleon Bonaparte and purchased the entire Louisiana

In 1800 Thomas Jefferson was elected president. With the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Jefferson had the vision of the United States growing from sea to sea. However, it was unknown what was out there. Jefferson planned an exploratory expedition and called upon Meriwether Lewis to lead it. Jefferson was very interested in what was in the west lands. Much was involved in the carrying out of this expedition; the preparations for this trip, what happened during their long journey west, and the return home. This expedition was very important in the development of the United States.

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

Power is another word for control. People can abuse of their power by demanding things beyond their reach. In the article The Louisiana Purchase, the author demonstrates how Thomas Jefferson abused his power as President to buy the Louisiana territory from the French. The president; Thomas Jefferson, knew that the purchase of this territory was beyond his reach and he still went out and he purchased Louisiana. In the passage it states, "Jefferson was delighted with the deal. At the same time he had a serious problem. The Constitution nowhere states that the President has the power to buy land from a foreign country." Jefferson knew he could not buy Louisiana from the French, but he was delighted with the deal so much, he proceeded with the

Thomas Jefferson had a strict interpretation of the constitution. “In a letter to Gideon Granger, he wrote that he believed that the states should be given powers delegated to it by Constitution and that the states should govern themselves” (Doc. 1). “Jefferson wrote to Samuel Miller about how the federal government should not be able to tell people what religion to be apart of, showing his support for religious freedom” (Doc. 2). The letters were from early in Jefferson’s presidency, when he still believed in a strict interpretation of the constitution, along with his followers; the Jeffersonian Republicans. However, in 1803, Thomas Jefferson signed the Treaty of Cession, granting the United States control of Louisiana. By purchasing territory, Jefferson had abandoned his beliefs in a strict interpretation because the constitution did not grant the federal

President Thomas Jefferson faced many moral dilemmas during the process of deciding to purchase the territory, the moral predicaments that president Thomas Jefferson faced was going against the constitution, going in major debt to pay for the territory, and also faced many issues with foreign policy almost exclusively between the countries Spain and France. President Jefferson was put in a situation that no other leader of our young country had ever been in, and he stressed about breaking his own moral code to make the correct decision for his nation.

In a private letter to Governor of the Indiana Territory William Harrison in February 1803, Jefferson outlines a plan to make the Indians dependent on farming by decreasing their ability to find game, and eventually making them in debt through trading, thus forcing them to sell their lands to pay debts, and lose their history and way of life. He also tells Harrison of plans for expansion to the west by purchase, taking unclaimed land, or driving Indians elsewhere if they should become violent or stubborn.

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

During the early 1800s, the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, bought the Louisiana Territory. This acquired piece of land came to be known as the Louisiana Purchase. The territory consisted of various Native Indian tribes which Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to explore. Based on the provided documents, the conclusion that can be made is that Lewis and Clark were not respectful to the Native Americans because not only did they kill members of their tribe, but they wiped out their culture as a whole. In document A, Thomas Jefferson, the current President at the time, sent a letter to Meriwether Lewis with specific instructions on how to approach the Native Indians which was in a placatory and friendly fashion (Document A).

When the Louisiana purchase was made Thomas Jefferson was ultimately increasing the power of the federal government. The Louisiana Purchase was an example of large government using its federal power to initiate action. The legislative branch never negotiated the sale of the land with the French government and never approved of the sale. The treaty and acquisition of land was sought by members of the executive branch, an example of active government which is far from limited. Jefferson ran on a political platform advocating for less power for a government and only increased this power with the purchase of the Louisiana territory. Jefferson believed in a very strict and rigid interpretation towards the Constitution. He did not believe this document was one that could be loosely interpreted. In order for the rule of the Constitution to be respected and not vitiated, Jefferson believed that it had to be strictly interpreted. The constitution never stated that the President is able to create a treaty of understanding with another nation or make a purchase of land without consulting Congress, then a strict interpretation of the Constitution would mean that it could not be done. By Thomas Jefferson’s strict republican values, the purchase should not have been made, and yet it was. There was never a discussion or legislative debate about the President's actions and greatly tested the boundaries of

Some argued that the purchase was unconstitutional because the Constitution didn’t say that Jefferson could purchase the land. Others argued that the purchase was indeed constitutional because the Constitution didn’t say Jefferson couldn’t purchase the land. Also, like said above, Jefferson had an aversion to big moves by the central government. Again, he compromised his beliefs by purchasing a territory from a foreign nation (obviously a huge move by the central government (not by the states)). It is seemingly understandable, however, that Jefferson decided to compromise his beliefs. He was afraid that the French would give up the deal in the time it would take to pass an amendment saying that he could purchase the land. Jefferson also resolved the issue (of constitutionality, his personal beliefs, etc.) by deciding that the growth of the nation (at a modest price) was more important than his own political aversion to big moves by the central government. In addition, Jefferson seemed to have purchased the land in order to protect the United States. First off, Spain’s agreement to give Louisiana back to the French compromised Pinckney’s Treat, which gave the United States access to the Mississippi River. Also, he feared that Napoleon, if he had control over the territory, would close off New Orleans to the United States

Thomas Jefferson wouldn’t have been taken by Napoleon’s word, for he wasn’t a man of his word. Jefferson had to get everyone to vote and fast on deciding whether or not to invest in Louisiana; they had to do it quickly before Napoleon backed out. Jefferson wanted to have that extra piece of land because they would need the territory; Jefferson’s “pre-purchase view was that a wave of settlers would gradually but steadily across the continent” (Ellis). The only problem with gaining the land would be that it was more for them to defend. They didn't have a militia strong enough or sizable enough for such a great amount of land.

The Louisiana Purchase, in 1803 was a deal for land between the United States and France, in which the U.S. purchased approximately 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million. The territory that was bought included Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska, parts of Minnesota and Louisiana west of Mississippi River, including New Orleans, big parts of North and northeastern New Mexico, South Dakota, northern Texas, some parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado as well as parts of Canadian territories Alberta and Saskatchewan. This effectively doubled the size of the United States. The land was bought on the date July 4, 1803.

In the second part of his letter to Harrison, Jefferson wrote, “The crisis is pressing. Whatever can now be obtained must be obtained quickly. The occupation of New Orleans, hourly expected, by the French, is already felt like a light breeze by the Indians.” This excerpt shows Jefferson’s fear of the Indians becoming bold and attacking Americans under the guise of French protection. He knew that after France repossessed Louisiana, that the Indians would be even less likely to move off their lands.