Jeffersonian Era: Choosing between His Principles and Domestic Affairs

Jefferson’s core beliefs were to limit the size of the Federal Government. He was a Republican whose vision for America was an Agrarian utopia. Meaning he wanted small agriculture-centered communities to govern themselves as well as the nation. He wanted to stray away from the economic life of urban manufacturing that London was known for. When Jefferson won office, he began to limit Federal power by firing tax collectors, reducing the size of the military, including the navy. Even though Jefferson wanted an Agrarian Republic, he ended up working against himself and even expanded self-manufacturing, industry, small businesses, and even went as far as greatly increasing Federal power more

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,

The Acts were passed due to both France and England pressuring the United States to pick an alliance in the Napoleonic Wars. Jefferson had no desire to become involved in the wars and passed the Embargo Act prohibiting trade with European countries believing it would make both countries stop pressuring the United States. This would make the United States move towards an agrarian economy as trading would almost become useless as European’s countries were the only ones to trade with the United States. Jefferson presidency having helped the average man especially farmers would not Continue as he would make choices that would oppose the ideals that his presidency had promised.

I identify with Jefferson because he works for the people. He focused on states’ rights because what may benefit New York might hurt Georgia. Our country has many different industries with the southern states being predominately agriculture and the northern states primarily manufacturing. An example of economic division would be the tariff of 1789. The tariff supported high duties on trade which protected the northern states manufacturing economy but cost the southern planters. The cargo that transported agricultural goods was taxed which became a burden on southern planters. Hamilton pushed for this tariff because he wanted to jump start the small industry in the north. Jefferson disagreed with Hamilton pointing out that tariffs should only be used to raise money for the government and not to create a private sector such as manufacturing. This relates to Jefferson believing in the “invisible hand” theory. That a free

Thomas Jefferson, who led from 1801-1809, was an avid enthusiast of the common man and self government. He believed that the sole purpose of the government was to look out for and support the interests of

Thomas Jefferson’s domestic policy was based principally on the organization of a new, limited federal government that concerned itself solely with current affairs, leaving state governments in control of responsibilities at home. His first order of business as President was the establishment of a “wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another” but should otherwise leave them alone to handle their own matters of business (567). Jefferson “favored

Thomas Jefferson was an early American politician, who was well-known for his actions during his presidency. He was labeled as a Democratic-Republican, meaning he favored stronger rights of individual states, rather than a central government with a lot of power. That is, at least in the years prior to his presidency. After he was elected, however, his convictions totally changed. During his presidency, three major events; his war with the Barbary Pirates, his restrictive economic policies, and the Louisiana Purchase, all directly contradicted the beliefs of himself and other Democratic-Republicans.

Upon reading and reviewing the text, I began to understand the Jeffersonian Era, and how it was different from the Early Republic Period. Also, why Jefferson was an important president during this era, and some of his problems. This highlights the troubles and triumphs the young country had as it began to shape its identity and place as a nation.

Thomas Jefferson was an agrarian soul who favored popular rule. He placed his trust in the land and the people who farmed it and desired that America would remain a nation of farmers. He emphasized liberty, democracy, and social welfare and believed that

     Jefferson, as a Republican, believed in a society that distrusted the rich and that was run by farmer-citizens. He was a strong supported of not the upper class but, "the people". A defender of human liberty, Jefferson believed in a minimum of government and favored power at the local level. Jefferson also believed that if people were given the opportunity, they would be decent and reasonable. Jeffersons supporting party disagreed with many of the things that Hamilton and the Federalists proposed and passed as laws, including the idea of the national bank. Madison, in fact, argued on behalf of the Republicans that the federal government had no righ to establish a federal bank because it was not among the enumerated powers of Congress found in the Constitution. The Republicans also ignored the Naturalization Act, nor

Answer: Jefferson's presidency during the 1800 was a Revolution time, the countryside started to think the Federalist way. Contrary to federalists, Jefferson believed in strict interpretation of the constitution. In addition he supported a weak federal government over the previous stronger one. He also did not believe in a government owned bank. When Jefferson was president he established his administration opposite of Federalist policies, it’s where he showed a republic simplicity, he downsized military, cut government spending and limited social gathering at Washington City. Jefferson's vision of freedom for the nation was in the identity of a farmer owning and working his own land for the people and himself.

Jefferson was the founder of the Democratic-Republic Party and believed in an agrarian society with strong local governments (i.e. a weak central government). He thought that the states should yield most of the power so that the citizens could control what happens to them

Thomas Jefferson was credited for being the draftsman of the Declaration of Independence, and was also the nation’s first secretary of state, second vice president, and was the third president of the United States. Jefferson’s legacy resides in his outspoken views on the liberties of the people, and his role in founding America was to recognize these liberties and ensure that the government would not infringe them. Born into an elite family, Jefferson attended William and Mary College, and then went on to practice law. However, it wasn’t until Great Britain began imposing major changes to American colonies, did Jefferson’s political career

“Jefferson’s ideals came from a hypothetical yeoman farmer, whose hard labour on the land will offer the best judgment on the rights of people.” (Sturgis, pg 7) At times, Jefferson had made uncomfortable decisions that opposed his ideals and beliefs, such as the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon. This forced a removal of the