Jefferson’s election in 1800 marked the first peaceful transfer of power between political parties in U.S. history. This showed that the country could transition power without getting into violence or conflict. Jefferson believed in limited government and states rights, which means that he thought the federal government should have less power and the states should have more.
Jefferson's purchase of the Louisiana land in 1803 doubled the size of the United States and expanded executive power by allowing the President to make large land purchases without approval from Congress.
Reasoning.
Jefferson’s presidency was significant he set the standard for the future presidents of the executive branch in the U.S. His election showed that peaceful distribution
The book Adams vs. Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800 is a book describing what led up, and what happened during the 1800 election. Furling went as far as to mention the American revolution and talked all the way to the year 1800. Although he didn’t talk about the 1800 election until the last couple chapters, Ferling filled the readers minds with what was going on in America before the election. Ferling gives a short biography about all the candidates in the election of 1800, like Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Charles Pinckney, and Aaron Burr.
In John Ferling’s book, Adams vs. Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, the author focused on both the political and personal lives of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. In addition to that, the book featured the friendship that formed between them, as well as how they eventually became political enemies. What made this book so impressive, was the amount of sources and records used by the author to create a mental picture of what life was like during their time, and how the series of events that took place, would change the course of American history forever. What was even more interesting to see was the different paths that both Adams and Jefferson took, as well as their different beliefs in what a true government should be for the newly
In Undaunted Courage, Stephen Ambrose explains that Jefferson was important to the expansion west. “He sought greatness for himself and for his nation,” this enunciates that Jefferson would do anything thing to help his nation. In “Reporting to the President, September 23-December 31,1806,” Stephen Ambrose says “On that point, Lewis had carried out Jefferson’s orders exactly,” this shows that Jefferson pick the right person for the job to explore the west. Jefferson was important to the exploration west because he made sure everything he could do to ameliorate his country was achieved.
Thomas Jefferson has also done and changed the country during his presidency. One commodity changed of the country, and possibly the largest, was Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana Purchase was an outstanding change to the country, this is because it nearly doubled the size of the United States. This also encouraged independence and agrarianism because with the immense amount of new land supposedly every man could have a small farm. The purchase allowed men to become more independent because they could grow their own crop and be self sustaining.
In period 4, (1800-1848). The U.S. was widely shaped and formed by Technology, a modern democracy, democratic ideals, and technology over the 48 year time period. The republic struggled with democratic ideal as well as many economical, territorial, and demographic changes shaping the United States. In 1800 Thomas Jefferson was elected as President of the United States, Jefferson’s speech consisted of trying to get federalists and republicans to work together for the common good of the Nation.
The presidential election of 1800 consisted between the running individuals Democratic-Republican representative Thomas Jefferson and Federalist, John Adams. Although, Thomas Jefferson won the election, this was the time African American were allowed to vote. African Americans were allowed to vote but their votes counted as three-fifths, which was composed by James Wilson. The three-fifths vote was created to allow African America in southern and northern states a chance to vote, but their vote would not count as a whole. Many feel that Jefferson would have lost the election if the three-fifths vote did not exist.
War was Jefferson's last resort as he hated conflict and moving eastward would almost guarantee bringing about it. Although Thomas Jefferson went into his presidency in 1800 with these strong ideas, he ended up pursuing many Federalist beliefs similar to those of Alexander Hamilton, his opponent of the opposing party during the election, due to certain circumstances that arose during his term. For example, he sent a naval fleet to Tripoli and also repealed the Embargo Act with France and Britain which were both against his ideals. He also kept many Federalist officials in office and even used a Federalist tax plan. On a much larger scale, Jefferson bought Louisiana and all the territory west of it from Napoleon.
Jefferson had to go against principles in order to do what was best for the United States at the time. In a letter to John Dickinson, Jefferson wrote: “It has not given it power of holding foreign territory, and still less of incorporating it into the Union. An amendment of the Constitution seems necessary for this… In the meantime we must ratify and pay our money, as we have treated, for a thing beyond the Constitution, and rely on the nation to sanction an act done for its greater good” (NCC Staff). The Louisiana Purchase was necessary for the United States because the benefits of the Purchase largely outweighed the detriments.
He petitioned for all children, male and female to have three years of learing arithmetics, writing, reading, and history. Petitioning for this bill took great courage, especially because the government had been at its riches point. The United States doubled in 1803 after Jefferson purchased Louisiana territory from France for about 15 million dollars. Having just purchased this new land, Jefferson appointed his personal secretary Meriwether Lewis, who then enlisted William Clark to go scope out the terrain of the territory.
Through his Leadership skills, ability to make changes, and his foreign-policies, Thomas Jefferson was the most impactful president of the first seven. Thomas Jefferson had many leadership roles, for example he served as the Secretary of State and the ambassador of France. He was also able to make change in the government by drafting the Declaration of Independence and his foreign-policies helped get respect for the US from France and Britain. Which makes him the most impactful. Furthermore, Thomas Jefferson had one of the most significant leadership skills.
Jefferson believed that “Every man, at the call of the law, would fly to the standard of the law, and meet invasions of the public order as his own personal concern.” He advocated for militia power over military strength as well. The republican government also drastically reduced the prices of farmland with acts such as the Land Act of 1820. The republican government also reduced some of the distinctions between social classes. Most people felt that all Americans were treated as equals under Jefferson’s power.
Depending on where one falls on the political spectrum, Jefferson could either be at the top of all presidential polls, or he could be near the bottom. If a Jeffersonian was asked about Jefferson, he would sing his praises from the rooftops. Jefferson was the hero of the common man in that he ardently supported states' rights and an agrarian society. He also lowered the national debt by over twenty-five percent, doubled the size of the country with the Louisiana Purchase, and kept the nation out of a costly war with the old world. In the Jeffersonian's mind, there wasn't, and never would be, a greater president than Jefferson.
All presidents in this country have helped the country grow in some way or another. Lincoln abolished slavery and Washington won the revolutinary war. President Jefferson, however, served the country well as he helped expand the united states, wrote the declaration of independence, and served many other important roles. One of the very notable things Jefferson did, was writing the declaration of independence. This document brought clarity to the country as well as finally freed the Americans to form their own country under their rule.
One of the great things he did to receive the B+ was his management of the Tripolitan War. Although Jefferson did not want the United States a large military force, the country could still have a decent size navy (212). During the conflict of the pirates, Jefferson had to bend his Democratic-Republican belief of “peace coercion” and deploy the small new navy force to battle against the pirates (212). After four years of fighting, Jefferson managed to secure a peace treaty with Tripoli at a bargain price of only $60,000 (212-213). Jefferson’s realization of the reality that his belief could not be put into practice in the real world and adjust his belief to fit the situation was the reason why he got a B+.
Thomas Jefferson’s legacy shaped the foundation of America today, his ideas on the limiting federal government, the separation of church and state, and the utmost importance of an individual 's personal rights. Limiting help to control potential abuses by the people in power over the citizens who elected them. His influence on limiting the federal government has prevented many crisis’ that have affected other democracies. Furthermore, his beliefs of separation of church and state helped to advance society by keeping the United States of America from becoming a theocracy. Arguably Thomas Jefferson’s biggest accomplishment comes from his incredibly strong and influential effort to further advance the personal rights of each and every citizen.