Few presidents have embodied the American spirit as fully as Thomas Jefferson. He was the originator of so many of the founding principles of American democracy. Politically, he shuffled off the centralized authority of the Federalists, working toward a more diffuse and minimalist leadership. He introduced the bills separating church and state and mandating free public education. He departed from the strict etiquette of his European counterparts, appearing at state dinners in casual attire and dispensing with hierarchical seating arrangements. Jefferson initiated the Lewis and Clark expedition and seized on the crucial moment when Napoleon decided to sell the Louisiana Territory, thus extending the national development. In this compelling examination,
•“She was not even listening. She had gotten tired of listening. She knew, as we all knew, what the outcome would be. A white man had been killed during a robbery, and thought two of the robbers had been killed on the spot, one had been captured, and he, too, would have to die” (4). This quote is important because it allows me to understand that Jefferson has to die because he was the only person in the liquor store and was a black man.
On May 2, 1803, President Thomas Jefferson doubled the size of the United States through a treaty with Napoleon Bonaparte that negotiated the possession of the territory west of the Mississippi River, alias the Louisiana Purchase. Adamant on finding a viable waterway that connected the Missouri River to the Pacific in hopes of strengthening commerce, Jefferson appointed Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to venture into the uncharted region. Although the desired water route proved to be nonexistent, the Corps of Discovery Expedition managed to redeem itself by bringing insight into the economic potential and characteristics of the land as well as endless encounters with the land's flora, fauna, and natives. Preliminary Preparations Jefferson's resolution when it came to the unearthing of the unprecedented secrets held by the western part of North America was implacable.
In 1803, Thomas Jefferson wrote a document to France to purchase western land, also known a the Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson was given the land from France, and wanted to study the new purchased territory. He sent out his personal secretary, Meriwether Lewis, he had much knowledge about the frontier. Lewis asked for help from William Clark, he also was a draftsman and frontiersman and had more knowledge than Meriwether. Both of the men made a plan to take a two-year trip to the ocean.
Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States and one of the prominent founding fathers of the nation, differed from the path set by the first two presidents. Jefferson led the Democratic-Republican movement and was the first president to be a member of that party. As the author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson clearly had a tremendous vision for the young country and was able to put his ideas to use in two terms in office. Thomas Jefferson led and strengthened the nation, producing results few could replicate. That being said, Jefferson also failed to succeed in major foreign issues, putting the nation in a quagmire.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804—1806 is arguably one of the most important moments in the creation of the superpower known as the United States of America. Lewis and Clark’s expeditions of the Louisiana Territory and western territories are highly well-known and are considered to be the reason for the growth in American populace in all areas west of the Mississippi River. If it weren’t for President Thomas Jefferson’s decision to buy the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon Bonaparte and to support the expeditions of the land, it is possible that migration in the western regions of the North American continent would be fairly different than it had already transpired. The Lewis and Clark Expeditions mainly saw the rise of American dominance
Many people believe that Thomas Jefferson is a powerful individual who helped form our country, and was a great leader through his presidential career. He made the best out of difficult situations, when he knew the complete situation had to remain unsolved, and he also wrote the Declaration of Independence for the help of our country. On the other hand, it can also be debated that Thomas Jefferson is a hypocritic man that nearly destroyed our military,
Thomas Jefferson is arguably one of the most prominent and tenacious of presidents. However, much like today, his presidency was not one many people were excited for. Many thought Aaron Burr was the lesser of two evils, but that did not stop him. From Governor of Virginia, U.S. minister to France, and even Secretary of State to the fabled George Washington, his determination was tried and true. Upon his appointment in 1801, he ushered in a new century of rights and freedom that would sing throughout the ages.
The Age of Reason is a name used to describe the age that influenced the American Statesmen of the Revolution. Taxes forced upon the colonists by Britain after the French and Indian War enraged the colonists, leading to the Revolution that would change the world forever. Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and Thomas Paine’s The Crisis Number 1 were two very important works of literature during the Revolutionary period. Both works used persuasion effectively.
Thomas Jefferson took the presidential vow of office in March 1801, in which he promised to give back and reward the "uncorrupted republicanism" that encouraged the Revolutionary period. He called his victory the "Upset of 1800," accepting that his win meant that political and social change could happen in the new country without falling back on cruelty or violence. The decision demonstrated that power could calmly interchange starting with one assembly, the Federalists, then the next, the Democratic-Republicans. The swapping of political gatherings represented a defining moment in American legislative issues.
The President of the United States of America is an esteemed position many have served. However, few have shown true heroisism and greatness as well as held this important office. These few shine brightly in history and some are memorialized in stone. Of these Thomas Jefferson was the strongest president influentially because he served the Union for years before his presidency and he contributed to one of the most important documents in our history and pushed westward expansion. Firstly, Thomas Jefferson was the strongest president because he served the Union for years before his presidency.
Soon after Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon for fifteen million dollars, he sent Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, myself, Drew Schwering, and a several other men to go and explore the Territory. We were tasked to journal all the findings and make maps. Our expedition started in 1804 and concluded in 1806, two and a half years later. Jefferson wanted our group to explore the territory because no one from the United States, and he wanted to find out all the resources the land had to offer. We traveled from St. Louis, up the MIssouri River, cross the Rocky Mountains, travel the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean by Keelboat, horses, and canoes in two and a half years.
When Napoleon of France realized his plan to use the Louisiana territory was unsuccessful, he made a deal with Thomas Jefferson to buy the land with only fifteen million dollars (class lecture). A deal that cannot be ignored with a land that’s only about three cents an acre, Jefferson again had to bend his belief of strict interpretation of the constitution and admitted to the Senators (class lecture, 214). Thomas Jefferson’s decision was accepted, and the senators registered their prompt approval of the transaction (214). Jefferson again deserved the B+ because he changed and adjust his belief to benefit the common good of the United States, which was doubling its size by purchasing the Louisiana Territory
Thomas Jefferson, former president of the United States, helped make a decision in 1803 that would forever change the future of the continental United States of America. Jefferson sent two representatives to Paris in hopes of being able to purchase New Orleans, and ended up learning that they were able to purchase the entire territory of Louisiana for only fifteen million dollars. This deal would later be known as the Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson was curious about the completely unknown land that the United States had just purchased, so he decided to hire Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to go on an expedition and explore the land west of the Mississippi. The combination of these two events led to millions of settlers expanding and developing
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.
Thoughts on American Democracy Today (A Discussion of Thomas Jefferson’s Thoughts on American Democracy Today) A lot of things have changed since Thomas Jefferson. Many of those being he would agree on and some he would not. An example being the American democracy today, it is much different from when he was in office. Thomas J. Baldino states about the American democracy today, “For Americans to engage in reflective democracy, thinking deeply about our values, and how we might better live by them. ”(Baldino).