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Thomas Jefferson Presidency DBQ
Thomas Jefferson's beliefs on government
Thomas Jefferson's beliefs on government
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Being the first Democratic-Republican president, Thomas Jefferson, wants people to laissez-faire, do as they choose, while working with, Aaron Burr (vice president from New York). He wanted to make sure the government wouldn’t become a monarchy. One thing he did to cut down the power of the government was cutting down the military, but there were pros and cons of doing so. Jefferson got rid of one third of the army, including 87 officers, and got rid of 195 Navy men. The pro of that was lowering national debt, and it lowered the invitation of war. Jefferson thought a standing army would be an invitation of war. The con was cutting the Navy ships from being built. That affected American and British Naval wars Jefferson’s actions in scaling down
"It would swallow up all the delegated powers [of the states], and reduce the whole to one power. "-Jefferson referring to the Bank. He was strongly against big government and felt it would oppress the common man. "I am not a friend of a very energetic government.it places the governors indeed more at their ease, at the expense of the people." Jefferson was also a strong supporter of the Bill of Rights, which protected the rights of the people.
The Democratic Republicans started out by supporting their ideas fully and confidently. In Jefferson's letter to Gideon Granger (Document A), Jefferson displays his ideas on how the Constitution should be interpreted and how they oppose the ideas of the Federalists. Jefferson also tells Granger that he disagrees with the Federalists' ideas and that it would "sink the states' governments, consolidate them into one, and to monarchies that." He also believes in a weak central government, an idea of a Democratic-Republican, having the states be control of everything internal and only having the central government in charge of foreign affairs. In Document B, Jefferson's letter to Samuel Miller, Jefferson stated that the president has no authority over religious exercises. This was an exact belief of a Democratic-Republican. Not only did this document states that the central government should be weak, this also states the belief of a strict interpretation of the Constitution. Jefferson demonstrated his beliefs through the government primarily. After he was elected president, he started to "slim" things down, cutting taxes and the army and limiting the power of the government and eliminating Federalist power. During Madison's term, he also somewhat stuck to his principles. In Document H, he expressed his thoughts on the Internal Improvements Bill acknowledging the bill. Although he set aside some of his republic ideals, he still vetoed the bill under a constitutional amendment. Overall, he stuck with his principles of a Democratic Republican.
When Jefferson was president, he felt threatened by Federalist ideas on the government. So, he began to restructure those policies until they coincided with the Republican viewpoint and the
Jefferson had abused his executive power and increased the power of the executive branch even though he had original beliefs that the president should not be too strong. Jefferson promising a “Republican Revolution” followed the Federalists path, ending increasing debt as well as the power of the executive branch. Jefferson had made promises to Americans, some of his promises in particular the increase of land for the yeoman farmer and promised not to keep were decreasing National debt and Federal power. Jefferson’s presidency was to a certain extent a “Republican Revolution” but at the same time it had also become a continuation of Federalist policies.
Thomas Jefferson was a slave holder and the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence. Many will assume he was a racist and pro-slavery, but unless one were to look deeper into why Jefferson would even own slaves, this assumption is very believable. I would say Thomas Jefferson was a hypocrite, but he was justified hypocrite. As I think about why would Jefferson would want the abolishing of slaves, but on the other hand own slaves, it seems a bit hypocritical, but we must take a moment and really think was his hypocrisy justifiable? During this era nearly every successful white man owned slaves, so why would Jefferson not own them himself? Slaves were not just considered property, but they had valuable characteristics about them. They
Thomas Jefferson's strict interpretation not only stretched on political views, but religious views as well. Creating the Virginia Statue of Religious Freedom, Jefferson gave states the right to make those decisions, and the federal government had no say in religion (1). Politically, Jefferson was of strict interpretation, yet he did through-out his presidential terms made loose interpretations of the Constitution. This was mainly shown in the purchase of Louisana. At first, Jefferson wanted only New Orleans to keep the mouth of the Mississippi out of French possesion. If that would fail, he was even willing to make an alliance with Britain. When hearing that the United States had bought all of the Louisana Territory, Jefferson soon began to fret over whether it was unconstitutional (a loose interpretation). When Jefferson first took office, he appointed a new Treasury Secretary Gallatin, and kept most of the Federalist policies laid down by Alexander Hamilton in place. All the ideas the Democratic-Republicans were against, Thomas Jefferson kept all of them except for the excise tariff. Against war, Jefferson decided to size down the army during his administration. But the pasha of Tripoli declared an outrageous amout of money by the United States, and with the United States saying no, cutdown the flagstaff in front of the U.S. Consolate (4). Jefferson was forced to go against his views, and build up the army against the North African Barbary States in the First Barbary War (4). And last, but not least, Jefferson's Embargo Act of 1807 not only changed from strict to loose interpretations, but changed New Englanders minds as well (1)(5).
Thomas Jefferson has an amazing role in our lives today from the hard work and time he spent to make an easier future for all of us. There are days that some of us could not thrive as the people we are without the appliances he made to make challenging tasks easier for us. Some people look up to him because he never stopped doing great things and never stopped showing unselfishness. Thomas Jefferson revolutionized the world of the 18th century and centuries to come. Thomas Jefferson was one of the most influential people of the 18th century because he was one of the founding fathers of America, he was the founder of the University of Virginia, and he was the creator of many life changing inventions, which drastically changed the world.
The Republicans and Federalists views differed drastically, so much so that the president George Washington had accusations of favoring Alexander Hamilton and The Federalists, as his accuser was clearly Thomas Jefferson. In fact, Republicans were the minority among Federalists, however, they were strong-willed in their beliefs. Thomas Jefferson coined life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that is what he and the Republicans hoped for from the government. In conclusion, Jefferson and The Republicans finally achieved harmony when Jefferson became vice president in 1796, and admirably in 1801 citizens elected Jefferson as president, in which he served until 1809. Jefferson and the Republicans fought long and hard for the government rule to be limited, which in “The Declaration of Independence” Jefferson writes about unalienable rights, although the government was not directly controlling the citizens anymore, they made laws and continue today to make laws that secretly ensure that the citizens are obeying official
Alexander Hamilton exerted the most influence in the new Federalist Party. He believed that only an enlightened ruling class could produce a stable and effective federal government. The government therefore needed the support of wealthy men. Thomas Jefferson and the Republicans defended more the rights of the common man and an agrarian society with little power from the federal government. His basic principle was "in general I believe the decisions of the people in a body will be more honest and more disinterested than those of wealthy men."
Despite his many compromises however, Thomas Jefferson’s intent to dissolve the national debt was to a great extent unvarying. Jefferson and his Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin honestly feared a large federal deficit as a threat to Republicanism. To avoid this threat, the President sought to diminish the role of the federal government, and decreased the national budget. These budget cuts substantially diminished the size and resources of the American army and navy. When criticized, Jefferson defended these military cuts as being consistent with Republican policies in that a smaller U.S. Army would be seen as less of a threat to other nations and reduce the risk of provocation, resulting in the ultimate promotion of peace.
...ter the country as a whole. John Randolph, a Democratic Republican of the time even suggested that the Jeffersonian Republicans were taking on the old Federalism principles during Madison’s term. Document F explains how, “this government created and gave power to Congress to regulate commerce…not to lay a duty but with a steady eye to revenue…”
Thomas Jefferson is a well-known and respected man of American History. He was a legislator, president, a father, a spouse, a widow, an inventor, a plantation owner, and a slave owner. Many people fail to acknowledge the fact that, much like his fellow citizens, Jefferson too was a slave owner himself. In his life, he made so many accomplishments and strides of progress in the early days in favor of America, perhaps it is hard or unthinkable for some to believe that he was just an average man of his times. Similarly to many men of the time period, Jefferson also had sexual relations with one of his slaves. This relationship was reflective and consistent with Jefferson's views on slavery which were that of an abolitionist of sorts.
However, Jefferson and Madison each picked somewhere to stand their ground and keep some of their Republican views. Jefferson didn't out right abandon Republican views. Jefferson's mission was to restore republicanism, to check the growth of government power, and to stop the decline of virute that had set in during Federalist rule. In his inaugural address he stated, "The will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; the minority posses their equal rights, which equal law must project, and to violate would be oppression." A Republican view was to be ruled by informed masses which is majority rule.
Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13,1743 in Shadwell, Virginia. He was born into a family that had status, wealth, and tradition of public service. Jefferson was the third child in the family and grew up with six sisters and one brother. Thomas Jefferson was well educated; he attended private schools and at the age of seventeen he attended the College of William and Mary. Thomas Jefferson was interested in being a scientist, after learning that there was no opportunity for a career in science in Virginia he then studied law. In 1767, Thomas Jefferson was admitted to the bar in 1769, when Jefferson public career started he already owned more than twenty-five hundred acres that he inherited from his father who died in 1757. After marring his wife Martha Wayles Skelton whom was a young widow his property doubled. After the death of Martha’s parents, his property doubled again.
Thomas Jefferson was the third American President. Due to the fact that he was such an early President, he influenced our political system greatly, both in the short and long term with his seemingly quiet approach to congressional matters. During his presidency, many things happened that changed the United States as we know it. He coordinated the Louisiana Purchase, assisted in implementing the twelfth amendment, formed the character of the modern American President, and cut the U.S.’s war debt by a third.