The Presidency of Thomas Jefferson

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Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, is one of the most lauded, revered, and criticized presidents of our nation’s history. These statements might seem like contradictions, but Thomas Jefferson himself was a contradiction. This paper will answer why he fits these contradictory descriptions so well. This paper will do so by examining his presidency and the relationship between his executive actions and the philosophies he held so dear to get there.
By far, the most enduring aspect of Jefferson is the philosophies he held. These philosophies were brought up during his contentious debates against Hamilton during Washington’s presidency. At first, Hamilton prevailed and saw his philosophies become policies. Though, later, Jefferson was able to implement his philosophies himself. These famous philosophies of Jefferson were simple. He envisioned an agrarian democratic society, where the states had an upper hand in terms of federal-state power, and the Constitution was read in a strict sense (i.e. not permitting anything not specifically stated). In terms of foreign relations, Jefferson favored the French. This was not a long-lived love, though, with the many horrible things that happened between the U.S. and the French. These opinions held by Jefferson were opposite Hamilton, and both managed to be the foundations of their own parties: the Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists, respectively. He also hated the thought of the president holding a sense of nobility, as will become evident during his presidency.
Jefferson was elected to be president in 1800. His opponents during the electoral run were Adams, the second president who was a Federalist, and Burr, a fellow Democratic-Republican. The Federalists had...

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Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-TNJSBrFEk
Thomas Jefferson - Mini Biography by BIO | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAt1YLP3T34

[[Websites]]
Thomas Jefferson | http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/thomasjefferson
Thomas Jefferson | http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-jefferson-9353715
Thomas Jefferson | http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/thomas-jefferson-brief-biography
Thomas Jefferson | http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/jefferson.htm

[[Books]]
The Art of Power by Jon Meacham
The Works of Thomas Jefferson in 12 Volumes
Thomas Jefferson Commentaries on War and Religion
The Declaration of Independence
The American Nation: Beginnings Through 1877 by Prentice Hall
The American Pageant

[[TV]]
The History Channel's Ultimate Guide to The Presidents
PBS' The Presidents

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