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Thomas Jefferson April 13, 1743- July 4, 1826 Terms of Office: 1801- 1809(2 terms) Vice Presidents: Aaron Burr (1801-1805), George Clinton (1805-1809) Political Party: Democratic-Republican

Overall, I would give the presidency of Thomas Jefferson a B-. Jefferson had some important successes during his administration. While Jefferson was in office, he worked alongside Congress in establishing the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Additionally, Jefferson authorized the Lewis and Clark Expedition and also accomplished the Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson faced failure with the disastrous handling of the Embargo Act that essentially halted foreign trade. Jefferson had to make difficult decisions during his presidency and many of the choices he made have had lasting effects on the nation.

Some of President Jefferson’s original goals were to limit the power of the federal government, to find peace with all other nations, and to have an economy that was responsible with its money. Jefferson had little success in achieving these original goals. During Jefferson’s administration, the nation doubled in size and the power of the federal government increased. The federal government had total governing control over the Louisiana Territory. Peace with other nations did not come easy either. The Embargo Act that banned foreign trade in American ports forced foreign nations to smuggle goods in and out of the United States. The foreign powers had no respect for the legislation. Jefferson had the best interests of the United States in mind in the creation of the Embargo Act, despite its disastrous execution. Lastly, the federal government had some trouble being frugal with its money. The nation spent $15 million on the Louisiana Purchase alone. Early in Jefferson’s administration he succeeded in cutting taxes and reduced military spending. Although the Louisiana Purchase cost the nation a hefty sum, the land acquired changed the face of the United States.

President Jefferson had a very good relationship with Congress for the majority of his administration. During both of Jefferson’s terms, the Republican Party had the majority in both houses of Congress. Jefferson’s many fellow Democratic-Republicans in Congress supported him in almost all of the legislation that he advocated for. In Jefferson’s first term, Congress stood behind him in the establishing of West Point, the naming of Washington D.C. as a city, the treaty that purchased the Louisiana Territory, as well as in repealing the Judiciary Act from 1801. The Judiciary Act was reworked and created different rules and regulations for the Supreme Court. During Jefferson’s second term, the President still had success in getting legislation passed, but the laws and acts were far less effective. The African slave trade was banned by Congress in 1808. The law had little effect though and the slave trade continues illegally until the Civil War. Congress passed a number of weaker laws leading up to the Embargo Act that was passed in response to American trade ships being seized by the British for use in the Napoleonic Wars. The Embargo Act was heavily opposed by Federalist leaders because it nearly put a stop to trade with Great Britain and France. The Act banned American ships from sailing into any foreign ports. The Act is disastrous and leads to increased smuggling of goods between America and Europe. The Enforcement Act is later passed in an attempt to better enforce the Embargo Act. The state legislatures oppose the Enforcement Act and refuse to supply the necessary troops. The Embargo Act is eventually repealed by Congress. Jefferson had excellent success in having legislation that he wanted passed by Congress, even if the acts were not always successful.

The decision that had the most positive outcome for the nation during Jefferson’s administration was the Louisiana Purchase and the subsequent Lewis and Clark Expedition. The purchase of the land in the Louisiana Territory doubled the land size of the United States. The increase in land helped the U.S. to stake a stronger claim to its portion of North America. The acquisition of this land changed the identity of the United States and was a vital step in the nation becoming a continental power. President Jefferson’s authorization of the Lewis and Clark expedition helped U.S. leaders to better understand their new land. Meriwether Lewis and George Rogers Clark were sent on an expedition to explore the lands acquired in the Louisiana Purchase. The goals of the expedition were to gain a better understanding of the western frontier and to expand commerce. The results of the Lewis and Clark expedition were groundbreaking. The exploration brought many new scientific discoveries as well as vast information about the promise of the new land. The discoveries on the expedition sparked the interest of the United States to expand and settle in the west.

The actions that had the largest negative outcome from Jefferson’s administration were the Embargo and Enforcement Acts that were passed in Jefferson’s second term. The Embargo Act was passed to keep American trade ships from being exploited or damage by European powers. The act restricted American trade with Britain and France and banned American ships from landing at European ports. The act was passed following the Chesapeake-Leopard Incident where a British ship open fired on an American ship due to speculation that some of the American sailors were British deserters. The Embargo Act was tremendously ineffective for the Americans. The act actually benefitted the Europeans because they no longer had to compete with American merchants in international trade. American traders continued to move goods in and out of Europe through smuggling. The United States ended up losing over $10 million worth of cargo. The Enforcement Act was later passed to help regulate American and European ships and to enforce where U.S. ships could land. The act saw almost no support from the states and the necessary military forces were not provided. The horrible failures of the acts plagued Jefferson’s second term.

The decision from Jefferson’s administration that has had the largest impact on future Presidents was the decision to go forward with the Louisiana Purchase. The purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France has contributed to making America what it is today. The land gained from the Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States. Every President that has followed Jefferson has had a larger United States to control. The Louisiana Purchase led to further expansion that extended the United States from coast to coast. The Louisiana Territory contained many states that are now part of the union. A decision as important as expanding the land size of the United States has most definitely had an effect on every President since Thomas Jefferson.

The presidency of Thomas Jefferson receives a B- because he had important successes with some moderate failures. Jefferson’s administration improved the nation by expanding the country’s land area through the Louisiana Purchase, sparking expansion with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and improving the military with the founding of West Point Military Academy. Jefferson’s grade is decreased based on his flaws with foreign policy highlighted by the terrible Embargo Act. The United States was a larger and wiser nation following the administration of Thomas Jefferson.

__Works Cited __
 * "Louisiana Purchase: Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress)." //Library of Congress Home//. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. Smith, Carter. //Presidents: all you need to know//. New York: Hylas Publishing, 2006. Print.