...In what ways did the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition have an impact on westward expansion and how did Jefferson's message to Congress (1803) show his vision for the new republic? The reasons why the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis Clark Expedition had an impact on the westward expansion, including the reasons why Thomas Jefferson arranged the journey, a summary of his vision for the new republic (Jefferson’s Secret Message) and the outcome of his vision as it relates to the Westward Expansion. “The portion of their country most important for us is exactly that which they do not inhabit. Their settlements are not on the Mississippi, but in the interior country. They have lately shown a desire to become agricultural; and this leads to the desire of buying implements and comforts. In the strengthening and gratifying of these wants, I see the only prospect of planting on the Mississippi itself, the means of its own safety. Duty has required me to submit these views to the judgment of the Legislature; but as their disclosure might embarrass and defeat their effect, they are committed to the special confidence of the two Houses.” (Jefferson, 1803) Taken from Thomas Jefferson’s Secret Message to Congress of 1803. This excerpt introduces the vision of Thomas...
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...Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States. He was born on April 13th, 1743 into one of the most prominent families of Virginia’s planters elite. Jefferson began his formal education at the age of nine, studying Latin and Greek at a local private school run by the Reverend William Douglas. In 1757, at the age of fourteen, he took up further study of the classical languages as well as literature and mathematics. Later, the Anti-Federalist was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1768 and joined its radical bloc. In 1775, He attended the Second Continental Congress, which created the Continental Army and appointed Jefferson's fellow Virginian, George Washington, as its commander-in-chief. Furthermore, he went on to draft the Declaration of Independence, and following that served as the Vice President of the United States to John Adams (“Thomas Jefferson”)....
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...Historical Book Review: American Sphinx Thomas Jefferson stands as one of the greatest giants of American history symbolizing the vision that founded this nation whose soul and achievements have been searched and researched numerous times. In the biography American Sphinx authored by Joseph J Ellis, Jefferson’s life is evaluated at key points in his life rather than following the traditional biography format. Unlike the usual historical texts, Ellis focus delves deeper into capturing Jefferson’s character in 5 different episodes in his career covering twenty-seven years of his life. However, despite having strict chronological chapters, Ellis struggles stay within the bounds leaving many to believe the reading is cumbersome. Ellis declares that it is his “goal to catch Jefferson at propitious moments in his life, to zoom in on his thoughts and actions during those extended moments, [and] to focus on the values and convictions that reveal themselves in these specific historical contexts”. (Ellis, xi)...
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...Thomas Jefferson's "The Declaration of Independence" is a world famous political manifesto in which Jefferson revolutionary vision is expressed, related to natural human rights, the birth of government and the functions of the government. The declaration of independence was not written as essay in the beginning, it was a political speech delivered by Jefferson in the meeting of the continental congress and later it was printed as an essay. ------------------------------------------------- Thomas Jefferson In this writing, Jefferson describes about the law of nature and says that nature has created all men equal and freedom is the blessing of all human beings. In other words, he says that naturally, all men are created equal and all have the natural rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. The right of life, the right of protecting life, right of liberty, is the right of enjoying freedom and the right of happiness means the right of searching happiness to everyone. In Jefferson’s opinion all of us have such rights that are given by nature so these rights are also called unalienable rights of the people. For the protection or preservation of such unalienable rights, individuals make consent of forming an organization, which is the formation of the government. He says that to protect life, liberty and happiness people make an agreement among themselves and they form a government, which would preserve their rights. This concept of government discussed by Jefferson...
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...event in American history. As in The Louisiana Purchase, Thomas Jefferson once said, “This little event, of France’s possessing herself of Louisiana is the embryo of a tornado which will burst on the countries on both sides of the Atlantic and involve in its effects their highest destinies” (Zurn 101). Without the Louisiana Purchase, the U.S. would not have grown and prospered into the nation it is today without the territory’s exploration, discovery, mobility, and political debate. To begin, after months’ of negotiation, the acquisition of the Louisiana territory led to the largest enthusiasm for expansion the U.S....
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...Thomas Jefferson By Juan Garcia Introduction The third president of the United States, Jefferson is most famous as the author of the Declaration of Independence, a document that served as a profound expression of his own beliefs on equality and natural rights, as well as a concise articulation of the revolutionary impulses of an emerging nation. Long revered as one of America's founding fathers, Jefferson remains the subject of intense scholarly debate in the twenty-first century. Of particular interest to current critics and historians are his views on the separation of church and state, and the inconsistency between his well-documented belief in individual liberty and his status as a slave owner. His views on Native Americans, African-Americans, and women are considered at odds with the principle of universal equality he claimed in the Declaration to be “self-evident.” Biographical Information Jefferson was born at Shadwell, in Goochland (now Albemarle) County, Virginia. His father was a self-made man and an early settler of the Virginia wilderness, and his mother was a member of a prominent Colonial family, the Randolphs. Jefferson attended private schools and the College of William and Mary, where he studied law, science, literature, and philosophy. He was admitted to the bar in 1767 and practiced law for two years. In 1769 he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. During that same year he designed and began building Monticello, his famous family home, in...
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...From the beginning of time, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton envisioned this nation differently and were determined to enhance America by taking action and finding innovative ways to construct the U.S. Alexander Hamilton was the founding father of the U.S and chief staff aide of George Washington. Thomas Jefferson on the other hand, was one of the American founding fathers primarily because of the Declaration of Independence, he was elected as the second vice president, and was also the third president of the U.S.A. Both men had a definite idea of what they wished to see and knew it was the time to take charge. During this time period Jefferson and Hamilton impacted America and due to their differences they were able to conduct themselves to the path of succession. Therefore, Alexander Hamilton envisioned the U.S to be mercantile. Hamilton wanted a strong nation because he believed world trade will cause his era to become prosperous and guide them on the right path to evolution. Hamilton had a financial plan which was...
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...successful leaders. A leader I greatly admire is President Thomas Jefferson. Not only did he compose some of history’s greatest political writings, but he had unusual compassion and sympathy toward the common man. He was brilliant in a variety of disciplines, but always sought for more knowledge. Even though President Jefferson lived centuries before the new colony’s founding, history repeats itself. In 1803, President Jefferson was confronted with a situation similar to the one I am facing. The president purchased the Louisiana Territory, which at the time was comparable to a new, uncharted planet. Because the nation’s immediate needs were met, he decided to invest in exploring...
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...New Orleans on the Mississippi River.” The economies of the colonies along the Mississippi River depended on trading their goods freely along this major transportation route and France occupying this region severely disrupted that. The disruption was so severe that Thomas Jefferson nearly allied with Britain to force the French to respect their trading route. This possible alliance was extremely desperate because tensions between the United States and Britain were still lingering from the Revolutionary...
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...A Comparison of the Founding Documents for the United States of America Liberty University A Comparison of the Founding Documents for the United States of America This document will provide a brief comparison and synopsis of some of the most important writings of our time: The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists, and the U.S. Constitution. Also, this will be an analysis of what I believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution thought about the separation of church and state, as well as God from government. The Declaration of Independence was written on July 4, 1776 by Thomas Jefferson. Its purpose was to officially separate the colonies from Great Britain and the tyrant of a king. In doing so, Jefferson lists out 27 reasons why they should separate, with the three main points being, “All men are created equal…, All men have some rights given to them by God…, That among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (Carr, 2015). Therefore when the government infringes on these rights, the people of the county have the right to make changes or get rid of it, in this case, the King and Great Britain altogether. Some examples of the King of Great Britain’s wrongdoings were that “he interfered with the people’s rights to self-govern and for a fair judicial system… imposed taxes without their consent… and cut off trade with all parts of the world” (Jefferson, 2015). The end result of...
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...Federalist what to have manufacturing, while the Democratic-Republicans want to have agriculture. Hamilton suggested strong federal government support of manufacturing to supplement agriculture. It was an additional employment to classes of the community, not ordinarily engaged in the business. Hamilton wanted to reorient the American economy away from slavery and trade the slave colonies of the Caribbean. Hamilton also highlighted what he saw as “a more serious impediment” to American manufacturing strength.“More tardy than might consist with the interest either of individuals or of the society.” In order to bring about “the desirable changes as early as may be expedient,” Hamilton recommended “the incitement and patronage of government.”...
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...The First Party System: Why Thomas Jefferson was Responsible American History to 1877 Thomas Jefferson is responsible for dividing the Federalist party of the late 1700s and creating what is known today as the first party system. Thomas Jefferson, who supported a small national government and individual rights, changed American politics by advocating rights of small planters and western farmers to divide the nation once united behind Federalist ideals. By dividing the once united Federalist party into two separate groups, he was able to gain the support needed to take the office of the President away from the Federalist party. This feat was more than a challenge for Jefferson and would shape the structure of American political parties forever. (1) In 1788, George Washington was the first President of the United States and he chose two men with contrasting views on what the fate of the United States should be as part of his advisory board. Thomas Jefferson was chosen by Washington as the head of Department of State. Jefferson was a Virginian and diplomat, known for his views on small national government and representing the small planters and western farmers of America. George Washington then chose Alexander Hamilton as his secretary of the Treasury. Born and raised in the Caribbean, he worked for Washington as his aid during the revolutionary war and was a lawyer. Hamilton was known for his views on a strong national government. He favored merchants and financiers...
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...The formation of political parties at first were influenced more by personality than by issues. As Treasury secretary, Alexander Hamilton pushed for a strong national government and an economy built in industry. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson desired to keep government small and center power more at the local level, where citizen's freedom could be better protected. He envisioned an economy based on farming. Those who followed Hamilton's vision took the name Federalists and people who opposed those ideas and tended to lean toward Jefferson’s view began calling themselves Democratic-Republicans. I despised political partisanship, and believed that ideological differences should never become institutionalized. I strongly felt that political...
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...What does Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness Mean to You? The Declaration of Independence is the most important piece of all American historical documents. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness might ring a bell, but for others it’s a whole different story. “Freedom is Intended as a Challenge” by Naomi Wolf mentions in her reading about Thomas Jefferson who was one of the writers of “The Declaration of Independence” had two main ideas which were individually and happiness, the pursuit of happiness. As Wolf researches she comes up with the idea that Jefferson had the idea that we would live a life that was guaranteed, Wolf explains “liberation is not about a historical moment that had happened in the past it is more of a destination of the mind” (636). Life is not all about being born in America and being free, people around us must continue their happiness, and find their own meaning of liberty. Wolf is a piece that takes a deeper look into the current perception of how the Declaration of Independence. Wolf believes us present day Americans have a right sense of what really happened in the late 1700’s. Wolf explains how many American’s now just look at the Declaration of Independence as just a piece of paper, and not taken as serious as it should be. The Declaration of Independence is supposed to be looked at on how free America is, as the Declaration of Independence states, “We hold truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed...
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...Thomas Jefferson needed someone to travel across the territory to make maps, find an all water route from the Atlantic to the pacific, and to let Indian tribes know of their intentions. Meeting with congress in secret, Jefferson gained the authority to launch such an expedition with a beginning cost of $2,500 eventually costing the United States $38,000 to start this expedition. Thomas Jefferson selected Meriwether Lewis to head the expedition who then goes and attends classes for botany, celestial navigation, zoology, and medicine from some of the United States leading scientists. Lewis is also instructed to start buying supplies for the trip. Once news of the Louisiana Purchase becomes official in the United States Lewis begins his final preparations for the long journey ahead. In the summer of 1803 Lewis was constructing a boat in Pittsburgh for his journey across the American Northwest. When the construction of the boat is completed...
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