Thomas Jefferson

Birth-Death: (1743 - 1826 ) Term: (1801-1809 )

President Jefferson believed in states' rights and a small central government. One of his main goals was to reduce the federal budget, and to do so he cut Army and Navy expenses and eliminated the unpopular whiskey tax, among other things.

Domestic Events of Thomas Jefferson

    The election of 1800 saw the first split in the Federalists party between the followers of Hamilton and Adams. Their disagreement over how to handle relations with France grew into a bitter personal feud that had the party fighting within itself more vigorously than it fought the Republicans. Meanwhile, the Republicans nominated Thomas Jefferson for President and Aaron Burr for Vice-President post. In the election itself Burr tied Jefferson with 73 electoral votes. Even though the part had intended to elect Jefferson President, and Burr Vice-President, Burr had as good a claim to the office as did Jefferson. The election was thrown into the House of Representatives, where, on the 36th ballot, after the recommendation of Hamilton, Jefferson was elected the president of the United States. This ordeal showed a flaw in the constitution, and the 12th amendment made people vote for a ticket rather than a person. The election promoted a sense of unity to the country because the first transfer of power between the two parties was calm and peaceful.

    Jefferson was a popular president. He ruled during a peaceful and calm time, and part of his platform was to improve the status of the "common man." The major contributor to his popularity was his belief in a relatively weak federal government, one which would not be present in the everyday domestic sphere. At the same time, the favorable world situation allowed him to reduce taxes and diminish the burdens of his countrymen. The Federalist Party weakened during his term, especially after the death of Alexander Hamilton. Even though he lost the struggle with the judicial branch in Marbury v. Madison, the Federalists entrenched in the judiciary became less partisan.

    There were a few events that almost broke the nation's unity. In 1804 a group of people in New England organized the Essex Junto. The people wanted to secede from the United States. Vice-President Burr was involved in the Junto and a scandal erupted when his plan was exposed by Alexander Hamilton. After the Essex Junto failed, Burr tried once more to secede from the United States. He organized a Louisiana secession, however this one was also exposed, and Burr was tried for treason. He was found not-guilty on a technicality, however, this ruined his political career.

    Jefferson's major change of opinion came in 1803, when after sending two diplomats to buy New Orleans, he bought all the land between the Mississippi and the Rockies, effectively doubling the area of the United States. He knew that the Constitution gave him no power to make such a purchase, but he went his interpretation of a strict Constitution, and he accepted the purchase for the good of the nation.