Opposing Viewpoints: Jefferson and the Lousiana Purchase

Jefferson Goes Against His Own Philosophy: Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America in 1803 of 828,000 square miles of France’s claim to the territory of Louisiana. The Louisiana territory encompassed all or part of 15 current U. S. states and two Canadian provinces. At the time, the purchase faced domestic opposition because it was thought to be unconstitutional. Although Thomas Jefferson agreed that the U. S.
Constitution did not contain provisions for acquiring territory, he decided to go right ahead with the purchase anyway in order to remove France’s presence in the region and to protect both U. S. trade access to the port of New Orleans and free passage on the Mississippi River. Thomas Jefferson was strongly anti-federalist. While he might have written the Declaration of Independence, he definitely did not author the Constitution. Instead, that document was mainly written by James Madison. Jefferson spoke against a strong federal government and instead advocated states’ rights.
He feared tyranny of any kind and only recognized the need for a strong, central government in terms of foreign affairs. He felt that all powers given to the National Government were enumerated. If they were not expressly mentioned in the Constitution then they were reserved to the states. By completing this purchase, Jefferson had to put aside his principles because the allowance for this type of transaction was not expressly listed in the Constitution. Jefferson’s philosophical consistency was in question because of his strict interpretation of the Constitution.

Save Time On Research and Writing
Hire a Pro to Write You a 100% Plagiarism-Free Paper.
Get My Paper

Many people believed Jefferson were being hypocritical by doing something they surely would have argued against with Alexander Hamilton. There were several effects of Jefferson’s decision to go against his own philosophy. It can be argued that his taking liberties with the Constitution in the name of need would lead to future Presidents feeling justified with a continual increase in the elasticity of the Constitution. Jefferson should rightly be remembered for the great deed of purchasing this enormous tract of land, but one wonders if he might regret the means in which he earned this fame
Necessary and Beneficial Westward Expansion: Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase was one of the largest land deals in history. In 1803, the United States paid approximately $15 million dollars for over 800,000 square miles of land. The purchase spurred along the beginning of America’s fascination with exploring the west. With the purchase of this new territory, the land area of America nearly doubled. This land deal was arguably the greatest achievement of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, but also posed a major philosophical problem for Jefferson.
As a strong Republican, Jefferson did not believe in straying from the exact words of the Constitution. With the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson had clearly not followed his own strict interpretation of the Constitution. Federalist critics howled that the Constitution nowhere permitted the federal government to purchase new land. Jefferson was troubled by the inconsistency, but in the end decided that the Constitution’s treaty-making provisions allowed him room to act. As a president, he wisely allowed for his own views to bend in order to better the nation as a whole.
Although Jefferson’s view of strict-interpretation did not allow for the purchase, Jefferson’s actions were justified. Waiting for a Constitutional amendment might cause the deal to fall through. In 1801, Spain and France signed a secret treaty ceding Louisiana to France. France suddenly posed a potential threat to America. There was a fear that if America did not purchase New Orleans from France, it could lead to war. The change of ownership of this key port resulted in its closing to Americans. Therefore, Jefferson sent envoys to France to try and secure its purchase.
With increased pressure, Jefferson decided to go through with the purchase. Luckily, the people of the United States basically agreed that this was an excellent move. The Louisiana Purchase demonstrates Jefferson’s ability to make pragmatic political decisions. Although contrary to some of his central principles, guaranteeing western expansion was so important to Jefferson’s overall vision that he took bold action. Increased resources, westward expansion, and a growing sense of national pride all resulted from the purchase. The gains were dramatic, as the territory acquired would in time add 13 new states to the union.

Fountain Essays
Calculate your paper price
Pages (550 words)
Approximate price: -

Why Work with Us

Top Quality and Well-Researched Papers

We always make sure that writers follow all your instructions precisely. You can choose your academic level: high school, college/university or professional, and we will assign a writer who has a respective degree.

Professional and Experienced Academic Writers

We have a team of professional writers with experience in academic and business writing. Many are native speakers and able to perform any task for which you need help.

Free Unlimited Revisions

If you think we missed something, send your order for a free revision. You have 10 days to submit the order for review after you have received the final document. You can do this yourself after logging into your personal account or by contacting our support.

Prompt Delivery and 100% Money-Back-Guarantee

All papers are always delivered on time. In case we need more time to master your paper, we may contact you regarding the deadline extension. In case you cannot provide us with more time, a 100% refund is guaranteed.

Original & Confidential

We use several writing tools checks to ensure that all documents you receive are free from plagiarism. Our editors carefully review all quotations in the text. We also promise maximum confidentiality in all of our services.

24/7 Customer Support

Our support agents are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and committed to providing you with the best customer experience. Get in touch whenever you need any assistance.

Try it now!

Calculate the price of your order

Total price:
$0.00

How it works?

Follow these simple steps to get your paper done

Place your order

Fill in the order form and provide all details of your assignment.

Proceed with the payment

Choose the payment system that suits you most.

Receive the final file

Once your paper is ready, we will email it to you.

Our Services

No need to work on your paper at night. Sleep tight, we will cover your back. We offer all kinds of writing services.

Essays

Essay Writing Service

No matter what kind of academic paper you need and how urgent you need it, you are welcome to choose your academic level and the type of your paper at an affordable price. We take care of all your paper needs and give a 24/7 customer care support system.

Admissions

Admission Essays & Business Writing Help

An admission essay is an essay or other written statement by a candidate, often a potential student enrolling in a college, university, or graduate school. You can be rest assurred that through our service we will write the best admission essay for you.

Reviews

Editing Support

Our academic writers and editors make the necessary changes to your paper so that it is polished. We also format your document by correctly quoting the sources and creating reference lists in the formats APA, Harvard, MLA, Chicago / Turabian.

Reviews

Revision Support

If you think your paper could be improved, you can request a review. In this case, your paper will be checked by the writer or assigned to an editor. You can use this option as many times as you see fit. This is free because we want you to be completely satisfied with the service offered.