Thomas Jefferson’s Second Inaugural Address
“When satisfied of these views, it is not in human
nature that they should not approve and support
them; in the meantime, let us cherish them with
patient affection; let us do them justice, and more
than justice, in all competitions of interest; and we
need not doubt that truth, and their own interests
will at length prevail, will gather them into the fold
of their country, and will complete their entire union of opinion, which gives to a nation the blessing
of harmony and the benefit of all its
strength” ( Thomas Jefferson 28).
In Thomas Jefferson’s Second Inaugural Address, he
talks about the strength of the nation as a whole.
He says that the individual person not only has the
responsibility to
support him but
the responsibility
to help the nation.
Embargo Act of 1807
“..But, sir, these are not the only good effects of
the embargo. It has preserved our peace-it has
saved our honor-it has saved our national independence. Are these savings not worth notice? Are
these blessings not worth preserving..?”
(W.B. Giles, pg 234).
In 1808, Senator W.B. Giles of Virginia, a strong
Jeffersonian with strong anti-Hamilton and antiBritish beliefs argued that the Embargo Act of 1807
was a necessity to the young country. He said the
Embargo Act preserved peace and kept the United
States out of war. He debated that the law would
help the economy because they would not be
sending millions of dollars of goods overseas.
Work Cited
Giles, W.B. "A Jeffersonian Upholds the Embargo (1808)."
The American Spirit. By David M. Kennedy
and Thomas A. Bailey. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. 234-36. Print.
Jefferson, Thomas. "Second Inaugural Address." Great
American Speeches. New York: Gramercy Books,
1993. 22-28. Print.
Thomas Jefferson
(1801-1809)
"Motivational and Inspirational Quotes." Motivational and
Inspirational Corner. Power Performance,
2003. Web. 19 Oct. 2009. <http://www.motivationalinspirational-corner.com/
getquote.html?authorid=16>.
"Thomas Jefferson." Historic Presidents. N.p., n.d. Web. 21
Oct. 2009. <http://histclo.com/Pres/
Ind19/jefferson.html>.
“ I like the dreams of the future better than the history
of the past.”
(Thomas Jefferson)
Taylor Pooley
Jenelle Christiansen
Presidency
The man carrying the barrel
is the merchant who is trying
to trade with Britain. The
turtle symbolizes the government who is restraining
the man from trading.
Major Accomplishments
1765 elected into the House of Burgesses
1776 wrote the Declaration of Independence
1779 elected governor of Virginia
1779 wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
1784-1789 minister to France
1784 Notes on the Establishment of Money Unit
1790 first Secretary of State
1819 founded the University of Virginia
Background
Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 and died on July
4, 1826. He grew up in Virginia where his mom, Jane Jefferson
and dad, Peter Jefferson raised him. At the age of sixteen, Jefferson attended the College of William and Mary. There, he
continued studying French and enrolled in philosophy and
mathematic courses. When his father died in 1757, he inherited the land with many slaves. He built the Monticello house
on this land and ran a plantation for over seventy years. During those seventy years, Jefferson was married and together
the couple had six children. Later on in life when politics became of interest to him, he represented Albemarle County in
the Virginia House of Burgesses. Shortly after in 1776, Thomas
Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. His new
found fame caught the attention of the first American president, George Washington. Since Jefferson was in France serving as their minister, he wasn’t given the position as the first
secretary of state until he returned in 1790. In 1796, Thomas
Jefferson was elected as Vice President under President John
Adams. When the next presidential election took place in
1801, Thomas Jefferson became the third President of the
United States.
Thomas Jefferson was president during the
years 1801-1809. During this time several major
events took place. In 1803, the verdict from the Marbury vs. Madison case gave the rights to the court to
declare any law passed by congress as unconstitutional. Also in 1803, the United States purchased the
Louisiana Territory from France for 15 million dollars. Following the purchase was the Lewis and Clark
expedition which started the western expansion.
Later in 1807, Thomas Jefferson passed the Embargo
Act. However, in 1809, this act was replaced with
the Non- Intercourse Act. This lifted all embargos on
American shipping except those trading with Britain
and France. The purpose of this was to damage the
economies of these two countries.
The economy during this period of time was
unstable. The debt from the American Revolution
had not gone away. Thomas Jefferson decreased federal taxes and passed the Embargo Act in hopes to
better the economy. Instead, the Embargo Act ended
in a financial disaster and by the end of his presidency, the national debt had not gotten better.
Foreign relations with Britain and France
were bad. Thomas Jefferson passed the Embargo Act
in 1807,that stopped the trading with America to any
Europe port. He did not believe that England and
France could survive without American trade. What
he did not realize was the effect that the Embargo
Act would have on American Economy. Overall exports stopped and produce prices decreased.
Embargo Act of 1807
The Embargo Act of 1807 was passed on December 22,
1807. The Embargo stated that no American ship could carry
cargo to a foreign port, nor could foreign ships load cargo in
American ports. Although the Embargo Act of 1807 was an
economic decision by the United States to protect its own
product shipping rights, which were intended to eliminate
Britain's higher quality of product. The result would draw
the two nations into war once again. On June 18, 1812, the
United States senate ratified the war, with Jefferson’s signature and that began the War of 1812.
Jefferson’s Lasting Impact
Thomas Jefferson has had an ongoing impact on
how our country is represented and appears today. By being
seated as the first Secretary of State, he was able to create
and set the standards for the first Republican Party. These
standards include; individual liberty, equal rights, and that the
government’s primary focus should be on protecting these
rights.
During Thomas Jefferson’s presidency was the
Louisiana Purchase. The plan was to buy New Orleans and
eliminate the European power in America. Instead, James
Monroe created a treaty that would allow America to gain
the Louisiana territory as well as the territory beyond the
Mississippi river. In return France would receive 15million
dollars. Thomas Jefferson’s name is associated with the Louisiana Purchase because the purchase was sought as being
unconstitutional. He also agreed to the Lewis and Clark
expedition which later resulted in the westward movement.