Thomas Jefferson Becomes the 3rd President in 1801
- Thomas Jefferson was a rich landowner from Virginia but despite his wealth, he did not dress in fancy clothes
- Many thought he was untidy and not very friendly
- He had been the author of the _______________ of ________________ and he had a different approach to government
- He believed that the government could do only what the ________________ _________________
- Jefferson was sworn in as President, or inaugurated, in the District of Columbia in 1801
- In his inaugural address to accept the presidency, he urged all political parties to ______ ________ for the good of the country
- Jefferson knew that progress would continue only if the people were united
Other events during Jefferson's term
- The _____ & _______acts ended as people imprisoned under those acts were released, & charges against them were removed
- The time a person needed to live in America before becoming a citizen was lowered to ______ years
- The remaining federal __________ was ____________
- The United States Military Academy at West Point was established
- Slaves could no longer be _________________ into the U.S.
(Although 25,000 more Africans who became enslaved were imported illegally by 1800)
- America bought the ______________ ________________
What was the Louisiana Purchase?
- After the French & Indian War, France had surrendered some land west of the Mississippi to ____________
- In 1800, Spain had been forced to return the land, known as Louisiana, to _______________
- Jefferson was troubled by the move as ___________________ was an important port for international trade
- America had an agreement with __________ (through the Pinckney Treaty) that it could bring in goods to ________________
- Two years after France & Napoleon took control of the region, this agreement was withdrawn & this prevented trade
- President Jefferson sent James Monroe to Paris, France, in 1803 to buy as much of Florida & New Orleans for ______________
- Robert Livingston, (the American ambassador to France), was already negotiating with Napoleon in Paris
- Napoleon offered to sell the Louisiana region for _________________
- America would acquire over 800,000 square miles for roughly 4 cents an acre
- Jefferson turned to Congress for approval of the purchase & the Louisiana Territory became part of America in _________
Why Was the Louisiana Purchase Important?
- Louisiana Territory _________ the size of America, which controlled the Mississippi River & could use the port of New Orleans
- America had gained resources in the fertile Louisiana land
- In time, the territory would be divided into all or parts of __________ additional states
Lewis and Clark Explore the Louisiana Territory
- Jefferson wanted to know as much as possible about what the U.S. had gained in the Louisiana Purchase
- In 1804, he sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the unknown ____________ ______________
- Beginning at St. Louis, the two men journeyed northwest to the source of the Missouri River
- They crossed the Rocky Mountains into Oregon Country, where they followed the Columbia River to the __________________
- They were guided by a Shoshone woman, _______________
- Lewis and Clark brought back information to Jefferson about the people, wildlife, and lands of the Oregon Country
- Many years later, the findings of Lewis and Clark would help America make a __________ to that area
Zebulon Pike Explores Other Areas
- In 1805 Zebulon Pike explored the northern regions of the Louisiana Purchase, seeking the source of the __________________
- In 1806 he led an expedition to the Southwest as he followed the Arkansas River to the Rockies, &reached Pikes Peak in Color.
- However, this was cut short when he traveled into Spanish territory where he was jailed for a time in what is now New Mexico
How Did Jefferson Avoid War with Britain & France?
- During Jefferson's second term as President, Great Britain & France were again at war
- Napoleon's army was in full force & had conquered all his enemies except ____________________
- The U.S. was neutral and traded freely with France & Great Britain
- American businesses prospered as ships carried supplies to __________ ________________
- Neither France nor Great Britain looked favorably upon America trading with its enemy
- Jefferson believed the oceans were neutral and that ships could move freely
- The British & French, however, had a different point of view as both countries set up ____________________
- Each country forbade other countries to trade __________ _____ __________
- Thomas Jefferson knew that France & Great Britain both needed supplies from _________________
Jefferson's Embargo Act
- He proposed American ships stay home as he hoped this would force France & Britain to allow American ships into their ports
- Congress passed the Embargo Act in December 1807 as no American ships could trade with _____________ ______________
- Jefferson called this act a peaceable coercion to show the world that war is not always necessary to solve problems
- American merchants did not like the Embargo Act as for over a year, American ____________ ___________ ___________
- Many shippers chose to disobey the law as Jefferson realized that the Embargo Act had been a ______________
- President Jefferson signed a law ______________ the Embargo Act in March 1809 only a few days before he _____ _________
Creating Writing Assignment
Write a one-page speech to Americans as if you are President Jefferson. Explain the difficult problems the nation faces &
offer some suggestions for solving them.