1. Aim: How did the Louisiana Purchase challenge Jefferson’s Constitutional Philosophy and was he justified?
Warm Up: Identify Jefferson’s Constitutional philosophy. What potential strengths and weaknesses did this philosophy entail?

2. President Jefferson Jefferson was inaugurated president in April 1801
Inaugural address, course of moderation “We are all Democrats, We are all Federalists” = no grudges, no complete reversals of policy
Kept most of the Federalists in office
Alien and Sedition acts inspired
Pardoned those who were imprisoned
Kept most of Hamilton’s Financial Program but got rid of excise tax

3. Commitment to “Peaceful Coercion”
Jefferson attempted to keep the country neutral during his administration
Divested in armed forces, wanted to stay out of European affairs
Army dwindled to only 2,500 men

4. Barbary Pirates
In the Mediterranean sea Barbary Pirates prayed on weak merchant ships
When we were under the British, we were protected, but on our own, forced to pay for safe transit
Washington and Adams paid tribute, Jefferson refused
Sent the Navy and engaged in undeclared war
Were able to gain peace in 1805 and it only cost us $60,000 for hostages we took.

5. Louisiana Napoleon acquired Louisiana from Spain in 1800
Fears of the great European general seeking an American empire
Jefferson feared that he would be forced into an alliance with Britain if that happened
Sent representatives to France to negotiate a sale for the key seaport on the Mississippi, New Orleans to keep frontier fears down

6. Louisiana Purchase
Jefferson authorized the purchase of the City of New Orleans and as much land to the east to Florida as possible for $10,000,000
Napoleon was forced from Haiti by the rebellion of Toussaint Louverture and had to abandon his North American ambitions
Decided to sell Louisiana to the Americans to avoid having to give it to the British
Sold ALL of Louisiana to the Americans for $15,000,000
Greatest land-deal in history, 828,000 square miles for $.03 an acre.

7. Constitutional Quandary
Jefferson believed in a strict construction of the Constitution
No where in the Constitution did it give the President power to purchase land for the country
Louisiana was a deal too good to pass up.
Jefferson had to rely on a loose construction of the Constitution in order to buy the land
Senate easily bought the land
Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to survey the land in 1804 on a 2 ½ year expedition

8. Treasonous Aaron Burr
Burr was the VP under Jefferson, but dropped in second term.
1st conspired in New York and New England in a plot to have New England secede from the Union
Hamilton exposed Burr’s plot
Burr Challenged Hamilton to a dual
Burr shot and killed Hamilton
Went West to plot to secede Louisiana from the Union
Plot foiled and Burr was put on trail for treason
Acquitted on charges and fled to Europe

9. European War Comes Home
After the Battle of Trafalgar, British destroyed the French navy and had supremacy of the seas
The British passed the Orders of Council in 1806, forbidding any country from trading with a French controlled port
Napoleon did his part to stop any other power form trading with Britain
Moreover, Britain began impressing American sailors into service with the British Navy
America was being forced into the war, but Jefferson wanted a peaceful option

10. Embargo Act 1807
Under the Embargo Act, America cut itself off from international trade in order to avoid war with Europe
Rationale was that Europe needed America’s trade and would come crawling back
Didn’t work, hurt American Economy to the point to where New England was talking about seceding from the Union
Did succeed in keeping the US out of war for a time at least.