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| | Jefferson and his running mate, [[Aaron Burr]], won the same number of votes and thus tied for president. This reflected a mistake in the Constitution in how presidents and vice presidents were chosen, which had to be fixed by the 12th amendment. | | Jefferson and his running mate, [[Aaron Burr]], won the same number of votes and thus tied for president. This reflected a mistake in the Constitution in how presidents and vice presidents were chosen, which had to be fixed by the 12th amendment. |
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| − | Burr was a bad guy. As the grandson of Jonathan Edwards, Burr had access and wealth, and a good deal of charm. But even Washington banished him during the Revolution. Now Congress then needed to choose between him and Jefferson as to which would be president.
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| − | Hamilton had fought Jefferson for over a decade. But Hamilton knew Burr was a bad guy. So Hamilton persuaded Congress to make Jefferson president. Some suspect that Jefferson cut a deal with the Federalist Hamilton to act like a Federalist as president. Regardless of whether a deal was cut, Jefferson did govern like a Federalist.
| + | Burr was a bad guy. As the grandson of Jonathan Edwards, Burr had access and wealth, and a good deal of charm. But even the even-tempered [[George Washington]], who got along with everyone, felt compelled to banish Burr during the Revolution. Now Congress then needed to choose between him and Jefferson as to which would be president. |
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| − | He purchased from France a vast territory of land known as the Louisiana Purchase, all the territory northwest of Louisiana. But the Constitution does not give the President the power to buy new territory. As a strict constructionist, Jefferson was violating his own principles.
| + | Hamilton had fought Jefferson for over a decade. But Hamilton knew how Burr was rotten to the core. So Hamilton persuaded Congress to make Jefferson president. Some suspect that Jefferson cut a deal with the Federalist Hamilton to act like more like a Federalist as president than he would have otherwise. |
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| | + | In 1803, Jefferson appointed the former anti-Federalist [[James Monroe]] to negotiate terms for the purchase from France of New Orleans and West Florida, and to offer $2 million for this land but to go as high as $10 million if necessary. But by this time [[Napolean]] had suffered a costly failure in connection with a slave revolt in [[Haiti]], and he had decided that France should not try to colonize the New World further. So France asked Monroe how much he would pay for all of France's territory, which included the vast tract of land northwest of Louisiana (stretching all the way along the Missouri River what what is now Oregon on the Pacific coast). Monroe was able to negotiate extremely favorable terms of $11.25 million to France for all of the property, which was equal in size to the entire United States at the time. The overall purchase price was $15 million because Monroe also agreed that the United States would assume nearly $4 million in debts owed by France to American citizens at the time. |
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| | + | But the Constitution does not give the President the power to buy new territory. As a strict constructionist, Jefferson needed to violate his own principles about the Constitution in order to accept this unexpected, but extremely attractive, offer. |
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| | '''Debate: Was the Louisiana Purchase an improper exercise of power?''' | | '''Debate: Was the Louisiana Purchase an improper exercise of power?''' |
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| − | Meanwhile, Burr runs for governor of New York, one of the most powerful states, in 1804. By then, Hamilton had a newspaper in New York named the New York Post, which still exists. Hamilton ran stories to defeat Burr. After Burr lost, he challenged Hamilton to a duel. In those days, one man could challenge anyone to a duel to fight to the death, and the other man had to accept the challenge and fight. Many of our presidents had been in duels for this reason. Burr and Hamilton then met at dawn in Weehawkin, New Jersey, walked twenty or so paces, turned, and only one man fired. Hamilton purposely did not try to kill Burr. Burr shot and killed Hamilton. Burr then fled.
| + | The Senate approved the "Louisiana Purchase" by a vote of 24-7, ratifying it by more than the 2/3rds needed to approve treaties. Much later, in 1828, the Supreme Court held that the power of the federal government to govern new territories implicitly included the power to acquire new territories also.<ref>''American Insurance Co v. Canter'' (1 Peters 511).</ref> In 1812, Louisiana because the first state admitted to the United States from this new territory. |
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| | + | Back to 1804, when Burr runs for governor of New York, one of the most powerful states. By then, Hamilton had a newspaper in New York named the New York Post, which still exists. Hamilton ran stories to defeat Burr. After Burr lost, he challenged Hamilton to a duel. In those days, one man could challenge anyone to a duel to fight to the death, and the other man had to accept the challenge and fight. Many of our presidents had been in duels for this reason. Burr and Hamilton then met at dawn in Weehawkin, New Jersey, walked twenty or so paces, turned, and only one man fired. Hamilton purposely did not try to kill Burr. Burr shot and killed Hamilton. Burr then fled. |
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| | There was continued conflict with England. Jefferson follows Washington’s example and resigns after two terms, or eight years, in 1809. | | There was continued conflict with England. Jefferson follows Washington’s example and resigns after two terms, or eight years, in 1809. |