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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.

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.

'''Debate:  Was the Louisiana Purchase an improper exercise of power?'''

'''Debate:  Was this "Louisiana Purchase" an improper exercise of power?'''

The Senate approved the "Louisiana Purchase" by a vote of 24-7, ratifying it by more than the 2/3rds needed to approve treaties.  Then, in 1804, Jefferson arranged for Lewis and Clark to explore territory west of Mississippi acquired in the Louisiana Purchase.  In 1812, Louisiana because the first state admitted to the United States from this new territory.  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>

The Senate approved this "Louisiana Purchase" by a vote of 24-7, ratifying it by more than the 2/3rds required by the Constitution to approve treaties.  Then, in 1804, Jefferson arranged for Meriweather Lewis, who was his secretary, to explore the territory west of Mississippi acquired in this Louisiana Purchase. Lewis chose William Clark, a soldier, as his assistant and their joint effort became known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806).<ref>Later, in 1809, Lewis was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds and it remains a mystery to this day whether he was murdered; President Clinton refused a request to exhume his body to aid a modern investigation.</ref> In 1812, Louisiana because the first state admitted to the United States from this new territory.  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>

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, including [[Andrew Jackson]] and [[Abraham Lincoln]].  It was considered dishonorable to decline a challenge to a duel, but 50 years later (perhaps after duels had lost their grip on society) [[Stonewall Jackson]] did refuse to duel a student who had a conflict with him at the [[Virginia Military Institute]].

Back to 1804, when Burr ran for Governor of New York, which was one of the biggest and most powerful states.  By then, Hamilton published 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 defend his honor by accepting the challenge and fighting.  Many of our future Presidents were in duels for this reason, including [[Andrew Jackson]] and [[Abraham Lincoln]].  It was considered dishonorable to decline a challenge to a duel, but 50 years later (perhaps after duels had lost their grip on society) [[Stonewall Jackson]] did refuse to duel a student who had a conflict with him at the [[Virginia Military Institute]].

In 1804, Hamilton had no real choice but to accept Burr's challenge to a duel, and they 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, having murdered one of the greatest [[Founding Fathers]] of all.

In 1804, Hamilton had no real choice but to accept Burr's challenge to a duel, and they met at dawn in Weehawkin, New Jersey.  As was customary in duels, they w walked twenty or so paces away from each other and then turned to shoot at each other.  But only one man fired to kill his opponent.  Hamilton purposely did not try to kill Burr, feeling that it would be wrong to do so.  But Burr shot and killed Hamilton.  Burr then fled, having murdered one of the greatest [[Founding Fathers]] of all.

Meanwhile, Jefferson had his hands full with foreign conflicts.  There was the Tripoli War with the Northern African countries of Morocco, Algiers and Tunis, which had been sponsoring pirates against American ships.  When Tripoli demanded more payoffs to stop the pirating, Congress declared war against it. <explain further>  

Meanwhile, Jefferson had his hands full with foreign conflicts.  Pirates were harassing and looting American shipping off the coasts of the Northern African countries of Morocco, Algiers and Tunis.  When Tripoli demanded more payoffs to stop the pirating, Congress declared war against it in 1805, known as the War with Tripoli. The war was unsuccessful for the United States, ending with a payment of a huge ransom to free the release of 270 sailors captured by the enemy.  It was not until 1815 that brute force ended the harassment by the pirates of American shipping.<ref>http://www.indepthinfo.com/articles/tripoly-war.shtml</ref>

In 1807, bigger troubled happened with England.  The British Orders in Council forbade any trade with France unless the trade first touched English ports.  This burden on American shipping led five years later to the War of 1812, despite the fact that England rescinded the Orders before Congress actually declared war.  (Keep in mind that communications then was not fast like today, and news of England changing its Orders did not reach Congress before it declared war in 1812.)

In 1807, bigger troubled occurred between the United States and England.  The British Orders in Council forbade any trade by the United States with France unless the trade first touched English ports.  This burden on American shipping led five years later to the War of 1812, despite the fact that England eventually rescinded the Orders slightly before Congress actually declared war.  (Keep in mind that communications then was not fast like today.)

There was insult in addition to injury.  In 1807, the "Chesapeake Affair" was a humiliating seizure by the British ship H.M.S. Leopard of the American ship the Chesapeake in international waters.  The British forcibly boarded the ship looking for other British on it.

There was insult in addition to injury.  In 1807, the "Chesapeake Affair" was a humiliating seizure by the British ship H.M.S. Leopard of an American ship the Chesapeake, in international waters where American shipping should have free travel.  The British forcibly boarded the ship looking for other British sailors on it.

Jefferson tried to deal with the British Orders in Council by supporting and signing the Embargo Act in 1807.  That law forbade all exports in a misguided attempt to hurt England.  Jefferson also supported and signed the Nonintercourse Act, which forbade trade with Britain and France while authorizing President Jefferson to end the boycott once the European countries stopped violating the rights of Americans.  These bans on exports were a huge failure, and hurt the American economy without affecting the European countries much.  By the end of Jefferson's two terms in office (a total of 8 years), he was no longer popular and he followed Washington’s example and resigned in 1809.

Jefferson tried to deal with the British Orders in Council by supporting and signing the Embargo Act in 1807.  That law forbade all exports by the United States, which was a misguided attempt to hurt England.  Jefferson also supported and signed the Nonintercourse Act, which forbade trade with Britain and France while authorizing President Jefferson to end the boycott once the European countries stopped violating the rights of Americans.  These bans on exports were a huge failure, and hurt the American economy more than it hurt the European countries.  By the end of Jefferson's two terms in office (a total of 8 years), he was no longer popular and he followed Washington's example of voluntarily leaving office.  He resigned in 1809.

== The Marshall Court ==

== The Marshall Court ==