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Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated the third [[President of the United States]] on March 4, 1801 in the infant capital on the Potomac. The new President filled his cabinet with moderate Republicans, those in a more radical persuasion were disappointed. Although it became a model of executive [[unity]], the cabinet meet infrequently. Jefferson had the pleasure of dominating [[Congress]]. In 1801, for the first time, Republicans controlled both houses of the legislator. The [[federalist]]s were a shrinking minority. Congress depended on executive initiatives and usually followed them. Nearly all the legislation during his eight years in office originated with the President and his secretaries.

Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated the third [[President of the United States]] on March 4, 1801 in the infant capital on the Potomac. The new President filled his cabinet with moderate Republicans, those in a more radical persuasion were disappointed. Although it became a model of executive [[unity]], the cabinet meet infrequently. Jefferson had the pleasure of dominating [[Congress]]. In 1801, for the first time, Republicans controlled both houses of the legislator. The [[federalist]]s were a shrinking minority. Congress depended on executive initiatives and usually followed them. Nearly all the legislation during his eight years in office originated with the President and his secretaries.

Jefferson's long held fiscal philosophy was that public [[dept]] and [[tax]]es were evils of the first magnitude. As President Jefferson slashed [[Army]] and [[Navy]] expenditures, cut the budget, eliminated the [[tax]] on whiskey so unpopular in the West, yet reduced the national debt by a third. He also sent a naval squadron to fight the Barbary pirates, who were harassing American commerce in the Mediterranean. Further, although the Constitution made no provision for the acquisition of new land, Jefferson suppressed his qualms over constitutionality when he had the opportunity to acquire the [[Louisiana]] Territory from [[Napoleon]] in 1803.  This then controversial [[Louisiana Purchase]] doubled the size of the United States of America, for 15 million dollars. Jefferson sent [[Captain]] [[Meriwether Lewis]] and [[Lieutenant]] [[William Clark]] for an expedition of the new American territory.  

Jefferson's long held fiscal philosophy was that public [[debt]] and [[tax]]es were evils of the first magnitude. As President Jefferson slashed [[Army]] and [[Navy]] expenditures, cut the budget, eliminated the [[tax]] on whiskey so unpopular in the West, yet reduced the national debt by a third. He also sent a naval squadron to fight the Barbary pirates, who were harassing American commerce in the Mediterranean. Further, although the Constitution made no provision for the acquisition of new land, Jefferson suppressed his qualms over constitutionality when he had the opportunity to acquire the [[Louisiana]] Territory from [[Napoleon]] in 1803.  This then controversial [[Louisiana Purchase]] doubled the size of the United States of America, for 15 million dollars. Jefferson sent [[Captain]] [[Meriwether Lewis]] and [[Lieutenant]] [[William Clark]] for an expedition of the new American territory.  

During Jefferson's second term, he was increasingly preoccupied with keeping the Nation from involvement in the Napoleonic wars, though both [[England]] and [[France]] interfered with the neutral rights of American merchantmen. Jefferson's attempted solution, an embargo upon American shipping, worked badly and was unpopular.

During Jefferson's second term, he was increasingly preoccupied with keeping the Nation from involvement in the Napoleonic wars, though both [[England]] and [[France]] interfered with the neutral rights of American merchantmen. Jefferson's attempted solution, an embargo upon American shipping, worked badly and was unpopular.