Changes

In 1803, Jefferson appointed the former anti-Federalist [[James Monroe]] to negotiate terms for the purchase of New Orleans and West Florida from France, and to offer $2 million for this land but to go as high as $10 million if necessary for those two parcels of property.   

In 1803, Jefferson appointed the former anti-Federalist [[James Monroe]] to negotiate terms for the purchase of New Orleans and West Florida from France, and to offer $2 million for this land but to go as high as $10 million if necessary for those two parcels of property.   

But by this time [[Napoleon]] had suffered a costly failure in connection with a successful slave revolt in [[Haiti]], and he had decided that France should not try to colonize the New World any further.  So France asked Monroe how much he would pay for ''all of'' France's territory on the North American continent, which included the vast tract of land northwest of Louisiana (stretching all the way along the Missouri River, 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 translates to only a few pennies per acre), not merely West Florida and New Orleans.  This enormous tract of land was as large as 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.

But by this time [[Napoleon]] had suffered a costly failure in connection with a successful slave revolt in [[Haiti]], and he had decided that France should not try to colonize the New World any further.  So France asked Monroe how much he would pay for ''all of'' France's territory on the North American continent, which included the vast tract of land northwest of Louisiana (stretching all the way along the Missouri River, to 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 translates to only a few pennies per acre), and not merely West Florida and New Orleans.  This enormous tract of land was as large as 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.

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.

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 initial power to acquire new territories first.<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.  Much later, in 1828, the Supreme Court held that the power of the federal government to govern new territories implicitly included the initial power to acquire new territories first.<ref>''American Insurance Co v. Canter'' (1 Peters 511).</ref>

Let's return to 1804.  Burr was then running 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.  Duels were illegal in America, but occurred anyway.  Many of our future Presidents were challenged to duels and fought in them, 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]].

Let's return to 1804.  Burr was then running for Governor of New York, which was one of the biggest and most powerful states.  By then, Hamilton published a newspaper in New York (the ''New York Post''), which still exists and is still conservative today.  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.  Duels were illegal in New York, but Burr insisted that they fight in New Jersey, where the law was less clear.  Many of our future Presidents were challenged to duels and fought in them, 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.  As was customary in duels, they walked twenty or so paces away from each other and then turned to shoot at each other.  This time only one of the men 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.

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 walked twenty or so paces away from each other and then turned to shoot at each other.  This time only one of the men 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.

Later, Burr was indicted for murder, and he moved west to avoid jail.  There, he and a military governor plotted to break Louisiana away from the United States.  The plan failed, but it left behind a deep division in the United States.

Later, Burr was indicted for murder, and he moved west to avoid jail.  There, he and a military governor plotted to break Louisiana away from the United States.  The plan failed, but it left behind a deep division in the United States.

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, which had a large port city known as "Tripoli" (it is now the capital city of Libya).  When Tripoli demanded more payoffs to stop the pirating, Congress declared war against it in 1805, known as the First Barbary War (or 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>  History books, however, tend to give Jefferson preferential treatment and declare this war to have been a victory.  It did inspire the opening lyric in the Marines' hymn, "From the halls of Montezuma, to the ''shores of Tripoli''."<ref>"Montezuma" is a reference to the Mexican War and the Battle of Chapultepec.</ref>

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, which had a large port city known as "Tripoli" (it is now the capital city of Libya).  When Tripoli demanded more payoffs to stop the pirating, Congress declared war against it in 1805, known as the First Barbary War (or the War with Tripoli).  This war was actually 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> although note that pirates captured and killed an American couple just recently. History books tend to give Jefferson preferential treatment and declare that he won the War with Tripoli.  This war did inspire the opening lyric in the Marines' hymn, "From the halls of Montezuma, to the ''shores of Tripoli''."<ref>"Montezuma" is a reference to the Mexican War and the Battle of Chapultepec.</ref>

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.)

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.  The British also added insult 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 by the United States, and was a misguided attempt to hurt England.  Jefferson also supported and signed the Non-Intercourse 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 British burden on American shipping continued until it caused the War of 1812, although ironically England finally rescinded the Orders slightly before Congress declared war.  (Keep in mind that there was no internet or telephones then to facilitate speedy communications!)

 

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, and was a misguided attempt to hurt England.  Jefferson also supported and signed the Non-Intercourse 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.

Only one additional state joined the United States during Jefferson's presidency:  Ohio, in 1803.  Jefferson is credited with eliminated unnecessary taxes such as the whiskey tax and decreasing the size of the federal government.

Only one additional state joined the United States during Jefferson's presidency:  Ohio, in 1803.  Jefferson is credited with eliminated unnecessary taxes such as the whiskey tax and decreasing the size of the federal government.

Jefferson himself died on July 4, 1826, a few hours before his political rival John Adams died.  They had become friends years late in life.  Jefferson was in financial ruin when he died, despite having been born into an extremely wealthy family.

Jefferson passed way decades later, on July 4, 1826, a few hours before his political rival John Adams also died.  They had become friends years late in life.  Jefferson was in financial ruin when he died, despite having been born into an extremely wealthy family.

== The Marshall Court ==

== The Marshall Court ==