Difference between revisions of "Thomas Jefferson"
(Added information) |
(Added information from government site, section) |
||
| Line 31: | Line 31: | ||
'''Thomas Jefferson''' (1743-1826) was the third [[President of the United States of America]] and often credited as the author of the [[Declaration of Independence]], although he had considerable input from [[John Adams]]. | '''Thomas Jefferson''' (1743-1826) was the third [[President of the United States of America]] and often credited as the author of the [[Declaration of Independence]], although he had considerable input from [[John Adams]]. | ||
| − | Jefferson was a prominent architect, inventor and scientist. Jefferson, along with [[James Madison]], was a member of the [[Democratic-Republican Party]], an early political group that was opposed by the [[Federalist Party]]. After first serving as [[Vice President]] under John Adams, he defeated Adams in the next election and became President in his own right. Based on the early history of elections in the United States, the Vice President was not at that time appointed by the President as is true today. Jefferson, even though he was Vice President under Adams, was not a part of Adam's Federalist Party and in fact was opposed to much of Adam's political work. | + | Jefferson was a prominent architect, inventor and scientist. Jefferson, along with [[James Madison]], was a member of the [[Democratic-Republican Party]], an early political group that was opposed by the [[Federalist Party]]. After first serving as [[Vice President]] under John Adams, he defeated Adams in the next election and became President in his own right, a position that he held for 2 terms (8 years). Based on the early history of elections in the United States, the Vice President was not at that time appointed by the President as is true today. The Vice Presidency went to the person with the second highest number of election delegates, which was Jefferson. Jefferson, even though he was Vice President under Adams, was not a part of Adam's Federalist Party and in fact was opposed to much of Adam's political work. |
| + | |||
| + | ==Presidency== | ||
| + | |||
| + | 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. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 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. | ||
| − | |||
==Religious Views== | ==Religious Views== | ||
| Line 65: | Line 70: | ||
{{USPresidents}} | {{USPresidents}} | ||
{{USVicePresidents}} | {{USVicePresidents}} | ||
| + | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jefferson, Thomas}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Jefferson, Thomas}} | ||
| − | |||
Revision as of 17:57, August 22, 2007
| Thomas Jefferson | |
|---|---|
| |
| 3rd President of the United States | |
| Term of office March 4, 1801 - March 4, 1809 | |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
| Vice Presidents | Aaron Burr (1801-1805) George Clinton (1805-1809) |
| Preceded by | John Adams |
| Succeeded by | James Madison |
| 2nd Vice-President of the United States | |
| Term of office March 4, 1797 - March 4, 1801 | |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
| President | John Adams |
| Preceded by | John Adams |
| Succeeded by | Aaron Burr |
| Born | April 13, 1743 Shadwell, Virginia |
| Died | July 4, 1826 Charlottesville, Virginia |
| Spouse | Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson |
| Religion | Deist? Christian? |
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was the third President of the United States of America and often credited as the author of the Declaration of Independence, although he had considerable input from John Adams.
Jefferson was a prominent architect, inventor and scientist. Jefferson, along with James Madison, was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party, an early political group that was opposed by the Federalist Party. After first serving as Vice President under John Adams, he defeated Adams in the next election and became President in his own right, a position that he held for 2 terms (8 years). Based on the early history of elections in the United States, the Vice President was not at that time appointed by the President as is true today. The Vice Presidency went to the person with the second highest number of election delegates, which was Jefferson. Jefferson, even though he was Vice President under Adams, was not a part of Adam's Federalist Party and in fact was opposed to much of Adam's political work.
Presidency
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.
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.
Religious Views
Many liberal textbooks and online resources claim that Jefferson was a deist,[1] but Jefferson's own description of his views show more complexity.
In one of his writings now inscribed on the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., Jefferson said:
God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.
Jefferson's Second Inaugural Address implied that, unlike deists, he believed in divine intervention:
"I shall need, too, the favor of that Being in whose hands we are, who led our forefathers, as Israel of old."
In an 1803 letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush, Jefferson declared that "I am a Christian," though his view of Christianity was different from most:
I then promised you that one day or other I would give you my views of [the Christian religion]. They are the result of a life of inquiry and reflection, and very different from that anti-Christian system imputed to me by those who know nothing of my opinions. To the corruptions of Christianity I am indeed opposed, but not to the genuine precepts of Jesus himself. I am a Christian, in the only sense in which he wished anyone to be: sincerely attached to his doctrines in preference to all others, ascribing to himself every human excellence, and believing he never claimed any other.[2]
However, despite Jefferson's self-declared Christianity, many of his views would be considered incorrect or even heretical by most Christians. Most notably, he attempted to create the Jefferson Bible - an edited version of the New Testament intended to retain Christ's moral and practical teaching, while disposing of supernatural or inconvenient elements.
Jefferson certinly believed Jesus to be a great teacher of morality, and believed the universe to be created by a God. Less clear is his views on subjects such as the divinity of Christ, the resurrection, sin and salvation. The Jefferson Bible suggests he rejects these ideas entirely, but is not definitive. Jefferson never had the Bible published during his lifetime. He did have this to say about Christianity and the message contained in the work that he created.
There will be found remaining the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man.[3]
Death
Jefferson died on July 4th, Independence Day, in 1826. It was the same day as the death of John Adams. While rivals during their time in government, they started writing personal letters to each other in later life.
References
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Deist_thinkers
- ↑ Jefferson, Thomas, April 21, 1803: Letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush[1]
- ↑ http://www.cooperativeindividualism.org/jefferson_m_03.html
| |||||
| |||||