Agrarian Republic: Jeffersonian Democracy
Jeffersonian Democracy is the set of ideals named after Thomas Jefferson and lasted from the 1800s to the 1820s. The ideals were that of peace, an agrarian republic, a country in which local government was more prominent than federal government, and the basic ideals of the democratic republicans.
After visiting Europe and witnessing the severe differences between the rich and the poor due to industrialization, Thomas Jefferson believed that the United States of America should grow as an agrarian republic. He viewed that the future of America lay in the hands of the common yeoman farmer.
"Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God."
Knowing that industrialization would lead to extremes in poverty and wealth, Jefferson worked on ways to expand agriculture. One thing that the Americans had that most European countries did not, was land. While the United States dwarfed European countries in size, Jefferson knew that the population of the country was expanding; and if he …show more content…
wanted the country to become agrarian, the country itself would have to expand.
The Louisiana Purchase was a deal between Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon Bonaparte of France.
The purchase was 830,000 acres of land owned by the French, previously by the Spanish, for a mere 15 million dollars. Jefferson agreed on the deal and the size of the United States of America more than doubled overnight.
Having always been an advocate of the Constitution, Thomas Jefferson was left with a dilemma on his hands. The reason being, the Constitution did not say that the President had any right to purchase land. On the other hand, Jefferson knew that the vast amount of land he had acquired would help in the growth of the United States.
The War of 1812 was fought between Britain and the United States. The blockading and seizing of American ships and impressment of the ships workers by the British Royal Navy was the cause of the war. In addition, the British did not recognize the United States sovereignty and incited the Native Americans against them such as
Tecumseh.
During Jefferson's presidency he reduced the size of the army and the navy, saying that the current size was unnecessary for the economy. Knowing this, Madison violated the ideals of Jeffersonian democracy by declaring war against Britain.
In 1810, the War Hawks were elected into Congress. The War Hawks believed that war was the only way for America to gain its own sovereignty and importance to the world. While Thomas Jefferson and James Madison wanted to keep peace among other nations, Jefferson issued the Embargo Act, saying that America would not trade with foreign countries until the United States received recognition. This however, backfired and the United States was set into a depression; European countries did not rely on trade from America as much as America relied on trade from Europe.
Eventually, the war ended in a tie, having both countries sign the Treaty of Ghent and America gaining the recognition it deserved across the world by not losing to one of the greatest nations on the face of the planet, Britain.
After visiting Europe and witnessing the severe differences between the rich and the poor due to industrialization, Thomas Jefferson believed that the United States of America should grow as an agrarian republic. He viewed that the future of America lay in the hands of the common yeoman farmer.
"Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God."
Knowing that industrialization would lead to extremes in poverty and wealth, Jefferson worked on ways to expand agriculture. One thing that the Americans had that most European countries did not, was land. While the United States dwarfed European countries in size, Jefferson knew that the population of the country was expanding; and if he …show more content…
wanted the country to become agrarian, the country itself would have to expand.
The Louisiana Purchase was a deal between Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon Bonaparte of France.
The purchase was 830,000 acres of land owned by the French, previously by the Spanish, for a mere 15 million dollars. Jefferson agreed on the deal and the size of the United States of America more than doubled overnight.
Having always been an advocate of the Constitution, Thomas Jefferson was left with a dilemma on his hands. The reason being, the Constitution did not say that the President had any right to purchase land. On the other hand, Jefferson knew that the vast amount of land he had acquired would help in the growth of the United States.
The War of 1812 was fought between Britain and the United States. The blockading and seizing of American ships and impressment of the ships workers by the British Royal Navy was the cause of the war. In addition, the British did not recognize the United States sovereignty and incited the Native Americans against them such as
Tecumseh.
During Jefferson's presidency he reduced the size of the army and the navy, saying that the current size was unnecessary for the economy. Knowing this, Madison violated the ideals of Jeffersonian democracy by declaring war against Britain.
In 1810, the War Hawks were elected into Congress. The War Hawks believed that war was the only way for America to gain its own sovereignty and importance to the world. While Thomas Jefferson and James Madison wanted to keep peace among other nations, Jefferson issued the Embargo Act, saying that America would not trade with foreign countries until the United States received recognition. This however, backfired and the United States was set into a depression; European countries did not rely on trade from America as much as America relied on trade from Europe.
Eventually, the war ended in a tie, having both countries sign the Treaty of Ghent and America gaining the recognition it deserved across the world by not losing to one of the greatest nations on the face of the planet, Britain.