1
Reasons Why Thomas Jefferson was a
Great President
By Jessie Park
2
Thomas Jefferson was one of the greatest presidents in all of history. In
order to fully understand how he thinks and why he is so loved, you have to know
his background. Jefferson was born in Shadwell, Virginia on April 13, 1743. He
was born into a prominent family among the Virginia’s planter elite. His father
was a successful farmer and produced the first accurate map of the Province of
Virginia. He had two older sisters, two younger sisters and a younger brother.
Jefferson made his studies a priority in his life. He enjoyed practicing the violin
and reading and began studying Latin and Greek at nine years old. Thomas later
attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, which was
the second oldest college in America. Just three years after attending the
College of William and Mary, Jefferson started to read law under one of the preeminent lawyers of the American colonies named George Wythe. Thomas
Jefferson studied law for five years under Wythe. By 1767, he was “one of the
most learned lawyers in America.”1 While practicing law, Jefferson met Martha
Wayles Skelton, who was a widow and very wealthy. They got married on
January 1, 1772. Four of the six children that they had together, survived into
adulthood.
Before Thomas Jefferson even became president he was appointed to
write the draft of the Declaration of Independence because so many people had
great respect for him and his ability to write effectively. He was selected for what
1
A&E Networks Television. "Thomas Jefferson biography." Bio.com.
http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-jefferson-9353715?page=1#early-life
(accessed November 25, 2013).
3
John Adams would say his "happy talent for composition and singular felicity of
expression."2 He said this about himself after writing the document, "not to find
out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say
things which had never been said before, but to place before mankind the
common sense of the subject in terms so plain and firm as to command their
assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to
take. Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from
any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the
American mind, and to give to that expression the proper tone and spirit called
for by the occasion"3(Thomas Jefferson).
The Declaration of Independence was created to separate the United
Colonies from Great Britain’s political connection. King George the III was
making many American’s believe he was “treating the colonies as a foreign
entity.”4 He did many things to upset the American people for example he made
all of the American vessels and cargoes forfeit to the crown and Congress later
found out that the King had negotiated treaties with German states to hire
2
A&E Networks Television. "Thomas Jefferson biography." Bio.com.
http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-jefferson-9353715?page=2#draftingthe-declaration-of-independence (accessed November 25, 2013).
3 "The Declaration of Independence historical background." Declaration of
Independence historical background. http://www.age-of-thesage.org/philosophy/declaration_of_independence.html (accessed November 25,
2013).
4 "The Declaration of Independence historical background." Declaration of
Independence historical background. http://www.age-of-thesage.org/philosophy/declaration_of_independence.html (accessed November 25,
2013).
4
mercenaries to fight in America. The Colonists were tired of being controlled by
Great Britain therefore someone had to come up with a solution. After Richard
Henry Lee of Virginia read his resolution about separating from Great Britain,
Congress discussed it and established a committee of five to write the draft. In
the committee were John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R.
Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson. It was decided that Thomas Jefferson was
going to write it himself and accepted the task. “Thomas Jefferson took 17 days
to write the Declaration of Independence, and the Second Continental Congress
spent two days making some changes to the document. On July 4th, 1776, the
Congress voted to accept the Declaration of Independence…”5
In the Declaration of Independence Jefferson’s began the preamble with
the natural rights of all human beings and then wrote of his complaint about King
George the III. He also wrote how the American colonies were to no longer be
tied to Great Britain in any way. Some of his most famous words in the
Declaration of Independence say this, “We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness.”6
5
"Apostille US." How long did it take to write the Declaration of Independence?.
http://www.apostille.us/faq/how-long-did-it-take-to-write-the-declar.shtml
(accessed November 25, 2013).
6 "Declaration of Independence - Text Transcript." Declaration of Independence Text Transcript.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html (accessed
November 24, 2013).
5
One of Thomas Jefferson’s greatest accomplishments while in office was
the Louisiana Purchase Treaty. He wanted to expand westward for the growth of
America and to strengthen American farming. When the French regained power
over Louisiana, Napoleon threatened to block the Mississippi River, which was
the important port of New Orleans. This was a problem for those who depended
on river transport because overland trade was more expensive. Jefferson writes
in April 1802, "This little event, of France's possessing herself of Louisiana, is the
embryo of a tornado which will burst on the countries on both sides of the Atlantic
and involve in it's effects their highest destinies.”7
In 1762, France gave New Orleans and Louisiana west of the Mississippi
River to Spain and their land east of the Mississippi were given up to Britain the
very next year. “The Louisiana situation reached a crisis point in October 1802
when Spain's King Charles IV signed a decree transferring the territory to France
and the Spanish agent in New Orleans, acting on orders from the Spanish court,
revoked Americans' access to the port's warehouses. These moves prompted
outrage in the United States.”8 These events immediately motivate Jefferson to
take action.
7
"The Louisiana Purchase." Thomas Jeffersons Monticello Blog RSS.
http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/louisiana-purchase (accessed November
24, 2013).
8 "The Louisiana Purchase." Thomas Jeffersons Monticello Blog RSS.
http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/louisiana-purchase (accessed November
24, 2013).
6
Thomas chooses to send James Monroe to join Robert Livingston, French
minister, to negotiate the purchase of the city of New Orleans and all or part of
Florida for $10 million from France. Luckily, Napoleon needed money for his
renewed war with Great Britain and was sick of governing lands from a distance.
They all agreed on $15 million for the entire Louisiana territory. “The price of $15
million amounted to approximately four cents per acre for 828,000 square
miles.”9 The Louisiana territory included from the Mississippi River to the Rocky
Mountains to the United States. This doubled the United States.
Although many argued that this purchase was not aloud according to the
constitution, Jefferson chose to do it to fulfill national interest. “The Senate
ratified the treaty on October 20th by a vote of 24 to 7.”10
After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Jefferson began an exploration of
the new land. Meriwether Lewis, Jefferson’s personal secretary, was selected to
make the expedition in favor of his intelligence and skills. Lewis requested
William Clark’s help whose skills were even stronger as a draftsman and
frontiersman. Clark was made co-commanding captain of the expedition, which
Lewis made him out of his respect for him. “Jefferson hoped that Lewis and
9
"Miller Center." Presidential Key Events-.
http://millercenter.org/president/jefferson/key-events (accessed November 25,
2013).
10 "The Louisiana Purchase." Thomas Jeffersons Monticello Blog RSS.
http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/louisiana-purchase (accessed November
24, 2013).
7
Clark would find a water route linking the Columbia and Missouri rivers. This
water link would connect the Pacific Ocean with the Mississippi River system,
thus giving the new western land access to port markets out of the Gulf of Mexico
and to eastern cities along the Ohio River and its minor tributaries.”11 They
planned to launch their expedition just out side of St. Louis at Camp Wood in the
summer of 1804. They traveled up the Missouri River to a trading post in Fort
Mandan, where they camped and prepared for their traveling to the Pacific.
When spring came around, the weather was nice and the water was high which
meant it was time to continue on their journey. They met some Shoshone
Indians who helped them over the great Rocky Mountains and found their way to
Fort Clatsop in Columbia, where they wintered. The Lewis and Clark Expedition
returned to St. Louis by September 1806 to report back to Thomas Jefferson.
During their adventure they established relationships with the Indians, continued
to do some trading, they recorded contact with the Indians and described the
landscape shape as well as the creatures. “Along the way, William Clark drew a
series of maps that were remarkably detailed, noting and naming rivers and
creeks, significant points in the landscape, the shape of river shore, and spots
where the Corps spent each night or camped or portaged for longer periods of
time.”12 They were gone for two-and-a-half years, which couldn’t have been easy
11
"Teaching With Documents: The Lewis and Clark Expedition." Lewis & Clark
Expedition. http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/lewis-clark/ (accessed
November 25, 2013).
12 "Teaching With Documents: The Lewis and Clark Expedition." Lewis & Clark
Expedition. http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/lewis-clark/ (accessed
November 25, 2013).
8
yet they made the trip. Over the years many Americans and immigrants traveled
westward after the new discoveries.
All of this was made possible because he “foresaw the continental destiny
of the Nation.”13 Jefferson expanded America and gave it room to grow.
Another way Jefferson was a great president was that he was very frugal
with money, which “allowed him to reduce the national debt more than 25 percent
during his time in office despite paying 15 million for the Louisiana Purchase,
doubling the nation's territory in 1803.”14 The national debt went from being $80
million to $57 million. He cut spending where it wasn’t completely necessary to
spend money on and lowered expenses for government social functions. On top
of all of that, “He pressured Congress to abolish the direct tax of 1798.”15
Jefferson believed in states rights over a big central government. He
believed that the Federal government should be limited in what they can do and
control and that the states should be able to nullify federal laws. “Most bad
13
"National Park Service - Lewis and Clark (Historical Background)." National
Park Service - Lewis and Clark (Historical Background).
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/lewisandclark/intro.htm (accessed
November 25, 2013).
14 PBS. "American Experience: TV's most-watched history series.." PBS.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biography/presidentsjefferson/ (accessed November 25)
15 "Miller Center." American President: Thomas Jefferson: Domestic Affairs.
http://millercenter.org/president/jefferson/essays/biography/4 (accessed
November 25, 2013).
9
government has grown out of too much government.”(Thomas Jefferson)16
Although Jefferson was put in tough situations regarding the constitution, he was
a believer in what it stated. “A free people [claim] their rights as derived from the
laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate.”(Thomas Jefferson)17
Thomas Jefferson served as U.S. minister to France and U.S. secretary of
state, and was vice president under John Adam. On top of that was governor of
Virginia, and served in the Virginia legislature and the Continental Congress. He
studies much in his life and learned a lot. Education was important to him. One
of his main accomplishments that he devoted himself to was founding the
University of Virginia.
"John Petrie’s Collection of." The Greatest Thomas Jefferson quotes.
http://jpetrie.myweb.uga.edu/TJ.html (accessed November 25, 2013).
17 "John Petrie’s Collection of." The Greatest Thomas Jefferson quotes.
http://jpetrie.myweb.uga.edu/TJ.html (accessed November 25, 2013).
16
10
Bibliography
A&E Networks Television. "Thomas Jefferson biography." Bio.com.
http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-jefferson-9353715?page=1#early-life
(accessed November 25, 2013).
A&E Networks Television. "Thomas Jefferson biography." Bio.com.
http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-jefferson-9353715?page=2#draftingthe-declaration-of-independence (accessed November 25, 2013).
"The Declaration of Independence historical background." Declaration of
Independence historical background. http://www.age-of-thesage.org/philosophy/declaration_of_independence.html (accessed November 25,
2013).
"Apostille US." How long did it take to write the Declaration of Independence?.
http://www.apostille.us/faq/how-long-did-it-take-to-write-the-declar.shtml
(accessed November 25, 2013).
"Declaration of Independence - Text Transcript." Declaration of Independence Text Transcript.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html (accessed
November 24, 2013).
"The Louisiana Purchase." Thomas Jeffersons Monticello Blog RSS.
http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/louisiana-purchase (accessed November
24, 2013).
"Miller Center." Presidential Key Events-.
http://millercenter.org/president/jefferson/key-events (accessed November 25,
2013).
"The Louisiana Purchase." Thomas Jeffersons Monticello Blog RSS.
http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/louisiana-purchase (accessed November
24, 2013).
11
"Teaching With Documents: The Lewis and Clark Expedition." Lewis & Clark
Expedition. http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/lewis-clark/ (accessed
November 25, 2013).
"National Park Service - Lewis and Clark (Historical Background)." National Park
Service - Lewis and Clark (Historical Background).
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/lewisandclark/intro.htm (accessed
November 25, 2013).
PBS. "American Experience: TV's most-watched history series.." PBS.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biography/presidentsjefferson/ (accessed November 25)
"Miller Center." American President: Thomas Jefferson: Domestic Affairs.
http://millercenter.org/president/jefferson/essays/biography/4 (accessed
November 25, 2013).
"John Petrie’s Collection of." The Greatest Thomas Jefferson quotes.
http://jpetrie.myweb.uga.edu/TJ.html (accessed November 25, 2013).