MAKING OF A NEW NATION 1776 1800
THOMAS JEFFERSON
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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Jefferson doubled the size of the U.S.
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Jefferson openly supported expanding slavery
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Jefferson abandoned his strict construction belief
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Jefferson created an immediate law to make Louisiana a state
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Detailed explanation-1: -The Louisiana Purchase was very controversial at the time. President Jefferson believed in a strict construction of the US Constitution-unless the Constitution specifically granted a power to the government, the power belonged to the people.
Detailed explanation-2: -Why was Jefferson’s authorization of the LA purchase controversial? It was deemed controversial because Jefferson was a strict constructionist of the Constitution and the Constitution does not explicitly state that the president or Congress could purchase foreign land. Many thought he was being a hypocrite.
Detailed explanation-3: -Why did Jefferson abandon his strict constructionist beliefs when it came to the Louisiana Purchase? He feared that if he did not act quickly, Napoleon would withdraw the offer to purchase the entire territory.
Detailed explanation-4: -Jefferson adhered to a strict interpretation of the Constitution and believed that without a specific enumeration of his right as president to acquire the purchase, buying the Louisiana Territory could plausibly be unconstitutional.
Detailed explanation-5: -Although he was a driving force behind the creation of the Constitution, Thomas Jefferson held a strict constructionist view of the Constitution because he did not want any future political leaders to abuse their power by interpreting the Constitution differently.