Achievements and Failures of Thomas Jefferson's Presidency - Research Paper Example

Topic The achievements and failures of Thomas Jeffersons presidency Thomas Jefferson should beconsidered the patron and author of civil rights and freedoms and democracy in the United States. As opposed to other heads of state which the US has had, Thomas Jefferson particularly agitated for and took part in the drafting of the documents which sanctioned civil rights in America. This means that not only did Jefferson help in the founding of civil rights, but he also helped constitutionally safeguard these rights and freedoms. However, like any other human being, Jefferson also had his failures. The failures do not undermine the prospects of him being the patron and author of the US civil rights, but his human inability to handle all things perfectly. Working in a secret Committee of Five, Thomas Jefferson authored the Declaration of Independence. The import of this is that being involved in this effort would have automatically attracted the death penalty for Jefferson and the entire committee, since secession from Britain was considered treasonous. The Declaration of the American independence would go a long way to protect the American ideals of democracy and freedom, than any other document1. Thomas Jefferson was also responsible for the passing of the Statute of Religious Freedom in Virginia. The bill was a landmark and radical piece of legislation since it cemented religious freedom in the US and gave individuals the rights and freedoms to pursue their religious convictions. Jefferson also inspired the founding of the University of Virginia, since he believed in a vibrant nation and personal freedom, as the values which the university would perpetuate. To Jefferson, it is only by making education accessible that the freedoms guaranteed in the Declaration of the American independence and the Statute of Religious Freedom would become meaningful2. It was during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency that Britain conducted search and seizures of US ships and woo many American sailors into joining the British navy. Because of this, America had to repeatedly recruit the navy. At the time, America was not strong enough to parallel Britain’s financial and military might. Thus, this incident could not be apportioned to Jefferson as his failure. Because of this, Jefferson still remains the patron and author of civil rights and freedoms and democracy in the United States. 2. How Jacksonian Democrats and Whigs differ in their understanding of American freedom and its relationship to governmental power The main difference between Jacksonian Democrats and the Whigs in their understanding of American freedom and politics is that while Whigs wanted to maintain the political and socioeconomic status quo that had been implemented by Henry Clay and John Adams, Jacksonian Democrats wanted to institute new changes that were citizen-centered. Jacksonian Democrats were interested in entrenching egalitarianism in politics. They thought that the best way of doing this was to take political participation to the people. Conversely, the Whigs were convinced that through government support, the interests of the masses would be taken care of. These differences culminated into a fierce partisan campaign in the 1850s, which came to be known as the Second Party System. Jacksonian democrats believed that the interest of the common man had been overridden by the national economic plans that had been implemented by John Adams and Henry Clay. The Whigs on the other hand vouched for active government support in ensuring economic improvement as the way to sustainable prosperity. Because of this, Jacksonian democrats wanted economic policies implemented under Adams and Clay’s terms reviewed. To the Whigs, by having a good government, the policies that Adams and Clay put in place would bring meaningful returns. Secondly, while the Whigs defended the benefits that emanated from economic development, Jacksonian democrats on the other hand wanted new forms of dependence that the economic development had created, implemented. Jacksonian democrats intended to empower the commoners (workers and laborers) as a way of achieving this aim. Part of Jacksonian democrats’ plan would be to provide the commoners with forces of production such as land. However, Jacksonian democrats limited their policies to the white American. Even during the campaigning period, Jacksonian Democracy felt the need to create a Democratic party which was centered on three qualities. First, the party declared itself that of ordinary workers and farmers. Secondly, the party opposed the issuance of special privileges to the elites. Thirdly, the party stated its intention to issue affordable western land to the commoners. This additional land would be accessed by pushing the natives further inwards. On the contrary, the Whigs wanted to maintain the status quo that Henry Clay and John Adams had set in place. It is easy to see that the differences between the Jacksonian Democracy and the Whigs political system were not those of principles, but of finding convenience in change and the status quo, respectively. While one would be tempted to think that Jacksonian Democracy was a principled egalitarian movement, it stood mainly for the benefit of the American white. Thus, Jacksonian democrats mixed equality with masculine privilege and racial discrimination. The fact that Jacksonian democrats intended to drive the natives further inwards, as a way of guaranteeing commoners western land, underscores this. Therefore, the differences between Jacksonian democrats and the Whigs was the struggle for change and the maintenance of the status quo. 3. The roots and significance of the Stamp Act controversy The Stamp Act of 1765 though punitive in its approach, directly led to the attainment of the American freedom. This act was passed because Britain needed to make more money from colonies. This was resisted by colonists, resulting into riots and boycotts which led to the repelling of the act. Britain decided to increase taxation as a way of obtaining money from the colonists. The colonists rebelled against extra taxation. The culmination of this was the implementation of harsher tax laws. Another significance of the Stamp Act controversy is that it led to the formation of the First Continental Congress in 1774. This resulted from the activities of the Boston tea Party when its participants dumped over 350 chests of tea into the famous Boston Harbor. This was a protest against excessive taxation. The First Continental Congress comprised representatives of all the 12 colonies. Another significance stemming from the Stamp Act is that the representatives also played a critical role in restoring harmonious relations with England. Out of the cordial relations that ensued between England the US, taxation was abolished. The US’ internal security became stronger since colonies were allowed to arm themselves. The concentration of arms in the 12 colonies prepared America for the American War of Independence. The American War of Independence would culminate in the attainment of the American Independence. This American War of Independence precipitated significant changes in the lives of thousands of African American slaves. These slaves in the South began to seek refuge in the British lines as they sought after freedom. As the British army evacuated Savannah and Charleston, over 10,000 former African American slaves voluntarily went with them. Some of these former slaves moved to Sierra Leone and others into Scotia3. The legacy of the war brought with it a volatile mixture of forces- the democratic energy, the patriotic fervor, nationalist sentiments and republican values. This interaction established the fate of the US. As Americans engaged themselves in the battle, they built republican institutions in place of royal authority. This unity of democrats, republicans, patriots and nationalists succored America’s public order from collapsing. Thus, the Stamp Act Authority started the chain reaction that would end in America’s independence. 4. Why the expansion of slavery became a divisive political issue The expansion of slavery became more divisive because the South relied heavily on it while a greater part of the North wanted it abolished. It had reached a point where the South’s economic mainstay was cotton-growing. This cotton crop was being grown by the large numbers of slaves in the South. Likewise, those who intended to realize profit maximization from cotton-growing moved to the South so as to exploit slave labor. Ultimately, as the South grew richer from cotton plantation and commerce, it adamantly favored the use of slave labor, unlike the South. Slavery became divisive because, unlike the South, the North saw it as an impediment to their goals. The North intended to create an industrialized society and thought that this feat could be attained through the imposition of tariffs and industries. The Northerners also wanted infrastructure developed and freedom to be guaranteed as the catalyst to an industrial development. The Southerners resisted these calls because they wanted to consolidate the wealth they had created from slave-propelled cotton farming. Thus, Northerners began to see the South and its knack for using slave labor as the impediment to the progress of the US. Conversely, slavery became a divisive issue because of religious and abolitionist movements that emanated from the North. In the North, there was a wave of religious revival, characterized by religious leaders who condemned slave labor. Upper and middle class women also emerged in the North, having been emancipated from the rigors of slave labor. The Beecher family expressly exemplifies this development. These added their voices against slave-holding South. The abolitionists and revivalists therefore created a chasm between the slave-holding South and the North. How the Compromise of 1850 attempted to resolve the issue The compromise of 1850 attempted to resolve the bad relation between the North and the South by introducing a raft of polices and legislations that would ensure fairness. The Omnibus Compromise Bill is one of the legislative items that were important in appeasing the South and North. The Omnibus Compromise Bill allowed for the declaration of California as a free state. New Mexico and Utah were granted popular sovereignty. This means that they were self-determinate and could therefore dictate their terms when applying for recognition as Free states. These legislative pieces and policies helped cement the North-South relations especially after Daniel’s Webster’s speech on March 7th, 1850, and the ascendancy of Millard Fillmore to the presidency. Bibliography Blackwell, Jacqueline. “African American Literature and Post-Racial America.” An Inquiry, 16 No. 1 (2012): 67-74. Meacham, Jon. (2012). “Keeping the Dream Alive.” Time, 180 No. 1 (2012): 2-39. Read More