Jefferson Administrations - The Jefferson Administration Legacy
The Jefferson Administration Legacy
Jefferson left his successors a stronger and larger nation, but one that would have to face serious challenges, especially in the field of foreign policy. While Jefferson technically avoided "entangling alliances," his foreign policy drew the United States further into the maelstrom of European politics. With the Louisiana Purchase, the United States increased its resources and therefore its strength, inevitably leading to antagonism with Great Britain, France, and Spain. While Jefferson desired to minimize the United States's dependence on the European powerhouses, he increased it by eliminating direct taxes, leaving the United States to rely on import duties for revenues. When the United States was caught in the middle of European war without adequate defenses during his second term, Jefferson's embargo policy was a commendable strategy for keeping the United States out of harm's way. When the...
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