Simone Lawson
Thomas Jefferson's diplomacy was largely shaped by his time as Secretary of State, his support for the French Revolution, and his interest in territorial expansion. Jefferson's foreign policy initiatives included the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the US, and the Embargo Act, which was a failure. He was the first president to commit US forces to a foreign war, engaging with Barbary pirates to protect American merchant ships. Jefferson's diplomacy was also marked by his desire to balance a weak geopolitical position with commercial and territorial expansion, and his approach to foreign affairs was influenced by his preference for France over Britain.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Foreign policy concerns | Relationships with the major European powers, particularly the United Kingdom, France, and Spain |
| Diplomacy | Negotiated a commercial treaty with Prussia and the Consular Convention with France |
| Presidency | Committed U.S. forces to a foreign war |
| Presidency | Sent U.S. warships to force the Barbary States to cease harassing U.S. shipping |
| Presidency | Pushed for the 1807 Embargo Act, which prohibited U.S. shipping |
| Presidency | Banned all British ships from U.S. ports |
| Presidency | Ordered state governors to prepare to call up 100,000 militiamen |
| Presidency | Suspended trade with all of Europe |
| Presidency | Planned the Embargo Act of 1807 to force Europe to comply |
| Presidency | Forbade trade with both France and Britain |
| Presidency | Strategic purchase of the port of New Orleans and possibly West Florida |
| Presidency | Louisiana Purchase of 1803, made by Jefferson in a $15 million deal with Napoleon Bonaparte |
| Presidency | Doubled the size of the nation |
| Presidency | First president to commit U.S. forces to a foreign war |
| Presidency | Sent Navy ships and a contingent of Marines to Tripoli |
| Presidency | Tried to craft a foreign policy that allowed the United States to trade with both France and England without taking sides in their war |
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What You'll Learn
War with the Barbary Pirates
Thomas Jefferson's diplomacy was marked by highs and lows, including the successful Louisiana Purchase and the disastrous Embargo Act. However, one of the most notable aspects of his foreign policy was his handling of the Barbary Pirates.
The Barbary Pirates, or the Barbary States, were a collection of North African states, including Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, that practiced state-supported piracy. They would plunder and loot ships, capture sailors, and hold them for ransom or sell them into the Ottoman (Turkish) slave trade. These pirates considered themselves at war with any nation that did not pay them tributes or protection money.
When the US gained independence, the British fleet no longer protected American ships from the Barbary Pirates. Despite Congress appropriating funds for tribute payments, attacks continued. By 1794, the pirates were holding dozens of US citizens for ransom, and Thomas Jefferson, then serving as President George Washington's Secretary of State, advised Congress to declare war on the pirates. However, Congress did not follow his advice, and tribute payments continued under President John Adams.
When Jefferson became President in 1801, he put an end to the tribute payments, refusing to meet the increased demands of the Pasha of Tripoli. He sent warships to the Mediterranean, blockaded Tripoli, and even attempted an unsuccessful coup in the North African state. This marked the first overseas military engagement of the United States and convinced Jefferson of the need for a well-equipped navy and a professionally trained military officer cadre. The conflict with Tripoli lasted from 1801 to 1805 and ended with an agreement that involved a final payment of tribute.
Years later, in 1815, President James Madison, Jefferson's former Secretary of State, sent the navy to the Barbary Coast again. Decatur, a naval officer, defeated Algerian warships, secured the release of European captives in Tripoli, and obtained treaties with Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli that ended the practices of tribute and ransom. Madison eventually declared victory over the Barbary Pirates.
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Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson's diplomacy was marked by highs and lows, including the successful Louisiana Purchase and the disastrous Embargo Act.
The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal between the United States and France, in which the US acquired approximately 827,000 to 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million. The purchase effectively blocked Spain and France from North America and doubled the size of the US, setting it on a course of westward expansion across the continent.
In 1800, Jefferson learned that Spain had secretly ceded Louisiana to France, which caused him concern as he did not want the powerful French to be in control of New Orleans. He instructed his ministers to negotiate the purchase of the port of New Orleans and possibly West Florida. However, when Napoleon came to power in 1802, he planned to reclaim Louisiana from Spain and sent a military corps to reoccupy New Orleans. This army was met with disease and revolution in Haiti, which caused Napoleon to consider Louisiana too costly and cumbersome to maintain. Upon meeting with US diplomats, he offered to sell all of Louisiana for $15 million. Although this exceeded the diplomats' instructions from Jefferson, they agreed to the purchase.
Jefferson initially had doubts about the purchase as he was a strict interpreter of the Constitution and wondered if the US government was authorized to acquire new territory. However, he ultimately decided to ignore the legalistic interpretation of the Constitution due to the public support for the purchase and the obvious value of Louisiana to the future growth of the US. The purchase was ratified by Congress five months later, and Jefferson sent a twenty-five-man expedition, led by his secretary Meriwether Lewis and Army Captain William Clark, to explore the new lands.
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Neutrality in the Napoleonic Wars
Thomas Jefferson's diplomacy was largely shaped by his desire to limit the federal government's reach. However, foreign affairs dominated his presidency, and he was forced to adopt Federalist policies that contradicted his political philosophy. One of the key foreign policy concerns during Jefferson's administration was maintaining neutrality in the Napoleonic Wars.
Jefferson sought to keep the United States neutral in the Napoleonic Wars, which pitted France against England and other European powers. He recognized the importance of trade with both sides and wanted to avoid taking sides. In 1803, he made the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon Bonaparte, doubling the size of the nation and adding a vast territory west of the Mississippi River. This purchase secured access to the Gulf of Mexico for American farmers and demonstrated Jefferson's willingness to negotiate with both France and England.
However, tensions with England escalated due to the issue of impressment, where British warships would seize American ships and force American sailors into service in the Royal Navy. This practice, along with trade restrictions imposed by both sides, made it difficult for the United States to maintain neutrality. In response to these violations of "neutral trade rights," Jefferson took a strong stance, banning British ships from U.S. ports and suspending trade with all of Europe.
Despite these challenges, Jefferson continued to prioritize neutrality in the Napoleonic Wars. He understood that taking sides in the conflict could have detrimental economic and political consequences for the young nation. Jefferson's efforts to maintain neutrality, while protecting American interests, shaped his diplomatic approach during a complex and volatile period in European history.
It is worth noting that Jefferson's stance on neutrality was not without criticism. Some viewed his policies as favouring agrarian interests over commercial ones, and his Embargo Act of 1807, which forbade trade with France and Britain, proved ineffective and unpopular.
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Tensions with Britain
Jefferson's attempts to maintain neutrality in the face of British and French violations of American "neutral trade rights" proved challenging. Both sides imposed trade restrictions, but the United States considered Great Britain the bigger violator due to its practice of impressment—kidnapping American sailors from American ships to serve in the British Navy. The British navy also seized American ships bound for Europe, further escalating tensions.
The situation worsened in the summer of 1807 when the British warship Leopard fired on the American naval frigate Chesapeake, killing three Americans, after the Chesapeake refused to allow the Leopard to board and search for deserters. This incident caused uproar across the nation, with cries for war with Britain. Jefferson responded by banning all British ships from U.S. ports, ordering state governors to prepare to call up 100,000 militiamen, and suspending trade with all of Europe through the Embargo Act of 1807. This Act was intended to force Europe to comply with American neutrality but failed to achieve its goal and was highly unpopular, particularly in New England, which resorted to smuggling operations.
Jefferson's actions during his presidency, driven by his desire to maintain neutrality and protect American interests, had the unintended consequence of increasing tensions with Britain and ultimately leading to war in 1812.
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Support for the French Revolution
Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, was one of the most influential supporters of the French Revolution. He joined the American mission in France in 1784 and replaced Benjamin Franklin as minister the following year. He witnessed the outbreak of the revolution in 1789 and was then appointed secretary of state by George Washington.
Jefferson's early sympathy for the French Revolution and desire for American territorial expansion led to a 'neutralism' which effectively supported Napoleon Bonaparte and brought about war with Britain. Jefferson's affinity towards the French stemmed from their support for the United States during the Revolutionary War. However, Jefferson's support for the French Revolution waned over time, and he eventually concluded that the French minister plenipotentiary, Charles-Edmond Genet, was an embarrassment. Genet's task was to export the French Revolution to America, and his activities were seen as overly aggressive.
Jefferson's desire to maintain neutrality in the conflict between France and Britain was ultimately unsuccessful, as both sides considered trade with the other an act of war. Jefferson's strict constructionist ideals were also tested when he approved the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon, which doubled the size of the United States. This purchase was motivated by Jefferson's interest in territorial expansion and his recognition that the French reacquisition of Louisiana would threaten American navigation rights on the Mississippi River.
Jefferson's foreign policy initiatives also included the Embargo Act of 1807, which prohibited trade with both France and Britain. This act was highly unpopular and ineffective, crippling the US economy and leaving the nation unprepared for the war with Britain in 1812.
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Frequently asked questions
Jefferson was one of the most influential American supporters of the French Revolution. He witnessed the outbreak of the revolution in 1789 and was appointed secretary of state by George Washington. However, his love affair with the French Revolution slowly faded, and he eventually concluded that the French minister to the U.S., Charles-Edmond Genet, was an embarrassment.
Jefferson's early sympathy for the French Revolution and desire for American territorial expansion led to a 'neutralism' that effectively supported Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1803, Napoleon offered to sell the Louisiana Territory to Jefferson for $15 million. Jefferson approved the purchase, doubling the size of the United States.
Jefferson was the first president to commit U.S. forces to a foreign war. He sent Navy ships and Marines to Tripoli to end the practice of bribery payments demanded by the Barbary pirates. This marked the United States' first successful overseas venture.
The Embargo Act of 1807 was a foreign policy initiative by Jefferson to force Europe to comply with American "neutral trade rights". It forbade trade with both France and Britain, but it crippled the U.S. economy and left the nation ill-prepared for the war with Great Britain that began in 1812.
