Study Notes on Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase

Source Information

  • Title: When the Ends Justify the Means: Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase

  • Author: Barry J. Balleck

  • Published in: Presidential Studies Quarterly, Fall, 1992, Vol. 22, No. 4

  • Pages: 679-696

  • Publisher: Wiley on behalf of the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress

  • Stable URL: JSTOR

Abstract

  • The Louisiana Purchase is deemed the greatest achievement of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency. Critics view it as a betrayal of his commitment to states' rights and strict constructionism.

  • The argument is that Jefferson prioritized the survival of Republican government over strict adherence to his political principles during this significant purchase.

  • The event resulted in the doubling of the size of the nation and the removal of France as a potential enemy in North America.

  • Jefferson believed that the purchase would support the development of a virtuous Republican citizenry.

  • This critical act raised questions about Jefferson's constitutional principles regarding strict constructionism and states’ rights, leading to controversies among contemporaries.