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Liberty and Empire, 1800- 1815
Overview
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By 1800 Americans were working through the meanings of liberty. Some took freedom for granted; others, for whom liberty was either limited or denied, sought a redefinition of their lack of freedom. The election of Thomas Jefferson in 1800 ushered in a new administration in more ways than one. The Republicans were committed to "the principles of limitation." In Jefferson’s inaugural address, he promised to support the ideals of equal justice, to guard against "anti-republican tendencies," and to encourage small manufacturers and farmers. He advocated a reduction in the nation’s spending. Ironically, Jefferson and his administration continued many of the policies of Federalist administrations. Wars in Europe and new traffic to the Indian Ocean produced new markets for American products. The economy grew and for the time being Jefferson’s advocacy of a political economy based on free international trade seemed vindicated. For Jefferson the right of empire was fundamental to the political economy of the republic. For many Americans, geographical expansion enlarged the opportunities for freedom; for others it enlarged the area where slave labor could expand. The nation’s geographical expansion also imperiled Indian lands and their freedom. The purchase of Louisiana in 1803 illustrates the dual consequences of expansion. Jefferson’s second term was begun with high hopes: the economy was growing, the physical size of the U.S. had grown, and the nation’s debt was falling. The Republicans controlled both houses of Congress and Jefferson and the Republicans were favorably inclined to use some federal money for internal improvements but all of this halted because of events in Europe.
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