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Thomas Jefferson: Success Or Failure?

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Thomas Jefferson: Success Or Failure?
Although Thomas Jefferson was a well-respected and beloved president he did make some mistakes during his presidency. Some of his mistakes negatively affected the entre citizenry of the United States. Thomas Jefferson’s Embargo Act of 1807 was an attempt to punish the French and the British for their interference with American trade while the two European powers were in war with each other. The law Jefferson passed failed to achieve its goal. Barring the American ships from usage of the European ports stifled American trade. This act ended up damaging American merchants more than the European government. American exports went down seventy-five percent and imports went down fifty percent. This was a great setback for American merchants. Jefferson’s hope was that the Embargo Act might prevent a war between America and Britain. It did for a short time but ended up being a precursor to the War of 1812. Congress repealed the Embargo Act in 1809, just days before Jefferson’s presidency would end. The Non-Intercourse Act that prohibited trade with France and Britain replaced the Embargo Act.
Jefferson’s first term in office led to yet another major …show more content…
He is one of the most respected of our Founding Fathers, as well as a US President. Thomas Jefferson was a leader in American History his presidency declined in respect for him politically. Thomas Jefferson’s two fatal failures are the Embargo Act and the relations with the Barbary Pirates. Both arousing American involvement in the war of 1812, thereby ruining American neutrality. Jefferson’s presidency was not a failure completely it was just flawed by these two great mistakes. Jefferson was a great man but with many flaws He made mistakes just like we all do. But in his case his actions led the economy into a decline, including loss of life, and the infrastructures imbalance. It even led to another war with the Barbary
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