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Do you feel that Thomas Jefferson made the right decision with the Louisiana Purchase?

Explain your position:

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This is very subjective so I'll present you some arguments for both sides and let you decide.

Yes:

The Louisiana Purchase was an extremely important event in American history and is widely regarded as the greatest achievement in Jefferson's presidency. It was an extraordinary opportunity to double the size of American in a single transaction for just about 3 to 4 cents an acre. It definitely made sense that Jefferson took up this opportunity to expand westward, where the land could be made productive and migrated into.

No:

1. The Louisiana Purchase may have been unconstitutional, and it went against Jefferson's strict Constitutional interpretation: the Constitution does not give the president explicit power to purchase large plots of land.

2. The Louisiana Purchase would expand government control, something that generally contradicts Jefferson's antifederalist principles.

The above two would set precedents that weakened the Antifederalists.

3. Federalists would threaten serious secession following the purchase, which threatened the Union. Talks of secession were diverted, however, after Alexander Hamilton was shot and killed in a duel with Aaron Burr.

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