Final answer:
Thomas Jefferson is known as a strict constructionist. He favored states’ rights, minimal federal intervention, a more agriculture-based economy and was against the creation of a national bank. His belief in citizens' rights to amend the Constitution shows a hint of liberal constructionism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomas Jefferson is often considered a strict constructionist. He championed the rights of states and advocated for limited federal authority, scopes of tax, and a more rural, agriculture-based economy, which are all characteristic of a strict constructionist viewpoint. His opposition to the creation of a national bank and favor of minimal federal intervention in affairs of individual states demonstrated his strict interpretation of the Constitution.
Moreover, Jefferson understood the heavy contradiction he lived in by owning hundreds of slaves while professing equality in the Declaration of Independence. He personally considered slavery to be a 'hideous blot', but politically he knew getting rid of it was not feasible during his time. However, his belief in people's ability to change laws indicates a certain degree of liberty in his view on constitutional interpretation.
Moreover, Thomas Jefferson believed strongly in the rights of the individual and the necessity of periodic constitutional conventions, where the whole constitutional system was judged anew, clearly reflecting Rousseau's philosopical ideas.
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