Readings Quiz 3: Study Questions HIST 2610

What do you think Jefferson means by stating "We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists" in his inaugural address?

In Thomas Jefferson's first inaugural address, he makes the statement "We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists". In this statement he is showing that he recognizes that his people are diverse in their political affiliations, that not everyone is a Republican or a Federalist but that both are present. He says this in respect for those in opposition of his views. He goes on to describe why running the country using the Republican view is necessary, and I believe that he made the statement in question out of respect for the rivaling Federalist party.

Jackson's Bank Veto Message has been called the most forthright statement of his "Age." Explain.

Jackson's Bank Veto Message has been called the most forthright statement of his "Age" because of how direct it was. Jackson explains the problems with the current banking system and how is negatively affecting those who aren't a member of the richer elites. He goes on to encourage his people to take action against new acts made by Congress towards monopolizing or granting privileges to these elites. Basically, Jackson told his people to fight back against Congresses attempts to help the wealthiest of people at the expense of those less fortunate.

Who were the nations that could hamper the expedition's success? Did they try to interfere?

Jefferson made agreements with ambassadors from England, France, and Spain, asking that they treat those in the "Corps of Discovery" peacefully and not interfere with their exploration. Jefferson was not certain about trusting them, so he instructed these explorers to escape if they find themselves in a dangerous situation with these nations. Spain secretly made plans to go after these American explorers, but they never found them. Besides this failed attempt by Spain, no other previously mentioned nation attempted to interfere with their expedition.

How did Lewis and Clark treat the native tribes they met during the expedition? What was the result of their dealings?

Lewis and Clark came across some native tribes during their expedition. They generally approached them with caution and then proceeded to treat them with peace. They came across the occasional showdown, such as the one with the Lakota Indians. They were always able to make peace with these tribes and didn't face any extreme conflict or loss. These peaceful interactions led to the native tribes cooperation and assisting with Lewis and Clark's expedition.

What does Bredenberg mean when he calls the Lewis and Clark Expedition the "Corps" of Discovery?

Lewis and Clark's Expedition was coined the "Corps of Discovery" because of the grueling process of choosing and training those that were chosen to go on this journey. Hundreds of men volunteered but only a total of 45 men set out on this expedition. These 45 men included 14 enlisted men, plus 7 that went on part of the journey, Lewis and Clark, and some interpreters. The process of choosing these men was a very rigorous one and those chosen were the highest qualified for the job. Fifteen of the men were armed with some of the newest and most advanced weapons of that time that had just been issued to the U.S. Army. The expedition was coined the "Corps of Discovery" because it was basically a small very specialized army, setting out for discovery within the U.S.'s newest territory.

Was the expedition an exploratory or military operation, or both? Explain your answer.

Lewis and Clark's expedition was both an exploratory and military operation. Their corps journeyed far and wide discovering new land and making notes of the water system along the way. At the same time, they came across many native tribes, which required some military action/precaution. They were able to make peace and not use much military force, I would call it a diplomatic operation instead of a military one because there wasn't much force or violence used.

What are the main declarations in the Monroe Doctrine? Do you think it was right and proper for the United States to make these claims? Explain.

The Monroe Doctrine made declarations about keeping up the status of independence of the United States. It declared that to keep order and prevent trouble they should consider any attempt of colonization in that hemisphere as a dangerous threat to their system and status. I think that at this point in the development of the United States this was a right and proper claim to make, it was rather harsh but it was necessary to maintain their independent status and allow them to continue to grow and prosper without the threat of being controlled again.

What do you think were the important passages in Jackson's First Inaugural Address? Explain.

The most important thing to note about President Jackson's First Inaugural Address was how outrageously popular he was among the people. It is said that over 20,000 people came to his address. So many eager people were there and followed him that he was nearly squeezed to death by people that want to meet him. It is very evident that he was highly admired by all of the damage his crowd of fans created and cost him in broken things.

What were Thomas Jefferson's goals in commissioning expeditions into the newly acquired Louisiana Territory?

Thomas Jefferson had some goals in commissioning expeditions into the newly acquired Louisiana Territory. One of Jefferson's main goals was to show his claims to this land by way of military force against any threats from Spain, France, England, or any Indians located along this territory. To survey and explore the body of water that would be used as a source of communication for commerce. Overall, Jefferson's main goal was keeping the U.S. claim to the new territory by any means necessary.