When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, the United States was still a young nation. The Constitution had only been in effect for a little more than a decade, and many people wondered whether the country would survive. Jefferson and his supporters believed the nation faced several important problems.
One major concern was the size and power of the federal government. During the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams, the national government had grown stronger. Many Democratic-Republicans worried that government leaders could gain too much power and become disconnected from ordinary citizens. They feared the United States might begin to resemble the European governments that Americans had fought against during the Revolution.
Another problem was the national debt. The federal government had borrowed large amounts of money during and after the Revolutionary War. Jefferson and his supporters believed that carrying too much debt could make the nation financially weak. They worried that future generations would have to pay for those debts through taxes and government spending.
Taxes were also a source of concern. Many Americans disliked federal taxes and believed the government was collecting more money than necessary. Farmers, who made up most of the population, often felt that government policies favored wealthy merchants and business leaders more than ordinary workers and landowners.
Jefferson also inherited several foreign policy challenges when he took office in 1801. Britain and France were fighting a series of wars in Europe, and both countries interfered with American trade. American ships were sometimes stopped, searched, or seized. British forces also impressed sailors, forcing them into military service. At the same time, attacks on American shipping by the Barbary States of North Africa threatened trade in the Mediterranean Sea. These problems worried many Americans because trade was an important part of the nation's economy. Ongoing conflicts overseas created uncertainty for merchants, farmers, and sailors and raised difficult questions about how the United States should protect its interests.
Many Democratic-Republicans also worried that wealth and power were becoming concentrated in the hands of a small group of people. They believed a republic worked best when ordinary citizens, especially independent farmers, had opportunities to succeed and participate in government.
By 1801, Jefferson and his supporters believed the nation needed a new direction. They wanted to reduce debt, limit government power, protect individual liberty, and create policies that would better serve ordinary Americans.
