During the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison, Jeffersonian Republicans shifted from their strict constructionist beliefs to the broader constructionist beliefs in order to protect the country from external threats. At the same time, Federalists shifted from their broad constructionist beliefs to a more rigorous belief in order to undermine the integrity of the Republicans. The embargo of 1807 and the Louisiana Purchase were major exercises of federal power, yet presidents ultimately protected America. Although Republicans have upheld their republican values by ensuring that the federal government had a relatively unimportant role in American life, this is an exception rather than a guideline for their decisions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The enlistment of Americans into the regular army, although unconstitutional, was passed as a conscription bill through the Elastic Clause. The Elastic Clause allows for the passage of more bills deemed necessary for this growing nation. It was necessary to pass the conscription bill to protect the population because not enough Americans were volunteering for the army. Some historians may argue that by forcing Americans to enlist, they are forced to give up everything of value in their lives, however it is the opposite because ultimately this army protected America from outside forces such as the English and Native Americans (doc 2 ). Similarly, in 1807 Jefferson passed the Embargo Act to prevent British ships from taking American citizens and placing them in their navy. To do this, he prevented any American ships from leaving any port. Although this caused a depression that mainly affected traders, it also saved their lives. It was a better option than being in a naval battle and risking losing their lives for a country that wasn't even theirs. After the Embargo Act, no other American citizens were unfairly inducted into the British Navy. Through the passage of this bill and an act that was not explicitly written into the Constitution, Jefferson and Madison moved away from being typical strict constructionists for the safety of the country and its citizens from outside forces such as the British. Furthermore, in 1803 Jefferson purchased Louisiana from Napoleon in order to create a buffer between the majority of American civilization and many potentially dangerous Native American tribes. The Louisiana Purchase was the largest expansion of American land in history. It was very different from the rigid constructionist belief in meticulously following the Constitution. By purchasing this land, Jefferson not only prevented a possible conflict with France, but also protected America and its citizens from Native American threats. Although Napoleon was eager to sell his land to America, if some other country purchased the land or if France retained it, there was still the possibility of a threat. Furthermore, by purchasing this vast area of land, the government was able to create a buffer between most American settlements and the unhappy Native Americans of the West. Tecumseh's rise posed a serious threat to the concentration of the American population. And since Native Americans were mostly located outside the borders of America, this can be considered an external threat. Tecumseh's strategy in 1809 was to unite all the Native American tribes of the Mississippi Valley, north and south, to form a powerful.
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