In this event, Thomas Jefferson generally stuck to his own Jeffersonian principles. He believed in free trade and recognized the importance of a navy to protect American trade. His decision to send a naval squadron to the Mediterranean to protect American ships and fight back against the Barbary states aligns with his principles.
However, Jefferson's decision to send more naval ships without informing Congress can be seen as a departure from his principle of limited executive power. This can be seen as a violation of the Constitution, which gives Congress the power to declare war. Additionally, his decision to eventually go to the negotiating table and agree to pay a ransom can be seen as a compromise rather than a decisive action.
Overall Grade: B
For each event in Jefferson’s presidency, determine if he stuck to his own Jeffersonian principles and why/why not. Then, assign him a grade (A-F or numerical) in his overall actions, taking into account context, motive, significance, outcome, etc.
The Barbary “Pirates”
When Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated in March of 1801, he inherited troubled relations with the Barbary states — the Ottoman Regencies of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, along with independent Morocco. These Barbary states on the northern coast of Africa negotiated treaties with European countries, promising peace in exchange for tribute payments. Merchants vessels without such treaties risked attack by Barbary corsairs (often incorrectly called pirates).
Between 1785 and 1796, pirates captured thirteen American ships and held more than 100 sailors as “slaves,” paralyzing American trade with the Mediterranean. The federal government under Washington and Adams paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in ransom and agreed to annual tribute payments for peace. Jefferson, however, had a different view on how to address the problem:
“Would it not be better to offer them an equal treaty. If they refuse, why not go to war with them...Our trade to Portugal, Spain, and the Mediterranean is annihilated unless we do something decisive. Tribute or war is the usual alternative of these pirates. If we yield the former, it will require sums [of money] from our citizens. Why not begin a navy then and decide on war?’
To Jefferson, part of American prosperity meant free trade, and free trade required “a protecting force on the sea.” Jefferson might have opposed a large military, but he recognized the economic importance of a navy or merchant marine. “Some naval force then is necessary if we mean to be commercial.”
In 1801, Jefferson refused demands for increased payments and sent a naval squadron to protect American ships in the Mediterranean. The pasha (king) of Tripoli declared war on the United States, at which point Jefferson sent more naval ships without informing Congress, arguing that the president did not need approval to fight back. The naval conflict lasted until 1804, when an American squadron won a victory at Tripoli harbor (a victory commemorated in the official hymn of the Marine Corps, which mentions fighting on “the shores of Tripoli”). Facing a mounting national debt he had intended to tackle, Jefferson finally decided to go to the negotiating table, signing a new treaty and agreeing to pay a $60,000 ransom for American captives.
The conclusion of the war in 1805 set off a wave of national pride among Americans, inspiring artwork and patriotic songs. But the circumstances under which peace was achieved gave President Jefferson's political opponents ammunition to criticize his decisions.
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