Jefferson

            Jefferson faced opposition from his own party .
             As mentioned earlier, Jefferson had .
             an interest in North American exploration. He used his presidential .
             power to purchase Louisiana from France and gave Meriwither Lewis and .
             William Clark the opportunity and the responsibility to explore this .
             vast territory. After their triumphant return, the hostile Aaron Burr .
             engaged in a conspiracy either to establish an independent republic in .
             the Louisiana Territory or to launch an invasion of Spanish-held .
             Mexico. Jefferson acted promptly to arrest Burr and brought him to .
             trial for treason. Burr was acquitted, however. Foreign policy during .
             his second term was rather unsuccessful. In an effort for the British .
             to respect the United States" neutrality during the Napoleonic Wars by .
             passing the Embargo Act, he persuaded Congress to stop all trade with .
             Britain, a move that failed to gain any respect from Britain, .
             alienated New England (who lived by foreign trade), and shattered the .
             nation's economy. Fifteen months later, he repealed the Embargo Act. .
             In the final years of his life, Jefferson's major accomplishment was .
             the founding of the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. He .
             conceived it, planned it, designed it, and supervised both its .
             construction and the hiring of the workers. He also hired the first .
             professors and came up with its first course of study. .
             Jefferson wished to be remembered by three things, which .
             consisted of a trilogy of unrelated causes: freedom from Britain, .
             freedom from conscience, and freedom maintained through education. On .
             the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson .
             died in Monticello. Though not flawless, given Jefferson's .
             contributions to the shaping of American society then and how it is .
             today, it is nearly impossible to find him morally weak and coarse. .
             He has truly defined true American culture as it is today and has .
             shaped the lives of many Americans both of his time and our time .