My Library

The United States, the Louisiana Purchase, and other territories.

Lesson Plan

Expanding the Nation

A lesson plan for use in middle and high school classrooms.

Jefferson’s eight years as president saw successes for the United States, but sometimes his decisions did not always completely align with his Democratic-Republican ideology. A major way Jefferson sought to impose his vision of policy on the United States was by lowering the national debt while also repealing excise taxes greatly. Jefferson shrunk the federal debt from 83 million dollars in 1801 to 57 million dollars in 1809. Other accomplishments or challenges of Jefferson’s presidency included founding the United States Military Academy at West Point, expanded the Library of Congress, First Barbary War (1801-1805), Burr Conspiracy and Trial, Embargo of 1807, Chesapeake-Leopard Affair (1807) and Congress and the Constitution ending the United States participation in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. 

The most notable success of Jefferson’s presidency was the acquisition of Louisiana Territory. In 1803 Jefferson sent James Monroe to purchase the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon. Monroe’s mission succeeded with the Louisiana purchase, purchasing 828,000 square miles for only 15 million dollars. Jefferson realized this move would be hypocritical—there was no provision in the constitution for land acquisition. Jefferson attempted to make an amendment to the constitution allowing the purchase, however, Napoleon threatened to pull out of the deal if not done expeditiously. Jefferson made the deal immediately and without clear Constitutional authority to do so. Jefferson long criticized the Federalists for their loose interpretation of the constitution, but for the largest success of his presidency, Jefferson had to stray from his strict interpretation of the constitution. Jefferson would send explorers Meriweather Lewis and William Clark to map and explore the new territory in 1804. The Louisiana Purchase nearly doubled the size of the United States; it would have far-reaching effects for settlement and future states, and it would drastically change the lives of Native American tribes who already inhabited the regions.

This Lesson Plan can be used as a prepared resource by following this curriculum plan which aligns to NCSS and Common Core Standards.

This Lesson Plan's assets can also be used on their own as supplemental resources. The display format is prepared for easy access, exploring, and learning.

Curriculum Modules
Constitutional Convention
Module | 5 Lesson Plans

1783-1812 Module

This set of lesson plans focuses on historic events between the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783 and the beginning of the War of 1812, with a...

Upon completion of this lesson, the students will be able to:

1. Knowledge

  • Recognize some of the key events and leaders of Jefferson’s presidency. 

2.   Comprehension/Application/Analysis

  • Examine a secondary source and a primary source and note political ideals upheld or challenged during Jefferson’s presidency.

3.   Evaluation

  • Evaluate when the Democratic-Republican ideals of government and when those ideals shifted with circumstances to allow for a perceived greater good.  

Check out the Lesson Plan Teaching Guide for more instructions on using the prepared Lesson Plan.

Lesson Plan Primary Source Activity

  1. Use the Lesson’s PowerPoint to explore the context and history; the PowerPoint introduces an Essential Question and lays foundational knowledge about the Jefferson’s presidency.
  2. Distribute the worksheet so students can take notes in the discussion, using Section 1 of the worksheet. 
  3. As a class or in small groups, read this secondary source article: The Jeffersonian Party. On their worksheets, have students list hallmark policies and political ideals of the Democratic-Republican Party (Jeffersonian Party).   
  4. Let students choose a primary source. Primary sources are available on the Lesson Plan Page, under the category “Primary Sources.”
  5. Students will read their selected primary source and fill out or discuss the questions in Sections 2-4.  
  6. Encourage a class discussion around the findings and reflections, particularly from Section 4 of the worksheet. 

OPTIONAL HOMEWORK/ASSESSMENT/ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES: 

Option 1: Jefferson’s First Inaugural Address

The Election of 1800 was intense and contested. When the results were decided in Thomas Jefferson’s favor, he prepared to take office just a couple of weeks later. 

Summarize the Election of 1800 or have the students read this article: The Election of 1800. 

Then, read aloud Jefferson’s First Inaugural Address while students take notes of unifying themes in the speech.

  1. What key principles did Jefferson emphasize in his speech?
  2. How did Jefferson address the divisions between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans?
  3. What did Jefferson say about the role of government?
  4. What democratic values did Jefferson highlight in his speech?
  5. How did Jefferson’s speech reflect his vision for America’s future?

Option 2: The Louisiana Purchase

The Library of Congress has an online exhibit of maps and artifacts related to the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis & Clark Expedition. 

Begin with a classroom discussion: 

  • What do you already know about the Louisiana Purchase and its exploration?
  • Why do you think the Louisiana Purchase was important to U.S. history?
  • What questions do you have about the Louisiana Purchase? (write down or have students write down their questions)
  • How do you think acquiring new land affected the United States? (Encourage critical thinking about national expansion, Native American relations and government policies.) 

As a class or in groups, explore the Library of Congress’s online exhibit “Rivers, Edens, Empires: Lewis & Clark and the Revealing of America” and allow the students to research answers to their questions. There are tabs at the top of the exhibit for different sections and online views of maps, artifacts, primary sources and secondary material are available in the exhibit. The tab labeled “Lewis and Clark” may be most useful!

At the conclusion of the research time, invite students to share their findings and what questions were answered. 

Common Core State Standards- ELA & History/Social Studies

Grades 6-8

  • Key Ideas and Details:
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1
      • Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2
      • Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
  • Craft and Structure:
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.4
      • Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6
      • Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
  • Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.8
      • Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

Grades 9-10

  • Key Ideas and Details:
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1
      • Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
  • Craft and Structure:
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.4
      • Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.5
      • Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.

Grades 11-12

  • Key Ideas and Details:
    • CSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1
      • Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
    • CSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2
      • Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
  • Craft and Structure:
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.4
      • Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.6
      • Evaluate authors' differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors' claims, reasoning, and evidence.
  • Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.8
      • Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.

Social Studies - National Council for the Social Studies

  • Theme 2: Time, Continuity, and Change
  • Theme 3: People, Places, and Environments
  • Theme 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
  • Theme 6: Power, Authority, and Governance
  • Theme 10: Civic Ideals and Practices
Primary Sources
Articles
Biographies

This Lesson plan
contains the following:

3 Activities | 20 Resources

Audience: Middle school | High school

This Lesson plan is a part of:
| 1783-1812 Module