The Constitution And Its Effect On Society - 1139 Words

Whenever decisions are made, there are always those who favor the decision, and those who oppose it. Things were no different with the Constitution. When the Constitution was written, the founders underwent a long process in order to explain how and when the Constitution would be applied. As a result of these discussions among the founders, two diverse groups were formed. One group favored a loose interpretation of the Constitution, and they believed that the government could use implied powers and that they were entitled to any powers that the Constitution did not explicitly forbid. These people wanted a stronger national government with more power. On the contrary, strict constructionists believed that the Constitution should be†¦show more content†¦The Louisiana Purchase enhanced the power of both the Legislative Branch and the Executive Branch. Prior to finalizing the deal, Jefferson sent James Monroe to purchase the land east of the Mississippi, specifically New Orleans , from France for no more than ten million dollars. However, France offered to sell the entire Louisiana territory for fifteen million dollars, since Napoleon could no longer expand his empire. The men appointed by Jefferson agreed upon the deal and sorted out the treaty. However, Jefferson, being a strict constructionist, questioned if this act was constitutional, since the Constitution listed nothing about taking foreign land. Jefferson drafted an amendment to the Constitution, in order to allow for the territory to be added to the Union, but Congress decided that the amendment was unnecessary, and ratified the treaty of purchase. Jefferson later attempted to justify his actions by arguing that his actions were valid under the treaty-making clauses of the Constitution. Because of this purchase, the size of the United States nearly doubled and allowed for Westward expansion. This deal increased the power of the President in regards to foreign relations and making treaties. Jeffers on set a precedent for all other presidents when dealing with foreign land. With the use of loose construction, Jefferson’s actions were justified by the Constitution, therefore giving all other presidents the same power. In addition, since there was