Unit 3 LEQs (Long Essay Questions)
LEQ 1: Expansion of Democratic IdealsPrompt: Evaluate the extent to which the Jeffersonian era (1800–1828) marked a turning point in the expansion of democratic ideals in the United States.

• Historical Thinking Skill: Continuity and Change over Time (CCOT)
• Possible Thesis: While the Jeffersonian era saw significant expansion in the political participation of white men through universal white male suffrage and an emphasis on republican ideals, it also maintained continuity in the exclusion of women, Native Americans, and African Americans from democratic participation.
• Evidence:
  • Political changes under Jefferson (e.g., simplified presidency, belief in the "common man").
  • Expansion of suffrage for white males.
  • Continuation of slavery and exclusion of marginalized groups.

LEQ 2: Territorial Expansion and Its EffectsPrompt: Analyze the causes and consequences of territorial expansion during the Age of Jefferson (1800–1828).

• Historical Thinking Skill: Causation
• Possible Thesis: The Jeffersonian era's territorial expansion, driven by the Louisiana Purchase and westward migration, increased opportunities for settlers and economic growth while exacerbating tensions over slavery, Native American relations, and federal power.
• Evidence:
  • Louisiana Purchase (1803) and its geopolitical/economic impacts.
  • Lewis and Clark Expedition.
  • Tensions with Native Americans (e.g., Tecumseh’s Confederacy, Indian Removal policies).
  • Missouri Compromise (1820).

LEQ 3: The Role of the Federal GovernmentPrompt: To what extent did the policies of the Jeffersonian Republicans reflect their original vision of limited government during the Age of Jefferson (1800–1828)?

• Historical Thinking Skill: Comparison
• Possible Thesis: While Jeffersonian Republicans initially championed limited government and strict construction of the Constitution, their policies, such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Embargo Act, revealed pragmatic departures from their ideological principles.
• Evidence:
  • Jefferson’s strict vs. loose interpretation of the Constitution during the Louisiana Purchase.
  • The Embargo Act of 1807 and its economic effects.
  • Reduction of military expenditures vs. use of federal power in domestic matters (e.g., suppression of the Barbary Pirates).