Jefferson stopped paying tribute to the Barbary pirates for several reasons. For one, he felt the colonials had paid enough to the pirates. The termination in payments, however, led the pirates to seize colonial ships in the Atlantic.
He blocked the port at Tripoli with the help of King Francis of the Two Sicilies. He sent a fleet under the command of Commodore Edward Preble.
He blocked the port at Tripoli with the help of King Francis of the Two Sicilies. He sent a fleet under the command of Commodore Edward Preble.
Jefferson refused to pay protection money on the Barbary states
Jefferson refused to pay protection money to the Barbary States. ---Nova.net---
Jefferson chose to blockade Tripoli, which was one of the Barbary States, in 1801. The blockade was a response to Tripoli's demand for increased tribute payments from the United States. This ultimately led to the First Barbary War.
At the time of the American Revolution, several North African states (Tripoli, Morocco etc - the Barbary Coast) were pirating hotspots. With its independence, America lost its protection from this pirating - protection provided by England before the war and France during. As Presdent in 1801, Thomas Jefferson refused to pay protection (the usual method to avoid confrontation) and Tripoli declared war on the US. Jefferson sent naval vessels to the Mediteranean in response. Subseqent wartime action led to the "shores of Tripoli" line in the US Marine Corps Hymn.
Thomas Jefferson considered the U.S. Navy the least threatening to liberty and the most necessary for suppressing the Barbary States.
Thomas Jefferson considered the U.S. Navy the least threatening to liberty and most necessary for suppressing the Barbary States.
Three major international issues during Jefferson's presidency were the Louisiana purchase, the Barbary War, and his attempt at acquiring Florida and Haiti. The Louisiana Purchase was successful, the Barbary War with the northern Barbary states of Africa was also successful, but Jefferson had trouble with the acquisition of Florida.
Jefferson was opposed to paying tribute to the Barbary states as he saw it as yielding to piracy and extortion. He believed in taking a strong stance against the Barbary powers through military force. In contrast, John Adams was initially in favor of paying tribute to protect American interests and avoid war, but he later changed his position and supported Jefferson's view of using military force to prevent future tributes.
He paid tribute to the Barbary States.
He paid tribute to the Barbary States.
Thomas Jefferson sent the Marines to Tripoli because Pirates were attacking U.S. shipping along the northern coast of Africa. The independent Ottoman states of Morocco, Tunis, and Algiers, known collectively as the Barbary Coast, were the home to the Barbary Pirates. The first Barbary War was from 1801-1805.