Thomas+Jefferson+WebQuest

=Thomas Jefferson WebQuest=

1. In the [|1800 Election] there was a tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. Both were members of the same party, and the party faithful voted for each equally (one vote apiece).
 * How is a [|Presidential "tie"] in the electoral college broken according the Constitution?
 * What caused the [|contingent election] (in this case) to last 36 ballots and who ended up making the deal that broke the tie?
 * How did the [|12th Amendment] change how the Electoral College (as discussed in Article II, Section 1, Clause 3 of the Constitution) worked?

2. Aaron Burr was a kind of "shady" individual and represented a different view of what America should become.
 * Why was he originally placed on the "[|ticket]" in 1800 by the Democrat-Republicans? What caused his rift with Jefferson, eventually leading to him being dropped from the ticket in 1804?
 * What was the reason for the "[|the duel]" between Alexander Hamilton and Burr? What was the result of it?
 * What was [|Aaron Burr's Conspiracy] and do you think (based on the evidence) it was an example of treason (personal fame and glory) or patriotism (eliminate a threat to the young country)? Explain.
 * Just for fun, check out this famous "[|Got Milk?]" ad from 1993 that you should now be able to answer.

3. One of the great real estate deals in world history, the Louisiana Purchase represented an opportunity even Thomas Jefferson couldn't resist.
 * The Haitian Revolution (and the failure of the French to win it back), ended the possibility of a New World empire for Napoleon. The creation of a free republic, but one under the control of slaves, was an awkward one for the new United States - [|how did Jefferson see the situation]?
 * Regardless of Haiti, it presented an opportunity. How did James Monroe come to [|purchase Louisiana] and how did Jefferson answer critics who said the purchase was unconstitutional?
 * What was the mission that Jefferson assigned to the [|Corps of Discovery]? What were the ramifications of this journey and why does it continue to capture the imagination of Americans today?

4. Read the [|Marine Corp hymn] here. In the first part of the song, it talks about the "shores of Tripoli".
 * Read [|this article] from //Time// magazine and give a summary of what happened there. Why do you think the Marines felt they needed to commemorate this event in song?
 * Is this event an indication of the strength or weakness of the United States? Explain why or why not.
 * When you compare this event to Jefferson's reaction to the XYZ Affair/Quasi-War with France during the Adams' administration, could you argue his violates his principles? Explain why or why not.

5. Read this brief account of [|Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings] "scandal" rumor that began in 1802.
 * With the DNA results coming back positive in 1998 for a male Jefferson "match" on the Hemmings' side of the family, do you think it was Thomas or another male relative? What evidence from the article backs-up your point of view?
 * Do you agree or disagree how the [|Jefferson decedents] are treating their "new" relatives, according to this 2004 Time magazine article? Why?

6. Check out virtual tour of [|Monticello], Jefferson's home (click on the "Explore the House" to do it yourself or click "General House Tour" for an narrated version).
 * Which room did you like the most? Explain why you liked the room. Note: If you are "Exploring the House", click on the camera in order to see the room decorated.
 * How is Monticello a "[|mirror of Jefferson]"? Why did Jefferson design the grounds and the buildings the way that he did (what were his inspirations)?
 * Compare the look of his house to another thing he designed, the [|University of Virginia campus](notably the Rotunda, Academical Village, and Gardens)
 * Using the article selected, discuss how did the [|University of Virginia] represented what Jefferson thought a college campus should "be like"?
 * Why are the "[|Academical Village]" dorms" different from the other dorms on campus and why are they the most "desired" ones on campus (check out the video on the page)?

7. Read [|The Dark Side of Thomas Jefferson].
 * According to the article, what caused Jefferson to not push for general emancipation after 1790 or even freeing his own slaves (despite having the opportunity to do so following Thaddeus Kos­ciuszko's death)?
 * Why do you think that historians "hid" his treatment of slaves at Monticello? Explain your response.
 * Using the case James Hubbard, how was this an example of Jefferson's contradiction between being a slave holder and also the foremost authority on freedom and liberty? How was he able to balance those two views (or did he)?

8. Read [|What can we learn from Jefferson]?
 * According to this article from 2004, what were Jefferson's defining characteristics?
 * Write down a profile of Jefferson's political beliefs and reasons behind them.
 * Which political party would Jefferson "fit into" today and why?