Editing Thomas Jefferson (section)

====First Barbary War====
{{Main|First Barbary War}}
[[File:1800 map Afrique by Arrowsmith BPL 15210 detail2.jpg|thumb|alt=Map. Barbary Coast of North Africa 1806|The [[Barbary Coast]] of [[North Africa]] in 1806, including (left to right): [[Morocco]], [[Gibraltar]], [[Tunis]], and [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]]]]

American merchant ships had been protected from [[Barbary Coast]] pirates by the [[Royal Navy]] when the states were British colonies.<ref>[[#Fremont-Barnes|Fremont-Barnes, 2006]], p. 32.</ref> After independence, however, pirates often captured U.S. merchant ships, pillaged cargoes, and enslaved or held crew members for ransom. Jefferson had opposed paying tribute to the Barbary States since 1785. In 1801, he authorized a U.S. Navy fleet under Commodore [[Richard Dale]] to make a show of force in the Mediterranean, the first American naval squadron to cross the Atlantic.<ref name="Meacham pp. 364">[[#Meacham|Meacham, 2012]], pp. 364–365.</ref> Following the fleet's first engagement, he successfully asked Congress for a declaration of war.<ref name="Meacham pp. 364"/> The "First Barbary War" was the first foreign war fought by the U.S.<ref>[[#CITEREFHerring2008|Herring, 2008]], p. 97.</ref>

[[Pasha]] of [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]] [[Yusuf Karamanli]] captured the {{USS|Philadelphia|1799|6}}, so Jefferson authorized [[William Eaton (soldier)|William Eaton]], the U.S. Consul to [[Tunis]], to lead a force to restore the pasha's older brother to the throne.<ref>[[#Wood2010|Wood, 2010]], p. 638.</ref> The American navy forced Tunis and Algiers into breaking their alliance with Tripoli. Jefferson ordered five separate naval bombardments of Tripoli, leading the pasha to sign a treaty that restored peace in the Mediterranean.<ref>[[#Bernstein03|Bernstein, 2003]], p. 146.</ref> This victory proved only temporary, but according to Wood, "many Americans celebrated it as a vindication of their policy of spreading free trade around the world and as a great victory for liberty over tyranny."<ref>[[#Wood2010|Wood, 2010]], p. 639.</ref>