Question

What actions did Thomas Jefferson take to lower the national debt?

Answer 1

Answer:

Thomas Jefferson streamlined government and he increased sales of federal land.

Explanation:

Answer 2

Answer:

The correct answer is Jefferson persuaded Congress to lower taxes.

Explanation:

When Thomas Jefferson took office in 1800, he had to deal with a huge national debt (83 million) However, unlike modern presidents, he did not grow it further. What he did was limit federal spending, especially the money aimed at mantaining a standing military force (in a period of peacetime). He believed this was a huge waste of money. Also, he persuaded Congress to lower internal taxes and to even eliminate some of them, such as the whiskey tax. So instead of increasing revenue (money collected from the citizens) to pay off the debt, Jefferson and his people decided to make more intelligent decisions.