TITLE: |
Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli pirates : the forgotten war that changed American history / Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger. |
AUTHOR: |
Kilmeade, Brian, author. |
PUBLISHED: |
New York, New York : Sentinel, 2016. |
DESCRIPTION: |
xviii, 246 pages : illustrations (some color), maps ; 22 cm. |
EDITION: |
Paperback edition. |
NOTES: |
Originally published in 2015. |
NOTES: |
"With a new afterword"--Title page verso. |
NOTES: |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
NOTES: |
This is the little-known story of how a newly independent nation was challenged by four Muslim powers and what happened when America's third president decided to stand up to intimidation. |
NOTES: |
When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America faced a crisis. The new nation was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. |
NOTES: |
Pirates from North Africa's Barbary coast routinely captured American sailors and held them as slaves, demanding ransom and tribute payments far beyond what the new country could afford. |
NOTES: |
Over the previous fifteen years, as a diplomat and then as secretary of state, Jefferson had tried to work with the Barbary states (Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco). |
NOTES: |
Unfortunately, he found it impossible to negotiate with people who believed their religion justified the plunder and enslavement of non-Muslims. |
NOTES: |
These rogue states would show no mercy -- at least not while easy money could be made by extorting America, France, England, and other powers. |
NOTES: |
So President Jefferson decided to move beyond diplomacy. He sent the U.S. Navy's new warships and a detachment of marines to blockade Tripoli-- |
NOTES: |
launching the Barbary Wars and beginning America's journey toward future superpower status. |
SUBJECT: |
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. |
SUBJECT: |
United States --History--Tripolitan War, 1801-1805. |
SUBJECT: |
United States--History --Tripolitan War, 1801-1805--Naval operations. |
SUBJECT: |
United States--History --Tripolitan War, 1801-1805 --Underground movements. |
SUBJECT: |
Pirates--Africa, North --History --19th century. |
SUBJECT: |
Pirates --Mediterranean Region --History --19th century. |
SUBJECT: |
Africa, North --History, Naval--19th century. |
ADDED ENTRY: |
Yaeger, Don, author. |