Thomas Jefferson’s election as president in 1800 became the first time in American history power was peacefully transferred from one political party to another. Over his  eight years as president, Jefferson would roll-back a majority of Federalist policies and restore the nation to, what he believed, were its limited-government roots. But tensions with France and Great Britain would subsequently lead to a disastrous trade embargo that would leave the nations economy reeling in the final year of Jefferson’s presidency, and set the stage for war with Great Britain just a few years later.