A pivotal sea change in the early history of our country and a pre-cursor to the War of 1812.
I also find it ironic that Jefferson, the so-called founder of the Democratic Party, was the first to turn away from appeasement, and the Europeans (except for the Swedes) were all about paying tribute. Some things never change.
I would also say Trump found his inner Jefferson when he confronted the Rocket Man, also eschewing decades of appeasement and look what is about to happen.
Finally, I heartily recommend Kilmeade’s “Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War Than Changed American History.”
Read it. Shocking to know how Gibralter docked warships from both sides. Guess GB was neutral. Once they left port all bets were off.