John Adams & Thomas Jefferson s Presidencies John Adams Thomas Jefferson
John Adams Presidency (1797-1801)
John Adams Presidency (1797-1801) Election of 1796 After George Washington chose not to run for a third term, the United States faced a new situation: a contest between opposing parties, the Federalists and the Democratic- Republicans. John Adams Federalists nominated Washington s Vice President, John Adams. Democratic-Republicans nominated the Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson
John Adams Presidency (1797-1801) Election of 1796 Adams won a narrow victory, and Thomas Jefferson, the runner-up became Vice President. The 1796 election showed beginning of sectionalism* (loyalty to a region s interests over those of the nation as a whole) North voted for Adams; South voted for Jefferson
John Adams Presidency (1797-1801) XYZ Affair* In 1796, France began seizing American ships in response to U.S. allowing Britain to continue fur trade around the Great Lakes. Part of Jay s Treaty (1794) agreement President Adams sent a team of diplomats to negotiate a solution. France sent three low-level officials to the meeting, who demanded a $250,000 bribe to speak with the French foreign minister. For the next two years, France & U.S. engaged in undeclared naval war and Americans chanted Millions for defense, not one cent for tribute! Because President Adams never declared war, this was known as the Quasi-War with France, and only lasted two years.
John Adams Presidency (1797-1801) Alien & Sedition Acts* Democratic-Republicans praised Adams for avoiding war with France, but criticized him on other issues. Some Federalists claimed that the Democratic-Republicans favored other nations over the U.S. because many of the D-R s supporters were immigrants or foreign-born citizens. To counter this criticism, a Federalist-controlled Congress & Adams passed the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798. Alien = belonging to or coming from another country; foreign Sedition = rebellion against one s country; treason
John Adams Presidency (1797-1801) Alien & Sedition Acts* Raised the amount of time people had to live in America to earn citizenship. Allowed the president to deport or jail undesirable aliens Fined/jailed anyone speaking out against the government. Many Democratic-Republican newspaper editors, publishers, and politicians were prosecuted and jailed under these acts. Democratic-Republicans called the laws a violation of free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution.
John Adams Presidency (1797-1801) Virginia & Kentucky Resolutions D-R leaders, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, saw the Alien & Sedition Acts as a misuse of government power. Jefferson & Madison urged Virginia & Kentucky state legislatures to use the principle of nullification. Nullification* = states would have the right to void any act of Congress states deemed unconstitutional. No other states joined and the issue died out. These resolutions showed the balance of power between state and federal government remained controversial.
Thomas Jefferson s Presidency (1801-1809)
Thomas Jefferson s Presidency (1801-1809) Election of 1800 & 12 th Amendment 1800 Election = Rematch between Jefferson (D-Rs) & Adams (Federalists) Jefferson & Aaron Burr defeated Adams After the House of Representatives was called to break the tie between Jefferson & Burr, Congress passed the 12 th Amendment. Allowed the electoral college to use separate ballots for electing the President and Vice President.
Election of 1796 Election of 1800
Thomas Jefferson s Presidency (1801-1809) Jeffersonian Republicanism Jefferson used his theory of Jeffersonian Republicanism during his presidency: The people should control a simplified government Jefferson shrank the size of the federal government by cutting costs. Reduced the army, stopped an expansion of the Navy, decreased expenses for government social functions, and reduced taxes.
Thomas Jefferson s Presidency (1801-1809) Jeffersonian Republicanism Jefferson was the first president to take office in the new federal capital, Washington, D.C. Jefferson and the next two presidents, James Madison and James Monroe, all hailed from Virginia. South gained influence in politics, Federalists & New England begin to lose it.
Thomas Jefferson s Presidency (1801-1809) Marbury v. Madison (1803) Hours before leaving office, President Adams appointed several Federalists as federal judges, known as the midnight judges. New President Jefferson attempted to block these appointments, and the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall gave the final decision. This case established judicial review*, which allowed the Supreme Court to void a law if it violates the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and no law that goes against the Constitution can be valid. John Marshall*, Chief Justice
Thomas Jefferson s Presidency (1801-1809) Louisiana Purchase* In 1800, French leader Napoleon Bonaparte persuaded Spain to return the Louisiana Territory back to France. Stretched from Louisiana to Montana In 1803, Napoleon offered to sell the Louisiana Territory to the U.S. for $15 million. BARGAIN only cost a few cents per acre when land sold for ~$1/acre Jefferson was unsure if the Constitution allowed him to make the purchase, but he proceeded. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States. Jefferson ordered Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, aided by Sacajawea, to lead a group to explore the territory in 1804. Showed transcontinental travel was possible.
Gateway Arch- St. Louis, Missouri The gateway to the west.
Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase