Chapter Nine Summary The Jeffersonian Era Section One - The Republicans Take Power The Election of 1800 The Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties fought a bitter campaign for the presidency in 1800 Candidates did not travel around then. Instead, the mounted letter writing campaigns in which they expressed their views. Federalists - ran John Adams for President and Charles Pinckney for VP. Democratic-Republicans - ran Thomas Jefferson for President and Aaron Burr for VP. Deadlocked Election Both Jefferson and Burr received 73 electoral votes. Because of the tie, the House of Representatives was charged with selecting the president from these two candidates. The House voted 35 times, all resulting in a tie. Finally, Alexander Hamilton persuades a a Federalist not to vote for Burr, giving the presidency to Jefferson and the vice-presidency to Burr Twelfth Amendment - Electors now have to vote for president and vice-president on separate ballots Jefferson s Inauguration Jefferson spoke of wanting to reduce the size and power of the federal government Laissez-faire - French concept of allowing the people to do what they want and the government stays out of the way. Jefferson s Presidency Sought to cut costs, the the size of the military. All interior taxes (such as the Whiskey Tax) were repealed (removed) Custom s Duties - Government funds would only come from tariffs and sale of western lands. Judiciary Act of 1801 Judiciary Act of 1801 - created 16 district courts around the U.S. In his last days in office, John Adams made hundreds of appointments to fill these new judge jobs, most of whom went to federalists. If he did not make these appointments, new President Jefferson would get to fill them with members of the Democratic- Republican party. Some of these last minute appointment letters were not delivered and President Jefferson told his Secretary of State, James Madison NOT to deliver them. Marbury vs. Madison (1803)
A judge named William Marbury sued James Madison because Madison did not deliver his appointment paper. This resulted in Marbury not getting the job Aams had picked him for. The case was heard by Supreme Court. John Marshall, Chief Justice of Supreme Court, turned Marbury (a fellow Federalist) down. However, in doing so, Marshall grabbed a new power for the Court - Judicial Review Judicial Review - the power to declare a law unconstitutional. The Constitution does not mention whose right this was, but clearly someone in the government had to have this power. Section Two - The Louisiana Purchase Western Territory Settlers continue to move west across the Appalachian Mountains and into the Northwest Territories (now Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota) as well as into Kentucky and Tennessee Conestoga Wagons - sturdy wagons with canvas tops that carried settlers west. They had tall wheels to dig into mud and were pulled by horses or oxen. Land west of the Mississippi River belonged to Spain and was called the Louisiana Territory Western farmers shipped goods down the Mississippi River to New Orleans which was also owned by the Spanish. However, because of the Pinckney Treaty, the U.S. was allowed access to trade there. Napoleon and The French Threat In 1802, the Spanish revoked American trade rights in New Orleans, hurting U.S. farmers in the west. This was because the Spanish had created a secret treaty with France. Napoleon Bonaparte - leader of France, his goal was to create empires in both Europe and America (small guy, big dream) Haiti - Santo Domingo (now known as Haiti) was a French naval base in the Caribbean. Under the leadership of Toussaint Louverture, the islan broke free from France. Napoleon then decides to focus on taking control of Europe first and the western hemisphere later. The Nation Expands - The Louisiana Purchase Napoleon needs money to first fighting in Europe Thomas Jefferson sends Robert Livingston (ambassador to France) and James Madison to meet with Napoleon to buy New Orleans for $10 million. Napoleon authorizes Charles de Talleyrand (French foreign minister - like our Secretary of State) to sell all of Louisiana Territory for $15 million. Livingston and Madison did not have approval to spend this much, but the deal was to good to pass up. They also did not know if the Constitution permitted such a deal (treaties have to be ratified by Senate).
Louisiana Purchase (1803) - doubles the size of the US for $15 million dollars in a deal with Napoleon Bonaparte of France Jefferson was a strict constructionist and the Constitution did not say anything about purchasing land, but he bent his personal rules to benefit the country on this one. Napoleon was not specific about the boundaries - probably hoping the U.S. gets into border issues with Britain and/or Spain over land so that he can attack weakened countries The Lewis and Clark Expedition Jefferson, very interested in science, wanted to know what he just bought Jefferson selects Meriwether Lewis, his 28 year old private secretary to head the expedition through the Louisiana Territory. William Clark - selected by Lewis to co-lead the group. Lewis and Clark Expedition - 50 men (Corps of Discovery)were charged with doing four things by President Jefferson Map out a route to the Pacific Ocean and back (still hoping for a Northwest Passage) Make scientific discoveries of plants, animals along the way and take notes and send back examples whenever possible Meet and greet Native Americans along the way. Make friends if possible. Journal as much as possibe. 50 men included expert river men, gunsmiths, scouts, cooks, mixed Native American/ French translators, Clark s slave, York, and Lewis dog, Seaman. Sacagawea - a young Shoshone woman, she guided the Lewis and Clark expedition across the Rocky Mountains. Her presence, as well as the presence of her baby, Jean- Baptiste, calmed the men. Explored the Missouri River, and what is now Washington state. The Corps of Discovery traveled over 8000 miles in 2.5 years, only lost one man, and only cost the taxpayers of the U.S. $40,000. The trip was more successful than could ever have been imagined. Pike s Expedition Zebulon Pike led two expeditions into the west (1805 and 1807). He traveled in what is now Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. Pike s Peak (a 14,000 foot mountain in Colorado) is named for him. Burr and Hamilton Duel Aaron Burr (Vice-President) and Alexander Hamilton agree to a duel. Hamilton pledges to not shoot Burr, but Burr shoots Hamilton and Hamilton dies the next day. Section Three - A Time of Conflict Freedom of the Seas
Britain and France were again at war (Napoleon was trying to take over Europe) Policy of Neutrality - as suggested by George Washington in his Farewell Address, the U.S. decides to remain neutral and trade with both nations. Neutral Rights violated - Britain stops U.S. ships from heading to France and France stops U.S. ships heading to Britain Impressment - Britain again begins to kidnap U.S. sailors. Embargo Act (1807) - Jefferson fears losing any more U.S. ships and/or sailors. Decides to halt ALL trade with any foreign country. Hurts the U.S. tremendously because we cannot get needed imports and cannot sell any exports. Extremely unpopular. Non-Intercourse Act (1809) - Jefferson realizes his mistake and tries to make amends four days before the end of his presidency with this law. Prohibits trade only with Britain and France, but no one else. It is almost unenforceable and unpopular. Election of 1808 Jefferson follows Washington s two term precedent and decides not to run again James Madison (Democratic - Republican) faced off against Charles Pinckney (Federalists) Madison wins 122 electoral votes to 47. War Fever U.S. citizens want to trade but both Britain and France are violating our rights as neutrals. Who do we side with? Issues in the West U.S. settlers continue to have issues with Native Americans on the frontier (area at the edge of settlements) Native Americans object to U.S. settlers moving onto their lands Tecumseh - builds a multi-tribe Native American army to defend against Americans moving west Tenskwatawa - half-brother of Temcumseh, he predicts the U.S. moving west and destroying Native lands and people. He is nicknamed the Prophet. Battle of Tippecanoe - Governor of Indiana, William Henry Harrison, attacks the Native American army at Tippecanoe when Tecumseh is not present. After an all day fight, neither side wins, but Harrison claims victory. Tecumseh joins with the British in Canada Not Important but Interesting - Tecumseh s Curse - If you believe in that kind of thing, supposedly Tecumseh puts a curse on William Henry Harrison that when he becomes president, he, and every president after him elected on a zero year (example - 1860) will die in office. 1840 - Harrison dies of pneumonia, 1860 - Abraham Lincoln is assassinated, 1880 - James Garfield is assassinated, 1900 - William McKinley is assassinated, 1920 - Warren G. Harding dies of a stroke, 1940 - FDR dies of a cerebral hemorrage, 1960 - JFK is assassinated, 1980 - Ronald Reagan is shot but saved by modern technology, 2000 - George W. Bush chokes on a pretzel and is given the
heimlich maneuver. War Hawks Some leaders (including Henry Clay from Kentucky and John Calhoun from South Carolina) from the west and south urge President Madison to declare war on Britain for supplying the Native Americans with weapons. Federalists (who support Britain) are against war. By spring of 1812, Madison knows war is inevitable and asks Congress for a declaration of war against Britain Section Four - The War of 1812 War Begins U.S. was unprepared for war - Army had 7,000 troops State militias had 50,000 to 100,000 poorly trained troops Officers who were veterans of the Revolutionary War were too old to help Not everyone supported the war Britain was able to use Canada as a base for attack operations Fort Detroit - taken by Tecumseh Fighting in the Great Lakes is common and Americans use privateers (armed private ships) to help the effort. Buffalo, NY is burnt to the ground British Offensive Attack on Washington, D.C. (August, 1814) - British set fire to the Capitol and the White House but thunderstorms minimize the damage. Losing a capital during war is very symbolic. Fort McHenry - Located in the Baltimore harbor, Fort McHenry was under attack from British forces Francis Scott Key - Watches the attack on Fort McHenry from a British warship reporting on the event and creates a poem that became known as the Star-Spangled Banner. This poem became our national anthem in 1931. The War Ends Battle of New Orleans (December, 1814) - U.S. leader Andrew Jackson was waiting for the British attack at New Orleans. His men hid behind hay bales and slaughtered the unprotected British. The casualty counts were 2500 British killed wounded or missing to 333 Americans. Andrew Jackson - becomes a war hero for winning the Battle of New Orleans. This leads to him becoming president. There is a catch to the Battle of New Orleans - the battle was fought after the war was already over. Word had not crossed the Atlantic about the Treaty of Ghent Treaty of Ghent (December, 1814) - Peace Treaty to end the War of 1812 -
Status Quo Antibellum - everything goes back to the way it was before the war Essentially states that we tied the war - no border changes, no mention of impressment, and neutral rights are not an issue because Napoleon had been defeated American Nationalism Federalists lost power because they supported a country we were at war with. War Hawks took over the leadership of the Democratic-Republican party and moved the party towards federalist idea of strong central government. Favored trade, western expansion, and a strong military. Patriotism Increases - U.S. starts to feel good about itself and gains international respect - France lost to Britain but the U.S. did not.