A Republican Takes Office

Jefferson’s Democratic Style

• Jefferson was determined that the U.S. gov’t would maximize the rights of the people under his command.

• Jefferson viewed America’s future as a farming society-he feared growth in industry. Jefferson attempted to reduce “partisan politics” by repealing the Alien and Sedition Acts.

• Wanted to scale down the government and engage in a system of “laissez faire” economics (the government would let the economy alone)

Attacking the Judiciary• As Adam’s administration expired, Congress

passed the Judiciary Act of 1801 which created a number of new federal judgeships, which Adam’s had filled with Federalists.

• Upon gaining power, the republicans repealed the act, and Jefferson ordered the commissions to be withheld. One of Adam’s appointees, William Marbury, petitioned SCOTUS to force the new Secretary of State, James Madison, to give him his judicial commission.

Marbury v. Madison• SCOTUS ruled against Marbury, setting an

important precedent: “the Constitution does not give the Supreme Court the right to decide cases brought against federal officials.”

• The Supreme Court’s decision in Marbury v. Madison gave the Court the power to decide whether laws passed by Congress were constitutional and to reject laws that it considered to be unconstitutional (known as the power of judicial review).

• Today, judicial review remains one of the most important powers of the Supreme Court.

Barbary Pirates• Jefferson’s first term was a parade of triumphs,

even though he cut back army and navy spending to save money.

• The Barbary states attacked American ships to seize goods, and countries would pay off the pirates to save their cargo.

• The U.S. had paid off the Barbary Pirates for years, but when their ruler raised ransom rates, Tripoli declared war in 1801. We attacked half-heartedly and paid ransom until 1815.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui8OCiZsWGw