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The Era of Thomas Jefferson Study Guide

I. Jefferson Takes Officea. Election of 1800 - Republicans Take Charge

b. Bloodless Revolution – Jefferson takes over for Adams and along with Republicans in Congress make many changes

i. Increase power of states

ii. Reduce the size of federal government

iii. Decreased size of the military

iv. Allowed the Alien and Sedition Acts to expire

c. Marbury v. Madisoni. Supreme Court ruled it had the power of Judicial Review (the

Supreme Court can rule a law unconstitutional)

d. Louisiana Purchasei. Purchased the Louisiana Territory, including important city of

New Orleans from France for $15 millionii. Approved the purchase, even

though he was in favor of a strict interpretation of the Constitution

iii. Doubles the size of the United States

e. Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804 – 1806)i. Explored and mapped the Louisiana Territory

II. A Time of Conflicta. American Neutrality is Challenged

i. Jefferson’s Foreign Policy1. Wanted to stay out of all affairs

ii. Barbary Wars1. African nations attacked American ships. Jefferson sends

Marines

b. Problems with England and Francei. England and France at war and seized American ships to steal supplies

and prevent the other from tradingii. Embargo Act – banned all foreign trade (hurt American trade and

resulted in loss of jobs)

c. Madison as President i. War Hawks – Americans who demanded war with England

ii. Reasons to declare war1. Impressments of U.S. sailors2. British attacks on US trade3. British support of Native Americans4. US desire to control Canada

d. War of 1812i. Bad Time for war

1. U.S. – weakened military due to spending cuts2. England – still fighting French in Europe so decide to blockade

American ports instead of sending troops

ii. Battles and Events1. British attack on Lake Erie – American Victory

2. British defeat Napoleon in 1814 and send full force to the US. British burned Washington, D.C. to the ground

a. Dolly Madison – saves important documents from the White House as her husband rallies the troops

3. Fort McHenry – Americans held the fort in Baltimorea. Francis Scott Key writes the Star Spangled Banner

4. Treaty of Ghent – Signed in 1814 – no clear victorya. US became less reliant on US tradeb. Weakened Native Americansc. Creates American nationalism

5. The Battles of New Orleansa. Fought two weeks after the war endedb. Americans, led by General Andrew Jackson crush British