The Age of Jefferson:

Chapter 6 Section 3

1) New Government Policies:

• Jefferson cancels the Alien and Sedition Acts• Cancels many unpopular taxes• Cuts the national debt from $80 to $57 million– Revenue from foreign trade and tariffs – Sale of federal land to farmers

• Jefferson was a minimalist:– Believed the gov’t shouldn’t be big or spend lots of

money– Reduces the army and navy

2) The Louisiana Purchase:

• Jefferson wants more farm land for the growing population – Doubling every 25 years

• Native Americans and Europeans were already living there

• Jefferson thought the Louisiana Territory would be easy to conquer– Few Spanish colonists– Spanish Empire is weak and already in war in Europe

2) The Louisiana Purchase:

• 1801: Spain surrendered it to France• Jefferson thinks he can buy it from France– Doesn’t want to fight France

• France needs money:– To fight the British– No army to occupy it (fighting in their colony “Haiti”)

• 1803: Purchased Louisiana (828,000 miles2) for $15 million.

• How is spending $15

million a minimalist

action?

3) Foreign Troubles:

A) The Barbary War:

Barbary states and their raids

3) Foreign Troubles:

A) The Barbary War:• Barbary pirates were seizing American ships and

sailors in the Mediterranean Sea. • The Adams Administration had paid protection

money to be left alone• Barbary pirate’s increase their price• Jefferson sends the American navy to blockade the

port of Tripoli • 1805: force the pirates into peace

Bombarding Tripoli:

3) Foreign Troubles:

B) Reexporting:• British ships captured most of the French ships• American ships began to ship food to the French

West Indies and carry their sugar to European markets

• “Reexporting” made America almost $59 million in 1807– America builds more ships– Merchants get richer

2) Foreign Trade:

C) British Impressment:• British hate American reexporting:– Helps the French economy and Napoleon– The money makes American ships a competitor to

Britain• British begin capturing American sailors and

forcing them to serve in the British navy• 1812: 6,000 Americans impressed

British Impressing American Sailors:

British attacking the American ship: Chesapeake

2) Foreign Trade:

C) British Impressment:• British hate American reexporting:– Helps the French economy and Napoleon– The money makes American ships a competitor to

Britain• British begin capturing American sailors and

forcing them to serve in the British navy• 1812: 6,000 Americans impressed• Outrages Americans

2) Foreign Trade:

D) Embargo:• 1807: In response Jefferson orders an embargo

against Britain.– Doesn’t want to build an expensive and large navy– Britain find new trade in South America– American merchants and farmers lose lots of business

and money– Sailors out of work– American government loses money

• Jefferson lifts the embargo in 1809

Political Cartoon: “O-Grab-Me”