The Jeffersonian Era

Election of 1800: What HappenedJohn Adams Vs. Thomas JeffersonFederalist Republican

Harsh campaignsHamilton: Accused of being a tyrant conspiring to

become king. Jefferson: Dangerous radical. Accused of

sleeping with a slave woman on his plantation.

Republicans dominate, but there is a catch….

Aaron Burr and Jefferson ran for the Republican ticket. -Republicans took a huge majority in the votes, and it looked

like Jefferson had won.

Constitution states, “ must vote by ballot for two persons”

Votes came out tied at 73 for Jefferson and Burr

*House of Representatives Decide*

Federalist Congress- Alexander Hamilton- Choose the lesser of two

evils.- House chooses Thomas Jefferson.

Judiciary Act of 1801Passed by the lame duck Congress*Federalists reduced the number of Supreme Court

justices by one and increased the number of federal judges.

*Adams appointed Federalists to these positions. Known as “midnight appointments”

Jefferson’s Vision as President

To return to the original spirit of the revolution.

Restore the republican experiment. Check the growth of the republican

experiment. Halt the decay of virtue.

Republicans Control Executive and Legislative Branches

Jefferson wanted to repeal the Judiciary Act of 1801Marbury v. Madison (1803)

John Marshall

-Rules that Marbury did have the right to sue based off of the Judiciary Act of 1789

- However, Marshall stated that the Act was Unconstitutional!!!

***Established Judicial Review*** (Unconstitutional or Constitution?)

Jefferson’s view on education

*Restore the the countries virtue and enlighten the citizens.*

Problem: “Crusade against ignorance”Solution: Universal Education *All males should receive free education*

Doesn’t happen!!!

Jeffersonian Writing and Culture

Noah Webster- American Spelling Book1783 “blue backed speller” *Illustrated a desire for “American” culture

Washington Irving- Famous satirical histories

Jeffersonian Religion

Jefferson was a deist(God created the earth but then became

removed from direct contact)

*Organized church had decline*

Second Great Awakening

*Increased the growth of different sects of Christianity.

Industrializing America

Jefferson did not believe in an industrialized America.But it does!

Major advancement (Cotton Gin) Steam boat

Growing cities and urban life.

Eli Whitney

Hard to separate seed from cotton fiber.

Especially short-staple cotton.

Whitney invents a machine to do the work called a cotton gin.

*Revitalizes slavery*

Jefferson and Congress’s first action

Repeal the excise taxes on whiskey!

Jefferson also… Maintains the national bank and debt-

repayment plan of Alexander Hamilton’s.

Jefferson also…Foreign Affairs

Maintained neutrality policies in foreign affairs

Jefferson also…

Stays true to Republican ideals

Reduced military size Eliminated many Federal jobs Lowered the national debt.

Relationship of France and America

Napoleon Bonaparte secretly forced Spain to give them the Louisiana Territory.

Spain stopped allowing Americans to use the New Orleans port.

Jefferson faced a dilemma…

Louisiana Purchase

Jefferson wanted make an offer of $10 million to purchase New Orleans & a strip of land next to Florida from France.

Napoleon offers the whole Louisiana territory for $15 million.

American ministers quickly accept.

Constitutional to purchase the lands?

No clause in the Constitution directly addressed the President’s power to purchase foreign land.

Consequences of the Louisiana Purchase: Doubled the size of the US.Made Jefferson very popular.

Lewis & Clark Expedition

Jefferson wanted scientific exploration. St. Louis- Oregon Sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on an expedition.

Benefits:-Increased geographic and scientific knowledge. -Claims to Oregon territory.-Improved relations with Native American tribes. -Developed maps and routes for fur trades and future settlers.

Aaron Burr Conspiracy

Burr ran for governor of New York. Part of a Federalist plot for secession. Hamilton accuses Burr of treason. Burr loses the election.

Burr flees.

Burr kills Hamilton in the duel Flees to New York to avoid murder charges. Another conspiracy plot by Burr. Jefferson captures his men and puts them on trial

for treason. Chief Justice Marshall acquits Burr.

Napoleonic Wars

France and Britain were seizing ships of neutral nations. Britain was considered “worse” because of impressment.

Chesapeake-Leopard affair- 1807 -British warship Leopard fired on U.S warship Chesapeake. -Killed 3 Americans.

Jefferson’s response

Jefferson established the Embargo Act of 1807-Kept American merchant ships from sailing to any foreign

port. Attempted coercion*Crushed the U.S economy!-Underestimated Britain’s ability to look elsewhere for trade.

Jefferson repeals the act in 1809.

Madison Becomes the 4th President

Nonintercourse Act of 1809- Could trade with all nations except Britain.

Macon’s Bill No.2 (1810) Nathaniel Macon-Restored trade with Britain & France-Offered that if either side would respect their neutrality, they

would cut off trade with the other.

*Napoleon deceives Madison and Madison places an embargo on Britain. France continues to seize American ships.

War of 1812

War Hawks- Republicans John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay were eager for war.

Convince Congress and Madison to go to war with Britain. *Southern and Western states in favor of the war.*

Madison is reelected in election of 1812.