Thomas Jefferson

• Adams loses, Jefferson wins over initial tie with Burr

• Federalists not happy about losing power in both executive and legislative branches

Election of 1800

Midnight Judges

• Judiciary Act of 1801 – Federalist attempt to control political direction

of future judicial decisions– increased # of federal judges by sixteen

• John Adams– Adams filled most positions with Federalists– John Marshall as Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court

Republican reaction

• Angered Jefferson and Republicans

• Jefferson withheld documents not delivered by the time Adams left office– particularly William

Marbury’s appointment

• Jefferson argued these appointments were invalid.

Marbury vs. Madison (1803)

• James Madison refused to deliver papers, Marbury took him to court

• One of the Most important Supreme Court decisions of all time

• Chief Justice Marshall ruled: – Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional

(law which said Madison has to deliver papers)

Result

• Victory for Republicans – Marbury never got appt.

• Victory for Federalists– believed in affirming the principle of Judicial

Review • ability of Supreme Court to declare an act of

Congress unconstitutional.

Jeffersonian Democracy

• Until masses could be educated, political rule needed to be entrusted to agrarian aristocracy.

• Jefferson's election in 1800 shifted regional power to South and West from mercantile aristocracy of Northeast

• Jefferson's views: – Faith in the perfectibility of man

– Insistence on strong local governments

– Each generation should remake its laws to stimulate democracy

Still Major Conflicts between 2 Parties• AH still powerful influence• Convinced Federalists to back TJ over Burr in 1800 election

• 1804 AH backed Burr’s opponent in race for NY Governor

• AH said “Burr is a dangerous man, and one who ought not be trusted with the reins of government.”

• Burr responded by challenging Hamilton to a duel

North African Barbary States • Pirates

– looting U.S. ships & demanded a bribe of protection

– and in 1801, the pasha of Tripoli indirectly declared war – reluctantly set the infant navy to the shores of Tripoli

– fighting continued for four years until Jefferson succeeded in extorting a treaty of peace from Tripoli in 1805 for $60,000.

Louisiana Purchase (1803)• In 1802, France stopped allowing U.S. merchants to use the city of

New Orleans

• James Madison sent to Paris to negotiate

• France almost at war with Britain and desperately needed $.

• Surprisingly offered to sell the US all 830,000,000 square miles of the Louisiana territory for the price of $15 million.

• The US jumped at the offer – finalized on April 30, 1803

• Doubled the size of the country at a cost of 4 cents per acre

• Two expeditions sent out to explore new land: – Lewis & Clark (1804-6) ascended Missouri to source, then

crossed the Rockies to the Pacific.

– Zebulon Pike (1805) explored headwaters of Mississippi and southern Rocky Mountains.

Conflict over neutral rights • British and French ships seized American cargoes and sailors

• Jefferson responded with Embargo Act which prohibited all American trade with foreign ports

– a) Greatly harmed American shipping

– b) Jefferson became object of hate in New England

• Non-intercourse Act replaced Embargo Act– a) Reopened trade with all nations except England

and France – b) Provided for re-opening of trade with England

and France if interference ended

Western demands for War. Reasons for western pressure • Depression in Ohio Valley• Desire for land in Canada and Florida

– Future fur-trading– Region needed for expansion of settlers

• Indian warfare with confederation organized by Tecumseh. Battle of Tippecanoe convinced war hawks of British assistance to Indians.