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.