Jeffersonian Democracy

1800-1812

Election of 1800• Federalists are facing negative popularity due

to the Alien & Sedition Acts

• The nation is also angry that Pres. Adams did not declare war on France.

• The government had raised taxes and built up the navy but what was the point if the US was not going to use it in a war against France?

• Adams was known sarcastically as the “Father of the American Navy”

• During the election campaign, the Federalists started mud-slinging at Thomas Jefferson (fathered slave children—DNA has proved this to be true, was an alleged atheist, etc)

• Jefferson benefitted from the 3/5 compromise by gaining southern votes (representation led to more electoral votes)

• But there was a problem…

• Thomas Jefferson and his running mate, Aaron Burr tied in their votes for presidency (remember the runner up would become VP—but both men in the 1800 election received the same amount of votes)

• According to the Constitution, the vote would now go to the House of Reps for a decision (Federalist dominated)

• Hamilton and John Adams persuade some reps to vote for Jefferson (lesser of two evils)—hoping Jefferson would be moderate

Federalist Finale

• Federalists stepped down from power peacefully and the party fades away

• Significance???• The Federalists had negotiated beneficial

deals with European nations and their conservatism had helped to give the U.S. balance

• The flaw… they could not/would not adapt and evolve to the changing nation

Jefferson’s Presidency

• Inaugurated in Washington, D.C.• Pledged “ honest friendships with all

nations and entangling alliances with none”

• The two faces of Tomas Jefferson:scholarly private citizen

harassed public official—ideas that looked good on paper did not work

in practical politics

Jefferson’s “revolution”• His election represented a return to what he

considered was the original spirit of the American Revolution (betrayed by Adams and Hamilton)

• His mission:

1. Restore republicanism

2. Limit the growth of the federal government

3. Stop the decay of virtue that had set in under Federalist rule

Democracy works!• The election of 1800 proved that America

could peacefully transfer leadership from one political party to another and that American would accept their result of their votes

• “We are all republicans—we are all federalists”—Thomas Jefferson

the ideals of a democratic government were above the differences of political parties

Jefferson Practiced Restraint• Pardoned people serving time because of

the Sedition Act

• Enacted a new naturalization law reducing years from 14 to 5 to become a citizen

• Removed the excise tax, but left Hamilton’s economic policy intact: strict budget to keep the national debt in check

• Absorbed the major federalist policies proving that the change of leadership did not spell death to the exiting group

Jefferson & the Judiciary

• Federalists passed the Judiciary Act in 1801, increasing the amount of judges in federal courts to 16

• Adams conveniently “packed” the courts with Federalist supporters to continue his legacy

• Chief Justice John Marshall was a Federalist, committed to strengthening the power of the federal government

• Served 34 years as Chief Justice

Marbury v. Madison 1803

• William Marbury had been one of the “midnight judges” appointed by John Adams during his last hours as president

• Marbury had been appointed justice of the peace for Washington, D.C.

• Secretary of State James Madison refused to accept the decision and Marbury sued for delivery of the appointment

Judicial Review• Marbury’s case was dismissed, but

Marshall made a stronger impact with the court’s ruling

• Part of the 1789 Judiciary Act Marbury was basing his case on was determined to be unconstitutional as the Constitution did not give the Supreme Court the power to order that the papers be delivered

• BUT the principle of judicial review was established—the Supreme Court has the last word on questions of constitutionality and the law

• Expanded the power of the federal government

Democratic Republican Reaction

• 1804 Jefferson tried to impeach Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase—no real “crime”, just being an unpopular federalist and having a big mouth

• The impeachment did not succeed and even to our current times, the Supreme Court has not been altered through impeachment

• ** Reaffirmed judicial independence and separation of power between the 3 branches

Jefferson’s foreign policy is tested

• As president, Jefferson significantly reduced the military (penny-pinching or avoiding the entanglements of Europe?)

• Claims the U.S .would not use military force and would win friends through “peaceful coercion”

• Since 1789, North African Barbary pirates had been looting American ships (Federalists had to buy protection)

• In 1801, Tripoli indirectly declares war--not happy with the $$ they received for their “protection”

• Jefferson reluctantly sent a navy to Tripoli, after 4 years of fighting a peace treaty was negotiated, including paying a ransom of $60,000 for captured Americans

• Jefferson mistakenly spends money building a “mosquito fleet” of small ships he believed could protect the American coast

Louisiana• 1800—Napoleon negotiates with Spain to

give France control of the Louisiana Territory

• 1802—Spain withdraws the warehouses privileges to farmers at New Orleans (violate Pinckney’s Treaty)

• Farmers are talking about forming an armed march in New Orleans—may bring the U.S. into a war with Spain and France

• Jefferson is nervous about having Napoleon in charge of an area in our back yard

The Louisiana Purchase

• 1803—James Monroe and Robert R. Livingston sent to France to buy for New Orleans and whatever surrounding area they could for $10 million

• If France refused, the ambassadors were told to forge an alliance with England

• Instead, Napoleon offers to sell Louisiana and the land west of it for $15 million

Why did France give this “gift”

• Napoleon gave up his dream for a French North American Empire

• France had just endured a rebellion in Haiti led by Toussaint L’Ouverture

loss of significant French troops & control of the sugar rich islands

• Napoleon needed quick cash to renew his war with Britain (and didn’t want the U.S. and Britain to become allies)

Can they do that???

The new land purchase was technically not within Jefferson’s powers of the strict interpretation of the Constitution that Jefferson had always advocated

Impact of Louisiana Purchase

• Doubled the size of the U.S.

• 3 cents per acre

• This would enable America to become a great agrarian nation! Valley of Democracy

Westward Expeditions

• Jefferson commissioned William Clark and Meriwether Lewis to explore the new territory 1804

• Guided by Sacajawea• Spent 2 ½ years exploring, mapping and

making biological discoveries• Reached the Pacific and Oregon• Zebulon Pike also explored the southern

regions (Pike’s Peak)

Lewis & Clark

Louisiana’s Legacy

• With France and Spain removed, most of the European influence in N. America was also removed

• America could now become more isolationist

• Loyalty to the Federal Government• New Spirit of Nationalism• How to govern this huge expansive of land

effectively???

Aaron Burr Conspiracy

• Dropped as V.P. for Jefferson’s 2nd term• Joined a group of extreme federalists who

plotted the secession of New England from the US

• Hamilton found out and exposed the conspiracy

• Burr challenged him to a duel• Hamilton refused to fire, but Burr killed

Hamilton with one shot

Aaron Burr Conspiracy

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLSsswr6z9Y

• Burr then went on to join forces with Gen. James Wilkinson to separate the western part of the US from the east

• Pres. Jefferson found out

• Wilkson betrayed Burr (sold him up the river) and Burr was put on trial for treason (he was acquitted because treasonous plans did not equal treasonous acts)

• These conspiracy plans reinforced the difficulty the USA was having governing all of the new territory

No time to enjoy the accomplishment

• In 1804, Jefferson was overwhelmingly re-elected (162—14)

• In the meantime, Napoleon starts war again with Britain (for 11 years)

• The U.S. enjoyed increased trade until 1805 (Battle of Trafalgar—British victory over the seas)

• Britain passed the Orders In Council • It closed European ports under French

control to foreign shipping unless the ships stopped in a British port first

• Napoleon responds by ordering all ships entering British ports to be seized (including American)

• Over 6,000 Americans were impressed (“kidnapped”) and forced into the British navy

American holds on to neutrality by a thread

U.S.S. Chesapeake

•1807 the U.S. frigate, Chesapeake, was stopped by the British to be searched for deserters•The American commander refused and the British opened fire killing 3 and wounding 18

• Knowing that a war would be disastrous for the US, Jefferson passed the Embargo Act of 1807 (self imposed blockade)

• No American exports to ANY country (an example of peaceful coercion)

• The goal was to pressure France & Britain into respecting the rights of neutral nations

• The Embargo really only hurt U.S. merchants and shipping (especially New England and the South—talks of secession and nullification)

• Smuggling resumes

• The Embargo Act was repealed

• Congress passed the Non-Intercourse Act which reopened American trade to nations except Britain and France

• The Embargo failed because it did not last long enough to do real damage

• Britain had good crops and France continued to seize ships “helping the embargo”

• It was too costly to the American economy

• The benefit of the Embargo Act was that resourceful Americans had to create factories to manufacture goods

• This helped the nation to become more industrial

Jefferson’s Presidency

Domestic Policy

Eases effects of Alien and

Sedition Acts

Conflict with Judicial Branch

Marbury v. Madison

Retained some Federalist policies

Jefferson’s Presidency

Foreign Policy

War with Tripoli Louisiana Purchase Embargo disaster

Madison’s Presidency

President James Madison• He was unable to dominate Congress as

Jefferson had done and often found himself enforcing foreign policies not of his own making

• 1810—Congress passed a measure called Macon’s Bill No. 2

1. Restored American trade with the world

2. It also would restore American trade to France and/or England if either nation pledged to stop interfering with American freedom of the seas

• 3. If one nation lifted restrictions the US would trade with them and re-enforce the embargo against the other

• The bill made America look weak as if our economy could not survive if we didn’t trade with one of the two European Superpowers

Madison’s Gamble• 1810-Napoleon claimed that France would

end trade restrictions IF Britain also lifted their Orders in Council (trade restriction)

• Napoleon had no intentions of allowing the USA to have unrestricted trade with Britain--He was hoping America would restart the embargo against Britain

• Madison hoped that Britain would allow neutral trade when she saw the U.S. trading exclusively with France—it didn’t work

Gambled and Lost• Britain did not respond as Madison had

hoped (they did not revoke the Orders Council or permit neutral trade)

• The U.S. could no longer remain neutral.

• They reinstated the embargo against Britain and prepared for a war

War hawks cry for battle

• Congress was now being led by a new generation of hot headed representatives from the South and West (Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun)

• War hawks:

• Especially angered by:

1. The impressment of American sailors

2. The British Orders in Council that hurt western farm exports

3. Also want to wipe out the Native American threat to pioneer settlers

Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa the Prophet

• Two Shawnee brothers who decide the time has come to stop pioneer migrations

• Their plan was to unite a tribal confederacy of groups east of the Mississippi

• Renew cultural unity by rejecting white influences (no textile clothing or alcohol)

• Pledged to not cede native land to whites unless all Indians agreed (no white man’s ownership)

Battle of Tippecanoe 1811• William Henry Harrison led an army to the

Shawnee headquarters• The Prophet attacked with a small band of

warriors• Settlement was burned to the ground• Harrison hailed as a hero• Tecumseh becomes a British ally• 1813 Battle of Thames, Tecumseh died

and so did the dream of a Indian confederacy

Tecumseh & The Prophet

Battle of Tippecanoe