Jefferson’s presidency (1800-1808)
Major Campaign Issues
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What are the issues?
Electoral Tie!
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Jefferson-Burr receive
73 votes each
House of
Representatives
decides PresidencyHamilton supports
Jefferson
Burr is elected VicePresident
12th Amendment
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1800 Election demonstrated the
inadequacy of the Constitution
Proposed the separate balloting of
president and vice-president
Washington, D.C.
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1791- Pierre L’Enfant, a
French architect,
designed the layout of
the city
He fought in the
American Revolution
He, along with
Washington, designed
the White House
District of Columbia
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Adams was the first to move
in, 1800
Jefferson first full-term
president to live in the White
House
The territory of Columbia
was named such after
Christopher Columbus.
Jefferson’s Inaugural Address
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“Peace, commerce and
friendship with all nations,
and entangling alliances
with none”
Jefferson rode his own horse to
the inauguration to prove he was
different.
Jeffersonian Democracy
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Goals
-liberty
-equality
-strong local
government
-reduce national debt
-agriculture based
economy
-expand U.S. territory
-anti-war
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Reality
Events Leading to the Louisiana
Purchase
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1800 Spain gives France (Napoleon) back the
Louisiana territory
1803-Napoleon loses interest in American
empire
Spanish officials closed the port of New Orleans
to Americans
Jefferson feared the threat of an imperial power
and possible trade restrictions on the Mississippi
Jefferson sends ministers to France to purchase
New Orleans and West Florida – they ended up
with the entire territory
Constitutional Question
Lewis and Clark Expedition
John Marshall
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Secretary of State
under John Adams
Midnight judge –
Supreme Court Chief
Justice
Marbury v. Madison
Aaron Burr
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Not re-elected – plotted against
Jefferson with his party “Quids”
Federal Conspiracy
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Burr planned to win governorship of New York
and unite 5 New England states to form a
Northern Confederacy
Burr was defeated in New York
conspiracy failed upon Burr’s defeat
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Burr angered by Hamilton’s
remarks – they duel- Hamilton dies
Aaron Burr (cont.)
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Burr leaves after
Hamilton’s death goes to
New Orleans
Burr conspires with Gen.
Wilkinson – either to
establish an independent
republic or seizure of
territory in Spanish
America
Tried for treason – not
guilty – ruined his career
and reputation
Jefferson’s Second Term
Difficulties Abroad
•Challenges to U.S. Neutrality
•Britain and France regularly seize
the ships of neutral nations and
confiscate cargo – chief offender
Britain
•Britain is capturing American sailors
and impressing (forcing) them to
serve in British navy
Chesapeake-Leopard Affair
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British ship Leopard
fired on U.S. ship
Chesapeake
Anti-British sentiment
HIGH
Embargo Act 1807
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Reaction to French and British violations
of neutrality
Prohibited American merchant ships from
sailing to any foreign port
Jefferson’s Presidential
Record
First Term
 Reduced the size of federal government,
repealed excise taxes, lowered the national debt
by a third
 Louisiana Purchase – doubled the size of the
country
Second Term
 Foreign affairs preoccupied Jefferson Napoleonic wars -attempted to avoid a policy of
either appeasement or war by the use of
economic pressure –which was a failure
Non-Intercourse Act 1809
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Jefferson repeals Embargo Act
U.S. ships can now trade with all nations
except Britain and France
President can authorize trade with Britain
or France when they cease violating
neutrality rights
Jefferson leaves office –
continues precedent set by
Washington
James Madison will be his
successor in the “Virginia
dynasty”