Adams, Jefferson, and Madison
Sectionalism and Political
Partisanship in the New Republic
Election of 1796 indicated political party division along sectional lines. North and
East (Federalist); South and West (Democratic-Republican)
II. John Adams’ Presidency
Washington left the presidency after two terms- started the two term
tradition (until Franklin Delano Roosevelt [FDR] in 1940!)
A. Election of 1796
1. John Adams- Federalist candidate
Thomas Jefferson- Democratic Republican candidate
2. First presidential election with political parties
3. Adams won by three electoral votes!
Jefferson became Vice President. Bitter rivals had trouble
working together
(The Constitution as originally written provided that the candidate
receiving the second highest number of electoral votes would
become the vice president- the framers of the Constitution did
not anticipate political parties forming. The method for selecting
the vice president was changed by the 12th Amendment 1804)
B. The French Revolution and the XYZ Affair –
1. U.S. ships and cargo seized by French – violation of “freedom of
the seas”
2. Adams sends diplomats to negotiate with French Foreign
Minister Talleyrand
3. Nameless French ministers (referred to as X, Y, and Z) bribe U.S.
officials to negotiate with Talleyrand
4. Refused to pay bribe– Americans angry with France – demanded
war against France
5. Adams follows advice of Washington – policy of neutrality – but
begins “undeclared war” w/ France
Angry Americans feeling disrespected by France, wanted war with France.
President Adams began “undeclared” naval war with France.
C. The Alien and Sedition Acts –
1. XYZ Affair helped Federalists win majority in Congress – pushed
for laws to restrict their political opponents
2. Alien Acts – deport any aliens considered dangerous
3. Sedition Act – restricted newspapers from printing articles
criticizing the president or Congress
D. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
1. Republicans saw A & S Acts as violation of 1st Amendment
rights
2. Republican states (Southern) passed laws that nullified
(canceled) the federal laws
3. Resolutions written by Jefferson & Madison claimed a violation
of Social Compact (Contract)
4. Established principle of “nullification” used by Southern states
in 1830s
E. Destroyed credibility of Adams and Federalist – led to victory for
Jefferson and Republican majority in Congress in election of 1800
F. The Election of 1800 (The “Revolution of 1800”)
1. Federalists lost popularity over Alien & Sedition Acts
and increased taxes for “undeclared war” against
France
2. Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied in electoral college –
vote went to House of Reps. – Jefferson won – thanks
to support of Hamilton
3. Peaceful passing of power from one political party to
another – showed strength of Constitution
4. “We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists” – tone
of bi-partisanship
III. Thomas Jefferson’s Presidency
Wanted a small, efficient, and limited government.
A. Domestic Issues
1. “We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists” – tone of
bi-partisanship
a. for Federalists – kept Hamilton’s Bank of US
b. continued Washington and Adams foreign policy of neutrality
c. followed Democratic-Republican Party’s guiding principle of
limited central government
1.
2.
3.
4.
reduced size of military
eliminated federal jobs
repealed excise taxes (Whiskey)
lowered national debt
G. Marbury v. Madison (1803)
1.
Outgoing Pres. Adams attempts to fill Judicial Branch with Federalist Judges
a.
b.
c.
2.
Jefferson furious about appointments and tried to deny them.
a.
b.
3.
“Midnight Judges” – last minute Federalist appointments
John Marshall (Federalist) Chief Justice
William Marbury federal judge in Wash. DC
Secretary of State- James Madison never delivered appointment of William
Marbury
Marbury sued Madison to get the office to which he had been appointed
Judiciary Act of 1789 gave Supreme Court power to give Marbury what he
wanted.
a.
b.
Marshall ruled against Marbury
Judicial Branch had no authority to force Executive Branch to make appointments
4. Established Judicial Review - the power of the Federal
Courts to determine constitutionality of all federal
and state laws.
Judicial Review
Thomas Jefferson
Chief Justice John
Marshall
Thomas Jefferson’s Foreign Policy –
H. The Louisiana Purchase
1.
Wanted New Orleans for $10 million; got entire Louisiana Territory for $15
million
a.
b.
c.
d.
2.
Constitutional dilemma for Jefferson
a.
b.
c.
3.
to give American farmers free access Mississippi River
Spain lost Territory to France – Pinckney’s Treaty no longer valid
Doubled the size of U.S.
promoted Jefferson’s vision for an agricultural society of independent farmers
Contradicted Jefferson’s strict interpretation of Constitution
Constitution did NOT say that a president could purchase foreign land
Jefferson and Democratic-Republican Congress approved it anyway
Lewis and Clark Expedition
a.
b.
c.
d.
increased scientific and geographic knowledge of Louisiana Territory
Claim Oregon Country for US
improve relations with Native Americans
map land routes to West
I. Embargo Act of 1807
1. Policy of neutrality - increasing conflicts with France and Britain
a.
b.
France and Britain blockaded their enemy’s ports - disrupted American
trade
British impressment of U.S. sailors into British Navy violated freedom of
the seas
2. Jefferson didn’t want war - used diplomatic and economic
sanctions – Embargo Act of 1807
a.
b.
c.
No American ships can sail into any foreign port –
plan backfired, hurt US economy more than Britain’s
killed shipbuilding and shipping industries in New England
3. New England threatened to secede from the Union
4. Jefferson recognized failure of Embargo Act and repealed it in
1809
Many Americans (especially
Northern businessmen)
despised the Embargo Act
The Embargo Act of 1807 was
very unpopular to Americans
who made their living through
shipping, most of whom lived in
the northeastern part of the
county. This "O-Grab-Me"
cartoon (embargo spelled
backwards) expressed their
disdain for the Act.
American merchants disliked the Embargo Act of
1807. They argued that it would be years before
Britain and France actually felt its effect while
American trade stagnated.
J. Causes of The War of 1812 –
1. The Decision to abandon neutrality and go to War
2. Pressures for war came from two directions
a. continued violations of US freedom of the seas
b. troubles with the British on the western frontier
3. U.S. desired western territories for expansion
a. Battle of Tippecanoe (1811) – William Henry Harrison
defeats Tecumseh in Indiana
b. Westerners blamed British for giving guns to Native
Americans
4. “War Hawks” in Congress want war against British –
Henry Clay of Kentucky and John C. Calhoun of South
Carolina
5. Nation divided over war – South and West (pro) / North
(anti)
K. The War of 1812 - a.k.a. “Mr. Madison’s War” & “2nd War
for Independence”
1. Several failed U.S. attempts to invade and conquer
Canada.
2. Battle for Lake Erie stopped British invasion of U.S.
from Canada
3. U.S. warship, U.S.S. Constitution, a.k.a. ‘Old Ironsides’
won some victories on the high seas, but the British
navy dominated U.S.
4. British invaded Chesapeake Bay area –
a. capture Washington D.C. and burn it to the ground.
b. Dolley Madison saves a famous portrait of
Washington before leaving the city.
5. Battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland –
Francis Scott Key writes The Star-Spangled Banner, after
witnessing battle from British ships.
British soldiers set fire to US
government buildings in Washington
DC. The US Capitol in the background
is fully engulfed in flames. A sudden
heavy rainstorm saved the buildings.
Francis Scott Key beholds the
American flag still flying over Fort
McHenry at dawn, September 14,
1814. Inspired by the sight, Key pens
the "Star Spangled Banner", later to
become the national anthem of the
United States.
L. The Treaty of Ghent (1814)
1. Declared truce between British and US –
Jackson didn’t get the word and attacked British
in New Orleans
2. “Status quo antebellum” – everything went
back to the way it was before the war
3. all conquered territories returned to prewar
owner
4. recognized prewar boundary between Canada
and US (Great Lakes)
5. War of 1812 ended in a stalemate
Back
M. The Battle of New Orleans
1.
2.
2 weeks after Treaty of Ghent
Andrew Jackson defeated
British in only land victory of the
war
3. Had no bearing on outcome of
war, but was huge boost to
American morale – National
Pride Soared!
back
N. Results of the War of 1812
1. The Hartford Convention (1814) – New England
states opposed War of 1812
2. narrowly rejected plan to secede from Union
but approved proposal to amend Constitution
to require two-thirds approval by Congress to
declare war
3. news of Jackson’s victory in New Orleans and
the Treaty of Ghent ended criticisms – made
Americans proud, patriotic, nationalistic
4. Jackson’s “upset” victory started period of great
nationalism, “The Era of Good Feelings” – it felt
good to be an American