Notes: Jefferson' 1st Term
Election of 1800
1. Jefferson & Burr in an electoral tie
2. Hamilton convinces House of Rep. to select Jefferson (lesser of two
evils)
3. 1st peaceful transfer of power from one party to another
4. "We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists."
5. Jefferson appoints no Federalists to positions in his two
terms
Changes??
1. lowers taxes (eliminates excise tax on whiskey)
2. lowers debt (cuts military & diplomatic expenditures) (federal income from customs duties &
western land sales)
3. repeals Alien & Sedition
Acts
4. western land sales require smaller down payments and smaller parcels to help yeomen
farmers
5. ***keeps Hamilton's economic program
6. ****keeps navy at same
size
1801-1805 Tripolitan War
1. undeclared naval war against Barbary Pirates
2. construction of Mosquito Fleet (small gunboats)
3. war cost was half of protection fee
1803 Louisiana Purchase
1. 1800 Napolean convinces Spain to cede Louisiana to France by 1803
2. 1802 Spain withdraws right of deposit in New Orleans
3. 1803 Jefferson sends delegation to france to purchase New Orleans for 10 million
France Sells Louisiana
1. Napolean offers entire Louisiana territory for 15 million
2. needs money to fight England & conquer world
3. slave rebellion in St. Dominique (Haiti) cancels plans for French empire in N.
America
4. Toussant L'Ouverture leads slave rebellion
Constitutionality of Louisiana Addition
1. Constitution says nothing about purchasing additional territories
2. Jefferson applies loose interpretation-purchase falls under presidential treaty making power
3. western lands would become agricultural & increase strength of Democratic Republicans
4. 1804 elections-Democratic Republicans win big
1st Term Accomplishments
1. doubled size of US
2. eliminated European threat to US expansion
3. Barbary Coast success
4. reduced debt
5. reduced taxes
Jefferson's 2nd
Term
1. US caught in middle of another European conflict
2. Democratic Republican Party splits
3. actions of Aaron Burr (former vice president)
Notes: Jefferson's 2nd Term
1804 Essex Junto
1. declining influence of Federalist Party-better to secede from US
2. Federalist extremists plot New England's secession & creation of 7 state confederacy (NY &
NJ)
3. Burr to run for governor of
NY
4. Hamilton prevents Burr's election for the 2nd time
5. Burr challenges Hamilton to a duel
Burr Hamilton Duel
1. Hamilton shoots 1st because he was challenged
2. duelers were to fire into ground (show of courage)
3. Hamilton fires above Burr's head (most likely due to technology of early guns)
4. Burr shhots Hamilton in abdomen
5. Hamilton dies next day
6. Burr flees to southern section of US where dueling was accepted
practice
1806 Burr Conspiracy
1. plot to separate western part of US & combine with Florida & other Spanish
territory
2. James Wilkinson (governor of Louisiana and a co conspirator) reveals plot to Jefferson
3. Burr tried for treason
4. 2 witnesses necessary for conviction; was treasonable act committed??
Burr Goes to
Europe
1. plots to liberate Canada & return to the French
2. Plots to invade DC & return US to
British
Geriatric Burr
1. returns to US & marries rich widow
2. wife divorces him at 80 years old
3. spent all of her money
4. fathered 2 illigimate children while married
Quids ("something or other")
1. House DR's led by John Randolph of Virginia who disapproved of Jefferson's violation of
party
principles
2. states' rights
3. strict
construction
1804 Yazoo Land Controversy
1. Georgia cedes western lands to federal gov't
2. people had already purchased lands from
company
3. Georgia legislature invalidates individual land purchases due to fraud/corruption
4. Jefferson compromises with plan to grant 5 million acres to individuals
5. Quids block Jefferson's compromise due to state's rights (Ga. Decision is final)
6. 1810 Fletcher v. Peck-sanctity of contracts (Georgia can't invalidate original deal)
7. ***1st time Supreme Court rules a state action
unconstitutional
Violations of US Neutrality
1. British Orders in Council-blockade of European ports & neutral ships trading with Europe can
only enter British ports
2. French Continental System-no trade with Britain, any neutral ship abiding by British policies
was
subject to seizure
3. impressment- over 6,000 Americans impressed from 1808-1811
4. 1807 Chesapeake Incident-British demand to search American ship for deserters; US captain
refuses; British open fire killing 3 & wounding 18
1807 Embargo Act
1. no trade with any foreign nation
2. peacable coercion-force both England & France to respect US neutrality due to their need for
American food products
3. results of act-massive unemployment, farmers losing money, smuggling, talk of secession,
***some manufacturing begins (positive result)
4. Congress ends act 3 days before Jefferson leaves office
5. replaced with 1809 Non Intercourse Act-trade with all nations except Britain &
France
6. 1810 Macon's Bill #2-US will open trade with England or France (whoever agrees to respect
US
neutrality) (Napolean
agrees)
Native Americans
1.Jefferson- Indians must assimilate into civilized agricultural communities or resettle west of
Mississippi River (land needed for farmers)
2. Jefferson rules tribal claims to hunting grounds in NW Territory are illegal & won't be
recognized
3. William H. Harrison appointed governor of Indiana Territory
4. Shawnee leader Tecumseh proposes Indian confederacy to protect lands & restore culture
5. Harrison destroys Shawnee village at Battle of Tippecanoe
6. Americans blame British for arming & inciting Indians along frontier