The Jefferson Era
CHAPTER 10
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How
did the events of the
Jefferson Era strengthen
the nation?
IMPORTANT VOCABULARY
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Thomas Jefferson- 3rd president of the United States,
elected in 1801
Judiciary Act of 1801 – law that let president John Adams
fill federal judgeships with Federalists
John Marshall- chief justice of the Supreme Court that
has the final say in interpreting the Constitution.
Judicial Review: principle that states that the Supreme
court has the final say in interpreting the Constitution.
Radical: person who takes extreme political positions.
Federalists: political party of Hamilton and Adams
supported a strong central government
Democratic- Republican – Jefferson’s political party,
feared a strong central government.
SECTION 1 JEFFERSONIAN DEMOCRACY

1800 Election was a contest between two
parties with different roles about government.
Federalists
John Adams
65 electoral
college
Democratic
Republican
Thomas Jefferson
73 electoral
college
Thought they both threatened the Constitution
 Dem/Rep- Thought they were saving the US
from monarchy and oppression
 Argued the Alien Sedition Act
 Federalists –thought nation to be ruined by
radicals *** Remember French Revolution
 Radicals – People who take extreme political
positions
 Federalists: were split (Dem-Rep) wanted Aaron
Burr as Vice President he received 73 electoral
votes / so they had to decide Jefferson or Aaron
Burr.

Hamilton backed Jefferson
 Election of 1800: Jefferson President and
Burr Vice President
 Jefferson’s Personal library will be one of
(Library of Congress) Love of Architecture of
ancient Greece and Rome reflected of the
capital.

JEFFERSON’S DEMOCRACY
1st order of new president was to heal political
wounds. He urged enemies to unite.
 Promote common way of life
 Small independent farmers
 Strong morals and democratic ideals
 An enormous amount of land would prevent
people crowding into cities.
 Avoid having to much government
 Limited central government- people govern
themselves.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)
 Marshall Decision strengthened the
Constitution’s system of checks and
balances
 Lasting balance among 3 branches

JEFFERSON AND THE FEDERALISTS
Jefferson wanted less power than under
Federalists.
 Reduced Federal Employees
 Reduced Military
 Ended federalist programs
 Alien –Sedition Act ended (Released Prisoners)
 End many taxes – Whiskey Tax

CONFLICT WITH THE COURTS
Jefferson had very little power over the courts
 Judiciary Act of 1801- appointed federalist
judges for life
 Chief Justice John Marshall – upheld Federal
Authority and strengthened federal courts
 Judicial Review- A final authority of the
supreme court on the meaning of the
constitution.

SECTION 2 IMPORTANT VOCABULARY
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Meriwether Lewis: army captain appointed by President
Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Territory and lands west
to the Pacific Ocean.
William Clark: co leader of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Sacagawea: Shoshone woman who assisted the Lewis and
Clark expedition
Louisiana Purchase: American purchase of the Louisiana
Territory from France in 1803.
Lewis and Clark Expedition: group that explored the
Louisiana Territory and lands west also known as the Corps
of Discovery.
Zebulon Pike: leader of a southern expedition in the
Louisiana Territory
Corps: a number of people acting together for a similar
purpose.
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE AND EXPLORATION
Lewis and Clark- set to explore American West.
Hired French trapper as an interpreter with
Native Americans.
 His young wife Sacagawea- Shoshone Indian
 Led many of Native American Tribes that they
come in peace.
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THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE
West was defined as the area between the
Appalachian Mountains and Mississippi River
in 1800.
 France and Spain – negotiating ownership of
the Louisiana Territory region Mississippi River
and Rocky Mountains.
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THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND NEW ORLEANS
Secret Treaty in 1800 – Spain returned the port
back to France.
 The United States Expands
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 U.S.
offered to buy New Orleans from France –
France asked to buy all the Louisiana Purchase- 15
million – 3cents an acre
 Exploring the Louisiana Territory
 Had
to learn about the Territory
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION
Corps of Discovery – Later called Lewis and
Clark Expedition.
 York--- African American Slave hunting skills –
1st black man the Native American had seen.
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THE JOURNEY BEGINS
Set out Summer of 1803- St. Louis (Gateway to
the West)
 March 1804- American flag flew over St. Louis for
1st time.
 West to Ocean
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Jefferson instructed to explore the Missouri River in
hopes of water route across Continent. Est. food
relations with native Americans
 1. Landscape
 2. Plants
 3. Animals
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Continued on to the Columbia River which
reaches the Pacific Ocean
 Learned – all water route did not exist
 Good maps of the Territory
 Zebulon Pike- (1806) Explorer left Saint
Louis on a Southerly route to find sources of
the Arkansas and Red Rivers.
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SECTION 3 IMPORTANT VOCABULARY
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Embargo Act of 1807: law that forbade American Ships
from sailing from sailing to foreign ports and closed
American ports British ships.
Tecumseh : Shawnee chief who sought to stop the loss
of Native American land to white settlers
War Hawk: western who supported the war of 1812
Oliver Hazard Perry: naval officer who led the U.S. victory
over the British on Lake Erie in 1813.
Tribute: Payment in exchange for protection
Impressments: the act of seizing by force, between 1803
and 1812, the British impressed, or kidnapped about
6,000 American sailors to work on British ships.
Coercion: Practice of forcing someone to act in a certain
way by use of pressure or threats.
THE WAR OF 1812
U.S. at War with Tripoli- a state of Barbary
Coast – North Africa
 Barbary Pirates- U.S. Paying tribute or
protection money attacking U.S. Ships
(Wanted more Money)
 Stephen Decatur- set a fire to U.S. ship
Philadelphia
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A PATH TO WAR
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Jefferson wanted friendships with all nations(Alliances with none)
Trouble due to American merchants throughout the
world.
Problems with France and England
U.S. ships bound for Britain captured by France
 U.S. ships bound for France captured by Britain.
Lack of British sailors – Great Britain used Impressments or
Kidnapping of American Merchant Sailors (1803- 1812)
6,000 sailors
No More Trade
Jefferson instead of Declaring War – Legislation to stop all
foreign trade. Peaceable Coercion- Act certain way by
pressure or threats.
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EMBARGO ACT OF 1807
Forbade American ships from sailing to foreign
ports.
 Closed American ports to British. Most lost money
 1. Farmers :
 2. Merchants :
 Became part of election on 1808- Madison wonRepeated the Act
 Allowed merchants to trade with anyone but Great
Britain and France.
 Law not effective
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TECUMSEH AND NATIVE AMERICAN UNITY
Americans also felt Great Britain was stirring
up the Native Americans to stop our
expansion.
 Tecumseh: Shawnee Chief- vowed to stop
the movement west to unite tribes
 William Henry Harrison- Governor of Indiana
Territory had some tribes sell land –
Tecumseh declared treaty void.
 Harrison’s forces defeated Shawnee and The
Battle of Tippecanoe
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THE WAR OF 1812
Those who wanted to go to war with Great
Britain for helping American / Policy on Seas
 War Hawks:
 President Madison – asked to declare war on
Britain 1812
 1812-1814 Great Britain – concentrated on war
with France
 Battled on the Seas- Constitution and United
States won battles at sea.
 Most important U.S. Naval victories took place
on Lake Erie – Commodore- Oliver Hazard
Perry- “Don’t Give up the Ship”
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General Harrison attacked a retreating
British army in Canada- defeated British at
the Battle of Thames. Took life of Tecumseh
THE SECOND PHASE OF THE WAR
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British defeated Napoleon in Europe
Britain now free to attack U.S.
British burned Whitehouse and capital building
British attacked Fort McHenry
Francis Scott Key wrote The Star Spangle Banner
American fleet defeated British battle of Lake
Champlain
Battle of New Orleans
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General Andrew Jackson
Treaty of Ghent – slow mail –ended the war- 2 weeks earlier
No Clear winner in war of 1812.