Chapter 11
“The Triumphs and Travails of
Jeffersonian Democracy”
Election of 1800
Federalists – John Adams
– Hurt by Alien and Sedition
Act and Adams failure to
declare war on France
Democratic-Republicans
– Thomas Jefferson
– Rumors that Jefferson
fathered numerous children
with his slaves
– Jefferson was accused of
being an atheist
Controversy in the Election
Each elector had two votes; one for the
president and the other for the vice president.
Consequently, Jefferson and Burr tied.
The vote, according to the Constitution, would
now go to the Federalist-dominated House of
Representatives.
Hateful of Jefferson, many wanted to vote for
Burr, and the vote was deadlocked until
Hamilton persuaded a few House members to
change their votes, knowing that if the House
voted for Burr, the public outcry would doom
the Federalist Party.
Revolution of 1800
The change from
Federalist leadership to
Republican was entirely
legal and bloodless.
An orderly transfer of
power
Jefferson encouraged
agriculture and westward
expansion. Believing
America to be a haven for
the oppressed, he urged
a liberal naturalization
law.
Burr Hamilton Duel
Hamilton contributed to Burr’s loss in
the election of 1800. he convinced
Congress to elect Jefferson then
maintained his public animosity toward
Burr throughout the latter's term in
office.
When Burr ran for Governor of New
York, Hamilton's writings against him
contributed to his defeat.
Finally, in a series of letters in 1804,
Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel.
Although Hamilton tried to evade the
challenge because of his moral
opposition to dueling and his family
responsibilities, he finally accepted.
On July 11, 1804, the two men met
early in the morning, across the
Hudson River from what is now 42nd
Street in New York City. In a few
moments, Hamilton was fatally
wounded, and Burr went into hiding.
The Federalist Finale
Adams was the last Federalist president
The Federalist shaped the conservative
legacy of the United States
Their only flaw was that they couldn’t
relate to the common man, and since
they couldn’t adapt and evolve, they
died.
Thomas Jefferson
TJ’s Inauguration
–
–
“We are all Republicans,
we are all Federalists.”
“Honest friendship with
all nations, entangling
alliances with none.”
Jefferson sent
messages to Congress
to be read by a clerk
instead of personally
addressing Congress.
TJ was consistently
inconsistent.
Thomas Jefferson,
c.1821
Gilbert Stuart
(National Gallery of Art)
Demo-Repub or Federalist?
TJ was determined to undo the Federalist
abuses by pardoning those DemocraticRepublicans who served jail time for violation of
the Sedition Act.
He eliminated the hated Hamiltonian excise tax
but left all other Federalists programs intact.
No attack on the Bank
TJ’s political restraint pointed the way toward the
two-party system that was later to become a
characteristic feature of American politics.
Judiciary Act of 1801
One of the last laws passed by the expiring
Federalist Congress.
Created 16 new federal judgeships
Adams signed the bill the night before he left
office.
Goal was to pack the court with anti-Jefferson
judges who were there for life.
Power-grab attempt by the ousted party to
entrench itself in one of the three powerful
branches of government.
Chief Justice John Marshall
a cousin of Jefferson
Served at Valley Forge
during the War, and he had
been disgusted with the
drawbacks of no central
authority, and thus, he
became a lifelong
Federalist, committed to
strengthening the power of
the federal government.
Served 34 year and thus
maintained a strong
Federalist influence in
government long after the
Federalist Party died out.
Marbury v. Madison
William Marbury had been one of
the “midnight judges” appointed by
John Adams in his last hours as
president., but when Secretary of
State James Madison decided to
shelve the position, he sued for its
delivery. Marshall dismissed the
case, but he said that the part of
the Judiciary Act of 1789 on which
Marbury tried to base his appeal
was unconstitutional, thus
suggesting that the Supreme
Court could determine the
constitutionality of laws.
Judicial review
Samuel Chase Impeachment Trial
Jefferson disliked the idea of judges
being appointed for life. He feared that
under such a system, the judiciary
might become too powerful. And when
Samuel Chase expressed Federalist
opinions from the bench, Jefferson
encouraged the House of
Representatives to impeach him.
Chase's trial would serve as an
important test case. Could a judge be
impeached for expressing unpopular
opinions? Or did a judge need to be
guilty of crimes in order to be
impeached?
If he could impeach Chase easily,
other Federalist judges, notably Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court John
Marshall, would probably follow.
Artist: John Beale Bordley (18001882)
Outcome of the Trial
Although many senators looked upon the
impeachment trial as something akin to a
kangaroo court, Vice President Aaron Burr
conducted the trial in a manner that was
remarkable for its order and decorum.
Burr gave Chase's lawyer, Luther Martin, the
opportunity to present a complete defense of his
client. Burr prevented Chase from being
railroaded, and in the end, Chase was acquitted.
The Pacifist Jefferson Turns
Warrior
TJ distrusted large standing armies as
standing because of the dictatorial nature.
Reduced the military to 2,500 men
However, the pirates of the North African
Barbary States were looting U.S. ships, and in
1801 declared war on the U.S.
TJ reluctantly sent the infant navy to the
shores of Tripoli, where fighting continued for
four years until Jefferson succeeded in
extorting a treaty of peace from Tripoli in 1805
for $60,000.
Barbary States
Like many other nations, the United States paid bribes to the pirates of
the Barbary States for safe shipping passage in the Mediterranean
Sea. In 1815, 11 years after destroying the Philadelphia, Captain
Stephen Decatur sailed back into the Mediterranean Sea with a fleet of
10 ships and brought an end to the problems with the Barbary States.
Louisiana Purchase
In 1800, Napoleon secretly
induced the king of Spain to
cede the Louisiana territory to
France.
U.S. now knew they had to deal
with France, a much stronger
country.
New Orleans was vital to
western farmers.
In 1803, TJ sent James Monroe
to join regular minister Robert
R. Livingston to buy New
Orleans for a total of $10
million.
Surprisingly, Napoleon offered
to sell New Orleans and all of
Louisiana, for a bargain of $15
million.
Why did Napoleon Make the Deal?
1.
2.
3.
Lost Haiti to a slave
rebellion led by
Toussaint L’Ouverture
Needed money to fight
Great Britain
Hoped the U.S. would
grow to become a world
power capable of
rivaling Great Britain.
Jefferson’s Dilemma
TJ was a firm believer in strict interpretation of
the Constitution. Nothing in the Constitution
addressed the acquisition of land.
$15 million was a huge sum of money at the
time which directly went against TJ’s frugal
nature.
The Senate approved the purchase and the
Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the
United States, and was the biggest bargain in
history (average 3 cents per acre).
Sacagawea
Sacagawea, with her
infant son JeanBaptiste, is
immortalized on the
$1 coin, released into
circulation beginning
in the year 2000.
Lewis and Clark Timeline
May 14, 1804 - Expedition begins
August 20, 1804 - Near present day Sioux City, Iowa, Sgt. Charles Floyd dies of a
probable burst appendix.
September 7, 1804 - All of the men attempt to drown a never-before-seen prairie dog
out of its hole for shipment back to Jefferson
October 24, 1804 - Expedition discovers villages of the Mandan and Hidatsas
Indians. The captains decide to build Fort Mandan across the river from the main
village.
November 4, 1804 -Toussaint Charbonneau, a French Canadian fur trapper living
with the Hidatsas, is hired as an interpreter. His wife, Sacagawea, a Shoshone who
had been captured by the Hidatsas and sold to Charbonneau, is also considered
helpful as the Shoshones are said to live at the headwaters of the Missouri.
April 7, 1805 -Lewis and Clark send the keelboat and approx. a dozen men back
downriver, with maps, reports, Indian artifacts and other scientific specimens for
Jefferson. The remaining party heads west.
Lewis and Clark Timeline
August 17, 1805 - Lewis discovers a village of Shoshones and tries to negotiate for
horses. Clark and the rest of the expedition arrives as well, and it is discovered that
the Shoshone chief Cameahwait is Sacagawea's brother.
August 31, 1805 -The expedition sets out with a Shoshone guide called Old Toby,
along with 29 horses and a mule.
October 16, 1805 -The expedition reaches the Columbia River.
November 7, 1805 - Clark, who believes he can see the ocean writes his most
famous journal entry: "Ocian in view! O! the joy." The expedition is actually still 20
miles from the sea. Terrible storms halt the expedition for nearly 3 weeks. They
eventually reach the Pacific Ocean.
September 23, 1806 - Lewis and Clark reach St. Louis
Fall, 1806 - Lewis and Clark are treated as national heroes. They return to
Washington, D.C. The men receive double pay and 320 acres of land as reward, the
captains get 1,600 acres. Lewis is named governor of the Louisiana Territory, Clark is
made Indian agent for the West and brigadier general of the territory's militia.
October 11, 1809 -Lewis commits suicide at Grinders Stand, an inn south of Nashville
Keelboat
Zebulon Pike
In 1805 he led an exploring party to
search for the source of the
Mississippi River; although he
mistakenly identified Red Cedar Lake
(now Cass Lake) in Minnesota as the
source, he was not far wrong. After his
return he was sent on an expedition
(1806–7) to explore the headwaters of
the Arkansas and Red rivers and to
reconnoiter Spanish settlements in
New Mexico. Pike and his men went
up the Arkansas River to the site of
Pueblo, Colo., and explored much of
the country, sighting the peak that is
named after him, Pikes Peak. When
he and a small party went to the Rio
Grande, they were taken into custody
by the Spanish who brought them to
Santa Fe and then to Chihuahua and
finally released them at the border of
the Louisiana Territory.
Election of 1804
Demo-Rep – TJ
Federalists – Charles
Pinckney
TJ won in a landslide.
Jefferson won with a
margin of 162
Electoral votes to 14
for Pinckney
Problems with France and England
Great Britain and France were fighting each
other again.
America commerce benefited by supplying both
sides with goods.
Both countries eventually tried to stop this
practice
Orders in Council – Passed by the British.
Forbade foreign ships from trading with France.
French Decrees – Passed by the French.
Napoleon ordered the seizure of all merchant
ships that entered British ports
Impressment of Sailors
Impressment – A
form of forced
enlistment or the
illegal seizure of
men and forcing of
them to serve on
British ships.
Some 6000
American were
impressed from
1808-11.
One issue precipitating the War of 1812 was the
British disregard of American shipping rights.
British ships frequently stopped American ships,
confiscated their cargo, and impressed
(captured) crew members, claiming they were
deserters from Britain’s Royal Navy.
Chesapeake Affair
On June 22, 1807, the American
frigate Chesapeake was stopped by
the British ship Leopard for the
purpose of inspecting the American
crew for possible deserters.
The Chesapeake’s captain refused
and the British opened fire, causing
extensive damage to the ship. The
American ship was boarded and four
accused deserters were forcibly
removed.
The event, clearly a violation of
America's neutral rights, was widely
reported in the newspapers and
heightened the calls for war against
Britain. The Chesapeake Affair was
one additional grievance leading
toward the War of 1812.
Embargo Act of 1807
In order to try to stop the British
and French seizure of American
ships, Jefferson resorted to an
embargo.
Forbade the export of all goods
from the U.S.
The daring attempt to use
economic coercion on in a
world at war was not
successful. Britain and France
stood firm.
TJ overestimated Great Britain
and French dependence on U.S
shipments
The commerce of New England
was harmed more that that of
France and Britain.
Non-Intercourse Act
This allowed resumption of all
commercial intercourse except with
Britain and France. Jefferson reluctantly
accepted it.
Election of 1808
Demo-Repubs –
James Madison
Federalists – Charles
Pinckney
Madison won election
Macon’s Bill #2
Permitted American trade with all the world, also
promised American restoration of trade to France
and/or England if either dropped their commercial
restrictions.
Napoleon immediately saw a chance to cripple the
British economy, if he simply said he would stop
harassing American ships. A message was sent to the
United States, stating the rights of the American
merchant ships as neutral carriers would be
recognized. Napoleon had no intention of ever
following through on his promise, and James Madison
soon realized this as well, ignoring the French
promise.
War Hawks
Led by Speaker of the House Henry Clay
Reasons for call for war:
– Impressment of sailors
– Orders of Council
– British arming of Indians in the West which
prevented further expansion
– Boundary disputes
– War Hawks desire for Canada
Battle of Tippecanoe
Tecumseh journeyed South to
gain support for his Indian
alliance. While Tecumseh was
away, General William Henry
Harrison saw a good opportunity
to attack. He camped with 1,000
men outside the village that acted
as headquarters for Tecumseh
and his brother (the medicine man
known as "Prophet"). Harrison
provoked the Indians to attack and
then decimated the village. The
destruction of Tecumseh's
headquarters disillusioned many
of the supporters of Tecumseh,
who had believed he and his
brother had supernatural powers.
On November 7, 1811, then-Governor
William Henry Harrison defeated the
Shawnee warriors at the Battle of
Tippecanoe in what is now the state of
Indiana.
CORBIS-BETTMANN
Mr. Madison’s War
War was declared in 1812, with a House vote
of 79 to 49 and a very close Senate vote of 19
to 13, showing America’s disunity.
a disunited America had to fight both Old
England and New England in the War of 1812,
since Britain was the enemy while New
England tried everything that they could do to
frustrate American ambitions in the war.