Chapter 10- The Jefferson Era Lesson 1- A New Party in Power The Election of 1800
Federalists nominated John Adams and Charles Pinckney
Republicans nominated Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr
Candidates didn’t travel around the country to campaign
Letters published in newspapers with the candidates’ views
Federalists said Jefferson was “godless”
Republicans warned that Federalists would bring back monarchy
The Vote Is Tied
Jefferson and Burr tied with 73 votes in the Electoral College
House of Representatives had to decide the election
Federalists supported Burr to keep Jefferson from being president
Tied for 35 ballots until one Federalist decided not to vote for Burr and Jefferson won
Twelfth Amendment (1803)- electors vote once for president and once for vice president
Jefferson’s Inauguration
Adams didn’t attend
Supported states’ rights
Wanted to limit the power and size of the federal government
Jefferson as President
Surrounded himself with people who shared his views
Albert Gallatin- secretary of the treasury; reduced the national debt and cut military expenses
Limited the number of government workers
Got rid of most federal taxes
Collected customs duties (taxes on imported goods)
Government also got money from the salve of western lands
Judiciary Act of 1801
Passed before Jefferson took office
Set up a system of courts
Adams made hundreds of appointments
John Marshall became chief justice of the Supreme Court
Ensured Federalist control of the courts
Appointments (“midnight judges”) could not take effect until judges got their commissions
Some commissions not delivered when Jefferson took office
Told Secretary of State James Madison not to deliver them
The Growing Power of the Supreme Court
William Marbury didn’t receive his commission
Went to the Supreme Court
Court said it didn’t have the jurisdiction (legal authority) to force the delivery of Marbury’s commission and ruled that an act of Congress violated the Constitution
John Marshall set out the principles of judicial review:
Constitution- supreme law of the land
Constitution must be followed if there is a conflict with any other law
Judicial branch can declare laws unconstitutional
Expanding federal power with John Marshall as Chief Justice:
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)- Congress has implied powers and states cannot tax the federal government
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)- Federal law overrules state law in matters affecting more than one state
Worcester v. Georgia (1832)- only the federal government (not the states) could regulate Native Americans
Lesson 2- The Louisiana Purchase Westeward, Ho!
US territory went to the Mississippi River
The Louisiana Territory belonged to Spain (New Orleans to the Rocky Mountains)
Americans moved west in search of land and adventure
Many were farmers
Traveled in Conestoga wagons (sturdy vehicles topped with white canvas)
Spanish allowed Americans to use the Mississippi River and trade in New Orleans
The French Threat
Spanish stopped allowing Americans into New Orleans in 1802
Spain transferred Louisiana to France
Napoleon Bonaparte wanted to build a French Empire in Europe and the Americas
Robert Livingston authorized to offer them up to $2 million for New Orleans and West Florida
Napoleon and Santo Domingo
Slaves and other laborers revolted against plantation owners in the French colony of Santo Domingo (Haiti)
Toussaint L’Ouverture declared it an independent republic
Napoleon sent troops in 1802
French driven out of Haiti in 1804
An Expanding Nation
Napoleon needed money for war against Britain
France offered the entire Louisiana Territory to Livingston and Madison
US bought Louisiana for $15 million
Jefferson worried about whether the purchase was legal
Government’s treaty-making powers allowed for the purchase of land
Senate approved in October 1803
Size of the US doubled
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Expedition to learn about the Louisiana Territory’s people, plans, and animals
Also would look for the Northwest Passage
Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their crew to explore Louisiana
Left from St. Louis in 1804 and traveled on the Missouri River
Kept a journal with notes about what they saw
Sacagawea joined their group as a guide
Reached the Pacific Ocean after 18 months
Inspired people to move westward
Pike’s Expedition
Zebulon Pike led two expeditions between 1805 and 1807
Traveled through the Upper Mississippi River valley and into Colorado
Found Pikes Peak
Mapped part of the Rio Grande and traveled across parts of Mexico and Texas
A Federalist Plan to Secede
Federalists opposed the Louisiana Purchase
Would weaken New England’s power
Plotted to secede (withdraw) from the Union and form a “Northern Confederacy”
Wanted to include New York as well as New England and turned to Aaron Burr for support
Hamilton and Burr Duel
Hamilton accused Burr of plotting treason
Burr blamed Hamilton for his political troubles and challenged him to a duel
Hamilton pledged not to shoot at Burr
Burr shot and killed Hamilton in 1804
Lesson 3- A Time of Conflict American Ships on the High Seas
American ships brought back goods from around the world
Increased trade because of war between Britain and France (less competition)
Piracy on the Seas
Piracy- robbery on the seas
Barbary pirates from North Africa demanded tribute (protection money) to let ships pass safely in the Mediterranean
War With Tripoli
Ruler of Tripoli asked for more money from the US in 1801
Jefferson refused
Tripoli declared war on the US
Jefferson sent ships to blockade Tripoli
Pirates seized the US warship Philadelphia in 1804
Stephen Decatur burned the ship to keep the pirates from using it
War ended in June 1805
Tripoli agreed to stop demanding tribute
US paid $60,000 for the release of American prisoners
Violating Neutral Rights
Jefferson reelected in 1804
War between Britain and France threatened to interfere with American trade
Neutral rights- the right to sail the seas and not take sides
US traded with both Britain and France
Britain blockaded the French coast in 1805
Threatened to search all ships trading with France
France said it would search and seize ships trading with Britain
The British Abuse American Shipping
Many British sailors deserted
British searched American ships for deserters
Led to impressment of American citizens
British demanded to search the Chesapeake near Virginia
Killed three crew members and when the captain of the Chesapeake refused
Americans were outraged
Jefferson wanted to avoid war
More Problems for American Trade
Jefferson banned some trade with Britain
Embargo Act passed in 1807
Embargo- prohibits trade with another country
Banned imports from and exports to all foreign countries
Unemployment rose in New England
South couldn’t sell tobacco or cotton
Price for wheat fell in the West
Britain bought goods from other countries
Embargo Act repealed in 1809
Nonintercourse Act prohibited trade with Britain and France
Also unpopular and unsuccessful
The Election of 1808
Jefferson didn’t run for a third term
Republicans nominated James Madison
Federalists nominated Charles Pinckney
Pinckney won most of New England, but had little support in other regions
Madison won easily
War at Home and Abroad
Madison took office when Americans wanted war with Britain
War Looms
1810 law allowed trade with France or Britain depending on which country lifted trade restrictions with the US
Napoleon promised to end France’s trade restrictions
French continued to seize and sell American ships
Americans were angry with both Britain and France
Madison saw Britain as the bigger threat to the US
Broken Treaties
Ohio became a state in 1803
White settlers wanted more land in the Ohio River valley
Shawnee chief Tecumseh tried to build a confederacy among Native American nations in the Northwest
Believed an alliance supported by the British would stop white movement onto Native American lands
Tecumseh’s brother was known as the Prophet
Wanted Native Americans to return to their ancient customs
Founded a village in northern Indiana (Prophetstown)
Tecumseh Meets the Governor
William Henry Harrison was the governor of the Indiana Territory
Warned Tecumseh that the US had more warriors than the Native Americans
Tecumseh said Native Americans couldn’t remain at peace with the US
The Battle of Tippecanoe
Harrison attacked Prophetstown and won
Tecumseh joined forces with the British
The War Hawks Call for War
War Hawks- Republicans in Congress who wanted a more aggressive policy toward Britain
Henry Clay (Kentucky) and John Calhoun (South Carolina) were leading War Hawks
Supported increases in military spending
Wanted land in Canada and Florida
War Hawks’ nationalism (loyalty to their country) appealed to a renewed sense of American patriotism
Federalists in the Northeast opposed war
The Eve of War
Madison believed war with Britain couldn’t be avoided
Asked Congress to declare war
British ended their policy of search and seizure of American ships
News didn’t reach the US in time to stop war
Lesson 4- The War of 1812 Defeats and Victories
War Hawks predicted a quick victory
Regular army had fewer than 12,000 troops and 5,000 were new recruits
States had 50,000-100,000 militia
Poorly trained
Commanders from the American Revolution were too old to fight
Some states opposed “Mr. Madison’s War”
US underestimated the strength of the British and their Native American allies
War started in July 1812
General William Hull led the American army from Detroit into Canada
Surrendered Detroit to the British
General William Henry Harrison was also unsuccessful in invading Canada
British control of Lake Erie helped them in Canada
US Naval Strength
US Navy had three of the fastest frigates (warships)
The Constitution destroyed two British vessels
Privateers (armed private ships) also captured many British ships
Oliver Hazard Perry defeated the British on Lake Erie in September 1813
Tecumseh killed in the Battle of the Thames
Americans attacked York (Toronto)
Still couldn’t conquer Canada
Defeat of the Creeks
Hopes for a Native American confederation ended with Tecumseh’s death
British-Native American alliance ended
Andrew Jackson attacked the Creeks in March 1814
More than 550 Creek people killed in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend
Creeks gave up most of their lands
The British Offensive
British defeated Napoleon in 1814
Allowed them to send more forces to the US
British marched into Washington, DC, in August 1814
Burned the Capitol and the president’s mansion
British attacked Baltimore in September
Americans fought the British from Fort McHenry in the harbor
Francis Scott Key wrote “The Defence of Fort M’Henry” (“The Star-Spangled Banner”)
A Turning Point at Plattsburgh
General Sir George Prevost led British troops into New York from Canada
Wanted to take Plattsburgh
American navy defeated the British in the Battle of Lake Champlain
Convinced the British that the war was too costly and unnecessary
The End of the War
Treaty of Ghent ended the war in December 1814
Didn’t change any existing borders
No mention of the impressment of sailors
Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815
Andrew Jackson defeated the British
Became a national hero
Nationalism and New Respect
Federalists gathered in December 1814 at the Hartford Convention
Some favored secession
Made a list of proposed amendments
Seemed unpatriotic and lost respect of the people
Republican War Hawks carried on the Federalist belief in a strong national government
Favored trade, western expansion, development of the economy, strong army and navy
Americans felt a new sense of patriotism after the War of 1812