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JEFFERSONIAN DEMOCRACY. Chapter 6. The American Nation , 12e, Mark C. Carnes John A. Garraty. ELECTION OF 1800. Election 1800: Republicans won in February 1801 electoral vote 73 to 65 Both Jefferson and Aaron Burr had 73 votes House of Representatives was deadlocked for over 35 votes
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JEFFERSONIAN DEMOCRACY Chapter 6 The American Nation, 12e, Mark C. Carnes John A. Garraty
ELECTION OF 1800 • Election 1800: Republicans won in February 1801 electoral vote 73 to 65 • Both Jefferson and Aaron Burr had 73 votes • House of Representatives was deadlocked for over 35 votes • Hamilton exerted influence in favor of Jefferson (who may have promised to preserve Hamilton’s financial system and continue Washington-Adams foreign policy) • February 17, 1801, Jefferson became president and Burr vice president • 12th Amendment drafted (ratified 1804) providing for separate balloting for President and Vice President
THE FEDERALIST CONTRIBUTION • March 4, 1801 Jefferson took oath of office at new national capital, Washington, DC • Federalists had been moderate until fear of Republican strength led them to attempt revolution in 1798 • Failed and led to landslide for Republicans at Congressional level in 1800 • U.S. passed test and transferred power and changed policy peacefully
THOMAS JEFFERSON: POLITICAL THEORIST • Jefferson thought human beings basically selfish • Believed in democracy • Wanted society to remain one of small independent farmers • Believed ALL government was a necessary evil at best • Disliked Hamilton’s desire to commercialize and centralize government and his pro-British orientation
JEFFERSON AS PRESIDENT • New administration marked by style and moderation • Positions included: • Against “entangling alliances” • For economy in government • Promised to • Pay off national debt • Preserve government’s credit • Stimulate both agriculture and commerce Jefferson, Thomas. Charcoal drawing (bust). 59-PP-3 National Archives
JEFFERSON AS PRESIDENT • Repealed whiskey and other excise taxes • Cut military and naval expenditures to balance budget • Naturalization returned to five years • Sedition and Alien Acts expired in 1801 and 1802 respectively • Played down ceremony and formality • Held stag dinners to get to know congressmen personally • Easily won re-election in 1804
JEFFERSON’S ATTACK ON THE JUDICIARY • Jefferson had prejudices against • Kings • British system of government • Entrenched judicial power • Judiciary Act of 1801 • Created 6 new circuit courts, presided over by 16 new federal judges • Federalists, in their last days, shamelessly appointed partisan politicians • Jefferson had act repealed • So angry he held up a number of appointments for Justices of the Peace for DC
JEFFERSON’S ATTACK ON THE JUDICIARY • Marbury v. Madison (1803) • Resulted from William Marbury’s petition for a writ of mandamus to obtain his commission • Chief Justice John Marshall ruled: • Marbury by right should have his commission • But court could not require secretary of state James Madison to give it to him since request was based on unconstitutional clause of Judiciary Act of 1789 • As a result Court did not have the right to issue writ of mandamus • Gave court power to invalidate federal laws that conflicted with the Constitution
JEFFERSON’S ATTACK ON THE JUDICIARY • Jefferson decided to press for impeachment of some of more partisan federal judges • Went after associate supreme court justice Samuel Chase who had been high handed in handling Sedition Act cases—acquitted
THE BARBARY PIRATES • Barbary Pirates: North African Arab states of Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli who seized ships and crews whom they held for ransom • Europeans, and Americans, paid them annual protection (cheaper than increased shipper insurance) • Pasha of Tripoli raised rates, Jefferson balked, pasha declared war May 1801 and Jefferson dispatched squadron • Pirates underwhelmed and USS Philadelphia burned after ran aground • Payment of tribute continued to 1815 • Pasha did agree to new treaty more favorable to U.S.
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE • Problems on the border continue – Spain gives Louisiana back to France • Napoleon hoped to use Louisiana as breadbasket for West Indian sugar plantations • Jefferson concerned about Napolean…. • wanted assurances of U.S. rights in New Orleans
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE • Napoleon’s plans changed when Haiti revolted against France ( yellow fever). • Jefferson now sought to buy New Orleans • James Monroe sent to France with offer of $10 million for New Orleans
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE • In early May the Americans agreed to buy entire area for $15 million • In U.S. there was concern over constitutionality but treaty passed
THE FEDERALISTS DISCREDITED • West and South solidly for Jefferson and North leaning toward him • Some in New England, feeling threatened, formed Essex Junto in 1804 with intentions of creating separate northern confederacy • Supported Aaron Burr for Governor of New York • Burr defeated but took offense at comments made by Alexander Hamilton during the campaign • Result was duel on July 11, 1804, in which Hamilton was killed
LEWIS AND CLARK • Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the Louisiana Purchase • Scientific and practical interests • Establish relations with Indians • The Journey • Start St. Louis spring 1804 • Stay North Dakota (build Fort Mandan) for winter • April 1805 headed for Pacific • Spring 1806 made return trip reaching St. Louis by September
OTHER EXPLORERS • Thomas Freeman went up Red River but had to retreat in face of Spanish • Lieutenant Zebulon Pike explored upper Mississippi Valley and Colorado region between 1805 and 1807 • By 1808 St. Louis fur traders were invading Rockies • By 1812 75,000 people were in southern section of purchase—admitted as Louisiana
JEFFERSONIAN DEMOCRACY • Jefferson’s moderation calmed fears that rule by Republicans would result in a French style revolution • Managed to achieve prosperity without expense or infringement on personal liberties • Order without discipline • Security without a large military establishment • Prosperity without regulatory legislation • Freedom without license
THE BURR CONSPIRACY • Burr began to contemplate treason • Offered British separation of Western part of U.S. for £110,000 and support of British fleet off mouth of Mississippi • British ignored but Burr proceeded • Joined forces with Jefferson’s appointed governor of Louisiana Territory, James Wilkinson (secretly in pay of Spanish) • 1806 Burr and Wilkinson headed to New Orleans with small force • Wilkinson betrayed Burr to Jefferson • In partisan trial pitting Jefferson vs. Marshall, Marshall favored Burr who was acquitted
NAPOLEON AND THE BRITISH • When Napoleon resumed warfare in Europe, it stimulated American economy • Shipbuilding boomed • Foreign trade doubled between 1803 and 1805 • Balance in Europe by 1807 • British controlled the seas • Napoleon controlled the continent • Commercial Warfare • Berlin Decree—November 1806, Napoleon: prohibited trade with Great Britain • Orders In Council—Britain: blockaded continental ports and barred them from foreign vessels unless they stopped first in England and paid customs duties • Milan Decree—December 1807, Napoleon: any vessel that submitted to British search was thereby British property and subject to seizure
NAPOLEON AND THE BRITISH • Broken voyages—attempts to circumvent British maritime regulations by taking goods to U.S. before they went to final destination • 1803-1806 re-export went from $13 million to $60 million • Britain in Essex & William cases cracked down on re-export trade at same time both Britain and France were putting limits on direct trade by neutrals
THE IMPRESSMENT CONTROVERSY • British Law: any able bodied subject could be drafted by the Royal Navy in an emergency • In addition to press gangs in British ports and the stopping of British merchant vessels, might stop NEUTRAL ship and impress British subjects • British were high-handed and denied naturalization rights for Americans claiming once British, always British
THE IMPRESSMENT CONTROVERSY • At least 10,000 British sailors were working in U.S. merchant marine due to better conditions • Some naturalized U.S. citizens • Some worked under false papers • Some admitted were British citizens • Some were deserters from British Navy • U.S. government conceded British right to impress own citizens but not Americans • As many as 3 out of every 4 of the at least 5,000 sailors removed from U.S. ships between 1803 and 1812 were Americans • British did return those who could prove citizenship (some 3,800)
THE EMBARGO ACT • Between 1803 and 1807 • British seized more than 500 U.S. ships • Napoleon seized more than 200 • June 22, 1807: USS Chesapeake (46-gun frigate) stopped by HMS Leopard • When refused to hand over 4 “deserters,” Chesapeake was fired on and three sailors killed • Deserters returned and ship limped home • Attack was violation of international law • Jefferson ordered British ships out of U.S. waters and passed Embargo Act
THE EMBARGO ACT • Prohibited all exports • Jefferson hoped bad effects on U.S. economy would be offset by • Keeping U.S. merchant marine off seas thus ending potential injury to themselves and to U.S. honor • Pressuring Britain & France, through the withholding of U.S. goods, to moderate policies • Loses for maritime industry huge: • Massachusetts owned ships were earning over $15 million • Foreign commerce was most expansive force in U.S. economy
THE EMBARGO ACT • Exports fell • 1807: $108 million • 1808: $22 million • Imports fell • 1807: $138 million • 1808: less than $57 million • Other effects • Prices of farm and manufactured goods reacted violently • Seamen thrown out of work • Merchants had businesses disrupted
THE EMBARGO ACT • Attempts to circumvent • Smuggle goods into Canada • Ship out to sea before embargo in place and not return until over • Claim “distress” in between U.S. ports and “have to land” in foreign ports • Law allowed merchants with property abroad to fetch it—some 800 did • Juries failed to convict those charged with violating act • Congress finally replaced with Non-Intercourse Act which forbade trade only with Britain and France though President could restart trade with either if country stopped violating American rights
WEBSITES • Thomas Jefferson http://www.pbs.org/jefferson • Thomas Jefferson Resources Online http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson • The Jefferson Home http://www.monticello.org