REVOLUTION OF 1800

1. REVOLUTION OF 1800 • Jefferson avoided the sober, formal, and ceremonial decorum of Washington/Adams years • Walked to inauguration • “rule of pell-mell” • Did not dress up • Did not make much of a physical impression

2. POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY • Believed that “government which governs least, governs best” • Believed that federal government should conduct foreign policy and oversee relations between states • But that was it • Believed that the individual states should “have the principal care of our persons, our property, and our reputation”

3. JEFFERSON IN ACTION • Got rid of Federalist programs he thought represented excessive government interference into lives of citizens • Especially Alien and Sedition Acts • Reduced size of bureaucracy • Fired tax collectors, federal judges • Cut army and navy by 50% • Closed U.S. embassies everywhere except England, France, and Spain • Repealed Hamilton’s taxes • All the money necessary to run government came from sale of federal land in West and import duties

4. THE LOUISIANA TERRITORY • France took control of Louisiana Territory in 1800 from Spain • This bothered Americans for two reasons • French possession of New Orleans gave them a stranglehold on American commerce on the Mississippi River • Many envisioned the U.S. someday including the entire continent • Would never happen if the French established colonies in Louisiana Territory

5. A SURPRISE IN FRANCE • Jefferson sent diplomats to France to find out what Napoleon planned to do with Louisiana Territory • Napoleon offers to sell territory to U.S. for 15 million dollars • A fantastic deal

6. CONSTITUTIONAL ARGUMENT • Jefferson had always been a “strict constructionist” • Argued that if a power was not clearly spelled out in the constitution, then the government had no right to claim that power • Jefferson uses “implied powers” argument to justify purchase • Nothing in constitution specifically authorized government to buy territory from another nation • Jefferson argued power was “implied” in the Constitution

7. THE WAR OF 1812 • Both France and England tried to draw us into their side in the Napoleonic Wars • Jefferson had to use all his skill to keep us out of the conflict • But the U.S. was drawn into the wars anyway under Jefferson’s successor, James Madison

8. NEUTRAL RIGHTS • U.S. wanted to be neutral in war but England and France frequently violated our neutral rights • In American eyes, England was the more serious and dangerous violator

9. IMPRESSMENT • Desertion was major problem in British navy due to poor conditions • Many deserters joined American merchant marine • To stop this loss of manpower, England claimed the right to stop and search American merchant ships and impress any deserters they found back into British navy • Also began to impress American sailors who had not deserted but who had been born in England • Between 1803 and 1812, over 10,000 naturalized American citizens were impressed into British navy

10. CHESAPEAKE INCIDENT • U.S. government complained about impressment but were ignored by British • British warship fired three broadsides at the American merchant ship, Chesapeake, in 1807 • When it wouldn’t allow British to board ship • 24 American sailors were killed or wounded • British impressed four sailors

11. EMBARGO • Jefferson resisted public clamor for war and imposed embargo against both England and France • Refused to sell either country American products • Both England and France hurt by embargo • But not enough to stop them from harassing American shipping • Also hurt American business • Especially in Northeast • Strengthened Federalists in region

12. JAMES MADISON • James Madison elected 4th president in 1808 • Because Jefferson refused to run for third term • Tried to stick to Jefferson’s policy of avoiding war with England

13. THE WAR HAWKS • Young Republicans who advocated war with England • Gained control of Congress in 1810 • Included Henry Clay of Kentucky and John C. Calhoun of South Carolina • Put pressure on Madison to fight England and also take over Canada and Florida • Madison caves in to pressure because he wanted to the Republican nomination for president again in 1812 Henry Clay John C. Calhoun

14. WAR • Madison asked Congress to declare war against England on June 1, 1812 • Because England impressed American citizens into its navy • Because England interfered with American trade • Because England incited Indians on the American frontier • Congress declared war two weeks later • But the vote was close • 19-13 in Senate • Madison was re-elected president

15. ASPECTS OF THE WAR (1) • Americans tried to invade Canada twice but failed • Fort Dearborn attacked by Indians friendly to British and destroyed • Site of modern Chicago • British attack and burn down most of Washington D.C.

16. ASPECTS OF THE WAR (2) • British attack Fort McHenry • Near Baltimore • Failed • Inspired Francis Scott Keys to write “Star Spangled Banner” • About the attack

17. BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS • British attack New Orleans • Stopped by Andrew Jackson • Tennessee planter and militia general • With army made up of Tennessee and Kentucky sharpshooters, French pirates, slaves, and Creoles • British lost 700 dead, 1400 wounded, and 500 prisoners • Jackson lost just 8 dead and 13 wounded

18. SIGNIFICANCE • Up until Battle of New Orleans, American military operations had been badly bungled and unsuccessful • Morale was low • Federalists launched effort to pull out of war • Jackson’s victory: • Discredited Federalists • Improved American spirit and confidence • Convinced British to agree to a peace settlement • Treaty of Ghent (1814)

19. THE WAR AND THE INDIANS • Before war, Indians who lived in Mid-West could count on aid from British in Canada to resist American settlement • Indians in Southeast received similar aid from Spanish in Florida

20. TECUMSEH • Name means “Shooting Star” • From Shawnee tribe • Attempted to unite all the tribes in the Mississippi Valley in order to resist white settlement and create a vast Indian state stretching westward from the Ohio River

21. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON • Governor of Indiana Territory • Negotiated with individual tribes within his territory • Using every dirty trick in the book of American Indian relations • Made separate treaties which resulted in tribes giving up huge amounts of land to the United States • Same process going on in Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama • Resulted in much discontent among dispossessed tribes throughout the Mississippi Valley

22. TECUMSEH’S PLAN • Tecumseh argued that Harrison did not legally have title to the land he had gained • Because he had negotiated with individual tribes • Land belonged to all tribes together and none could individually give parts of it away without permission of the others • Determined to unite all tribes, return them to their ancient ways and customs, and create a vast Indian nation • Free from all white men and white influences

23. INITIAL SUCCESS • Aided by brother • One-eyed medicine man named “the Prophet” • Tecumseh tramped from village to village from headquarters at junction of Tippecanoe Creek and Wabash River (western Indiana) • From Wisconsin to Florida • Achieved great deal of success • Due to charisma and magnetism • A sense of common purpose and unity began to permeate the various tribes of the region • He actually began to pull them together The Prophet

24. “BATTLE” OF TIPPECANOE • Harrison attacked Tecumseh’s headquarters at Tippecanoe in November 1811 • While Tecumseh was gone • Massacred most Indians or drove them off (included The Prophet) • Burnt town to the ground • Tecumseh fled to Canada with remaining followers • Killed fighting for the British in 1813

25. AFTERMATH • No other Indian leader had Tecumseh’s charisma or vision • America would gain Florida as a result of the war • Ending Spanish aid to Indians • British abandoned support of Indians after war • Tecumseh had been the Indians’ last hope • His death and defeat was, in many ways, their own