Chapter 8

1. Chapter 8 Jeffersonianism and the Era of Good Feelings

2. U.S. government moved from New York to Washington, D.C. in November of 1800 • At that time there were 2 public buildings • The President’s Mansion • The Capitol Building Thomas Jefferson was truly the first president to operate from D.C. for his full term

4. Thomas Jefferson He was a Jeffersonian-Republican and very different from his Federalist predecessors He was determined to restore Republican virtue, listen to the will of the people, and put public good before private interests He worked to limit government and to de-centralize authority

5. His policies promoted nationalism and national pride • He rejected aristocratic pretensions of the Federalists • Dressed casually • Wore slippers for public occasions • Received foreign ministers in the hall of the White House while wearing slippers

6. He was well-qualified for office • Trained in law • Author of the Declaration of Independence • Governor of Virginia • Minister to France under Articles of Confederation • First Secretary of State under Washington • Created Jeffersonian-Republicans

7. Elected to the presidency in 1800 and in 1804 • Was a philosopher • Spoke and read Greek, Latin, • French, Italian, Anglo-Saxon, and several Native American languages • Interested in violin, science, and architecture. Ex: designed Monticello and building for University of Virginia

8. Founded the University of Virginia • Designed its curriculum • Sent in a design for the White House • Studied natural science • Invented the dumbwaiter, swivel chair, copying machine, improved the plow, and brought macaroni to the U.S. from Italy

9. Jefferson in Power • Inaugural Address • Gave an appeal for unity • Wanted a wise and frugal government • Wanted equal and exact justice for all • Asked for the support of state governments • Wanted the preservation of the central government to carry out the Constitution • Wanted the re-payment of debts • Wanted to preserve public faith

10. He wanted to encourage agriculture and commerce • Early on he tried to remove Federalists from government positions to reverse some of Adams last minute appointments • Judiciary Act • “Midnight Judges”

11. Judiciary Act • Just before Jefferson took office, the Federalists got this Act passed on 27 February 1801 • Reduced the number of Supreme Court judges from 6 to 5 • This took away an opportunity for Jefferson to appoint a Republican judge to the bench

12. “Midnight Judges” • On 4 March 1801 John Adams appointed several last minute federal judges • He did this on Jefferson’s Inauguration Day • Jefferson felt Federalists were anti-democratic and dismissed as many Federalists as he could • By July 1803 only 130 of 316 were left

13. Frugality in Government • Jefferson and Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury, worked to repeal all internal taxes • Army budget was cut in half • Navy budget was reduced by 2/3 • Made plans to reduce the national debt • Closed 2 of 5 diplomatic missions: in the Hague and in Berlin to save money

14. Made Attacks on the Judiciary • Had Federalist judge John Pickering removed from the bench for insanity and alcoholism • Tried to remove Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase through impeachment in 1804 • Chase was not removed by the Senate • This preserved the court’s independence

15. It set a precedent for the narrow interpretation of grounds for Impeachment • For criminal reasons - Yes • For political reasons - No Jefferson got Congress to repeal the Judiciary Act of 1801 in 1802

16. John Marshall, a Federalist, was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1801 – 1835 • He worked to make the Supreme Court an equal branch of government in practice as well as in theory and did so when reviewing Marbury v. Madison • On Adams last day in office he named William Marbury Justice of the Peace in D.C.

17. Adams was unable to get Marbury’s commission to him by midnight • Jefferson’s new Secretary of State, James Madison, refused to deliver the commission • Marbury sued Madison • He petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of Mandamus – commanding a certain action be taken • Court denied Marbury his writ

18. This showed the Court reviewing Congressional acts • Their decision also stated that Congress could not ask the Supreme Court to issue such a writ • This was the first time the Supreme Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional • It showed that the Court could and would review what Congress did

19. Louisiana Purchase, 1803 • Through a secret treaty in 1801, Napoleon regained Louisiana from Spain • Spain then revoked the U.S. right of deposit in New Orleans • When Napoleon’s war in Europe became too costly, he sold Louisiana to the U.S. for $15 million or 13 ½ cents per acre • Without bloodshed, the U.S. doubled its size and made way for western expansion

20. This was Jefferson’s most popular achievement • Questionable Constitutionality • Jefferson was a strict constructionist • The constitution didn’t say the President could buy new territory • He was going to ask for an amendment, but that could take too long and the deal might fall through

21. So Jefferson submitted the Treaty with the French to the Senate and won its approval • Jefferson justified it on the grounds that it was part of his implied powers to protect the nation

22. Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1803 • Lieutenant Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were to explore the new territory • They received help from a Shoshone Indian named Sacajawea • They reached the Pacific Ocean in November 1805 • They then returned to St. Louis with scientific information about the flora and fauna and about the rivers & mountains

24. Republican vs. Federalist • Jefferson was overwhelmingly re-elected in the 1804 election • He was popular because he restored republican virtue • He was popular because of western expansion • Republican victories led younger Federalists to organize and campaign

25. This was something older Federalists felt was beneath them • In areas where parties organized, participation in elections increased dramatically • Parties still rested on a narrow base; limits placed on who could vote

26. Aaron Burr • Was the Vice President in 1801 • He was thought to have plotted to detach New England, Pennsylvania, and New York from the U.S. while he was Vice President • He was dropped from the ticket in 1804 • He got into a conflict with Alexander Hamilton

27. Burr remarked on an indiscretion of Hamilton’s • Hamilton then slurred Burr • Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel • Hamilton was killed • Burr fled

29. Neutrality • With the renewal of Napoleonic Wars in 1803, the U.S. found itself trapped again between warring Britain and France • The U.S. wished to remain neutral • The British started to impress our sailors again in 1805 • We seemed powerless to stop it short of declaring war

30. We tried to combat it through Acts • Non-Importation Act – prohibited the importation of many British goods; hurt Americans more than the British • Chesapeake Affair, 1807 - USS Chesapeake was attacked by British frigate Leopard while still in U.S. waters; it had refused to be searched by British

31. Embargo Act, 180 7 • Believed to be in reaction to the Chesapeake Affair • Forbade virtually all exports from U.S. • Through New England into a depression • Britain only mildly affected

32. James Madison was elected in 1808 • He tried to avoid war by passing Acts • Non-Intercourse Act • Repealed Embargo Act • Re-opened trade with all nations except Britain & France • President could resume trade with either if it ceased to violate our neutral status

33. Macon’s Bill Number 2, 1810 • Replaced the Non-Intercourse Act • Re-opened trade with Britain and France, provided that if either ceased to violate American rights, the president could shut down commerce with the other These Acts didn’t seem to be working. Britain seemed to be the main target of American hostility

34. Frustrated and exhausted, the U.S. in 1811 and 1812 drifted into war with Britain • Because of a depression in England, British opened the seas to American shipping on 16 June 1812 • We didn’t received the word in time • We declared war on Britain on 18 June 1812

35. Much of the support for war came from the west and the south • Coastal states were opposed because they were still making lots of money despite attacks

36. War of 1812 • Military engagements • U.S. invasion of Canada at the start of war was disastrous; British anticipated invasion • Great Lakes Campaign, 1813 - British and Americans wanted to control the Great Lakes; U.S. defeated British for Lake Erie at the Battle of Put-in-Bay on 10 September • Battle of the Thames on 5 October - General Wm. Henry Harrison pursued British into Canada & defeated them

37. The Battle of the Thames victory gave Americans virtual control of N.W. Territory • Americans raided the Canadian capital of York (Toronto), burned the Parliament building, and retreated • British would soon retaliate • British naval blockade closed Atlantic ports

38. 1814 – British began their land campaign • They occupied and burned Washington, D.C., including the new White House • Now they were even for The burning of their Parliament building in York • They moved on to Baltimore but were stopped at Fort McHenry This is when the Star Spangled Banner was written by Francis Scott Key

40. Battle of New Orleans, 1815 • Last military engagement of War of 1812 • Andrew Jackson won a stunning victory over the British and became a national hero • Ironically, this battle occurred two weeks after the peace treaty had been signed • The news hadn’t reached New Orleans

41. Treaty of Ghent • It essentially restored the pre-war status quo • It did not resolve the issues that had led to war • The fall of Napoleon in Europe had made this peace and the status quo acceptable at the end of 1814

42. Hartford Convention, 1814-1815 • A meeting of New England Federalists who had opposed the war • They proposed that New England secede from the union -- rejected • Convention also called for radical changes in the Constitution to reduce the power of the West, South, & immigrants, the heart of the Jeffersonian-Republicans

43. Timing of the convention was bad • Victory and feelings of patriotism made those at the convention look ridiculous and treasonous • The Treaty of Ghent and the Hartford Convention proved fatal for the Federalist Party; it ceased to exist

44. Consequences of the War of 1812 • Federalist Party fell apart • It reinforced the independence of a young nation • It strengthened American resolve to stay out of European politics • It proved disastrous for most Indian tribes who had allied themselves with the British

45. It exposed weaknesses in our defenses and in transportation - both vital for western expansion • It stimulated economic change • Going without British goods during the war showed Americans that we needed to manufacture our own goods • Begin a factory system

46. American System • The vision of Henry Clay – Congressman, war hawk, & representative at the peace talks after War of 1812 • He said we need to rely on ourselves • We need to build what we need • We should look to ourselves to produce industry, railroads, canals,& U.S. bank

47. States should do this, not federal government • Americans started seeing themselves as a Nation

48. Era of Good Feelings • Took place just after the war • Americans saw themselves as a new chosen people, unique in all the world • We had no history of corruption • We were a virtuous people committed to democracy, liberty, and PROGRESS • James Monroe was president during this era of good feelings, 1816-1824

49. He moved into a new and incomplete White House • Madison tried to avoid controversy