Jefferson's Presidency: From Inauguration to Challenges - A Historical Overview

1. Jefferson’s presidency (1800-1808)

2. Washington, D.C. • 1791- Pierre L’Enfant, a French architect, designed the layout of the city • Adams was the first to move in, 1800 • Jefferson first full-term president to live in the White House

3. Jefferson’s Inaugural Address • Stressed limited government • Supported states’ rights • Preservation of civil liberties • “Peace, commerce and friendship with all nations, and entangling alliances with none”

4. Goals -liberty -equality -strong local government -reduce national debt -agriculture-based economy -expand U.S. territory -anti-war Reality -racist -loose interpretation of Constitution -regulated national economy -led U.S. to brink of war Jeffersonian Democracy

5. Events Leading to the Louisiana Purchase • 1800 – France (Napoleon) regained the Louisiana territory from Spain • Spanish officials still in New Orleans closed New Orleans to Americans • Jefferson feared the threat of an imperial power and possible trade restrictions on the Mississippi • Jefferson sent ministers to France to purchase New Orleans and West Florida

6. Constitutional Question No clause explicitly stated that a president could purchase foreign land Jefferson argued the lands could be added to U.S. as an application of the Presidential power to make treaties

7. Lewis and Clark Expedition • Scientific exploration of the Louisiana Territory • Strengthened U.S. Claims to Oregon • Improved American Indian Relations • Developed maps for settlers and fur trappers

8. John Marshall • Federalist, appointed by Adams before leaving office • His decisions strengthen the role of the Supreme Court at the expense of states’ rights

9. Marbury v. Madison • Jefferson wanted to block the appointment of “midnight judges” by Adams • William Marbury sued, but did not get his commission • Marshall ruled the Judiciary Act of 1789 unconstitutional • By ruling a law of Congress unconstitutional Marshall established the doctrine of “judicial review” and extended the power of the Supreme Court

10. Aaron Burr • Plotted against Jefferson with his party “Quids” • Northern Confederacy Conspiracy • Duel with Hamilton • Conspired with Gen. Wilkinson • Tried for treason but found not guilty

11. Jefferson’s Second Term • Challenges to U.S. Neutrality • Britain and France regularly seized the ships of neutral nations and confiscated cargo • Britain captured American sailors and impressed (forced) them to serve in British navy

12. Chesapeake-Leopard Affair • British ship Leopard fired on U.S. ship Chesapeake • 3 Americans killed; 4 others impressed into British navy

13. Charting a Course of Neutrality • Embargo Act of 1807 prohibited American merchant ships from sailing to any foreign port • Embargo backfired – hurt U.S. economy • Jefferson repealed Embargo Act and replaced with the Non-Intercourse Act of 1809, which stated: • U.S. ships could trade with all nations except Britain and France • President could authorize trade with Britain or France when they ceased violating neutrality rights

14. Jefferson’s Presidential Record First Term • Reduced the size of federal government, repealed excise taxes, lowered the national debt by a third • Louisiana Purchase – doubled the size of the country Second Term • Attempt to avoid a policy of either appeasement or war by the use of economic pressure was a failure