The Age of Jefferson: Decline of the Federalists 1.Negative effects of the Alien and Sedition Acts 2.Unpopular new taxes imposed to pay the costs of war preparation = built up the U.S. Navy Election of Republican candidates Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr received an equal number of electoral votes 2.Special election held in the Federalist controlled House of Representatives 3.With Hamilton ’ s urging, the House voted Jefferson into office 4.Republican lawmakers also took control of both the House and Senate

“ Revolution of 1800 ” 1.Power passed from one political party to another without violence 2.The U.S. Constitutional system could endure the strains that were placed upon it 3.Federalists quietly accepted defeat and peacefully relinquished control of the federal government

Jefferson ’ s Presidency 1.Animosity and partisan feelings of the election created a need for a peaceful transition of power 2.Jefferson ’ s inaugural address in 1801 = “ We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists ” 3.Under Republican leadership of Jefferson and Madison, the nation experienced: -peaceful political change -territorial expansion -survival of another war with Great Britain -strengthening of the democratic and nationalistic spirit

Jefferson ’ s First Term 1.Attempted to win the allegiance and trust of Federalist opponents by maintaining: -national bank -debt-repayment plan 2.Carried on neutrality policies in foreign affairs 3.Adhered to the Republican principle of a limited central government -reduced the size of the military -eliminated federal jobs -repealed excise taxes

America and France , the French military and Napoleon Bonaparte forced Spain to cede the Louisiana Territory 2.By 1803, Napoleon had lost interest in his plan to restore the French empire in the Americas -resources needed to be concentrated on the war with England -a slave rebellion led by Toussaint l ’ Ouverture against French rule in Haiti resulted in heavy French losses

U.S. Western Interests 1.The economic existence of settlers in the west relied on transporting goods on rivers , Spain had closed the port of New Orleans to Americans, revoking the right of deposit granted in the Pinckney Treaty 3.Jefferson feared that as long as a foreign power controlled the Mississippi at New Orleans, the U.S. risked entanglement in European affairs

Negotiations 1.American diplomats sent to France with instructions to offer up to $10 million for both New Orleans and land extending east to Florida 2.If the talks with the French failed, the ministers were instructed to begin discussions with Britain for a military alliance 3.Seeking funds for the war against Britain, Napoleon ’ s ministers offered to sell not only New Orleans, but also the entire Louisiana Territory for $15 million

Constitutional Predicament 1.Committed to strict interpretation, Jefferson realized no clause explicitly stated a president could purchase foreign land 2.Setting aside idealism for the good of the nation, the purchase agreement was submitted to the Senate for ratification 3.Jefferson argued that lands could be added to the U.S. as an application of the president ’ s power to make treaties

Consequences 1.The Louisiana Purchase (1803) more than doubled the size of the U.S. 2.Foreign presence on the nation ’ s borders was removed 3.Guaranteed the extension of the western frontier lands beyond the Mississippi 4.Acquisition of millions of acres of land strengthened Jefferson ’ s hopes for an agrarian society of independent farmers 5.Jefferson ’ s political power was expanded as the Republican party’s influence grew in the west 6.Federalists appeared to be a weak, sectionalist party that could only complain about Republican policies

Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery: Increased geographic and scientific knowledge of the unexplored country 2.Strengthened U.S. claims to the Oregon Territory 3.Improved relations with Native American tribes 4.Developed maps and land routes for fur trappers and future settlers

Jefferson ’ s Foreign Policy The Barbary Pirates, merchant ships were seized by pirates off the North African coast in the Mediterranean -Pasha of Tripoli demanded tribute, TJ sent a small fleet instead -sporadic fighting from gained respect and offered a measure of protection to U.S. vessels Non-Importation Act, British continued to impress sailors, occupy posts south of the Great Lakes, and block U.S. trade in the West Indies -Act passed to ban imports that could be produced domestically or acquired elsewhere -British then blockaded the European coast and Napoleon ordered attacks on commercial ships to the British Isles

Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, the British warship Leopard fired on the U.S. warship Chesapeake off the coast of Virginia -3 Americans were killed and 4 others impressed -many Americans demanded war, TJ resorted to diplomacy and economic pressure Embargo Act, prohibited American merchant ships from sailing to any foreign port -TJ hoped the British would stop violating neutral rights rather than lose U.S. trade -British substituted with supplies from South America, while the U.S. suffered an economic depression -TJ called for a repeal of the embargo and trade was restored with all nations except Britain and France = Nonintercourse Act (1809)