The Jefferson Era

The Election of 1800 John Adams loses, but there is a tie between Aaron Burr & Thomas Jefferson (same number of electoral votes). The House of Representatives must break the tie. Alexander Hamilton secretly tells Federalists not to elect Aaron Burr. Aaron Burr

Burr and Hamilton Duel Essential Question: Why did Burr kill Hamilton in a duel?

Answer: Burr killed Hamilton in a duel to try and get back his honor. Hamilton had advised voters not to elect Burr in two different elections. After he lost the election for governor of New York, Burr found out that it was due to Hamilton and challenged him to a duel. Hamilton was killed & Burr did not get back his honor, because he had killed a great patriot.

Essential Question #2: Why does Jefferson reduce the size of the federal government? How does he do it?

Answer: His views on government are that the federal government should be small (less powerful than the Federalists had made it) and let the states handle most of the business of governing. He reduced the size of the military. He ended many taxes, including the Whiskey tax He reduced the number of federal employees.

Essential Question: How did Chief Justice, John Marshall, strengthen the Federal Government?

Answer: Marshall, who was appointed to the Supreme Court by Pres. John Adams, was a Federalist, who believed in a strong, central government. In a case called Marbury vs. Madison, Mr. Marbury tried to sue the government. The Supreme Court declared the law that Marbury tried to use, was unconstitutional. Marshall also declared that the Court had the right of “judicial review” and would review each law Congress passed to make sure it was constitutional. This strengthened the Judicial Branch.

Essential Question: How did Jefferson double the size of the U.S.A.?

With the Louisiana Purchase!

Why and how did Jefferson do this? Settlers west of the Appalachians wanted to secure the Mississippi and New Orleans to transport their crops. However, the port city of New Orleans belonged to France.; so, Jefferson made an offer to buy the city. The French ruler, Napoleon Bonaparte, asked if Jefferson would be interested in buying all of the Louisiana Territory.

Why did Napoleon want to sell his colony of Louisiana to the U.S.? France was still at war with Britain and Napoleon was trying to conquer continental Europe. He needed funds. He had lost his Caribbean Colony of Haiti after a bloody slave revolt led by Toussaint L’Ouverture and lost interest in colonizing in America.

Louisiana Purchase becomes Louisiana Territory Congress approved Jefferson’s proposal to buy the Louisiana Territory for $15 million in This purchase doubles the size of the U.S. and gets us closer to the Pacific Ocean (Rocky Mts.) Jefferson plans an expedition to map and explore the territory. He puts Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in charge. He tells them to try and find a waterway to the Pacific Ocean.

Lewis and Clark

Lewis and Clark Expedition,

Sacagawea Lewis and Clark drag their boat up the Missouri River until they reached tall waterfalls. Natives tell them the Rocky Mountains are extremely difficult to cross and without a guide they will die. Sacagawea knows how to get across the Rockies to her people on the other side.

The Results of the Expedition Sacagawea’s brother leads the Lewis and Clark group to a river that they can take to the Pacific Ocean. The expedition builds Fort Clatsop in Oregon at the mouth of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. They remain there until the winter is over. Then, they return to Washington, D.C with maps and detailed descriptions of their journey.

Zebulon Pike Was also sent to explore the Louisiana Territory. He followed the Red River and was taken prisoner by the Spanish when he accidently wandered into their territory. He was later released and brought back maps and info He claimed the Great Plains was a desert. He said the Spanish spoke highly of a place called, California.

Jefferson’s Problems with Foreign Powers Problems: Both France and Britain interfered with American shipping, because neither side wanted Americans to help their enemy. The British even began the impressment (kidnapping) of American sailors to work as British sailors. Advice: What would you advise Jefferson to do if you were his Secretary of State? Remain neutral? Negotiate some kind of agreement? Declare War?

What did Jefferson choose? The Embargo Act of An embargo is like a boycott. It is a refusal to do trade with a foreign country until that country agrees to respect your demands. Congress approved the Act, but many American merchants suffered. The Embargo becomes unpopular because it puts many people out of work. Exports decline steeply.

President James Madison

Madison’s Foreign Dilemma Problems: The British continue with the impressment of American sailors. The British are also still seizing or blocking American merchant ships. The British in Canada support Native American leader, Tecumseh, who is fighting for a Native American nation west of the Appalachians. Advice: What would you advise the President if you were his Secretary of State? Remain neutral? Negotiate an agreement? Another Embargo? Declare War?

What does Madison do? “War Hawks” in the Congress gain the nation’s support for war. Madison says he will support a war. The War of 1812 begins!

The War of 1812 First Phase: Many naval battles, especially on the lakes between the U.S. and Canada. In Canada, at the Battle of the Thames, Tecumseh is killed fighting for the British who had promised the Natives a homeland in Canada in exchange for helping them fight the American invasion. Second Phase: Britain finally defeats Napoleon in Europe (1814) and turns its attention to the battle with the U.S. The British fleet sails up the Potomac River and burns down Washington D.C. However, at Fort McHenry, outside Baltimore, they are turned back. Francis Scott Key writes a poem which becomes the National Anthem.

The End of the War of 1812 The British signal that they are interested in negotiating an end. The Treaty of Ghent is signed at the end of 1814 However, the news doesn’t reach the U.S. until after the Battle of New Orleans (1815), where Andrew Jackson distinguishes himself as an inspiring leader.

The Effects of the War Increased patriotism. Weakened Native American resistance U.S. manufacturing and the economy take off!