Download File - Mr. Aiken: United States History

Thomas Jefferson's
Contributions to the
Constitution
Dawson Schmehl, Addison Cantrell, Justin Roerig, David Dykes
12th Amendment
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Thomas Jefferson signed off on the 12th Amendment.
It contains the steps for electing a president and vice president.
The candidate running could now pick his running mate.
Used to be person who came in 2nd was vice president.
Election of 1800
• Jefferson won by a majority of 73 electoral votes to Adam's 65 votes.
• Jefferson and his vice president Aaron Burr tied in votes, election was
brought to house of rep.
• John Adams was last Federalist president, bringing the death of Federalist
party.
• Referred as revolution of 1800, said to bring back spirit of Revolution.
• Peaceful transition of power from Adam's presidency.
LA Purchase (1803)
• Didn't want future conflict with French, so Jefferson offered to buy the
French Louisiana territory.
• Napoleon sold Louisiana because he failed to reconquer the island of Santo
Domingo and he did not want the U.S to ally with their enemy (Britain).
• $15 million
• Doubled the size of United States.
Lewis and Clark
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Thomas Jefferson sent them.
Right after buying LA purchase.
Comprised of Army volunteers.
The goal was to map unexplored territory.
Discovered new plants and animals.
Hamilton - Burr
• Hamilton and Burr's rivalry started during the election of 1800, when Hamilton got
Jefferson elected into office.
• During the election of 1800 Jefferson and Burr ran against each other and tied in electoral
votes.
• When the election moved to the House of Representatives, many people in the house hated
the idea of voting for Jefferson, but then Hamilton who was a member of the house
convinced many to vote for Jefferson, who was seen as the less dangerous candidate.
• Their rivalry ended with a duel in 1804 which Burr won.
Marshall Court: Marybury v Madison
• Helped separate the branches of power.
• They made a way for Judicial Review.
• Marybury had a right to commission.
Burr Conspiracy
• After being dropped by Jefferson, Burr joined a group that wanted New
England to secede from the union.
• Exposed by Hamilton, Burr challenged and killed Hamilton in a duel.
• Escaping to the western territories, Burr planned to start his own
Confederacy with General James Wilkinson, and betrayed and arrested.
• Was tried for treason but was acquitted.
• Urged Napoleon to invade U.S with help from the British.
Tripolitan War
• U.S ships were taken hostage by pirates in the Barbary states and crewmen
were held for ransom.
• Jefferson refused to pay ransom.
• Joined Sweden in their war with the Tripolitans.
Berlin and Milan Decrees
• The Berlin Decree was the declaration made by Napoleon stating that British ships
were barred from ports that were under French control, and the Milan Decree
enforced the Berlin Decree.
• The British being unable to trade with the French, made the British start to lose
sailors and money. Since there was a shortage of British sailors, the British started
impressing American soldiers and getting them to join the British navy.
• Jefferson and the rest of America, didn't like this so he signed the Embargo Act.
Chesapeake – Leopard Incident
• The Chesapeake-Leopard Incident was a naval engagement that occurred off
the coast of Virginia in 1807 between a British warship, the HMS Leopard,
and an American frigate, the USS Chesapeake.
• The Chesapeake wound up surrendering to the Leopard.
• The Chesapeake-Leopard incident created an uproar among Americans.
• Jefferson attempted to use the threat of war to get Britain to stop interfering
with the American navy, and also signed the Embargo Act into law.
Embargo Act
• A general embargo enacted by the U.S Congress against Great Britain and
France during the Napoleonic Wars.
• Designed to punish France and Britain as well as protect American shipping
from any further acts of aggression.
• Law was passed by Jefferson, it prohibited American ships from trading in all
foreign ports.
Non-Intercourse Act
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Lifted all embargoes on U.S shipping.
All except British and French ports.
It was meant to harm Britain and France.
Largely ineffective.
Helped lead to the war of 1812.