Download Jefferson, Madison, and The War of 1812

1800-1815
1. Thomas Jefferson and
James Madison
organized the
Democratic-Republican
Party.
2. Jefferson narrowly
defeated John Adams
in the election of 1800
ending the “Federalist
Decade.”
3. The election of 1800 marked a watershed (key
turning point) in American political history.
4. called “the Revolution of 1800” because there was
a peaceful transfer of political power between the
Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists.
5. In his inaugural address, Jefferson stressed that
the “essential principles” of American government
were above party politics when he reminded his
fellow countrymen, “We are all Republicans – we are
all Federalists.”
1. Jefferson’s electoral victory marked both a
peaceful transfer of power and a transition to a
new set of political ideals.
2. Jefferson promised to practice republican
simplicity.
3. avoided the formal ceremonies that
characterized the Federalist administrations. For
example, White House guests were encouraged to
shake hands with the president rather than
bowing, as had been the Federalist practice.
4. Republican simplicity: Jefferson promised “a wise and
frugal government.”
5. the government governs best that governs least,
Jefferson cut the budget, fired federal tax collectors,
eliminated the tax on whiskey, and reduced both the
army and the navy.
6. wanted America to become an agrarian republic.
7. farmers were the backbone of American society
because they were the nation’s most productive and
trustworthy citizens.
8. believed that freedom of speech is essential in a
republic.
9. Wanted Congress to repeal the Alien and Sedition
Acts and pardoned those who had been convicted.
1. Westerners depended upon the Mississippi River
to ship their goods to New Orleans where they were
reloaded aboard vessels for shipment to the East
Coast or to foreign ports.
2. Pinckney’s Treaty with Spain granted the United
States the right of deposit at New Orleans.
3. in 1802 the
Spanish revoked this
privilege.
4. Spain ceded Louisiana
back to France.
5. Napoleon’s offer to sell Louisiana presented
Jefferson with a difficult dilemma.
6. The Constitution did not expressly grant the
President or Congress the power to acquire
foreign territory.
7. strict interpretation of the Constitution, how
could Jefferson approve the purchase of
Louisiana?
8. Jefferson’s advisors argued that his
presidential power to make treaties gave him
the implied power to purchase territory.
9. Fearing that Napoleon might change his
mind, Jefferson relented and the Senate
overwhelmingly approved the Louisiana
Purchase.
10. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United
States.
11. Jefferson optimistically believed that the purchase would
fulfill his vision of enabling American to become an agrarian
republic that would become an Empire of Liberty (freedom to
own property).
12. Jefferson sponsored the Lewis and
Clark expedition to explore the
Louisiana Territory. The expedition
accomplished the following goals:
It strengthened American claims to the
Oregon territory.
 It added to the knowledge about
northwestern America.
 It mapped and explored
the Mississippi River and
the Columbia River.

1. As Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
from 1801-1835, John Marshall issued a
number of landmark decisions that
strengthened the power of the federal
government, upheld the supremacy of
federal law over state legislatures, and
promoted business enterprise.
2. Marshall established the principle of judicial
review in the famous case of Marbury v. Madison.
Judicial review gave the Supreme Court the
authority to determine the constitutionality of
congressional acts.
1. Jefferson liked to describe his election as the
“Revolution of 1800.” The election of 1800 did mark
a peaceful transfer of power.
2. But to what extent did Jefferson redirect federal
policies away from Hamiltonian principles?
3. Economic policy
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Although he opposed its creation, Jefferson accepted
Hamilton’s national bank as an essential convenience.
Jefferson pleased frontier farmers by repealing the
whiskey tax.
Jefferson reduced federal spending by cutting the size of
both the army and the navy.
4. Domestic policy
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Jefferson favored “strict” interpretation of the
Constitution. However, he proved to be a flexible and
pragmatic (practical) leader when he used Hamilton’s
doctrine of implied powers to justify the Louisiana
Purchase.
Unlike Hamilton, Jefferson believed that the public
could be trusted to govern itself.
He supported public education and the expansion of
voting rights to more white male citizens.
Jefferson thus laid the foundation for the expansion of
suffrage during the Jackson administration.
5. Foreign policy
Although he was an ardent supporter of the French
Revolution, Jefferson continued Washington’s policy of
remaining neutral and avoiding foreign wars.
 In 1807, Jefferson persuaded Congress to pass an Embargo
Act which stopped all exports of American goods to Europe.
 Jefferson drew upon Hamilton’s doctrine of implied powers
by claiming that the government’s power to regulate
commerce could be used to justify imposing an embargo.
 the embargo failed to force the British to abandon their
practice of impressing Americans into the royal navy, it did
inflict economic hardship on American farmers and
merchants.
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1. What happened?
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tried to avoid war with Great Britain and France by following a policy
of neutrality.
Angered by the British practice of impressing American seamen into
the Royal Navy, a group of “War Hawks” in Congress demanded
war. In June of 1812, President Madison asked Congress to declare
war against Great Britain.
The war proved to be indecisive. The United States controlled the
Great Lakes but failed to conquer Canada. The British burned
Washington, D.C., but suffered a major defeat at the Battle of New
Orleans. The American navy won a number of duels with British
vessels.
2. What caused the War of 1812?
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The British practice of impressment violated
American neutrality and insulted national pride.
Led by Henry Clay, the War Hawks supported war
to drive the British from Canada and to remove the
Indian threat from the frontier.
3. Why should you remember the War of 1812?
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The Battle of New Orleans restored American pride
and transformed Andrew Jackson into a national hero.
The interruption of trade led to an increase in domestic
manufacturing, thus promoting industrialization.
New England merchants strongly opposed the War of
1812. Leading Federalists met at the Hartford
Convention and proposed a number of constitutional
amendments designed to limit the power of the federal
government. the Hartford Convention contributed to
the demise of the Federalist Party by making its
leaders appear to be disloyal.
The War of 1812 intensified a spirit
of nationalism. The war “federalized”
Madison who now supported
rechartering the national bank and
increasing tariffs to protect the
nation’s “infant” industries from
foreign competition.