Download Jefferson Elected and Louisiana Purchase

A Young Nation
Jefferson, Expansion, Exploration,
and War
Election of 1800:
Adams vs. Jefferson
• Candidates engaged in a letter writing
campaign to leading citizens and
newspapers.
• Jefferson who believed in freedom of
religion was accused of being
“godless”.
• Adams was accused of only
supporting the wealthy and wanting to
bring back a monarchy.
Election of 1800:
Adams vs. Jefferson
• Jefferson narrowly won and
became the 3rd President of the
United States.
Laissez-faire
• French term meaning “let
people do as they
choose.”
• Jefferson believed deeply
in this idea and limiting the
size and power of the
federal government.
The Western Frontier
• In 1800 the U.S. only stretched east
as far as the Mississippi River.
• The Louisiana Territory west of the
Mississippi belonged to Spain.
The Western Frontier
• Spain allowed American trade
ships to sail on the lower
Mississippi and trade in New
Orleans.
The French Threat
• In 1802, the Spanish suddenly
stopped allowing American ships to
pass New Orleans.
• Spain had secretly agreed to transfer
the Louisiana Territory to France.
The French Threat
• Napoleon who at that
time was conquering
much of Europe had
plans of establishing
an American Empire.
The Louisiana Purchase
• By 1803, Napoleon’s plan of an
American Empire fell apart with
the fall of Santa Domingo where
he planned to have a naval
base.
• Napoleon now had little use for
the Louisiana Territory and he
needed money to finance his
wars in Europe.
The Louisiana Purchase
• The French agreed to sell the territory
to the U.S. for a price of $15 million
dollars. 828,000 square miles
• The size of the U.S. gained control of
the Mississippi River and the our size
doubled.
The Louisiana Purchase
Lewis and Clark
• Meriwether Lewis and William
Clark were commissioned by
President Jefferson to explore
the Louisiana Territory.
• The expedition would document
findings about the territory’s
plants and animals and
recommend sites for future
forts.
Lewis and Clark
• The expedition was also to search for
the fabled “Northwest Passage” or
pathway to Asia.
• The expedition left St. Louis in the
spring of 1804 going up the Missouri
River.
Lewis and Clark
• A young Native American,
Sacagawea joined the group
as a guide.
• After 18 month the group
reached the Pacific Ocean.
• Their expedition inspired
others to move west.
France and Britain at War
• In 1803 France and Britain went to
war.
• American merchants had prosperous
trade connections with both countries.
France and Britain at War
• The U.S. did not get involved in the
conflict and had neutral rights, or the
right to sail the sea and not take
sides.
France and Britain at War
• By 1805 however both
Britain and France lost
patience with the U.S.
neutral position and
both began to seize
ships trading with the
enemy.
Britain needs Sailors
• The British were in desperate need for
sailors for their naval war.
• The British routinely practiced
impressment, or forcing sailors of
captured ships to serve in the British
Navy.
Attack on the Chesapeake
• In 1807 a British warship stopped the
Chesapeake, an American trade ship.
• The British demanded searching the
ship but the Chesapeake captain
refused and the British opened fire
killing three crew members.
Attack on Chesapeake
• Americans were outraged
and now demanded war
with Britain.
• The attacks had stirred a
new sense of nationalism,
or loyalty to one’s country or
American patriotism.
War Hawks
• By 1810, James Madison had
been elected President and faced
strong pressure to declare war on
Britain.
War Hawks
• The War Hawks were a group of
young Republicans led by Henry
Clay and John C. Calhoun.
War Hawks
• The War Hawks were primarily from
the West and South and supported
more military spending and were
driven by a desire for more land.
• Federalists remained opposed to war.
Declaring War
• By 1812 Madison saw no
other course than war with
Britain.
• Madison became the first
President to asked Congress
for a declaration of war.
Declaring War
• However, by the time the U.S.
declared war on Britain, Britain had
changed its policy on searching
American ships. But the war machine
had already begun.
The War of 1812 or was it?
• The U.S. had declared war, but
Britain was much too occupied with
Napoleon and France to react to it.
The true war is not fought until 1814.
Attack on Washington D.C.
• In August of 1814 the British land near
Washington D.C. and quickly take the city.
• The British proceed to burn the capitol
building and president’s mansion (or the
White House).
Attack on Washington D.C.
• On August 25, a tornado roars through the
heart of Washington putting out many of
the fires and actually forcing the British to
retreat.
• The British never set foot in Washington
again.
Baltimore holds Firm
• In September the British attempted to
capture the city of Baltimore by taking
Fort McHenry.
• The British launch a brutal assault but
the fort stood.
Baltimore holds Firm
• Francis Scott Key views the
bombardment and writes “The
Star Spangled Banner”
British defeated
• After the defeat at Washington and
Baltimore, the British decide that the
war was too costly and unnecessary
to continue.
British defeated
• The British had defeated Napoleon in
Europe and fighting the U.S. offered
little gain and was not worth the effort.
Treaty of Ghent
• In December of 1814, American and
British representatives met in Ghent,
Belgium to sign a peace agreement to
end the conflict.
Battle of New Orleans
• Before word of the peace
agreement could reach
New Orleans one final
battle took place.
• American troops led by
Andrew Jackson awaited
an assault by British
troops.
Battle of New Orleans
• On January 8, 1815, the British
attacked but the Americans were well
fortified and the British suffered
hundreds of casualties.
Battle of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans
• The victory made
Andrew Jackson a
hero and led to him
eventually becoming
President.