Download European Events from 1789-1807

1780-1848
1783 -The Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolution
1787 - N.W. Land Ordinance
1788 - George Washington elected President
1789-93 - French Revolution
1791 - The U.S. Constitution was ratified
1792 - Washington re-elected
1796 - John Adams elected President
1797 - George Washington’s Farewell Address
1800 - Thomas Jefferson elected President
1803 - The Louisiana Territory was purchased during Jefferson’s
administration/Marbury vs. Madison
1804 - Jefferson re-elected
1807 - The Embargo Act of 1807 was passed by Jefferson
1808 - James Madison elected President
1810 - Off year election brought “War Hawks” into congress
1812-14 - War of 1812/Ended with the Treaty of Ghent
- Madison re-elected
Jan 8, 1815 - Battle of New Orleans
- Napoleon defeated at Waterloo (6/18)
European Events from 1789-1807
***1789-1793: The French Revolution, also known as the “Great Revolution” occurred
when the people of Paris overthrow King Louis XVI (he and his wife Marie Antoinette were
beheaded in 1793). Europe was thrown into turmoil and uncertainty.
***1803-1815: Napoleon Bonaparte took power and launched the Napoleonic Wars,
which raged across the continent until 1815 (the Battle of Waterloo, Belgium ended the
period on 6/18/15). These events dominated Europe’s attention and allowed the young
United States to get its feet on the ground.
Also, the need to finance war contributed to France’s decision to sell the Louisiana
Territory to the U.S. in 1803 for a price tag of $15,000,000, the United States purchased
(this would of course lead to the Corps of Discovery expedition of 1804-1806). The land
area of the United States stretched nearly from sea to sea. Thomas Jefferson was president.
***1807: The British outlawed the slave trade, as the people of the Western world
began to view slavery as a moral issue.
Northwest Ordinance
The ordinance was passed in August of 1789 & created the Northwest Territory. The
Territory included all of the land north & west of the Ohio River & east of the
Mississippi (present day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, & the Great Lakes).
The ordinance mandated that 60,000 people were required to create a new state. Slavery
was also banned north of the Ohio River. Settlers were guaranteed religious tolerance
along with the right of habeas corpus.
U.S. Events from 1789-1807
With its ratification in 1788, the U.S. Constitution became the law of the land in
1789. It was truly a radical document, guaranteeing individual liberty & providing recourse
for the common man against the abuses of state authority. It was a direct result of the
experience of the founding fathers in their dealings with the King of England.
James Madison was its primary architect. The Constitution was built to last so it is
intentionally vague in places. This allowed for interpretation in the future, as Madison
recognized that many changes were on the horizon. The Constitution replaced the
Articles of Confederation, which was passed by Congress in 1777 & ratified in 1781. The
Articles provided a national structure for governance during the Revolution, but it created a
weak federal government.
In these early years, colonists feared an overbearing central government because
of their experience under the King’s thumb. The unicameral legislature had no power to
enforce laws on reluctant states, and this made it difficult to govern effectively under this
document. The question of federal authority versus state power became the major
debate in this country until the Civil War.
The Constitution
***3 Parts of the Constitution
1) The Preamble - states the goals of the living document
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice,
provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of
liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the
United States of America.”
2) Articles - includes 7 articles defining the role of government & separating powers
among the 3 branches (Executive - President, Legislative – Congress (House/Senate),
and the Judicial – Court System) with the goal of a balance of control. This was designed
to prevent one person or group from exercising too much leverage.
***Articles IV through VII deal with administrative issues like ratification, the amendment
process, etc.
3) Amendments – they spell out specific individual liberties of the individual.
When first proposed, the Constitution did not contain a Bill of Rights (the first ten
amendments), but without one it was not likely to pass. This bill of specified, individual
rights is a landmark in world history. The rest of the third part of our constitution is the
subsequent collection of amendments (17 more).
The Constitution defined the roles of each government as follows:
-The Legislative Branch is charged with passing laws.
-The Executive Branch enforces those laws.
-The Judicial Branch interprets those laws based on the Constitution.
National Capital moves to D.C.
***In 1800, the national capital was moved from NYC to the new city of Washington D. C.
(District of Columbia). This move put our capital in a more central location and also
eased possible tensions with the southern states. The South feared they would be
dominated by the more populous northern states. The location of D.C., between the
southern states of Maryland & Virginia was seen as a move to calm those fears. The fact
that the capital does not lie in one state was also intentional so that the
appearance of favoritism to one state would not exist.
1st President (1789-1979)
George Washington served as the 1st president from 1789 to 1797. Among the big
issues that arose was the Whiskey Rebellion (a farmers protest against a gov tax on
whiskey-gov needed to pay off debt), in which the national government asserted its
authority. This was the 1st time the US gov used its military against civilians.
The western settlers of the USA clashed with NA’s in Ohio Territory. The NA’s &
Whites signed a peace treaty & this began a pattern of misunderstood agreements
between the whites & NA’s that led to great problems in the decades that followed.
Political Parties & State vs Central Gov
Rivalry and debate continue over the issue of balance of power between the national &
state governments. The political parties develop in the early years of the USA’s history.
***1796 Election – was the 1st U.S. election with 2 dominant parties.
Thomas Jefferson (Republican) – confederation of states, more state power
John Adams (Federalist) – strong central government
Thomas Jefferson represented the Republicans (don’t confuse the 1796 label
“Republican” with the party that currently uses that name), who believed in a confederation
of strong states united by a less powerful federal government.
John Adams won the election running as Federalist, believing that the best recipe
for national success was through a strong central government that held dominion over
member states. These are not just ideologues arguing over theories. The question over
which they battled became central to the causes of the American Civil War 6 decades later.
***During those first few elections, the candidate who finished 2nd in the presidential
voting was named vice president, so Jefferson took a turn at the second post before being
elected in 1800 to the highest office in the land.
John Adams (1797-1801)
***“The Alien and Sedition Acts” was a key event from this time period. 4 bills were
passed by President Adams to try to protect the new country from immigrants who could
threaten national security. They were hotly contested, as these laws threatened to
undermine the 1st Amendment rights of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. They
were repealed in 1802. Alien Enemies Act used in wartime.
***Kentucky Issue – was another issue that came up was the vote in Kentucky that said a
state could nullify (void) a national law that it considered unconstitutional.
The claim of the right to nullification represented a threat to the central authority of the
national government…it really is another example of the battle between federal & state
power that plays a very large role in the coming of the Civil War.
Jefferson in Office (1801-1809)
***Thomas Jefferson was elected to the presidency in 1800, after a brutal campaign against
Aaron Burr (VP). Alexander Hamilton supported Jefferson and this led to a rivalry that ended
with an 1804 pistol duel between Burr and Hamilton. Hamilton was killed in the duel for honor.
***Jefferson, the Republican, worked toward decentralization of power and reduced the size
of the federal government. Jefferson served 2 terms in office. One of his great achievements was
the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from the French government of Napoleon in 1803. For
the then large cost of $15 million, the United States grew tremendously and started to become a
nation of substance. The Corps of Discovery (Lewis and Clark) expedition lasted for 2 years
and 4 months, and created land claims and research that served the young nation very well.
***The war between England & France led to the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair (GB was looking
for deserters of the Royal Navy. The Chesapeake wouldn’t let them on). Jefferson pushed through
the Embargo Act of 1807 (prohibiting American ships from going to foreign ports without his
permission). The theory was that the Europeans needed American goods, but it hurt the
Americans as well and the embargo was lifted in 1809.
Madison in Office (1809-1817)
In 1809, James Madison took his turn as President. Madison was the primary
writer of the U.S. Constitution & one of the great minds in the history of our country.
His served from 1809 to 1817, during the time of American growth and the War of 1812.
Madison also annexed West Florida & made it apart of the United States.
War of 1812
The war was a result of ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Great Britain.
1) The British still had forts on the Great Lakes
2) Great Britain wanted the colonists to pay off debts from the Revolutionary War
3) The Brits aided an Indian uprising led by Tecumseh using British arms in 1811
4) Probably the greatest reason from an American perspective for war was the British
practice of impressments of American sailors. To fill its naval requirements during a
time of war on the continent, the Brits stopped American ships and forced Americans to
serve on British ships.
There were cries for war made by the “War Hawks”. Peace from the “Doves.”
It was primarily a naval war, with battles fought on the Great Lakes and the open
sea. The U.S. enjoyed some naval success under the leadership of Oliver Hazard Perry.
War was a problem for the Americans. Since Jefferson had cut back on government
spending, the U.S. military forces were undermanned & under equipped. Great
Britain’s Navy was much stronger than the colonists & allowed them to control the
Atlantic Seaboard. The war began badly form the U.S., with the British raiding and
burning towns along the Atlantic seaboard. (Shark vs Bear)
The Treaty of Ghent (Belgium) was signed on December 24, 1814 & helped
create better relations between the 2 countries. Both sides had grown tired of war & no one
was gaining an advantage. GB also didn’t care about the sea anymore because Napoleon
was just about to be defeated. Diplomats worked toward peace.
Ironically, the most famous land battle of the war took place after the peace treaty was
signed. On January 8, 1815, the Americans defeated British troops at the Battle of New
Orleans (Johnny Horton song). In this battle, a force of Americans roughly half the size of
the British held off 3 assaults & inflicted huge casualties.
This battle made a hero of Andrew Jackson & would eventually vault him to the
presidency. The control of New Orleans left the USA in a stronger position in future
relations with the British & other European countries for control of the Mississippi River.
It also depicted the subtle shift in warfare strategy that was beginning to favor
a defensive strategy over an offensive strategy. This would become more apparent
during the American Civil War & it became brutally clear by the time of WWI. The war was
pretty much a standoff, but America gained standing in international matters & a greater
sense of national unity.
Native Americans
Relations between the Europeans & the native inhabitants of North America had long
been a mixed bag. In the early days of colonization, Indians had at times been of great
assistance to the settlers. It is unlikely that many of the early colonies would have survived
at all if not for help from the eastern Indians.
However, conflict was part of the story as well. Some historians believe that the
famed “Lost Colony of Roanoke” fell victim to Indian attacks. Roanoke was founded in
1586 off the coast of Virginia, & in 1589 a British re-supply voyage found the colony
abandoned. The exact fate of that colony is unknown to this day, although theories abound
regarding what transpired.
There are many documented episodes of conflict between the natives and the
European settlers. Looking at from a broad perspective, a clear pattern emerges. Once
established, the colonists, & then the young United States, always looked to expand its
possessions. Conflict was inevitable, and the result was a steady push that displaced one
Indian tribe after another throughout the 19th Century until the United States occupied
the continent from coast to coast. In addition to superior technology militarily, the
settlers carried diseases for which the natives had little immunity. Diseases like smallpox
destroyed tribes.
The French used the NA’s to help them fight in the War of 1812. They provided the
Native Americans with ammunition.
The Native Americans also picked sides during the Revolutionary War.
Facts from the Period
1800 - The U.S. population stood at 5.3 million, of which 1 million were black.
- Washington D.C. was the new capital.
1801 - Tennessee outlaws dueling.
1802 - The military academy at West Point was founded.
1803 - The 1st library was built in Connecticut using public funds.
1804 - The 12th Amendment changed election laws.
1806 - The Cumberland Road was built using public funds. (Marylnad to Vandalia, Ill)
1807 - Robert Fulton’s steamboat made river travel efficient.
1807 - The Embargo Act of 1807 was passed by Jefferson
1808 - James Madison elected President
1808 - John Jacob Astor founded the American Fur Trading Company. He was
the 1st multimillionaire in the USA. Created the 1st trust (monopoly) in the
USA. He is the 4th wealthiest person of all-time in the USA
1809 - Madison annexed West Florida from Spain after a revolt by settlers there.
1812-14 - War of 1812 (Ended with the Treaty of Ghent)
- Madison re-elected
Jan 8, 1815 - Battle of New Orleans
- Napoleon defeated at Waterloo (6/18)