issues during the jefferson presidency us history

Issues during the Jefferson Presidency

US History

The First Three

• In lecture and readings we discussed Washington and Adams.

• Today we’ll talk about Jefferson.

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1789-1797 (2 terms) 1797-1801 (1 term) 1801-1809 (2 terms)



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• In election of 1796, Adams (Federalist) beat Jefferson (Democratic-Republican), 71 electoral votes to 68.– Acc. to the Constitution, the runner-up became Vice-

President.

• It seemed like a good idea when the Constitution was written, but no one counted on political parties emerging!– Problem: President and Vice-President are from

different parties.



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• In election of 1800, Jefferson beat Adams by 8 electoral votes.

• BUT– Jefferson’s running mate Aaron Burr TIED

him in electoral votes.

• The House of Representatives now had to choose between Jefferson and Burr.– After 6 days of draws, Alexander Hamilton

got involved.– Hamilton and Jefferson disagreed

philosophically. – But Hamilton thought Jefferson was much

more qualified as for president than Burr.







Hamilton

Elections

• Hamilton persuaded 2 Federalists (from his party) to vote for Jefferson.

• Jefferson won!

• As a result, 12th Amendment was passed: from that time on separate ballots were cast for President and Vice-President.





Hamilton

Jefferson: A Simpler Style

• Jefferson made some changes in style and substance:– He replaced a lot of the

Federalists in the bureaucracy with Democratic-Republicans.

– He got rid of style approaches he felt were “kingly,” like wearing a wig.





Jefferson: Change in Style and Substance

• As a Democratic-Republican he tried to reverse the strong-center govt approach:– Size of govt was reduced; costs were cut.– Size of army shrank; navy expansion shelved.– Rolled back Hamilton’s economic plan:

• No more internal taxes.• Bank of US no longer as important.

– Free trade encouraged by reducing tariffs.



Major moment! Marbury vs. Madison

• Supreme Court decision that establishes Judicial Review: – ability of Supreme Court to declare laws

unconstitutional.

• How did it happen?…



Back to Adams’ Presidency…

• Just before John Adams left, he pushed through the Judiciary Act of 1801:– 16 brand new federal judgeships were created.– Adams filled most of the positions with

Federalists on the last day of his administration!– Jefferson was irked at all these midnight

judges Adams appointed at the last minute….



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Challenge in the Courts

• William Marbury was one of the midnight judges.– BUT

• James Madison (Jefferson’s Sec. of State) never delivered the papers allowing him to take his judgeship.

• Marbury sued: – he said the Judiciary Act of 1789

required the Supreme Court to force the president to deliver the papers.





William Marbury



James MadisonSec of State

Supreme Court Decided

• Chief Justice John Marshall--even though he himself was a Federalist--ruled against Marbury.– The Judiciary Act of 1789 was

unconstitutional because – the Constitution never gave the

Supreme Court the power to issue such orders to the president.

– Nevertheless, he did criticize Madison for not delivering the papers…





John MarshallChief Justice

Westward Expansion across Appalachian Mountains

• Between 1800 and 1810 the population of Ohio grew from 45,000 to 231,000. – Most followed the Wilderness Road

through the Cumberland Gap.– Daniel Boone laid it out 25 years earlier.



Napoleon Bonaparte gets Louisiana Territory back!

• Jefferson freaked out!– If the French became strong in North

America, the US would be forced into alliance with Britain.

• Jefferson sent James Monroe to Paris to persuade Napoleon to sell the Louisiana Territory.– Napoleon was ready anyway to give up

plans for North American expansion.– The deal was closed: the size of the US

doubled for just $15 million.l





Napoleon



Monroe



Corps of Discovery

• Jefferson wanted to find out about what he had just bought.

• 1803 he sent Meriwhether Lewis and his “Corps of Discovery” from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean.– Lewis was supposed to gather plans

and animals and to find out about the Native Americans along the way.





Lewis and Clark and Sacajewea, too

• Lewis got William Clark to join along.– They started out with 50 men.– The expedition got smaller,

but he gained a woman: Sacajewea.

• She served as guide and interpreter.

• 2 1/3 years later they returned







Clark



issues during the jefferson presidency us history

Documents

john adams

adams presidencyjust

midnight judges adams

ability of supreme court

electoral votes

judiciary act

courtswilliam marbury

madisonsupreme court