Pre A.P. U.S. History Notes

Band Trip Notes

4/23 – 4/25

The Democratic Revolution and the Age of Jefferson

1800 - 1815

The ‘Revolution of 1800’

• Was a Peaceful Change in Government – First Time Government

Completely Changed w/o Bloodshed

• Walked to Inauguration Instead of by Horse & Carriage– Told of Personality and

Dislike of Pomp & Prestige• Believed People Were all

United as Americans• Pledged “honest friendship

with all nations, entangling alliances with none”

Jefferson’s Change in Government

• Believed State Governments Were Closer to People and Should Rule– Opposite of Federalists

• Advocated Laissez – Faire Policy in Business and Industry

• Attempted to Cut Federal Budget and Lower Taxes– Albert Gallatin – Secretary of Treasury

• Cut National Debt from $83 Million to $45 Million• Allowed Government to End All Internal Taxes

– Only Source of Federal Money Came from Tariffs and Sale of Western Lands

Jefferson’s Take on the Military• The Military Was Also on the List to Be

Minimized • Why:

– Save Money for the National Government– Would Hopefully Eliminate Problem of Entangling

Alliances in Europe– D-R’s Believed Large Standing Armies Heeded

Dictatorships• Cut Army From 4,000 to 2,500 Troops• Minimized Naval Fleet from 25 to 7 Ships

Jefferson Fighting the Federalist Legacy

• Alien and Sedition Acts– Jefferson and Democratic Republican’s Do Not

Renew Acts Intended to Hold Down Party• Pardoned Those Convicted of Acts and Refunded Fines

Paid

• The Judicial Act of 1801– John Adams and Federalists Passed Act and

Named Numerous Judges to Newly Created Positions While Leaving Office

• Would Save Federalist Legacy• ‘Midnight Judges’

Overturning the Appointments

• Impeachment of a District Judge– Republican Congress Managed to

Impeach a District Judge John Pickering

• Was ‘Mentally Unstable’

• Impeachment of a Supreme Court Justice– Attempted to Impeach Samuel Chase

• Was a Loud – Mouthed Critic of the Republicans

• Basically Impeached b/c of ‘Political Bias’

– Was Impeached in House but Not Removed in Senate

A Landmark Court Case• William Marbury

– Named as Justice of the Peace of District of Columbia in ‘Midnight Appointment’

• James Madison– Secretary of State for Jefferson– Told Not to Carry Out Duties and Deliver

Commission• Marbury Sues in Supreme Court for

Position– Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• Decision:– Supreme Court Can’t Decide b/c Judiciary

Act of 1801 was Unconstitutional– Saved Face of Supreme Court

• Established:– Judicial Review

• Supreme Court Can Specifically Declares Laws Passed Unconstitutional

– Precedent• Model for Lawyers & Court Officials to Follow

in Future

Jefferson and the Expansion of the Country

America in European Affairs

• Great Britain and France Were Continuing their Battle for Supremacy in Europe

• Napoleon and France ‘Convinced’ the Spanish to Cede New Orleans and the Louisiana Territory to the French

• Problems for the Americans:– ‘Right of Deposit was Removed’– Would Have to Probably ‘Dislodge’ Napoleon from

Area if Completely Settled• America Didn’t Have that Powerful of a Military

The Louisiana Purchase

• Jefferson Sends Envoy to Purchase Louisiana Territory– Could Offer Max. of $10 Million to Purchase

as Much Territory as Possible• If French Would Not Sell, Must

Immediately Make Treaty w/ British• French Offered to Sell Entire Louisiana

Territory for $15 Million– Slaves Revolted in Santo Domingo Against

French Rule – Led by Toussaint L’Ouverture• French Returned to Put Down Rebellion But

Soldiers Died of Yellow Fever and Needed Army Elsewhere

• Without Hispaniola, New Orleans Was of Little Benefit for Napoleon

– Would Rather Sell Land to Americans For War Effort and In-Case of Defeat, Wouldn’t Have to Give New Orleans to British

Controversy Over the Purchase

• Construction of the Constitution– Jefferson and D-R’s Were Strict Constructionists and

Nothing in Constitution Stated Federal Government Could Purchase Territory

• The D-R’s Were Going to Attempt to Make Amendment to Change Constitution, But May Take Too Much Time and Napoleon May Change His Time– Jefferson Took Treaties to Purchase Land to Congress

Shamefully and Admitted They Were Un-Constitutional– Congress Did Not Mind and Appropriated the Money for the

Transaction

The Louisiana Purchase (1803)

•The United States Acquired the Interior of theContinent From France.

•It Was Approximately 828,000 Square Miles•The Cost Per Acre Was About 3 Cents!!!!!

•If the $15 Million Was Paid to France in FullSilver Dollars, It Would Take 25 Ships and If

Stacked, Would Be 3 Miles High!!!

Exploring the Louisiana Territory

• Jefferson Was Personally Interested in the West and Had Studied the Lands and Native American Groups There

• The Louis and Clark Expedition– Jefferson Sent His Personal

Secretary and Army Officer, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to Explore the Louisiana Territory

• Directions for the Expedition– Find Source of Missouri River– Find a Usable Route Across the

Rocky Mountains to Pacific Ocean

– Observe the Customs of the Native Americans in the West

• Was the First Scientific Project to Receive Federal Money

The Lewis and Clark Expedition1804 - 1806

Internal Issues With the Expanding Democratic Republican

Party• The Federalist and Burr Plot

– Aaron Burr Was the Vice – President During Jefferson’s First Term and Dropped From the Cabinet in the Second

– They Attempted to Form a Plot to Get New York and New England to Secede From the Union as a Result of the Republican Power Increase

• Alexander Hamilton Exposed and Foiled the Plan Even Though No Friend of Jefferson– Burr Challenged to a Duel and Killed Hamilton, the Final Major Leader of

the Federalist Party

• Burr Attempted Two More Times to Destroy the U.S. Under Republican Rule– Once in the West and Once In Europe– Each Failed and He Lived in Controversy the Rest of His Life