Jefferson and the Beginning of the War of

1812Chapter 11.1

AP US

Election of 1800

Adams v. Jefferson◦ Adams was having problems as President

No war with France, but debt!◦ Had to raise a stamp tax

◦ Jefferson was suffering from Federalist attacks

First “whispering” campaign◦ TJ had children with his slaves◦ Fed’s claimed TJ was “Anti-church” though he

wasn’t

“Revolution” of 1800

Jefferson won 73 to 65 Weird deadlock – Jefferson had run with

Aaron Burr as his VP running mate (not really done at the time) and both TJ and Burr tied for presidential votes…

◦ Under this situation, the decision passes to the House

◦ Eventually the Federalists in the House calmed down and TJ was named President

◦ running mate problem solved with 12th Amendment

Revolution of 1800

Really a “revolution” because there was an easy transition from one party to the next◦Previously unheard of

in such a young nation◦Proved democratic

experiment was working

◦Pointed the way towards the 2-party system in America

Thomas Jefferson

Aaron Burr

End of the Federalists

◦ John Adams was the last Federalist President (since Hamilton gets shot)

◦ The Federalists had been a conservative break for America after the Revolution

Responsibility Breeds Moderation in TJ

There was a disparity between Jefferson’s beliefs and what he had to do as President

◦ Still rustic and Republican Wore casual clothes “Rustic” capital of Washington D.C.

◦ Conciliatory towards the federalists

Did not kick Federalists out of jobs to give the “spoils” (the political word is “patronage”) to other Republican Democrats

Jefferson an able politician◦ Had to be with his disjointed party

Jeffersonian Restraint Helps to Further the Revolution of 1800

Wanted to open up freedom of speech◦ Sedition act had expired◦ New naturalization law of 1802 returned the

immigration requirements to 5 years Got rid of excise tax – only attack on

Hamiltonian system◦ Cost government $1million a year

Albert Gallatin was Secretary of Treasury

◦ Talented and reduced national debt

Judiciary Branch Issues

Judiciary Act of 1801 was a lame duck law passed by the Federalist Congress

◦ Created 16 new federal judicial positions that would be filled with Federalists

Adams had also appointed John Marshall to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1801

◦ Marshall was a devout Federalist

◦ And TJ’s cousin…

Judiciary Branch Issues

William Marbury (one of the midnight judges of the Judiciary Act of 1801) was going to have his commission shelved by Jefferson

◦ So he sued the government (technically sued Sec of State James Madison)

◦ Marshall threw out the case, but in explaining his ruling in Marbury v. Madison, Marshall said that the part of the Judiciary Act that gave Marbury a job was unconstitutional

Marbury v Madison changes America

Marbury v. Madison set precedence for the Supreme Court to rule on the Constitutionality of laws

◦ TJ (in Kentucky Resolutions – 1798) had said states could decide with nullification

◦ Marshall ends up being right in the long run◦ THIS IS SO IMPORTANT

Other Judiciary Problems

House tries to impeach a talkative and partisan Supreme Court justice (Samuel Chase)

◦ House impeaches and Senate doesn’t vote to convict

◦ Sets precedence for not using impeaching as a political weapon

Case against Chase was flimsy

Jefferson Turns Warrior – Tripoli

Pacifist Jefferson reduced the army to 2500 officers and men

◦ Left navies alone because they couldn’t invade

Barbary States’ Pirates were still harassing American shipping in the Mediterranean

◦ Washington and Adams had to pay them off

Jefferson Turns Warrior – Tripoli

In 1801 the pasha of Tripoli was upset with his share of the American protection money and declared war on America

◦ Navy was dispatched to fight “Shores of Tripoli…”

◦ After 4 years of intermittent fighting – a peace treaty

Jefferson Turns Warrior – Tripoli

Small gunboats had been useful in the Tripolitan War

◦ Jefferson ordered 200 of these for the American navy

Called “Jeffs” or “mosquito fleet”◦ Turned out useless in war of 1812

Louisiana

In 1800, Napoleon had secretly gotten Spain to sign over the trans-Mississippi region of Louisiana (including New Orleans)

◦ Problem for America because Napoleon was a crazy tyrant and the US would probably have to fight France to get them out of America

Would mean allying with England – yuck◦ TJ sent James Monroe to Paris in 1803 to try and

buy New Orleans and as much land to the east as was possible for no more than $10 million

Monroe was to meet Livingston who was already there

Louisiana

While Monroe was en route, Livingston was approached with an offer of sale of the trans-Mississippi region

◦ Napoleon lost an attempt to reclaim Santo Domingo which was to be the selling place for food grown in Louisiana

Toussaint L’Ouverture◦ Napoleon was about to begin attacking

Europe again and did not want to lose America to England (because England controlled the seas)

Louisiana On April 30, 1803 a

treaty was signed to purchase all of Louisiana for $15 million

Jefferson was shocked

◦ Had only authorized $10 mill

◦ Thought that such a large addition was unconstitutional

◦ Purchase was so popular that it had to go through

Exploration of Louisiana

Set precedent for expanding the US through purchase

Jefferson wanted the new area explored

◦ Sent a team in the Spring of 1804 to explore

His own personal secretary – Meriwether Lewis

Young army officer – William Clark

Guided by a Shoshoni woman named Sacajawea

Exploration of Louisiana◦Additional purpose

was to befriend tribes on the way with gifts for each chief

◦Demonstrated cross-land passage to Pacific – led to westward expansion

◦Also Boosted National Unity

Lewis and Clark’s Route

Outbound in Red, Inbound in Blue

Mid Chapter Break!

Federalists go Down…

Sectionalist Federalists sank lower in public esteem even amongst themselves

◦ Extreme members, like Aaron Burr, were hatching a plot for the secession of New England and New York

◦ Hamilton found out and said bad things about Burr

Federalists go Down…Duel

◦Hamilton shot – 1804◦Burr runs away to the west in 1806 – tries to

plan secession there and fails miserably

Election of 1804

Greatest margin ever with 2 major party candidates

Heading towards War

America as Neutral

Problems in Europe◦ Napoleon starts fighting with England again

(intentionally) America enjoys trading with both until 1805

◦ England controls the seas after the Battle of Trafalgar

◦ France controls the continent after the Battle of Austerlitz

Problems with England

Orders of Council – 1806◦ Closed the ports under French continental

control to foreign shipping unless the vessel stopped at a British port first

French reaction: seizure of all merchant ships that entered British ports

Impressment of Sailors◦ 6000 men between 1808-1811

Problems with England

Chesapeake / Leopard Affair of 1807◦ British frigate Leopard overhauled the US

frigate Chesapeake 10 miles off of Virginia◦ Demanded the surrender of 4 alleged deserters◦ Problem was London had never claimed the

right to impress from a foreign warship (just a merchant ship)

American commander refused and fought, but lost – 3 Americans killed and 18 wounded

◦ 4 “deserters” were dragged away London foreign office apologized Americans were VERY angry

Problems with England

Jefferson’s Response:◦Forbade British ships to dock in American ports.

◦Ordered state governors to call up as many as 100,000 militiamen.

France’s Continental System

Since Napoleon controlled most of Europe, he forbid all European countries from trading with England

The Embargo Act of 1807

America couldn’t submit, but Jefferson didn’t want war and we had a poor navy and army

Instead America tried economic fighting◦ Europe (both sides) depended on America

for raw materials and food Embargo Act passed in 1807

◦ Forbid the export of ALL GOODS from American in either American or foreign ships

How is America doing with the embargo?

Terrible Shipping

industry in NE ground to a halt

People were unemployed

Farmers in the South and West had mountains of cotton, grain, and tobacco and no one to sell it to!

1807 exports $108 mil.1808 exports $22 mil.

How is America doing with the embargo?

People began to make fun of Jeff and the embargo

New England talked of secession Why didn’t embargo work?

◦ Too short◦ Too much smuggling◦ Latin America shipping to England and

France◦ Good crops in England during these years

Non-Intercourse Act of 1809

Finally Congress had to change things◦Non-Intercourse Act of 1809 (3 days before

Jefferson’s retirement) Reopened trade with all nations except for

England and France

Effects of the Embargo

Embargo much more costly than war◦ Could have built a navy with that money…

didn’t Revived Federalist party – a little IRONY: Actually benefited New England

since they turned to reenergizing their factories and industry

◦ Foundations of America’s industry were laid by Jefferson who hated industry…

Great suffering in England◦ Parliament repealed the Orders of Council 2

days before Congress declared war in 1812◦ If only there were telephones…

Presidential Election of 1808

James Madison

Your book thinks he was a bad president

Couldn’t handle the factions within his party

Wife, Dolly Madison, is credited with creating the role of “First Lady”

Macon’s Bill Number 2

Created to replace the expiring Non-Intercourse Acts

Permitted America to trade with the world America would trade with either England or

France - whichever repealed its commercial restrictions first AND not trade with the other

This was made for Napoleon who jumped on it

◦ Madison aligning with France meant he was aligning AGAINST England

War Hawks in Congress

“Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights” and Free Land

Mainly western settlers

Younger generation that were excited about a Patriotic fight

Clay and Calhoun

Problems on the FrontierNative Americans were

upset about white settlement in Kentucky – a buffer state and game preserve for the North and South tribes.

Native Americans began to unite under Tecumseh and the Prophet – two Shawnee brothers

The

Prophet

Tecumseh

Problems with the British and Indians

War Hawks in Congress were convinced that the British were helping the Native American movement led by Tecumseh

British General Brock meets with Tecumseh

Fighting the Indians

General William Henry Harrison was sent to fight the Indians at Tecumseh’s headquarters of Tippecanoe on November 7, 1811

Tecumseh continued to fight with the British against the Americans and was killed at the Battle of the Thames in 1813◦This was the last hope of an Indian Confederacy

Andrew Jackson crushed the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on March 27, 1814

Just Keep Fighting…

Many War Hawks in Congress felt that the only way to crush the Indians permanently was to defeat their allies in Canada

“On to Canada, On to Canada”◦Drill baby drill…

A War Declaration was issued in June of 1812 and passed with a close vote◦Most supporters came from landlocked

southwest and west

Mr. Madison’s War

Federalists and New Englanders bitterly opposed the war◦Were still profiting off of trade◦Hated Napoleon

Lent money to England and sent food and supplies to British troops in Canada

Much national disunity at this time…