TRIUMPHS AND TRAVAILS OF JEFFERSONIAN DEMOCRACY

The Jeffersonian Revolution• Over 6 feet tall• Not a good public speaker• Great writer• renaissance man• Incredibly well-read (science &

philosophy)• Continental Congress member• Assemblyman in Virginia• Gov. of Virginia • Author of Dec. of Independence • Minister to France • Secretary of State• Vice President• Is he qualified to be

President?

Westward Expansion•Treaty of Paris (1783) didn’t protect

Indian land•Americans gave Indians two choices:

▫Give up land▫Fight for land

•Indians: initial successes (1790-91) fighting

Westward Expansion• 1794 – General “Mad Anthony”

Wayne defeats seven unified tribes (Battle of Fallen Timbers)

• Treaty of Greenville (1795)▫ Indians own west of

Appalachians▫ SE portion NW Territory ceded

to U.S.▫ seen as Indian land under

American protection

Westward Expansion• Treaty of Greenville --

End of conflict?

•NO• People kept coming• William H. Harrison

(future president); land (ethically?) in Indiana Territory

• Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi Territory made agreements with Indians

Westward Expansion• Why move west?

▫Depleted soil in east

▫Plantation owners have most/best land

▫Yeomen, poor farmers want better land

▫Young want opportunity

Westward Expansion• Issues• Kentucky

▫ Squatters from Virginia claimed land

▫ Virginia allowed up to 1400 acres (buy)

▫ 21 wealthy groups got average of 100,000 acres

▫ What will be the effect?

• New England▫ Soil exhausted▫ Families subdivided land▫ Moved to western New

York, Ohio, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont

▫ Few wealthy speculators bought up most Left little for yeomen Rent was charged

▫ What will be the effect?

Westward Expansion• Eastern Agricultural Changes• Lost labor and capital

▫ Changed crops (potatoes)▫ Iron plows replaced wood▫ Crop rotation▫ Year round farming▫ What will be the effect?

• Transportation Issues▫ Difficult to get crops to

market▫ Needed to be on/near

water▫ States began internal

improvements Turnpikes Improved waterways Canals

▫ Mississippi River (& tributaries) = major trade route

▫ New Orleans = major port▫ What will be the effect?

What issues about land ownership are developing with westward expansion?Who should own the land?

Jefferson’s Political Principles•Themes of inaugural•Jefferson’s principles

▫Rejected idea of political elite

▫Backbone of democracy = free, independent farmers

▫Universal suffrage (no property ownership)

▫Easier for yeoman farmers▫Small government (governs

best when governs least)▫Strict constructionalist

Jefferson – The Beginning of the “Virginia Dynasty”•Thomas Jefferson•James Madison•James Monroe

They hold the presidency from 1801-1825

Jeffersonian Restraint •Jefferson’s priority: undo Federalist

abuses▫Pardoned convicted under Alien and Sedition

Act ▫Naturalization law (1802): residency five

years▫Repealed excise tax (saved US $1 mil. per

year)▫Reduced national debt

•What does he do to core of Hamilton’s financial program?

Judiciary Act of 1801•“Midnight judges”

appointed by Adams▫Congress went after

Federalist judges•Jefferson focused on

ability•Chief Justice John

Marshall ▫Shaped meaning of

Constitution▫Chief Justice for 34 years

Other Federalist reversals•Reduced size of army•Abolished taxes (kept right to use)•Avoided large national debt•Secretary of Treasury, Albert Gallatin

halved national debt•Reversed tributes to Barbary pirates

Jefferson Turns Warrior •North African

Barbary Pirates seizing American ships

•Navy & Marines fight undeclared war

•Tripoli backed down (1805)

The Louisiana Purchase

•Spain: Louisiana from France after French & Indian War

•1800: Spain ceded back to France (secret until 1803)

•Why does France want it?•1798: Spain withdrew “right of deposit” (use Port of New Orleans)

•Farmers’ reaction? •Jefferson’s options?•Right restored in 1801

The Louisiana Purchase • Robert Livingston and

James Monroe negotiate • Instructions?

▫ Purchase port of New Orleans

The Louisiana Purchase • Napoleon offers all

for $15 mil.▫Why?▫Failed effort to

retake Haiti▫War with Britain

imminent▫Needed money!

• Livingston and Monroe agree

Louisiana In The Long View •Does Jefferson follow Constitution?•Doubled size of country (very fertile

land)•Increased westward expansion•Feeling that country was unlimited •Seeds of Manifest Destiny: America

destined to control entire continent

Opposition to Louisiana•Federalists: unconstitutional

▫Hurts New England economically▫New England talks secession▫Ask for Hamilton’s help, he refuses▫Asked Aaron Burr, he agrees▫Hamilton accuses Burr of attempting

to overthrow the union!

Hamilton-Burr Duel•Burr killed

Hamilton •Charged with

murder; flees to Southwest

•Burr accused of treason

•Acquitted of charges

Exploring the Louisiana Purchase and the West

Jefferson’s Second Term• Re-elected (1804) in

landslide (162-14) over C.C. Pinckney

• Second term: try to stay neutral (avoid European conflicts)

Jefferson’s Second Term• Napoleon reignites

war• 1806: France

supreme on land, Brits on seas

• At first, US shippers get rich trading to both

America: A Neutral? Power?•British blockading continental ports•French banned British and neutral

ships•Why would US see this as violation?

(think Washington)•U.S. CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE!•England stops ships looking for

deserters•England impresses over 6000 US

sailors between 1808-11 •Problem?

HMS Leopard v. US Chesapeake 1807

Jefferson’s Backfiring Embargo •National outrage/honor required

action!•options?•Embargo Act (1807)

▫U.S. ships: couldn’t leave ports until British and French repealed restrictions

▫Felt England and France needed America

What does this cartoon mean?

Embargo•Most people HATED it. Why?

▫New England Federalists particularly mad

▫What did they argue?•Consequences:

▫Three times more costly than war▫Ruined U.S. shipping▫Ultimately helped New England

factories▫Fostered American industry

Non-Intercourse Act•March 1809 (end of Jefferson’s term)

Congress repealed embargo for Non-Intercourse Act ▫Lifted embargo except on British and

French ports▫Impossible to enforce▫Led to further problems with British

How would you evaluate the success/failure of Jefferson?Worthy of a third term?