Jefferson and Madison

APUSH

Why did Jefferson consider his election in 1800 to be revolutionary?

Why did Jefferson consider his election in 1800 to be revolutionary?

Jefferson considered the election in 1800 revolutionary because there had never been a peaceful power transfer between political parties. The power had peacefully transferred from the Federalists to the Democratic-Republicans without fighting.

Why were westward migration and agricultural improvement so widespread in the late 18th and early 19th centuries?

Westward migration and agricultural improvement were widespread in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Many people, particularly white tenant farmers and struggling non-slave-owning families, traveled west to Kentucky and Tennessee. Planters had controlled society, and many wanted more freedom and hoped to prosper from cotton and hemp, both of which were in great demand. Jefferson-inspired Republican Congresses also cut the cost of land in the west to encourage migration.

What do you think is the most persuasive explanation for the US declaration of war on Great Britain in 1812?

Before the US declared war on Great Britain in 1812, Britain had both violated its commercial rights as a neutral nation and forcefully inducted thousands of Americans into the British Navy without consent. Around 8,000 Americans were forced into the British military without choice. Tensions boiled over when a British warship attacked the US Navy vessel Chesapeake, killing three, wounding eighteen, and allegedly seizing four deserters. The British had also been supplying weapons to the Indians, violating peace relations.

How did the Supreme Court influence the debate over the powers of the federal government in the Federal Period?

The purpose of the Supreme Court is to make sure that the other branches of government know the limits of their power. This is especially important in a federal government, as the central government is built to be very strong and overpower the state governments, without being dictatorial. The Supreme Court was made to protect the people, and not to be a danger to their liberties. One of the powers of the Supreme Court is judicial review, where the court can declare an act as a violation of the Constitution. This was established in the case of Marbury v. Madison in 1803. The Supreme Court decided that Madison's refusal to give the commissions was illegal.

Why do historians think the decisions of the Marshall Court constitute a federal legacy?

The Marshall Court was significant in constituting a federal legacy because the decisions he made affected the federal control of currency and credit, in turn increasing the amount of federal power. The Marshall Court helped to establish the concept of judicial review, where the Supreme Court checks whether or not a law is constitutional. Not every instance of a situation that could happen will be written in the Constitution, leaving it up to the Supreme Court to decide whether or not something is constitutional. An example of these concepts being used is in McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819. The Second Bank was constitutional, due to the national government's power over currency and credit, but Maryland did not have the power to tax it.

How were the principles of the Jeffersonian Republicans reflected in this era of dramatic growth and development?

The principles of the Jeffersonian Republicans were an opposition to artificial aristocracy, where people were born into wealth, an opposition to corruption, and a priority towards all types of farmers. The principles helped to impact many of the opinions of this time, such as an encouragement for farmers to move west after the Louisiana Purchase so they could have larger farmers and produce more crops. While this helped many farmers, it also started new wars with Indians. The westward expansion helped to shape new diplomatic and military policies, which led to the Louisiana Purchase, the War of 1812, and other treaties.

What elements of the Federalist political philosophy survived the end of the First Party System?

Even though the War of 1812 destroyed the Federalists, many of the Republicans discovered the wisdom of the Federalist policies, which continued to the end of the First Party System. The strong central bank, originally created by Alexander Hamilton, remained. The strong central government also stayed, as shown in instances such as McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819, as well as an emphasis on state-run internal fixes and improvements.