AP US History Unit 3 Part One: Jefferson and the Virginia Dynasty

What was the context of the election of 1800

Tensions were high between the Federalists and the Jeffersonians

The federalists were divided - high federalists were undermining the power base of Adams

Jefferson was subjected to abuse from the press 

Jefferson won the election of 1800 - very slim win

Where was the majority of Jefferson's power base and why did it help him win the election

• Southern and Western states

• Jefferson won the election due to the 3/5ths clause, as the votes of the slaves counted towards Jefferson, clinching the election for him

Why did Jefferson coin the election of 1800 the Revolution of 1800

He viewed his victory in the election as a return to the principles of the Revolution, which the Federalists had abandoned 

When Jefferson entered the presidency, what was his attitude to the Federalists in power, and what did he preach

He preached moderation and kept many federalists in their jobs, as he was primarily concerned with the running of the nation, and didn’t want to create enemies and antagonism to his presidency by falling into the trap of patronage

What was the patronage system

The policy of handing out positions of power based on loyalty to a party

What was the difference between Jefferson in office compared to himself

He had to reverse many of the open minded political ideas that he had to curry support with his following

What changes did Jefferson enact in office

• He attacked the Alien and sedition acts: He issued the Naturalisation act of 1802, which lowered the naturalisation period from 14 years back to five - what it had been before the alien act

• He made changes to Hamiltonian policy: 

  • Removed the excise tax - By removing it, Jefferson secured the loyalty of his power base 

  • He also got rid of bureaucrats and replaced them with capable men: Albert Gallatin - became the Secretary of the Treasury - they didn’t want a national debt, so they pushed for reducing debt

• He also kept much of Hamiltonian policy the same:

  • Kept assumption of Revolutionary War debts 

  • Kept funding at par

  • Didn’t tamper with the national bank

  • Kept the Federalist tariff

What was the Judiciary act of 1801

It was a final deathbed act by the federalists, which established 16 new federal judgeships and offices

What were the midnight judges

John Adams spent his last days in trying to force through three supreme court nominaitons

Who was John Marshall

He was a federalist appointed to the Supreme Court by Adams

What was the court case: Marbury V Madison (1803)

One of Adams’ midnight judges, William Marbury, did not receive his writ in time, and it was shelved by Madison (the Secretary of State) - Marbury then sued but it was thrown out of the court by Marshall. Marshall then made a landmark ruling, striking down part of the Judiciary Act of 1789, which Marbury had based his suit on, as unconstitutional.

What did Marshall establish about the supreme court in Marbury V Madison

He established that the only role of the Supreme Court was to decide on constitutionality - establishing judicial review

What is Judicial review

The Supreme Court has the last say on constitutionality

What did the Jeffersonians in response to Marshall’s ruling in Marbury V Madison

They attempted to impeach Justice Samuel Chase, but failed - this was the last attempt to interfere in the supreme court

Why did Jefferson decrease the army and navy

• Republican ideas wanted the United States to escape the constant warring of Europe

• The army and navy were viewed with distrust as they could lead to dictatorships

• Conflict was costly 

What were the Barbry wars

The Pasha of Tripoli was unhappy with the amount of tribute he was receiving from the United States and decided to raise it. Jefferson viewed this as too much to ask and sent the Marine Corps and navy to quell the conflict 

What was the peace of Tripoli (1803)

Ended the Barbary wars and the Americans no longer had to pay tribute to the Pasha 

What was the context and scenario leading up to the Louisiana purchase (1803)

• In 1800, the king of Spain ceded Louisiana to France - this worried many Americans, due to the military prowess of Napoleon, and they didn’t want a major military power on their doorstep

• Frontier farmers were disgruntled that their rights to deposit their goods in New Orleans had been revoked and many wanted to seize the port 

What did Jefferson send James Monroe to France to do and what occured

He sent him to secure as much land from Napoleon for 10 million dollars due to fears of conflict with Napoleon and frontier farmers running riot in New Orleans

If these negotiations were to fail, Monroe was ordered to ally with Britain

Napoleon then sold the entirety of Louisiana for 15 million dollars

Why did Napoleon decide to sell the entirety of Louisiana 

• War with Britain: Napoleon was about to resume his conflict with Britain and worried that, due to the naval supremacy of Britain, they would seize French Louisiana and drive America into their hands

• The Haitian Revolution: Following the failure of French forces to crush the revolt of T’ssount L’Overture, France had lost access to their profitable sugar colony, which Louisiana was going to provide foodstuffs for. Therefore, there wasn’t much incentive to hang on to the land, as it didn’t offer much of a purpose

How did the purchase of Louisiana represent the two minds of Jefferson

• Strict Constitutionalist: It didn’t say anywhere in the Constitution that the purchase of land like this could be made 

• Libertarian: The purchase could grow the empire of liberty that Jefferson held so dear

What were the advantages of the Louisiana purchase 

• Laid the precedent for future expansion: Imperialism under a democratic facade

• Great agrarian democracy that Jefferson desired

• Isolationist policy was possible as no major European body threatened the new American nation, and they could close themselves off from the rest of the world

What was the journey of Lewis and Clark and its significance

Jefferson tasked the two men to explore the newly acquired northern part of Louisiana

Significance:

• Scientific discovery, maps, and knowledge of the Indians and buffalo improved

• Demonstrated the viability of an over land route to the pacific

• Established American claims to Oregon country

What was the draw back of the acquisition of Louisiana

The acquisition of such vast territory raised fears of secsession

What was the Aaron Burr Conspiracy

• Following being dropped from Jefferson’s cabinet during his second term, Burr joined a radical group of federalists who attempted to secede New England from the union - this was foiled by Hamilton telling Jefferson. Burr who was disgraced then fled to the west

• Burr then apparently planned to secede part of Louisiana from the union and, with the help of the military governor of Louisiana (James Wilkinson), wanted to conquer parts of Mexican Texas - establishing a new federal republic

• Jefferson then caught wind of the plan, and Wilkinson betrayed Burr, who was then tried for treason but was acquitted by Marshall, who said they required hard evidence to convict Burr

Following the resumption of war between Britain and France, how did they hurt each other economically, and how did it impact the U.S

• Orders in Council (1806): Closed European ports under French control to foreign shipping - undertaken by the British, they seized American ships headed to France

• Napoleon ordered an issue that called for the seizure of all merchant ships that entered British ports - seized American merchant ships

• Impressment: Following British ships seizing American ships, they forced American sailors to work on British ships 

What was the Chesapeake affair (1807)

A British ship demanded that a U.S frigate, Chesapeake, hand over 3 men, and when the captain refused, the British opened fire

What was the reaction of the Americans to the violations of Britain and France at sea

The Embargo Act of 1807 - Jefferson implemented a policy of embargoing all nations - he attempted to utilise economic coercion to stop the seizure of American ships as he didn’t want to get dragged into a European war

What was the result of the embargo act of 1807

The American economy was under a great degree of stress:

• New England’s Harbours were empty\

• Commerce collapsed 

• Many descended into poverty

• Farmers in the south and west couldn’t sell their produce, so they recorded low profits

• Illegal trade blossomed with Canada 

• It resuscitated the Federalist party

• Many New-Englanders wanted to secede from the union

What was the Non-intercourse Act (1809)

Due to the concerns of the U.S economy and talks of secession, congress reopened trade with the other nations beside Britain and France

Who succeeded Jefferson as the president in 1809

James Madison

What was the Macon Bill No.2

In 1810 congress dismantled the entirety of the embargo bill and the macon bill offered to either Britain or France, in exchange fro dropping their commercial restrictions on the U.S, the U.S would open unlimited and free trade with one, and embargo the other

What was Madison’s view of the Macon bill

He viewed it as a capitulation, that America needed trade with Europe to function

What was the British and French response to the Macon bill

• France: Napoleon offered to drop the restrictions in an attempt to bait Britain, Madison unwillingly accepted, and when Britain didn’t drop its restrictions, America paid the price, due to British seizure of American ships

• Britain: They were willing to seize American ships

Who were the War Hawks 

Members of the Democratic-Republicans who were tired of British violations at sea and wanted war with Britain, invading Canada and expelling Britain from America

Why did the War Hawks also want war with the Indians

They wanted to stop Indians from harassing western settlers, which halted western expansion 

What was the Battle of Tipecannoue

It was a conflict between the War Hawks and Indians (Tecumseh and Tankswatcha) - the battle saw the crushing of the Indians and continued Westward expansion

Why did Madison declare war on Britain, staring the war of 1812

• Britain continued to arm Indians, who raided American pioneers on the frontier

• The War Hawks were gaining steam with the Democratic-Republican party

• Restoration of confidence in the Republican experiment: While the republicans tried to avoid war and show that they differed from Europe, only a vigorous assertion of American rights could demonstrate the viability of American nationhood

Who supported and who was against the war of 1812

Supported:

• People from the South and West

• Republicans in populous middle states 

Against:

• Federalists 

• New Englanders: Pro-British federalists were sympathetic to Britain and opposed the invasion of Canada

What was the state of the U.S army entering the war of 1812

It was ill equipped and ill disciplined to fight Britain 

What were some major battles during the War of 1812

Battles on the Lakes: The Americans fared much better than Britain in naval conflicts

• Battle of Lake Erie: American victory secured the lake and forced Britain to withdraw from the fort of Detroit

• Battle of Plattsburgh: American ships beat back the Royal Navy and forced a 10,000-man-strong British army to retreat back to Canada

Land Battles:

• Burning of the White House: A detachment of 4,000 British soldiers landed in Chesapeake Bay and burned down the white house

• Battle of New Orleans (1814): A ragtag group of militiamen, regulars, Frenchmen, and freed slaves assembled under the control of Andrew Jackson, who led them against the numerically superior British - pushing Jackson to stardom

What was the response of the Royal Navy, following the defeat at New Orleands

They introduced a crippling blockade which crippled the American economy

What was the treaty of Ghent (1814) and its conditions

This peace ended the war of 1812 and effectively saw no changes made to either side, therefore, the status quo continued - leading to a critique of the war hawks 

What was the Hartford Convention (1814)

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont sent delegates to Hartford to address their grievances with the federal government due mainly to the embargo act, which crippled the economy of the New England states.

What were the solutions to their grievances put out at the Hartford Convention

• Financial assistance from Washington for lost trade

• Proposed a constitutional amendment which required a 2/3 vote in Congress before: an embargo would be imposed, new states admitted, or war declared

• Wanted to remove the 3/5th clause which gave the south the advantage

• Limit the president from being from the same state - end the Virginia dynasty

• Limit presidents to one term

What was the result of the Hartford Convention

Following the victory at New Orleans it was laughed off and called secessionist (even though only a small minority called for secession) and it represented the death of the federalist party

Why was the war of 1812 called the second war of independence

Because it represented America was willing to fight for its grievances on the global stage

What was the result of the war of 1812

• Sectionalism largely disappeared - the federalists ceased to exist

• War heroes such as Jackson emerged, inspiring Nationalism

• The Indian nations had to cede land due to Britain, abandoning them

• American manufacturing prospered due to British blockades, which made America less reliant on European workshops

• Nationalism as a whole emerged during this period

What was the Rush-Bagot treaty of 1817

Limited naval armourment on the Great Lakes between Britain and America

How did American nationalism emerge following the war of 1812

A sense of togetherness developed, being proud of American culture:

• American writers were recognized on the global stage

• Tex books were being written by Americans

• American magazines took hold - North American review

• Paintings inspired by the great American landscape as well as romantic ideas developed

• The national bank was revived by congress - togetherness

• A proud capital emerged

• The army and navy were expanded 

• Pride in their emerging industries

Why were American industries blossoming following the conclusion of the war of 1812

Due to Jefferson’s Embargo and the Royal Navy’s blockade

What was the tariff of 1816

To protect the emerging American industry against the efforts of British manufactures to sell goods at lower prices, in an attempt to regain their foothold in America following the end of the war of 1812, congress passed a 20-25% tariff on dutiable imports

Why were most tariffs passed following the emergence of the American industry

To protect the American industry against foreign competitors - protective tariff

What was the American System

Developed by Henry Clay (a man spurred on by nationalism) it outlined a plan to develop a profitable home market by:

• Strong banking system which would provide credit in abundance

• A protective tariff for eastern manufactures

• A network of roads and canals (especially in Ohio) which the tariff would pay for

How did the network of roads and canals outlined in the American system build the idea of togetherness

It interlinked Americans as a network of roads and canals allowed merchants and farmers to trade raw materials, and food stuffs, leading to more contact

What was the reaction to the American system

The project found support from the people, congress only provided 1.5 million dollars to be distributed among the states for internal improvements - Madison would then veto this who cited it as unconstitutional because he believed it lay outside the control of the federal government

What was the era of Good Feelings

Following the accession of James Monroe to the presidency, a time of optimism ensued among many Americans 

What was the panic of 1819

A financial panic due to the over speculation out west, in which the bank would deal out land but following the panic, it requested the foreclosure of countless morgates

What was the result of the panic of 1819

• The western bank was hated

• The poorer classes were poor

• The policy of going to prison when you couldn’t pay your debts was removed following treatment of those who couldn’t pay their debts

Why were people moving west in the Era of Good Feelings:

• Cheap land out west appealed to many European immigrants

• Land that had been exhausted by crops like tobacco, led to farmers looking west for new land 

• Economic stress from the embargo of 1807 and the war of 1812 led many to move west

• Land was more readily available due to the defeat and clearing of Indians by Jackson and Harrison, as well as easier to purchase due to Glib speculators who accepted small down payments for land

• Infrastructure such as roads and canals improved the land routes to the Ohio Valley: Cumberland Road - ran from Maryland to Illinois which was a sound road, providing a way west

What was the Land Act of 1820

Authorised a buyer to buy 80 acres worth of land for $1.25 per acre

What was the Tallmadge amendment 

An amendment passed by the house that attempted to bar any more slaves from entering Missouri, and the emancipation of the current slaves in Missouri following their desire to be admitted into the union

What was the southern reaction to the Tallmadge Amendment (1819)

It was met with outrage (even though defeated in the senate) and they worried as the north became richer and more populous they would attempt to interfere in the matters of southern states even more, and attempt to ban slavery in the old southern states. They also worried Missouri entering the union as a free state would upset the sectional balance.

What was the Missouri Compromise (1820)

Deadlock was broken on the admittance of Missouri as a free or slave state following a series of compromises: 

• Missouri would be admitted to the union as a slave state, but Maine would be carved out of Massachusetts as a free state to maintain the balance between free and slave states

• All future slave states would be admitted south of the 36 30 parallel

What was the reaction to the Missouri compromise

While neither side was super happy, they did have some things to be happy about:

• Northerners: They secured a vast expanse of land

• Southerners: Happy to secure the institution of slavery

What was McCulloh v Maryland (1819)

Maryland attempted to tax the notes of a national bank in hopes of destroying the bank. Marshall declared that the taxing of the bank was unconstitutional because the bank was constitutional, by inferring implied powers, because “to tax is to destroy”. This meant that Maryland would be taxing a federal instituion, destroying it, which is unconstitutional. 

What was Loose Construction

Originating in Marshalls ruling in McCulloh v Maryland, it stated that the constitution derived from the consent of the governed thus permitting the government to act on their behalf

What was Cohens V Virginia (1821)

The Cohen brother were arrested for illegally selling lottery tickets, which they were tried and found guilty of, they appealed and it went to the supreme court which upheld the lower court rulings. However, Marshall furthered strengthened federal power by using this case to affirm the right of the supreme court to review decisions of state supreme courts in matters involving powers of the federal government

What was Gibbons V Ogden (1824)

New York granted a monopoly to a private company on waterborne commerce between New York and New Jersey. Marshall then declared this unconstitutional citing that the federal government was the only body that could regulate interstate commerce (Article 1 Section 8)

What was Fletcher V Park (1810)

A Georgia legislature granted its million acres in the Yazoo country to private speculators due to bribes. Following public backlash it was repealed but Marshall decided that the constitution forbid the states from impairing contracts therefore the transaction had to be carried out

What was Dartmouth College V Woodward (1819)

The New Hampshire legislature wanted to change the charter for Dartmouth. The supreme court blocked this and ruled the original charter must stand because of the sanctity of contract

What two things did Marshalls rulings in his supreme court cases do

• They strengthened federal power

• Defined property rights 

What was the Anglo-American convention (1818)

• Americans could share Newfoundland fisheries

• Fixed the border between Canada and Louisiana

• 10 year joint occupation of Oregon country

How did America come to annex Florida from Spain

Following the south American revolts against Spanish rule due to the Napoleonic invasion of Spain, Florida was left undermanned and vulnerable to attack. Nationalists like Andrew Jackson saw this, and on the pretext of fighting seminole Indians invaded Spanish Florida, hung two Indian chiefs, and toppled the Spanish governor 

What was the Adams-Ónis Treaty (1819)

The Americans acquired Florida diplomatically:

• John Quincy Adams took the initiative and demanded concessions from Spain, resulting in this treaty which saw Spain cede Florida, and all claims to Oregon, in return for the abandonment of American claims to Texas

Why did James Monroe issue the Monroe Doctrine

• The restored autocratic monarchies of Europe looked abroad to increase their power

• Many Americans worried that these new European nations, if allowed to expand into the Americas would pose a threat to the American nation

  • Russia for example, had continued to expand down the Pacific coast from Alaska

• Great Britain asked the American government to issue a joint declaration of renouncing acquiring new land in the Americas, as well as a warning against others who would try to seize territory in the Americas 

What were the provisions of the Monroe doctrine (1823)

• Non-Colonisation: European powers were barred from seizing new land in the Americas

• Non-interventionist: The Americas wouldn’t interfere in European politics, and in return, Europe would interfere in American politics 

What was the contemporary effect of the Monroe doctrine 

It had little contemporary effect as the latin American states of America understood America was focused on its own politics and European powers weren’t able to gain land in America due to the British navy 

How did the Monroe doctrine feed into nationalistic tendency

We are not involved in European politics; we are by ourselves and separate 

Russo-American Treaty (1824)

Established the border of Alaska with the U.S