American Pageant: Chapter 11

Revolution of 1800

Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic Republicans unseated the incumbent Federalist party. It was the first time in a western government where a change in the ruling power had occurred so radically, peacefully, and without bloodshed.

Patronage

practice of rewarding political support with special favors, often in the form of public office. Upon assuming office, Thomas Jefferson dismissed few Federalist employees, leaving scant openings to fill with political appointees.

Judiciary Act of 1801

passed by the departing Federalist cogress, it created sixteen new federal judgeships ensuring a Federalist hold on the judiciary.

midnight judges (1801)

Federal justices appointed by John Adams during the art days of his presidency. Their positions were revoked when the newly elected Republican Congress repealed the Judiciary Act

Marybury v Madison (1803)

Supreme Court case that established the principle of "judicial review"- the idea that the Supreme Court had the final authority to determine constitutionality.

Tripolitan War (1801-1805)

Four-year conflict between the American Navy and the North-African nation of Tripoli over piracy in the Mediterranean. Jefferson, a staunch noninterventionist, reluctantly deployed American forces, eventually securing a peace treaty with Tripoli.

Louisiana Purchase (1803)

Acquisition of the Louisiana territory from France. The purchase more than doubled the territory of the United States, opening vast tracts for settlement.

Orders in Council (1806-1807)

Edicts issued by the British Crown closing French-owned European ports to foreign shipping. The French responded by ordering the seizure of all vessels entering British ports, thereby cutting off American merchants from trade with both parties.

Impressment

Act of forcibly drafting an individual into military service, employed by the British navy against American seamen in dual source of conflict between Britain and the United States in the early national period.

Chesapeake affair (1807)

conflict between Britain the United States that precipitated the 1807 embargo. The conflict developed when a British ship, in search of deserters, fired on the American Chesapeake off the coast of VA.

Embargo Act (1807)

Enacted in response to British and French mistreatment of American merchants, the Act banned the export of all goods from the United States to any foreign port. The embargo placed great strains on the American economy while only marginally affecting its European targets and was therefore repealed in 1809.

Non-Intercourse Act (1809)

Passed alongside the repeal of the Embargo Act. It reopened trade with all but the two belligerent nations, Britain and and France. The Act continued Jefferson's policy of economic coercion, still with little effect.

Macon's Bill No. 2

Aimed at resuming peaceful trade with Britain and France, the act stipulated that if either Britain or France repealed its trade restrictions on British ports, the United States would reinstate the embargo against the non repealing nation. When Napoleon offered to lift his restrictions on British ports, the Unites States was forced to declare an embargo on Britain, thereby pushing the two nations closer towards war.

Battle of Tippecanoe (1811)

Battle between Americans and Native Americans. Tecumseh and the Prophet attempted to oppress white settlement in the West, but defeated by William Henry Harrison. Led to talk of Canadian invasion and served as a cause to the War of 1812.

war hawks (1811-1812)

Democratic-Republican Congressmen who pressed James Madison to declare war on Britain. Largely drawn from the South and West the war hawks resented British constraints on American trade and accused the British of supporting Indian attacks against American settlements on the frontier.

Corps of Discovery (1804-1806)

Team of adventurers, led by Merriwether Lewis and William Clark, sent by Thomas Jefferson to explore Louisiana Territory and find a water route to the Pacific. Louis and Clark brought back detailed accounts of the West's flora, viability of overland travel to the west.

Thomas Jefferson

Virginian, architect, author, governor, and president. Lived at Monticello. Wrote the Declaration of Independence. Second governor of Virgina. Third president of the United States. Designed the buildings of the University of Virginia.

Sally Hemmings

Jefferson's slave with whom he had an affair of sorts after the death of his wife; had 5 children with the woman; also-- she was considered black although she was 7/8 white

Meriwether Lewis

army captain appointed by President Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Territory and lands west to the Pacific Ocean

William Clark

United States explorer who (with Meriwether Lewis) led an expedition from St. Louis to the mouth of the Columbia River

Albert Gallatin

He was Jefferson's secretary. Jefferson and Gallatin believed that to pay the interest on debt, there would have to be taxes. Taxes would suck money from industrious farmers and put it in the hands of wealthy creditors.

John Marshall

chief justice appointed by Adams who established judicial review with Marbury vs. Madison

Aaron Burr

Republican who received the same number of electoral votes as Jefferson since they ran together, thus throwing the election to the House. Caused an amendment to state that President and Vice-President were to be voted separately.

Tecumseh

Shawnee chief who formed a confederacy among Native American nations in the Northwest; joined with British after Battle of Tippecanoe; killed at Battle of Thames

Samuel Chase

Jefferson sought the impeachment of this Justice (1804). The Senate failed to generate enough votes to convict and remove Chase from his post. Shows that the executive government could surpass the law of the constitution secretly and over step its power.

Napoleon

Military Genius of France, who later became a dictator and eventually overthrown. He sold the west land (Louisiana) to the United States for a very cheap price doubling the land area of America.

Tenskwatawa

the Prophet; Tecumshe's brother, inspired a religious revival that spread through many tribes and united them; killed by Harrison at battle of Tippecanoe

Robert Livingston

Along with James Monroe, negotiated in Paris for the Louisiana Territory land area; signed a treaty on April 30, 1803 ceding Louisiana to the United States for $15 million

James Madison

The fourth President of the United States (1809-1817). A member of the Continental Congress (1780-1783) and the Constitutional Convention (1787), he strongly supported ratification of the Constitution and was a contributor to The Federalist Papers (1787-1788), which argued the effectiveness of the proposed constitution. His presidency was marked by the War of 1812.

Toussaint L'Ouverture

Led the Haitian revolt against France, therefore causing Napoleon to give up his dream of an empire in the Americas. Napoleon then decided to sell the Louisiana Territory.