4.2 - The Rise of Political Parties and the Era of Jefferson

Election of 1800 party divide

-feds: stronger national gov, GB in Euro affairs

-demo repubs: state power, lean to French

Election of 1800 tariffs

-both parties support! Raise revenue

-more of a sectional issue tho

-Northern industrialists- yes! Higher tariffs protect companies from foreign competition - BUY

-Southern farmers: no! Relied on exports of cotton and other crops. Pushed for lower tariffs to encourage TRADE

Election of 1800 results

• Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied

• So, house of reps voted and chose Thomas Jefferson

- Largely bc Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson has a structure and goal, unlike Aaron Burr.

Election of 1800 results, House n Senate

-both Demo repubs

Election of 1800 PEACEFUL REV

-This passing of power (feds to demo repubs) was peaceful

-major indication that US constitution system would endure various strains put on it

-feds quietly accept defeat!

Jefferson Presidency overall FIRST TERM

-tried to win allegiance from Fed opps by maintaining National Bank n debt repayment plan

-carried neutrality policy (Washington n Adam’s)

-Demo Repub policy: LIMITED CENTRAL GOV

-reduced military size

-eliminated some fed jobs

-replied the excise taxes

-decreased national debt

Jefferson Presidency Louisiana Purchase

-Spain, then France ownership

-Napoleon Bonaparte sold it to Thomas Jefferson bc:

• wanted to concentrate French resources on fighting Great Britain

• A rebellion led by Toussaint Louverture against French rule on the island of Santo Domingo had resulted in heavy French losses.

Jefferson- interest in Mississippi River

-western frontier depended on transportation of goods in the rivers

• 1803, Spanish officials (NOLA) closed power to Americans

• Revoked the right of deposit in Pinckney Treaty of 1795 - allowed American farmers to use port tax free

• Jefferson feared that if a foreign power continued to have river at NOLA in control, US risk entanglement in Europe affairs

Jefferson land negotiations

• sent ministers to France to offer 10 million for NOLA n strip of land from there to eastward to Florida

• France offered wanted money after their war against GB, so sold Louisiana Territory and NOLA for 15 million

Jefferson LT contradiction

• Jefferson committed to STRICT INTERPRETATION of constitution

• ^ contrasted his actions of purchasing territory. No clause explicitly says that a president can purchase land

• Jefferson just kinda set his ideals to the side for his country’s good

LT purchase effects

-Increased Jefferson’s popularity and showed that fed weak

-Increased Jefferson’s hope of an agrarian society of farmers than Hamilton’s urban n industrial party

-extended western frontier

-doubled size of US

-removed Euro presence

Lewis n Clark expedition

-Jefferson persuaded Congress to fund scientific exploration of trans Mississippi West

-LT purchase increased importance of this

Benefits

-greater geo and scientific knowledge of that regions

-stronger US claims to that territory

-better relations to Natives

-More accurate maps

Jefferson Re-election Burr Opp

-TLDR: an Opp that couldn’t handle losing the election and was into conspiracies, hated AH and Jefferson

-Aaron Burr formed a political pact w some radical NE feds

-planned to win governorship of NY (1804) and lead this group of states to secede from the nations

-Most feds following AH opposed Burr

-lost NY governorship and faded

-challenged AH to a duel n shot him

-deprived feds of last great leader

-many ppl dont like Burr now

-planned to win to take Mexico from Spain and unit it with Louisiana under his rule. Jefferson found out n ordered him to be arrested.

John Marshall

-only federalist official to have a major influence in Demo Republic ascendancy

-favored central gov

-rights of prop against advocates of states rights

-most Demo Repub presidents often sided with him even tho the party difference. This is bc they were persuaded that the US Constitution had created fed gov w strong and flexible powers

Marburg v Madison results in what

Establishment of judicial review

Madison vs Marbury (1803)

• Issue: William Marbury sued for his judicial commission that was withheld by James Madison. (Midnight appointments)

• Ruling: Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that Marbury had a right to the commission but that the Judiciary Act of 1789 was unconstitutional because it gave the Court powers not granted by the Constitution.

• Significance: Established judicial review—the Supreme Court’s power to declare laws of Congress or actions of the president unconstitutional.

Fletcher v. Peck (1810)

• Issue: Georgia tried to void land sales that were part of a previous corrupt deal.

• Ruling: The Court ruled that a state could not pass a law invalidating a legal contract.

• Significance: First time the Supreme Court declared a state law unconstitutional, reinforcing protection of contracts

Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee (1816)

• Issue: A Virginia court refused to recognize a federal treaty regarding land ownership.

• Ruling: The Supreme Court asserted its authority over state courts in cases involving federal law or the Constitution.

• Significance: Confirmed Supreme Court’s appellate jurisdiction over state courts in constitutional matters.

Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819)

• Issue: New Hampshire tried to convert Dartmouth College from a private to a public institution.

• Ruling: The Court said the state couldn’t alter the college’s charter.

• Significance: Protected private contracts from state interference and strengthened business interests.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

• Issue: Maryland attempted to tax the Second Bank of the United States.

• Ruling: The Court declared that states could not tax federal institutions and upheld Congress’s implied power to create a national bank.

• Significance: Confirmed federal supremacy over the states and established the doctrine of implied powers.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

• Issue: New York granted a steamboat monopoly that conflicted with federal licensing laws.

• Ruling: The monopoly was unconstitutional.

• Significance: Expanded federal power over interstate commerce, establishing that only Congress could regulate interstate trade

Cohens v. Virginia (1821)

• Issue: The Cohen brothers were convicted under Virginia law for selling D.C. lottery tickets.

• Ruling: The Court upheld their conviction but affirmed its right to review state court decisions in cases involving federal authority.

• Significance: Reinforced federal judicial authority over state courts in federal matters

Election of 1808

James Madison

-democratic republican but switches easily

-weak public speaker

-possessed a stubborn temperament

-lacked political skills

-Jefferson helped him be nominated for president

• able to win!