Ch. 6 Sec. 3/4

Section 3

Key Figures and Events:

Patrick Gass: Member of the Lewis and Clark expedition who kept a detailed journal of the journey.

Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806): Explored the Louisiana Territory, documenting new lands, plants, animals, and Native American tribes. Sacajawea, a Shoshone woman, acted as an interpreter and guide.

Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809): 3rd U.S. President, leader of the Democratic-Republicans, simplified government, and championed westward expansion.

Important Concepts: 

Louisiana Purchase (1803):

• Bought from France for $15 million.

• Doubled the size of the United States.

• Explored by the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Judiciary Act of 1801 and Marbury v. Madison (1803):

• Judiciary Act added new federal judges ("midnight judges").

• Marbury v. Madison established judicial review, giving the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional.

Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton:

• Political rivals; Burr killed Hamilton in a duel in 1804.

Jefferson’s Presidency:

• Reduced government size, cut taxes, and promoted free trade.

• Opposed strong central government policies of Federalists.

• Encouraged settlement of western lands.

Key Terms:

Judicial Review: Supreme Court’s power to declare laws unconstitutional.

Sacajawea: Native American guide and interpreter for the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Midnight Judges: Judges appointed by John Adams at the end of his presidency.

Westward Expansion:

• Cumberland Gap and Wilderness Road: Key routes for settlers moving west.

• Growth in population in states like Ohio from 1800 to 1810.

Section 4

Key Terms and Names

1. Blockade: The British strategy of sealing ports to prevent ships from entering or leaving, significantly impacting American trade.

2. Impressment: The British practice of seizing American sailors and forcing them to serve in the British navy.

3. Embargo: A ban on exporting goods to other countries, imposed by the U.S. to pressure Britain and France but ultimately harming the American economy.

4. William Henry Harrison: Governor of the Indiana Territory who defeated Tecumseh’s confederacy at the Battle of Tippecanoe.

5. Tecumseh: Shawnee leader who sought to unite Native American tribes into a confederacy to resist U.S. expansion.

6. War Hawks: Young congressmen, including Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, who advocated for war against Britain, citing national pride and territorial expansion.

7. Andrew Jackson: General who became a national hero after victories against Native Americans and the British, particularly at the Battle of New Orleans.

8. Treaty of Ghent: The agreement signed in 1814 that ended the War of 1812 and restored pre-war boundaries without addressing impressment or trade issues.

9. Armistice: A formal agreement to cease fighting, as established by the Treaty of Ghent.

Key Concepts and Events

Uncle Sam

• Samuel Wilson, a meat-packer from Troy, New York, became a symbol for the nation when his barrels of salted meat, stamped “U.S.” (for United States), led to soldiers calling themselves “Uncle Sam’s soldiers.”

• Uncle Sam came to symbolize American values of honesty and hard work.

Reasons for the War of 1812

1. Grievances Against Britain:

   • British impressment of American sailors.

   • British support of Native American resistance against U.S. westward expansion.

   • The Chesapeake incident, where the British attacked the U.S. naval frigate Chesapeake.

2. Economic Impact:

   • Britain and France’s blockades and trade restrictions severely disrupted American commerce.

   • The Embargo Act of 1807 failed, hurting the U.S. economy more than Britain’s.

3. War Hawks:

   • Advocated for war to defend American honor and pursue territorial ambitions, particularly in Canada.

Native American Resistance

• Tecumseh’s Confederacy:

  • Tecumseh united tribes to resist U.S. expansion and allied with the British.

  • His brother, the Prophet, promoted a cultural revival rejecting European influences.

  • The confederacy was weakened after the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 and Tecumseh’s death in 1813.

Major Battles and Campaigns

1. The War in Canada:

   • Early American losses, including the capture of Detroit.

   • U.S. success on Lake Erie under Oliver Hazard Perry.

   • Tecumseh’s death at the Battle of the Thames ended significant Native American resistance.

2. The War at Sea:

   • U.S. frigates like the Constitution earned victories despite being outnumbered.

   • British blockades restricted American shipping.

3. British Assaults:

   • British forces burned Washington, D.C., in retaliation for U.S. attacks in Canada.

   • The failed British attack on Baltimore inspired Francis Scott Key’s “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

4. Battle of New Orleans:

   • Fought after the Treaty of Ghent was signed, Andrew Jackson’s victory boosted American morale.

Outcome of the War

• The Treaty of Ghent restored pre-war boundaries but did not resolve trade or impressment issues.

• Improved U.S.-British relations in subsequent years through treaties like the Rush-Bagot Agreement and agreements on territorial boundaries.

• Increased American nationalism and confidence.