Transcript Slide 1

THOMAS JEFFERSON:
STRICT CONSTRUCTIONIST?
(AND MAIN EVENTS OF HIS PRESIDENCY)
EUGENIA LANGAN (with thanks to Tony Miller)
MATER ACADEMY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
HIALEAH GARDENS, FLORIDA
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
TODAY: WHAT WERE THE MAIN EVENTS OF THOMAS
JEFFERSON’S PRESIDENCY?
WAS HE A STRICT CONSTRUCTIONIST?
BROAD (LONG-TERM):
HOW AND WHEN DID A U.S. IDENTITY
(NATIONALISM) ARISE?
WHAT CAUSED THE CIVIL WAR?
BACKGROUND/ REVIEW
 JEFFERSON FOUNDED THE DEMOCRATICREPUBLICAN (“DR”) PARTY
 AS SECRETARY OF STATES FOR GEORGE
WASHINGTON, HE ADVOCATED STRICT
CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONSTITUTION (OPINION ON
THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE BANK)
 AS VICE PRESIDENT UNDER JOHN ADAMS,
JEFFERSON ADVOCATED STRICT CONSTRUCTION
AND STATE SOVEREIGNTY (KENTUCKY RESOLVES)
 IN THE ELECTION OF 1800, JEFFERSON AND BURR
TIED IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
 ELECTION WENT TO HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES – 36 BALLOTS TO BREAK TIE

-
HAMILTON AND BURR ENEMIES – HAMILTON
WORKED BEHIND SCENES TO GET HOUSE
MEMBERS TO VOTE FOR JEFFERSON
THE RESULT: PRESIDENT JEFFERSON AND VICE
PRESIDENT BURR --BOTH DR, BUT BITTER ENEMIES
AMONG OTHER THINGS, BURR WASN’T SUPPOSED TO CHALLENGE
JEFFERSON FOR THE PRESIDENCY IN 1800
 RESULT: 12TH AMENDMENT TO THE
CONSTITUTION, PASSED BY CONGRESS 1803,
RATIFED 1804: ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES
SEPARATELY FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT
 PRACTICAL EFFECT: PRESIDENTIAL AND VICE
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES FROM SAME PARTY
RUN ON SINGLE TICKET – NO MORE PRES. AND VP
FROM DIFFERENT PARTIES
THOMAS JEFFERSON – “THE SAGE OF MONTICELLO
MONTICELLO, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA
-- JEFFERSON DESIGNED IT
JEFFERSON, BY REMBRANDT
PEALE (1800)
AT A STATE DINNER FOR NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS, PRESIDENT
KENNEDY CALLED THEM “THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY
COLLECTION OF TALENT, OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE, THAT HAS
EVER BEEN GATHERED TOGETHER AT THE WHITE HOUSE, WITH
THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF WHEN THOMAS JEFFERSON
DINED ALONE.”
JEFFERSON DESIGNED THE ORIGINAL BUILDINGS AT U. VA.
 JEFFERSON ALSO ONE OF THE FOUNDERS
OF AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM – SEE
“DEFENESE OF SUPERIORITY” P. 170 TXTBK.
ENTRANCE HALL AT MONTICELLO – REFLECTS J’S
INTENSE INTEREST IN FAUNA OF U.S.
JEFFERSON
 ENLIGHTENMENT PHILOSOPHE
– WROTE DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE (BUT A
SLAVEOWNER – AND WELL
AWARE OF THE
CONTRADICTION!)
 RENAISSANCE MAN:
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHER,
FOUNDED UNIVERSITY, LAWYER,
ARCHITECT, NATURAL SCIENTIST
STATUE OF JEFFERSON AT
JEFFERSON MEMORIAL
 GOVERNOR, CONGRESSMAN,
MINISTER TO FRANCE,
SECRETARY OF STATE, VP
 AND A POLITICIAN!
JEFFERSON’S POLITICAL PRINCIPLES
AS EXPRESSED IN HIS FIRST
INAUGUARAL ADDRESS
 REJECTED IDEA OF A POLITICAL ELITE.
 BACKBONE OF DEMOCRACY = FREE,
INDEPENDENT FARMER.
 UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE WITHOUT
REGARD TO PROPERTY OWNERSHIP.
 SMALL GOVERNMENT—GOVERNS
BEST WHEN IT GOVERNS LEAST.
 STRICT CONSTRUCTION OF THE
CONSTITUTION.
JEFFERSON’S FIRST PRIORITY -- UNDUE
FEDERALIST “ABUSES”
 PARDONED THOSE CONVICTED UNDER THE
ALIEN AND SEDITION ACTS
 PUSHED NEW NATURALIZATION LAW (1802) THAT
REDUCED RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT BACK TO
FIVE YEARS.
 REPEALED THE EXCISE TAX—COST US 1 MILL.
PER YEAR IN LOST REVENUE.
 REDUCED THE NATIONAL DEBT
 EFFECT ON CORE OF HAMILTON’S FINANCIAL
PROGRAM AND NATIONAL ECONOMY?
 THE RELUCTANT WARRIOR – FIRST BARBARY WAR (1801 – 05)
 JEFFERSON – PACIFICIST AND ANTIENTANGLEMENT -- ARGUED THAT U.S.
SHOULD NOT HAVE STANDING ARMY
AND WANTED TO REDUCED NAVAL
FLEET
 BUT HE HAD NO CHOICE ABOUT
BARBARY PIRATES, POLITICALLY OR
PRACTICALLY:
1. HAD LED THE “MILLIONS FOR DEFENSE,
NOT ON CENT FOR TRIBUTE”
CAMPAIGN” DURING XYZ AFFAIR
2. U.S. WAS PAYING ABOUT ≈ 20% OF ITS
ANNUAL $$ IN TRIBUTE AND RANSOMS
TO BARBARY PIRATES
BASHAW OF TRIPOLI DEMANDED $250,000 IN
1801, JEFFERSON SAID NO TRIPOLI DECLARED
WAR ON U.S.

 1802 – CONGRESS AUTHORIZED JEFFERSON TO
SEND NAVY TO TRIPOLI
 IT WAS TOUCH AND GO – BUT U.S. WON (TOOK
BOTH DECATUR’S ATTACK ON TRIPOLI HARBOR
AND EATON’S LAND CAMPAIGN/ BATTLE OF DERNA)
 FIRST FOREIGN WAR WON BY U.S.!
U.S.S. PHILADELPHIA (CAPTURED)
AGROUND IN TRIPOLI HARBOR
STEPHEN DECATUR –
FIRST U.S. HERO SINCE
REVOLUTION – HE GOT
ALL THE CREDIT
 WILLIAM EATON – DECATUR
COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT
EATON’S LAND CAMPAIGN – AND THE
ARAB AND GREEK TROOPS WHO
FOUGHT WITH EATON
THE LOUISIANA GODSEND
 BACKGROUND:
 TREATY OF PARIS (1763) – FRANCE CEDED LOUISIANA TO SPAIN
 1800 – NAPOLEON FORCED SPAIN TO CEDED LOUISIANA
TERRITORY TO FRANCE – SECRET PACT
 WHY DID FRANCE WANT IT?
 CONTROL OF MISSISSIPPI, ALSO MAJOR PORT (FOR SUGAR,
COFFEE FROM DOMINICA)
 1802 – SPAIN (ACTING FOR FRANCE) WITHDREW RIGHT OF
DEPOSIT AT NEW ORLEANS
 WESTERN FARMERS’ REACTIONS? JEFFERSON’S OPTIONS?
 GET IT BACK – BUT U.S. COULD NOT HAVE FOUGHT WAR
W/NAPOLEON, SO NEGOTIATE
 1803 - JEFFERSON SENT JAMES MONROE (L) AND
ROBERT LIVINSGTON (R) TO PARIS TO BUY NEW
ORLEANS FOR $10 MILLION
 BEFORE MONROE ARRIVED, NAPOLEON OFFERS
TO SELL THE ENTIRE TERRITORY FOR $ 15 MILLION
(≈ 3 CENTS/ACRE)-- WHY?
 HAITIAN REVOLUTION + HE WAS PREPARING FOR
ANOTHER WAR WITH ENGLAND
 HAITIAN REVOLUTION, LED
BY TOUSSAINT
L’OUVERTURE (1799 – 1805) –
ONLY SUCCESSFUL SLAVE
REBELLION IN AMERICAS
(WITH HELP OF “MOSQUITO
ARMY”)
 BASED ON U.S.
DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE
 WAS U.S. HAPPY ABOUT
IT?
 OF COURSE NOT!
NOBODY WANTED SLAVE
REBELLIONS HERE!
 LIVINGSTON IMMEDIATELY ACCEPTED NAPOLEON’S
OFFER WITHOUT CHECKING W/ JEFFERSON
 TREATY FOR LOUISIANA PURCHASE SIGNED APRIL,
1803 – LIVINGSTON SAID, “FROM THIS DAY THE UNITED
STATES TAKE THEIR PLACE AMONG THE POWERS OF
THE FIRST RANK.“
 JEFFERSON
ANNOUNCED IT TO U.S. ON JULY 4,
1803
 WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
 CONSTITUTION DOESN’T EXPRESSLY
AUTHORIZE U.S. TO BUY LAND – A STRICT
CONSTRUCTIONIST WOULD SAY “NO!”
 PURCHASE WILL MAKE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
MUCH MORE POWERFUL – A STATES’ RIGHTS GUY
WOULD SAY “NO”
 BUT JEFFERSON SAID YES! (DO THE DBQ HW AND FIND OUT
WHAT HIS ARGUMENT WAS)
 OF COURSE, FEDERALISTS OPPOSE THE PURCHASE – CLAIM
IT’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL (IRONY) – THEY FAVOR BRITAIN
 BUT SENATE CONFIRMED TREATY OCTOBER 1803
 HANDOVER AT CABILDO IN NEW ORLEANS, DECEMBER 20,
1803
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE
Terr. West of Mississippi in Miss. and Mo. River watershed
ET VOILÁ!
THE U.S. MORE THAN DOUBLES IN SIZE!
T
LOUISIANA IN THE LONG VIEW
 ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS IN US
HISTORY.
 DOUBLED THE SIZE OF COUNTRY AND GAVE US
VERY FERTILE LAND AND VAST MINERAL
RESOURCES
 INCREASED THE MOMENTUM OF WESTWARD
EXPANSION.
 LED TO THE FEELING THAT U.S. HAD UNLIMITED
FRONTIER
 PLANTED THE SEEDS OF MANIFEST DESTINY—IDEA
THAT AMERICA DESTINED TO CONTROL ENTIRE
CONTINENT.
 THE CORPS OF DISCOVERY --LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION
(1804 – 06) – TO MAP LOUISIANA TERRITORY AND FIND
NORTHWEST PASSAGE
1814 MAP OF LEWIS & CLARK’S EXPEDITION
MERIWETHER LEWIS AND WILLIAM CLARK
THERE ARE, OF
COURSE, NO
PORTRAITS OF
SACAGAWEA, THE
EXPEDITION’S
SHOSHONE GUIDE
ALL ALONG
JOURNEY, INDIANS
WELCOMED AND
HELPED LEWIS AND
CLARK
 DIRTY POLITICS – THE IMPEACHMENT OF
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SAMUEL CHASE
 CHASE – SIGNED DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE, SERVED IN
CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, APPOINTED
TO COURT BY WASHINGTON
 HE WAS A FEDERALIST
 MIDNIGHT JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
 JEFFERSON WANTED TO REDUCE
FEDERALIST POWER ON COURTS,
ORDERED CHASE IMPEACHED (FOR
BAD DECISIONS)
 HOUSE IMPEACHED, SENATE
ACQUITTED (BURR PRESIDED) –
ESTABLISHED THAT JUDGES CAN’T BE
IMPEACHED FOR THEIR DECISIONS
HAMILTON-BURR DUEL, WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (1804)
 H AND B HATED EACH OTHER
 REASONS FOR DUEL FLIMSY – AN
ASSOCIATE OF HAMILTON’S WROTE
LETTER REPEATING RUMOR OF BURR
CONSPIRACY FOR SECESSION OF NEW
ENGLAND
 BURR KILLED HAMILTON
 ONLY TIME VICE PRESIDENT
SHOT SOMEONE ELSE IN DUEL
(NOW THEY DO IT IN HUNTING
ACCIDENTS)
 DISCREDITS BURR
ELECTION OF 1804
CANDIDATES P/ VP PARTY ELECTORAL
VOTES
%
ELECTORAL
% POPULAR
THOMAS
JEFFERSON
GEORGE CLINTON
DR
162
92%
72.8%*
CHARLES
PINCKNEY
RUFUS KING
FED
14
8%
27.2%
17 STATES
* IN CONN., DEL., GA., N.Y., S.C. & VT., ELECTORS
WERE STILL APPOINTED BY STATE LEGISLATURES
ELECTION OF 1804
DIRTY POLITICS: THE TREASON TRIAL OF AARON BURR
(1807)
 DURING THE POLITICAL DISPUTE OVER LA.
PURCHASE, RUMOR = BURR PLANNING TO LEAD
SECESSION OF NEW ENGLAND
 1805 – BURR PLANNED TO LEAD FILIBUSTER INTO
MEXICO (PREDECESSOR OF MEXICAN WAR 1847!) –
PROBABLY VIOLATED NEUTRALITY ACT OF 1794
 LED TO RUMOR – BURR PLANNING TO TAKE OVER
WESTERN U.S. AND ESTABLISH MONARCHY
 JEFFERSON HAD HIM TRIED FOR TREASON – JOHN
MARSHALL ACQUITTED BURR
 THE MAIN CHALLENGE OF JEFFERSON’S SECOND
ADMINISTRATION: NAPOLEONIC WARS AND THE
IMPOSSIBLE EFFORT AT NEUTRALITY (AGAIN)
 BRITAIN’S ORDERS IN COUNCIL, BAN ON TRADE
WITH FRANCE
 AND BRITAIN DIDN’T YET RECOGNIZE U.S.
INDEPENDENCE FULLY 
 INCREASED SEIZURES OF U.S. MERCHANTMEN –
OVER 6,000 “U.S.” SEAMEN IMPRESSED (BUT SOME
WERE BRITISH SUBJECTS, INCLUDING ROYAL NAVY
DESERTERS)
 NAPOLEON RETALIATED W/ EDICT OF MILAN (1807):
ALL NEUTRAL SHIPS IN BRITISH PORTS, AND ANY
SEARCHED BY ROYAL NAVY ON HIGH SEAS,
SUBJECT TO SEIZURE BY FRENCH NAVY – WHAT
“NEUTRAL” DID HE MEAN?
 U.S.
 CHESAPEAKE – LEOPARD AFFAIR (1807)
 OFF COAST OF NORFOLK, VA. HMS LEOPARD
FIRED ON, BOARDED U.S.S. CHESAPEAKE
 3 KILLED, 4 DESERTERS FROM ROYAL NAVY
SEIZED (3 WERE U.S. CITIZENS)
 NATIONAL OUTRAGE AND HONOR REQUIRED U.S.
TO DO SOMETHING
 PROS AND CONS OF US OPTIONS?
 WAR WITH BRITAIN? NOT AN OPTION FOR
JEFFERSON. NEGOTIATIONS? DIDN’T WORK!
 WHAT DID JEFFERSON DO?
 GOT EMBARGO ACT PASSED (1807)
 NO U.S. IMPORTS OR EXPORTS
ASSUMED THIS WOULD QUICKLY BRING
ENGLAND AND FRANCE AROUND.
STRICT CONSTRUCTIONIST?
 WHO WOULD BE OPPOSED TO EMBARGO ACT?
EVERYONE!
EVEN REVIVED THE
FEDERALIST PARTY (TEMPORARILY)
FROM A FEDERALIST CIRCULAR, 1808:
“LET EVERY MAN WHO HOLDS THE CAUSE OF
LIBERTY DEAR TO HIM, STRETCH OUT HIS HANDS
AND PUT THIS ACCURSED THING, THIS
EMBARGO, FROM HIM. BE RESOLUTE, ACT LIKE
SONS OF LIBERTY, OR GOD, AND YOUR
COUNTRY; NERVE YOUR ARM WITH VENGEANCE
AGAINST THE DESPOT WHO WOULD WREST THE
INESTIMABLE GERM OF YOUR INDEPENDENCE
FROM YOU – AND YOU SHALL BE
CONQUERORS!”
CONSEQUENCES OF EMBARGO ACT?
 WRECKED U.S. ECONOMY
 THREE TIMES MORE COSTLY THAT WAR WOULD
HAVE BEEN.
 RUINED U.S. MERCHANT MARINE, NEW ENGLAND
SHIPYARDS, IMPORT-EXPORT TRADE
 ULTIMATELY DID HELP NEW ENGLAND FACTORIES,
LED TO INCREASED INDUSTRIALIZATION –ALMOST
NO BRITISH MFGR. IMPORTS (THINGS LIKE GLASS,
LEAD, PAINT, STEEL, NOT ONLY LUXURY GOOD)
 HURT SOUTH WORSE – PURE EXPORT ECONOMY
 ALSO HURT WESTERN FARMERS - NO GRAIN
EXPORTS
 UNSUCCESSFUL (“SECRET”) 1806 NEGOTIATIONS
TO BUY WEST FLORIDA FROM FRANCE FOR $2
MILLION – ALSO FODDER FOR FEDERALISTS
 THE NON-INTERCOURSE ACT (1809) – PASSED 4
DAYS BEFORE JEFFERSON LEFT OFFICE
 REPEALED EMBARGO ACT, IMPOSED EMBARGO
ONLY ON AMERICAN SHIPS BOUND FOR BRITISH
AND FRENCH FORTS
 NEITHER EMBARGO ACT NOR NONINTERCOURSE ACT GOT BRITAIN OR FRANCE TO
LEAVE U.S. SHIPS ALONE –
BUT BOTH STIMULATED ECONOMY IN THE LONG
RUN BY LEADING TO INCREASED
INDUSTRIALIZATION
 DESPITE EMBARGO ACT, JEFFERSON STILL
POPULAR – D-R PARTY MORE POPULAR THAN FED.
ELECTION OF 1808
CANDIDATES P/ VP
PARTY
ELECTORAL
VOTES
%
ELECTORAL
% POPULAR
JAMES MADISON
GEORGE CLINTON
DR
122
69.7
64.7%*
CHARLES PINCKNEY
RUFUS KING
FED
47
26.8
32.4.2%
GEORGE CLINTON
JAMES MONROE
DR
6
3%
0
DR
_____
_
0
_______
NA
0
_______
NA
2.5%
__________
0.4%
JAMES MONROE
_________________
UNPLEDGED ELECTORS
17 STATES – ONE KY ELECTOR DIDN’T VOTE
* IN CONN., DEL., GA., N.Y., S.C. & VT., ELECTORS WERE
STILL APPOINTED BY STATE LEGISLATURES
FEDERALIST PARTY IS ON THE WAY OUT!