Chapter 11 - The Triumphs and Travails of the Jeffersonian Republic, 1800-1812

Question 1

John Adams

Answer 1

2nd president of the United States

Question 2

Thomas Jefferson

Answer 2

He believed in a less aristocratic presidency. He wanted to reduce federal spending and government interference in everyday life. He was a Democratic-Republican (originally an Anti- Federalist), so he believed in strict interpretation of the Constitution.

Question 3

Whispering Campaign

Answer 3

One of the first smear tactics used in elections, Jefferson was accused of fathering illegitimate children with his slaves and of robbing a widow of her inheritance.

Question 4

Aaron Burr

Answer 4

The two Democratic-Republicans Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr defeated Federalist John Adams, but tied with each other. The final decision went the House of Representatives, where there was another tie. After a long series of ties in the House, Jefferson was finally chosen as president. Burr became vice-president. This led to the 12th Amendment, which requires the president and vice-president of the same party to run on the same ticket

Question 5

Pell-mell

Answer 5

Custom established by Jefferson to seat guests at official dinners without any regard to their rank or title.

Question 6

Albert Gallatin

Answer 6

Albert Gallatin was a Swiss immigrant who was a financial genius and served as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 1801 - 1814 under Presidents Jefferson and Madison. He advocated free trade and opposed the Federalists’ economic policies. Gallatin was a member of the U.S. delegation that negotiated the Treaty of Ghent, and later served as Ambassador to France and to Britain.

Question 7

Judiciary Act of 1801

Answer 7

The last important law passed by the Federalist congress, this created 16 new federal judgeships, which were meant to be packed with federalist leaning judges.

Question 8

Midnight Judges

Answer 8

On his last day in office, President Adams appointed a large number of Federalist judges to the federal courts in an effort to maintain Federalist control of the government. (The Federalists had lost the presidency and much of Congress to the Republicans.) These newly-appointed Federalist judges were called midnight judges because John Adams had stayed up until midnight signing the appointments.

Question 9

John Marshall

Answer 9

Justice Marshall was a Federalist whose decisions on the U.S. Supreme Court promoted federal power over state power and established the judiciary as a branch of government equal to the legislative and executive. In Marbury v. Madison he established the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review, which allows the Supreme Court to declare laws unconstitutional.

Question 10

Marbury v. Madison

Answer 10

1803 - The case arose out of Jefferson’s refusal to deliver the commissions to the judges appointed by Adams’ Midnight Appointments. One of the appointees, Marbury, sued the Sect. of State, Madison, to obtain his commission. The Supreme Court held that Madison need not deliver the commissions because the Congressional act that had created the new judgeships violated the judiciary provisions of the Constitution, and was therefore unconstitutional and void. This case established the Supreme Court’s right to judicial review. Chief Justice John Marshall presided.

Question 11

Samuel Chase

Answer 11

A Federalist judge appointed by Washington to the Supreme Court. Chase had been a Revolutionary War hero, and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson disagreed with his rulings and had him impeached for publicly criticizing the Jefferson administration to the Maryland grand jury. Chase was acquitted by the Senate, and the impeachment failed. (This is the only attempt in history to impeach a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.)

Question 12

Barbary Pirates

Answer 12

The name given to several renegade countries on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa who demanded tribute in exchange for refraining from attacking ships in the Mediterranean. From 1795-1801, the U.S. paid the Barbary states for protection against the pirates. Jefferson stopped paying the tribute, and the U.S. fought the Barbary Wars (1801-1805) against the countries of Tripoli and Algeria. The war was inconclusive and the U.S. went back to paying the tribute.

Question 13

Barbary Wars

Answer 13

This was a series of naval engagements launched by President Jefferson in an effort to stop the attacks on American merchant ships by the Barbary pirates. The war was inconclusive, afterwards, the U.S. paid a tribute to the Barbary states to protect their ships from pirate attacks.

Question 14

Gunboats

Answer 14

The original navy of the US, according to Jefferson’s vision, was to have a bunch of smaller, lightly armed craft. They were thought to be enough to defend the country but not enough to get us in trouble on the high seas.

Question 15

New Orleans

Answer 15

Largest city on the gulf of Mexico, and an important trade center. It was ruled first by the Spanish, the the French, and lastly the Americans.

Question 16

Deposit Privileges

Answer 16

The right of Americans to store goods in warehouses in New Orleans. These rights were revoked when Spain sold the Louisiana territory to France in 1802.

Question 17

James Monroe and Robert Livingston

Answer 17

The two negotiators that Jefferson sent to France to buy the Louisiana Territory.

Question 18

Napoleon

Answer 18

Military dictator of France. He sold the Louisiana Territory for $15 million after the loss of the colony of Haiti. Napoleon decided to turn his attention to European conquests.

Question 19

Toussaint L’Ouverture

Answer 19

1803 - Led a slave rebellion which took control of Haiti, the most important island of France’s Caribbean possessions. The rebellion led Napoleon to feel that New World colonies were more trouble than they were worth, and encouraged him to sell Louisiana to the U.S.

Question 20

Lewis and Clark

Answer 20

1804-1806 - Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were commissioned by Jefferson to map and explore the Louisiana Purchase region. Beginning at St. Louis, Missouri, the expedition travelled up the Missouri River to the Great Divide, and then down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. It produced extensive maps of the area and recorded many scientific discoveries, greatly facilitating later settlement of the region and travel to the Pacific coast.

Question 21

Sacajawea

Answer 21

Native American who helped guide Lewis and Clark on their expedition.

Question 22

Zebulon Pike

Answer 22

Zebulon Pike explored (1805-1807) Minnesota and the Southwest, mapped the region, and spied on the Spanish whenever his exploration took him into their territory. (He was eventually captured by the Spanish, but the U.S. arranged for his release.)

Question 23

Aaron Burr

Answer 23

After the duel with Hamilton, Burr fled New York and joined a group of mercenaries in the southern Louisiana territory region. The U.S. arrested them as they moved towards Mexico. Burr claimed that they had intended to attack Mexico, but the U.S. believed that they were actually trying to get Mexican aid to start a secession movement in the territories. Burr was tried for treason, and although Jefferson advocated Burr’s punishment, the Supreme Court acquitted Burr.

Question 24

James Wilkinson

Answer 24

Wilkinson had been an officer in the Continental Army, and later held several positions relating to the Army, such as secretary of the board of war and clothier general to the army. He was one of the Commissioners appointed to receive the Purchase Louisiana from the French, and served as Governor of Louisiana from 1805-1806. He informed Pres. Jefferson of Burr’s conspiracy to take over Louisiana, and was the primary witness against Burr at his treason trial, even though Wilkinson was himself implicated in the plot.

Question 25

Orders in Council

Answer 25

British laws which led to the War of 1812. Orders-in-council passed in 1807 permitted the impressment of sailors and forbade neutral ships from visiting ports from which Britain was excluded unless they first went to Britain and traded for British goods.

Question 26

Impressment

Answer 26

British seamen often deserted to join the American merchant marines. The British would board American vessels in order to retrieve the deserters, and often seized any sailor who could not prove that he was an American citizen and not British.

Question 27

Chesapeake

Answer 27

1807 - The American ship Chesapeake refused to allow the British on the Leopard to board to look for deserters. In response, the Leopard fired on the Chesapeake. As a result of the incident, the U.S. expelled all British ships from its waters until Britain issued an apology. They surrendered the colony to the English on Sept. 8, 1664.

Question 28

Embargo Act

Answer 28

This act issued by Jefferson forbade American trading ships from leaving the U.S. It was meant to force Britain and France to change their policies towards neutral vessels by depriving them of American trade. It was difficult to enforce because it was opposed by merchants and everyone else whose livelihood depended upon international trade. It also hurt the national economy, so it was replaced by the Non-Intercourse Act.

Question 29

Non-Intercourse Act

Answer 29

1809 - Replaced the Embargo of 1807. Unlike the Embargo, which forbade American trade with all foreign nations, this act only forbade trade with France and Britain. It did not succeed in changing British or French policy towards neutral ships, so it was replaced by Macon’s Bill No. 2.

Question 30

James Madison

Answer 30

4th president, and 2nd of the “Virginia Dynasty.” As president, his most notable accomplishment was the War of 1812.

Question 31

Macon’s Bill No. 2

Answer 31

1810 - Forbade trade with Britain and France, but offered to resume trade with whichever nation lifted its neutral trading restrictions first. France quickly changed its policies against neutral vessels, so the U.S. resumed trade with France, but not Britain.

Question 32

War Hawks

Answer 32

Western settlers who advocated war with Britain because they hoped to acquire Britain’s northwest posts (and also Florida or even Canada) and because they felt the British were aiding the Indians and encouraging them to attack the Americans on the frontier. In Congress, the War Hawks were Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun

Question 33

Henry Clay

Answer 33

Speaker of the House and leader of the War Hawks

Question 34

Tecumseh

Answer 34

A Shawnee chief who, along with his brother, Tenskwatawa, a religious leader known as The Prophet, worked to unite the Northwestern Indian tribes. The league of tribes was defeated by an American army led by William Henry Harrison at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Tecumseh was killed fighting for the British during the War of 1812 at the Battle of the Thames in 1813.

Question 35

The Prophet

Answer 35

Brother of Tecumseh. Worked to unite the Northwest Indian tribes until their defeat by William Henry Harrison at the Battle of Tippecanoe.

Question 36

William Henry Harrison

Answer 36

Leader of the American forces in the Battle of Tippecanoe. His fame as an Indian fighter led to his election as president in the 18

Question 37

Causes of the War of 1812

Answer 37

These included: British impressment of sailors, British seizure of neutral American trading ships, and the reasons given by the War Hawks (the British were inciting the Indians on the frontier to attack the Americans, and the war would allow the U.S. to seize the northwest posts, Florida, and possibly Canada).