Chapter 9 - The Republican Years: Jefferson, Madison, and the War of 1812, 1800-1815 Flashcards
What largely contributed to Jefferson’s victory in the 1800 election?
The Three-Fifths Compromise. It inflated the population of the Southern States that voted Democratic-Republican.
Who tied Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 election?
Aaron Burr.
What did Adams do in the last days of his tenure as the President?
Passed the Judiciary Act of 1801 which packed the Court with Federalist judges.
Why was the transition between Adams and Jefferson largely uneventful?
Jefferson focused not on retaliating against Adams or further fanning the flames of the election but rather focused on reuniting the country.
What did Jefferson do while he was in control?
Downsized the federal government and downsized the liberty.
Why was Jefferson’s downsizing of the military problematic?
It left the U.S. unable to defend its commercial vessels during the Napoleonic Wars.
What did Jefferson so that violated his principles?
Accepted the Lousiana Purchas and refuse to turn over documents in the Aaron Burr Treason Trial.
What was the Virgina Dynasty and what did it do to the political system? What is this era called?
It was the period of 4 straight Republican, VA, Presidents who ruled and basically destroyed the federalist party eliminating inter-party division. That’s why some called it the Era of Good Feelings.
What did the New England Federalists Consider doing when the Republicans started gaining power?
Considering secession from the Union. Especially present in the Essex Junto.
What did the dispute over secession eventually lead to?
Alexander Hamilton’s death at the hands of Aaron Burr.
What was the greatest accomplishment of the Jefferson Presidency?
The Lousiana Purchase.
How much did the Lousiana purchase cost in 1803 dollars and modern dollars?
$15 Million and $235 Million respectively.
Why was the Lousiana Purchase a problem for Jefferson’s political beliefs?
Jefferson was a strict constructionist and the Constitution did not grant him explicit authority to do so.
What did Jefferson do with the quasi-citizens living in the Lousiana Purchase Area?
Jefferson allowed the French to operate on French civil law instead of wiping them out.
What did Jefferson do after purchasing Lousiana Territory in order to help America Grow?
Lowered prices and sizes of land sold in the Territory, relaxed credit restrictions, financed expeditions, and Publicly encouraged settlers to move Westward.
What territory did Lewis and Clark Technically Claim for America per the European rules of Exploration?
Oregon Country (The Northwest Corner of the United States)
How did Jefferson combat the Barbary Pirates?
1) Authorized the Navy to Destroy Barbary Vessels.
2) Authorized Invasions of Tripoli.
3) NEVER SOUGHT A DECLARATION OF WAR
Describe the Burr Conspiracy.
Burr tried to create for himself an independent empire in the Louisiana territory with James Wilkinson. Got Spanish help. But he wasn’t convicted of treason because Marshall wanted to basically spit in the republicans eyes.
Why did the early anti-slavery movement die in the 1790s?
1) The Cotton Gin, invented by Eli Whitney, transformed the Southern Economy. Created a new incentive to enslave African Americans because of $$$$.
2) Southerners began thinking about rights in the concrete sense and thought being denied the right to own something, aka slaves, was an assault on their right to property.
3) Southerners Began Thinking the Negros possessed deficiencies as a race. Genetic not environmentally caused.
4) Southern Churches started finding theological reasons to justify slavery and did not oppose it.
5) Two International events, The Largest Slave Revolt Since Spartacus Occurred in Haiti and the French Revolution Guillotine, Cooled the Need For Reform in America (Enlightenment Gone Wild)
What were the three main differences in national character between Europe and America?
1) America Had Extraordinary economic opportunity that provided independence from having to rely on the upper classes to provide as was the case in Europe.
2) America had a level of social equality where all people were equal from birth and could advance based upon achievement.
3) Pride of All People Not Be Relegated in a Lower Class and Assertive of Their Position.
What was the cause of the War of 1812?
The Violation of Neutral Shipping Rights By Britain that America Claimed They had after shipping goods to both France and Britain while the two were at war. Britain seized U.S. goods and forced U.S. sailors into the British Navy if they thought U.S. sailors were British deserters which they sometimes were.
How did Jefferson try and ultimately fail to stop a war with Britain?
By passing the Embargo Act which prohibited any American Ship from engaging in trade at any foreign port of a country that was at war.
Why did the Embargo Act fail?
1) Created Severe Economic Hardship. Corn Prices fell by 33% and New England saw their commerce-heavy region collapse.
2) Had little effect on Britain. Britain just imported food from South America and impounding the sailors of ships trying to smuggle goods.
What did France do that duped Madison?
They promised not to loot any more ships to have the embargo removed and then continued to loot ships anyways.
