Transcript Slide 1
The Age of Jefferson The Jefferson Presidency Jefferson Attacked as an Infidel During the presidential campaign of 1800, the Federalists attacked Thomas Jefferson as an infidel, claiming that Jefferson's intoxication with the religious and political extremism of the French Revolution disqualified him from public office. In this cartoon, the eye of God has instigated the American eagle to snatch from Jefferson's hand the "Constitution & Independence" of the United States before he can cast it on an "Altar to Gallic Despotism," whose flames are being fed by the writings of Thomas Paine, Helvetius, Rousseau, and other freethinkers. The paper, "To Mazzei," dropping from Jefferson's right hand, was a 1796 letter that was interpreted by Jefferson's enemies as an indictment of the character of George Washington. Revolution • The New President’s Personality – walked to inauguration • Public Education – Limited success Revolution Cont’d • Cultural Independence – Noah Webster – Washington Irving – Stories about American life in New World • Religion – Skeptical ThinkersThomas Jefferson Ben Franklin Thomas Paine Revolution Cont’d • Religion Cont’d – Second Great Awakening • Improvements in Technology – Jefferson believed in agrarian society, but Revolution Cont’d • Improvements in Technology Cont’d – Cotton Gin Marbury vs. Madison 1803 • Reducing Federal Powers – Jefferson moved to repeal the Judiciary Act of 1801 / “midnight appointments” • Marbury was a midnight appointment who never got his letter and Madison, refused to send it Marbury vs. Madison 1803 Cont’d • • John Marshall was chief Justice establishes president that Supreme Court can overturn an act of Congress Louisiana Purchase • Napoleon Eyes America – French land was lost east of the Mississippi in 1763 Louisiana Purchase Cont’d • External Factors – Tousssaint L’Ouverture Fake Smile Thomas Jefferson's plan in 1805 to build on the Louisiana Purchase by buying West Florida from Spain is lampooned in this cartoon. Induced by the sting of the hornet Napoleon, Jefferson vomits gold coins before a dancing Spanish representative holding maps of East and West Florida and carrying French Minister CharlesMaurice de Talleyrand's instructions in his pocket. West Florida was captured by the United States during the War of 1812, and East Florida was acquired by treaty in 1819 during James Monroe's administration *Fake Smile* Louisiana Purchase Cont’d • Sold! – $15 million • Pleased and Embarrassed Burr Conspiracy • Changing party – Burr almost cost Jefferson the Presidency in 1800 – Burr looses election, blames Hamilton Burr Conspiracy Cont’d • • Burr challenges Hamilton to a duel Hamilton is mortally wounded and dies the next day Burr Conspiracy Cont’d • Trial – Jefferson manages the gov’ts case from Washington • Symbolic – weak national gov’t in a growing empire Caught up in it • Neutral rights – Napoleonic Wars between England and France • Impressment – British navy – Chesapeake-Leopard incident Caught up in it Cont’d • Embargo – Jefferson-authored legislation passed by Congress • Trade Chess – Madison puts pressure on Britain and France to repeal laws by offering to assist the other if neither relent The Age of Jefferson War of 1812 General Henry Harrison • committed advocate of Western expansion General Henry Harrison Cont’d • Plan did not seem kind to Natives Britain had long been allies with Native tribes • fur trade Tecumseh and the Prophet (Tenskwatawa) • The Prophet Tenskwatawa Tecumseh and the Prophet (Tenskawatawa) Cont’d • Tecumseh Tecumseh Fever against Europe and Neighbors • From Spain • American Encroachment • Fever against Europe and Neighbors Cont’d Rise of War Hawks War • Napoleon • Early Battles w. Tribes War Cont’d • Great Lakes successes • Creek Indians *Fake Smile* War Cont’d • Andrew Jackson • Battle of Horseshoe Bend War Cont’d • British Invasion – Central Coast • after surrender of Napoleon in 1814, England prepared to invade USA War Cont’d • British Invasion Cont’d • North • South The End of the Federalists • Anger towards early battle failures • Hartford, Connecticut • The “death blow” The Peace Settlement • Ghent, Belgium • English and United States The Peace Settlement Cont’d • Native Americans and The United States