Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson 1801-1809 Republican

Virginia

“We hold these truths to be self evident; that all

men are created equal…”

The Hamilton-

Burr Duel:

Why wasn’t Hamilton

ever a President?

• 1791, Burr successfully wins a US Senate seat from Philip Schuyler, Hamilton's father-in-law.

• 1800: "The Public Conduct and Character of John Adams, Esq., President of the United States.,"

• Also 1800: Republicans Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson tied in balloting for the presidency, Hamilton lobbied Congress to decide the election in Jefferson's favor.

• New York governor's race of 1804

• Met on the dueling grounds at Weehawken, New Jersey on the morning of July 11. Each fired a shot from a .56 caliber dueling pistol. – Burr was unscathed; – Hamilton fell to the ground mortally wounded. He

died the next day.

• Instead of reviving Burr's political career, the duel helped to end it. Burr was charged with two counts of murder. After his term as vice president ended, he would never hold elective office again.

Ok, well, also, drama doesn’t help Burr either…

• The Burr Conspiracy…– James Wilkinson

• 1807 Trial– Treason– Executive Privilege?– John Marshall defines

Treason VERY narrowly in defense of freedom of speech

TJ Overview…

Back to Jefferson’s Presidency…

• Simplifying the Presidency – Jefferson thought a simple government is best– Decreased size of gov’t– Cut costs on everything– Decreased size of army– Stopped expansion of the

navy

• Louisiana Purchase – 1803 – from Napoleon– $15 Million– Adds 200% to size of the US (+2x size of 13 colonies)– Explored by Louis and Clark…

Major Trade Issues!• Nonimportation Act,

– forbid the importation of specified British goods in order to force GB to relax its rigorous rulings on cargoes and sailors

• Embargo Act of 1807 – bolder statement of the same idea. – forbade all international trade to and from American

ports, and Jefferson hoped that Britain and France would be persuaded of the value and the rights of a neutral commerce.

Effects of the “Ograbme”?

• Merchants, sea captains, and sailors were shocked to be without income and to see their ships rotting at the wharves.

• NOT successful.• Enforcement was difficult, especially in New England

• 1809, embargo was superseded by the Nonintercourse Act. – allowed resumption of all commercial intercourse except

with Britain and France.

The Barbary

Wars“America’s Forgotten Wars” or

“America’s First War on Terror”???

At issue was the pirates' demand of tribute from American merchant

vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. American naval power attacked the

pirate cities and extracted agreements of fair passage from

their rulers.

When they proved successful, partisans of the Democratic-Republicans contrasted their

administrations' refusal to buy off the pirates with the failure of the

preceding federalist administration to live up to the rhetorical flight, "Millions for defense, but not

one cent for tribute"

Revolutionary War War of 1812

1st Barbary War1801-1805

2nd Barbary Warc.1812-1816

Jefferson1801-1809

Madison 1809-1817

The Marines Hymn contains a

reference to this conflict in the opening line:

"From the halls of Montezuma to the

shores of Tripoli..."