PART I: The Presidency of Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)

Thomas Jefferson as President (1801-1809)

1. The Virginia Dynasty
   1. VA is home to most of the US presidents
   2. Slavery becomes most debated/important issue
2. Jefferson’s Republican Vision
   1. favoring agriculture/well-educated farming/agrarian/favoring the farmers/commonmen
   2. Republican Civic Virtue (Smart/Well-Educated)
   3. Never Anti-Federalist
   4. Feared abuses of power at central level compared to England
   5. Hamilton’s Vision became reality while Jefferson’s was more accepted
3. Presidential Actions
   1. Democratic-Republicans vs. Federalists
      1. made deal with Federalists to get elected (likely that he wouldn’t destory Hamilton’s vision/bank or Federalist plans)
   2. Removed whiskey tax
   3. Cut military spending/defense
   4. Reduced spending
   5. Didn’t remove Hamilton’s debt plan
   6. let Alien & Sedition Acts expire
   7. removed Midnight Appointments
4. The Sally Hemings Controversy
   1. believed on her deathbed that he asked Jefferson not to remarry (he still fadooled with women in the EU)
   2. Jefferson not honorable, when going against Adams, commissioned people to write negative articles against Adams
   3. One of the writers arrested and wanted a govt. job (Calender), Jefferson did not oblige
      1. wrote negative articles that he had a relationship w/ Sally Hemings & had children
      2. Jefferson had no reply
      3. Genetic Testing showed there was some connection, in the family someone married & had kids
      4. died in the end
5. Presidential Election of 1804 (skip, AP does not ask)
   1. Jefferson won against Charles Pickney easily
   2. removes Aaron Burr
   3. Jefferson becomes 3rd President
6. Ending Importation of Slavery (1807-1808)
   1. 1807-1808 original charter for banning the importation of slaves from Africa
   2. complied b/c VA was powerful and south realized VA could sell them slaves
   3. 20 years got added
   4. When it expires, Jefferson tells congress to end slave trade (200,000 up from 500,000 slaves)

Other Important Jefferson Info

1. Two Important Cabinet Members
   1. James Madison & Albert Gallatin
      1. Gallatin = Financial Genius
         1. Jefferson trusted Gallatin fully so they didn’t dismantle Hamilton’s bank (20 yr. Charter) b/c of trust
         2. petitioned for second bank based on Bank’s Success
2. Haitian Salve Rebellion (1791-1804)
   1. French Sugar Colony
   2. Napoleon led FR, their army failed
      1. he sold Louisiana b/c of Haiti failure to USA
   3. Toussaint Louverture
      1. deceived and captured, tossed into prison, died
      2. betrayed by France
3. Impeachment of Supreme Court Justice
   1. Samuel Chase (1805)
      1. couldn’t stand Jefferson, in court cases, voted against Jefferson
      2. die-hard federalist
      3. Couldn’t stand DR, Madison as well
   2. Jefferson wanted him gone, got Chase impeached, had house (DR majority) impeached
      1. tried in Senate
      2. Jefferson would replace him if found guilty of charges
      3. DR betrayed Jefferson to leave federalist in power b/c it’s a violation of checks & balances
      4. had Jefferson succeeded, would’ve set a negative precedent among future presidents
4. Quids/”Old Republicans” (1804-1812)
   1. John Randolph
   2. Though Jefferson was now Hamilton-like
   3. Abandoned DR views
   4. saw him as wrong/unjust
   5. disagreed with Louisiana Purchase
   6. belief that Jefferson didn’t believe in Strict Construction

The Louisiana Purchase (1803)

1. Jefferson’s Objective
   1. New Orleans & Mississippi River
2. The Louisiana Territory
   1. Spain to France
      1. Spain is weak
      2. Napoleon wants Louisiana
      3. Spain gives Louisiana to France under impression they wouldn’t sell & return later
      4. Napoleon wanted Empire
   2. Reasons that Napoleon Sold
      1. Haitian Rebellion
      2. Napoleon needs money
      3. Would rather have US have LA over England
   3. The Deal
      1. Napoleon sold it anyway, fickle mind
      2. Jefferson knows this, acts fast
         1. belief in Strict Construction