Chapter 6: Jefferson’s Presidency
Thomas Jefferson
- He was the Vice President for the second President of the United States (John Adams) and was
the third president of the United States.
- He was an Anti-Federalist and the leader of the Democratic-Republican Party. He was a firm
believer in an agrarian society and preferred for a smaller government over a larger central one.
- He wrote the Declaration of Independence.
- Very involved in debates with Hamilton, especially within Washington’s presidency (he was the
Secretary of State).
- In France during the Revolutionary War
- Former governor of Virginia. He was a slave owner and came from a wealthy family. He was well
educated (William and Mary College).
Alexander Hamilton
- Born in the Caribbean. Moved to New York and attended King’s College.
- Joined the Continental Army and became Washington’s right hand man.
- Attended the Constitutional Convention. He was a federalist and advocated for the ratification of
the Constitution (wrote the Federalist Papers).
- Became Secretary of the Treasury and was tasked to create a financial plan to deal with America's
immense debt. He wanted to establish a national bank.
- He was a part of the Federalist party and frequently disagreed with Thomas Jefferson.
Compare views (TJ & AH): government, national bank, federal judiciary, foreign affairs
Subject: Thomas Jefferson’s Views Alexander Hamilton’s Views
Government - Weak central government, strong state - Strong central government, weaker state
governments governments
- Democracy is crucial. People must be - Lack of trust for common people; need an
able to rule themselves electoral college to make a final educated
decision for the presidency
National - Did not want to establish a national - Wanted to establish a national bank
bank bank - Believed that it was “proper” under the
- Believed that it was unconstitutional Constitution (loose construction)
because the Constitution never
specifically mentions a national bank
(strict construction)
Federal - He was very prejudiced against judges
judiciary and entrenched judicial power
- Strongly distrusted the judicial system
Foreign - Wanted to aid the French in the French - Pushed for neutrality in the French
affairs Revolution (had very strong ties with Revolution. Believed that America was too
France) unstable to get involved.
Election of 1800
- John Adams (Fed.) vs. Thomas Jefferson (Dem.Rep.) vs. Aaron Burr (Dem.Rep.)
, - Adams was clearly not going to win the election, and Burr and TJ were tied with 73 votes each.
Hamilton endorsed TJ because he saw him to be the “lesser of two evils” while he believed Burr
to be hungry for power.
- Jefferson ultimately won because:
- Foreigners coming into the United States were generally Republican.
- Fractures and division in the Federalist Party.
Aaron Burr
- Ran against Thomas Jefferson in the Election of 1800. After Hamilton endorsed TJ, Burr lost and
became the vice president of the United States. Burr ended up killing Hamilton in a duel.
Jefferson’s Inauguration
- Jefferson was sworn into office on March 4, 1801. He did not dress up and wore relatively
common clothes.
- Promised to pay off national debt, preserve gov’t credit, and to stimulate commerce. He wanted to
calm the animosity between the two political parties and unite America under one government,
rather than divided parties.
Judiciary Act 1801
- This act stated that there would be 6 new circuit courts that would be presided over by 16 judges.
John Marshall
- Judge of the Supreme Court who was a Federalist and was the second cousin once removed of
Thomas Jefferson.
Marbury v. Madison
- Judicial ruling under judge John Marshall that established the principle that certain laws could be
deemed unconstitutional by the court (also known as judicial review). ar
Judiciary Act of 1789
- Contained an ambiguous clause that stated that writs of mandamus could be issued by the court.
However, in the Marbury vs. Madison case, this clause was deemed unconstitutional by Judge
Marshall and Congress could not legally issue writs of mandamus in circumstances like
Marbury’s.
Twelfth Amendment
Mazzei Letter
Barbary pirates and war
- Barbary pirates had been affecting American presidents since Washington and would continue to
do so even after Jefferson. They were located near Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers. The pirates would
capture ships and take them hostage and demand for the countries to pay ransom or the sailors
would be sold into slavery.
- Under Washington and Adams, the U.S. joined in the payment of a tribute to protect them against
piracy in the Mediterranean in order to prevent the pirates from capturing their ships. The Pasha
of Tripoli raised the tribute rate to $225,000 a year. Jefferson did not like this and wanted to
directly fight the pirates. He sent a squadron to the Mediterranean in May 1801 and declared war.
This war failed to achieve Jefferson’s goal of ending the payments (payments continued until
1815), but the pasha agreed to a treaty that was more favorable to the United States.
- Humiliation of the USS Philadelphia: this ship was captured. The Americans were worried that
the pirates would see their technology, steal their technology, and copy it. The Americans and
Stephen Decatur burned the ship in order to prevent the pirates from stealing their technology.
Thomas Jefferson
- He was the Vice President for the second President of the United States (John Adams) and was
the third president of the United States.
- He was an Anti-Federalist and the leader of the Democratic-Republican Party. He was a firm
believer in an agrarian society and preferred for a smaller government over a larger central one.
- He wrote the Declaration of Independence.
- Very involved in debates with Hamilton, especially within Washington’s presidency (he was the
Secretary of State).
- In France during the Revolutionary War
- Former governor of Virginia. He was a slave owner and came from a wealthy family. He was well
educated (William and Mary College).
Alexander Hamilton
- Born in the Caribbean. Moved to New York and attended King’s College.
- Joined the Continental Army and became Washington’s right hand man.
- Attended the Constitutional Convention. He was a federalist and advocated for the ratification of
the Constitution (wrote the Federalist Papers).
- Became Secretary of the Treasury and was tasked to create a financial plan to deal with America's
immense debt. He wanted to establish a national bank.
- He was a part of the Federalist party and frequently disagreed with Thomas Jefferson.
Compare views (TJ & AH): government, national bank, federal judiciary, foreign affairs
Subject: Thomas Jefferson’s Views Alexander Hamilton’s Views
Government - Weak central government, strong state - Strong central government, weaker state
governments governments
- Democracy is crucial. People must be - Lack of trust for common people; need an
able to rule themselves electoral college to make a final educated
decision for the presidency
National - Did not want to establish a national - Wanted to establish a national bank
bank bank - Believed that it was “proper” under the
- Believed that it was unconstitutional Constitution (loose construction)
because the Constitution never
specifically mentions a national bank
(strict construction)
Federal - He was very prejudiced against judges
judiciary and entrenched judicial power
- Strongly distrusted the judicial system
Foreign - Wanted to aid the French in the French - Pushed for neutrality in the French
affairs Revolution (had very strong ties with Revolution. Believed that America was too
France) unstable to get involved.
Election of 1800
- John Adams (Fed.) vs. Thomas Jefferson (Dem.Rep.) vs. Aaron Burr (Dem.Rep.)
, - Adams was clearly not going to win the election, and Burr and TJ were tied with 73 votes each.
Hamilton endorsed TJ because he saw him to be the “lesser of two evils” while he believed Burr
to be hungry for power.
- Jefferson ultimately won because:
- Foreigners coming into the United States were generally Republican.
- Fractures and division in the Federalist Party.
Aaron Burr
- Ran against Thomas Jefferson in the Election of 1800. After Hamilton endorsed TJ, Burr lost and
became the vice president of the United States. Burr ended up killing Hamilton in a duel.
Jefferson’s Inauguration
- Jefferson was sworn into office on March 4, 1801. He did not dress up and wore relatively
common clothes.
- Promised to pay off national debt, preserve gov’t credit, and to stimulate commerce. He wanted to
calm the animosity between the two political parties and unite America under one government,
rather than divided parties.
Judiciary Act 1801
- This act stated that there would be 6 new circuit courts that would be presided over by 16 judges.
John Marshall
- Judge of the Supreme Court who was a Federalist and was the second cousin once removed of
Thomas Jefferson.
Marbury v. Madison
- Judicial ruling under judge John Marshall that established the principle that certain laws could be
deemed unconstitutional by the court (also known as judicial review). ar
Judiciary Act of 1789
- Contained an ambiguous clause that stated that writs of mandamus could be issued by the court.
However, in the Marbury vs. Madison case, this clause was deemed unconstitutional by Judge
Marshall and Congress could not legally issue writs of mandamus in circumstances like
Marbury’s.
Twelfth Amendment
Mazzei Letter
Barbary pirates and war
- Barbary pirates had been affecting American presidents since Washington and would continue to
do so even after Jefferson. They were located near Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers. The pirates would
capture ships and take them hostage and demand for the countries to pay ransom or the sailors
would be sold into slavery.
- Under Washington and Adams, the U.S. joined in the payment of a tribute to protect them against
piracy in the Mediterranean in order to prevent the pirates from capturing their ships. The Pasha
of Tripoli raised the tribute rate to $225,000 a year. Jefferson did not like this and wanted to
directly fight the pirates. He sent a squadron to the Mediterranean in May 1801 and declared war.
This war failed to achieve Jefferson’s goal of ending the payments (payments continued until
1815), but the pasha agreed to a treaty that was more favorable to the United States.
- Humiliation of the USS Philadelphia: this ship was captured. The Americans were worried that
the pirates would see their technology, steal their technology, and copy it. The Americans and
Stephen Decatur burned the ship in order to prevent the pirates from stealing their technology.
