The Jefferson Era

Learn about the Election of 1800, Jefferson's presidency, and judicial review!

The Election of 1800 In the election of 1800, Federalists nominated John Adams to run for a second term as president and Charles Pinckney to run for vice president. Republicans nominated Thomas Jefferson for president and Aaron Burr for vice president.Political campaigns of that time were different from the campaigns we see today. Adams and Jefferson did not travel around the country to try to get votes. Instead, the candidates wrote to citizens and newspaper editors to try to persuade people to vote for them. Still, the campaign was bitterly fought, with each side making personal attacks against the other. Write the candidates nominated by each party for president and vice president below. Republicans Federalists Thomas Jefferson John Adams Aaron Burr Charles Pinckney The Vote is Tied Under the Constitution, voters in presidential elections do not choose the president and vice president directly. Instead, they are really electing groups of people called electors. The electors, who are collectively called the Electoral College, are the people who actually elect the president. In 1800, however, the way the electors voted was different from the way they vote today. Electors voted for two people. However, they did not say which vote was for president and which was for vice president.When the electors voted in 1800, there was a tie between Jefferson and Burr. The House of Representatives then voted to decide the election. The House voted 35 times, but each time the vote was still a tie. The next time the House voted, one person changed his vote, and Jefferson won.To avoid another tie between a presidential and vice presidential candidate, Congress changed the Constitution. Under the Twelfth Amendment, passed in 1803, electors cast one vote for president and the other for vice president. Explain why a candidate for vice president ended up in a tie with Thomas Jefferson for the office of president. Hamilton and the Election of 1800 Click on the picture below to view video. What was the reason for Aaron Burr's animosity toward Alexander Hamilton? (animosity: a strong feeling of dislike or hatred; resentment tending toward active hostility ) Hamilton stole Burr's girlfriend. Burr felt Hamilton stood in the way of his political career. There was no animosity Jefferson's Inaugural Speech Jefferson became president in 1801 in a ceremony called an inauguration. In his Inaugural Address, Jefferson outlined his goals. He believed that a large federal government threatened liberty. The states, he argued, could better protect freedom. So, Jefferson wanted to limit the power and size of the federal government to make it “wise and frugal.” At the same time, he wanted to support “the state governments in all their rights.” Thomas Jefferson inaugural speech reflected which of the following (choose all that apply): Supremacy Clause State's Rights Elitist ideals Anti-Federalist ideas Jefferson as President Jefferson chose to work with people who agreed with his ideas. Together, they made many changes to the federal government. These included:• lowering the national debt.• cutting military spending.• cutting the number of government workers to only a few hundred.• getting rid of most federal taxes.The government still needed money, though. Under Jefferson, the government raised money from customs duties, or taxes on imported goods. The government also made money from selling lands in the West. Sort the governmental activities as cost cutting or revenue raising activities. Cost Cutting reducing military spending eliminating most federal taxes reducing the number of government workers to only a few hundred Revenue Raising imposing taxes on imports selling lands in the west Judiciary Act of 1801 Before Jefferson became President, Congress passed a law called the Judiciary Act of 1801. This act set up a system of courts. President Adams moved fast. He appointed, or chose, hundreds of people to be judges in these new courts. Adams used these appointments to keep Jefferson from choosing judges. In this way, Adams made sure the Federalists controlled the courts.There was a problem, though. These people could not become judges until they got special papers. Some of the judges Adams appointed did not receive their papers before Jefferson became president. Jefferson told Secretary of State James Madison not to deliver them.One judge who did not receive his papers was William Marbury. Marbury wanted to get his papers. He took his case to the Supreme Court. The court decided it did not have the jurisdiction—the legal power—to force Madison to deliver the papers. This case was called Marbury v. Madison. Who controlled the courts during Jefferson’s presidency? Democratic Republicans Federalists How did they gain control? Judicial Review Marbury v. Madison was a very important case. It set up the three principles of judicial review. Principles are basic ideas.Chief Justice John Marshall wrote the Court’s opinion. He described three basic ideas, or principles, of judicial review. (1) The Constitution is the supreme law of the land; (2) the Constitution must be followed when there is a conflict with any other law; and (3) the judicial branch can declare laws unconstitutional. Through these principles, judicial review became an important check on the legislative and executive branches.Marbury v. Madison made the Supreme Court more powerful. Chief Justice Marshall made the Supreme Court stronger in other cases, too. This chart shows three of these cases. It also shows the effect of each case. Match the court case to the effect each case had. Marbury v. Madison The ruling put a check on the legislative and executive branches' power; established judicial review. McCulloch v. Maryland The Supreme Court held that Congress has implied powers. Gibbons v. Ogden Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce, and state laws “must yield” to constitutional acts of Congress. Worcester v. Georgia Only the Federal government can make rules affecting Native Americans. Do you think Jefferson was pleased with the decisions in the three cases listed in the chart? Why? Ensure you include why in your answer.