Ch.10, Sec.1 – Jefferson Takes Office

The Election of 1800

- the election pitted the Federalists & John Adams against the Democratic-Republicans & Thomas Jefferson

- the Federalists felt the country would be taken over by radicals (people with extreme political views)

- the Democratic-Republicans felt the country would be taken over by monarchists & oppression (Alien & Sedition Acts)

- Jefferson won the election with 73 electoral votes, but Aaron Burr also had received 73 electoral votes, so there had to be a tiebreaking vote!

Ch.10, Sec.1 – Jefferson Takes Office

Breaking the Tie

- according to the Constitution, the House of Representatives had to choose between the two candidates

- unfortunately for Jefferson, the House of Representatives was a Federalist majority

- even Alexander Hamilton voted in favor of Jefferson over Burr

- after 35 times of voting in one week, there was still no clear winner, so Alexander Hamilton persuaded more Federalist friends to vote for Jefferson over Burr

Ch.10, Sec.1 – Jefferson Takes Office

- Burr was voted in as vice-president and never forgave Hamilton for his insults

- eventually in 1804, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel after he once again questioned his political abilities while running for New York governor

- in the duel, Burr shot & killed Hamilton!!!

Ch.10, Sec.1 – Jefferson Takes Office

Ch.10, Sec.1 – Jefferson Takes Office

The Talented Jefferson

- Jefferson was the most talented president our country has ever had

- Jefferson was a gifted lawyer, architect (he helped design Washington, D.C.), scientist, inventor, violinist, reader, & politician

- Jefferson also designed his mansion, Monticello, in Charlottesville, Virginia

Ch.10, Sec.1 – Jefferson Takes Office

- Jefferson felt the strength of our country lay with small, independent farmers

- Jefferson refused to elevate himself because of his presidential office

Jefferson’s Philosophy

Ch.10, Sec.1 – Jefferson Takes Office

Undoing Federalist Programs

- Jefferson wanted to undo many of the Federalist programs, so he allowed the Alien & Sedition Acts to end, he ended the tax on whiskey, and changed economic policies

- Jefferson opposed public debt, so he used tariffs & land sales to reduce the amount of money owed by the government

Ch.10, Sec.1 – Jefferson Takes Office

Marshall and the Judiciary

- before Adams left office in 1801, he appointed as many Federalist judges to the Supreme Court as possible through the Judiciary Act of 1801

- Adams also appointed a Federalist chief justice named John Marshall who served for over thirty years and helped to increase federal authority & federal courts

- Jefferson had no authority to change the Federalist Supreme Court

Ch.10, Sec.1 – Jefferson Takes Office

Marbury vs. Madison

- William Marbury was appointed by John Adams as justice of the peace for the District of Columbia, but Secretary of State James Madison refused to appoint him

- Marbury tried to sue, but the Supreme Court ruled the case as unconstitutional

- the case was thrown out but did help to establish judicial review, which gave the courts the final say to interpret the Constitution