Chapter 7: The Jeffersonian Era

• "Republican mother"- the idea that women would help train new generations for citizenship
• Judith Sargent Murray


  argued that men and women were equal in intellect and potential in an essay defending women's right to education
• Native Americans were referred to as "noble savages", uncivilized but not uncivilizable
• The Second Great Awakening (1801)


  Religious comeback in revivalism, appealed majorly to women, blacks, and Indians
• Samuel Slater


  Brought British innovation to America, Spinning Mill (1790) RI
• Eli Whitney


  American, cotton gin, interchangeable parts
• Thomas Jefferson

  • democratic-republican
  • believed in strict interpretation of Constitution
  • overall worked to please both Federalists and Republicans
• Louisiana Purchase

  Napoleon (France) had hoped to restore the French empire in the Americas but lost interest because (1) he needed to concentrate French resources on fighting England (2) a rebellion led by Toussaint l'Ouverture against French rule

  The U.S. wanted Louisiana territory because they were concerned about the potential economic impact of the closing of New Orleans and about a foreign power controlling the river there

  French offered the entire Louisiana territory for 15m (wanted funds for a war w/ Britain)
• Constitutional Predicament during the Louisiana Purchase

  Jefferson was committed to a STRICT interpretation of the Constitution and rejected implied powers (unlike Hamilton). There was no clause in the Constitution that stated a president could purchase foreign land. Submitted purchase to Senate anyway for the common good and with the defense that his decision was included under treaty making powers.
• Consequences of the Louisiana Purchase

  • doubles the size of U.S.
  • removed a European presence
  • increased Jeffersons popularity, Federalists seen as weak
• Lewis and Clark Expedition

  • Meriwether Lewis , William Clark, Sacajawea
  • benefits: greater geographic and scientific knowledge of the region, stronger U.S. claims to Oregon Territory, better relations w/ Indians, more accurate maps
• War Hawks

  • New young democratic- republicans to Congress, many of them from frontier states (Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio)
  • Argued FOR war with Britain. Believed that war with Britain would be the only way to defend American honor, gain Canada, and destroy Indian resistance on frontier
  • Henry Clay (KT), John C. Calhoun (SC)
• Tecumseh and (Tenskwantana) The Prophet


  A native American warrior and religious leader that rejected white society and attempted to unite all tribes east of Mississippi
• Battle of Tippecanoe

  • General William Henry Harrison
  • Conflict between native Americans and Americans
  • blamed British for sending native Americans aid
• John Marshal

  • chief justice of supreme court
  • interpreted the constitution in ways that greatly enhanced the powers of federal government
• Marbury v. Madison (1803) 


  Chief justice Marshall ruled that Marbury had a right to his commission under the Judiciary Act of 1789 but that act gave the court too much power. (establish judicial review)
• Quids

  • Aaron Burr opposed by a fraction of his own party, the Quids
  • They accused Jefferson of abandoning Democratic- Republican principles; and foreign troubles from the Napoleonic wars in Europe
• Aaron Burr

  • not asked back for a 2nd term as VP, he then devised a plan that had two major results (1) He threatened to break up the Union (2) the death of Hamilton by duel
• Hartford Convention


  Federalists from New England states met and threaded to secede from the Union because of their opposition to the war with Britain
• Barbary Pirates


  Piracy by the Barbary states on the North African coast. Jefferson sent navy (4 years of fighting), gained respect
• Impressment


  British captured U.S. sailors and forced them to serve in the British navy (primary cause of the war of 1812)
• Chesapeake- Leopard Affair

  • British warship Leopard fired on U.S. warship Chesapeake (3 Americans killed, 4 captive)
  • British still refused to stop impressment
• Embargo Act (1807)


  prohibited American ships from sailing to any foreign ports in hope that British would stop violating rights of neutral nations rather than lose U.S. trade

  (consequences: backfired, brought greater economic hardship to U.S.)
• James Madison
• Non-intercourse Act


  Americans can now trade with all nations except Britain and France
• Macon's Bill No. 2


  If either Britain or France agreed to respect U.S. neutral rights at sea, the U.S. would reinstate the embargo with their foe
• War of 1812


  causes: violation of U.S. neutral rights at sea, troubles with British on western frontier

  consisted of: warfare between Britain and France in Europe, America and Britain's native american allies, and sea warfare

  results: resulted in a stalemate, neither side really gained
• "old ironside"


  nickname for U.S. warship that raised American morale by defeating and sinking a British ship off the coast of Nova Scotia
• Naval Battles

  • Battle of Lake Eerie, Oliver Hazard Perry
  • Battle of the Thames River, General William Henry
  • Battle of Lake Champlain, Thomas Macdonough
• Battle of Horseshoe Bend (General Andrew Jackson)- ended creek nation (an important British ally)
• Treaty of Ghent


  stalemate, no gain either side