Chapter 9 The Jefferson Era (1800-1816) Section 1 The Republicans Take Power The Election of 1800 • The Federalists and Republicans fought a bitter election campaign in 1800 • The Federalists supported Adams again and Pinckney as VP • Republicans nominated Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr as VP • Neither traveled around the country to gather support • Instead they wrote letters to make their views public • Federalists accused Jefferson of being “godless” • Republicans warned that the Federalists favored the wealthy and would bring back monarchy

Election Deadlock • The election came out a tie • Not between Adams and Jefferson, but between Jefferson and Burr (73 votes each) • The House of Representatives had to decide the election • The Federalists in the House of Reps saw a chance to prevent the election of Jefferson • They supported Burr

The Election Results • 35 ballots- The election was tied • Alexander Hamilton urged one Federalist not to vote for Burr • Jefferson became president and Burr VP • To prevent this from happening again, Congress passed the 12th Amendment in 1803 • Separate ballots for President and VP

Jefferson’s Inauguration • Jefferson dressed in everyday clothes • Adams chose not to attend • Jefferson tried to bridge the gap between Federalists and Republicans in his speech • “We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists” • But Jefferson was no Federalist

Jefferson’s Ideas • Jefferson believed a large federal government threatened liberty • He believed states could better protect freedom • Jefferson wanted to reduce the power and size of the government • These ideas were similar to the French philosophy known as laissez-faire • “Let people do as they choose”

Cutting Costs • Jefferson and Albert Gallatin (Secretary of Treasury) reduced the national debt • Scaled down military expenses • All federal internal taxes, including the whiskey tax, were repealed • Government funds would come from customs duties (taxes on imported goods) • Also from sale of western lands • Jefferson also limited the number of federal government workers to a few hundred people Judiciary Act of 1801 • Before Jefferson took office, the Federalists passed this Act • Setup regional courts for the US with 16 judges and other judicial officials • Adams appointed judges to these positions and John Marshall to Chief Justice • Adams and Marshall worked around the clock to appoint these “midnight judges” • When Jefferson became president, a few of the appointment papers (commissions) had not yet been delivered • Jefferson told Secretary of State, James Madison, not to deliver them • One commission was to go to William Marbury

Marbury v. Madison • Marbury took his case directly to the Supreme Court • Marshall said the Constitution did not give the Court jurisdiction to decide Marbury’s case • In Marbury v. Madison, three principles of judicial review were established • 1. The Constitution is the supreme law • 2. The Constitution must be followed when there is a conflict between it and any other law • 3. The judicial branch must uphold the Constitution and nullify unconstitutional laws

What Marbury v. Madison Did • Marshall broadened federal power at the expense of the states • 1819- McCulluch v. Maryland- The Court held that Congress is allowed to do more than the Constitution expressly authorizes it to do • 1824- Gibbins v. Ogden- The Court held that federal law takes precedence over state law in interstate transportation

Essential Question

• In what ways did Thomas Jefferson and the Republicans limit the powers of the government?

– They reduced military spending and size, repealed all federal internal taxes, and kept government small.