The New Nation (1789 – 1816)
1) France was upset with the young American
govt. for signing the Jay Treaty with Britain.
2) France (Napoleon) announced it would
begin seizing American ships on the high
seas.
3) Pres. John Adams sent three diplomats to
negotiate a settlement with the French.
4) French diplomatic personnel (three of
them, nicknamed “X,” “Y,” and “Z”) demanded
a “loan” of $10 million before they would
negotiate
5) This was a demand for a bribe.
6) American diplomats rejected the demand;
Many Americans demanded war with France
because of the incident.
“Millions for
defense,
but not one
cent for
tribute!”
1) An undeclared naval war with France
resulted from the XYZ Affair.
2) Pres. Adams again sent negotiators to
France to end the conflict.
3) In the Convention Treaty of 1800, the
French agreed to stop seizing American
ships.
1) Adopted as a result of controversial
Election of 1800
2) Jefferson and Burr had same number of
votes in the Electoral College
3) 12th Amendment allowed Electoral College
to vote for president and vice president
separately
1) Passed by Federalist-controlled Congress
just before the Dem.-Repubs. took over
2) Created new positions in the judicial
branch (particularly District Court judgeships)
3) Pres. Adams, just before leaving office in
1801, filled those judgeships with Federalists.
1) Federalist judges (58) appointed by Pres.
Adams just before he left office (1801)
2) Adams worked late into the night on his last
day in office to sign these commissions.
3) Some commissions did not get delivered
before Jefferson took office the next day.
4) Madison (new Sec. of State) refused to deliver
these “midnight judges” their commissions.
1) Chief Justice of Supreme Court appointed
by Pres. John Adams
2) Was a staunch Federalist
3) Wrote the unanimous opinion in the
landmark case Marbury v. Madison (1803)
4) All Marshall Court decisions strengthened
the powers of the Federal govt.
1) Case resulted from the appointment of the
so-called ‘midnight judges’ by Pres. Adams
2) William Marbury, one of those new
appointees, did not receive his commission
from Sec. of State James Madison.
3) Marbury sued Madison and asked the
courts to force the Sec. of State to deliver his
commission.
4) Supreme Court (Chief Justice John Marshall)
ruled that Marbury could not receive his
commission because the Judiciary Act of 1789
was unconstitutional.
5) By declaring the law unconstitutional, Marshall
said the Supreme Court had the authority to
declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.
6) This established the principle known as
judicial review.
1) Whitney’s invention, the cotton engine,
was important because it dramatically
increased the profit cotton growers could
make.
2) As cotton growers could make more profit,
more cotton was planted in the South.
3) This led to an increased demand for slaves
to pick the cotton – leading to a dramatic
increase in the number of slaves in the South.
1) Was a quote made by Thomas Jefferson
regarding the necessity of slavery to the South’s
way of life
2) Supporters of slavery used this argument.
3) Though morally evil, Jefferson said, slavery
was an economic necessity to the South.
4) Cotton became so important to the South’s
economy it became known as “King Cotton”.
1) This term refers to legally freeing slaves.
2) The emancipation movement began to gain
momentum in Northern states in the late
1700s and early 1800s.
3) By the 1840s, the movement had become
very influential in the North.
4) The movement was discouraged in the
Southern states.
1) Land purchase made by the U.S. from
France in 1803 (Jefferson and Napoleon)
2) Included over 800,000 square miles of
territory in what is now the middle of the
continental U.S. (all or part of 15 states)
3) Purchase price was $15 million (an average
of about four cents an acre!)
4) Purchase was made by treaty with France
1) Pres. Jefferson commissioned Meriwether
Lewis and William Clark to explore the new
Louisiana Territory in 1804.
2) Included nearly 50 men and took nearly
two years to complete
3) The Corps of Discovery crossed the Rocky
Mountains and eventually made it to the
Pacific Ocean.
4) A young Shoshone woman named
Sacagawea served as guide, interpreter, and
peaceful ambassador and helped the
expedition find its way across the Rockies.
5) Lewis and Clark proved a river and land
route could get settlers to the Pacific.
6) Their detailed journal aroused great
interest in western migration.
1) Law that halted all trade with all nations
until Britain and France halted their
impressment of American sailors and seizure
of American ships
2) Effect on American economy was
disastrous; Exports dropped dramatically
3) The law, supported by Jefferson, was
quietly repealed when James Madison became
president in 1809.