Friday, October 17th

1800s-Election year

• Jefferson and Adams run for President (Adams tries for re-election)
• Jefferson ties for Presidency with Burr in the electoral college.
• Since no one had a majority of the votes, the election went to the House of Representatives.
• When the constitution was created political parties did not exist. However, two political parties, the federalists and the Jeffersonians, developed, but the Jeffersonians overtook the federalists.
• After 35 ballots within a week, the House of Representatives still could not resolve the tie.
• Finally, a compromise was drawn, and Jefferson became President.
• The tie led to the founding of the 12th amendment, which separated voting (one election for President and a separate election for Vice-President).

Federalist Court System

• Prior to Jefferson's presidency, the federalists established the federal court system.
• Justices were picked by the President
• Justices supported a strong national government
• The court prosecuted many Jeffersonian news editors

Judicial Act of 1801

• Established before Jefferson came to office
• It shrinks the number of Justices in the Supreme Court
• It changes the circuit court system
• creates 16 new justice positions
• The President decides on who gains one of the new justice positions; Thus, Adams appoints federalist justices the night before he leaves office. His "Midnight Judges" were appointed to maintain some federalists within the court system because the federalist party was declining.
• Jefferson attempts to get rid of the "Midnight" justices because he is annoyed that they are federalists. His initial attempts to impeach judges were slightly successful. He impeached John Pickering without rebellion or unrest. His later attempts at impeachment were unsuccessful. For example, he tried to impeach Samuel Chase, but after a trial was held in the Senate he was acquitted. The Jeffersonians finally dropped impeachment

Marbury vs. Madison (Landmark Case)

• established credibility of the Supreme Court and Judicial branch; judicial branch becomes equal to the Executive and Legislative branches.
• Marbury was a judge appointed by Adams
• Jefferson and Madison found the letter signed by Adams appointing Marbury, and they decide not to give him the letter.
• Marbury petitioned the Supreme Court to force Madison to give him the letter, and allow him to become a justice.
• John Marchall (Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) believed that Marbury should be allowed the job but fears upsetting Jefferson. He decides that the Judiciary Act is unconstitutional, and he is unable to grant Marbury the letter.
• Jefferson got what he wanted.
• Judicial Review-the case established that the Judicial Court decides whether a law passed by Congress, signed by the President is constitutional or not.

1800's Continued

• Spain secretly gives Louisiana territory to France
• The Pinckney's Treaty allowed the U.S. to use the Mississippi River as a means of transportation to the New Orleans ports.
• Napoleon wants more territory.
• 1802- France closes ports to American ships for trade, and rumors fly about France gaining more territory.
• The slave revolt in Haiti overthrow the French
• Napoleon offers the U.S. the Louisiana Purchase in exchange for $15 million.
• Jefferson worries about the offer because not only does he not have the power to buy a large sum of land under the constitution, but he doesn't have time to amend the constitution. However, he buys it anyways, and the U.S. agrees it was a good idea.